Okay that is a few job we’ve not even checked out but. The explanation Im writing about it’s that we had been requested to low cost a job. Now you may assume that its nothing particular and nearly anticipated lately however you cant low cost on this enterprise and make any cash except you do a hell of a whole lot of clocks. And that is how we preserve decrease pricing, just by doing a whole lot of clocks. This presents us with considerably of an issue as a result of for those who do a whole lot of clocks at comparatively low revenue in an effort to make a wise general revenue for the month, then a reduction job is sort of a spanner within the works. Inevitably any dscounted service or job takes 5 occasions so long as anticipated which not solely wipes revenue of the job but additionally will get in the way in which of doing jobs which can be sitting there with a timer on them prepared to enter WIP (work in progress).
I suppose if we didnt have any WIP then discounting may make sense however we all the time have a STACK of labor to get by means of and exceptionally quick job and supply occasions with out sacrificing any high quality values. So why trouble taking the worth down?
Right here is a few background on why.
We’re significantly skilled in all forms of clock. We simply love them and something new (to us) is gratefully accepted work because it offers us but extra expertise and permits our steady enchancment strategy to sit down in step with our workflow. We dont cost extra – everybody will get the identical value scale aside from public sector important staff or and state pensioners. Pensioners are usually not wealthy. Pensioners additionally love clocks as a result of after they had been of their prime mechanical clocks had been as effectively.
Boring Historical past Interlude: The quantity manufacturing of mechanical clocks alongside the Henry Ford manufacturing line rules was solely adopted by clockmakers after about 1940 though between 1900 and 1940 its clear that some standardisation was happening. You may see it in actions just like the Jungans p18 and P19 which have normal elements. You may take a component out of 1 p18 and put in in one other one with none issues as a result of the motion had been manufacturing unit produced, simply not in large volumes.
The issue with these two motion, which was typical of he period, was that they handnt fairly fairly received there when it comes to the options you’d count on on a mid priced clock from the 40’s. An instance of that is the hour chime reset. On the vast majority of mantle clocks from 1940 onwards, for those who pushed the minute hand by means of two chime factors e.g. at quarter previous and half previous, the chimes exit of sequence. It rings out the half hour chime on the three quarter hour level for instance. On the later clocks a intelligent function was added that, after not more than 1 hour 45 minutes, the clock could have corrected itself and can chime the correct sequence on the proper time. The P18 doesnt have this. It has, nonetheless, received a whole lot of good options and glorious construct high quality (aside from the winder gearing cog which all the time goes bang ultimately normally breaking the spring and damaging the wheels – if in case you have one get this completed earlier than it does it to you!). It’s nonetheless a really sophisticated clock to restore and to arrange.
Anyway we had a chap ring this morning wanting to herald a P18 primarily based clock. I defined the job and the worth vary and it was an excessive amount of for him. He couldn’t afford it. He had saved up for the clock repair and received about 70% of the median determine it prices to get completed correctly i.e. bushes, some wheels, new springs and so on. On the value he had estimated himself, we might make no cash and take up time that might be used to generate revenue. Doing the job on the value he wanted would have been insanity.
So we did insanity.
The explanation we’re going to do that job, basically at value value, is that HE HAD SAVED UP. What this implies is that he values our expertise. It additionally means he loves his clock. I used to be fairly touched by this.
We’re in enterprise to repair clocks. We aren’t a charity or a “not for revenue” organisation however the reality stays there’s a mission in what we do. We’re right here to maintain mechanical clocks operating and people clocks, after I peg it, shall be my legacy. I’ll remorse it little question and curse my excessive minded perspective however I additionally know that in a few month there shall be a cheerful pensioner, a set clock, and much more skilled gained. Thats good, and a end result, and progress.
That in all probability offers you an thought of “who we’re” and thats why Ive revealed this text. Please don’t ask for a reduction except you’re employed for the NHS, police, military, stay on a state pension, or have been awarded a navy medal for gallantry within the final nice struggle. Just like the Victoria Cross. With Oak Leaves, recorded in dispatches, and with the queens fingerprints intact within the floor and ideally burnt into the patina.
