Cancellations

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Lanval
IAC Addict!
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Re: Cancellations

Post by Lanval » Sat Jul 27, 2013 10:25 am

I'm a bit non-plussed at this report. Perhaps no one gets on the list until they pay the deposit. No promises, no schedule. (disclaimer ~ I think I've always just paid Colin when he showed up) I could live with that. At least you'd know who's in the game. Like an ante in poker...

Also; I'm retroactively cancelling our appointment. Send me the money. I've forgotten what I learned and pulled up the carpet, and loosened the crossover pipe so it's leaking again.

heh.

ML

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Amskeptic
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Re: Cancellations

Post by Amskeptic » Sat Jul 27, 2013 11:26 am

Lanval wrote:I'm a bit non-plussed at this report. Perhaps no one gets on the list until they pay the deposit. No promises, no schedule. (disclaimer ~ I think I've always just paid Colin when he showed up) I could live with that. At least you'd know who's in the game. Like an ante in poker...

Also; I'm retroactively cancelling our appointment. Send me the money. I've forgotten what I learned and pulled up the carpet, and loosened the crossover pipe so it's leaking again.

heh.

ML
I'm sorry, too keyed up for usual banter.
Please understand that I take responsibility for not being more disciplined.
Colin
(looking for more work eastbound from LA)
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

Lanval
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Re: Cancellations

Post by Lanval » Sat Jul 27, 2013 3:33 pm

Amskeptic wrote:I'm sorry, too keyed up for usual banter.
Fair enough. Let me return this to a discussion of the situation at hand. I've wondered, so now I ask...

Is the IAC trip contingent on people signing up? In other words, if only a couple of people signed up, would you pack it in and work in a shop somewhere?

I think I assumed that you just did the circuit because it's what you wanted to do, and then used the wrenching as a way to make the whole thing work. If that's not the case, then I definitely think you should be taking deposits; not to force people to pay per se but so that you know what your income will be for real.

Since I work on a similar basis (I tutor SAT/Writing/History for those who don't know) I have some experience here. In my circumstances, it's not that unusual for something to come up at the last minute, and it's usually easy to reschedule me, but I can be strict-ish if:

1. I don't know the person
2. They've abused my good will

More than once I've refused to meet with students after having them reschedule 3 or more times. They are incredibly disrespectful, beyond the financial consequences of their flakiness.

If someone I didn't know scheduled me, then canceled, they get maybe, 1 chance. And that's only because the effort for me is nil, and because any such work is extraneous to our overall finances.

Some leeway on deposits might be reasonable if the person in question is a known quantity. And if there are old hands whom you know, and who stood you up for meretricious reasons (given the circumstances, though ~ Colin's flexibility, and the importance of fitting into his peripatetic schedule ~ there are FEW reasons that justify canceling an IAC appointment completely) then I think that's a shame. But taken in all, I would think that if you base the IAC concept on enough people signed up, then it's deposits for sure, and anything you pick up along the way (procrastinators subject to the vagaries of your schedule) becomes a gain, rather than pseudo-appointments disappearing becoming losses.

ML

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Amskeptic
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Re: Cancellations

Post by Amskeptic » Sat Jul 27, 2013 7:32 pm

Lanval wrote:But taken in all, I would think that if you base the IAC concept on enough people signed up, then it's deposits for sure, and anything you pick up along the way (procrastinators subject to the vagaries of your schedule) becomes a gain, rather than pseudo-appointments disappearing becoming losses.

ML
Hopefulness had infected me with Pseudoappointmentitus.
This, I take responsibility for.
A brief regimen of depositories should help here.
I have 29 days before my next round of bills. :pale:
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

Lanval
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Re: Cancellations

Post by Lanval » Sat Jul 27, 2013 8:54 pm

Like I said, that main seal is still leaky, the suspension is still squeaky, the front windscreen fluid doesn't work, and the cabinet needs to be pulled to finish the carpet...

