NO CALL OUT CHARGE… (So how exactly does that work???)

[bagman]

Re: NO CALL OUT CHARGE… (So how exactly does that work???)

Madmac wrote:

hotpnt wrote:
there is still a guy here that advertises every week in the paper without fail “No Call Out Charge & Most Jobs Just £15 + Parts”

Well, if you want your customer base to consist of the worst poverty stricken pond life society has to offer… :rolls:

Wrong! I know people with big houses and several mercs that will always go for these people.

Deserve what they get tbh.

[simonb]

Re: NO CALL OUT CHARGE… (So how exactly does that work???)

Well i dont charge callout or for estimate and i get every job i go round to see accept for ber, and then try to sell them a replacement, i cant understand what all the fuss is about? maybe its my area i know this do differ from area to area.also im a one man band and try to keep overheads as low as possible

i keep my rates keen as i go for repeat and recommendations as a priority now, look after this and your in work, this is through experience only.i also give a short full parts and labour warranty on full appliance i started at 4 weeks as a trial then went to 8 weeks now 12 weeks i find this increases customer confidence in my service

everyjob i aim at around £50.00 all in, and try to keep it consistant, my area is dense so im not traveling too far to next job, yes i do get the odd idiot but its prob just a handfull a week, also i filter off the rubbish like what previous poster said over the phone

but customers have no confidence in us, they dont want to be slammed with a big bill at the end of the job thats all, as a new washer now is about the same price as a pair of trainers they dont want to pay out, i dont know if anyone else will comment here but i think the customer expects that an enginner to call round and start work in there house is going to be expensive thing and expect to pay a engineers fee, even though we specialise in domestic appliance repairs they still percieve a expensive engineers bill at the end over £100? and most in my area dont want to pay it not now as the cost of replacement has come down?

I find in most cases its not that they dont want to cough up and pay the bill its incase its going to be a very expensive bill, and they dont want to get ripped off, you cant help but side with the customer in some cases why would someone chance paying out for a product thats now underpriced ?i do hope sometime in the near future this market will revert and go the other way with quality first not price?

I tend to spend time on the phone and have a good chat with the customer first it seems to filter off the time wasters, Iv gone from charging a higher rate about 80-120 to now 48-58 with plenty of repeat custom just by trial and error

Simon b

[Penguin45]

Re: NO CALL OUT CHARGE… (So how exactly does that work???)

The brutal question is, are you making a good living doing it your way?

Chris.

[simonb]

Re: NO CALL OUT CHARGE… (So how exactly does that work???)

The brutal and honest answer is No not really!! 😥

but it pays the bills, i earn roughly the same as i did for Britsh Gas

[Martin]

Re: NO CALL OUT CHARGE… (So how exactly does that work???)

Penguin45 wrote:The brutal question is, are you making a good living doing it your way?

Your way, his way, my way? Who gives a stuff to be a brutally honest about it. 😈

I know that you (Chris) state that you do 10 jobs a day every day, which is great in this day and age, and well for you pal to generate that intense amount of work. 😉 So, if you charge @ £30 a call that’s £300 per day. @ £50 per call and its £500 per every day…. VERY NICE 😀

For anyone in this game it involves doing the maths at some stage. For those that scrape a meagre living on a hand to mouth basis, then likely as not they are forced to go for the ‘No call out charge’ option. Just to establish each and every job that falls in their lap. Likely as not they are the sole breadwinner with hungry mouths to feed (and sodding council tax to pay as well.) Good for them that can get something out of this by doing that. Almost a biblical proportioned, ‘blood out of a stone’ connotation likely as not but as long as it works for them then that’s just brilliant.

We all have to start somewhere and realise a price to balance the books. When I started out on my own in 1973 I had and average of 3 calls a day at around £15.00 per call. And £45 a day was an ample reward for anyone in this game at that time let me tell you!

The crux of this thread is that many haven’t taken the time to realise that many indies are just getting by on what calls they generate. Establishing a business like this on a long term basis needs a slow and careful build-up. And once a stable and consistent work rate/income is realised, then the service charges can be steadily (and fairly/realistically) increased. 😉

Meanwhile and from the start, any method of getting work and profiting from it, has to be applauded. And once you achieve the 10 calls a day level, then the world is your friggin’ oyster and no kidding!:D

Time to take on a trainee now? 8)

Meanwhile, if you get something (anything) from this business by whatever means, then that’s just great and well done. No call out or £80 call out and you can profit either way? Then enjoy the fruits of your labours and no mistake! 8)

[Author]

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