# After Hours....



## AssTyme (May 15, 2010)

A question for all you guys that charge a after hour fee.

Had a job today at a bank. They called at 4:20, got there at 4:40 and left at 6:30. Should I charge a after hour fee ?

I would think yes ???


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## bartnc37 (Feb 24, 2009)

Kinda depends what your posted business hours are doesn't it?


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## AssTyme (May 15, 2010)

bartnc37 said:


> Kinda depends what your posted business hours are doesn't it?



Anything after 5pm is time & one half. I'm asking because the call came in at 4:20pm and I started at 4:40pm.


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## bartnc37 (Feb 24, 2009)

Kind of a rub for us. Usually if we're there before the after hours starts its regular rate. However if they said they noticed the problem at 8 a.m. and didn't call till 4:30 I'd say game on.


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## Nayman's Drain (Dec 17, 2010)

I do not charge call-out fees to home-owners. It's like punishing them for having a problem.
Corporations, however, get the $100 hit


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## AssTyme (May 15, 2010)

Nayman's Drain said:


> I do not charge call-out fees to home-owners. It's like punishing them for having a problem.
> Corporations, however, get the $100 hit



Not sure what a "call-out fee" is ??? 

I charge time and one-half after 5pm, Sundays and on holidays.

I decided to charge straight time for the above job.


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

I would say it all depends...

If your worker was getting paid time and half then yes you have to charge that to the customer....

If you did the job yourself then it depends how you feel.... did you have enough for the day already? If I was in the mood to go home then I would charge them as much as I could get away with...

Remember nice guys finnish last.....


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## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

Same price anytime. If your overhead is covered by your monday- friday work, then your after hours work is still profitable,even when paying the technician overtime. His overtime wage is nothing compared to shop overhead.
This only works if your regular prices are charged correctly.


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## Epox (Sep 19, 2010)

AssTyme said:


> Not sure what a "call-out fee" is ???
> 
> I charge time and one-half after 5pm, Sundays and on holidays.
> 
> I decided to charge straight time for the above job.


You don't charge time and a half on Saturdays?


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

ChrisConnor said:


> Same price anytime. If your overhead is covered by your monday- friday work, then your after hours work is still profitable,even when paying the technician overtime. His overtime wage is nothing compared to shop overhead.
> This only works if your regular prices are charged correctly.


To bad your shop was not located closer to mine I would sub out all my after hours work to you and pay you straight time..... and then I would bill my customers time and a half..... I would be very happy with that


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## Epox (Sep 19, 2010)

Seems to me if it's the same price no matter what then where's the incentive for people to hold till the next day if it's 6:30 at night and that one of 2 commodes keeps refilling the tank every hour or so or some other totally non emergency. In upfront Planned service customers I used to have a good many ask if it would be cheaper to wait till tomorrow, when I said no then they say come now then.


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

If the call comes in after 5pm, overtime. Before then, regular rate.


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## AssTyme (May 15, 2010)

mpsllc said:


> You don't charge time and a half on Saturdays?



Only after 5pm.


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## AssTyme (May 15, 2010)

mpsllc said:


> Seems to me if it's the same price no matter what then where's the incentive for people to hold till the next day if it's 6:30 at night and that one of 2 commodes keeps refilling the tank every hour or so or some other totally non emergency. In upfront Planned service customers I used to have a good many ask if it would be cheaper to wait till tomorrow, when I said no then they say come now then.



Exactly :thumbsup:


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## Nayman's Drain (Dec 17, 2010)

around here, they charge a hundred dollar "call-out" fee after hours. Then book the job on straight time.


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## M5Plumb (Oct 2, 2008)

I think you did the right thing...Remember, it's the war not the battle that is won. Kind of goes hand in hand that you were willing enough to help them at an hour before you close, and did not charge extra. They will likely keep you on the preferred vendor list in the event anything else comes up. You do however need to remind them of the value you provided in those actions. :thumbup:




AssTyme said:


> Not sure what a "call-out fee" is ???
> 
> I charge time and one-half after 5pm, Sundays and on holidays.
> 
> I decided to charge straight time for the above job.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

AssTyme said:


> ...They called at 4:20, got there at 4:40 and left at 6:30....


