warranty fee/ travel charge

[hottub.pool_boy]

Now I know this is going to strike a cord with many here.
We are a dealer that does NOT charge an extra travel/ fuel/ or trip charge under warranty or not.

What I'd like to know from the spa owners here is--presuming: Spas under warranty and you were charged a travel/ fuel/ or trip charge.

1. Upon purchasing spa did they say there was a fee?

2.Upon your call to the dealer for service, did they tell you there was a fee?

3.Did you find out about the fee by receiving a bill?

4.Were you upset when you received the bill for the fee?

5.Did this affect in any way your perception of the dealer and any referrals you may give him?

6.If you did not expect a fee, do you now accept the fact you'll be charged for each and every visit to the spa. Does the dealer now tell you "this is what every dealer charges."

7. If the dealer told you at the time of the sale/ set-up/ or orientation of the spa would it have been acceptable then?

We've toyed with the idea of a travel charge. Most any spa warranty allows for a reasonable dealer travel fee/ trip charge.  

[wmccall]

When I bought my spa, the dealer/owner told me that they charged a $25 fee, but only charged it for user induced problems that weren't underwarranty and even then usually only for the 2nd or third time.  Since they were the only Dynasty dealer in Ohio at the time they reserved the right to charge that fee for customers more than an hour away. Even then they didn't always charge that fee.

Once the dealer closed Dynasty contracted with some of those techs and the were up front about a $29 fee. The one time I needed it,  tried to give the Tech $40 as our ATM doesn't have $5 or$10s, but he wouldn't take it.

[Tatooed_Lady]

my HS dealer doesn't charge for service fees if you bought your spa through them (I don't know the distance they'll go for free, but I'm only a few miles from their store).....they WILL, however, charge fees if it's a spa NOT bought through them....but here's a perk for those that didn't purchase thru them: first trip out is free.....after that, I'm not sure the cost, but it seems that they're at least making an effort to keep people happy.

[tootsie]

My dealer handed me a flourescent pink piece of paper with the summary of warranty terms on it, and speifically pointed out that for the first 3 years there is no charge for warranty work,  4th and 5th year a reasonable travel charge would be charged.

The fact that he pointed it out and didn't try to hide it, I won't have a problem paying a travel charge if the need arises.

[spa_dr.]

I didn't charge a "trip charge" until last summer. When gas is $3.00 + I had to change that policy. It was not profitable to do service any more. Now I charge a flat rate of $20.00 it helps cover the expence of fuel and reduces the number of "my spa has an air lock" calls. the only exception to that rule is with Cal Spas. I do charge a $75.00 trip charge with them because you never know if they are going to honor the warranty or not and when they do its "product credit". Sorry but I need to get paid.

[GoBlue]

I just purchased my spa and my dealer did not mention any type of trip charge. Nor have I found anything in the paprework.  I would be very vocal if I was charged a trip charge in the future. Changing the terms of the warranty (adding a trip charge) would be very bad form.  If gas prices are adversly affecting profits, raise your prices on new items. Don't backend a customer with a trip charge.  

It would be like taking an automobile to the dealer for warranty work and have the dealer charge you an extra fee because his electricity bill wnt up and he had to use alead light to look under the hood.  It would be the last new car I bought from them.  Get it?

[J._McD]

This is both a difficult and delicate subject for dealers who want to sell Hot Tubs, Care for their customers, Render prompt service, Compete with competitors for business, Have the lowest or most competitive price possible to get the shoppers business, AND stay in business with escalating business expenses.

Everything seem to be tied to fuel prices.  Freight for a Hot Tub is $355 (more or less depending on geography) carries an additional 12% fuel charge of $42.60 to the dealers.  Gas and Electric Store Utilities have risen substantially in the past 2-3 years, vehicle fuel prices have risen 30% to 40%, and Services that we require have additional "surcharges" or "travel charges".   A recent service bill at the FORD dealership included an additional $25 charge for "miscellaneous supplies".

