Guide
How to Handle 'While You're Here' Requests Without Derailing the Job
Set a rule: extra work needs a quick estimate and approval before starting—no exceptions. Use a one-line change order: what was added, price, and customer approval (signature or text). If it adds more than 30 minutes, schedule a follow-up so the day doesn't collapse. Train techs to say: I can do that; here's the price and time. Add it today or schedule later? When you're ready for software, look for change orders tied to the job and approval capture so you have proof.
For teams where customers ask for extra work during the job and techs either say yes and run late or say no and leave money on the table.
Next: Use the change-order rule on the next 5 'while you're here' requests and note whether jobs still finish on time.
The situation
A customer asks for extra work while you're on-site. Without a clear process, you either say yes and run late, or say no and leave money and trust on the table.
The goal is simple: capture what they want, give a quick price, get a clear yes, then do the work. No surprise bill, no blown schedule.
Small crews feel this most: one tech, one day, so every extra 20 minutes adds up and the next customer pays for it. A simple rule and a one-line change order keep the day intact and give you proof if they dispute the charge later.
What usually causes problems
- No clear rule for when to say yes or no—so techs improvise and results vary.
- Pricing for extra work is unclear or discussed after the work is done.
- Extra work starts without approval or time estimate, so the next job gets pushed.
- Customer says “just do it” but later disputes the charge because nothing was written down.
Quick fixes you can try this week
- Set a rule: extra work requires a quick estimate and approval before starting. No exceptions.
- Use a simple change order: one line for the extra work, one line for price, one line for customer approval (signature or text “yes”).
- If extra work adds more than 30 minutes, schedule it as a separate visit so the day doesn’t collapse.
- Train techs to say: “I can do that; here’s the price and time. Should I add it today or schedule a follow-up?”
If you're ready: what to look for
- Change order templates tied to each job so the office sees what was added.
- Quick estimate tools for on-site extra work so the tech isn’t guessing.
- Customer approval capture (signature or text) so you have proof if they dispute later.
Mistakes to avoid
- Starting extra work without approval or pricing—you’ll eat the cost or fight later.
- Saying yes to everything and running behind—one late job turns into a cascade.
- Surprising customers with charges after the job—always confirm price before starting.
Take the FSM quick check
Quick checkSee if Field Service Management tools are right for your team.
Take the FSM quick checkRelated templates
Copy-paste scripts and checklists for this pain: