Are We ALL here as A BUSINESS

[bostonwash]

It was strange a couple of days ago while taking a shower I realized that all the people in this group, as a collective, most likely has expertise and experience to start/run/sell a full range appliance business.

There are people here with varied interests in appliances. From design to revitalizing past designs to selling and advertising maybe even creating new appliances that haven't been created yet.

I think it would be interesting to see, as a group, what all of us could do.

 

[tolivac]

I could repair and sell vacuum cleaners.Would need more practice in fixing washers-dryers -have repalced timers in them-but haven't rebuilt transmissions as Unimatic has.also fixed dishwashers.Of course my main thing is radio broadcast gear.and fixed and maintained Deisel and multifuel gensets.

 

[veg-o-matic]

I'll be the pretty-boy salesman

 

[dalangdon]

My technical expertise is, well, nil. But I could be the Customer Service department. (of course, given the collective knowledge of this group, I anticipate a role similar to the legendary Maytage Repairman)

And as long as we're talking roles, I would be happy to be the new Betty Furness (in male attire, of course ;-) ) After working for Four Season Hotels for six years, I could schmooze my way through the worst stuck refrigerator door!

 

[Cybrvanr]

I have always enjoyed both the engineering aspects of appliances, as well as the culture around them. We take for granted the engineering genius that goes into the creation of the appliances that make our daily chores easier.

One of the things however that we here certainly notice is the styles and appearance of the appliances over the years which is really art! ....from the space age 60's to the electronic eighties, and now into the inter-connected 2000's, our appliances change as our tastes change, revealing the culture of the time just like building architecture, or any other artwork from a period

It's fun studying what people enjoy looking at and using...the way chrome and lights turns us on and makes our eyes light up. For instance, windows don't make washers work any better, but they sure are a fun! I would have a blast designing appliances not just from the inside, but on the outside too, making them some of the most fun, neatest machines that you'll be proud to show off in your home!

 

[maytagbear]

I'll be willing to man the phone, and

take a turn on the sales floor when everyone else is busy. However, I'm more than willing to stay on the phone and wacky wacky web.

I've taken some journalism courses in high school and college. I can write press releases, and collaborate on events.

I think we should have a company lunch room, with a balanced, delicious lunch every day we're open. What better chance to rotate new appliances in and out? I also think that we should trade off on cooking each week. Weeks when you're the cook, you're exempted from anything else in the morning.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[parunner58]

I can maintain all your PC hardware and software to keep you all surfing the web for parts and getting the invoices out so we all get paid.

As a second job I can run the lunch room as I am now starting to take some classes to get into the Personal Chef business. I am tired of all the crap going on in the corporate world here and ready to tell them where they can stick thier job and walk out. But I have a child in college so I have to hang in for 8 years to retire at 55 or at least 2 years until she is out of college.

I applaud Parts Counter Man. He went out and tried his dream. This time it did not work out but the next it will. I feel he was a success because he tried.

 

[mayken4now]

Well, Hunky, Sexy, Goodlooking me (along with bethann) could be the repair folks who visit customers homes! When repair business is slow, we could really work the sales floor!!!! Imagine the revenue produced over looks and personality!

LOL

Steve

 

[jasonl]

I can help PARunner with the IT stuff.

 

[appliguy]

Chalk me up for Customer service and sales as well

I would love to work with Dan in the customer service/sales department for a few reasons. First off Dan and I would get along great as we both have the same tastes. You see my goal is to own a house decorated in the same fashion as his (Dan I have your web page bookmarked and look at it when ever I need a reason to keep sluggin away at the rat race). Second, I have worked in customer service for a number of years including selling appliances at Best Buy for a year and I was damn good at it too!!! Third, I have a very pleasent phone manner. Fourth I have a lot of good ideas on how we could set up a cyber showroom as well as a real one.
PAT COFFEY

 

[jmirawm]

HEY !!

I'll be the silent partner

 

[foraloysius]

I'll handle the Dutch division of the company! Will require 230 Volts though. The appliances I mean, not me! LOL

 

[whirlcool]

We could buy a DC-3 and..

we could offer next day air shipping! I could fly it for you. How many Appliance businesses offer that kind of service? Of course we would require the customer to come to the airport to pick up their units.....

 

[michaelman2]

Telephone

Ill make sure that we answer the telephone in our venture, I HATE those auto attendant things..press this..press that...oy!..Whatever company begins to realize that customer service is paramount and having a live person to answer the switchboard is imparative, that company will be successful!

 

[partscounterman]

I had this idea at the convention-we could pool all our money (well, I don't have any right now, but thats beside the point!) and buy out Maytag! Crazy Dreams

I can be in charge of the Parts Counter of course!

