Maintanence Contracts

[Northdude]

I have recently started up on my own and have been approached by many customers regarding a maintanence contract but I aint got much of a clue about the contract and the prices to charge them. A lot of my recent jobs have been on fridges, freezers, cellar cooling and the odd AC splits. The only bits of the maintanence contract I have an idea about is the customer would be priority to other service calls and thats it. I dont charge call out fees and my labour is quite cheap anyway so if they did take out a contract I wouldnt be charging them any less than I charge anybody else for parts and labour unless they gave me a whopping great sum at the start of the contract but most of them are small bars and shops.If anybody has any info they can share with me regarding the contracts and rough guides of prices to charge it will be much appreciated.( also if anybody has any draft contracts they can send me that would also be great as i dont know where to start ha) Thanks

[eggs]

What you have to do is look at wheather you can honour your side of the contract.
If for example, under contract you have a cold room go down and you are sunning yourself in Cyprus. How are you going to give a reasonable response time?
If all the food spoils and their insurance company comes after you because you said you would be there in two hours. How will you deal with this?

Personally, being a small company, we do all our breakdowns and servicing ad-hoc. I think contracts are great, yes you get your money up front.........but you have to keep your side of the bargin and for all us small guys it's not easy.

Eggs

[Toosh]

I have recently started up on my own and have been approached by many customers regarding a maintanence contract but I aint got much of a clue about the contract and the prices to charge them. A lot of my recent jobs have been on fridges, freezers, cellar cooling and the odd AC splits. The only bits of the maintanence contract I have an idea about is the customer would be priority to other service calls and thats it. I dont charge call out fees and my labour is quite cheap anyway so if they did take out a contract I wouldnt be charging them any less than I charge anybody else for parts and labour unless they gave me a whopping great sum at the start of the contract but most of them are small bars and shops.If anybody has any info they can share with me regarding the contracts and rough guides of prices to charge it will be much appreciated.( also if anybody has any draft contracts they can send me that would also be great as i dont know where to start ha) Thanks

Hi North, If you are a one man band its difficult you got to look at the extremes what happens if you get 3 callouts at same time and all the customers say its urgent, if I was you I would steer clear of them. Sorry not much help to you but you have to look at it that way

Norm

[Northdude]

Yes i totally agree with you guys but if I refuse contracts I dont want my clients to seek them elsewhere as I would loose all the work in their shops & bars, a couple of them are frozen food sellers and must have around 30 chest freezers in each shop so its in their interest to have a small response time.Also with a contract it basically guarntees me to all the work.hmm i need to think about this one as i am a 1 man band and just booked up for ibiza nxt year ha.Thanks guys