Sledge
05-11-2009, 02:20 AM
I am wondering if things are changing around the world as they have changed in Canada in the last 10 years.
We have seen the big American chain stores come in, such as Walmart, Costco, Home Depot etc and they have wiped out the small mom and pop operations.
Walmart has grocery stores in them, and Home Depot is selling air conditioning, furnaces, hot water heaters, sheet metal, parts and materials to install. Costco also has grocery stores in them.
It is almost impossible to find a small hardware store or corner grocery store anymore.
For our business this means that the small Air con/fridge contractor is disappearring. These big places only deal with big contractors.
It hasnt resulted in better technicians, as a big contractor often employs a couple of good guys, and a bunch of glorified labourers. (I have been asked to consult occasionally, you wouldnt believe...)
It is getting harder for a guy like me who wants to remain small (had the big crew, in years past, tired of fixing their #$@%-ups for free, been there, done that) It is forcing me to either go big or start fixing restaurants...AAAAAGH!!!
Is it the same everywhere?
We have seen the big American chain stores come in, such as Walmart, Costco, Home Depot etc and they have wiped out the small mom and pop operations.
Walmart has grocery stores in them, and Home Depot is selling air conditioning, furnaces, hot water heaters, sheet metal, parts and materials to install. Costco also has grocery stores in them.
It is almost impossible to find a small hardware store or corner grocery store anymore.
For our business this means that the small Air con/fridge contractor is disappearring. These big places only deal with big contractors.
It hasnt resulted in better technicians, as a big contractor often employs a couple of good guys, and a bunch of glorified labourers. (I have been asked to consult occasionally, you wouldnt believe...)
It is getting harder for a guy like me who wants to remain small (had the big crew, in years past, tired of fixing their #$@%-ups for free, been there, done that) It is forcing me to either go big or start fixing restaurants...AAAAAGH!!!
Is it the same everywhere?