# Scheduled service call, manager no show.



## devilsadvocate2017 (10 mo ago)

Customer dispatch sends me an email asking what my availability is for a quick service call. Been through this before. I tell him "have the customer schedule me" because whenever I give them a date and time, they come back and say their customer can't do it then. He comes back with Thursday at 8 and I book it.

So, I arrive 7:50, call NOC at 8am to tell them I'm here but the store isn't open and no one seems to be there. Normal store opening is 11 am. NOC tries calling the store and general manger, no answer. Tells me they typically let contractors go after 45 min and asks me to wait another 30. I do. 9 am I call the store myself then call NOC. I tell him, ok, I gotta go, I waited 1 hr, he says fine. 

Back on the road 9:10 and NOC calls me back asking if I'm still there. Nope. Then he starts getting a little weird, stress etc. Tells me I should be waiting 2 hours because now they have to re-book. Heh I say, I can't wait 2 hours, I have a schedule and that cuts into my time. He says ok "we'll just find another contractor who will". "It's not your fault, but we're going to put on the work orders that the tech must wait 2 hours and you can either accept or reject" Does this seem reasonable? 

I charge a 2 hr min for service calls but now I feel like I shouldn't even though the manager was a no show. I'll just charge 1hr + travel but who's in the wrong here? I had a similar situation when I charged 1hr min and the customer wanted me to hang around and "find things to do" when the original scope of work was completed. Even if it only took 15 minutes. These IT guys think contractors are employees or something. How long should I wait for a manager to show? What do you charge when they don't?


----------



## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

So the job comes from a third party? Is that who pays you also? If you sit for two hours, do they pay that?


----------



## Almost Retired (Sep 14, 2021)

i REFUSE to work for third party
just because of the above and more


----------



## devilsadvocate2017 (10 mo ago)

backstay said:


> So the job comes from a third party? Is that who pays you also? If you sit for two hours, do they pay that?


Yes of course I will get paid for any waiting but I don't really see that as a reasonable request. Make an appointment and expect the contractor to stand outside for 2 hours?


----------



## splatz (May 23, 2015)

devilsadvocate2017 said:


> Yes of course I will get paid for any waiting but I don't really see that as a reasonable request. Make an appointment and expect the contractor to stand outside for 2 hours?


 
Read a book. 
  
STFD, STFU, collect your money, and be happy. In that order.


----------



## devilsadvocate2017 (10 mo ago)

splatz said:


> Read a book.
> 
> STFD, STFU, collect your money, and be happy. In that order.


Y'know, if I was broke and had nothing else better to do, maybe I would. But here's a very likely scenario. Multiple service calls booked in the same morning which should take 1 hr each. Need to be at A. for 8am B. for 10am and C for 11 am. A makes me wait for 2 hours. Now i've got a whole lot of explaining to do.


----------



## splatz (May 23, 2015)

devilsadvocate2017 said:


> Y'know, if I was broke and had nothing else better to do, maybe I would. But here's a very likely scenario. Multiple service calls booked in the same morning which should take 1 hr each. Need to be at A. for 8am B. for 10am and C for 11 am. A makes me wait for 2 hours. Now i've got a whole lot of explaining to do.


For me it would be totally unrealistic to try to schedule the day that rigidly. If you can do it, good for you, but you're going to have to decline work that isn't predictable enough for your rigid schedule. If you have enough work available, you don't have to think twice, drop them. Or, you could tell B and C you're running late while you're sitting there, and bill 10 hours instead of 8 for that day. 

Do you really think the contractor that is subcontracting you has the power to make the quickeemart manager more punctual so you can be on time for your 10 o'clock? Before answering, keep in mind the quickeemart manager can't get himself to work on time for HIS OWN job, let alone yours.


----------



## Almost Retired (Sep 14, 2021)

@devilsadvocate2017
i completely agree
many times i have to tell a customer, the next thing you want and didnt mention before will have to wait
i am already scheduled

most of the time i can be more flexible than that, but sometimes i dont want to the HO is a giant PITA

perhaps you need a conversation with the business manager
explain just exactly this scenario and problem
suggest to dispatch that when they schedule to inform there will be a 1hr min. for missing an appt, and the reschedule will be at the back of the line
explain to and encourage each customer to schedule thoughtfully and reasonably for both sides

many times ppl have No idea that someone is waiting on me , it just never crosses their mind

if someone misses an appt with me and i cant get a hold of them, i leave after about 15 mins.
if they call back later the first thing i tell them is they owe me for my time and they could have avoided that charge with simple communication
the next thing i tell them is when my next opening is, and i dont try to squeeze them in, all the way to the back of the line


----------



## devilsadvocate2017 (10 mo ago)

splatz said:


> For me it would be totally unrealistic to try to schedule the day that rigidly. If you can do it, good for you, but you're going to have to decline work that isn't predictable enough for your rigid schedule. If you have enough work available, you don't have to think twice, drop them. Or, you could tell B and C you're running late while you're sitting there, and bill 10 hours instead of 8 for that day.
> 
> Do you really think the contractor that is subcontracting you has the power to make the quickeemart manager more punctual so you can be on time for your 10 o'clock? Before answering, keep in mind the quickeemart manager can't get himself to work on time for HIS OWN job, let alone yours.


This is why I told them to schedule me, not me schedule them. Not the company i'm subbing for, their customer. Lazy ass manager can't get himself to work even after they scheduled me? Idk, maybe I'm way off base but if I make an appointment with a contractor (or anyone) to be at my place, I couldn't imagine making them wait for me outside for 2 hours. I've already parked and paid for 1 hr. I'm literally standing in the rain waiting at the door. C'mon man. If I agree to wait 2 hrs for all their service calls, what precedent does that set?


