Don’T Let A Customer Compromise Policy

[Joe Marconi]

Don’t Let A Customer Compromise Policy

 

A women came to the shop a few weeks ago asking for a donation for her son’s baseball team. The woman has come to us for minor service work a few times, but not one of our loyal regulars.

 

After we gave her the donation, she thanked us and made an appointment for her car. It had a check engine light on and “claimed” it was diagnosed at another shop. When she brought the car in for her appointment, my service manager explained to her that we needed to obtain certain information from the on board computer and then discuss what tests would be needed to determine the cause of the problem. She was vehemently against paying any testing charges, stating that the car is already diagnosed and it needs a catalytic converter. She said, “Just put the catalytic converter in, no other charges." When my service advisor asks why the other shop didn’t do the work, she said, “Your shop gave me a donation, so I wanted to show my appreciation and come to you."

 

After a few rounds of trying to reason with the customer and against his better judgment, he agreed to just install the converter.

 

Well, guess what? Yes, the car is now back with the check engine light again, and with the same code. My service manager at this point explained that this would have been avoided if we only followed our policies and procedures and properly tested and diagnosed the car. She stated, “I never told you NOT to diagnose the car, I just didn’t want to pay for the diagnostic charges again.”

 

No amount of reasoning would sink into this women’s brain (or lack of a brain) and we now have to start from scratch to see why the check engine light is on.

 

The lesson: Don’t let anyone sway you away from proper procedure or policy. In the end WE were wrong and now we have to make it right. A lesson for all of us.

[FROGFINDER]

Asking the customer questions and listening to the request.I will invest in the diagnosis and train the customer how the receive my attention and help in the future. I will explain if I have found a system malfunction that will ruin the Catalytic Converter in short order. You got to offer Good,Better,Best and let the customer decide up front. Detail all repairs and what the customer declines on the invoice. It is alway's tough with the older/higher mileage cars that come in with many issues of age/abuse/neglect.

 

 

ps: I have started relationships with the very type problems bur we pressed on-got the car fixed and the customer referred many customers.

[phynny]

Acutally that happens to us a lot. They will get the car "diagnosed" at Advance Auto or by Google and they come and want us to replace a part. I actually don't mind it anymore as in the end it almost never fixes the problem and we end up charging them and correctly fixing the car. Those customers actually become some of our best because they finally realize only a real mechanic can fix a real problem.

[Oviedo Auto Repair]

Given all that, and the customer still wants us to do the work. Do it, with a verbal & written statement re what you suggested, or customer rufuse work, then get into a little detail. Protect yourself with photos, texts and emails too.

[ScottSpec]

If a customer comes in with an already diagnosed issue, we try to hard to get them to see the value in having the diagnoses confirmed. But if they insist, we make sure they understand that they are purchasing parts and labor not a repair. We make no guarantees, and we usually end up making more money since there original diagnoses is incorrect quite often.

 

Scott

[mspecperformance]

If a customer comes in with an already diagnosed issue, we try to hard to get them to see the value in having the diagnoses confirmed. But if they insist, we make sure they understand that they are purchasing parts and labor not a repair. We make no guarantees, and we usually end up making more money since there original diagnoses is incorrect quite often.

 

Scott

 

I do the same however i can see how this can backfire. In my area at the very least (I am sure you see the same but maybe to a lesser degree) I find that people here are irrational. No matter what you tell them, they can be driven by emotion. They can agree to the repair and now it doesn't fix their problem. They are upset and in a negative mood that is now associated with your shop. Sure you can make an extra buck now for added work/diag however you potentially have a customer whom will not bring their car back due to the negative feelings towards paying 2x. Although I am with you on what you are doing since I do the same I also cringe when it doesn't work out for the customer because I am always thinking about how to make my customer songbirds for my business.