[BC] Making engineering pay

[JYRussell@academicplanet.com]

I like this post.  Sounds like one to put to heart.

Jason
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike McCarthy" <Towers at mre.com>
To: "Broadcasters' Mailing List" <broadcast at radiolists.net>
Sent: Monday, July 24, 2006 7:11 AM
Subject: Re: [BC] Making engineering pay


> I've been watching this rant over the weekend.
>
> My rates reflect/reflected what the market bears and takes into account
all
> the good customer stuff as well as extended projects and/or consistent
> work.  I didn't/don't undercharge the market and there were/are guys which
> made/make more than I did/do...which is fine with me.  We were/are all
busy
> and I see no need to try and undercut them. I was making a decent living
at
> my then hourly rate before going back to the corporate world.  I still
> do...on the side. (FWIW, my rates are going up at the end of the year for
> the itinerant client.)
>
> The biggest issue of all which everyone seems to have missed here is
really
> simple.  What is YOUR time worth after all the expenses are paid? If you
> set your prices at the rate of the other cheaper guy(s), there is a clear
> impression your quality of service and value is at the same level of the
> other cheaper guy(s).  Regardless of  what the the other guys charge, YOUR
> time/rate has value which while impacted by the others should not
precisely
> determine your hourly rate, nor your quality of work provided.
>
> It's marketing and backing up the message with better
> production/service.  That would also include demeanor, appearance,
> professionalism, achieving  mission directives/goals in the shortest time,
> etc. All the things which would/should set YOU apart from the other guys
> charging less.  Make it apparent why your services are the better
> value...even if the hourly rate is higher. Ask the customer if insurance
is
> important to them.  The cheaper guy may not carry liability insurance.  Do
> you?  For a good policy...the premium is about $0.75-$1/hr. for FT work of
> one guy, including good test gear.
>
> As an aside, I have noted the guys which tend to charge less also talk
> more....at the job site. They're more negative in opinion and in general
> carry a narrower and less optimistic perspective. You're impression of
> value to quality of service is reflected in less blather and more elbows
> flying when on site as well as wide view objectivity.  Managers see
> that...it's really obvious to them. Get in, get the mission accomplished,
> and move on..without harping on the little things.
>
> While there will always be the guy who tries to drag the market down to
get
> busy, if the rest of the market follows, everyone looses.  Including the
> stations since the quality of service will decrease and the morale will
falter.
>
> MM
>
> At 09:51 PM 7/23/2006 -0400, Mark Humphrey wrote
> >For the sake of comparison, here are the published rates of two
> >well-known contract/consulting engineers:
> >
> >http://www.criterion-broadcast.com/cbsdol.html
> >http://mwpersons.com/Rate-Card.html
> >
> >FWIW, my standard rate is $85/hr, but like Craig, I will discount
> >10-15% for good clients or in special circumstances.  As always, it's
> >a matter of supply and demand -- some contractors in this area get
> >$90/hr.
> >
> >Mark
> >
> >
> >On 7/23/06, Craig Bowman <craig1 at shianet.org> wrote:
> >>Y'all please stay the hell out of Michigan.  I will not get out of bed
> >>for $50.00 and hour.  For good clients I charge $65 an hour and for the
> >>random callers I charge $75 when I can get to them.  The guy who works
> >>on my boat charges $85.  I am seriously considering raising my rates to
> >>that level.
> >_______________________________________________
> >
> >Do you have a BDR? http://www.oldradio.com/bdr.htm
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> Do you have a BDR? http://www.oldradio.com/bdr.htm