Expertise

People seek expert assistance because they value it. Expertise yields many benefits, because the professionals offering it often have decades of experience, allowing recipients to leverage knowledge and insight unavailable elsewhere.

Get the best advice you can find from Mike, and please, stop quoting forum posts as authorities. Only the guys who actually work, live and breathe this stuff really know.

Jon S

Alternatives

There are alternatives like forums, friends and neighbours. Do they save money or end up costing thousands in many cases? I speak to people every day who’ve had these experiences and I can confirm that trying to save money upfront almost always costs, sometimes dearly, later on.

People go down deep rabbit holes, speaking with people who recite misinformation and opinions they’ve read elsewhere. People visit retailers, without understanding that their need to sell products impacts the advice they provide. An independent specialist who only needs to charge for their time is something different.

Trying to save a tiny amount of money upfront when looking to buy equipment costing thousands of dollars is the best example of a false economy. Rarely do you find people with the hands and ears-on experience necessary to offer the exceptional advice people receive from Liquid Audio.

Expectation

I’m always happy to assist people. The only thing I must mention, if it isn’t already obvious, is that people don’t expect free visits with doctors, lawyers or accountants and the service I offer is no different.

Unlike retailers, online forums and other sources, we provide specialist advice, free from conflicts of interest and sales pressure and deliver many benefits to those seeking a higher calibre of assistance. This unique service brings enquiries from visitors around the world and keeps me very busy.

Time is money though, for any specialist, and I need to account for it. ‘Quick questions’ often become long conversations adding up to many hours per week. It’s just not possible to offer the specialist services that people expect from Liquid Audio whilst simultaneously spending hours assisting people for free.

Examples

Example 1: ‘G’ sought technical assistance with his valuable Sansui amplifier. I assisted him, but when I suggested he purchase time to address his follow-up questions, G exploded: “F*** you, I’m not going to pay you … that speaks to how miserable you are.”

Example 2: ‘K’ wanted KD-600 turntable improvement advice after enjoying several long conversations and KD-600 articles. When I suggested he purchase a consult, K threatened that he knew “Someone in the Australian Tax Office”. Ironically, K tried to obtain my help again several years later, hoping I’d forgotten. I haven’t.

Example 3: ‘M’ purchased a 30-minute consult leading to an end-game Accuphase amplifier purchase. Unfortunately, he kept asking questions after his consult ended, claiming he’d “paid for 60 minutes but only received 20”. I immediately sent proof of his 30-minute purchase, our 34-minute call and the extra 15 minutes he’d received by email. He’d received 50 minutes of assistance yet only paid for 20. This entitled individual blamed me for his brain fade and never apologised for it. This is why I don’t just give away my time.

Mike … you, of course, are a gem. We are so lucky to have someone as passionate, intelligent, ethical and hardworking in little ol’ Perth.

David H

Fair Trade

Our pre-paid advisory service solves many problems with people’s expectations. Advice seekers pre-purchase customised consults tailored to their needs. Extra time can be added as needed, aligned with our core values of maximum quality, value and minimum wastage.

Pre-payment reduces time/energy/goodwill-draining interactions and instead fosters positive, productive, mutually beneficial exchanges with decent people who respect the time of those assisting them. It dramatically reduces my enquiry volume because many people don’t want to pay for someone else’s, yet want to be paid for theirs of course 😉

Naturally, great advice pays for itself many times over, saving time and money, and delivering game-changing results and joy for so many savvy customers.