----------



## Almost Retired (Sep 14, 2021)

on the other hand, if you get paid .... its a guaranteed 2 hrs.

you know your circumstances better than us
you ultimately have to make up your own mind


----------



## devilsadvocate2017 (10 mo ago)

Almost Retired said:


> on the other hand, if you get paid .... its a guaranteed 2 hrs.
> 
> you know your circumstances better than us
> you ultimately have to make up your own mind


It's $65. I think the idea that some tech support dude expects me to wait 2 hrs pisses me off more than losing out an extra $65


----------



## splatz (May 23, 2015)

devilsadvocate2017 said:


> This is why I told them to schedule me, not me schedule them. Not the company i'm subbing for, their customer. Lazy ass manager can't get himself to work even after they scheduled me? Idk, maybe I'm way off base but if I make an appointment with a contractor (or anyone) to be at my place, I couldn't imagine making them wait for me outside for 2 hours. I've already parked and paid for 1 hr. I'm literally standing in the rain waiting at the door. C'mon man. If I agree to wait 2 hrs for all their service calls, what precedent does that set?


Aw man I think I bit the bait, you telling me you stood in the rain for two hours? With a cell phone in your hand / pocket? Which they could call when they arrived?  

What precedent does it set? Phugifino, I am not in the precedent business, I am in the service business. You run your business, you can run your ship as tight or loose as you want. Same goes for them. If your way of doing business doesn't have a place for unpredictable work, their work is not for you, let them call someone else. (Someone like me.  ) Don't take it personally, I am sure they could care less, why should you?


----------



## splatz (May 23, 2015)

devilsadvocate2017 said:


> It's $65.


Now the light bulb goes off. 

That's an employee wage not an hourly rate for service in Canada in 2022. Get your rate where it ought to be and this problem will solve itself


----------



## devilsadvocate2017 (10 mo ago)

splatz said:


> Now the light bulb goes off.
> 
> That's an employee wage not an hourly rate for service in Canada in 2022. Get your rate where it ought to be and this problem will solve itself


And what's that?


----------



## splatz (May 23, 2015)

devilsadvocate2017 said:


> Are you going to tell me what that is? I was charging 50 for 10 years. Went to 55 before covid and now 65 after. Only started charging 2 hr min recently.


That's a really important and difficult question, and neither you nor I ought to pull the answer out of our ass, but even without knowing where you are or anything, I am betting the first digit of the magic number is a 1.


----------



## splatz (May 23, 2015)

splatz said:


> That's a really important and difficult question, and neither you nor I ought to pull the answer out of our ass, but even without knowing where you are or anything, I am betting the first digit of the magic number is a 1.


Best shortest food for thought on this from @readydave8 


readydave8 said:


> If you double your rates and lose half your business, that's a huge win, right?


----------



## oldsparky52 (Feb 25, 2020)

I agree with Splatz, the hourly rate should start with a 1.

Also, cut that includes time down to 15 minutes. The most successful service businesses I've read about have been the ones that charge to show up and find your problem then give you a price to fix it.

ETA: Believe it or not, it seemed to me that the more I charged the better customers I had. I can't prove it, but that's the way it seemed to work for me.


----------



## devilsadvocate2017 (10 mo ago)

oldsparky52 said:


> I agree with Splatz, the hourly rate should start with a 1.
> 
> Also, cut that includes time down to 15 minutes. The most successful service businesses I've read about have been the ones that charge to show up and find your problem then give you a price to fix it.
> 
> ETA: Believe it or not, it seemed to me that the more I charged the better customers I had. I can't prove it, but that's the way it seemed to work for me.


Too counter intuitive for me to try and pull that off with my customers. But I do know I'm on the low end.

eta: I should point out I'm not an electrician, I'm a data cabler.


----------



## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

Almost Retired said:


> i REFUSE to work for third party
> just because of the above and more


They are the biggest PIA, late, no show, and complain about the cost.


----------



## gpop (May 14, 2018)

devilsadvocate2017 said:


> It's $65. I think the idea that some tech support dude expects me to wait 2 hrs pisses me off more than losing out an extra $65


Please tell me that's for a 1 hr wait not 2.

Bill my company $65 a hour and you can sit around half the day as im not to concerned. Bill me $150 a hour and im going to make a effort to be there. Bill me $250 and im going to be waiting for you to show up.


----------



## joe-nwt (Mar 28, 2019)

I charge $65/hr. 

In 1992.


----------



## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

I’m $95/hr and I have very low costs. $65 is terrible.


----------



## devilsadvocate2017 (10 mo ago)

joe-nwt said:


> I charge $65/hr.
> 
> In 1992.





backstay said:


> I’m $95/hr and I have very low costs. $65 is terrible.


Ok, but what do you guys do?


----------



## joe-nwt (Mar 28, 2019)

devilsadvocate2017 said:


> Ok, but what do you guys do?


Everything except programming PLC's. Residential, commercial, industrial, utility, some telecom, and everything in between. I'll charge you the same to fix the lighting in your house as I would to rewire your power plant.


----------



## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

Same here, except I can program your PLC. It doesn’t matter if I’m troubleshooting your 400 hp crusher soft start, or replacing a light switch in your den. Same price.


----------



## dspiffy (Nov 25, 2013)

If they are willing to pay for the time, and I dont have any other appointments or calls booked that would interfere, I would wait.

If I think I'm going to be waiting a long time anywhere, I always bring my laptop and there's plenty of work I can do on the computer.


----------



## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Macmikeman alway say- You need raise prices. And subscribe to Jim Brush.


----------

