# After hours emergency service



## MikeS (Oct 3, 2011)

Just wondering, what all do you consider an "emergency"? Say you get that call at 11pm. I ask because not me but the other plumber got called out to snake a urinal. 
To me, thats not an emergency. There is a toilet, use it. This is more like convienience. But working for a company might mean all calls after hours are emergencies. I suppose in the urinal case, since you are there, might as well clear it, as opposed to turning off the stop and telling management you have to come back tomorrow to pull it an clear it...
To me, emergency after hours service means fixing something that you can not do without at that particular time.


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## PrecisePlumbing (Jan 31, 2011)

At a busy nightclub that could be an emergency and a safety hazard. I think any job that presents itself with potential for injury or further material damage is an emergency be it midday or after normal hours. But its also a matter of opinion.... i have a particular customer that considers ANY plumbing related problem an emergency, so when she calls and im booked up i explain to her my "instant service charge" and she has no problem paying due for prompt service. 
Horses for courses


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

MikeS said:


> Just wondering, what all do you consider an "emergency"?


I do not know if it really matters what I think is an "emergency". I believe it has more to do with the customer's perception of "emergency" and its relation to their budget.


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## justin (May 14, 2010)

emergency is anything that cant wait untill the next hour or day , for the customer.

but emergency to me is when someone cslls me after 5 pm or before 6am, and needs me asap or they are calling someone else. automatic 250.00 service fee + 95 on top of that per hour.


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## Richard Hilliard (Apr 10, 2010)

I hate on call, I hate emergency service however I must agree with John’s statement it does not matter what I believe an emergency to consist of as it does not matter what I believe is an emergency call. We work in a profession where everything is a perception and an emergency is whatever a customer thinks is an emergency.


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## brass plumbing (Jul 30, 2008)

*7am-5pm*

Any work needed outside those hours should be charged additional fees.
Plumbers and their families have a life too.
That's why i got into this biz. I didn't have a personal life before.


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## TallCoolOne (Dec 19, 2010)

justin said:


> emergency is anything that cant wait untill the next hour or day , for the customer.
> 
> but emergency to me is when someone cslls me after 5 pm or before 6am, and needs me asap or they are calling someone else. automatic 250.00 service fee + 95 on top of that per hour.


Agreed :thumbsup:


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## SimplePlumber (Feb 1, 2012)

MikeS said:


> Just wondering, what all do you consider an "emergency"? Say you get that call at 11pm. I ask because not me but the other plumber got called out to snake a urinal.
> To me, thats not an emergency. There is a toilet, use it. This is more like convienience. But working for a company might mean all calls after hours are emergencies. I suppose in the urinal case, since you are there, might as well clear it, as opposed to turning off the stop and telling management you have to come back tomorrow to pull it an clear it...
> To me, emergency after hours service means fixing something that you can not do without at that particular time.


I believe that there are really only two responsible options for a service business:
-offer after hours service
-do not offer after hours service

The term "emergency" is really moot, since you then either offer after hours service or you do not.

It's important as a business owner to take the time to create an after hours policy *before* you start fielding the calls. This policy will provide clarity for all those involved and prevent wasting you and your customers time. 

If you try the..."only when *I* determine it's an emergency" route...any rational customer will feel like you are abandoning them in their time of need or not like the feeling of being held hostage by your whims and likely start looking for another plumber for even their regular needs.

You may loose a few borderline customers by not offering after hours service...but if you are an single owner/operator, only you can decide if the extra money is worth your reduced health and readiness for the next few days work...hoping there is not another after hours call the next day


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## AWWGH (May 2, 2011)

If it is after 5PM and they are willing to pay the "After Hours" rate they can call it whatever they want, I'm there.


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

Amen Awwgh, an emergency is anything they are willing to pay overtime for. And be billed doorstep to doorstep for. 

It is also what gains you a customer once in awhile.


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## TallCoolOne (Dec 19, 2010)

AWWGH said:


> If it is after 5PM and they are willing to pay the "After Hours" rate they can call it whatever they want, I'm there.


:thumbsup:


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

I worked for a company that would go out after hours for established customers no matter what it was. The clientel were the snooty rich types. It didn't matter if a flapper was hung up with it's chain on the trip-lever; if the person would pay the charge, then we'd come out. 


We plumbers made time and a half for all after-hours calls and if it was Sunday, we made double-time.