ML

luftvagon
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Location: Little Rock, AR
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Re: Cancellations

Post by luftvagon » Wed Jul 31, 2013 7:00 am

Colin,

Sorry to hear you got many cancellations this year. I have nothing on the radar to be fixed, unless you want to participate with disk brake upgrade, and electronic ignition r&d. :pirate: :thumbleft:
1981 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia - air-cooled Type4 1970cc CV (hydraulic lifters, 42x36 valves, stock cam, microSquirt FI with wasted spark ignition)
1993 Ford F-250 XL LWB Extended Cab 7.3L IDI

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airkooledchris
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Re: Cancellations

Post by airkooledchris » Wed Jul 31, 2013 12:45 pm

I think sticking to the original posted rules should work fine.

If your deposit isn't paid by such and such date, your not on the list so the schedule can be adjusted to best suit you and those who have actually committed.

Sure, some may have some great reason not to have a deposit in yet, and those im sure can be dealt with on a case by case basis, but anyone who doesn't make the deadline and doesn't reach out to communicate why - gets dropped.

It's a business, not a charity.
1979 California Transporter

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Gypsie
rusty aircooled mekanich
Location: Treadin' Lightly under the Clear Blue!
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Re: Cancellations

Post by Gypsie » Wed Jul 31, 2013 2:21 pm

airkooledchris wrote: It's a business, not a charity.
Aye, there's the rub.

This endeavor has had smatterings of both.

The 'flexibility' that has been part of the process has, IMHO, contributed to the end result. Colin has fully accepted the responsibility for this. Go ahead and give yourself a swift kick in the pants and then reevaluate when yer bum stops hurtin'.

The loosey-gooseyness with regard to financial commitment of, and potential loss of, deposit funds is easy to understand as the desire to share the knowledge base and empower AC aficionados is a benefit (ie 'income') that is not easy to quantify. It would be interesting to explore the possibility of a 501(c)3... :geek:

This acumen has, unfortunately, run the itinerary smack dab into 'viability'. Lessn' yer a philanthropist with resources to spare to keep things going, something has to change to keep the itinerary.

It's hard to see what needs to change without knowing the figures, but the numbers and logistics are not necessarily needed to know that a slight correction toward the business model is needed to sustain the endeavor.

Not trying to figger it out for you, or tell you that you're doing it wrong, but here are a few thoughts about some changes that may allow for some continued flexibility and perhaps some other income streams:

1. multi car/people work days: several folk go in on a day (perhaps those work days are a charged at a little more than a one on one day, or maybe same fee for the group day with the understanding that there will be focus on several vehicles); an item (or two) are identified as needing attention for each, and several get the benefit of dealing with some overview of other problems and can assist each other in some wrenchin' (community building). This is just a thought bubble that would need further refining but there are some folk, I'm sure, that don't need a whole day and would like to have the itinerant experience.

-Or-

perhaps a host could get a break on a day of a particularly tricky, yet common, repair task that could have a "seminar" flavor. Attendees would pay to attend, perhaps several rigs with similar issues could be attended to on that day.

Of course both of the above suggestions make for a different kind of work day for you and puts you into a group rather than the one on one. It also starts to make things get more complicated.

2. Realize that holding fast to deadlines and the "deposit" principal is not a choice that the big bad Colinwolf is making. It is part of the foundation of the enterprise's sustainability. If you can't fund the current travels and the ability to make it to next year's itinerary, then everyone is impacted. If you can keep it rolling on the community as a whole is benefited. "It's out of my hands..."

3. Premium days: Saturday and Sundays must be the highest demand days and as such may be worth more.

4. Kick-Starter campaign. Nickels into dimes into dollars. This may be a tough pill to swallow but I would think on it with the 'community benefit' as the sugar that makes it easier to swallow the 'hey brother can you spare a dime' feeling.

2 cents.


Sorry to hear that these issues are creeping into your dream.
So it all started when I wanted to get better gas mileage....

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Amskeptic
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Re: Cancellations

Post by Amskeptic » Thu Aug 01, 2013 9:32 am

Gypsie wrote:
airkooledchris wrote: It's a business, not a charity.
Aye, there's the rub.

