Evening star., 1952-03-19
orice souging. poor workmanship

price gouging. poor workmanship
and deliberate racketeering which
has caused the Better Business
Bureau its worst headache"
The bureau says the television
complaints far outnumber any
others it receives and the bureau
soon will begin distribution OF q
booklet, Things You Should
Know on Purchasing and Servic-
ing Of Television Sets"
The industry itself Is aware OF
the conditions and is anxious that
they be remedied. but it main
|tains that the majority Of the
trouble stems from the fact that
the supply of skilled mechanics
lis not equal to the demand.
Some major manufacturers
have established schools to train
skilled technicians." according to
James D. Secrest, manager Of the
Radio -Television Manufacturers
Association. These students are
mot necessarily being trained to
work on one particular kind Of
lset. but are being schooled to work
lon any make in order to set them
selves up in business.
School Training Urged.
1--WE also are encouraging and
helping to establish repair courses
lin high schools. but this also Is q
program that will take time. The
first need will be for qualified
teachers and, second. schools will
need expensive and specialized
equipment.
"In time the supply of skilled
nv technicians will catch up with
the demand. OF course, there al
ways will be an element of dis
honesty and lack of ability in any
business. What business doesn't
have them? The auto industry Is
so years old and is pretty
thoroughly regulated. but there
still is the dishonest and poor re-
Ipairman. Even the medical and
legal professions have their shy
Isters and quacks.
MANY complaints against tele-
vision service people now are
against the cost of repairs and,
lin many instances, the complaints
are not fair. People are inclined
| to compare their TV set to a
radio on which repairs are re-
llatively simple and inexpensive.
A television is q complex elec-
ltronic instrument and repairs
often are complicated and costly"
Agrees ON Cost Angle.
James D. Burns, president Of
lTelevision Associates, Inc, an Or
lganization of sales and service
groups that has asked for a "'code
Iof ethics" here. agrees with Mr..
Secrest on the cost of TV repair.
| He said survey among serv-
licemen showed the cost Of each
call to be made between $3.50
and $4 which, Of course. does not
Include parts or tubes that might
be necessary in making repairs.
He also pointed out that compe-
tent repairmen are scarce and can
demand 500 for a 40-hour week
and that Tv repair equipment
is costly.
A capable technician, he said.
can fix the majority of television
lailments in the home, but he
Eemphasized that it is by no means
a hard and fast rule.
/ He pointed out that a television
receiver is made up of more than
I 900 parts. and that often it is
necessary to take the set "back
to the shop" for bench in
|spection" where proper tools and
equipment are accessible.
1 Shop Work Criticized.
i The Better Business Bureaus
file on television service, however
indicates that much Of the In
competency and probably high
percentage of the deliberate fraud
results in these .'back to the shop
instances.
Il Sets are returned, often In n,
better condition than before. with
lbig repair bills attached. Wher
the sets fail to york properly
! some unreliable concerns disclain
Iany further responsibility.
There also have been instance
lin which service outfits hav'
guaranteed their work. but hav,
sigone out of business under th'
name in which the guarantee
|lwere issued and, operating unde
! new names, have refused to homo
J the previous guarantees.
Z Unethical sales apparently ar,
ID minor part OF the situation. bu
slthe majority Of trouble appear