Service Call charge for retail

[mrchip]

Hi techs just thought i would throw this out for discussion
in the new year coming up has charging retail customers a small service call charge have any merit? i pre qualify jobs but still after traveling to job
site have found that it was a no go
also just curious if you are charging for second repair on same shield
retail or commercial:

[Sneck]

Hello mrchip,
Personally, I do not charge a service call charge, but if I did I would call it a "fuel surcharge". Even after pre-qualifying customers over the phone so I kinda know what to expect as far as size, age, qty, location, etc, etc, there will always be the few that I show up to repair and the chips are nothing like what the customer told me on the phone - like when they tell me the chip is the size of a dime, and when I get there he shows me three chips the size of a silver dollar with cracks running all over the windshield!

Even if I can't make any money, at least I got there and that gives me the chance to personally give my customer business cards and flyers for him and his friends and neighbors. I only charge for chips I repair.

If you do feel you need to charge a service call charge, I would call it a "Fuel Surcharge". Lots of companies have to do this so they don't loose too much money due to the fuel price fluctuations. Some companies charge a flat fee, others charge a percentage. In this day and age, customers should almost expect a fuel surcharge. Virtually everything we buy has gone up due to fuel prices, so why not the mobile windshield repair industry?

So... No, I don't charge a service call charge, but in the future if I decide that I should, it will be a "fuel surcharge".

[Dave M]

Mr.Chip,
I do not charge a service call fee, but there have been times where I would have liked too! Maybe cuffing that customer behind the head would be sufficient.
I do charge for extra repairs on the same w/s. Some insurance companies have gone to a flat fee for up to three repairs on the same w/s. I hope others do not follow suit! I charge only $10-$15 per extra repair.

[mafsu]

With the price of gas being what it is a service call fee on a cash job isn't a bad idea (I don't think you'll get any insurance companies to go for it). You might first try refining your phone qualifications. Even then your still going to get some that will tell you a twelve or eighteen-inch crack is about six inches.

I charge retail customers extra for additional chips on the same windshield, but not commercial or fleet accounts.

[boyd]

Here's what I have done for 10 years. I advertise in the Yellow pages $40.

When they call they always ask how much.

I say $40 if I come to you and $35 if you come to me.

Over 50% of the time they will come to me. It usually saves me 30 minutes of driving and $5 in gas. I think people expect to come to you. I had my refrigerator repaired last year and the service guy came and said it was unrepairable and guess what?.... yep. $25 service call. I thought ... he almost got paid to do drive to me for what I do a regular job for.

So my philosophy is .... don't charge more for a service call, charge less if they come to you. People like getting deals, they don't like getting charged more and it's really the same to you. What's the difference in not spending money(them coming to you) vs. making it (you going to them)? You still come out ahead.

BOYD

[mrchip]

goodmorning boyd i guess you have a fixed location i don't
I'm strictly mobile I do my best to qualify before I go but ppl don't
always answer correctly I also do work for glass shops and yesterday went for one of them and what the lady had was a tiny nick ...no job
since i use my laptop to generate invoices i would probably have a
preprinted receipt for $20.00 for service call
i wouldn't charge everyone you have to be able to discern ppl
there are many times ppl ask if theres a charge after i tell them
no job for whatever reason im in the northeast and i guess its different
for you i get $75.00 for retail

[boyd]

I have them come to my home. They pull in my driveway and I fix it there.
If it's dark, I get my flood lights on a pole and set that up.
Wow!! $75.00. Good for you. I think you are at very top end of pricing.
I'd say the avg. (from what I can tell from this forum) is $45-50.
If it's raining we meet at a car wash just down the road from me.
Who washes their car when it's raining???
I have great lighting and cover.
Another thing I'v learned from this forum is ...
different things work for different people.

[Bois]

I got a phone call at 4pm the other day from the sales manager at a car dealership that's been using a competitor for years. He said he had a Cadillac with a strange looking chip and asked if I'd come take a look and repair. Being late in the afternoon and a 20 mile drive, I asked if the break appeared black (air). He said yes. I drove over to find a surface chip. I filled the chip with pit resin and did not charge. I even left a warranty card for the new owner.

No Charge. No service fee. VERY happy sales manager. AND, got future business. So, you never know what good PR will get you.

Dale...

[mrchip]

very good bois i probably would have done tha same i was only referring to retail yesterday i pre qualified a retail customer in a senior complex and when i arrived the chip had a crack 12 inches! i would have given her
a service charge had i had them printed up woulda coulda shoulda