school repairs strategy/mindset

[Dents Be Gone!]

I agree, guys. This is the way to go.

[bloke]

Yeah. As a person who works for themselves, I rarely go anywhere where I don't do at least a little bit of business. At least, the road guy doesn't have to fix all that crap.

[Dents Be Gone!]

I agree, guys. This is the way to go.

[bloke]

It’s a bit like “The island of misfit employees” here sometimes. Retired band director “road guys” that don’t like to be on the road. Luckily, the “misfits” come and go quickly once they figure out that this is actual work. Some are great and seem to relish the change.

' hard to relate...
We never had "road guys".
We rented band instruments at a couple of private schools (where single vendors isn't illegal) but 99% of our rentals were over-the-counter (at it's peak, only about 1500)...and only a couple of part time employees...ie. mostly, just the two of us).

We stopped renting (and moved "out here") when - simultaneously - it became more-and-more dangerous to have a brick-and-mortar store, the property/business taxes grew out of control, and a higher-and-higher percentage of rental customers were stealing rental instruments or returning them all torn up (with a certain percentage of those playing the race card - if we charged them for the epic damage or theft, and a certain other percentage claiming "you rented it to us that way")...ie. It was no longer any fun.

The only experience we had with "road people" was hearing back how they would (never having even met us, and certainly never having been in our store) slander us to band directors.

[Dents Be Gone!]

I agree, guys. This is the way to go.

[Cameron Gates]

I got the request of death in my in box today:

3 Conn (20K) sousaphones - “body dents”

I know these instruments. Massive bow jobs. I did one a month back, now they want all its 3 sisters the same way. This is going to suck.

And the summer crap is starting. I really wish they would have put these in the request system directly after marching band season.

I shouldn’t gripe. At least I have something to do.

[bloke]

If they are the paper thin ones that they have been making for a good while, that really shouldn't be too bad of a job.

[Cameron Gates]

If they are the paper thin ones that they have been making for a good while, that really shouldn't be too bad of a job.

Yeah, not too bad but time consuming. I already have 150 instruments in the repair queue and we have not hit May yet. Sousa bow jobs clog up the works worse (at least for me) than YBB321 or 5J bow jobs. In my magical, imaginary world bows would only get pulled between October and March. Last full week of school around here is the 2nd week of May and many HS’s start band camp the first week of June. I will have 200 mellophone/baritone things that need to be up and running by the 2nd week of June at the latest along with a ton of sousaphones. This will allow me about a month to get the more voluminous MS crap ready to start the year.

Once again, the thing that kills me is the fact that all of this marching crap has been sitting since the last football game. It could have been done by now and allow me to maybe spend a week of vacation with my family. But nooooooooo.

I know, I chose to do this.

[bloke]

I work for myself.
When I start swearing, I don't have anyone to swear at - other than myself.
Also, I keep putting off firing me.

[Cameron Gates]

I am curious about how much storage space techs have at their disposal for summer repairs. Also, how many schools are you housing at one time?

Due to a lack of storage space, I have a “stay in Mexico” policy. I will not pick up at a school until I can actually do the work. Usually, during the summer I will keep only 3 schools at the shop. Once those are finished I deliver and pick up 3 more (or more if they don’t have much)

This stay in Mexico policy really works well during the school year. I have found that as soon as I pick up an instrument the stopwatch in the teacher’s head starts. If I try to be efficient and pick up instruments in an area that I am in yet won’t be able to get on the repair for some time the teacher’s alarm clock is going crazy and they are pissed. If I wait, do the pick up later and deliver in a timely fashion there is no problem and I am a hero.

Does anyone have strategic gems dealing with workflow?

[bloke]

I work at night, when there's too much $h!t to do.

[Dents Be Gone!]

I agree, guys. This is the way to go.

[bloke]

I believe Cameron is the employee of a school system so it's a little different.

[Cameron Gates]

Yes I work for a school district, so there is no chance of a private shop picking up stuff. It is free for the programs.

Having a garage-like storage thing seems nice for sure, and to be able to stockpile stuff would be a very nice luxury. If I had a large storage area like that it would be put to use in the summer for sure.

I am curious about during the school year when and instrument might be in use by a student. We are mandated to go in order of time submitted, however if I am in the area of a school that I know is way down the list I currently just leave it in Mexico and return when it is their turn. This is not the most efficient way to do things, but is the only way to keep that imaginary clock in the band director's head from starting.

I guess my situation is too unique to compare to a private shop.

[Dents Be Gone!]

I agree, guys. This is the way to go.