Another BG saga

[fitz1]

got a call on friday at about 10 am. BG been to repair boiler(worcester heatslave) overheat stat knackered and obsolete . Retired couple would have to have a replacement combi costing 2700 quid.Called at my parts supplier and sure enough there was a stat. 25 + vat. Finished my job and went and fitted stat. job done for less than 100 quid by 2pm.

 

[Corgigrouch]

Ha! Tell me about it. it is rare that I cant repair a BG "Obsolete" boiler... Plenty of my regular customers have come to me after a BG visit..90% of my work is repairs and servicing.

Unfortunately BG have managed to tempt a lot of people with their £156 one price repair fee which is a great marketing tool for them. It gets their man in the door to condemn the boiler and hey presto.. another new boiler fitted where there was no real need

 

[ollski]

The overheat stats are obsolete, have been now for about 12 months for the 9.24s and highflows.

 

[Corgigrouch]

Hmmm Obsolete, perhaps but still available as a quick trip to parts center has demonstrated... It gives the customer time to consider his options on having a new boiler fitted at a more convenient time

 

[corgiman]

BG do this alot and its a shame

 

[Corgigrouch]

I wish I could look someone in the eye and say "That'll be £156 qiud for a new thermocouple"... But on the same score how much are the circuit boards for the Ideal isar?

 

[ollski]

I wish I could look someone in the eye and say "That'll be £156 qiud for a new thermocouple"... But on the same score how much are the circuit boards for the Ideal isar?

I've seen plenty of unvented cylinders replaced for 156 quid

 

[numpty1]

I've seen plenty of unvented cylinders replaced for 156 quid

i would bet you have seen more thermocouples charged at £156 THAN UNVENTEDS

 

[ollski]

I've seen plenty of unvented cylinders replaced for 156 quid

i would bet you have seen more thermocouples charged at £156 THAN UNVENTEDS

You can bet me but you'd lose, its a loss making offer with the hope of gaining a lifelong customer.The commonest job I ever saw on this was a response hx.

 

[twgas]

agreed £156 for t/couple is dear, however customers like the fact that they know exactly what they will pay for repair. If nobody took up the offer (except the unventeds, pcbs and heat exchangers the offer would have stopped a long time ago

 

[scatmanjohn]

I wish I could look someone in the eye and say "That'll be £156 qiud for a new thermocouple"... But on the same score how much are the circuit boards for the Ideal isar?

So whats your point?

 

[Corgigrouch]

I wish I could look someone in the eye and say "That'll be £156 qiud for a new thermocouple"... But on the same score how much are the circuit boards for the Ideal isar?

So whats your point?

It was a half hearted attempt to be fair and even handed in the face of a large cooperation who wishes to work for a loss in order to increase market share.. I'm really glad that BG can afford to work for a loss...Can you?

 

[Corgigrouch]

agreed £156 for t/couple is dear, however customers like the fact that they know exactly what they will pay for repair. If nobody took up the offer (except the unventeds, pcbs and heat exchangers the offer would have stopped a long time ago

I do accept that this does highlight a major flaw in the business practice of many of those who carry out boiler repairs, so many customers really don't know just how much the final bill will be until the job is done with many parts replaced needlessly, however there are also many very good gas men out there who are fair and honest, I do like to think that I am one who is fair and honest, the price that I quote is the price that the customer pays which is a good incentive to take care that my initial diagnosis is right

 

[namsag]

BG will be making money on this even if they fit the odd unvented,otherwise they would not offer it. It may be tied into future sales and customer retention and only they would know the exact figures and calcs.
Thing to remember is it is only one fault and part(s) associated for this fixed price anything alse is extra

 

[Corgigrouch]

I suspect that a lot of perfectly servicable but older boilers will be replaced because BG do not stock the parts...Heard that from quite a few customers.

I'm not au fait on unvented tanks, but do they not have a 10 year guarantee and are they not a pretty recent introduction to the UK? in which case a reasonable number of failed unvented tanks will still be under warranty. BG would simply ship them back to the manufacturer for a replacement...No?

As in all of these cases the accountants are in charge, to many big companies, market share is more important to them than profit...At the moment.