Do Call-Out Charges Deter Business?

A call-out charge is a fee that a consumer pays to a repairman or technician when they come out to their house or place of business to do the work that is needed. These charges are very common in the service industry and are usually added to the cost of the repairs. These charges pay for the professional’s travel time to the customer’s home or place of business as well as for the expertise involved in diagnosing the problem. You will oftentimes see these fees charged by glazing London service professionals.

Fortunately, there are a number of companies in different sectors of the service industry today that no longer charges call-out fees because they feel it deters new and repeat business in much the same way that charging for an estimate does. The Advertising Standards Authority in the UK states that service companies can advertise “no call out charges” provided the consumer does not incur any fees, even if they decline to have the work done. On the other hand, a fee can be charged for extensive diagnostic work.

Naturally, the advent of call-out charges in the service industry resulted from a need to be compensated for fuel costs, the technician’s travel time, and the wear and tear on company vehicles when the customer declined to have the work done. Many glazing London service companies today still charge these fees. But you have to ask yourself if they are losing business in the process. The main reason for not charging these fees is because it can and oftentimes does deter new and repeat business.

In today’s economy, the consumer is always looking for any way they can to save money and not having to pay those call-out charges is just one of many ways that they can accomplish that. Plus, statistics show that consumers are more apt to call the company that advertises no call-out charges than those who charge them.