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Holiday Charges?

Posted By: Paul Winkelmann

Holiday Charges? - 09/07/15 05:24 PM

One of our technicians felt that we should get extra pay for having to work on a holiday. So how would you explain that to a

customer? If your raccoons get caught on Saturday or Sunday or Tuesday, they cost $50 apiece. But if they get caught on Monday

they're $75. I don't think so. We have been known to add a few bucks for a service call on a holiday, but those are usually

emergencies anyway. What do you guys do?
Posted By: Getting There

Re: Holiday Charges? - 09/07/15 05:28 PM

I would stay with the way you have been doing it in the past. I you have a contract stick to the contract.JMO
Posted By: bjansma

Re: Holiday Charges? - 09/07/15 05:33 PM

Pick up or set off all traps on Friday. Reset on Tuesday. I do work some holidays, depends on what the family is doing. If I do work them I don't charge more.
Posted By: DaveK

Re: Holiday Charges? - 09/07/15 05:34 PM

How do you handle one of the Ten Commandments?
Posted By: Paul Winkelmann

Re: Holiday Charges? - 09/07/15 06:11 PM

Dave, I try to keep the Sabbath day Holy by remembering what day it is and having purer thoughts. ( At my age, purer actions are no

problem ) Having said that, the only Sunday that we attend church is usually just Easter. Thursday night and Saturday night services

are attended regularly however.
Posted By: Muddawg

Re: Holiday Charges? - 09/07/15 06:27 PM

Paul,

If I have traps out, one day is just like the next. I know when I set my traps on Monday that they will likely stay in place over at least one weekend. Same goes with my fur trapping line. I still have to go check on Saturdays and Sundays and as it was this week, a holiday. Price doesn't change.

BUT.... If the customer insist that I MUST come out on the off day, then I charge extra. For example, if I do an inspection, it's normally 85 bucks if it doesn't go over an hour. But, if they can only meet me on the weekend or a holiday, I inform them that it will be double. Then they come back with, "Ahm,... Monday will be fine."

If it's a situation that I know I can't get back there for a couple days, then I either pull my traps or wire them open until I get back.
Posted By: Throw Back

Re: Holiday Charges? - 09/07/15 08:47 PM

Cant pass it onto the customer, but you could give the employee a thank you gift for labor day. I am dropping off two boxes of shells for my employee who is going on a dove hunt this evening.
Posted By: Paul Winkelmann

Re: Holiday Charges? - 09/07/15 09:01 PM

Maybe I could give him a new flashlight for the one he dropped off the roof. Oh, wait a minute. He already swiped that new one when I

wasn't looking. By now I'm sure he's left that one somewhere. Do they make a flashlight that hangs around your neck?
Posted By: HD_Wildlife

Re: Holiday Charges? - 09/07/15 09:33 PM

Why not line out which holidays are ones that are paid, decide on a dollar per hour rate of increase that is agreeable and call it a day.

When I worked for numerous companies ranging from call centers to suoermarkets way back when they all had holiday pay...

Might be $1.00 per hr but was enough for most to trade people to pick up those shifts.

....

Related to the customers if trap checks must be done every so many hrs seems like you'd be in a bind with holidays, but I realize few states have regs that restrict at this juncture.
Posted By: Paul Winkelmann

Re: Holiday Charges? - 09/07/15 10:38 PM

Justin, Wisconsin has 24 hour trap checks and anybody can check the traps but if the animal is in there more than a day, the company

doing the work ( That's us ) will pay the fine if it's reported. The cages can also be confiscated but are usually returned if you

don't act like a jerk. Our guys get a percentage so we're not going to start any kind of hourly deal. We only schedule emergencies on

holidays and I will gladly do them if necessary. If all 10 of us work on a holiday we can usually be done by 10 in the morning. This

makes it nice for everyone. Unfortunately there are always a couple of guys who think they are special but we're trying to make it

fair for everyone. I've been doing this the longest and I guess I'm one of those guys who still really enjoys it, which means I'm

probably nuts but you already knew that.
Posted By: HD_Wildlife

Re: Holiday Charges? - 09/07/15 10:47 PM

That's a good answer Paul.

smile

(Including the nuts part!)

The looks I get while conducting pigeon dropping mitigation
always look like folks must think... "Poor guy, what a horrible job."

In reality cleaning up those droppings and working for myself
Is better than any day in the office I've ever had...

Love what you do or why do it, life is too short!
Posted By: DaveK

Re: Holiday Charges? - 09/07/15 10:51 PM

I bet those couple special guys could be replaced with a couple that didn't think they were so special. Problem solved.
Posted By: HD_Wildlife

Re: Holiday Charges? - 09/07/15 10:55 PM

DaveK's got it! Lol!
Posted By: TRapper

Re: Holiday Charges? - 09/07/15 11:42 PM

I keep prices same...emergency calls thougg i really dont have a set price on...i just ask where they are located and adjust for my time away from whatever i was doing
Posted By: 80C

Re: Holiday Charges? - 09/08/15 05:32 AM

Man I want to talk about this one but need a keyboard for serious dialogue smile
Posted By: Bob Jameson

Re: Holiday Charges? - 09/08/15 11:48 AM

All I can say about this topic is if I am going to be inconvenienced to one degree or another at the time of the call, the price will reflect as it should.

If I am in bed sleeping or about to, they will pay more.

If I am focused on a formulation of a product and cant really be interrupted or have people at the shop helping or bottling product which my direction and supervision is needed and I must leave, they pay more.

If I am working around the farm and I need to get things done and that was the only opportunity I had to handle things they pay more.

I guess the list goes on. Most every industry has off hours or emergency service charges I am sure. Once you pay your dues most adjust their response to this question. I have developed the philosophy over time that if they want me to respond to their problem on their terms and time frame that they will need to accept my fee on my terms or they can keep calling around.

Most people ( customers ) know and expect there to be an additional fee and generally the reply is, I don't care what the price is, I want you to come. So how do you pass that one up.

Just my .02 cents on this topic. That is how I have learned to roll over the years. If you feel it is just another call to you so be it. However I value and need my time as well to get other things done. So if you want to take me away from my scheduled plans that have priority at that particular time then you will have to accept my terms.

Many times no one else wants to take their call or respond so many times I was the only game in town so they can pay the fee or wait until the rate is what is considered a normal work day/hour rate. They have a choice as do I.

I guess in the end decision it is a matter of how much you value your skill set and time when you get such a call. Each time may catch you feeling a little differently. So if you feel generous or just had a long arduous day the outcome of your decision may vary for each of us. But at some point someone is going to pay. smile

I rest my case.
Posted By: TRapper

Re: Holiday Charges? - 09/08/15 11:53 PM

Agree bob...if i am headed to go fishing my fee doubles or sometimes triples...i dont tell em i am going fishing but really it deoends on my mood and what i am doing at the time of the call
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