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## revenge (Jun 30, 2011)

when a customer would call after hours or the week end first thing out of my mouth is this is the week end or this is after hours so we charge time and a half if this could wait till the morning or till regular business hours i would be more than happy to put you on the schedule the ones that say na come on out get the shaft prices if they say it could wait then it wait but believe it or not i have been out to stop a drippy faucet or a hose bib dripping at the packing nut 225 just to pull out a cresent and give it a quarter turn they smile and say thankyou


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

Nothing like a one side of the sink clogged call at 1:00 am. Please check your tub for me while I look at this. Wow cleared with the disposal. Ohh the tub was OK well thanks will that be cash or check.


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

Had someone call at 1 in the morning, couldn't figure out where the water was coming from. Turns out the ladies sister stopped up the toilet and kept flushing it until it overflowed a few times... 

Had others call late at night for dumb crap, just tell them over the phone our after hour rates and act like I'm happy when I go out.


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## Epox (Sep 19, 2010)

I find it surprising how many emergencies can wait till morning when they hear the time and a half drill. On the other hand, at other company I worked for the planned service contract allowed for no extra charges for after hours emergencies. So the (11 PM) ho would then ask will it be cheaper if I wait till tomorrow? I say no mayammmm. As I'm pulling my pants on to go rod a lavatory drain.
Funny thing about the "book", it would always be easy to turn that lav drain into an veryyyy expensive call, but by the time I am done I'd be cooled off and do whats right. lol


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## AlbacoreShuffle (Aug 28, 2011)

Epox said:


> I find it surprising how many emergencies can wait till morning when they hear the time and a half drill. On the other hand, at other company I worked for the planned service contract allowed for no extra charges for after hours emergencies. So the (11 PM) ho would then ask will it be cheaper if I wait till tomorrow? I say no mayammmm. As I'm pulling my pants on to go rod a lavatory drain.
> Funny thing about the "book", it would always be easy to turn that lav drain into an veryyyy expensive call, but by the time I am done I'd be cooled off and do whats right. lol


The way I would handle that call is, " I'm currently taking care of another emergency ( My beauty sleep ) I think I could get to you by 4 to 5 AM, will that work for you , Or would you rather get some sleep and we'll be out tomorrow at another times that works for you ? "

They " almost " always will set the appointment for the next day.


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## RW Plumbing (Aug 16, 2010)

I hate after hours calls. The problem is, everyone wants it fixed right now, until it's fixed and its payment time. Then you get nothing but complaining, and trying to get a deal. Even when you explain the after hours charge, and get them prepared before you even come out they still complain. I've only had it a couple times where they didn't whine about it. So you lose sleep, to listen to someone complain more. 

The other problem is sometimes people go farther than complaining and say the aren't going to pay that amount. They refuse to pay the bill. I don't take credit cards, if I did it wouldn't be so bad. I would run the card for a few hundred dollars before leaving my house.


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## Epox (Sep 19, 2010)

That's why it's important to collect upon completion. While the emergency is still fresh in their mind. A week later in the mail they'll challenge the price.


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## Don The Plumber (Feb 14, 2010)

I don't even answer the phone after hours, & my message clearly states, I do not have emergency service. So atleast their not sitting there waiting for a return call.

All my good customers have my cell number. If I'm available I will go. They all know I'm a 1 man show, & understand fully, if I can't. Nothing else I can do, & I'm tired of beatin myself up, over the years, by putting a guilt trip on myself, for not being able to handle every single call, at every single time of day, or night.

Now I do all residential, I used to do commercial, but not anymore. I know that commercial, like restaurant, or hotel, or factory, have different types of emergencies, & if you are doing that type of work, you better be prepared for 24hr emergency service.

But 99% of the emergencies in a home, IMO, are BS, & can wait till next day. I realize if the sewer, or sump pump is flooding, but other than that, turn the main off, brush your teeth with bottled water to rinse, got 1 flush left on each toilet, & I'll be there tomorrow morning. :yes:


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## Plumbergeek (Aug 16, 2010)

Don The Plumber said:


> I don't even answer the phone after hours, & my message clearly states, I do not have emergency service. So atleast their not sitting there waiting for a return call.
> 
> All my good customers have my cell number. If I'm available I will go. They all know I'm a 1 man show, & understand fully, if I can't. Nothing else I can do, & I'm tired of beatin myself up, over the years, by putting a guilt trip on myself, for not being able to handle every single call, at every single time of day, or night.
> 
> ...


I hear what you are sayin and agree completely! I'm a one man show also, when I started my biz 12 yrs ago I offered E/S and it just about killed me! Now at age 50 there is no way I can turn wrenches all day and night and I haven't lost a single good customer because of it. If one of my really good customers need me after hours then I will go.


