So I get a phone call from a guy that wants service on a pellet stove....

Have you considered servicing big box store brands ? Sounds like a decent market given the only ones I've seen them sell have fairly good support (Englander and rebranded Englander's).

On the 45-60 minutes away - I know hundreds of folks that have commutes that would die for a job 45-60 minutes away.

(My reply is meant with all due respect....I'm not in your shoes...but heck you posted so I'll throw my .02 in the pot)

-John

Kinsman
You could also use the situation to your advantage. You could double your rates on stoves you didnt sell(good selling point for your stoves). Dont feel bad about charging a lot for service,the guys from verizon charge $60 per 15 min time spent in your home,thats $240 an hour to run lines carrying mili volts.I dont think my lawyer or my surgeon charges that much. I buy stoves from HD but i service my own so no problem there.

I would be charging for travel time over a certain distance.

Hi Kinsman

He probably plugged it into a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interupter) AC outlet!

I have seen it many times! The motors in the stove cause the ground fault and trip the breaker! LOL My neighbor has a washing machine on a GFCI when they installed a new washroom by code. Another code Boo-Boo! @$^%@@^!@ Trips all the time, she is so frustrated.

I make my living on calls like that...funny, i already know the problem....50 miles...jeez thats easy.

I rang up 189k miles on my truck on these last 5 years chasing work. Be glad you dont work construction since im currently laid off and work for a 1/3 of my normal pay grabbing the first job that came along just to have a paycheck. I would love to only drive an hour to work at a real job.

Starting to sound like a political sound bite on the economy. I too was never without the need for a good job since Carter.

Seasoned Oak said:

Kinsman
Dont feel bad about charging a lot for service,the guys from verizon charge $60 per 15 min time spent in your home,thats $240 an hour to run lines carrying mili volts.I dont think my lawyer or my surgeon charges that much.

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Ask your lawyer of surgeon to make a 15 minute house call and see what they charge. Your medical copay may be less than $60 but surgeons charge over $100 for a 15 minute office visit. Telcos don't make any money on residential wire-line services. They are forced to maintain them by the state PUC and federal regulators. They would ALL gladly drop residential wire-line phone service. The $$$ is in cellphone and business accounts.

Eric, I think I'm with you on this one. I buy my appliances from our small town dealer, his prices are higher but his service can't be beat. He does fix box store stuff when he's caught up and at a price. It's a pay me now or pay me later thing. If you want to know it will be fixed and be first on someones list, buy from the guy who fixes 'em. Just my .02

Did you recommend Hearth.com for ideas and information?

Bill

Waterbug said:

Ask your lawyer of surgeon to make a 15 minute house call and see what they charge. Your medical copay may be less than $60 but surgeons charge over $100 for a 15 minute office visit. Telcos don't make any money on residential wire-line services. They are forced to maintain them by the state PUC and federal regulators. They would ALL gladly drop residential wire-line phone service. The $$$ is in cellphone and business accounts.

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My surgeon does charge less than that ,i know cuz he is my personal friend ,and he has made a few house calls as well. I dont pay a co-pay,i pay the whole bill as a cash customer. Also my lawyer charges less than that as well,used to be $90 an hour.Not sure now. If verizon cant make money charging $240 an hour for one guy they should hang it up.

Seasoned Oak said:

My surgeon does charge less than that ,i know cuz he is my personal friend ,and he has made a few house calls as well. I dont pay a co-pay,i pay the whole bill as a cash customer. Also my lawyer charges less than that as well,used to be $90 an hour.Not sure now. If verizon cant make money charging $240 an hour for one guy they should hang it up.

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I had a consultation with a surgeon.....took down family history and did an ekg....price was almost 1500 for fifteen minutes.....that's 6000 an hr.....I need more friends!

He should have called an electrician.
I find it amazing how some homeowners don`t have a clue when it comes to simple mechanical issues.
They are at the mercy of every skilled technician even for basic fixes.

