[Pipewrench78]

Does any of my fellow shop owners offer video or zoom services to their customers? I am considering adding this as a service to my menu of services.
Example of services would be to see your setup under your sink, your water heater and piping setup, meter valves..etc. I would be charging the customer a slightly reduced charge and again---this would be for certain and limited items.

 

[Logtec]

No. You’re over thinking it, this is a Waste of time.

- if its a small job/service call - then a few pictures of said job sent via text or email, is good enough to give an accurate estimate.
=Do you really want to spend/waste 30+mins logging in, trying to connect to their username, Wi-Fi, passwords blah blah- back and forth… etc just to quote someone to change a faucet and PO, some valves, or a basket strainer for $300?….

- if it’s a bigger job or a rough in +,
you NEED to be on site to quote the job properly.

 

[Logtec]

This reminds me of the “water bottle” that connects to your smart phone…
it will tell YOU when you’re thirsty and when you should be taking drinks for water throughout the day… that way YOU don’t get dehydrated.

 

[Pipewrench78]

No. You’re over thinking it. Not everything in life needs to be linked to your phone/iPad/internet blah blah.
to me This is a big Waste of time.

- if its a small job/service call - then a few pictures of said job is great sent via text or email, to give an estimate.
(Do you want to spend 30+mins logging in, trying to connect to their username, back and forth… etc just to quote someone to change a faucet and PO, or a basket strainer for $300?….)

- if it’s a bigger job or a rough in +,
you NEED to be on site to quote the job properly.

We no longer will view pics, texts for free. Viewing those items, regardless of electronic method, will require payment and fall in the same category as virtual/video appointment, which are for limited items.

All due respect, I think YOU over thought my post. I appreciate your reply! I'm about money, and again, nobody gets our services, including viewing pics of your job whether by email., text...etc, for free.

Looking at pics is shop time and skill. If a customer wants me to look at pics, I will be paid to do so.

 

[Logtec]

Not to worry, no disrespect we all do what works for ourselves/businesses.

So you will charge a potential client to “just look at a picture” and then give them a quote after they pay said viewing fee?
What do you charge someone for just “looking at their pictures”?

 

[Logtec]

(I’m a small 2-3 man shop, I get that larger shops work differently then small shops..)

 

[Pipewrench78]

Not to worry, no disrespect we all do what works for ourselves/businesses.

So you will charge a potential client to “just look at a picture” and then give them a quote after they pay said viewing fee?
What do you charge someone for just “looking at their pictures”?

I have already experimented without advertising we offer this. I call it a 'pilot study". So far, it has been successful.
Starting at $99 we will give you a phone consult with us and examine your video/pics or zoom with about a total of a 1/4 hour of shop time/skill invested.

For example: This may save us a trip just to check your job out and you taking off work just so I can examine your piping and venting to your water heater and determine the material and type of valves you have at your meter. In the event your pic, email pic, text pic, video, zoom, facetime does not give me what I need to perform a successful examination-There is no charge and I will book you for a Service Call, which Starts at $129.50 (Travel to your local location, 15 min visual exam) Parts/materials are additional.

We will NOT tell a customer how to do a job or coach them to do any work over the phone! This call is for us to ascertain and examine certain items to determine the next step. Nothing more or less.

Again, this is for limited and certain items only. I will also take it off final bill in some cases if we are hired. I have offered this to 12 customers who had cases I thought that they could benefit from this service, and all 12 accepted. The total time I had wrapped up in each ranged between 1/4-1/2 hour. My hourly is $160. So not too bad. I made about $1,200 extra bucks for around 3 hours work and did it from my desk at the shop. I spent around 15-20 min total time invested in each.

Thanks for your reply.

 

[Logtec]

I have already experimented without advertising we offer this. I call it a 'pilot study". So far, it has been successful.
Starting at $99 we will give you a phone consult with us and examine your video/pics or zoom with about a total of a 1/4 hour of shop time/skill invested.

