COVID and the housing market

[backmarkerducati]

We can swapzies.
You can play 20 questions with the General Manager and I’ll fly to exotic places for work and adventure.

The travel does get old for most people, specially with families. Due to COVID I have been 100% home since Nov 2019 (that was Bahamas for the xxxx time). Sounds exotic (and it was fun while I was younger) but like MP pointed out, eventually you just stay at the hotel etc specially as you have to work all day every day. Never mind being jammed in the cattle car airplanes and constantly getting sick from that germ cesspool (mostly winter travel for me).

At one point I used to get to stay the weekend on the company's dime (which was OK with no family) due to the Sunday/Monday flights being way cheaper than Friday (the saving covered the expenses over the weekend). It has not been like that for me for a decade or so.

A while back we were bidding on work in Australia (required a bunch of back and forth travel), I was OK going but I put my foot down due to flight time, first class or not. Not was the result. I was very happy.

 

[Evoex]

The travel does get old for most people, specially with families. Due to COVID I have been 100% home since Nov 2019 (that was Bahamas for the xxxx time). Sounds exotic (and it was fun while I was younger) but like MP pointed out, eventually you just stay at the hotel etc specially as you have to work all day every day. Never mind being jammed in the cattle car airplanes and constantly getting sick from that germ cesspool (mostly winter travel for me).

At one point I used to get to stay the weekend on the company's dime (which was OK with no family) due to the Sunday/Monday flights being way cheaper than Friday (the saving covered the expenses over the weekend). It has not been like that for me for a decade or so.

A while back we were bidding on work in Australia (required a bunch of back and forth travel), I was OK going but I put my foot down due to flight time, first class or not. Not was the result. I was very happy.

No kids, my idea of 'vacation' does not include sun, sand and alcohol.

Happy to travel. If someone is looking for a guy like me drop me a PM lol.

 

[mimico_polak]

No kids, my idea of 'vacation' does not include sun, sand and alcohol.

Happy to travel. If someone is looking for a guy like me drop me a PM lol.

I remember having that discussion before I did it.
‘Man you guys are so lucky to see the world on company dime’
Cousin told me
‘It’s awesome until the first time you sleep at the airport due to a missed connection’

Closest I came to that was when the MAX8 was taken out of rotation. Somehow I weaseled my way into the last seat on the plane by fluke.

With COVID and it killing travel, I expect a lot less in person meetings being required as companies realize that you DONT need to fly to Australia for a 2 hour meeting. Easily done remotely.

 

[Lyndsay]

The thing that I hated about working out of town was I didn't feel like going to a posh restaurant and eating alone so after hours I went to a mall, wandered around and grabbed something to eat from the food court.

The exception was the last day there. I got to the airport early and had a couple of hours to kill and they had a decent restaurant at the time. My manager's eyes just about popped out when he saw the tab for the steak with all the trimmings, appetizer, wine, dessert but then saw all the pizza slice receipts and OKed the expense report.

My FIFO was a five day, typically to Ottawa, and when I got home I wanted a home cooked meal, mashed and meatloaf. My wife who had been cooped up for the week with the little one wanted to get out.

When I travelled alone, I'd go to the local keg, or other nice restaurant and get a gift certificate for a reasonable amount, and expense that. Then I'd go to Harvey's or somewhere with takeout for much cheaper and get my meal from there. That way, when I was home, my wife and I could go to nice restaurants cheaper. Never caught flak for that.

 

[GreyGhost]

When I travelled alone, I'd go to the local keg, or other nice restaurant and get a gift certificate for a reasonable amount, and expense that. Then I'd go to Harvey's or somewhere with takeout for much cheaper and get my meal from there. That way, when I was home, my wife and I could go to nice restaurants cheaper. Never caught flak for that.

Not a bad plan. I normally do the opposite. On the rare occasion where I am away and have time for decent food, I try to find the best local place. I have no interest in eating at chain restaurants if possible and I have found some amazing places that I would never find in personal travels (like Le Mista in Beloeil if someone doesn't mind a long trip for dinner).

