Posted 08-31-09
MARIETTA, GA (August, 2009) Coolray is leading the way for the heating, cooling, and plumbing industry by utilizing the practice of flat rate pricing - a practice that looks out for the customer. According to Ken Haines, President of Coolray, “We always offer a firm quote on the cost of your repairs up front. You should NEVER have to pay the price for slow service, but that is often the case with heating, cooling and plumbing contractors who charge by the hour instead of the job.” There are two types of pricing used in this industry: Labor (time) and Materials and Flat Rate Pricing.
Labor (time) and Materials is generally called “parts and labor”. With this type of pricing structure you are quoted an hourly rate for the service technician or crew, plus the cost of parts, refrigerants and supplies. The concern for this type of pricing is that it focuses on how long it takes to get the job done, which increases if the technician has to leave to get more parts. The homeowner bears more of the risk in this case if the repair drags on for hours.
With flat rate pricing, however, the service technician has a manual that tells them how long it should take to fix the problem that has been diagnosed, usually to a fraction of an hour. He or she takes this standard number in dollars, adds the price of the parts and tax and the total is the flat rate price you get quoted for the whole repair. This method rewards fast workers and reduces disagreements with customers over repair time.
Haines states, “Because we charge by the job, you never pay an exaggerated hourly rate or for run-around time for parts and other materials. To help reduce your inconvenience, we stock our trucks with every imaginable tool and part, and train our technicians to do the job efficiently and correctly… the first time.” Haines feels that by removing the clock emphasis, their technicians don’t feel pressured to hurry, which might cause mistakes, but can take the time necessary to make sure the job is done right.
According to a February 2003 article, Choosing a Heating and Air Conditioning Contractor, in the Victoria Advocate, "The most reputable contractors offer ‘flat rate’ pricing which takes all the mystery out of the billing, because one flat rate is charged for any particular job."
Coolray Heating and Cooling is a family-owned business, founded in 1966 by Ray Fossel. They serve the greater Atlanta area with offices in both Marietta and Jonesboro, Georgia and a staff of more than 190 employees. Coolray has a national reputation for superior technical skills in heating, air conditioning, plumbing, septic and air quality systems.
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