Parts pricing rational

Sounds like Noon-Air has it figured out. It's the contractor that sets the stage for any discussion over pricing. The contractor can steer the discussion any way they want.

Whatever you put on paper is subject to being questioned.

Yes. Cost will always be a factor. However the customer doesn't care if parts cost X and labor costs Y or parts costs Y or labor costs X. All they care about is the amount comming out of their hide period. Why give them reasons to nitpick a bunch of line items that they don't understand.

When I take my truck to the shop I get pissed when they add on shop supplies like rags. When I ship something UPS I hate it when they add fuel surcharge. When I buy a plane ticket all the extra taxes and fees piss me off.

Bundle it all into one lump sum that reflects your total cost of doing business and profit requirement. What I don't know won't hurt me.

I bet the OP would have been happier getting a grand total bill. (he did say he was happy with the overall service and even tipped the Tech!!)

Marketing is everything. You better learn it if you want to survive.

:-)

The bottom line is cost... HOW MUCH?

You can talk about anything and everything, they still remember the cost when it comes to saying Yes or No.

charged 350% mark-up, to worry about parts costs? I

I thought you were saying to discuss and focus on other items.

I get the whole flat rate deal... I just didn't think, that was what you were saying in your post.

I have to disagree with this. I have had clients in the past pay the bill and everything was fine. Then a day or two later get a call complaining about the hourly rate or cost of a particularly part. They were apparently happy with the service and the price at the time of payment. Just became unhappy a couple of days later after having time to consider the bill.

IMO, it is >Yes. Cost will always be a factor. However the customer doesn't care

| Marketing is everything. You better learn it if you want to survive.

You, too. You guys are absolutely hilarious, all of you. You don't like nitpicky customers? Well, newsflash: WE don't like YOU. Ever heard the expression, "its hard to find good help these days?" Well, that couldn't be truer. You lot are unprofessional, untrustworthy, greedy bottom feeders. Naturally, present company is excluded. For every 1 true professional, there are 100 hacks. Finding the true professional in the phone book is a losing proposition. It is like KJpro said in another thread about ductwork: "its wrong, but it doesn't stop my competition from doing it ALL THE TIME".

So - how are we, your clients, supposed to know that? How are we supposed to know when something is done right or something is done wrong? Maybe the upstairs isn't heating fully because that's the best that can be done. Should we question your work? To what extent? We have absolutely no information, and we know that. We also know that you DO have the information, or SHOULD anyway. And we don't trust you with it. We don't want to HAVE to trust you with it, and the less we have to trust, the better.

And the better of you knows that, too. And that's why you itemize. It is done in good faith, to build trust, to show you have nothing to hide. Unfortunately, when you see a 350% markup on parts, it ruins the whole effect. Example: I signed up for WM garbage removal. They gave me a FREE barrel and recycle bin, and charged me $35 to DELIVER it. Could I pick it up myself and save that ridiculous delivery fee? No... Gee, thanks for the FREE barrel, asshole!

So, why the 350% markup? Could the OP buy the part themselves and save some $$? Nobody is questioning that the total charge was quite reasonable - so why hide labor costs in parts markup? And if you don't itemize, you are making your customers trust you in this regard, not something they are inclined to do. Unless you come highly recommended by a close family member or friend - you are considered untrustworthy until proven otherwise. Blame it on the legion of your less talented colleagues.

Yes, trust needs to be earned. It's earned by:

1. Prompt response to the service call
2. Acting like a professional and "discussing" the problem with the customer.
3. Efficient diagnosis
4. Proper workmanlike repair procedures and quick access to any needed parts. (ie a well stocked van with backup at the shop)
5. Verification of functionality after repairs are made. (ie no call backs)
6. Discussion with the customer over the repairs. (what was found and any future suggestions)

If no trust is earned in phase 1-6 there will be nothing on the invoice to make up any lost ground. In fact some of the trust earned in #1-6 can be quickly negated by providing too much detail in the invoice. All the invoice needs to say is:

1. Basic Service Call $______
2. Diagnosis $_____
3. Repair $______
4. Total $______

Does anything else really benefit the customer??? There's such a thing as TMI (Too Much Information).