The Unexpected Business Lesson
True Story – How a Washing Machine Changed My Life, so what does a washing machine have to do with internet marketing?? … read on.
The Challenge Begins
… so I was able to get some help unloading the pre-owned washing machine from the truck into the garage, a big thank you to my daughter, and then finally into the house, and up the stairs to its final destination.
I hooked up the hoses, plugged it in and ran a Clean cycle using baking soda, and then I saw what no man should see after moving such a heavy machine around… I saw water puddles on the floor. I said to myself, “oh no”.. but the way folks in Pittsburgh say it.
Finding the Right Guidance
I then turned to my trusty Apple iPad and searched youtube for any kind of guidance, and saw a video how to disassemble the same exact washer.. and reasons for leaks. In this video, it taught me there is a trap that needs to be inspected and any debris can lodge its way and cause a leak, as in the case of the video, the guy found a quarter.
Taking Action with the Right Tools
So at 11:30pm at night, I found my tools and got busy following my youtube guide. I removed the top of the washing machine, the electronic front panel, the door, the big round grey rubber gasket thingy, the door locking assembly and finally, the front panel, which exposed … the trap.
Just like the video, when I opened the trap, water came seeping out, of which I had a roll of paper towels to sop up, thanks to my wife, and as I looked into the trap, there it was … a quarter … just like the guy had in the video. I said to myself, again in Pittsburgh lingo … What are the odds?
Testing and Persevering
Well, after a bit of cleaning, curious inspection of the interior parts and pieces, I reassembled the washer, following the previous steps, but in reverse order. It was now 1:00 am. I then ran another cleaning cycle using distilled vinegar, and whallah .. no leaks. But wait, I then thought to recreate my original test, and ran another clean cycle using baking soda, and again .. no leaks.
Well I was rather proud of my mechanical skills by this time, and grateful for youtube for having a video with the exact model. I then proceeded to run additional cleaning tests for an additional two more rounds of distilled vinegar, then baking soda. Finally, I washed a load of my own clothes, using my clothes for the wash test, watching with my flashlight, as they moved through their cylindrical journey, and at 4:00am removed them for drying. Still no leaks, and being satisfied, went to sleep feeling like Tim the Tool Man Taylor. 🙂
The First Business Lesson
Moral of this Story… with a bit of effort, knowledge from a guide, and the proper tools, you can achieve success!
So after this small conquest, I decided to set my sights on achieving more success, and focus my knowledge and skills to help others achieve their business success. As a marketing & promotion consultant, I research to create marketing plans (effort), and promote only quality products (tools) that I am confident you will see real results to help fix and/or grow your business (success). This saves you both time and money! I call that a Win/Win (guiding) value proposition.
The Challenge Returns – A New Obstacle
… here’s an update. Well, on October 7th, the washing machine stopped turning, and once again, my saga with this machine continued. I was confident that I could use what I learned about my washing machine in my first experience, and somehow use that information to fix the machine again. So knowing how to take apart the machine, I took it apart once again, and knew exactly where to look to clean out the trap .. again.
Diagnosing the Real Problem
You see, the machine beeped earlier that day, with an error code, E:01 F:02, and when I googled that code, I saw a How To video that explained what I needed to look for and two suggested fixes. One of the fixes was to clean out the trap ($0 cost), and the other was to replace the master control unit ($250 cost). Needless to say, I was hoping it was the first issue and not the second one.
So there I was, taking apart the washing machine again, the top, the front electronic panel, the door, the rubber door thingy, the front panel door lock assembly, and finally the front panel. Yes, that is the brilliant design to simply get to the trap. I removed the trap door, watched once again, water emptying onto the floor (this time covered with a towel – haha), along with two small coins (a dime and a penny), and a popsicle stick. Whallah!! or so I thought.
When the Simple Fix Isn’t Enough
I once again reassembled the washing machine to test the fix. After a half hour, I plugged it back in, and turned the machine on. Nope- Nada… I think I used the “Oh-No” Pittsburgh expression again.. in fact I am sure of it.
I went back to google to find how to remove and replace the master control unit, which indicated a 5 minute job. More like 30 minutes later, as I had to take apart the washer again, I had the master control unit out of the machine and in my hands. I was 95%, no .. more like 97% sure this was the problem, and the next day went to my local appliance parts store to purchase the part.
Investing in the Right Solution
Luckily, they had the model I needed, and I returned home with a sense of urgency, because I wanted to see if this would be the fix or not. I installed the new master control unit, re-assembled the washing machine, plugged it back in, and turned it on. Eureka!! It turned on, and according to the diagnostic test, it ran through the wash cycles as designed. Once again, and after a loud and thunderous, “It Is Alive” so that my entire family could hear (even the one away in college), I was having another Tim The Tool Man Taylor moment.
The Deeper Business Lesson
Moral of this Update … sometimes your business will have something not working quite right. You must know your business well enough to understand the indicators, to test the process and take it apart if needed, and to examine potential causes in order to invest and apply the correct fix!
In this case, applying a new part into the process did the trick.
Key Takeaways for Your Business:
- Know your systems inside and out – Understanding how your business works allows you to diagnose problems quickly
- Start with simple solutions – Try the easy fixes first before investing in more expensive solutions
- Learn from reliable sources – Find trustworthy guides who have solved similar problems
- Be willing to invest when necessary – Sometimes the right solution requires a financial investment
- Test thoroughly after each fix – Make sure your solution actually solved the problem completely
- Share your knowledge – Help others avoid the pitfalls you’ve overcome
Visit scpro256.com for tools and guidance to help fix and grow your online business!
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