# Easy service calls lately...



## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

It's not very far into the week, and I've already had three very easy service calls. 

One was in an office that I did the network cabling a few years ago. They called and said that the one machine couldn't connect to the network, and they "checked everything out already". I arrived and plugged in the cable between the NIC and the wall jack, and everything was fine. Naturally nobody ever unplugged that cable. 85 bucks... thank you very much.

One was in a house that the garage door openers both wouldn't work. Pressed 'reset' on the GFCI in the garage. Tested circuit with megaohm meter just to be sure a fault didn't exist. None found. 75 bucks... thank you very much.

This one's a dandy. The light over the kitchen sink was reportedly not working. When I arrived, the lady of the house demonstrated with the wall switch that the light indeed does not come on. She left the room for other chores. I took the shade off the fixture (square recess, late 60's or early 70's style), and removed the bulb. It was obviously burned out, because I could see the filament piece rolling around. Installed new bulb and tried fixture. It worked, so I replaced the shade. I went into the other room and asked the lady, "Did you already try a new bulb?". She replied, "Oh. I didn't know that kind took light bulbs!". Cost to replace light bulb.... 65 bucks. 

Too bad they all aren't so easy. I almost feel guilty.


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## jmic (Dec 10, 2005)

Did you say CHA-CHING!!:thumbup:


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## CGofMP (Feb 17, 2005)

> "Oh. I didn't know that kind took light bulbs!"


Yes maam, that is one of the old kind that they put in before the new Tritium radiation glow bulbs became the rage like they are now.

Shades of the BOFH here...

Ya know if this was a REAL OLD lady I migh think you a bit mean spirited charging her for that... (not that wasting your time was not worth somehting but still...)

However if it was anything under 60 years old KA-CHING!


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## RobertCDF (Aug 18, 2005)

See I have done things like that before and I always feel bad about charging a lot of money for it and end up saying just 20 bucks will be fine. Maybe I am just too nice. I changed a tire for an older client while I was working on her deck. I saw her tire was low and could hear it leaking. Just changed and went back to work.


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

RobertCDF said:


> See I have done things like that before and I always feel bad about charging a lot of money for it and end up saying just 20 bucks will be fine.


I understand what you mean. Understand this, my bread and butter is service calls and time and material work. The bid work is just for here and there. For guys that make their living off bid work, they can get away with a 20 dollar little thing here and there.


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## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

And then for the homeowner they are left with the next decision of whether to call the handyman who might get in over his head or the licensed electrician. I've been in the same boat with auto problems. Just pay the bill and drive on.


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## DecksEtc (Oct 27, 2004)

Aside from the fact that none of those people possess ANY common sense I would say that they got off pretty cheaply, especially for having you, a licensed electrician, take the calls. If they had of called a franchise company's handyman they would have paid for a minimum of 2 hours, plus materials - somewhere close to $200 here in Canada.

I'd say they got the equivalent of a $20 deal - your time was booked away from other jobs and it's not your fault they called a "pilot to fly a paper airplane".


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

Dude, you are so in for it, you know that don't you? You can't stretch the fabric of the universe as we know it that far out of wack without it eventually snapping back and biting you ten times as hard.

Be careful, look over your shoulder now and then, because you know it's a comin'. :biggrin:


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## CE1 (Dec 30, 2005)

The way I see it is that they called you and you did they they wanted and they are happy about what you did, so in order to make you happy you need to get paid for your time. win-win situation :thumbup:

It doesn't seem fair, but the customer is happy for you to come out and fix their problem and they are willing to pay for you to do it. Once the word gets out that you are willing to do this work, you cup will runnith over.


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## sage (Feb 3, 2005)

I think what you charged is incredibly fair. There are minimums around here with the exception of someone doing side work or the handyman. Keep'em coming! I'd take that stuff all day long.:thumbup:


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## Peladu (Jan 8, 2006)

My question is this:

Outside of lightbulb lady, did you explain what the problem was with the other two cases?


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## sage (Feb 3, 2005)

Had an easy one myself today. Get a call about water leaking from somewhere near the washer dryer in the basement. The friggin supply hoses for the washer worked loose a little from the movement in the washer, uneven loads likely. Tighten the hoses and I'm out the door.

Call me crazy, but no charge. They are a eighty or ninety year old couple. I do all the work for just about the entire family going back 4 years. Like the grand parents I never had.


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

Peladu said:


> My question is this:
> 
> Outside of lightbulb lady, did you explain what the problem was with the other two cases?


Did you think for some reason that I would not? Yes, part of the value added process in hiring a professional is explaining clearly what the problem was and what was done to correct it and keep it from happening again. Often, the verbal exchange between you and the customer carries more merit and value than the actual service performed.


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

Mike Finley said:


> Dude, you are so in for it, you know that don't you? You can't stretch the fabric of the universe as we know it that far out of wack without it eventually snapping back and biting you ten times as hard.
> 
> Be careful, look over your shoulder now and then, because you know it's a comin'. :biggrin:


I'm not 100% sure I know what you mean. If you intended to say that I have a day coming up really soon in which nothing will go right, and all the jobs will suck... welll... that would be a regular day. Most of my work is T&M, so it's not like I'm not gonna get paid anyhow.


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## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

People who don't charge enough can't stay is business so generally they are not doing anyone any favors. I have a great attorney who never gives me a bill because she says it took too long to get the work done. The problem is it takes longer and longer each time. I'm pretty certain I will have to find an attorney who will give me a bill and get the work done in a timely manner.


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

Yeah, that's what I meant. It's that cosmic karma thing ya know. Whenever I get a string of too good to be true things falling in my lap I start looking two of three times both ways before I cross a street. :cheesygri


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

Mike Finley said:


> Yeah, that's what I meant. It's that cosmic karma thing ya know. Whenever I get a string of too good to be true things falling in my lap I start looking two of three times both ways before I cross a street. :cheesygri


Yup... I had a helper stop in a convenience store and purchased a scratch off lottery ticket. He scratched it right there and won 100 bucks. Cashed it in and left. Nice. He pulled out of the parking lot and into the street and got hit broadside, demolishing his car.


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

Doh!


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## gravtyklz (Dec 24, 2005)

mdshunk said:


> I understand what you mean. Understand this, my bread and butter is service calls and time and material work. The bid work is just for here and there. For guys that make their living off bid work, they can get away with a 20 dollar little thing here and there.


Exactly how did you get popular in the service business. We've always made our big money in doing Service. Our best was some old building they wanted to add little things to really slowly. We had a guy there every day for 4 weeks helping him....they buy the parts, and they pay us hourly....fantastic!

I know its sometimes a pain obviously....but dealing with contractors, home owners, other sub contractors, rising prices.....the list goes on.....is also a big pain.


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## ContractorSon (Feb 4, 2005)

mdshunk said:


> Yup... I had a helper stop in a convenience store and purchased a scratch off lottery ticket. He scratched it right there and won 100 bucks. Cashed it in and left. Nice. He pulled out of the parking lot and into the street and got hit broadside, demolishing his car.



Did he happen to down a few of Latrobe's finest before crossing the road???arty:


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