Couple of questions for the self employed if you don't mind? :-)

[Guy]

Hi guys, I'm setting up on the 30th of this month but had a couple of questions regarding when a customers calls up and what sort of information you should give them. I would appreciate any help and advice people can give.

1. When a customers calls, do you make them aware of the call out charge or do you wait for them to ask first? I ask this because in the past i have forgotten to ask about call out charges and then been surprised by them when getting the bill, surely the workman should advise before accepting the call over the phone?
2. As a plumber do you give quotes over the phone? As it seems impossible in our line of work without actually going out and inspecting the job.
3. What is an acceptable call out charge, emergency call out charge? I was thinking roughly £30 for a standard call out but have no clue regards to emergency call out fees, i don't want to rip my customers off.
4. Has anyone else got any other advice they would like to give me?

Thank you all for your responses in advance.

 

[traineedrip]

1. I dont charge a call out unless out of hours then its double the standard hours rate.

2.Never. I visit customer and look at the job then quote.

3. see 1

4. try to put the customers mind at rest particularly on smaller jobs by fixing the labour price, if your inexperienced and taking longer the customer isnt losing out. It also stops them watching you like a hawk and checking there watch every other minute.

 

[jono1987]

Dont know if this is the kind of response you will find helpfull but maybe you should ask yourself the same questions and put yourself in the customers position - as you said you were shocked to receive a call out charge when not told about it prior to visit so this gives you a starting point as to your first answer.
could you not compromise over quoting on the phone like give a ball park but make it clear that this is subject to inspection at least that way you know whether or not you are going to have a chance of getting the job.

Just an idea but hope it helps

 

[Guy]

1. I dont charge a call out unless out of hours then its double the standard hours rate.

2.Never. I visit customer and look at the job then quote.

3. see 1

4. try to put the customers mind at rest particularly on smaller jobs by fixing the labour price, if your inexperienced and taking longer the customer isnt losing out. It also stops them watching you like a hawk and checking there watch every other minute.

Dont know if this is the kind of response you will find helpfull but maybe you should ask yourself the same questions and put yourself in the customers position - as you said you were shocked to receive a call out charge when not told about it prior to visit so this gives you a starting point as to your first answer.
could you not compromise over quoting on the phone like give a ball park but make it clear that this is subject to inspection at least that way you know whether or not you are going to have a chance of getting the job.

Just an idea but hope it helps

Thanks for the responses guys much appreciated.
I have everything else just about sorted really in regards to pricing. I won't be charging an hourly rate it will be purely based on a per job basis.
I will definitely make them aware of call out charges during the call to avoid any unneccessary confusion and upset.

What are your normal working hours? And after what time would you consider to be 'Emergency call out' times? I was thinking maybe after 17:00.

 

[justlead1]

Hi. Call out charge. In my opinion is a total of cost of, Mileage, insurance time, etc. associated with the proposed work. The average punter wont's to know HOW MUCH, So if they need you there within the hour it could be deemed an emergency. So you can say £60 for first hour and then £30 per hour. With this type of work and high rates, make sure you write out the invoice on completion, hand it to client and get paid then and there. While their on a high for solving the immediate problem, if you let it laps you will wait and argue for your money.

 

[Guy]

Hi. Call out charge. In my opinion is a total of cost of, Mileage, insurance time, etc. associated with the proposed work. The average punter wont's to know HOW MUCH, So if they need you there within the hour it could be deemed an emergency. So you can say £60 for first hour and then £30 per hour. With this type of work and high rates, make sure you write out the invoice on completion, hand it to client and get paid then and there. While their on a high for solving the immediate problem, if you let it laps you will wait and argue for your money.

Thanks for the advice justlead1. Interesting points there. I was going to a charge a one of call out fee which would be quite high i never realised plumbers tend to have a small call out fee and then a continual fee for how long the job takes per hour. What i was going to do was charge around £100 for a emergency call out and then just do the work. I like what you have suggested though because it breaks it down and makes it seem more affordable for them.

Another question for you guys if you don't mind?
What do you do regarding chasing customers for payment? I'm going to give a invoice which must be payable within 7 days. But what do you do if they don't pay you and you have done the work? I was thinking of joining aphc as they said they would do this for you but the extra monthly outgoings could sting me a bit.

 

[Zammo1001]

Charging £100 for a call out and fix is an odd one.

I would say just charge double like others say then your hourly rate thierafter.

