Fuel cost and Lynx Jobs service fee

[Chris S]

Rising fuel cost and Lynx Jobs are they worth the time and effort? Can I charge a fuel surcharge to the insurance customer or is there any way to get insurance companies to up their fee rates to compensate for this gross infalation? Wow $2.50 a gallon by the end of May.

[gold star]

As of April 15th I will no longer be providing mobile service because of the rising fuel costs. It is not cost affective for me to drive 10 or 15 miles to do one repair. My clients are people with cars... they cant say they dont have transportation... they are able to come to me. They will make their appointments for times when they are going to be traveling that way anyhow. For the occasional odd-one that still wants a house call, I will charge him a trip fee, which will be over and above what the insurance pays. I have arranged for a semi-permanent location on the main road that runs through our valley. I will be announcing this in our local newspaper as well as on bulletin boards and via flyers that will be distributed. The location is a mini-center of commerce about in the middle of the valley. It is well situated for visibility and I expect it will work out well. Permanent signage with the business hours and phone number will keep me me in the front of their minds, so they will know where to find me when they need me. :)

[gt_repair]

I can not do much about the Ins. price but to look harder for a second chip so I can get 10 extra to cover the gas.

I can do better with cash or Ins. customers out of town though. I will ask if they are coming in for anything else and I will meet them at the time they are coming in. They can shoot two birds with one stone. Or I will take 5 off for cash / personal check customers to cover their gas if they come in to town, If not 45 - 50.

They do understand as I tell them.

[Shepardh1]

As an industry, why don't we charge what we charge... and the customers can personally pay whatever their insurance company does not pay? ... including the $.50/mile fee?

Sales speech:
"Yes ma'am, I accept insurance payments and most insurance companies pay my full fee. A few companies don't, but the amount you have to pay is typically only an additional $10, so obviously it is still a good deal to have a quality repair done by a repsectable company, don't you agree? Who is your insurance company?"

[gt_repair]

good luck with that line...

Most every ins. customer are tight wads and just say, "That is what I have ins. for.."

[sunshine wr]

If you're dependent on the insurance ("free") side of this business I wouldn't use that line, as these people are looking for exactly that "free".