Discuss Emergency call outs - DOMESTIC - Small one man band companies in the Business Related area at ElectriciansForums.net

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1shortcircuit

Being pestered by a certain advertiser at the moment and something has come up in discussion about emergency call out. Now at the moment I don't provide this service but what I would like to try and establish is... Is there much of a requirement for this service in the Domestic Sector. I've only recently started to trade as a sole trader at this moment in time and trying to get my name established in my area.

I was targeting a 20 mile radius to start with but after quoting on two jobs in the same day at 22 miles away and not winning either I have scrapped this idea and decided to focus every ounce of energy into a six mile radius. At least if I do not win the jobs I quote for in this area it has not cost me a great deal of time and money in fuel and hopefully the work I do allow good reviews in the local area.

I'm going to add a poll to see if I can obtain a better idea but I would love to hear your thoughts and know if it works for you. Also, if it's not too much to ask, what do you charge for the priviledge of being dragged from your nice comfy bed at ridiculous o'clock in the morning?

Thanks for your input
 
£60 plus VAT inc first half hour ,you have to cover the costs its not just fuel its time getting there etc
 
I will attend call outs but only after firstly discussing the issues/ramifications at length over the phone, unless they are elderly or dependent on medical equipment at home etc.


I've been had too many times with call outs in the middle of the night by people who just cant manage without their electricity until 7 or 8am in the morning, only to find out it's because they cant play bloody x-box!!!
 
id imagine it would be quite profitable,tho once you commit your tied down,in the security game small companies who have to offer 24hr call have buddy companies,ie you cover their customers when your on and they cover yours when your on holiday etc if you can find another local spark to share the hours you'll do fine
 
ive got an elderly ladyinfact just come off the phone with her she starts crying as soon as i answer then you get her full medical history and a call out can take 2 hours just cause you cant get away ,another one got called out xmas day last year turkey in there cold oven family round no electricity 3 hours of searching found the fault just charged the call out well it was xmas and , 2 days later a hamper of food and wine was left on the door step with a thank you card that to me was better than the call out fee
 
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I do not specifically provide emergency call outs because I cannot guarantee to be available 24/7 (not that I have a life, just might be away). However I do tell my customers that they can call IN AN EMERGENCY at any time and I will do my best to respond. Most people do not feel they can call "out of hours" so I do not get many calls.
 
When called I will try to gauge whether or not it can wait till the morning (depending on who's calling and what the symptoms are). Call out fee includes the first hour labour. Be wary of travelling too far on call out though!

It can impact your other work though, if it can wait it may impact your plans for the next day. I do offer call out support for any work I've done.
 
I know a guy that did call outs for the council. dodgy area so two vans attended, 1 would wait with the van. 11pm ish I think on a friday or saturday night he goes up to the high rise flat and knocks on the door. guy shouts come in. then calls im in the bedroom, gets to the door and asks what the problem is the guy wanted his light turning on. nothing wrong at all just could not be bothered getting out of bed. I won`t post what he said as its not in the arms but im sure you can imagine :D
 
I know a guy that did call outs for the council. dodgy area so two vans attended, 1 would wait with the van. 11pm ish I think on a friday or saturday night he goes up to the high rise flat and knocks on the door. guy shouts come in. then calls im in the bedroom, gets to the door and asks what the problem is the guy wanted his light turning on. nothing wrong at all just could not be bothered getting out of bed. I won`t post what he said as its not in the arms but im sure you can imagine :D

i bet it was wheres the switch...:ninja:
 
I got called as a Paramedic to change the channel on a tv!!

When I refused he was abusive and then reported ME for being obnoxious!!!!
 
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I got called as a Paramedic to change the channel on a tv!!

