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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 362
Member
Sparky,
I like that. The only way to do 24hr service is COD and get paid before you leave. Inform them before the truck starts of the charges you expect to be compensated for. Then go for it. Beware you will get calls from people who would like estimates and to complete projects that are not emergencies after hours.

Ob


Choose your customers, don't let them choose you.
Latest Estimating Cost Guides & Software:
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,392
S
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dealing with the public is such a pita Obsaleet , we should all plan to retire as a telemarketers to gain our revenge....

~S~

Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 47
sbi Offline
Member
Originally Posted by Trumpy
Mate,
I've done break-down work most of my electrical career.
I'm not sure what your experience level is, but I would vehemently stay away from Residential faults work, you are on a hiding to nothing.
Sure you get the lights and other bits working at the time and the customer is singing your praises as you head out the door with a nice fuzzy feeling.
Now, when the bill gets sent, it is a totally different feeling.
IMO, anyone that works after hours should be paid accordingly, this is reflected in the invoice to customers.

Having said all that, factory break-downs and commercial shops is where the money is, but you need to be really on your game to trouble-shoot some of these jobs.
These folks almost NEVER dispute the invoice, when it comes in, especially where minutes being without power or when mission-critical gear is not working at all or not working properly, will cost them good money.

If you are looking to get into this area of electrical work, expect to truly work 24 hours a day.
You can be called up at 1am, 3am, even 5am, or even all 3 in a single night.
There is a full working day ahead of you, yet, you can't simply take the day off because you got the odd call-out over night.

This is OK for the man that is not a family man, because when you get up, open the doors and start your truck up, it will disrupt everyone else's sleep in the house.

Believe me, mate, I've been a PoCo Electrician/HV faults-man on and off for years, I've also seen other guys marriages end, because they are never at home.
Sad yes, reality yes.



when I worked for the brass place,I was on call 24/7. It sucked. get home at 4am after 12.5 hours. Only to get called back in at 8am than I was expected to stay til 330am when my normal shift ended.I hated that jobs most days.


when in doubt jump it out
I happily work for slumlords
Joined: Jan 2003
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LK Offline
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If you have a good profit structure in place every job is making good money, we have a fixed reat schedule for all residential calls, emergency calls are the higher rate, we also charge a dispatch fee, plus the emergency call fee, and it all cash, or credit card, no billing on residential service, no exceptions, and working this way has proven to be profitable, and the larger percent of these customers are return business, if some calls you at 3 AM and you respond, $250 to 300 min is a great deal i most cases, only a few customers may complain, and they are the ones you don't want, or need.

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,392
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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28193030

well, we're up to our eyeballs here in 'i just got a generator from home depot, and can't fit it in the panel' calls....

but the best one was this old bird who calls me , thinking i'm the poco, berrating me for the outage , and demanding to know when she'd be sparked up again

after trying to explain myself as 'just the electrician' to no avail, i instead informed her that we were sick of her paying so slow, ergo she would be last on the spark up list

i hung up on her as she was howling like a stuck pig.....

i know, i know....i'm going to h*ll for that....

~S~


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