Technically speaking...You knew when you got that call there was a good chance the job would run into overtime based on your time & a half after 5 policy. If you were planning on charging more after 5pm, then you should have told them it would be extra $$ if it runs long. Otherwise, just charge the regular price and move on. 

From a good will stand point...I could see not charging your normal overtime fee if they were a regular good client or if your were trying to gain them as a regular good client.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

mpsllc said:


> Seems to me if it's the same price no matter what then where's the incentive for people to hold till the next day...


First of all, why is overtime being charged? If it is to keep the calls at a low volume during after hours then just don't take the call. In that scenario, the overtime rate is just to penalize the customer for either bad luck or bad planning or to provide additional compensation for the hassle of working overtime.

From a dollar stand point, it depends on how you budgeted for the year. If your budget depends on getting certain percentage of time & a half calls to pay the bills then you better charge extra for every single minute after 5pm. If on the other hand you budgeted for your overhead to be covered M-F 8-5 then you are getting all gravy money on the overtime call at regular rates. This allows you to offer OT calls at regular price to gain more clients and build your customer base if you choose.

As far as keeping people from abusing you, it is simply a matter of not booking yourself out 24 hours at a time. Sure you can go fix a running toilet for the regular price and still make gravy money over your budget but that doesn't mean you have to take those calls.

This is explained much better by Randall Hilton in a recent PM mag article. If you have not properly budgeted for your overhead, none of this will make any sense.


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## AssTyme (May 15, 2010)

plbgbiz said:


> Technically speaking...You knew when you got that call there was a good chance the job would run into overtime based on your time & a half after 5 policy. If you were planning on charging more after 5pm, then you should have told them it would be extra $$ if it runs long. Otherwise, just charge the regular price and move on.
> 
> From a good will stand point...I could see not charging your normal overtime fee if they were a regular good client or if your were trying to gain them as a regular good client.




They told me on the phone it was a plugged toilet. I thought I'd be outta there in 5 minutes. Ended up being a main line.


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## AssTyme (May 15, 2010)

plbgbiz said:


> First of all, why is overtime being charged? If it is to keep the calls at a low volume during after hours then just don't take the call. In that scenario, the overtime rate is just to penalize the customer for either bad luck or bad planning or to provide additional compensation for the hassle of working overtime.
> 
> From a dollar stand point, it depends on how you budgeted for the year. If your budget depends on getting certain percentage of time & a half calls to pay the bills then you better charge extra for every single minute after 5pm. If on the other hand you budgeted for your overhead to be covered M-F 8-5 then you are getting all gravy money on the overtime call at regular rates. This allows you to offer OT calls at regular price to gain more clients and build your customer base if you choose.
> 
> ...



What do you mean "just don't take the call" ? Don't answer the phone or tell them you can't do the job ?


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

AssTyme said:


> What do you mean "just don't take the call" ? Don't answer the phone or tell them you can't do the job ?


Tell them you can't take the job. It all starts with whether or not you really want the job or even the customer. Then determine how bad you want them. Are you willing to miss dinner to run the call? If not, simply say,"I'm sorry we don't have anyone available that can get to you this evening. If you are able to wait I can put you first in the morning."

There is no law that says just because the phone rang, you have to do the job right now.


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## Epox (Sep 19, 2010)

When I get a call after hours or weekends they expect to pay time and a half. I take them all if I'm around. I've seen many a emergency call roll into a full repipe etc. So it is important but I also have a life that also includes going out of town to see the grandkids or putting on the leathers and going for a days trip on the bike. Those that want to work all the time my hats off to you, I'm ready to live a little along the way.


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## affordabledrain (Nov 24, 2009)

I keep some strange hours. I also know and understand. That most working people are not home until after 4 30 pm. If the call comes in b4 6 pm durning the week. I will not charge the after hours fee. I also consider saturday a regular work day. The only difference is I am charging more after 4 pm.


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## AssTyme (May 15, 2010)

affordabledrain said:


> I keep some strange hours. I also know and understand. That most working people are not home until after 4 30 pm. If the call comes in b4 6 pm durning the week. I will not charge the after hours fee. I also consider saturday a regular work day. The only difference is I am charging more after 4 pm.



