What A Let Down For The Tv Antenna Man

[COFDM MAN]

I am up here in Brisbane with just 28 days to go until the switch off of analogue TV!

I have been in the TV antenna business for 10 years. I use to employ 3 full time employee's, now I have one casual employee!

I spend over $20,000 dollar a year on advertising our services.

All of my employee's have always been fully Government Endorsed Antenna Installers.

I have never got one single job from the Government!

I have no work on my books at all and most of the other antenna installers up here are also doing it hard.

I no doubt will be out of work in the very near future.

Why!

Because this country does not support small business. It supports the big multi nationals!

So all you long term Antenna Installers beware! The end is near.

The antenna installers are not making any money. So who is getting the Digital Dividend dollars?

[SuperTech]

He's perfectly right. I have no work either! Its all been given to the big multi nationals! Good on you mate for having the guts to let everyone know the truth.

I'm with you!

[mr-happy-pants]

Because this country does not support small business. It supports the big multi nationals!

You are one step in front of manufacturing-in-Australia.

It is a crime. Don't get me started...

[Tazzy2Heads]

Hi Guy's

It is the same Australia wide, the industry has changed mainly owing to technology.Think of the man who made dam fine horse whips

and then came along that darn horseless carriage !

IMO the antenna industry took a massive hit when Digital TV came along and all of a sudden people could get perfect pictures

themselves by buying a new tv or a set top box and plugging it in, and it turned even more into a DIY industry than it already was.

Then along came auto tuning tv's and set top boxes, another hit.

By then every cowboy and fly by nighter who could plug in yellow/red/white composite leads went for the fast buck and gave all the good installers and the industry in general a bad name by selling too cheap and installing rubbish jobs, another hit.

There was some work about for a while fixing up there cock ups but by then the public was very wary of antenna installers and

mostly tried to fix it themselves or wouldn't/ couldn't pay what it cost to install a reliable system properly.

Now the technology has jumped up again and the TV'S can work on some very poor quality signals and once again people are fixing their reception issues with new tv's and don't need the 'man' a lot of the time.

I think you will find once the Analogue is gone your work will pick up for a while sorting out reception issues again as a lot of people think they are watching Digital tv now and they are not owing to operator error, or if the Digital plays up on some

channels they switch back to Analogue if they know how and there will be no pictures.

After the switch off a lot of people will toss out their old VCRs and will want their new PVRs connected and their signals sorted.

So hang in there, there will be some work about still for a while yet !

How many jobs did I get that I know of from being an endorsed installer did you ask ? TWO eeehaaa!!! one at the beginning of the scheme and one the day before switch off !!

I think a lot of people down here wouldn't touch an endorsed installer because they remember the insulation scheme or think that

they will pay more than their little mate down the road who kept them hooked up to pirate tv over the years.

Cheers Tazzy.

[pgdownload]

I think you have a point Tassie. Much like Pink Batts, there was a massive cash injection into the installer industry around a decade ago (be it government subsidies or just everyone in the nation looking at upgrading there antenna kit). Small businesses benefited hugely from this. It also meant bigger businesses found it lucrative to join in. But the technology is much improved from analogue in terms of the need for an expert to tinker with it to get the most out of your reception. Once its set up you have crystal clear pics.

I don't think the current decline in the industry has much to do with anything other than the industry has largely become un-needed. There will always need to be some antenna people but nothing like the number needed over the past decade. It was good while it lasted.

[beeblebrox]

hey got an open reg with fibre endorsement... at least for the next 6 months nbn needs you.... what happens after the election .. well I might go and grow pumpkins

[I am not a duck]

I am up here in Brisbane with just 28 days to go until the switch off of analogue TV!

Lucky you. It's already been switched off here.

I have been in the TV antenna business for 10 years. I use to employ 3 full time employee's, now I have one casual employee!

I've been involved for forty years. Have never employed anybody, except myself.

I spend over $20,000 dollar a year on advertising our services.

Unfortunately, that's probably because, in a big pool, you have to splash a lot to get noticed.

All of my employee's have always been fully Government Endorsed Antenna Installers.