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## RW Plumbing (Aug 16, 2010)

Epox said:


> That's why it's important to collect upon completion. While the emergency is still fresh in their mind. A week later in the mail they'll challenge the price.


Oh I always collect upon completion for service calls. I've had people that agreed to the price before the work was done, and were happy with the work that flat out refused to pay the amount when I was finished. I even asked one of them once, why did you agree to the price if you didn't want to pay. He said "well I needed it done". You can get the money, filing a lien on their house, or suing them but that is a lot of trouble for a few hundred dollars for the typical service call.

It costs 75 dollars to file a lien,( to have a company file it for you) that could be a third of the bill you won't get back. When you finally do get your money, what you will recover after expenses will be the same or less than your regular service rate. Couple that with the fact that you have to go through extra effort to get it. The only real safe way is to get a check, or credit card authorization in advance. Not only that but you have to deal with someone trying to screw you. 

Even if it doesn't go that far, 80% or more of people are expecially crabby when they have an after hours emergency. They know it will cost more, and no matter what it costs, most of the time whatever you charge will be too much. It was made worse because the company I worked for, before I started my own would pay the dispatchers would get a commission for every after hours call a tech actually went to. So I'm sure they didn't do their part to explain the premium charges to the customer. We got the pleasure of dealing with an irate customer that wasn't expecting such a high bill.

Now, when I get an after hours call, I can calm down all but the most worried of customers enough to have them wait. The ones that don't want to wait are at least FULLY aware of the higher charge. I guess my experience of dealing with that one company ruined after hours work for me.


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## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

"Oh, it's an emergency, how long have you had this problem, Oh, a month?":whistling2:

It's possible to run a service biz without charging an higher after hours rate, but for the small shop operator, you have to weigh what doing an all-nighter will do to your ability to function the next day and the calls you have already booked. I think that's why some shops advertize "emergency service available", but they don't mean it's available all the time.

I don't think that you'll necessarily lose customers if you don't offer them after hours service. I know a couple of small shop owners who close up a couple of times a year to go fishing or hunting and still keep their customers.


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## Epox (Sep 19, 2010)

Yeah nothing like being on a 50 gal wtr htr at 10pm friday nite and ask the ho how long it's been leaking. "Oh I saw it leaking Wednesday".:furious:
When customers ask me if I'm available for emergency calls it's typically a new customer wanting to hook with me. I tell them I do, but that now and then I step out of town to go see the grandkids or whatever. I have to get away from it once in a while. They always seem to appreciate and understand my answer. 
Commercial is a whole different ball game. I've turned a good many of them down because I won't be put in that kind of a box until the day comes that I have more help.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

One of our guys just finished this at 10:30pm. 
Family of four trying to bath the kids before bedtime. Does this constitute an emergency?

Probably so.


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## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

plbgbiz said:


> One of our guys just finished this at 10:30pm.
> Family of four trying to bath the kids before bedtime. Does this constitute an emergency?
> 
> Probably so.


Now that they know there are roots, they can now "plan" to have the problem remedied, right? 

Cos when it happens again, it shouldn't be a surprise and by eliminating the surprise element, you can eliminate the emergency, n'est ce pas?


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

ChrisConnor said:


> Now that they know there are roots, they can now "plan" to have the problem remedied, right?


That's the plan. We do a lot of work for the owner of this property and they have seen the wisdom of advance planning. This particular one was quite unexpected.


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## Epox (Sep 19, 2010)

plbgbiz said:


> One of our guys just finished this at 10:30pm.
> Family of four trying to bath the kids before bedtime. Does this constitute an emergency?
> 
> Probably so.


If it is to the customer than I would agree. Big family or not.


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## discount drains (Mar 5, 2012)

emergency is in the eye of the beholder


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## seanny deep (Jan 28, 2012)

It never ceases to amaze me the customer that call and say its an emergency, you get their to find a drip thats been dripping for so long the plastic pail under it as rusted out. Then you get the customer that calls and says id like to make an appointment and you say sure whats the problem they reply i hear water running in the wall and my basement is a swimming pool.


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## Dan (Nov 29, 2011)

*Seriously!*



justin said:


> emergency is anything that cant wait untill the next hour or day , for the customer.
> 
> but emergency to me is when someone cslls me after 5 pm or before 6am, and needs me asap or they are calling someone else. automatic 250.00 service fee + 95 on top of that per hour.


