# Service work.



## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

How does one 'set their own schedule' when the phone rings at 1AM with an emergency?


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

480sparky said:


> How does one 'set their own schedule' when the phone rings at 1AM with an emergency?



I really don't get those calls to often, mine seem to be on major holidays, I don't advertise as much as I was a couple years ago, and I never put 24-7 in my ads when I did.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

I don't even advertise service work, let alone 24/7. Those ads are plastered all over. Every newbie EC seems to think you MUST do 24/7 service work to be an EC. I say let 'em have it. I get enough service call work without ever having to advertise for it. In the past 4 years, my phone has never rang between 10PM and 6AM. And that's just the way I like it.

I always figured you would need 3 or 4 good crews out there to really make SC work pay off well.

When I visited Texas, I was astounded with what was in all the YP ads..... "60 minute response time: Guaranteed!" I can't imagine how many trucks you'd need to be able to live up to that promise when your trade area is D-FW.


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

480sparky said:


> I don't even advertise service work, let alone 24/7. Those ads are plastered all over. Every newbie EC seems to think you MUST do 24/7 service work to be an EC. I say let 'em have it. I get enough service call work without ever having to advertise for it. In the past 4 years, my phone has never rang between 10PM and 6AM. And that's just the way I like it.
> 
> I always figured you would need 3 or 4 good crews out there to really make SC work pay off well.
> 
> When I visited Texas, I was astounded with what was in all the YP ads..... "60 minute response time: Guaranteed!" I can't imagine how many trucks you'd need to be able to live up to that promise when your trade area is D-FW.


I worked for a company that did it and we all had to be on call twice a week, It was not to bad... you just don't anything those nights and since I think this kind of work is great i made the best of it. It's mostly stupid calls though, gfi's and breakers tripped.


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## BuzzKill (Oct 27, 2008)

Personally, I'm okay with residential service work; I do that and some commercial service work and residential remodeling. Attics in the summer are a complete drag but the troubleshooting aspect is always fun, if not at times maddening but it keeps the mind active. I did new commercial construction for years and weeks of bending and running pipe, or weeks of pulling circuits wears on a man, in additon to all the mileage you walk in a day. I'm a one man outfit now and I like the setting your own hours thing too.


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## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

I work for a residential service company right now.

One con is, if the phone don't ring, I don't work.

Today was the 1st time in my career I was asked to stay home because there was no work.


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## chefsparky (Mar 22, 2008)

I do service work now for a company that is just trying to get started. I just did a remodel that I learned a few things on like what box to use on a 2 1/2 in thick wall 
I used a adj bracket box that I found at home store:thumbup:


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## 76nemo (Aug 13, 2008)

Midnight or even day time resi service work can royally suck. Maybe it's my ugly looks. I don't have any tattoo's or piercings, but there has been so many times I hear the wifey whispering,...."I wonder what he's doing down there?", when I am in the basement for panel or furnace work. I especially hate having to do any work in bedrooms, or when the owner wants to supervise me over my shoulder. Step back and leave me the heck alone!!!!! Like I am going to go through their stuff?

Sh*t, I take my shoes off at the door if the place is clean enough, and wifey wonders why I am taking too long in the basement??? I have heard these whispers so many times, and it makes me want to walk out. I get alot of work by word of mouth. If you don't trust me in your home, especially when there may be a true danger at hand, than call the next ******* guy who may not be there until the morning or the next day


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## mikeg_05 (Jan 1, 2009)

I worked for an outfit that had 24/7 emergency service, and the boss told us that he was going to set up the phone at the shop to call your house if someone called in the middle of the night for an "emergency". He thought he shouldn't be the only one that has to do it. We all thought he was nuts, I mean it was his idea. Always wanting us to work weekends too. I am sorry but I like having time off.  I guess this probably be longs in the pet peeves section:blink:


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

When I am in people homes, I usually look around at the pictures, books or dvd's they have or if they have pets and try and strike up a conversation. After so long of people looking over my shoulder I don't seem to mind it anymore.


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## 76nemo (Aug 13, 2008)

Bkessler said:


> When I am in people homes, I usually look around at the pictures, books or dvd's they have or if they have pets and try and strike up a conversation. After so long of people looking over my shoulder I don't seem to mind it anymore.


 
If I have to go to a home or office, whatever, I don't look at anything, my eyes are focused at the problem at hand. I am not there to strike up a conversation with the customer unless they initialize it. I have had many, many customers offer me lunch or other goodies, I always decline unless I see it as a true insult to them, and even then I try to weasle my way out of it.


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

76nemo said:


> If I have to go to a home or office, whatever, I don't look at anything, my eyes are focused at the problem at hand. I am not there to strike up a conversation with the customer unless they initialize it. I have had many, many customers offer me lunch or other goodies, I always decline unless I see it as a true insult to them, and even then I try to weasle my way out of it.



I try and get friendly and up sell, sneak in a request for referals. Most of the time. Some customers it is best to just go in and do it to it.


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## 76nemo (Aug 13, 2008)

Bkessler said:


> I try and get friendly and up sell, sneak in a request for referals. Most of the time. Some customers it is best to just go in and do it to it.


