Renewing service contracts without losing customers

Most contracts lapse because nobody asked, not because the customer was unhappy. A calendar and two messages fix that.

When to ask

Forty-five days before: check the equipment is in order and plan the last visit of the term.
Thirty days before: send the renewal message with the price.
On the day: a short reminder if you have no answer.
One week after: a call. Contracts that lapse for a month are hard to win back.

Price a renewal fairly

Look at what the contract cost you: visits, parts that were not charged and your travel. If your costs rose, say so and show the new price before the old contract ends. A small, explained rise is accepted far more easily than a surprise. If you offer a discount for paying early or for two years at once, check it against your margin first.

What to say

Hello [name], your service contract for [equipment] ends on [date]. Thank you for your trust. To renew for another year, the fee is [amount]. Please reply and I will arrange the paperwork and the first visit.

Use the tracker

The contract tracker works out the renewal date from the start date and the length, and lists contracts renewing within 30 days. After a renewal, change the start date to the new one and record the new fee.

Write the terms down

A contract should say what is covered, what is not, how many visits, how fast you respond, the price and when it ends. Ask a lawyer for a standard form that suits your trade; rules about contracts and consumer rights differ by place and this site does not state them.

Common questions

Should I renew automatically?

Only if the customer agreed to it in writing and the rules where you work allow it. Otherwise ask each time.

What if the customer says the price is too high?

Offer a lighter plan, with fewer visits, rather than a deep cut. A smaller contract keeps the relationship.

Keep going

The registers keep their data in your own browser and send nothing to us. Names, numbers and prices in the examples are made up. No law, tax, consumer or guest-registration rule is stated here: check local rules where they matter. Checked 14 November 2026.