Business

Best of the ISP-Lists

Finding Wi-Fi Installers

Members of the ISP-Wireless list trade stories about the search for qualified but affordable techs who can install customer equipment for wireless Internet service providers.

[November 1, 2001]

On the ISP-Wireless list in October, BO queried,

"I run a WISP in Northern CA. We are working with a local installer for the roof antenna and cable portions of the CPE install. The installer is becoming increasingly hard to work with. Does anyone have any strategies for finding installers that are willing to work in the difficult residential market?"

There were some immediate suggestions:

[AG noted] "Usually, technically useful, aesthetically pleasing, and cheap are a hard balance to strike. My suggestion is to work out a deal with an installer company based on your projected CPE sales."

[ZT countered] "We do it the easy way: in-house employee installers. Hiring contractors to do the installs can make for a headache; it's a gray area when it comes to scheduling. You can't tell them when they have to be somewhere, or you tread into the 'employee' rules which make things difficult if you have to get rid of them. Save the hassle, and hire in-house. Besides, you get a twofer technician and installer!"

[CO advised] "Approach one of the guys doing local cable TV installs and ask him. They generally don't get paid much, so they're willing to do it. We were paying $40 per install before we hired our own guy. We found a lot of surprisingly qualified people in the $11-$12 per hour range. The contract guys are used to getting abused by the cable TV people, so they are very willing to do your installs."

Other observed that money is always a good talent magnet:

[JM offered] "Pay them more. We pay $60 per hour, and provide basic tools and all materials. They provide their own insurance."

[MP agreed] "You might be getting what you paid for. Try paying someone a bit more, and you may find that the commitments are kept and the installs are done well."

JD gave a brief course in employee management, suggesting other ways to keep installers happy:

"Make sure you're not paying them too much, either: if they get the impression that the $50-$100 you're paying them for installs is a drop in the bucket, they will likely become lazy and disgruntled. Consider providing bonuses for quantity, like another $100-$200 per month if they exceed quotas. They may work a bit harder just to get the bonus on a regular basis.

Also, have a dinner meeting on occasion: take them out for a nice steak dinner, talk about work, tell them what you expect, and ask them if there is anything you can do to help them meet those goals. Small benefits go a long way."

—End