Charging for parts

[chrishutt]

something you don't pay for often isn't worth very much.

What a crass comment to make on this forum, particularly just after such an excellent post by ChrisR. No surprise that simond agreed with it. Haven't you noticed the value of the vast body of information given free on this forum?

To get back to the question of charging for repairs, it has to be based on the old maxim that time is money, but you can use your discretion to take account of how efficiently you are performing. For example by charging more for already having the spare part in the van, or charging less when you spend longer than you should due to errors of judgement or inexperience.

The important thing is to treat the customer as your partner in the enterprise, rather than as the victim. Discuss what you're doing, or proposing to do, and it's likely cost, with the customer. For example I often give customers the option of collecting a spare part themselves rather than paying me to do it. You may not make so much money in the short term, but you build up mutual trust and a long term business relationship.

 

[Softus]

something you don't pay for often isn't worth very much.

What a crass comment to make on this forum, particularly just after such an excellent post by ChrisR. No surprise that simond agreed with it.

It certainly concerned me that simond agreed with it, but crass it wasn't. I hadn't read ChrisR's post, or anyone else's actually. If you don't like what I said then so be it, but to dismiss is out of hand is to be foolish.

Now then - the following really is an example of being crass.

Haven't you noticed the value of the vast body of information given free on this forum?

That's right chrishutt - I just hadn't noticed.

To get back to the question of charging for repairs, it has to be based on the old maxim that time is money, but you can use your discretion to take account of how efficiently you are performing. For example by charging more for already having the spare part in the van, or charging less when you spend longer than you should due to errors of judgement or inexperience.

For what it's worth, this happens to be the way that I work too.

The important thing is to treat the customer as your partner in the enterprise, rather than as the victim. Discuss what you're doing, or proposing to do, and it's likely cost, with the customer. For example I often give customers the option of collecting a spare part themselves rather than paying me to do it. You may not make so much money in the short term, but you build up mutual trust and a long term business relationship.

This too, hence I can easily say that it's excellent advice.

My point about this type of advice, which differs radically from technical advice, IMHO, is that it has meaning and is usable only if it fits with the experience and philosophy of the person receiving it. We all know very little about "newcomers", so I believe that this advice is not likely to be of much value to him.

If everyone here was asked, and was honest, then they would admit that this is an opportunity to seek implicit approval of their own charging policy and philosophy.

But have you ever asked yourself why you post on the forum?

 

[Agile]

The phrase "as much as I can get away with" sounds nasty.

This is not because it means what the market will stand but because it means ( whether intended or not! ) that each customer will be evaluated and a 32 y.o. IT man who looks up spare parts on the internet will be charged the £50 that they cost but the 82 y.o. lady will be charged a rip off price of £200 for the same part.

Its easy to look the customer up and down and decide what THEY might be able to pay. To me thats a rip off cowboy!

We charge fixed prices and that gives us the problem not the customer and SHOULD make the customer realise they cannot be ripped off. Either we supply the part or the customer can.

Both Chris Hutt and Paul Barker seem to be charging prices which may not even generate the income that an engineer would earn in BG.

Tony

 

[Softus]

Its easy to look the customer up and down and decide what THEY might be able to pay. To me thats a rip off cowboy!

Depends which way you take that - it could be someone with a social sensivity, who decreases their normal margin for someone who is less well off.

Both Chris Hutt and Paul Barker seem to be charging prices which may not even generate the income that an engineer would earn in BG.

This has raised the bar on crassness of comment. Unless you're just being mischevious Agile, then you must believe one of the following:

a) They\re lying;
b) They're deluded;
c) They're only just scraping a living.

You're not a stupid person Agile, but you could have an entertainment career as an impressionist.

 

[Agile]

Both Chris and Paul seem to be charging such low prices that they might be better off being BG employees.

Most people become self employed to try to earn more than an employee or to choose their working hours and days.

As BG engineers are quite well paid I doubt that either are exactly "scraping a living".

The difference is that we are only discussing boiler repair prices. I expect that both these two do a lot of more profitable installation work.

Tony

 

[Softus]

As BG engineers are quite well paid I doubt that either are exactly "scraping a living".

The difference is that we are only discussing boiler repair prices. I expect that both these two do a lot of more profitable installation work.

I take your point. I was momentarily misled by your use of the word "even", but my reply was rash.

I was wrong, and I apologise.

 

[simond]

Just for the record, my comment regarding the value of free advice being worth absolutely nothing was directed at Softus.

I was thinking of his free advice specifically.

How interesting that he should have a friend who can charge us for advice. How interesting that he should have a friend.

 

[Paul Barker]

Both Chris Hutt and Paul Barker seem to be charging prices which may not even generate the income that an engineer would earn in BG.

Tony

I'm sure of it, as I';ve said before I earned more as a specially trained children's nurse, and worked much less hours. However I couldn't take the stress of that job ever again. This job is massively better for health.

 

[chrishutt]

Both Chris and Paul seem to be charging such low prices that they might be better off being BG employees.

I didn't even say what I was charging, so that comment is a little presumptuous!

Just for the record I charge a call out charge (equal to one hour's labour) in addition to the hourly rate, so currently a one hour job is £48 + materials, a two hour job £72 +, etc. I think this is a fair basis for charging because there are fixed costs associated with each job, irrespective of the time involved, most obviously travel to and from the job but also administrative costs.

I wouldn't for a moment compare my income with that of a BG 'engineer'. As far as I can see they work subject to intolerable pressures from their managers with little job satisfaction, whereas I work at my own pace, doing each job in the way I see fit and to the mutual satisfaction of myself and the customer. Simply no comparison.

 

[Softus]

Just for the record, my comment regarding the value of free advice being worth absolutely nothing was directed at Softus.

I didn't say it was always worth nothing. In fact, I didn't say that it was ever worth nothing, so there's a lot of projection going on here.

How interesting that he should have a friend who can charge us for advice.

I didn't say that it was a friend of mine that was a consultant, but let's get one thing straight simond - nobody I know, friend or otherwise, is willing to offer you advice, because you're incapable of listening and, it would now seem, also of reading.

 

[Maxxy]

I give a discount if they provide regular Coffee and biscuits

 

[simon_t]

I give a discount if they provide regular Coffee and biscuits

Now that's the most useful bit of advice I've read on the forum. Anyone for custard creams?

 

[Agile]

I tend to charge ( a little ) less if they give me a cuddle! Before Softus comments thats only the ladies I charge less to, the considerable number of gay clients dont cuddle me anyway. This afternoon's client could not cuddle me because her husband was there so its a higher bill! She is the one who told me in Spanish on Monday that I had nice legs.

If they do not offer me coffee then I definately come a day later if they ever call me again !!!

Tony