Free Estimate Questions

[Rewire]

Additionally, you are charging the same price for the same service to all 4 people. The difference is that the non-repeat, non-referral customers (who call out of the blue) are being asked to put something into this process. The trip charge (or reservation fee) is not in addition to the cost of the service. It's essentially a deposit.

But I ask this- how many people go to a salon/barber and get an estimate?

And again, I only post this for the guys reading along and trying to learn. Also, plagerism is not limited to cutting and pasting.

You just don't get it. Its not about price its not even about a dispatch fee

 

[Rewire]

Additionally, you are charging the same price for the same service to all 4 people. The difference is that the non-repeat, non-referral customers (who call out of the blue) are being asked to put something into this process. The trip charge (or reservation fee) is not in addition to the cost of the service. It's essentially a deposit.

But I ask this- how many people go to a salon/barber and get an estimate?

And again, I only post this for the guys reading along and trying to learn. Also, plagerism is not limited to cutting and pasting.

You should read other posts more carefully the question was about a copywrite not plagerism,I never claimed the work was my own

 

[Rewire]

For those following along; my story was from the book the E-Myth which is an excellent read.

I am not debating charging a dispatch fee or not charging a dispatch fee.Both have merit.

What I am addressing is the importance of what you do in business you do consistantly if you can argue against that point Erik please do.

 

[emahler]

There is no argument. When we did resi service, we consistenly charged new non-referral customers a dispatch fee. We consistantly waived the fee for repesat and referral customers.

Our regular customers consistently got our member pricing, new customers consistently got our standard pricing.

But they had their phone calls answered the same way, they were dispatched the same way, they got the same techs, the same mat/booties, uniforms, same price book, etc.

We were incredibly consistent in our service, just not rigid in our ways. Not all customers are the same, and to treat them all the same is idiotic.

And this was not just our method, but that of thousands of service companies across the country.

 

[Rewire]

There is no argument. When we did resi service, we consistenly charged new non-referral customers a dispatch fee. We consistantly waived the fee for repesat and referral customers.

Our regular customers consistently got our member pricing, new customers consistently got our standard pricing.

But they had their phone calls answered the same way, they were dispatched the same way, they got the same techs, the same mat/booties, uniforms, same price book, etc.

We were incredibly consistent in our service, just not rigid in our ways. Not all customers are the same, and to treat them all the same is idiotic.

And this was not just our method, but that of thousands of service companies across the country.

Not sure why you think trearing all customers the same is idiotic but thats your deal. What do you do with the referal customer or repeat customer who you haved waived your fee but does not use you?

 

[Rewire]

There is no argument. When we did resi service, we consistenly charged new non-referral customers a dispatch fee. We consistantly waived the fee for repesat and referral customers.

Our regular customers consistently got our member pricing, new customers consistently got our standard pricing.

But they had their phone calls answered the same way, they were dispatched the same way, they got the same techs, the same mat/booties, uniforms, same price book, etc.

We were incredibly consistent in our service, just not rigid in our ways. Not all customers are the same, and to treat them all the same is idiotic.

And this was not just our method, but that of thousands of service companies across the country.

Can't help noticing you are refering to things in the past tense,do you no longer provide this service?

 

[emahler]

Not sure why you think trearing all customers the same is idiotic but thats your deal. What do you do with the referal customer or repeat customer who you haved waived your fee but does not use you?

Then we would take the hit for not doing our job right. Closing ratio for repeat/referral was over 93%. In many cases the work was beyond their budget, but they used us for other work after that.

Its idiotic because not everyone reacts the same way to the same things.

 

[Rewire]

Then we would take the hit for not doing our job right. Closing ratio for repeat/referral was over 93%. In many cases the work was beyond their budget, but they used us for other work after that.

Its idiotic because not everyone reacts the same way to the same things.

But consistancy is easier to duplicate, so your dispatch fee was basically a new customer fee.

Of the new customer calls did you track the % that refused your service due to the dispatch fee?

Were you the lone wolf or were others also doing a dispatch fee in your area?

 

[emahler]

Can't help noticing you are refering to things in the past tense,do you no longer provide this service?

i've already stated numerous times that we no longer perform residential service. it takes a certain temperment to run a successful resi service company....i no longer have the right temperment:grin:

it's one of the few things dnk and i agree on...

 

[emahler]

But consistancy is easier to duplicate, so your dispatch fee was basically a new customer fee.

Of the new customer calls did you track the % that refused your service due to the dispatch fee?

Were you the lone wolf or were others also doing a dispatch fee in your area?

you don't seem to get it...we were consistent in our service...from the written manuscript when the phones were answered, to the information taken, to the way the call was dispatched...

heck, we were so consistent, we were one of only 5-6 electrical contractors in the country that were ISO9000 registered...

that being said, part of our consistency was charging a dispatch fee for an unknown customer...it was a minimal fee..but it saved us a ton of time, and allowed us to be much more productive (and profitable) with less people and less costs...

at the time there were 2 of us out of 200 listed in the phone book that charged a fee...

today, I think there are 5-6 out of 200 that charge a dispatch fee...

btw - we learned this from a system that was duplicated across the country...one that we paid money to learn...it was a good investment...

 

[mivey]

for all the guys who are just reading along, who might be wondering the value of this discussion...

For those following along...

Surprisingly enough, I'm still reading after 150 posts. I've found the debate to be entertaining, mostly civil, and informative. I am pleased that it is still full of examples, ideas, opinions, etc and has not degraded to silly stuff like a purely name-calling or insult-trading fiasco after such a prolonged engagement.

I appreciate the conviction shown by both sides (I think there may even be several sides).

 

[Rewire]

Surprisingly enough, I'm still reading after 150 posts. I've found the debate to be entertaining, mostly civil, and informative. I am pleased that it is still full of examples, ideas, opinions, etc and has not degraded to silly stuff like a purely name-calling or insult-trading fiasco after such a prolonged engagement.

I appreciate the conviction shown by both sides (I think there may even be several sides).

We are all profesionals on this forum ,although we may get annoyed with each other at times we always try to remain civil. This forum is a wealth of information accumulated through many years of real world expierience.

 

[emahler]

another thing to remember is that we don't sell a commodity...we sell a service, and a finite amount at that....

if we sold a product, we could make more money at a lower price, just by increasing volume...

we can't increase the volume of our time...we can add more employees, but that just adds more cost...

some guys get confused and attempt to sell their electrical services like a product....

don't make that mistake...

 

[Rewire]

another thing to remember is that we don't sell a commodity...we sell a service, and a finite amount at that....

if we sold a product, we could make more money at a lower price, just by increasing volume...

we can't increase the volume of our time...we can add more employees, but that just adds more cost...

some guys get confused and attempt to sell their electrical services like a product....

don't make that mistake...

One panel ,one meter, would you like fries with that...