I would be VERY interested in knowing HOW we can handle these ISSUES and still compete with low prices and multiple water testing of spas that need to be moved around and filled in order to get the shoppers business, especially, with all due respect, when he is water testing like Duffman and others that have posted here, when they will only buy ONE Hot Tub after testing so many others.

As Dealers, we are all looking for ways to do this, especially when you want to be responsive to All consumer needs like:
the GFCI is tripping,
the ozonator is not working,
I am not getting any Ozone bubbles,
the functions don't work correctly,
the water is cold,
the stereo only gets static,
the cover lifter dosen't work correctly,
the pumps are running when they shouldn't be,
the jets don't spin or have no water flow,
the Hot Tub is leaking and losing water,
the pumps are not working,
the jets are not as powerful as they once were,
the cover stitching is coming out,
the cover locks fell off and don't work,
NOTHING WORKS,
THE WATER IS CLOUDY

And then, when you travel 35 miles one way to get out there, 70 miles round trip, you spend an hour investigating everything after restting the breaker, take the dirty filter out, rotating the face of the jet, remove the electrocuted mouse, reprogram the spa controls setting the correct time and you find NO manufacturer defect or warranty problem that caused the symptom to occur.  you spend 3½ hours of time plus vehicle expenses.

If we charge a fee, it is NATURALLY ASSUMED that this is a WARRANTY Service Call and there should be NO CHARGE.

What Would You Suggest We Do?


I told one shopper that we charge a trip charge for non-warranty calls and he abruptly walked out.  When I called a few days later, he told me he bought a Hot Tub with a $5,000 Cash Rebate and told me where to shove my honesty and integrity.  4 Months later he called us for service when his dealer closed and moved out without notice.  Sorry Charlie was all I could say.

Keep in mind, every individual shopper / customer is a different personality that you must cajole and cater to to get his business, keep him happy and get referrals.  Offend them in any way and suffer the consequences, BUT that dosen't seem to happen to Sam's, Costco, Home Depot or the many other discount sellers.  Go figure.

It would be very interesting to understand the consumers point of view and get your feedback on this dilema situation.

[GoBlue]

1. Educate the customer.  When I bought my first house, years ago, the real estate person sat with my wife and I and explained the whole home buying process.  There were no surprizes later. If you go out on a service call that turns out to be customer caused, you should ask yourself if the customer was educated enough to fix the problem. Explain your charges in advance rather than let the customer think every trip is covered under the warranty. Usually, an informed customer will not sue you for breach of contract if you change the the warranty conditions after the sale. Also, the more the customer knows, the less they will muck things up.  My dealer showed me how to purge the air from the pumps to avoid an airlock service call.

2. Respect the customer. Treat them like an adult and don't act like a used car salesman with "one day only pricing" , inflated MSRPs, or TV ads that say "No spa over 3995".  I just got back from the grocery.  Prices were plainly marked and I didn't have to dicker on the gallon of milk.  Some of us don't go to Costco, Sams and Walmart. We don't enjoy that type of shopping  experience.

my thoughts as a customer and an owner of a service company. But I've been accused of spoling my customers.

[jsimo7]

1. Educate the customer.  When I bought my first house, years ago, the real estate person sat with my wife and I and explained the whole home buying process.  There were no surprizes later. If you go out on a service call that turns out to be customer caused, you should ask yourself if the customer was educated enough to fix the problem. Explain your charges in advance rather than let the customer think every trip is covered under the warranty. Usually, an informed customer will not sue you for breach of contract if you change the the warranty conditions after the sale. Also, the more the customer knows, the less they will muck things up.  My dealer showed me how to purge the air from the pumps to avoid an airlock service call.

2. Respect the customer. Treat them like an adult and don't act like a used car salesman with "one day only pricing" , inflated MSRPs, or TV ads that say "No spa over 3995".  I just got back from the grocery.  Prices were plainly marked and I didn't have to dicker on the gallon of milk.  Some of us don't go to Costco, Sams and Walmart. We don't enjoy that type of shopping  experience.

my thoughts as a customer and an owner of a service company. But I've been accused of spoling my customers.