Seasoned Oak said:

If verizon cant make money charging $240 an hour for one guy they should hang it up.

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Pun intended????

IHATEPROPANE said:

I had a consultation with a surgeon.....took down family history and did an ekg....price was almost 1500 for fifteen minutes.....that's 6000 an hr.....I need more friends!

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Are you on the Romney plan? My surgeon sewed up a deep cut on my hand in his kitchen sink. Price was a case of beer. He also did surgery on my ear after hours at his clinic ,wouldnt let me pay for that either. I do what i can for him and his family who are sometimes here alone while he serves a tour of duty in IRAQ or Afg.

Seasoned Oak said:

Are you on the Romney plan? My surgeon sewed up a deep cut on my hand in his kitchen sink. Price was a case of beer. He also did surgery on my ear after hours at his clinic ,wouldnt let me pay for that either. I do what i can for him and his family who are sometimes here alone while he serves a tour of duty in IRAQ or Afg.

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That's great! That's the way the world should work....one hand washes the other

IHATEPROPANE said:

That's great! That's the way the world should work....one hand washes the other

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I hope the surgeon washed his hands before he stitched it...

Eric, everyone has their price. Quote him what it would take you to make money on it. If you could normally get two services calls done in the time it would take to do that one, charge him double. Then again, if you're busy enough that you don't need the work, nevermind, and carry on.

you may not make money on this call but when the guy needs a new stove and purchases through you since you were so nice and helpful in the past, that is where your money will be made.

you may not make money on this call but when the guy needs a new stove and purchases through you since you were so nice and helpful in the past, that is where your money will be made.

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+! on that.

I can also see it the OP's way. Was in business for myself for many years. When I first started out I would do anything anywhere to make a buck, but after awhile I got to the point where I didn't need to travel too far from home anymore to make a paycheck. Just wasn't worth it, had all the business I could handle close to home.

I once had an a/c company check out my central air unit. They had a map with a series of circles that dictated their service charge rates depending on which circle you lived in in relation to their home base. Might work for you, if you would like the business.

Just had another thought. Once my fuel service company walked me through a problem I was having over the phone. Didn't cost me a penny and they didn't make a penny on a service call they didn't come out for. Thought it was awfully nice of them to help me out like that. Maybe you could walk the guy through some steps, might be good will on your part and he might return the favor.

Seasoned Oak said:

My surgeon does charge less than that ,i know cuz he is my personal friend ,and he has made a few house calls as well. I dont pay a co-pay,i pay the whole bill as a cash customer. Also my lawyer charges less than that as well,used to be $90 an hour.Not sure now. If verizon cant make money charging $240 an hour for one guy they should hang it up.

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If it were up to them, they would. As I stated previously the state PUC and federal agencies won't let then drop residential wire-line services. The telco's would love to drop $30/month residential wire-line service and force you to buy $60/month cell service. They would do it tomorrow, if the states and feds would let them. With cell phones they maintain a few fairly new cell towers, instead of thousands of miles of 60 to 80 year old wires and get to charge double for the service.

Sorry but I have to add my two cents here as well. I am definitely with Eric on this one. I have serviced many, and I mean many, box store stoves. I do not sell or stock parts for stoves that I do not sell as it just doesn't make good business sense. So if Eric or I were to drive one hour to go trouble shoot the stove at our normal rate of $75 per hour, then a hour to troubleshoot, then a hour for the drive back to the store, we are going to be charging $225. Next we need to order the part(s) and then drive back to install it. This is likely going to be another $225 charged to the customer. Next we have to add the part(s) cost and tack that onto the bill as well. In the end it looks like we would be at least at $600 to repair the stove. Now lets say that its a $50 part that was replaced and the stove cost $1599 brand new, what do you think the customer is going to say as you walk out the door? It likely won't be thank you or I will be sure to but my next stove from you. Its more apt to be what a rip off that guy was. To each their own, Im just sayin!!