When I refused he was abusive and then reported ME for being obnoxious!!!!
I would have been tempted to kick the tv off the stand or wall whatever it was on. make me sick calls like that some poor sod is waiting longer for an ambulance (rant over) :censored:
 
Got called out on xmas eve at 9pm cooker switch getting hot and the cooker wasnt working called the lady back at 945pm as left phone in office told her it would cost £120.00 for me to come out and look at wats wrong and try and get cooker working some way but she said here son looked at the switches and it is now working she said she would have a think about getting me out at that cost i think she thought i would come for free do you think that was a fair rate it was only a mile from home
 
Got called out on xmas eve at 9pm cooker switch getting hot and the cooker wasnt working called the lady back at 945pm as left phone in office told her it would cost £120.00 for me to come out and look at wats wrong and try and get cooker working some way ......... do you think that was a fair rate it was only a mile from home

Chances are that it would have been an hour or less to effect a temp repair. I'd have said £60. I'll bet she rang around and found someone nearer that figure.

I don't offer an "emergency service" as such. I tell existing clients they can call on me any time if they have an emergency. I'll answer any calls that come in out of hours and assess over the phone whether they need help right away or it can wait. If possible I'll help over the phone (eg RCD trip). If it needs a visit and I'm happy to go, then I will. Doesn't happen very often though.

The trouble with advertising an emergency service is that you have to provide one! If I fancy going over the pub for my tea and have a couple of jars, then I can. If someone calls, they'll just have to wait.

I have had calls from people who have waited overnight off their own back before calling.
 
Got called out on xmas eve at 9pm cooker switch getting hot and the cooker wasnt working called the lady back at 945pm as left phone in office told her it would cost £120.00 for me to come out and look at wats wrong and try and get cooker working some way but she said here son looked at the switches and it is now working she said she would have a think about getting me out at that cost i think she thought i would come for free do you think that was a fair rate it was only a mile from home
Seems fair price for an Xmas eve call,unless they were regular customer would have went to down to £80
 
not a regular customer my mate works for an alarm company if they get called out to a non regular mantaded customer they charge £150.00 plus vat and thats not christmas eve price thats all other times of the year as I allways tell customers you are paying for what I now not what I do you go to the dentist to see the hygenest to get your teeth cleaned they charge you £45.00 for say 30mins work customers forget we have to take everthing to them ie a van and tools fuel so we should all remeber that when going on call outs and small jobs at the end of the day we are a top trade if dentist charge these prices so should we i still had to do an appretership on £1.50 an hour rant over
 
not a regular customer my mate works for an alarm company if they get called out to a non regular mantaded customer they charge £150.00 plus vat and thats not christmas eve price thats all other times of the year as I allways tell customers you are paying for what I now not what I do you go to the dentist to see the hygenest to get your teeth cleaned they charge you £45.00 for say 30mins work customers forget we have to take everthing to them ie a van and tools fuel so we should all remeber that when going on call outs and small jobs at the end of the day we are a top trade if dentist charge these prices so should we i still had to do an appretership on £1.50 an hour rant over
Agree mate,people want skilled labour at daft times they have to pay for it,I do,you do so they have too,the problem here is the part p and semi skilled lot,there willing to work for free to gain expirence so a £40 call out fee is decent money to them..imo
 
Thanks for all your replies:)

I did decide to place the advert with Emergency Call out included and the first month (due end of January) has already been covered. Simple callout where a Landlord had been messing with a FCU for some reason. They had terminated the PVC of the cable and not the copper so stripped back and reterminated correctly and charged 50 quid for the honour;)
 
I prefer to steer clear of emergency call outs- I find that over 80% want to cancel soon after they call- once you are in the van and driving there

I now insist on the money (via debit card etc) before I go out, if they want me that much they will pay
 
Had an interesting one last night....

See here (post #695) : http://www.electriciansforums.net/e...forum/11384-tell-us-about-your-faults-70.html

2nd domestic call out in 2 years.

Not so bad really 17:30 - 20:30 ----> disabled customer ----> 1/2mile from my place --->£35/hr

And back next week to finish off which I've priced for them and will do quite nicely out of also.

Wasn't doing much else TBH, no beer as Jan detox, only watching rubbish on TV or sat on here. Only downside was a bit late for my dinner, oh well
 

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