 

[dalangdon]

Customer Service Requirements...

Pat and I will need matching Steelcase desks (or maybe something Danish Modern) and Burnt Orange IBM Selectric typewriters. And a switchboard. There HAS to be a switchboard. I don't smoke, but I want a huge ashtray on my desk, just for the cool look of it.

And a telex. No computers for us - unless it's a huge mainframe with punch cards

And file cabinets. Lots and lots of file cabinets ;-)

 

[Unimatic1140]

I'll write the code and run our web site. Oh never mind, I do that alreay.

 

[petek]

Dan...how about these ashtrays

for your desk

 

[goatfarmer]

I would like to apply for a position in the trade in department. I enjoy checking them out,working on them in the shop(NOT HOME)cleaning and polishing,and going out hunting down new prospects. I could also handle deliveries,but need an able bodied assistant to help out.

kennyGF

 

[michaelman2]

Switchboard

Delangdon..a big ol cord switchboard...!

 

[rinso]

I'll be the ugly old bald gasbag salesman that has been around for years, but know his stuff.

 

[dalangdon]

The switchboard has to match the telex and the Steelcase....

 

[drmitch]

Give me a detailed print and me and my little old presses can make the parts.

 

[parunner58]

Since we are talking vintage office equipment. Here is the computer system we should use. This is an IBM 360 model 20. I worked on this At Lafayette College here in Easton, PA in the late 70's. Behind it is the Keypunching staff using IBM 026, 029 and 129 keypunch machines. I have one keypunch card I found in some old books I had and laminated it for dafe keeping. This will work great with the switchboard.

 

[jasonl]

Looka dem big hard drives

And 30 megabytes! Whoa nelly!

Got an 8 inch floppy I could use?

Actually I love vintage office equipment. One of my guilty pleasures is watching shows like Mary Tyler Moore and the Bob Newhart show to see the cool office stuff.

 

[bethann]

Hum!

I like the idea of going on the house calls! That way I'll be the very first to walk down the steps and say, " Oh Shit!" What on earth are these old ugly pink 56's doing in here honey! I'll get these things outta here free of charge!
The ashtray idea is also wonderful. That way I can visit everyones desk smoking and bitching because I haven't found the 56's yet!

 

[petek]

Don't forget

The IBM card sorter!
Looking at those pics above,, isn't it funny how in the brochures etc the offices were always neat and tidy but in reality there were stacks of blank card boxes and printer paper shoved against every wall and on every shelf. Everyone always grumbling about changing the paper or forms. Love the old office stuff as well. Used to be a telex and keypunch clerk in my youth. I think I could still do it blindfolded. My favorite machine of all though were the Friden Flexowriters and the fancier Singers with the paper tape and/or punch card drives. That was techno for it's day.

 

[dalangdon]

horrible office jobs...

When I was in college in the mid-80's, I worked for a few summers in the "Central Files" at Mutual of Omaha. My job was to pull lapsed insurance applications, working from these funky index cards that came out of this HUGE printer. There were 50 cards to a pack, and we were expected to do 8 packs a day, which was a lot harder than it sounds.

The file room was the size of a city block, three stories underground, and done in the stylish color scheme of white walls, yellow file cabinets (about 700 of them) and orange carpet. My supervisors (these two horrible middle-aged women) sat on their butts and smoked all day, and I had to take my breaks right by their desks, so that I could enjoy the smoke also. And they timed our restroom breaks.

The "file girls" (yes, that's what they were called: full timers who filed NEW insurance applications) were surly girls who tended to call in their resignations on Monday mornings after meeting "the guy" over the weekend. They were always fighting amongst themselves about something or another, and I can't say I blame them.

Once the applications were all pulled and "double checked" (yeah, right - none of us "summer help" could care less), we fed them into an early version of a scanner/microfiche thing and shredded the originals. The computer age had yet to get come to Central Files (we were underground, after all)

I would love to go back to Mutual of Omaha and see whatever became of "Central Files"

 

[michaelman2]

Vintage Office Equip

Hey guys...we need to have a Mimeograph or Ditto machine in the office and then of course a Thermofax, possibly a Xerox as well.....we will need these printing options.

I am in the process of planning my class reuinion and am going to print part of the program on an old spirit duplicator (Ditto) if for no other reason so people can "smell" the damp fluid on the sheet. (tacky I know)

 

[westie2]

Friden Flexowriters

Hadn't thought of them for years. These were the first I used or sent to Flex for coding I did for oil exploration company. Miles of tape sometimes for programs. Have a whole spool and center drops out then had ro ahnd rewind the tape. The flex tape was fed into a 8 k computer used this late 60's through about 1975. Still have some old tape somewhere.