Can I ask what the reaction is to that? People around here choke on their cheerios of you tell them it's time and a half on the weekend (and suddenly agree it's not an emergency)


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## PLUMB TIME (Feb 2, 2009)

RW Plumbing said:


> Oh I always collect upon completion for service calls. I've had people that agreed to the price before the work was done, and were happy with the work that flat out refused to pay the amount when I was finished. I even asked one of them once, why did you agree to the price if you didn't want to pay. He said "well I needed it done". You can get the money, filing a lien on their house, or suing them but that is a lot of trouble for a few hundred dollars for the typical service call.
> 
> It costs 75 dollars to file a lien,( to have a company file it for you) that could be a third of the bill you won't get back. When you finally do get your money, what you will recover after expenses will be the same or less than your regular service rate. Couple that with the fact that you have to go through extra effort to get it. The only real safe way is to get a check, or credit card authorization in advance. Not only that but you have to deal with someone trying to screw you.
> 
> ...


Call police non emergency, tell them you would like to file a "theft by deception" complaint (while customer is standing there). You are at 123 main....... I'll be waiting for the officer to arrive.

Now see what happens from Mr. Patelski


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## RW Plumbing (Aug 16, 2010)

PLUMB TIME said:


> Call police non emergency, tell them you would like to file a "theft by deception" complaint (while customer is standing there). You are at 123 main....... I'll be waiting for the officer to arrive.
> 
> Now see what happens from Mr. Patelski


Does that actually work? What comes from it? Do the police actually show up?


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## PLUMB TIME (Feb 2, 2009)

RW Plumbing said:


> Does that actually work? What comes from it? Do the police actually show up?


Yes.

More often than not the customer pays without wanting the police to show.

They showed for me, albeit that was a few years ago, but it is a legit complaint.

Misdemeanor or felony depending on the amount.


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## BROOKLYN\PLUMB (May 21, 2010)

PLUMB TIME said:


> Call police non emergency, tell them you would like to file a "theft by deception" complaint (while customer is standing there). You are at 123 main....... I'll be waiting for the officer to arrive.
> 
> Now see what happens from Mr. Patelski


Great advice except when the old lady starts beating her chest right as the cops turn the corner and tells them you hit her (true story, thank god I had witnesses). And that was a nice old white lady in a nice neighborhood. Oh then the cops wanted to know why my boss charged so much and that if I wanted they could arrest us both And let the judge figure it out.


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## SewerRat (Feb 26, 2011)

I can handle going on emergencies such as:


McDonalds floor sinks backing up all over the floor with the very foul odor of decomposing grease, coffee, and cappuccino, after hours but before 11:00 when they close.
Mainline or septic backed up and the entire house is without services. Especially if it is a family with kids or old folks. Just the other night we went out and replaced a broken section of mainline for a family, the mainline having broken underneath a concrete patio. We finished at 11:15 pm.
The ones that bug me are:

The tenant who doesn't think of it until 8:00 on a Friday night that the RH side of his K sink hasn't been draining properly since last Sunday afternoon.
The homeowner who calls at 10:30 pm and asks us to come "look at" his situation as he is having "problems." Turns out he had it all dug up, it was a broken sewer line. Just a small spot. Still flowing. So he paid our service call for us to come "look at it" and tell him see you in the morning, then another service call for us to come back the next day and fix it in about 10 minutes. Don't know why he didn't just fix it himself, he had it all dug up and the problem was very simple and obvious.
We respond to them all. We actually live in a community of pretty level-headed people and don't get too many after hours calls, and only a small percentage of those are stupidly non-emergency. We often have people call Monday morning after being backed up all weekend just because they didn't want to bother us on a Sunday. Those are the ones that you wish would just have called because they are the nice, considerate ones.


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## AWWGH (May 2, 2011)

plbgbiz said:


> One of our guys just finished this at 10:30pm.
> Family of four trying to bath the kids before bedtime. Does this constitute an emergency?
> 
> Probably so.


If they have the check book, credit card. or cash in hand then I say yes.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

discount drains said:


> emergency is in the eye of the beholder


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Post an intro and tell our members where you are from, yrs in the trade, and your area(s) of expertise in the plumbing field.

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## CentralPlumbing (Jan 22, 2009)

plbgbiz said:


> I do not know if it really matters what I think is an "emergency". I believe it has more to do with the customer's perception of "emergency" and its relation to their budget.


I think you are absolutely right. For me an emergency is a house flooding, or a sewer backing up into the house or something that is threatening peoples property or safety, but a customer with a clogged toilet at 1am may think differently.