Congrats on your customer service point of view. I bet you will be in business as long as you want to be

[hottub.pool_boy]

Thank you for your input. I'm surprised I haven't heard from more. Maybe it's a off night.

The reason I pose the question, because I see competitors hitting people after the fact with a trip charge and some spa owner take it soo non chalantly. Others get upset and we here about it.  

If we instituted the fee we'd let people know about it.
We are not going to in the foreseeable future, but we can never say never.

[GoBlue]

hpb, I would advise that you let new customers know of trip charges up front, in writing.  Changing the terms of a warranty for existing customers would be a mistake, I feel.  I know a lot of docs have that "sublect to change" clause that our legal eagles add, but be careful. We have different customers on various rate schedules.

[Snowbird]

Everything seem to be tied to fuel prices.  Freight for a Hot Tub is $355 (more or less depending on geography) carries an additional 12% fuel charge of $42.60 to the dealers.  Gas and Electric Store Utilities have risen substantially in the past 2-3 years, vehicle fuel prices have risen 30% to 40%, and Services that we require have additional "surcharges" or "travel charges".   A recent service bill at the FORD dealership included an additional $25 charge for "miscellaneous supplies".  If we charge a fee, it is NATURALLY ASSUMED that this is a WARRANTY Service Call and there should be NO CHARGE.

WOW! Over a year now and still seething venom, lashing out with retaliation, one evil deed deserves another and another, and another.

A day, a month, a year; it doesn't matter.  A deal is a deal and I consider it a point of honor and integrity to hold up my end and I expect the dealer to hold up his.  When they don't, I feel obligated to make sure everyone concerned knows what happened.  At least they will be aware of the dealer's history if they choose to go to him.  That is word of mouth advertising and it is the strongest thing a dealer can have going for him... or against him and he controls which way to will be.

Supppose a customer decided to refuse to pay the full price agreed upon when his spa is delivered because of  $3/gal gas?  How would a dealer react?  He would be mad and take the spa back and probably try to keep the down payment.  So what is the difference between that and the warranty fee you guys are charging?

Remember that a customer just spent big money on a hot tub probably after exhaustive research on something they knew nothing about.  The dealers all had plenty of time to explain their warranty policy.  Once the deal is done a dealer shouldn't be finding ways to add on fees to increase his profit or cover expenses that he failed to factor into the sale.

The customer suffers the same increases the dealer does.  Who does he pass on the increases to?  In my case my company has gone thru bankruptcy.  Over the last 3 years, my annual pay dropped over $25,000, my benefits have been cut, my premiums increased and my pension has defaulted and turned over to the PBGC.  So when a dealer whines about the same $3 per gallon gas that I have to buy, you will understand when I am completely unsympathetic.

If you are a good dealer and the manufacturer wants to keep you, they should be willing to help you with any increased expenses you incur covering their warranty for them.  In response, they will increase their prices and the hidden fees will be covered in future sales.

But don't back door a customer who trusted you.  Your problems are not his problems, but his problems concerning the spa he purchased from you, or a spa that you are factory certified to repair are absolutely your problems.

[Brewman]

 Sundance's warranty states quite clearly that the dealers have the privelege of charging trip fees.
Our dealer chooses not to charge.  
And the time last year that the came out to work on the spa, they didn't charge me anything.

[orlandoguy]

I have an idea.  Be honest, disclose the fees up front, and stick with your word.  

It's a whole lot easier to deal with a fee if it was disclosed up front.

I don't give a s*** what someone quotes a warranty as stating regarding service fees.  I go by what my dealer says when I am writing the check.

[drewstar]

My dealer told me they reserve the right to charge a fee for travel. I was a bit surprised to hear this, but soon found out that it was more the norm than the exception.  

I think the worst thing a dealer can do is set false expectations, or not disclose all the cost.  


J-McD, understand what you are saying, but as a consumer, I sit here and wonder how can  Hotubpool boy not charge, yet you do?

What is Hottubpoolboy doing diferently than other dealers that he can get away without a service fee?