Debate: Should we charge a trip fee or roll it into the labor rate?

I was out at a job in Maplewood last week fixing a washer that had a bad lid switch. While I was there, the customer asked why I charge a $45 trip fee on top of my hourly rate. I told her it covers my gas and time to get there, but she pointed out other repair guys just quote one flat price that covers everything. It got me thinking - do you guys prefer a separate trip fee so the customer sees that cost clearly, or do you blend it into your labor rate to make the bill look simpler? Has anyone here switched from one method to the other and noticed a difference in how many calls you get?

2 comments

2 Comments

nelson.cameron25d ago

Blending the fee hides your true cost from customers comparing flat-rate competitors.

angela_allen5324d ago

Oh come on, that's not really fair! Blending the fee actually makes things clearer for customers who just want a simple price to compare. Flat-rate competitors are the ones hiding stuff, like when they charge extra for delivery or rush jobs that you don't find out about until checkout. A blended fee just means the total cost is right there upfront with no surprises, so you know exactly what you're paying. It's way more honest than listing a low base price and then adding on a bunch of hidden charges later. Customers aren't stupid - they can look at a blended fee and compare it to other quotes easily enough.

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