Builder offering pro active maintenance for annual fee

[dorberman 10]

I am a builder working for Sheffield Schools/Universities/Diocese on various contracts.

I am CHAS registered/hold waste carriers license Etc

 

My main topic for this thread is I am thinking of offering a pro active maintenance service to customers which would include an annual/monthly fee which would give a call out/labour service to repair a problem if can be sorted.

 

Basically an insurance sort of scheme

 

Obviously materials would be extra as labour would be if it turned out to be a larger project.

 

I do have years experience of this type of working as in the past I have worked for companies offering this service to pubs/shops etc

 

What are peoples views on this idea?

Edited February 2, 2017 by dorberman
missed info

[rudds1 102]

I think most people just wait till something needs doing then just pay up

[Supertramp 10]

I am a builder working for Sheffield Schools/Universities/Diocese on various contracts.

I am CHAS registered/hold waste carriers license Etc

 

My main topic for this thread is I am thinking of offering a pro active maintenance service to customers which would include an annual/monthly fee which would give a call out/labour service to repair a problem if can be sorted.

 

Basically an insurance sort of scheme

 

Obviously materials would be extra as labour would be if it turned out to be a larger project.

 

I do have years experience of this type of working as in the past I have worked for companies offering this service to pubs/shops etc

 

What are peoples views on this idea?

 

What's the benefit to the customer if labour and materials are extra?

[999tigger 10]

What's the benefit to the customer if labour and materials are extra?

 

He said if it turned out to be a large project.

 

 

 

OP if you are going to do it, then you need to be clear what you are offering and what is outside that.

 

From a customers point of view, theres no point in paying if they dont know what they are getting and as an insurance scheme they will expect most things to be covered.

 

From your point of view you need to be clear so that customers dont start asking you to buikl extensions etc.

 

You should identify your target market carefully. Need and willingness to pay.

[spilldig 188]

Doesn't wash with me. I can't see any advantage for the customer. It seems a bit similar to an arrangement one of my son's friends had when she had been paying out money every month for a scheme like that to insure her boiler. 3 years and 6 months later it packed up and they just came and said they couldn't get parts and the boiler was scrap. A lot of money wasted for nothing.

[ricgem2002 11]

Doesn't wash with me. I can't see any advantage for the customer. It seems a bit similar to an arrangement one of my son's friends had when she had been paying out money every month for a scheme like that to insure her boiler. 3 years and 6 months later it packed up and they just came and said they couldn't get parts and the boiler was scrap. A lot of money wasted for nothing.

it wernt british gas was it

[spilldig 188]

it wernt british gas was it

 

I believe it was British gas.

[Lockdoctor 10]

I think I save money and wait to repair is needed. I pay for repair of rain gutter last year when I see rain gutter broken. I pay fast for repair to save money from more damage if repair not done. I only pay annual fee for house insurance

[Dardandec 32]

What would the maintenance service include? for example, if I gave you say £300 per annum what would I get for this service? If I didn't get £300 of work done would I get refunded the difference or pay the difference less the year after? if i got more than £300 of work done would I have to pay more?

 

If you were offering an insurance, you would have to be licenced and have a stack of cash to be able to underwrite any potential claim.

[Super Hans 10]

People don't trust tradesmen. Who decides what is a 'large project'? They'll claim it's changing a lightbulb.

[Jackie2141 10]

I believe it was British gas.

 

I have had the same trouble with British Gas. They came out to repair 2 of my electrical appliances and said they couldn`t get the parts needless to say i have now cancelled the insurance.

[figgy 10]

I think it's a reasonable idea as a working theory. The idea may need some tweaking and extra clarification. How many properties, poss discounts for multi properties, cover if you are ill or on holiday, jobs covered, response time, access issues, CRB cover, insurance etc.

 

It is a concept I'm familiar with but my honest opinion is that you may find unless you make your contract watertight you will find it a nightmare due to people's unreasonable expectations.