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View Full Version : what to do w/ a call back after the warranty period is expired



huggytree
06-11-2009, 09:36 PM
i have a leaky tub....i did the job 2 years ago...i have a 1 year warranty...

charge or free?

customer has already agreed to pay my $155 service call charge...if its my fault i may do it for free or only charge the $55 trip charge portion.

Im assuming everyone is going to say 'fix it for free dummy'

how long would you continue to warranty your work...5 years?

Evan
06-11-2009, 10:02 PM
A one-year warranty isn't unreasonable. Though, I'm surprised more warranties aren't stated as "Warranted For Life*" and "*until 5 minutes before you have an issue" in small print below.

Be honest with the customer. If it's a quick fix and you're in the neighborhood, a free fix may be a surprise and would show excellent customer service. If it'll require a bit more work, I don't see why you couldn't recoup some cost. I certainly wouldn't lose money on the deal just to impress a customer either.

vangogh
06-11-2009, 11:02 PM
If the leak is your fault then I probably would say fix it, but otherwise I see no reason why you should. It's a year past the warranty. There's no reason to think you should work for free. You could offer a discount on the work if you want to keep the customer happy.

Steve B
06-12-2009, 08:42 AM
As long as its more than a handful of days after the warrenty - I'd charge your normal rates. I don't think anyone should expect anything even a day after the warrenty - so don't worry about it.

But, if you get there and see it was your fault then I would think you would want to fix it for free just as a matter of professional pride (and Free means no trip charge either in my mind). I'm sure you tell all your potential customers that you do great work (implying you won't make a mistake that will cause a leak in just two years).

I can't imagine it was your mistake - otherwise I would think the leak would have showed up much sooner.

KristineS
06-12-2009, 12:36 PM
If the warranty is expired, then the customer should expect to pay. I'm assuming you told them clearly up front when you did the job how the warranty worked. If they understand that, then they should expect to pay.

The exception, of course, would be if the problem was your fault. In that case, good customer service dictates you fix it without charge. If it's not your fault, you might consider giving the customer a discount on the repair, especially if they are people who would be likely to tell others and help spread the word about your company.

huggytree
06-12-2009, 10:12 PM
went to the job today...leak was an easy fix...just take out the tub drain top part and re putty.....the homeowner told me her husband violently snakes that drain regularly...

also a faucet handle had come off....i didnt supply the faucet, i just installed it...screw had fallen off inside the faucet...easy fix also..

she also told me about another plumber coming over recently to give her a new sump pump...

so she's not a steady customer and has a plumber she's already happy with, her husband probably shook loose the drain (not me)...

i charged her....definately no reason to do it for free...i gave her great service and did the job 14 hours after the initial phone call....great service is all she deserved...

she was very nice to deal with...i was very close to doing it for free...when she started to talk about the other plumber that deal left.

Evan
06-12-2009, 11:13 PM
...when she started to talk about the other plumber that deal left.

I agree. Though you may have able to have her contemplate calling you instead -- who knows.

Spider
06-12-2009, 11:18 PM
"While I'm here anyway, would you like me to give you a quote for that new sump pump?"

orion_joel
06-13-2009, 02:47 AM
I think you dealt with this the correct way. I mean, quick fix, and you could have said free, however considering the fact that she had another plumber do something else, it is hardly that she is a loyal customer by any means

huggytree
06-13-2009, 07:47 AM
sump pump was already done....i could have given her a comparison price just to show her that i could have been lower(or i may have been higher)....

i did leave her my card & magnet

KristineS
06-13-2009, 11:44 AM
Sounds like you handled it the right way. Good service and a fair price and you left a good impression. Don't see what else you could have done, really.