This endeavor has had smatterings of both.
I do like your thoughtful posts.
I see a need to evolve this thing or . . . something.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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BumbleBus
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Re: Cancellations

Post by BumbleBus » Thu Aug 01, 2013 6:06 pm

Gypsie wrote:1. multi car/people work days: I'm sure, that don't need a whole day and would like to have the itinerant experience.
I & two local bus buddies of mine have been wanting to do this very thing (kids, marriage, economy, jobs etc. have all gotten in the way so far sadly). The three of us just want to have Colin's expertise for a few hrs each at first so we can have a list of things he notes need replacing etc. etc. "Bumblebus your camber is too toe-y & your bearings are crunchy". Etc.
Gypsie wrote:4. Kick-Starter campaign. Nickels into dimes into dollars.
Kickstarter is great. I've helped fund multiple campaigns already myself. My Mama, in her seemingly infinite wisdom, always said to me growing up, "boy... it's a lot easier getting a dollar from a million people than it is a million dollars from one person". She also said, "find a need... and fill it", but Colin already has that one dialed.
'72 Sierra Yellow Campmobile

I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.

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hippiewannabe
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Re: Cancellations

Post by hippiewannabe » Thu Aug 01, 2013 9:23 pm

Amskeptic wrote:
Gypsie wrote:
airkooledchris wrote: It's a business, not a charity.
Aye, there's the rub.

This endeavor has had smatterings of both.
I do like your thoughtful posts.
I see a need to evolve this thing or . . . something.
Colin
I'm getting a feeling of deja vu....

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewto ... lin#585223
Zeen in 2004 wrote:
Amskeptic wrote:Had a total of 36 housecalls. In 34 weeks. In 21,860 miles.
Pulled in $8680.00 :?
Spent $6540.95 on fuel/food/lodging/maintenance/repairs/tolls/phone.
"Cleared" $2,139.05
Weekly Income $62.91 :roll:
Fun Factor. . . priceless. :D
Colin
Hi Colin. As we discussed before, you provide a very valuable and cost effective service. With a little more mercenary discipline, you can make a go of it, to everyone's benefit. It's all about operational efficiency. Here's another way to look at the numbers:

Gross income per engagement: $8680/36= $241
Expenses: $6541/34= $192 per week

If you can cluster the visits more effectively and do 3 per week:

$241 * 3 * 34 Weeks = $24,582
minus $6541 = $18,000 for Christmas presents (and insurance)

I'll bet with your Samba fame you won't have any trouble filling your dance card without having to go 22,000 miles (unless you want to)

Plus, you should raise your price; the convenience of your house calls and the skills transfer you provide makes you worth more than a regular mechanic, not less.

This makes it a little more like a regular job, but at least shows it's viable. It's up to you where you want to turn the knob between a money making venture and an all expenses paid vacation.

I hope you stick with it, and I hope I get a not-rusty Westy for you to come work on.
In the words of the philosopher Geddy Lee, "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice". :flower:
Truth is like poetry.
And most people fucking hate poetry.

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BumbleBus
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Re: Cancellations

Post by BumbleBus » Fri Aug 02, 2013 9:52 am

The imminent IAC book will probably sell so many copies on Amazon you wouldn't even need to worry about travel expenses on future itineraries.

:geek:
'72 Sierra Yellow Campmobile

I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.

luftvagon
Old School!
Location: Little Rock, AR
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Re: Cancellations

Post by luftvagon » Fri Aug 02, 2013 3:32 pm

:study:
1981 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia - air-cooled Type4 1970cc CV (hydraulic lifters, 42x36 valves, stock cam, microSquirt FI with wasted spark ignition)
1993 Ford F-250 XL LWB Extended Cab 7.3L IDI

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Amskeptic
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Re: Cancellations

Post by Amskeptic » Sat Aug 03, 2013 4:50 am

Yer all killin' me, I tell ya . . . :geek:
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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dingo
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Location: oregon - calif
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Re: Cancellations

Post by dingo » Sat Aug 03, 2013 1:38 pm

waiting for the IAC book, so i can finally put bentleys to the torch...
'71 Kombi, 1600 dp

';78 Tranzporter 2L

" Fill what's empty, empty what's full, and scratch where it itches."

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