If you are charging more after 4pm then you do have an after hours fee :yes:


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## RW Plumbing (Aug 16, 2010)

I don't do much in the way of after hours calls. I am a one man shop, and prefer to turf those calls elsewhere. My wife and I just had a son and I would prefer to watch him grow up instead of unclogging toilets. With that being said most "emergency" calls aren't really emergencies. I can usually convince a customer to wait until the morning.

If you do this the correct way, put it in a financial perspective (it will cost you at least a hundred more today) and tell them you can take care of it first thing, you can usually get them to wait. Unless a water pipe is broken, it isn't really an emergency. 

It's funny how people have different definations of emergency. Some people will put up with main sewer blockage, floods or having no water to save money. Others will think a slow drain in their master bath on one lav when they have two is worth dispatching 5 guys. None of them want to pay extra. The off hours surcharge helps weed out the real emergencies from the psudo ones.


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## Evolve (Jan 2, 2011)

JK949 said:


> If the call comes in after 5pm, overtime. Before then, regular rate.


That is the way we work ad well. 
The price of the dispatch and travel doubles and the hourly rate goes up 1.5x.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

My flat rate book has a premium charge for after hours calls. Sometimes I'll use it, sometimes not. Some poor lady or gentleman whose plumbing breaks on a Saturday, and they work full time, shouldn't have to get beaten up cuz they don't want to take a day off of work to wait for the plumber.

Some service companies around here (HVAC, plumbing, etc) advertise 'No overtime charge 7 AM to 7 PM, Monday through Saturday'. That seems fair to me. It'll definitely resonate with customers who work full time and have kids, etc.


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## affordabledrain (Nov 24, 2009)

AssTyme said:


> If you are charging more after 4pm then you do have an after hours fee :yes:


No it is not an after hours charge. I start my biz weekend at 4 pm saturday. There for it is a weekend charge.

Do I have to explain everything to you:laughing:


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## AssTyme (May 15, 2010)

affordabledrain said:


> No it is not an after hours charge. I start my biz weekend at 4 pm saturday. There for it is a weekend charge.
> 
> Do I have to explain everything to you:laughing:




What's the difference ? A higher rate is a higher rate no matter what you call it:blink:


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## AssTyme (May 15, 2010)

affordabledrain said:


> Do I have to explain everything to you:laughing:



I better be nice :whistling2:


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## Epox (Sep 19, 2010)

AssTyme said:


> I better be nice :whistling2:


Made me laugh. :laughing:


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## ianclapham (Jan 10, 2011)

As I'm an employee I have no control over what the company charges, if the customer calls the office before 5pm Monday to Friday and they want me out same day it's standard hourly rate of £65 plus tax, if they call after 5pm it's £88 plus tax per hour, the same as weekend and bank holidays.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

A couple of posts say if the call comes in before 5 then it is regular price. Surely that is not written in stone is it? That could be exploited quite easily.


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## ianclapham (Jan 10, 2011)

plbgbiz said:


> A couple of posts say if the call comes in before 5 then it is regular price. Surely that is not written in stone is it? That could be exploited quite easily.


yes i suppose you have a point but what do you do?, have same rate 24/7 or pick and chose who to charge the after hours rate to? not fair that one i dont think so 'set in stone' it must be surely?


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## sikxsevn (Jun 23, 2009)

The company I work for charges flat rate for service, that is, set prices for everything, with a trip charge. Our trip charge is normally $89, which we can choose to waive if we need to to make the sale. After hours, we charge the exact same flat rates with a trip charge of $289. Since we don't discuss pricing over the phone, the only number that the (potential) customer hears is the trip charge. It does an excellent job of weeding out "non-emergency" calls and ensures that after-hours, we only get real "emergencies."


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## ianclapham (Jan 10, 2011)

sikxsevn said:


> The company I work for charges flat rate for service, that is, set prices for everything, with a trip charge. Our trip charge is normally $89, which we can choose to waive if we need to to make the sale. After hours, we charge the exact same flat rates with a trip charge of $289. Since we don't discuss pricing over the phone, the only number that the (potential) customer hears is the trip charge. It does an excellent job of weeding out "non-emergency" calls and ensures that after-hours, we only get real "emergencies."


i like that idea very much, makes a lot of sense


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