ComplaintsforBig Sky Electric, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  05/08/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I called and made an appointment for three outlets to be serviced, two to be installed and another to be changed out. When I called and spoke with the office assistant, she told me it would be $129 for the first hour/service fee, and an additional hourly rate of $95. I told her what I needed and requested an exterior outlet to be placed, an interior stair outlet to be changed as it was flashing, and a hot tub exterior outlet to be placed. I was told I had an end of day appointment but should be able to get it all done. Day of appointment I called to verify the electrician was coming, and they said he would call when he was on his way. He called after 4 pm, arrived at 430 and left at 505. He installed one exterior outlet, didn't have parts for the stair light, and said he wasn't able to install the hot tub that day because of time restraints, but would come back. We were deciding on wall placement and said when you come back well have it figured out. He said ok, I asked if we would be charged another service fee for coming back since he couldn't complete the job and he said he didn't think so but he would have to talk to his boss. He texted a couple days later and said he needed to order the light for steps. This is where the conversation stopped. I then got a bill via email for his time that was for 1.8 hours. I called the business to correct the charges and get an explanation, I was told that it included drive time and any other stops the driver needed for supplies. However, he said he didn't stop to get supplies and came straight from another job because it was so late in the day. I was told its not their business practice to tell the customer the specifics of fees, and I wasn't informed. I would not have used them as I don't think its fair to pay outrageous fees for a drive time and whatever stops the driver needs. He was at our home for 35 minutes and we are being charged for 1.8 hours! Unacceptable business practice. Office states they have done nothing wrong.

  Business response

  05/09/2023

  When the customer initially called in to our office on 04/14/23 to request service, she asked what our rates are. Our office staff provided the following rates: "A service call fee of $129.00 which includes the first hour and $95/hr. thereafter plus whatever materials are used." This is the standard answer and rate that we provide to any customer who requests this information.

  As noted in our internal office notes attached, ******* had a couple of different projects she was looking to have done depending on cost and time it would take to complete. For billing purposes, our techs clock in to each job when they call the customer to confirm the appointment and clock out when they are back to our shop.  Upon calling to confirm the appointment, our tech was able to confirm what parts would be needed for one of the projects, but the customer was unsure on parts needed for the other project or even whether or not they were even going to move forward with it. Our tech collected the parts needed for the one service (Adding a **** outlet) and drove to the jobsite which is approximately 30 minutes from our shop depending on traffic. The tech was on site for a total of about 40 minutes installing the **** and discussing with the customer what their options were for the other project they had mentioned. 

  We sent the bill on 05/05/23  for time (1.8 hours with 1 hour at $129 and .8 at $95) and materials used ($67 worth). 

  On 05/08/23 ****************** called our office and stated she would not be paying the bill we sent her because she thought it was too much and that drive time should be free. I explained that we have to (and always do) bill for the time that we pay our employees to get to a job and that is part of what our $129 service call fee includes. ****************** said that if she had known that we charge for travel time, she would have called an electrician who was closer, and stated that she would be reporting ** to the BBB. She also stated that "most companies" do not charge for travel time, but those that do, charge customers for bathroom stops, stopping to get coffee, etc. I assured her that I would double-check to confirm that no non-job related stops were made along the way to her project.  We have GPS tracking on our employees' work phones used to clock into jobs and would certainly take exception to employees making personal stops (bathroom breaks excluded) in company vehicles. No additional stops were made on the way to ********************** job. Our pricing is fair and competitive and was duly disclosed to the customer.

   

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