Why the fee has to be said on the phone
The most expensive night call is the one where the tech drives 30 minutes at 2am, and the customer hears the price at the door and decides to wait until morning. The fix is simple and almost never done consistently: say the fee before dispatch.
Owners know this. But at 2am, half asleep, or through an answering service operator, the fee gets skipped, mumbled or "the tech will explain it".
Choose the structure
| Structure | How it sounds | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Flat fee, credited toward the repair | "$189, credited toward the repair" | Most plumbing and HVAC companies |
| Flat fee, separate from the repair | "$150 call-out, then the repair is quoted on site" | Locksmiths, garage doors |
| After-hours rate | "$150 an hour after hours" | IT support, electrical |
| No fee to the caller | Skip the step | Property managers (tenants don't pay) |
Whatever you choose, keep it to one sentence. Ranges and conditions confuse a stressed caller and invite argument later.
When to say it
Order matters. Too early and it sounds like you care more about money than their flooded kitchen. Too late and you've already woken someone.
- Listen to the problem, give any safety guidance (shut-off, breaker, 911).
- Confirm it's an emergency under your rules.
- Take the address.
- State the fee and ask: "Do you want me to send someone tonight?"
- Yes: dispatch, with "fee agreed" in the page. No: book the first morning slot.
Our after-hours emergency visit is $189, and it's credited toward the repair. Do you want me to send someone tonight?
Yes, please send someone.
Fee agreed: $189 · consent recorded on transcript · paging on-call tech
Record the yes
A recorded yes ends the doorstep argument. Put it in the tech's page ("customer agreed to the $189 fee") and keep it on the call record. If you want payment upfront, text the caller your own payment link after they agree; more in should you collect the fee before dispatch?.
For exact wording, see the emergency service fee script.
What Josie does
- Emergency Fee Consent + Payment Link: States your after-hours fee and gets a clear yes before anyone is woken. Can text a payment link.
- 24/7 Emergency Line: Answers every after-hours call and sorts real emergencies from routine jobs with your rules.
- On-Call Paging + Schedules: Calls your on-call tech with the details. Press 1 to accept. No answer? Next person, then you.
- For your trade: 24/7 Emergency Answering Service for Home Service Companies
Common questions
How much should an after-hours emergency fee be?
It depends on your market and trade. Many businesses set a flat fee that covers the tech's time to get there and credit it toward the repair. See after-hours rates for plumbers and HVAC for how to price it.
When should I tell the customer about the emergency fee?
After confirming it is a real emergency and taking the address, but before anyone is dispatched. Ask a direct yes-or-no question.
What if the customer says no to the fee?
Offer the first slot the next morning and book it. Nobody gets woken and the job isn't lost.
What does HireJosie cost?
HireJosie is $29/month for 200 AI minutes, starting with a 7-day free trial — cancel before day 7 and you pay nothing. Pro is $79/month for 500 minutes, with $0.25/minute overage after that. Every feature is on every plan, and every plan starts with a 7-day free trial.