Date:         Wed, 17 Jan 2007 03:52:51 -0500
Reply-To:     Jeff Lincoln <magikvw@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jeff Lincoln <magikvw@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Moral question--no Bob-related content
In-Reply-To:  <1447ED90-B1CD-40BC-B9E7-322B9ADBBFE7@pottsfamily.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Boy is this a topic that hits a familiar note.

What about the mechanic that "fixes" a problem only to find out that the
situation still exists? If you take it back a second time should that be
free of charge since they had previously fixed the problem?

As for the software programming scenarion. We have had several programs
created for us here at my job. Paid a lot of money for it and were very
happy with the results. However, what happens 6 months down the road when a
bug appears? Should that be fixed by the programmer for free?

My company  doesn't exactly fit these types of scenarios however we are
service related and we bill by time (Call Center/Answering Service). The
rule I live by is this: Any time my Staff is actually doing something for
the client that is billable time-  if we make a mistake of some kind clients
get a credit - and if we are working on a clients account for our
own purposes (updating information, etc.) there is no charge. People usually
understand this. Then again I think it is more clear cut than the scenarios
that started this thread.


On 1/16/07, Greg Potts <greg@pottsfamily.ca> wrote:
>
> Hi Geza,
>
> This is very much like how warranty work is paid for by Apple
> Computer Inc.. They know what amount of time it takes to fix a
> problem and that's what you get paid for. If you diagnose incorrectly
> and throw too many parts at a situation they reduce your labour rate
> for that month's billing. You have the tools and info and you do
> what's required, and nothing more than that.
>
> But a computer new enough to be under warranty is NOTHING like a 25-
> year-old vehicle.
>
> Personally, I wouldn't touch your conditional deal with a 10 foot
> pole.  Not even for a spark plug swap. And this is exactly why most
> dealers won't work on Vanagons any more.
>
>
> Happy Trails,
>
> Greg Potts
> 1973/74/77/79 Westfakia "Bob The Tomato
> www.pottsfamily.ca
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On 16-Jan-07, at 9:54 PM, Geza Polony wrote:
>
> > Another question to ask of technicians out there is this. What if,
> > before
> > you begin, the customer says, "Ok, I'll pay you $85 an hour to
> > diagnose and
> > fix the (whatever), but only on the condition that you're ultimately
> > successful." Would you go for it? What if the number of hours or
> > cost had a
> > cap on it?
> > This approach seems fair to the customer, but I bet most car mechs
> > would
> > rather do brake jobs than a deal like this.
> >
> > Yes, a grey area. The only thing I can think of is to specify the
> > conditions
> > as much as possible in advance--but then you sometimes get caught,
> > as Joy
> > did, in a place where you're dependent on the mechanic, and don't
> > have much
> > room to drive a hard bargain.
>



--
Thanks,

Jeff
90' Carat (It's Blue, It's Beautiful, It needs a lot of work)
86' (Soon to be donating organs to the 90')
85' GL (sidelined but to be resurrected in the near future)