Well, I are one too, but don't advertise the fact much.

I have never got one single job from the Government!

Maybe two or three here, but hey, were you expecting that anyway as an income stream?

I have no work on my books at all and most of the other antenna installers up here are also doing it hard.

Must be a regional thing.

I no doubt will be out of work in the very near future.

Unfortunate, but not expecting that myself.

Why!

Because this country does not support small business. It supports the big multi nationals!

Don't have an issue with that.

So all you long term Antenna Installers beware! The end is near.

Won't matter a hill of beans to me. There's always retirement.

The antenna installers are not making any money.

From where I'm looking, can't agree with that.

So who is getting the Digital Dividend dollars?

The government. (If the sale actually happens.)

there was a massive cash injection into the installer industry around a decade ago (be it government subsidies or just everyone in the nation looking at upgrading there antenna kit).

Love to see your source document/s for that, because I don't believe that is the case.

what happens after the election

This website might disappear?

[pgdownload]

Love to see your source document/s for that, because I don't believe that is the case.

Well the industry received 300 million cash injection to install STB for pensioners around the country. But that would pale in comparison to the amount of work (needed and unneeded) generated by a nation transitioning to digital TV and replacing old equipment (antennas, cabling, outlets, etc.). Now that work has been done, people aren't going to be revisiting it for decades IMO.

Regards

Peter Gillespie

[COFDM MAN]

Thanks for all your comments. I'm glad that I am not the only one who has got no work from this Government run antenna installer scheme.

Currently we are being blanket advertised by the Government up here in Brisbane. The TV ads tell the viewers to call a 1300 number if they have issues. That number then gives out the jobs to multi national big business. Not us little guy's!

At least now I know why all the calls to my business have suddenly stopped.

Shame on this Government! Like I said yesterday, if your expecting heaps of work when the switchover happens in your city you better think again or complain to your fedral member right now!

[Storm AV]

I don't have any issues, as things change youve got to change with them.

Its true the big boys are spending their big $$$$ and other tactics to get the majority of work-unfortunately for them they don't always build strong ongoing relationships with their customers due to the often non caring attitude towards their contractors, the contractors dont take as much pride in their work as a sole trader or small pty ltd and certainly don't care if they get referred due to their customer care and workmanship.

Cofdm-home theatre is a lot busier if you are reliable and go the extra mile for your customers, plenty of work in new fibreoptic estates running extra outlets and lots of tv wall mount and theatre work....Best answer I'v found is to do letterbox drops in new estates as often newspapers arent delivered there and the yellow/pink pages only comes out once a year and often people have to wait for internet connections to access online listings-this lets you access new customers and is great for business to get established as the guy to deal with in the estate-I currently work on around 60% referrals for work and the rest is from advertising-mind you my advertising budget is under $10,000 pa.

Best of luck fellas-another option try and get some part time work with a retailer that doesn't have in house install company attached-factory second places are also good places to pick up work from.

Cheers

Jason.

[JSmith]

Currently we are being blanket advertised by the Government up here in Brisbane. The TV ads tell the viewers to call a 1300 number if they have issues. That number then gives out the jobs to multi national big business. Not us little guy's!

At least now I know why all the calls to my business have suddenly stopped.

Shame on this Government!

That sounds anti-competitive to me... the state government runs this telephone line?

JSmith

[pgdownload]

I'm glad that I am not the only one who has got no work from this Government run antenna installer scheme.

Understandable, but perhaps it would be better to be glad you are the only one, sad you're not? Also the businesses you're competing against are unlikely to be 'multi nationals' just small Australian business' that grew to become bigger Australian business'. They used economies of scale to provide the same service for less. That's why your calls have suddenly stopped.

Regards

Peter Gillespie

[pgdownload]

That sounds anti-competitive to me... the state government runs this telephone line?

Its likely extremely competitive. Lowest price wins the contract.

Regards

Peter Gillespie

[Theres Always Radio]

I am up here in Brisbane with just 28 days to go until the switch off of analogue TV!

I have been in the TV antenna business for 10 years. I use to employ 3 full time employee's, now I have one casual employee!