I don't get much response on "up selling". I can point out things all day long not up to code to some, but they never bite on upgrading. I have had many calls where things are so illegit, I will walk. Yeah, there is insurance, but piece of mind is totally different, especially when the customer won't listen and think you are just trying to make a buck or two.


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## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

Residential service is the shiznit. If I have to crawl in an attic in the middle of summer, then the customer better be prepared for me to do it at 7:00 am. I moved up the ladder pretty quick in my electrical career, so I never spent 10 years bending pipe, and 4 years wiring houses, and 12 years working in a plant. I have a very good mix of all types of electrical work, and am very anal about how a job looks as well as how it functions. I love a good pipe job, but the money is in the service work.

Right now I'm in an area that very unappreciative of a good service electrician. We have no inspectors or permits, so every mobile home plant trunk slammer that's ever twisted a wire nut is my competition, and I'm just about ready for a change of venue.


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

76nemo said:


> I don't get much response on "up selling". I can point out things all day long not up to code to some, but they never bite on upgrading. I have had many calls where things are so illegit, I will walk. Yeah, there is insurance, but piece of mind is totally different, especially when the customer won't listen and think you are just trying to make a buck or two.


I just leave estimates at people's home to get them thinking, for recess lights, panel changes, grounding repairs. You'd be surprised.


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## gcelectric (Jan 21, 2009)

It must be true what they say about people being so "different" in certain parts of the great U.S. of A. Here in the "good old midwest", people usually either leave their houses open or give you a key to get in...........of course everyone knows everyone.....and your business relies on word of mouth. I haven't advertised for work since the first year I was in business (30yrs ago) and have not had a slow year yet. This area is diversified with commercial, residential, agricultural, and industrial and most ECs' are swamped. The biggest problem we run into is not being able to keep everyone "happy"!! I am a newby here today....so hello to all.........


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## Sparkyprentice (Oct 24, 2008)

All of the comments regarding homeowners watching over the work reminded me of a sign we used to have posted at a gun store I worked at through college. 

It was a price list for all of the services we offered and it had three columns. The first was the base price of any work to be done. The second was the price for the same work if the customer wanted to watch. The third column was the price if the customer wanted to 'help'. 

Nobody could afford to help, nobody wanted to watch. :thumbup:


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## richrock1605 (Jul 10, 2008)

All I do is residential service. It is good between the months of March and November. Right now it is 10 am on a wednesday and i'm at home on this message board waiting for a service call.


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## CNC (Dec 20, 2008)

InPhase277 said:


> Residential service is the shiznit. If I have to crawl in an attic in the middle of summer, then the customer better be prepared for me to do it at 7:00 am. I moved up the ladder pretty quick in my electrical career, so I never spent 10 years bending pipe, and 4 years wiring houses, and 12 years working in a plant. I have a very good mix of all types of electrical work, and am very anal about how a job looks as well as how it functions. I love a good pipe job, but the money is in the service work.
> 
> Right now I'm in an area that very unappreciative of a good service electrician. We have no inspectors or permits, so every mobile home plant trunk slammer that's ever twisted a wire nut is my competition, and I'm just about ready for a change of venue.


im not doing my own thing yet, but love service work. I enjoy troubleshooting. I have had a a big company around me turn to 100% service, and ditch some large building contractors. I just worked mostly construction, and its easy to fill weeks, (scheduling wise) and it seems on a job bid well, you can make more then XXX amount of billable hours a day on service calls. I worked for a big maintenance contractor, but it was all contract work, when something broke, we fixed it. All the contractors wiring new construction homes that i have worked for, avoided service calls. 

How do you schedule a week? Just wait for service calls, and have flat service rates? I like the idea of doing service work, just want to figure out how the business end works a little more, and how to make it profitable.

As for me, im always very friendly with my customers, and i have had very good feedback, saying im personable, or they like me. Im very social, and have no problem striking a convo up. I try to upsell, but feel i can read someone good, and know when and when not too. I am always getting left keys, and garage door openers. I feel like i make them comfortable with me. I have had service people around properties i have lived at, and had some real scumbags i dont trust, and am not usually judgemental, but the way they conduct themselves is how they will be responded too.


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## electrictim510 (Sep 9, 2008)

Well, like you say the service residential stuff is pretty laid back and pays well if you do it good. I think I feel the same way you do. The downside can be the very unpredictable schedule, and depending on how you're paid, the money (or lack of for the con side)that goes with not working as much. For me, when it is busy, I always have an apprentice for crawlspace work, or anything else I don't feel like doing. lol If you're busy you can do most jobs three times as fast and not to mention it makes the customer feel at ease of paying service rates with two professionals at their home.


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

Ive pretty much done a little of everything. And I can honestly say that I dont really have any preferance. But I agree that commercial and industrial work does take a toll on you after a while. And after a couple of years of bending,cutting,threading and lugging 1/2-2 inch rigid up and down catwalks in a dirty chemical facility, and having to constantly wear hard hat, goggles, and gloves and breathing filthy air the thought of cutting in cans in someones home while listening to the Almon Brothers seems just fine to me.


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