Rate and Charges

[Charles Ball]

At 04:41 PM 6/29/96 -0800, you wrote:
>I'm curious to know what sort of rates are being charged dealers for service
>outside the normal service area.  I'll be traveling 3 hours one way, and
>doing about 2 hrs of service, then the return trip.  So basically all day,
>no breaks, and no guarantees.  Any suggestions??
>
>I was thinking of charging two standard tuning fees to get there
>
>        A. because it's out of my active service territory and I had nothing
>to do with the sale
>        B. because it takes about an hour and a half to do one tuning
>including travel time.
>
>then I was thinking of charging the dealer the usual discount rate I charge
>all dealers, and because most dealer calls take about an hour, not including
>driving time, I would charge this amount twice for two hours.
>
>Then the same two basic tuning fees to get back home.
>
>How's my logic line up with the rest of you out there in the real world??

Larry,

I have given this question some thought, and the solution that I have
reached is as follows:

1.  When I do business travel by plane or that entails an overnight stay, I
charge a per diem.

2.  When I travel out of town on business by car, I charge slightly higher
than my in-town hourly rate, calculated from the time I leave the city
limits, until the time I return, less time for meals or personal business.

This seems the clearest and fairest way.  So if you charge $50 per hour, and
the trip takes 8 hours, you would charge $400.  I also offer a percentage
discount to dealers.

Have a nice trip!

Charles

Charles Ball
School of Music
University of Texas at Austin