I spend over $20,000 dollar a year on advertising our services.

All of my employee's have always been fully Government Endorsed Antenna Installers.

I have never got one single job from the Government!

I have no work on my books at all and most of the other antenna installers up here are also doing it hard.

I no doubt will be out of work in the very near future.

Why!

Because this country does not support small business. It supports the big multi nationals!

So all you long term Antenna Installers beware! The end is near.

The antenna installers are not making any money. So who is getting the Digital Dividend dollars?

Hi COFDM MAN

I am sorry about this on two counts.

(1) It is beyond belief that knowledgeable installers like yourself have not been involved in this work.

(2) I have lost count of how many homes I have visited homes on behalf of the broadcasters sorting reception complaints despite having the "government installer" visit to get them ready for digital.

Seriously I do not know where these jokers have been picked up from but somehow the scheme has managed to absorb some serious no hopers. Installations in the wrong polarity, people being told they have a "strong" antenna when they have a BIII antenna when BIV is needed. One pensioner told me his guy forgot his ladder and could not change the outdoor antenna and ended up giving him and indoor antenna.

Some serious rorting has gone on in my area.

James

[I am not a duck]

Now that work has been done, people aren't going to be revisiting it for decades IMO.

Stuff breaks, wears out, needs fixing/altering. Are you an installer with some kind of experience, by the way?

I'm glad that I am not the only one who has got no work from this Government run antenna installer scheme.

The only reason for becoming part of the scheme was because a tender required it. As mentioned, I've had maybe 2 or 3 installations out of it. However, I do get calls from individuals dissatisfied with the HAS/SSS work they have had done. Since there is a warranty provided with this work, I don't get involved as of yet.

Like I said yesterday, if your expecting heaps of work when the switchover happens in your city you better think again

I would not be basing my business model on that.

It is beyond belief that knowledgeable installers like yourself have not been involved in this work.

Can't speak for anyone else, but I wouldn't be.

[Tazzy2Heads]

Hi Guys

IMO the bad installations have been done by people who have tried to cash in on the scheme to make a quick dollar and most will

disappear out of the industry as soon as the work stops never to be seen again.

These people got into the scheme because the Govt. focused too much on the insurance side of it after the insulation scheme

stuff up and not enough on how much knowledge about antennas and installation they had.This should have been picked up at the exam time but the exam seemed to have minimal questions on antenna installation theory and practice.

A boy Scout could have passed the exam I was sent.They were chasing installer numbers not people with knowledge.

The crash course they were given didn't cover experience in the field that good installers have.

James , I have heard of some horror show scheme installs down here as well,so someone will get to fix them up I guess

Cheers All Tazzy

To be fed Govt. work from the scheme you have to apply and join the team and work your butt off to make anything out of it, long

hours for very little reward from what I could see. When I crunched the numbers allowing for the area where the work is in Hobart

and surrounds I doubt whether I would have broken even . If you were 18 years old with a big bank roll and could jump around roofs like a possum day after day in all weather you may do ok.

It would be interesting to know how the installers are going, a bit like the guys in the Foxtel installers thread I suspect, some are ok and others not so good depending on what jobs they get and what areas they are working in I guess.

Another reason the outside work is in short supply for some installers is the 'myswitch' site . When people type in their address

and go to the list of Endorsed Installers the list starts with the closest installer to their address and follows with next closest etc.

This works ok perhaps for people in heavy population areas but no good for guys like me in outer areas where there is minimal work.

At 30 minutes out of Hobart I am too far out for Hobart people who have plenty in town to choose from .All the Govt adverts for the switch off say ring an endorsed installer which some people must follow so they go for the closest installer because they don't

want to pay any travelling or callout .

[mtv]

Like Foxtel (and previous Austar) installers, it can actually cost installers to do some jobs, with travel, tolls, fuel, time, etc.

The incentive is to complete the job as quickly as possible and move on to the next one, which often results in sub-standard work practices.

Some of the franchise antenna installers also appear to work this way.