For example: This may save us a trip just to check your job out and you taking off work just so I can examine your piping and venting to your water heater and determine the material and type of valves you have at your meter.

Again, this is for limited and certain items only. I will also take it off final bill in some cases if we are hired. I have offered this to 12 customers who had cases I thought that they could benefit from this service, and all 12 accepted. The total time I had wrapped up in each ranged between 1/4-1/2 hour. My hourly is $160. So not too bad. I made about $1,200 extra bucks for around 3 hours work and did it from my desk at the shop. I spent around 15-20 min total time invested in each.

Thanks for your reply.

Fair enough, if that works for you and your business that awesome. You and I are running things from a different perspective.

I run my business mostly from my truck on the road-When I get a call, I’ll ask for a pic of said job via text, I have a quick look, then I call back with a quote (less than 5 mins of my time).

Doing service calls (even in Toronto) people are not going to Pay $100 just to get a quote over the phone, even if it’s taken off the bill at the end of the day. There is prob 500+ plumbing companies in Toronto.

 

[PlumbingNewbie]

Never heard or seen of charging a customer to look at a picture of the problem. It’s not like you’re driving 30 minutes to a house to give a free estimate that you likely won’t get the bid on anyway.

 

[TerryTotoSucks]

If you can get away with charging to look at cellphone pics for an estimate then more power to you 🤣✌

 

[ROCKSTARPLUMBER]

If you can get away with charging to look at cellphone pics for an estimate then more power to you 🤣✌

Thinking of all the countless visits and estimates I’ve had for work on our home. 1 hardscaper wanted $200.00 just to come out and look. AC, Flooring, Electrical, kitchen cabinets, just came over and did their thing. Ended up going with a different hardscaper. A $200.00 fee gets credited to your job but I figured it was a gimmick to lock you into a high quote. Nah, I’m good Breh.

I’m guessing you live in a BIG city and spend a lot of time commuting from job to job. I could see a place like jacksonville, maybe getting 4 1hr service calls done in a an 8 hour day, maybe that pay per view cost would fly. Definitely not here though.

 

[Tom F Ohio]

I agree with Terry but I live in a smaller city than a lot of you guys. I will ask for pictures so I know what I am getting into before I arrive. No Charge.

 

[Master Mark]

I have already experimented without advertising we offer this. I call it a 'pilot study". So far, it has been successful.
Starting at $99 we will give you a phone consult with us and examine your video/pics or zoom with about a total of a 1/4 hour of shop time/skill invested.

For example: This may save us a trip just to check your job out and you taking off work just so I can examine your piping and venting to your water heater and determine the material and type of valves you have at your meter. In the event your pic, email pic, text pic, video, zoom, facetime does not give me what I need to perform a successful examination-There is no charge and I will book you for a Service Call, which Starts at $129.50 (Travel to your local location, 15 min visual exam) Parts/materials are additional.

We will NOT tell a customer how to do a job or coach them to do any work over the phone! This call is for us to ascertain and examine certain items to determine the next step. Nothing more or less.

Again, this is for limited and certain items only. I will also take it off final bill in some cases if we are hired. I have offered this to 12 customers who had cases I thought that they could benefit from this service, and all 12 accepted. The total time I had wrapped up in each ranged between 1/4-1/2 hour. My hourly is $160. So not too bad. I made about $1,200 extra bucks for around 3 hours work and did it from my desk at the shop. I spent around 15-20 min total time invested in each.

Thanks for your reply.

Not a bad idea, I have been doing "please the send pictures to my cell phone game" for decades now
and it has saved me a ton of driving time and troubles ... I have bailed out on many jobs just from seeing
the pictures of the nightmare on my phone......

In rural parts of the USA , the doctors are very scarce in those areas, and they are seeing
patients over the zoom platform and skype from hundreds of miles away.....and yes they charge for
their time....

