[CAUT] mileage fees.

[John Ross]

I must admit, I do feel for you guys that have traffic problems.
I just got back from driving across the US. (Canada urban centres are as 
bad) A mileage charge per se, wouldn't make sense in some of these 
areas, traffic jams, parking etc.
In those places, it just makes sense to figure out your cost, and charge 
accordingly.
I live in a rural area, so traffic is of little concern, so I charge a 
mileage charge, and divide it among the customers.
We can absorb some of the cost, because we do claim, depreciation, and 
running costs of our vehicles to the income tax.
Everyone has a different situation, and must charge enough that you do 
not lose, and can keep the customers happy as well.
John M. Ross
Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada.
jrpiano at win.eastlink.ca
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chris Solliday" <solliday at ptd.net>
To: "College and University Technicians" <caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, July 21, 2006 12:05 PM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] mileage fees.


>I like the $1.50 because it includes some travel time 
>consideration,unless
> Wim is still driving that ol piece of ....
> but I disagree with not charging if there are four.Thisis too much 
> customer
> consciousness/empathy and too little business self preservation. 
> Spread it
> out over 4 if you like, although personally I charge all the same so I 
> avoid
> having to explain a large difference when I can't line up the same 
> schedule
> when I next service the piano. Yes I am happy to keep the money and if 
> I am
> crazy enough to do 3 or 4 pianos that far away from home on the same 
> day I
> figure its overtime anyway. 70 miles one way is about an hour and 15 
> minutes
> each way without traffic (you haven't lived until you try this 
> crossing New
> Jersey and doing 3 or 4 in New York City, and then there's 
> PARKING!!!!!!!!)
> and twice is 2 hours and 30 minutes travel time. Service calls are 1.5 
> to 2
> hours at best so times4 is ten andhalf hours and counting. I keep the 
> OT but
> find it difficult to charge the 4th customer all the overtime so I'll 
> use
> Wim's $1.50 a mile one way and not be one bit apologetic about keeping 
> it.
> Chris Solliday
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Willem Blees" <wblees at bama.ua.edu>
> To: <l-bartlett at sbcglobal.net>; "College and University Technicians"
> <caut at ptg.org>
> Sent: Friday, July 21, 2006 9:42 AM
> Subject: Re: [CAUT] mileage fees.
>
>
>> Quoting Leslie Bartlett <l-bartlett at sbcglobal.net>:
>>
>> > I would like some help with travel fees.  The entire southern side
>> > of
>> > Houston is virtually without tuners. I'm called somewhat regularly 
>> > to
>> > go
>> > that direction.  I know some people charge mileage outside certain
>> > boundaries.   I'd like to know how folks have figured that and
>> > managed to
>> > make it work.
>> > Thanks
>> > les bartlett
>> > HYPERLINK www.bartlettpianoservice.com www.bartlettpianoservice.com
>> >
>> > -- 
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>> >
>> >
>>
>> Leslie
>>
>> If you're going to do more an more tunings in that area,, which also
>> mean you're going to do less in "your" area, I would do as Andrew
>> suggested, but instead of just those on the south side, increase your
>> fee for all your tuning. That way, customers won't feel "punished" 
>> for
>> living in an area where there are no tuner, while at the same time,
>> you're making up for the driving to that area, even when you don't
>> have to go there. This will also make it a lot easier to quote a
>> tuning fee over the phone without first asking where they
>> live.
>>
>> For customers who live outside both areas, I charge $1.50 per mile
>> from my house to the customer, one way. In other words, if a customer
>> lives 60 milea away, charge $90 plus the service call. Now, one way 
>> to
>> have the customers save some money, and make more money for you,
>> divide that fee between two or three customers, and if there are 4 or
>> more, don't charge the mileage fee.
>>
>> Willem Blees, RPT
>> Piano Tuner/Technician
>> School of Music
>> University of Alabama
>> Tuscaloosa, AL USA
>>
>>
>