 

[crankcall]

One of my clients does Geo-engineering, which apparently means boots on the ground in lots of locations, they figure they have saved about 6 million $ in travel in the last year and still seem to be getting the work done.

 

[mimico_polak]

When I travelled alone, I'd go to the local keg, or other nice restaurant and get a gift certificate for a reasonable amount, and expense that. Then I'd go to Harvey's or somewhere with takeout for much cheaper and get my meal from there. That way, when I was home, my wife and I could go to nice restaurants cheaper. Never caught flak for that.

Smart. I’m the idiot that felt it was my money so saved cash for the company. Could’ve dined like a king!

 

[nobbie48]

When I travelled alone, I'd go to the local keg, or other nice restaurant and get a gift certificate for a reasonable amount, and expense that. Then I'd go to Harvey's or somewhere with takeout for much cheaper and get my meal from there. That way, when I was home, my wife and I could go to nice restaurants cheaper. Never caught flak for that.

When the weather agreed, our daughter was pre-school and I was driving out of town for a couple of days I'd take the family along. The hotel bill was the same and I picked up the tab for their eats. My wife was good at finding interesting local sites and using public transit. Win win. I wish I thought of the gift certificate idea.

 

[Lyndsay]

When the weather agreed, our daughter was pre-school and I was driving out of town for a couple of days I'd take the family along. The hotel bill was the same and I picked up the tab for their eats. My wife was good at finding interesting local sites and using public transit. Win win. I wish I thought of the gift certificate idea.

One summer when I was working in Jacksonville, I was scheduled to return for vacation. I asked if I could use the equivalent $$ and purchase tickets for my family to fly down instead. Since the company always paid top price for business class with flexible returns, I was able to fly the wife and four kids out of Syracuse for only about $100 out of pocket. Kicked my roommate out of the company supplied condo for a week and had a great time. Company even let me use the rental car at no cost.

 

[Lyndsay]

Not a bad plan. I normally do the opposite. On the rare occasion where I am away and have time for decent food, I try to find the best local place. I have no interest in eating at chain restaurants if possible and I have found some amazing places that I would never find in personal travels (like Le Mista in Beloeil if someone doesn't mind a long trip for dinner).

If I was travelling with anyone else, that was always the way to go. Alone, I'm just as happy in my hotel room with a burger and inexpensive beer.

 

[crankcall]

I hate eating alone in a restaurant, I'll go sit at the bar and watch hockey and get a decent steak someplace. I'd often get caught taking customers out, and really I'd rather eat alone LOL.
I had employees that would collect reciepts from nice restaurants and get groceries and eat salad in a hotel room, I had the talk..... just eat at a place like you would enjoy at home, take your wife out once your home and expense that, I'll pay it no questions. Always stay in a decent hotel, dont sleep in a motel 6 in Cinncinatti and come out wondering where your car rims went.
I never expected staff to stay, eat, travel in a place i would not go myself, life is too short.

 

[mimico_polak]

See that's the way it should be done @crankcall

When my BC assignment started they gave us a measly $50/day for travel expenses (food) as cabs and hotels were pre-booked. Once the cash started running dry, it's a 2 day travel and they cut the funds to $50/direction. So now you're stretching the funds over 2 days. But they're doing us the favour because 'you guys are making a lot of money anyway'.

Guess when the exodus started from the project? lol

 

[nobbie48]

I hate eating alone in a restaurant, I'll go sit at the bar and watch hockey and get a decent steak someplace. I'd often get caught taking customers out, and really I'd rather eat alone LOL.
I had employees that would collect reciepts from nice restaurants and get groceries and eat salad in a hotel room, I had the talk..... just eat at a place like you would enjoy at home, take your wife out once your home and expense that, I'll pay it no questions. Always stay in a decent hotel, dont sleep in a motel 6 in Cinncinatti and come out wondering where your car rims went.
I never expected staff to stay, eat, travel in a place i would not go myself, life is too short.

