How would you handle this situation

[5 Star Auto Spa]

About a month ago one of my newer general service techs ended up doing an oil change on a vehicle and did not fill it with oil and pulled it out. The customer ended up going down the block and had to stop the vehicle and call us. We told him to wait where he was and NOT to drive the vehicle and we would send a technician out to where he was located. He ended up driving the vehicle back to our shop. Our lead technician poured oil into the vehicle but noted that there was a ticking noise that sounded like it could be from driving the vehicle with no oil. Instead of trying to piece meal the repair, we decided to buy the customer a replacement engine with the same mileage that the vehicle had when it came for the initial oil change. We ended up replacing the engine and verifying that the sound was gone before returning the vehicle back to the customer. That happened about a month ago and just a couple days ago the customer called in stating the vehicle is over heating. From the way he spoke on the phone and interacting with this customer, it seems as though he believes anything that goes wrong with the vehicle, even if it is not related to what we replaced, should be covered by us. I know we made the initial mistake (that tech is no longer with our company), but I feel as though we have done our due diligence to give the customer back the vehicle in the same condition he brought it to us. Do we continue to fix this customers vehicle? Do you tell him that we have done everything we are going to do? How have you or would you handle this type of situation?

[phynny]

We had a similar problem awhile back. We replaced an engine and a small coolant leak due to the old hose clamp caused a sensor to fail and the car went into limp mode.

 

After that everything that happened to the car was our fault. There where 2 brake switch recalls and though we never touched that system we replaced it twice more for the customer. They also had an airbag light coming on intermittently and it was on when we received the car they wanted us to fix it...

 

I finally told them we would gladly work on their car but they would be paying from then on. I explained to them that he engine also ran fine until the day it didn't and just because we replaced the engine did't mean we warranties the whole car. I don't believe you can please a customer like that and really don't want their business.

[nmikmik]

I believe in communication, maybe not always but most of the time.

Invite the customer to the shop when there is nobody but you and the customer. Do not start with the apologies, because it sets the wrong tone to the conversation in my opinion.

Try to show him

a. The age of his car

b. In general what are the chances that engine would overheat regardless

c. Chronologically show him the benefits he has gotten from your shop. There is no saying, he might have the original engine overheat or clunk on him the very same day if he did not even show up at your place.

 

Make a plan for the "Damage Control" regardless of the outcome of your meeting.

btw, was there any warranty on the engine you have installed for him?

Good luck!