It would not bother me one bit to set something up like that and have a customer PAY me to
diagnose their issues by video and also tell them how to make their own repairs
for a set price.....like $175.00--250 on your master card please....... 🤠 🤠

 

[Pipewrench78]

Never heard or seen of charging a customer to look at a picture of the problem. It’s not like you’re driving 30 minutes to a house to give a free estimate that you likely won’t get the bid on anyway.

Hmmm. Just looking at a picture, eh?

Are you a shop owner? No! I am! Are you a Master? No! I Am!

YOU'RE an APPRENTICE, right?!!

My post wasn’t directed to apprentices, was it!!??

But you want to chime in. My post said “fellow shop owners”!

It’s NOT just “looking at a picture.”

You're getting my time, my skill, my expertise.

And for that-You’re going to pay me.
Shop time is shop time. Skill is skill.

Nothing is for free when it comes to my business .

My area is larger, the town is full of money and a major university. These people don’t care, their time is precious to them and the less you’re tying up their time while contributing to remedying an issue —so far it’s been good!
I don’t look at ANYTHING for free. Whether by picture, video or in person, doesn’t matter.

So for right now, stick to being an apprentice and fetching coffee!

My post was for owners and plumbing contractors.

 

[TerryTotoSucks]

Hmmm. Just looking at a picture, eh?

Are you a shop owner? No! I am! Are you a Master? No! I Am!

YOU'RE an APPRENTICE, right?!!

My post wasn’t directed to apprentices, was it!!??

But you want to chime in. My post said “fellow shop owners”!

It’s NOT just “looking at a picture.”

You're getting my time, my skill, my expertise.

And for that-You’re going to pay me.
Shop time is shop time. Skill is skill.

Nothing is for free when it comes to my business .

My area is larger, the town is full of money and a major university. These people don’t care, their time is precious to them and the less you’re tying up their time while contributing to remedying an issue —so far it’s been good!
I don’t look at ANYTHING for free. Whether by picture, video or in person, doesn’t matter.

So for right now, stick to being an apprentice and fetching coffee!

My post was for owners and plumbing contractors.

That’s a little strong……relax G. You acting like he grabbed you girls ass

 

[ROCKSTARPLUMBER]

That’s a little strong……relax G. You acting like he grabbed you girls ass

What kinda ass we talkin here? I like em a little thick myself. Not too thick though.

 

[PlumbingNewbie]

That’s a little strong……relax G. You acting like he grabbed you girls ass

Yeah not sure what got him so upset. For the record, Pipewrench78, I am an apprentice but am getting everything done and will be buying the business as my master winds down and retires.

Hope you feel better belittling others…mannnnn

 

[Pipe Rat]

Sounds like he got upset because everyone didn’t agree with the brilliant plan. If you ask for opinions you have to accept the opinions

 

[Pipewrench78]

Sounds like he got upset because everyone didn’t agree with the brilliant plan. If you ask for opinions you have to accept the opinions

💯 Agreed, actually.

I have no issue with that. I understand not everything is sunshine and rainbows.

However, I was asking for other owners/plumbing contractors’ opinions, which was said clearly and politely in my original post -Not an opinion from an Apprentice!!


Otherwise I would have posted in general discussion.

I always welcome opinions from those who I ASKED for them from.

When someone chimes in on a conversation that doesn’t pertain to them….well, let’s just say I stick by what I said to newbie.

My reply to them was spot on!

 

[PlumbingNewbie]

💯 Agreed, actually.

I have no issue with that. I understand not everything is sunshine and rainbows.

However, I was asking for other owners/plumbing contractors’ opinions, which was said clearly and politely in my original post -Not an opinion from an Apprentice!!


Otherwise I would have posted in general discussion.

I always welcome opinions from those who I ASKED for them from.

When someone chimes in on a conversation that doesn’t pertain to them….well, let’s just say I stick by what I said to newbie.

My reply to them was spot on!

Wow man you are out of line. I was giving you a pass on the first reply, but you sealed it with that one