After-hours service is field work performed outside a company's normal operating hours, typically evenings, overnight, weekends and holidays, usually for urgent problems and usually billed at a higher rate than daytime work.
How after-hours service is measured
Check whether after-hours calls cover what they cost you.
After-hours margin = (Revenue − Labor at after-hours pay − Parts − Vehicle cost) ÷ Revenue
Drive share = Drive time ÷ (Drive time + On-site time)
Say a night call bills $450. The technician spends 1 hour on site and 1 hour driving there and back, paid at $60 an hour including the after-hours premium, so labor is $120. Parts are $80 and vehicle cost for the trip is $25. Margin is ($450 − $120 − $80 − $25) ÷ $450 = 50%. Drive share is 1 ÷ 2 = 50%, so half of the paid time was in the truck.
Why it matters
After-hours calls behave differently from daytime work:
- One truck covers everything. During the day, the nearest truck takes the call. At night, the on-call technician takes every call, wherever it is.
- Drives start from home. Travel is often longer, and the first drive is paid labor.
- Customers expect speed. A long wait at night feels longer than during the day.
That is why most companies charge a premium, an after-hours trip charge or both. The field service pricing guide covers how to set those rates from your own costs. Staffing usually runs through an on-call rotation.
Some companies limit after-hours work to true emergencies and book everything else for the next morning. The trade is customer goodwill against technician fatigue and cost. Rules on overtime and premium pay vary by jurisdiction; this page does not give labor-law advice.
CrewLink does not handle after-hours pricing or answering. Where it applies is the next morning: an emergency that runs late shifts where a truck starts, and the dispatch board computes travel from where the truck will actually be. See also emergency call scheduling.
A common mistake
Pricing after-hours calls on the job time alone. The drive is longer, it is paid at a higher rate, and it is often a single job per trip. Build the drive into the rate, or the busiest nights lose money.
Related terms
- On-call rotation is how after-hours coverage is staffed.
- Emergency call scheduling handles urgent work in the regular day.
- Response time is what after-hours customers judge you on.
Common questions
What counts as after hours?
Whatever falls outside the hours you publish. Many companies define it as evenings after a set time, weekends and listed holidays.
Should after-hours service cost more?
Most companies charge more because labor costs more and each trip usually serves one job. Set the premium from your own costs.
Can you decline after-hours calls?
Yes. Many companies triage by phone and book non-urgent issues for the next business day.