Free Estimate Questions

[Ohmy]

To the free estimate guys...do you give "free estimates" for troubleshooting. We have had two cancellations this week from people who have loss of power issues in their house because they found someone to give a free estimate and did not see why they should pay a troubleshooting fee. Are these customers getting scammed with a bait and switch or is someone going out and finding the problem and then giving an estimate? I know there is the constant to charge or not to charge for estimates debate on this site, but I really do not understand the free estimate for "my power is out in half the house or my lights are flicking" calls.

 

[LarryFine]

When I get a troubleshoot call, I explain what the difference is between giving an estimate and troubleshooting, and tell them my hourly rates.

When they ask about the free estimate, I tell them I just gave it to them: first hour plus.

If they still don't get it, I'll say "Okay, tell me what's causing the problem, and I'll tell you what I would charge to repair it."

 

[Ohmy]

Soo...when do you tell them

Soo...when do you tell them

So you give a troubleshooting fee over the phone. That makes a lot of sense. You don't wait till you get to the house to tell them that there is a troubleshooting fee? I think that kinda scammy but that has to be whats going on. Surely these other guys arn't troubleshooting for free.

 

[Ohmy]

When I get a troubleshoot call, I explain what

If they still don't get it, I'll say "Okay, tell me what's causing the problem, and I'll tell you what I would charge to repair it."

BTW, the last qoute is great. If I could get away with sassing the customer I would use it.

 

[Rewire]

When some one calls with a service call we have a service call fee,then our hourly rate based on time on the job.If the tech gets to the job and finds it is a panel upgrade we quote them a price they pay for the serice call and time and then they can get other bids or take ours most accept ours on the spot.

If someone calls and wants an estimate for a job their is no fee charged for that service.

 

[LarryFine]

So you give a troubleshooting fee over the phone. That makes a lot of sense.

I do that sometimes. :smile:

You don't wait till you get to the house to tell them that there is a troubleshooting fee?

Not if I want to be sure I get it.

I think that kinda scammy but that has to be whats going on. Surely these other guys arn't troubleshooting for free.

I doubt they are, and don't call me Shirley.

 

[LeeB]

Free Estimate for Troubleshooting

Free Estimate for Troubleshooting

We quote an hourly rate and explain that it could be quick and easy or it could be long and difficult. Anybody who quotes a flat fee is going to pull a bait & switch.

LeeB

 

[ericsherman37]

Our shop gets lots of calls for service work. Lots of times they turn out to be 60 seconds long - walk in, reset a GFCI, tell the customer that if the problem happens again that they need to note what was running, anything changed, etc. and that we'll come back.

We usually don't charge for a one-minute service call. Unless we get the callback... which doesn't happen often.

Someone trained our receptionist that when someone says "none of our kitchen plugs work anymore!" she should tell them to reset GFCIs first before we go out there. Screens out some.

We did a service call at a restaurant that wound up being about five minutes long. They gave us lunch for free. Big ol' sandwich.

 

[Ohmy]

That is crazy

That is crazy

Really, no charge for reseting the GFI or breaker?

 

[roger3829]

Really, no charge for reseting the GFI or breaker?

If it was a long time customer and a short ride to get there, I probably wouldn't charge them.

However, a new customer, I would charge. Maybe take out some test equiptment and make it look like I really did something.:smile:

 

[emahler]

We quote an hourly rate and explain that it could be quick and easy or it could be long and difficult. Anybody who quotes a flat fee is going to pull a bait & switch.

LeeB

Talk about an absolute untruth.

Are there schysters out there who will? Definitely. Same as there are hourly guys who will run the clock up.

An honest contractor, is honest regardless of what system he uses. And that doesn't mean cheap.

If I quote a $50 trip charge (or no trip charge if we are slow) to come out and look at the problem. Then once we, as trained professionals, see the symtoms, and have a place to really start trobleshooting, quote them a $250 troubleshoot fee (and waive the trip charge)....how is this bait and switch?

An honest contractor would advise the customer of the process all along the way. So there would be no surprises, and the customer would be in control of their money.

Vs an hourly rate that they have no control over once the job begins. Suddenly they are in for 2-3 hours, and no solution. Do you pay the guy for 3 hours, and call someone else? Or let him continue and hope he finishes soon.

 

[George Stolz]

I had a funny call along these lines yesterday. A girl calls the shop, says her sump isn't working, the basement is flooding, send someone ASAP. So I putter out there, ring the bell tools in hand, and am escorted to the basement by the girl who called.

