Paying for new parts that aren't used

Refinish King wrote in rec.autos.misc

> A good business owner knows:
>
> Some time spent, is money well invested in keeping a loyal customer
happy.
> Even better yet, forging a relationship with a new loyal customer.
>
> Maybe you're too busy counting pennies, and not making dollars?

I was thinking about this issue earlier, and I realized that this is a
matter of customer service. Something that the automotive world does not
have a clue about. To them, customer service is putting some old chairs
in a corner, supplying bad coffee and old automotive industry mags that
nobody ever reads.
Up until the gas crisis of 1974 gas stations were a full service industry,
in intense competition with each. And they had to compete by giving
good service, good product and good prices. Including top notch mechanics
Nowadays, the gas companies have eliminated the service stations, and all
concept of customer service. Thus, in order to get anything done you have
to go to a tire shop for tires, a quicky oil change shop for the oil,
for all minor and major mechanical jobs you end up going to a dealer or
a shop. And the shops lure people in by offering some kind of discount to
the customers.
30 years ago I could not count the number of gas stations and mechanics
in the immediate area. Now, I can count the number of gas stations on
one hand, and there is exactly one gas station with mechanic within 3
miles. There is no customer service left. Except for you. Thank you.

I am a back yard mechanic, and do my own work. But I have worked in
the computer field for over a decade. And at the first company I worked
for customer service was rated as high as quality of work. And quality
was very important. Our customers expected top quality work right now.
And we delivered, with a smile, and by going that little bit further
than the our competition.

To me, when a shop decided to install plugs for a miss rather than properly
trouble shoot the problem, they should just eat them. They cost the shop
relatively little, and forcing the customer to pay for them will leave the
customer with a bad taste in his mouth, and he will ultimately go to
someone else. Ending up costing the shop a customer and getting another
mechanic a customer.

--
Dick #1349
Damn it . . . Don't you dare ask God to help me.
To her housekeeper, who had begun to pray aloud.
~~ Joan Crawford, actress, d. May 10, 1977
Home Page: dickcr.iwarp.com
email:

Thank you for your customer's prespective:

My father owned and operated a gasoline station from 72 to 75, where I
worked on and off and learned most of my customer skills.

He always told me, if you do the wrong thing, don't charge the customer for
your mistake. Even if it meant eating an alternator, when all it was is the
dash bulb.

He was an imigrant, and lived his life on the honesty system, and I honor
him every time I follow his phylosiphy, and also doing the diagnostics
instead of the so called: "Standard Operating Procedure" Who thought that up
anyway? (They need a good lashing)

I've seen cars with 8,000 miles need a valve, so not doing a diagnostic
check wouldn't be in my best interest.

Thank you again for your clear headed insight, and good day.

Sincerely,

Refinish King


"Dick C" > wrote in message
36...
> Refinish King wrote in rec.autos.misc
>
> > A good business owner knows:
> >
> > Some time spent, is money well invested in keeping a loyal customer
> happy.
> > Even better yet, forging a relationship with a new loyal customer.
> >
> > Maybe you're too busy counting pennies, and not making dollars?
>
> I was thinking about this issue earlier, and I realized that this is a
> matter of customer service. Something that the automotive world does not
> have a clue about. To them, customer service is putting some old chairs
> in a corner, supplying bad coffee and old automotive industry mags that
> nobody ever reads.
> Up until the gas crisis of 1974 gas stations were a full service industry,
> in intense competition with each. And they had to compete by giving
> good service, good product and good prices. Including top notch mechanics
> Nowadays, the gas companies have eliminated the service stations, and all
> concept of customer service. Thus, in order to get anything done you have
> to go to a tire shop for tires, a quicky oil change shop for the oil,
> for all minor and major mechanical jobs you end up going to a dealer or
> a shop. And the shops lure people in by offering some kind of discount to
> the customers.
> 30 years ago I could not count the number of gas stations and mechanics
> in the immediate area. Now, I can count the number of gas stations on
> one hand, and there is exactly one gas station with mechanic within 3
> miles. There is no customer service left. Except for you. Thank you.
>
> I am a back yard mechanic, and do my own work. But I have worked in
> the computer field for over a decade. And at the first company I worked
> for customer service was rated as high as quality of work. And quality
> was very important. Our customers expected top quality work right now.
> And we delivered, with a smile, and by going that little bit further
> than the our competition.
>
> To me, when a shop decided to install plugs for a miss rather than
properly
> trouble shoot the problem, they should just eat them. They cost the shop
> relatively little, and forcing the customer to pay for them will leave the
> customer with a bad taste in his mouth, and he will ultimately go to
> someone else. Ending up costing the shop a customer and getting another
> mechanic a customer.
>
> --
> Dick #1349
> Damn it . . . Don't you dare ask God to help me.
> To her housekeeper, who had begun to pray aloud.
> ~~ Joan Crawford, actress, d. May 10, 1977
> Home Page: dickcr.iwarp.com
> email:

On Sun, 4 Apr 2004 20:54:00 -0400, "Refinish King"
> ran around screaming and
yelling:

>Maybe you're too busy counting pennies, and not making dollars?


i make a fair living...and i gave up mechanics long ago...not enough
money in it...

>Have you ever considered the concept of investment or marketing your
>abilaties, or just good faith. Maybe you're just too busy trying to throw
>parts at a diagnostic job, because you lack the knowledge of diagnostics.
>
>Either way, you have proven my point, you are just a parts changer!

Parts changer...funny...especially from you...you are a wannabe...

>PLONK

the usenet troll's answer to losing...can't make a successful
argument, then put the better more knowledgable person in the
killfile...killfiles are useless...almost as useless as a wannabe
mechanic...

>Refinish King
>
>PS
>
>You and nospam should make good lovers in the killfile, he's a sheetmetal
>engineer that worls for I-R, making compressor cabinets?

your envy comes through loud and clear in your posts....welcome to the
real world where you are as significant as a fart in the breeze...

J T

On Sun, 4 Apr 2004 20:55:27 -0400, "Refinish King"
> ran around screaming and
yelling:

>Sure!
>
>Just like a compression test is!
>
>Refinish King
>
>Wait, I thought I plonked your stupid ass. Time to get another news reader!

an adult reading comprehension class would do you wonders...a
compression test is a great test after the ignition and fuel system
have been eliminated...seems you would do a compression test for a
leaky radiator...
J T

On Sun, 4 Apr 2004 21:12:06 -0400, "Refinish King"
> ran around screaming and
yelling:

>There is a difference between a diagnostician:
>
>and a parts changer. Seems joe is the latter, and wants to defent his lack
>of knowledge by the badgering method.
>
>But then again, what else do incompetents have, but hide behind incoherent
>babble?
>
>Refinish King
>
>PS
>
>I like the part that a scop is the last thing needed to diagnose a miss?


work on that reading comprehension boy...show me were i said the scope
is the "last thing" needed to diagnos a miss?...i said it is
un-necessary, and it is...for a real mechanic....but a wannabe like
you would probably need it...there is definitely a difference between
a mechanic and a "diagnostician"...mechanics know their trade, and a
"diagnostician" depend on a machine to tell them what to
do....amateur...
J T

On Sun, 04 Apr 2004 20:43:20 -0500, Dick C >
ran around screaming and yelling:

>Funny how people hide behind the phrase SOP. That is just a way to
>justify not doing the proper job, or to cover for incompetents.

there are alot of standards in this world...sorry you don't agree with
it....doesn't matter if you agree or not, it won't change...there are
standard procedures in everything...the "incompetents" are the ones
that do not understand or know this....
JT

On Sun, 4 Apr 2004 23:41:07 -0400, "Refinish King"
> ran around screaming and
yelling:

>My father owned and operated a gasoline station from 72 to 75, where I
>worked on and off and learned most of my customer skills.


so on and off for three years gave you most of your customer
skills...makes sense...

>He always told me, if you do the wrong thing, don't charge the customer for
>your mistake. Even if it meant eating an alternator, when all it was is the
>dash bulb.

proper troubleshooting would eliminate the bulb or "exciter"
circuit... who is the part changer?