1970 or so the company sent me to Quebec along with a foreman to do a two week installation. The foreman talked the company into giving us a meal and accommodation allowance of IIRC $30 a day. The only hotel in town was $3 a night and the only restaurant would keep you well fed for $7. Neither were the Ritz but clean and good food. I came back and bought my first stereo from the expense surplus at $300. I could probably replace the stereo for about the same $$ today.

Anybody here pay $400 for a TI pocket calculator?

 

[mimico_polak]

Thinking back now...our old company, heavy machinery manufacturer, would send techs around the world. During these trips (1980-2000) the guys would get a daily allowance of $150USD/day. Once 2000 came around they upped it to $200US/day with some guys getting $250US/day.

Needless to say some guys would get home with 30-50k in cash waiting for them after a few months away. Then more PMs would get involved and they would start cutting the daily rates...so the guys would stop going overseas...and they had to bring it back.

Different times.

 

[Deleted member 50930]

Thinking back now...our old company, heavy machinery manufacturer, would send techs around the world. During these trips (1980-2000) the guys would get a daily allowance of $150USD/day. Once 2000 came around they upped it to $200US/day with some guys getting $250US/day.

Needless to say some guys would get home with 30-50k in cash waiting for them after a few months away. Then more PMs would get involved and they would start cutting the daily rates...so the guys would stop going overseas...and they had to bring it back.

Different times.

Wow.

I get peanuts :|

 

[mimico_polak]

Wow.

I get peanuts :|

Please remember these machines cost b/w 2M - 20M CAD each....so 30k for a good and reputable technician to set it up, operate it, and maintain it is peanuts compared to the cost of stopped production.

I think our jobsite in BC was costing 100-200k/day if stopped. 30-50k for a few months of preventing a stoppage like that is paid off very quickly. Not only that these guys lived and breathed these things. They could hear a slight sound that no one else would hear and they'd know what's going on and be on it before it stopped the production cycle. I'd say they were worth every penny.

 

[crankcall]

not a big flashback guy but eight of us went into the Landingstrip , 3 employees and 5 customers. I left at 12;30am. Two weeks later salesman hands in an $1850.00 expense bill, I signed it but what hurt was I had cleared the tab of $2200. when I left at 12;30, apparently they made some new eastern european friends when I left.

We don't do that anymore, and i'm secretly glad that era is over.

 

[Evoex]

Please remember these machines cost b/w 2M - 20M CAD each....so 30k for a good and reputable technician to set it up, operate it, and maintain it is peanuts compared to the cost of stopped production.

I think our jobsite in BC was costing 100-200k/day if stopped. 30-50k for a few months of preventing a stoppage like that is paid off very quickly. Not only that these guys lived and breathed these things. They could hear a slight sound that no one else would hear and they'd know what's going on and be on it before it stopped the production cycle. I'd say they were worth every penny.

Yep....
Pay someone to hand carry parts on the next available flight out of China, put them in a hotel for a few days and cover their expenses or shutdown an OEM.

Not a hard decision.

 

[mimico_polak]

Yep....
Pay someone to hand carry parts on the next available flight out of China, put them in a hotel for a few days and cover their expenses or shutdown an OEM.

Not a hard decision.

Yup. Did that with guys all over the world.

Unfortunately when we sent a guy to China once, no one was aware that he was involved in a protest in the 90s (this was in 2012 or so) and the Chinese gov't held him for 3 years. He said they treated him well and he got compensated by the company, and then was hired by the manager that sent him at another firm. He knew they were looking for him, he just assumed the Chinese gov't forgot...oops.

 

[mimico_polak]

not a big flashback guy but eight of us went into the Landingstrip , 3 employees and 5 customers. I left at 12;30am. Two weeks later salesman hands in an $1850.00 expense bill, I signed it but what hurt was I had cleared the tab of $2200. when I left at 12;30, apparently they made some new eastern european friends when I left.

We don't do that anymore, and i'm secretly glad that era is over.

ya....our plant was near a strip club by the airport also...that stopped once we were bought by a public company / US conglomerate.