Unfortunately, the girl who called didn't own the house. I was almost done before the next girl comes along and says, "I'm the homeowner's daughter. Do you happen to work with __________________ ? The house is under a warranty, so we're supposed to use that party's electrician."

I deftly explained that it was arguably not a warranty call, since the sump wasn't plugged into the tripped circuit anyway - so throwing $50 at me for swinging in and getting it working immediately (sans the portion of the work entailing actually scuba-diving after the cord) and skipping the hassle of haggling with the warranty company isn't such a bad deal. She apparently agreed.

 

[growler]

I had a funny call along these lines yesterday. A girl calls the shop, says her sump isn't working, the basement is flooding, send someone ASAP. So I putter out there, ring the bell tools in hand, and am escorted to the basement by the girl who called.

Unfortunately, the girl who called didn't own the house. I was almost done before the next girl comes along and says, "I'm the homeowner's daughter. Do you happen to work with __________________ ? The house is under a warranty, so we're supposed to use that party's electrician."

I deftly explained that it was arguably not a warranty call, since the sump wasn't plugged into the tripped circuit anyway - so throwing $50 at me for swinging in and getting it working immediately (sans the portion of the work entailing actually scuba-diving after the cord) and skipping the hassle of haggling with the warranty company isn't such a bad deal. She apparently agreed.

George can you say "work order". George when you get calls for service it a good idea to get billing information before going on a service call. This work order will contain the name of the person responsible for paying for the work.

It's not really your concern if they are to go through a warranty company. When either the owner or agent of the owner calls for service they are agreeing to pay for it and they do so by signing a work order.

They pay you for the emergency service call and how they go about getting their money is none of you business. To do emergency service calls for $50 is a waste of time. Don't let people jack you around like this.

 

[jimmyglen]

this is an interesting thread since there is many ways to look at it

you could handle this anyway you want

the very best way is to try to figure out what the customer really wants and needs BEFORE you go out

I could go out on T&M and fix it

or

I might even go out and give a free estimate (using no tools and no diagnostic)
come up then witha worse case senario and quote a price

 

[mivey]

Really, no charge for reseting the GFI or breaker?

The cost came out of the advertising budget.

 

[bradleyelectric]

Our shop gets lots of calls for service work. Lots of times they turn out to be 60 seconds long - walk in, reset a GFCI, tell the customer that if the problem happens again that they need to note what was running, anything changed, etc. and that we'll come back.

We usually don't charge for a one-minute service call. Unless we get the callback... which doesn't happen often.

Someone trained our receptionist that when someone says "none of our kitchen plugs work anymore!" she should tell them to reset GFCIs first before we go out there. Screens out some.

We did a service call at a restaurant that wound up being about five minutes long. They gave us lunch for free. Big ol' sandwich.

That 60 seconds to push that reset costs me 2 hours. Track how long is takes to prepare the truck (empty trash bucket, check stock, warm up truck, ect.) drive time, introductions w/ business card exchange, investigating why the trip may have occured, explaining that to the customer. Tell the customer their boss wants them to go to work and throw a piece of paper in the trash that is sitting on their desk and than go home and they wont get paid to do it. Think they will gladly do it? Why would you? It would take longer than 60 seconds to do it. That 1 minute service call is a 2 hour service call, not 1 minute.

 

[aline]

Our shop gets lots of calls for service work. Lots of times they turn out to be 60 seconds long - walk in, reset a GFCI, tell the customer that if the problem happens again that they need to note what was running, anything changed, etc. and that we'll come back.

We usually don't charge for a one-minute service call. Unless we get the callback... which doesn't happen often.

I take it you only put down one-minute on your time card for this service call and was only paid for one-minute?

Simply walking in and pushing the reset button and walking out is poor service in my opinion.

 

[aline]

We did a service call at a restaurant that wound up being about five minutes long. They gave us lunch for free. Big ol' sandwich.

I think I would have prefered to charge for the service call and pay $5 for the Big ol' sandwich.

Maybe the boss should just buy a Big ol' sandwich for you instead of paying your wages.

Did you ever stop to think that maybe if the customer was being charged for these service calls the boss could afford to give you a raise or provide a better benefit package?

 

[Ohmy]

The cost came out of the advertising budget.

I don't think any phone call is free...I figure every lead cost about $65....This person already called me...now its time to make money.

BTW, I totally understand resetting a GFI for a good customer. Howerver, its important to note, I good customer (IMO would want to pay me for coming out to reset their GFI.

 

[aline]

BTW, I totally understand resetting a GFI for a good customer. Howerver, its important to note, I good customer (IMO would want to pay me for coming out to reset their GFI.

I agree. A good customer would insist on paying for your services.