You may get a job on call out where the customer has sprung a leak out of a tap at bedtime brushing thier teeth i dont want you fixing it thier and then i would rather you isolate the leak until the next day

 

[justlead1]

Hi Guy. Thanks for your kind words. On the issue of payment. GET IT AT THE END OF JOB. At £100 pound a call, you could offer 40 percent discount for immediate payment and still come out on top. Using mobile credit card machine is also a method of payment that makes it easier for the client. If you allow non payment to take place on this type of work, in a society with a growing number of ambulance chasers. They will find fought with the service / workmanship if allowed to dwell over the invoice. On the other hand if your researching for a book on "Hard Luck Stories" You will have it cracked. Good Luck

 

[johnmcginty]

Thanks for the advice justlead1. Interesting points there. I was going to a charge a one of call out fee which would be quite high i never realised plumbers tend to have a small call out fee and then a continual fee for how long the job takes per hour. What i was going to do was charge around £100 for a emergency call out and then just do the work. I like what you have suggested though because it breaks it down and makes it seem more affordable for them.

Another question for you guys if you don't mind?
What do you do regarding chasing customers for payment? I'm going to give a invoice which must be payable within 7 days. But what do you do if they don't pay you and you have done the work? I was thinking of joining aphc as they said they would do this for you but the extra monthly outgoings could sting me a bit.

An emergency callout is if the customer wants me to be there within 1 hour.and this is £20 extra of normal hourly fee
I find £100 for emergency work is too much for the customer to handle and they usually phone someone else. You may get away with this at night . I would never do a job pricing on an individual basis as I used to and people want a rough idea in their heads about how much a job will be so if you tell them you don't know untill you go round umming and arring you can lose lots of jobs plus how are you going to price up a toilet unblock ? look at the turds and estimate how long it will take to shift?, just say it's x amount per hour then y amount every hour after that like justlead says, say it quickly and clearly this way it is fair and they know everyone pays the same . Then when you get round and see the job make a better estimate of time and let them know. Never give your customer a surprise . I find X amount per hour plus materials is an accurate enough response to get my foot in the door. Find out what local emergency rates are and knock a fiver off tell them most emergencies are usually only 1 hour . If you have a call out charge when you set up your business you will get probably no work . Why do you need a call out charge if you have made at least 1 hours pay? I have a cancellation fee of £20 during the day and £40 at night and the customer is made aware of this, ie if they phone 15 mins after i set off and tell me uncle bob is round now and he thinks it's just a washer) or if they phone 2 plumbers in a panic! this has happened to me . Give the customer an invoice that is payable immediateley on completion of any works and materials are your property until paid for in full ALWAYS use a part and keep your van well stocked the last thing you want to find you have no ballcocks left at three in the morning as if they know the problem and you have told them you will come back in the morning to put it in unkle bob shows up again and he used to be a plumber in the seventies for two weeks in spain and knows how to replace it himself even though you saved the day by turning the iso valve and now they want a reduction and are offering you a tenner for your troubles! . If they don't have a check book just drive them to cash point! Clearly some customers may be living away from property so say 7 days or cash on the eight day just drive round again.( or phone on the 8th day with a polite 'hello i am just checking you sent the invoice to right address ') I always advise BACS bank transferr for this method as most landlords should have internet banking. I always say at least its out of your hair then. If they are tennants even the more so as they could be moving out in the morning! Tell them the tennants will have to pay and they can get reinbursed from landlord , I have turned down emergencies if they do not agree to this. Oh and some jobs you do will only take ten minutes and some custards expect the bill to be 1/6th of the hourly rate so tell them min job 1 hour, hope this helps bud

 

[REDSAW]

ok john,
i have tried this one and failed before.

how do you manage to get the dosh from the custard when you knock on the door and uncle nobs sorted it, or another plumber got there 5 minuites before you. yup, happened to me too then b.o.g.o.f.f. followed by the slam of the door?.....
educate me please.

 

[ferret]

i only offer callouts to established customers ( you know they will pay you) nothing extra keeps them sweet...any work quoted for has a 70% deposit prior to commencement , this ensures a) they are serious and have the dosh and b) if for some reason they don,t have the balance you only lose your labour ,matts are covered.

 

[cr0ft]

Hi,

You're doing the right thing by researching and getting advice before you startup. I always make my customers aware of hourly rates over the phone. Prices differ hugely depending where in the country you are. The best advice I can give is to be transparent about your pricing. All of our prices are detailed on our website (both for emergency and non-emergency work). Always tell customers your hourly rates before you attend the job.

Never give fixed prices over the phone but I give a fixed price for every small/emergency job as soon as I see it before the work starts. As someone else said, this stops customers from clock-watching and checking your every move!!

Personally I wouldn't dream of offering 7 days payment, for small jobs I'm not leaving until I get a cheque or cash, the invoice follows by email when I get home. Unfortunately, as much as the media portrays rogue traders, it's fair to say there are just rogue people in general and rogue customers are just as common.

Hope this helps!

 

[Guy]

Thank you everyone for the fantastic advice, it's sunk in and i will be using them.