Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2007 12:21:33 -0500
Reply-To: Benny boy <huotb@VIDEOTRON.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Benny boy <huotb@VIDEOTRON.CA>
Subject: Re: Moral question--no Bob-related content
First, Frank, NEVER take check! overall, somes customers... still owe me...
over 2500$, when i started i didn't have a "credit card machine".
"I'll comme back next week Ben, hve no worry"
Pffffffffffff..... (and we are not talking about customers who kept tools
forgotten in their van!)
Customers are as bad as mechanic, period. So, everyone is bad! it's a sad
world :-)
As for the question, simple, for me, i work on 1 vehicle, easy, i find every
single problem, period. This is the difference between a "General" mechanic
who works on every kind of car. Now, of course there is some more dificult
problem, being in general electronic/FI/electic problem. Now, that said, i
still didn't answer your question... it is is call "communication" bro!
If i see a strange problem, lets say for the sake of the discussion that i'm
not sure to fix it, i will SPEAK, yes, SPEAK with the customer and tell him
that first, it could take many hours and i may NOT find the problem... so,
are you still willing to PAY every single hour that i will spend on your van
trying to fix it? DO YOU AGREE TO THAT SIR!!!!
IF NOT, i will work on SOMETHING else, to make money so i can PAY the
bill!!!!!!
Another story (men, it'soooo cold in the shop that i cannot work, even
typing is dificult - -26C outside), the guy come in the shop, he as 2
electrical problems, strange one, i'm busy, but he on it's way east and as 2
young children, i make room in the shop, he goes away, he comme back a few
hours later, the dash is all appart, i still didn't find the first problem,
he is impatient, it's 7pm, i'm hungry but keep on working, i tell him to go
away again and call me later... at 10pm, i have fix and found the "Short"
that cause the 2 problem, of course it was not a "Stock wiring" problem but
something that was done by a PO.... but i have to put everything back
togeher, it's now 11pm, i'm done, he come back and tell me it took too
many hours.... can i arrange something... lower the # of hours a bit...
My answer was simple, if you don't pay me i will burn your van you stupid
imbecile! i have spent all night working, i moved other people for you, i
didn't eat, i'm tired...
I have learn something, i'm very helpfull and nice with.... nice and
understanding folks... the rest, well, they will pay big money! learn to
behave in life.
AND DON'T TELL ME that some of you would never do so... you are also
customers, nd when it's time to pay you are transforming into somekind of
monster. I understand that there is "crooked" mechanic... there is also
dedicated and honest one... Me, a have lost TOO many hours working for
almost nothing, i was sometime afraid to tell the customer the true hours it
took me to fix and find problemes tinking it took me too long from lack of
experience... but i was wrong, today, it take me about the same ammount of
hours for the same problem... AND I DON'T charge more hours than the real #.
So that said, communication is the conclusion, and / or if you really think
you canot fix the problem, be humble and don't do it... else i WANNA be paid
for the time i work on your van.... i a'm tired of customers putting slowly
20$ after 20$ on the desk after a job and they look into my eyes like they
think i will say stop, it's enough... don't give me the total... keep some
for you...
A mechanic point of view
Ben
--------------------------------------------------------------
Frank,
Obviously the lady with the radio in the rain was out of line and I am sure
there are many, many demanding, unfair and obnoxious customers in the world,
though not here on the list, of course! The question, however, was, "If the
mechanic doesn't fix the problem, or even diagnose the problem, should the
customer have to pay for time that yielded nothing?"
Woody
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