Page 60 • The HERALD • 3rd August 2023 v THE HERALD - SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES v ASK A PROFESSIONAL WHAT PRICE IS EXPERIENCE? by Michael Osman, Oyster Financial Planning I read somewhere online recently about a situation where a local builder with over 30 years’ experience was challenged about an invoice he gave for work carried out. I don’t remember the numbers o hand, but lets say c£2,000. e customer said “You were only here 2 hours that’s a crazy price”. To which the builder replied “Yes I have been here for two hours, buts it’s taken me 30 years to know how to fix this problem and countless hours and qualifications to be able to solve this issue in just 2 hours”. ( ere were some materials involved as well). My question is ‘What price do you place on experience?’ Experience to get the right job you want, completed and delivered rst time with no issues in a professional fashion. I am a great believer in taking advice in areas that I am not skilled enough to decide for myself. ere are other ‘experience’ related issues relevant at present. One of them is the ‘skills drain’ that occurs when very experienced employees and specialists retire, are they being replaced with younger equally experienced and quality people. ere is this theory in the western world that you hit age 60 or 65 and then all of a sudden you just retire. Lots of businesses are reporting that this ‘skills or brain drain’ adversely a ects their business and are having to spend extortionate amounts to either train up or recruit replacements. Retiring completely means suddenly lling 168 hours a week! Maybe the answer, and with today’s cost of living issues, for some people approaching retirement age maybe realising their worth and not just jumping o the ‘rat race’ and maybe staying engaged with their old employer but on much reduced hours could be a great result for all parties. In summary from this, I’d encourage people to understand what time and money professionals have undertaken to invest in themselves to deliver great service and by all means look at price but maybe with a di erent perspective. Also, if you are approaching retirement and you know you are an asset to your employer or business consider ‘keeping your hand in’ until that skills gap has been replaced. Michael at Oyster Financial Planning, opposite Lloyds Bank in Hythe, call: 023 8084 8410. Michael Osman, Oyster Financial Planning
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