Took our Sears canister vacuum cleaner to the repair shop near our house.  The off-and-on-speed switch in the handle was bad.

The owner told me that it wasn't like my mother's old Hoover.  "Vacuum cleaners today are made in Korea and China and other far off places," he said.  "They aren't made to last more than a couple of years.  In fact after a couple of years, we can't even get parts for them."

I said, "Well, what's wrong with wiring around the switch so that the thing is always on, and then putting a switch on the cord to turn it on and off?"

"Won't work," he said.  "There are a couple of computer chips in the tube and several sets of wires that go from the tube to the motor."

I'm looking at his demonstration, and I see only two terminals on the base of the tube, and I surmise that they are the wires that control the "hot" side.  And I also surmise that contrary to what the guy is trying to tell me, there are no computer chips and no extra sets of wires in the tube.

I surmise that the switch is a rheostat that controls the speed of the motor as well as turns it off and on, and it is attached to the two wires that are attached to the two terminals at the base of the tube.

I don't say anything.

"Either use it like it is, or go buy another canister vacuum from Wal-Mart, Sears or Target," he instructs.

"Thanks," I said.  I took the machine home, removed the cover from the switch, cut the two wires apart and connected them with a wire nut.  I put a switch on the cord.  The vacuum cleaner works like a charm.

Other than drive time to and fro, and the conversation, it took me less than fifteen minutes to repair the vacuum cleaner, a repair that the pro said wouldn't work. 

I wonder how many times that we as Realtors make parallel mistakes with our customers?

BILL CHERRY, REALTORS

DALLAS - PARK CITIES

Since 1964

214 503-8563

 

 
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5 Comments on What the Vacuum Cleaner Repairman Taught Me

JUN
17
2011
335,625 Points 23 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Interesting analogy.  Hopefully you don't get electricuted.  You are right, though, we tend to dismiss people instead of trying to work through the issues.  I used to work with KW Realty and my broker would say, we're in the business of lead generating. As a broker now I say, we are in the business of problem shooting.  Yep, that's what we do, we fix things.
12:02am • #1
556,102 Points 31 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Hi Bill,

Good story about a bad repair person.

You clearly knew more than the repair man, because you grew up in the era where you fixed things. His mentality is to replace parts or replace the entire thing

PHil
12:12am • #2
110,971 Points 6 Featured Posts

Good information.  Thanks for the post.
12:16am • #3
307,360 Points 3 Featured Posts Outside Blog

I enjoyed reading your blog post! Thank you for sharing it!
12:30am • #4
759,116 Points 13 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp

Bill Liked the story !!! About 9 years ago our TV broke ( Broke is the technical term). So it was a large screen and a Proscan. We bought it because it was made in America. One of the last makes to be made in America. We had it for a number of years and of course it was a Big Boy weighing a ton. Every body told us to junk it and buy a flat screen. Well I finally wedged it into my car and drove it to a repair shop. The repair guy told me part X was broken and it wold cost 95 dollars including labor to fix. I did it. Here I am 9 years later listening to a music station on this TV in my home office writing a comment to your blog. Thanks for your post and what you were really writing about. And thanks for making me remembermy TV experience
11:48am • #5

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BILL CHERRY

William S. Cherry & No Co., Wealth Coach

Dallas, TX

More about me…

William S. Cherry & No Co., Wealth Coach

Address: 9936 Windlake Circle, Suite 101, Dallas, Tx, 75238

Office Phone: (972) 677-7028

Email Me

This is the place where we discuss how to manage commissions from real estate sales so that you will accumulate wealth. Call me 972 677-7098 http://www.realtorwealthcoach.com


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