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I'm down with crazekody, customer very well knows he's the cause of the malfunction. I usually give them the option "today you pay(Sunday) Monday it' FREE. They usually pick Monday.

Originally Posted by ComfortService

We run calls after hours on OT as well as 24/7 warranty.

Usually though when we tell customers that it probably will be the next business day before we will be able to order a warranty part, most of the time they wait for Monday to have us come out unless it is an emergency.

We will come out but we will explain to the customer that if the problem is unrelated to the work we have done or has to do with any type of modification that the customer has done, there will be a charge for coming out on OT with a OT charge for the repair if they should choose for us to fix it.

Had to explain this to a customer when I was on call last week. We quoted him on replacing a zone damper, but he decided to go out and buy one and install it himself. Called me up asking for me to come out and fix his problem (he wired it wrong and made the board release smoke) and got an attitude when I told him that because he got it on his own and did his own work, he'd be subject to a high truck charge.

We run calls after hours on OT as well as 24/7 warranty.

Usually though when we tell customers that it probably will be the next business day before we will be able to order a warranty part, most of the time they wait for Monday to have us come out unless it is an emergency.

We will come out but we will explain to the customer that if the problem is unrelated to the work we have done or has to do with any type of modification that the customer has done, there will be a charge for coming out on OT with a OT charge for the repair if they should choose for us to fix it.

Originally Posted by Joehvac25

The old new 10 year old system trick lol

Well, new is in the eye of the beholder!

We run calls on nights and weekends for all warranty work. We will bill accordingly for non- warranty work, but well go to figure it out. We operate under " make a customer happy they tell a friend, make them angry they tell ALL their friends".

The old new 10 year old system trick lol

Originally Posted by Joehvac25

Whenever I hear the "you guys were just here" I ask for an invoice to judge whether or not it's warranty.

Heard that one this week. "You guys just put a new system in,it's warranty right" says the customer. I reply let me see what's going on. Yep we install it all right,14 years ago.

Well sir I've got good news and bad news. Bad news is the labor warranty expired 13 years ago. The good news is it just needs some cleaning,be done shortly and it's only $xx.

I had one say you guys were just here working on my boiler now my toilet won't stop filling and my washing machine sounds different. I told him that it most likely wasn't related lol

Originally Posted by Joehvac25

Whenever I hear the "you guys were just here" I ask for an invoice to judge whether or not it's warranty.

Yep. I hear that just as much as "I just changed my filter"

Whenever I hear the "you guys were just here" I ask for an invoice to judge whether or not it's warranty.

Things have changed a lot since I was last in residential service... All warranty service calls called in outside of regular service hours were considered split calls with the customer responsible for the difference between regular and OT labor. Everything else was the same and any warranty was handled the same as a regular time call. We did run a lot of "late day" calls that came in after 4PM as regular calls, no matter what time they were run. I really didn't have any significant problems with customers, but did make the boss a little upset going behind other techs after maintenances and turning the call in as warranty due to something missed or forgotten. This only bit me once when I found out Monday that we had quoted a major system repair and the customer had lied to me. We lost the value of the 1 hour off hour service, but got a dual fuel system changeout with an extended warranty from the response, so I kept my tailfeathers!

I've had the same call before. The guy just wanted a diff t-stat and ended up blowing the fuse and wanted me to come out after hours with no charge. I explained to him that I couldn't warranty something like that when he messed with the system. Idk why he would want a diff t-stat it was a Honeywell th8320. Customers are crazy sometimes....

If you want a successful HVAC bussiness its important to provide customers,especially warranty custmers(they've bought equipment through you) around the clock service because if you dont do it somebody else will. keeping those custmers happy is also vital for the employee because if you loose custmers there is also less work for service techs and installers to do which in turn cuts into their pay.

we do warranty after hours although the boss would xpect me to collect on a call like this as it would not be a warranty issue

Usually though, if new construction issue was due to installation, diagnostic fee is refunded.

We have 24 hour service. Replacement and maintenance customers get warranty service after hours. New construction warranty issues pay diagnostic fee after hours, and repair is warranty.

I think any HVAC company MUST offer 24 hour emergency service. I went on one 3 weeks ago on a Saturday, a Payne 90% under warranty with a bad pressure switch. Obviously I couldn't get the warranty part until the next business day, but I did have a universal switch that got them heat until the warranty part came in. All said and done I was a hero to them.

I want to add that in 22 years as a service technician, Every company I have worked for has done 24/7 service, warranty or otherwise. I can't count the number of new customers my bosses have gotten, from people who called us, after there installation provider either refused warranty night/weekend service, or didn't even answer the phones. When people are really hot, or really cold especially, they usually will do what needs to be done to get things working. The only difference is they are now my customers, due to the fact that we took care of them, even if they had to pay for the services. This is even more important nowadays do to the use of Angie's list, Yahoo, Yelp, Google, etc. where customers that are not happy can plaster you name all over the web for everyone to see.

That being said, to the O.P. the simple question here is, sir, did the furnace work before you replaced the thermostat (presumably yes), and is the unit now not working after you replaced the thermostat (obviously no). Then sir with all due request, it is apparent that something to do with the replacement of your thermostat, has caused the failure. We would be happy to come out and resolve this for you, but you will have to be charged normal service rates to make the repairs, as your thermostat is not a part of our warranty. Now would you like to get you equipment running today, or would you like to wait until normal business hours when the rates will be less. The point is this should never have even been about whether you do or don't provide Sunday warranty service, that shouldn't have even been a part of this particular conversation.

Explained this way, with a pleasant, cheery but apologetic tone, will go a long way.

Originally Posted by Williamsma

Warranty or not, new install or 20 year old pos, I'm just the guy on call. I don't have the authority to give away money that is not mine. So that being said, all customers will pay for normal overtime charges. When Monday comes around and either the service mgr or owner will make the call on warranty. Checks will be returned and credit cards will not be ran if its a no charge. Most people have no problem with that. I just fix the problem and collect for services rendered.

Not a bad idea... takes away the ability of a HO to whine.

Warranty or not, new install or 20 year old pos, I'm just the guy on call. I don't have the authority to give away money that is not mine. So that being said, all customers will pay for normal overtime charges. When Monday comes around and either the service mgr or owner will make the call on warranty. Checks will be returned and credit cards will not be ran if its a no charge. Most people have no problem with that. I just fix the problem and collect for services rendered.