Fuel surcharge?

[David Love]

Trip charges don't make sense to me unless it's a customer that you wouldn't
otherwise work for because they live too far away or if they live in some
remote inaccessible place they kills time getting to and from no matter what
your day's routing is.  My fee covers some expected travel time and cost and
it is based on an average.  I don't discount if the guy around the corner
calls me and I don't charge more if they live 20 miles away.  Charging more
because they live farther away seems to me to give them an incentive to find
someone closer.  I do group appointments geographically so I don't drive
unnecessarily and I will reschedule an appointment if it turns out to be the
only one that day in some out of the way place.  

I raise my rates periodically and without hesitation if I feel my costs are
rising or if the boss feels I'm entitled to a raise--which is most of the
time anyway.  

David Love
davidlovepianos at comcast.net 
www.davidlovepianos.com

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Phil Bondi
Sent: Saturday, June 07, 2008 2:49 AM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: Re: Fuel surcharge?

Mike, since May 1, I've added a 'trip charge' to my bill. 
I've had a few questions, and no one has complained.

My charge is based on zip code..how far a particular 
client's zip code is from mine(one way), and I figured .xx X 
those miles(based on google maps) to reach my figures. If 
I'm servicing more than 1 client in that zip code on that 
day, both get charged the same amount. Someone in the same 
zip code as me still gets charged a minimal amount. If I 
turn the key of my truck to get to you, you're being charged.

Mike, I feel like I've been a 'good guy' long enough..I did 
alot of research and some soul-searching to come to this 
conclusion:

-When I last raised my rates(May '04), I was by far the 2nd 
most expensive tech in my area.
-When I raised my rates, the price of a gallon of regular 
was 1.759.
-I can't continue to hemorrhage cash into the 
truck..someone's gotta pay.

So far this works for me.

-Phil Bondi(Fl)