I guess it's kind of like "dress for success". If I believe I am manufacturing a prosthesis in a professional envionment I feel I should be compensated as "a professional" and not unskilled labor.
The degree of skill, professionalism, and quality of outcome are not functions of the price of the equipment. As a skilled tech(no smartalkery) you know well that a room full of high end equipment doesn't mean a proper outcome.
Another example: The chef preparing a meal in the kitchen at a Wolfgang Puck establishment vs. Vinnie at the greasy spoon. These are very loose analogies but I think you get the idea.
I understand your intention, but disagree with your thesis.
Mental employee perception should mean a lot (if it doesn't you have the wrong employee) ... all the way from pride in wardrobe, environment, appliances, supplies etc.down to how the waiter (delivery driver) presents the meal (case). Not saying Vinnie's meal was worse- but when you look into the backstory on how it was made you see why it cost less.
Was it impossible for Vinnie to make the same meal? No. He also has a different market, which is outside the scope of your analogy and our discussion, but, Tom Z and I are not exactly competing for customers.
I am aware of a story about a fleet of city buses. When a bus needed preventative maintenance or fault repair, they used to wash them after the repairs, right before returning them to service. When they started washing them before the repairs, the buses had less need for maintenance. Perception is the acted upon reality. I totally agree. I do wear button down dress shirts and dress pants also for that reason. But, anyone who cannot set teeth properly without being in a gleaming glass and steel building full of the latest gadgets is also not someone I would hire. But I don't think you would either.
I am all over here- not trying to knock anybody's production methods but boiling pots on a hotplate, turkey fryers and white PVC pipe wouldn't bring me much pride in my craftsmanship of an appliance going in a mouth.
My primary problem was that you had, possibly inadvertently, categorized poorly the restorations made and the skill of those without fancy muckety muck equipment. Not everyone has a rich uncle, or $100,000 to open a lab.
I thank you for clearing that up.
I do take great pride in my work, and will never deliver something I wouldn't wear, give to my mom, etc. Pride of workmanship, continual development of knowledge and skill, and a desire to always improve are a function of the person, not the equipment.
I do agree boiling water is boiling water.....
Cool!
Making tea- some use a microwave, some a Hot Shot, and some a teapot on the stove that whistles when the water is boiling. What would you want your tea made with?
Not being a subject of Queen Elizabeth II, I doubt I'd notice the difference after it went in the pot and under the tea cozy.
Seriously, thanks. Wasn't trying to start a war, just couldn't understand why my, and others, restorations were being looked poorly upon for using a microwave.