I think though that these after hours emergency calls can be a unique opportunity to sell something bigger and better to the customer. A lot of my "small, not really an emergency" after hours calls have turned into big multi thousand dollar jobs. 


Central Plumbing
Plumbers In Albuquerque


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## drs (Jun 17, 2011)

PLUMB TIME said:


> Call police non emergency, tell them you would like to file a "theft by deception" complaint (while customer is standing there). You are at 123 main....... I'll be waiting for the officer to arrive.
> 
> Now see what happens from Mr. Patelski


 

It's called theft of service here on Long Island.

I also charge extra for all time involved and have my Take them to Court and include his fee's


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## drs (Jun 17, 2011)

BROOKLYN\PLUMB said:


> Great advice except when the old lady starts beating her chest right as the cops turn the corner and tells them you hit her (true story, thank god I had witnesses). And that was a nice old white lady in a nice neighborhood. Oh then the cops wanted to know why my boss charged so much and that if I wanted they could arrest us both And let the judge figure it out.


 
Brooklyn has a point. YOU never know what you are walking into.

There are alot of people out there expecting something for nothing just because they called you.


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## justin (May 14, 2010)

Dan said:


> Can I ask what the reaction is to that? People around here choke on their cheerios of you tell them it's time and a half on the weekend (and suddenly agree it's not an emergency)


They either do it or don't. Who cares what the reaction is. I choke on cheerios even when they agree on the price cause I have to either wake up from sleep or interrupt something I was doing. Companies that don't charge extra are a disgrace . I m o. Those companies have given customers the wrong perception of our penalties towards certain services. 



We don't negotiate any prices ... Period! 
I'm not to be used or my guys either. I just don't see where there is a no extra cost for after hour or weekend service, and havi.g employees doing our work. I would be on my own if I were to call my emergency guy up at night and told him go get this water off ...and oh yeah , I am paying you regular hourly wage,but charge 250.00 service charge . That turns me into that same cheerio choking customer unto my employee. 

They can pay or call someone else. I don't lose sleep over it, hell, I can't keep up with the work we have anyways .


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## CaptainBob (Jan 3, 2011)

Okay, I get it on the after hours/weekend service calls, charge special rates, take it or leave it, but what about warranty call backs? When I was on call there has many times I got a call from a customer from a new construction job on an evening or weekend, demanding service now. And the boss wasn't willing to pay anything extra for having to go deal with it. I always told them wait until tomorrow, depending on what it was, but then the contractors we did the work for got on us about giving better customer service or they would get another plumbing company to do their work.


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## justin (May 14, 2010)

CaptainBob said:


> Okay, I get it on the after hours/weekend service calls, charge special rates, take it or leave it, but what about warranty call backs? When I was on call there has many times I got a call from a customer from a new construction job on an evening or weekend, demanding service now. And the boss wasn't willing to pay anything extra for having to go deal with it. I always told them wait until tomorrow, depending on what it was, but then the contractors we did the work for got on us about giving better customer service or they would get another plumbing company to do their work.


There is such thing as warranty emergency too ya know. If its your fault or something you cover then you have to go get it. No brainer to me. Right?


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

CaptainBob said:


> Okay, I get it on the after hours/weekend service calls, charge special rates, take it or leave it, but what about warranty call backs? When I was on call there has many times I got a call from a customer from a new construction job on an evening or weekend, demanding service now. And the boss wasn't willing to pay anything extra for having to go deal with it. I always told them wait until tomorrow, depending on what it was, but then the contractors we did the work for got on us about giving better customer service or they would get another plumbing company to do their work.


 






You were essentially doing new construction warranty after hours? That's ridiculous. There should have been a punch-out list that was taken care of during business hours. Bigger projects have a punch-out crew or man.

Also, sounds like the new construction plumbers were sloppy in the first place.


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## Epox (Sep 19, 2010)

Tommy plumber said:


> You were essentially doing new construction warranty after hours? That's ridiculous. There should have been a punch-out list that was taken care of during business hours. Bigger projects have a punch-out crew or man.
> 
> Also, sounds like the new construction plumbers were sloppy in the first place.


Sounds like a great topic for their next shop meeting. 
Nobody will want to go on a warranty work job as it is typically nonpaying around here anyway. Which takes the (sloppy)plumber away from a paying job hurting both him and the owner. Sometimes a different plumber has to take the call and is paid though again the owner loses.
But on after hrs or weekends again very often the plumber on call gets the call back and rightfully keeps his time which again hurts the owner but even more since he just payed out OT. Best hope that doesn't happen very often.


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