British Gas and their fascination with Power Flush...

[jase158]

As what has been said, BG is there for the profit and profit only. They don't care about customers like us small one bands do.

Really gets my back up!

True and they will wriggle out of the contract on small things, some smaller guys do service contracts, I would recommend these more then BG and I certainly will be doing service contracts hen I earn enough dough

 

[PatchettPlumbing]

I'm thinking of doing these contracts soon to be honest, but I'd offer a better service than BG do.

Amount of times I have been to customers where BG wouldn't fix it.

 

[villa_tom]

Offering service contracts is a risky risky business if you ask me. Say someone pays you twenty quid a month over a year, that equals £240. If that boilers PCB fails then there's your £240 gone then your working for free and probably losing money.

Plus you'd have to take BG's attitude towards things if you offered service contracts, would you really keep changing pump after pump on a system if you knew that it was sludge or a system defect making the pump fail?? I doubt you would.

Its easy to say that you'd do a better job than BG, but in reality when it comes down to your a business as they are and money is what everything comes down to.

 

[jase158]

Offering service contracts is a risky risky business if you ask me. Say someone pays you twenty quid a month over a year, that equals £240. If that boilers PCB fails then there's your £240 gone then your working for free and probably losing money.

Plus you'd have to take BG's attitude towards things if you offered service contracts, would you really keep changing pump after pump on a system if you knew that it was sludge or a system defect making the pump fail?? I doubt you would.

Its easy to say that you'd do a better job than BG, but in reality when it comes down to your a business as they are and money is what everything comes down to.

but you put it against the people who dont claim for 3 years!!

 

[villa_tom]

but you put it against the people who dont claim for 3 years!!

Those people are few and far between though mate. Even if you go to a repair and don't use any parts it's still costing you time and you could end up being run ragged. It obviously does work as there are many companies doing it, but I think I has to be done a large scale to make it profitable.

 

[zzzjim]

British Gas (BG)Maintenance Plan...have read similar posts

wriggle out clause is similar to "water not included"

(Reminded me of Xmas toys- without Batteries + Message on Box)

 

[tamz]

I agree with Tom. Service contracts are a numbers game and a big risk to independents. Spending a Saturday afternoon in the bookies betting favourites with your weekly takings would probably give you better odds of surviving.

Rather than put a plaster on it i'd fix the underlying problem.

 

[petercj]

BG do a system check, including a water check, before they accept the system on contract.

They advertise that the contract includes a service, but just do a gas check - 20 minutes and they're gone.

Money for old rope.

 

[Mike Jackson]

I agree with Tom. Service contracts are a numbers game and a big risk to independents. Spending a Saturday afternoon in the bookies betting favourites with your weekly takings would probably give you better odds of surviving.

I agree with this. Some years ago we (family business) were asked if we could provide this sort of thing for a local housing association for around 500 properties. They were after an all singing all dancing contract that covered all CH repairs. We looked at what had been spent on maintaining the systems over the previous couple of years and found a couple that had cost over a grand to put right. You only need one of those to lose all of the profit on a small contract. Service contracts are a numbers game to spread the risk and you've got to tie it down really tight to avoid the expensive calls. You then end up being more expensive than BG for the same poor cover.