Like other installers who take pride in their work, I am constantly fixing up dodgy installations from 'Govt Endorsed Installers'.

I didn't apply to participate in the HAS installations.... I get more work from the scheme by not being part of it!

Edited May 2, 2013 by mtv

[pgdownload]

Stuff breaks, wears out, needs fixing/altering.

Of course. But my point was more that instead of the usual replace / repair household cycle, we've had a decade of everyone doing it now. After the switch off there's obviously going to be a lull before things return to that usual cycle (and as someone said, digital tech doesn't really need revisiting if its working)

Purely DIY experience

IMO the bad installations have been done by people who have tried to cash in on the scheme to make a quick dollar and most will

disappear out of the industry as soon as the work stops never to be seen again.

Agree. They came, made a buck and will leave.

Regards

Peter Gillespie

[I am not a duck]

IMO the bad installations have been done by people who have tried to cash in on the scheme to make a quick dollar and most will disappear out of the industry as soon as the work stops never to be seen again.

Seen it all before.

When colour came in.

When aggregation occurred.

And now with digital, and switchoff.

(Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.)

[COFDM MAN]

Understandable, but perhaps it would be better to be glad you are the only one, sad you're not? Also the businesses you're competing against are unlikely to be 'multi nationals' just small Australian business' that grew to become bigger Australian business'. They used economies of scale to provide the same service for less. That's why your calls have suddenly stopped.

Regards

Peter Gillespie

Hi Peter, are you sure they are not Multi nationals???? My price for antenna services is the lowest in Brisbane. The big business got the contracts because the Government is too lazy to deal with multiple business! I'm still getting calls from refferals and past customers but no new business because the Government advertising is using Tax payers money to steal the customers.

[COFDM MAN]

Well the industry received 300 million cash injection to install STB for pensioners around the country. But that would pale in comparison to the amount of work (needed and unneeded) generated by a nation transitioning to digital TV and replacing old equipment (antennas, cabling, outlets, etc.). Now that work has been done, people aren't going to be revisiting it for decades IMO.

Regards

Peter Gillespie

The pensioners did not want STB's. Ask them! I have when I have been fixing up many bad jobs that they have done.

A lot of you are missing the real point here! Small business was the heart of Antenna installations and maintenance in Australia. The way this Government has gone about the transition to Digital Television is going to wipe out hundreds of small antenna business. We were the industry. We should have got at least some of the work. We have the local knowledge and expertise.

We are being destroyed! I'm sure you do not give a hoot if we are sent broke, but we do Peter because we have familys to feed..

[mtv]

I don't think we are missing the point.

This industry is no different from any other.

The big guys get bigger whilst the small guys suffer.

Yes, it's tough for many trying to maintain a small business and I agree, the govt has made things harder for us.

I also agree that many did not want STB's and the ones that are supplied under the scheme have an appalling failure rate.

I find a lot of people who have had installations under the govt scheme to be dissatisfied and many then need to spend money anyhow to have a competent installer correct the shoddy work performed by some of these 'endorsed' installers.

There's a lot of similarity between the digital conversion scheme and the batts fiasco.

[blybo]

I would severely doubt there is any multi national antenna installer businesses. Large Australian franchises maybe...

These days you need to look for a different angle to succeed in any industry. In my experience being cheap rarely leads to sustained success. In my industry that is also fast losing independent retailers, I have looked to specialist niches that large chains can't or choose not to supply.

I think the idea of targeting new estates with mail drops is quite clever. How about getting in bed with some larger builders in the area too? Broadening your services and advertising to cover HT installation/integration/automation? I suspect it would also be more challenging and rewarding work too.

[JSmith]

Its likely extremely competitive. Lowest price wins the contract.

Regards

Peter Gillespie

Well if they just refer the person to the company that has the cheapest price, I don't see that as being competitive at all.

The customer should be given a list of installers in their area and be able to choose whom they go with, as price is not always the deciding factor. Clearly the cheapest has not been the best in many of these cases.

JSmith

[alanh]

One Hills group companies is a beneficiaries of DBCDE's contracts.

Hills is a South Australian companies which has become multnational.

Alanh