Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:50:37 -0700
Reply-To: Keith Hughes <keithahughes@Q.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Keith Hughes <keithahughes@Q.COM>
Subject: Re: Mechanics using customer supplied parts.. Was bars leaks
In-Reply-To: <00b001ca37d4$13109a10$6401a8c0@PROSPERITY>
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Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
> and wanted to comment on this :
> "when a customer calls up and> say's "how much for water pump job on
> XYZ?"
>
> YOU NEVER QUOTE A PRICE OVER THE PHONE !!!
Sorry, can't agree with that at all. You just have to apply the usual
caveats; IF all thats needed is a water pump, the price is $X, and
then let them know that anything else that's needed will be extra, and
you'll have to look at it to make sure the diagnosis is correct, and
that no additional repairs are necessary. I learned that 30+ years
ago. IME, you tell people on the phone "can't say until I look at it"
most customers will blow you off for someone who'll give them an
estimate. You appear to be focused on a niche market, and that does
skew the situation considerably. Not so for the typical foreign auto
shop. I quoted jobs over the phone for years without problems, I was
just clear, and specific, about what I was quoting on. That's what
people, IME, are really looking for.
Occasionally, you get a problem with a customer, but likely they would
have been a problem anyway. I quoted a guy a carb rebuild for $X
dollars, parts and labor, IF the carb was rebuildable, but did not
guarantee that the carb rebuild would solve whatever problem he was
having. He was sure that was the problem, so he comes in with the
truck, chugging, gasping and puking all over the lot, with his $X in
hand. I take a look at the nice clean carb with the Permatex oozing out
of all the gasket mating surfaces and have to tell him, sorry, but it's
not rebuildable. He was unhappy of course, but after I explained WHY it
was not rebuildable, and how HE had destroyed it himself, he was OK.
Put on a rebuilt carb (for more money obviously), sent him away happy,
and sent his core off to some soon to be pissed rebuilder. The only
reason he came in, knowing he'd already screwed up the carb, was that I
quoted him a reasonable rate and he was hoping that I could rescue his
mangled job. If I'd said, you'll have to bring it first, he'd of gone
somewhere else instead.
The customers that get all bent even when you do lay it out clear and
specific, will be more trouble than they're worth, and you're usually
better off without them anyway.
Now, when someone calls up and says "my car is doing this or that,
what's wrong with it, and how much will it cost to fix?", I just say
"I've got a string in my pocket, how long is it? You tell me, and I'll
tell you". Different story than quoting your standard rate for a job.
If you flat rate, then you really have no reason to not supply a quote
for a specific set of deliverables.
Now if *you*, specializing on likely rusted out vanagons, don't do flat
rate, then that's another story. And, another reason shops are dropping
problem children like Vanagons. In my neck of the desert, we don't have
rust problems (my '86 wouldn't know rust if it ran over it), but in
snowy parts of the country, it's hard to meet, let alone beat, flat rate
on a 20+ year old rusty vehicle. When your guys are on flat rate, they
are NOT going to be happy about having to work on rare (from their
perspective) rusty vehicles that cost them lots of unpaid wrenching
time. Unless you're talking brake jobs and shocks...they'll eat them up!
> When I get that question .......a stranger with a strange car , "how
> much is XYZ job ? "
> the first thing I tell them is I'm not trying to be the least
> expensive shop around, so best to check elsewhere.
> I do try to do the very best work though ...............which is why
> you want me fixing your car.
> And .........it may not even need what you think it needs ( this is
> quite common actually ) .
> So we don't even know if that's what it really needs ( say a water
> pump ) or .......
> yes, it could need a w. pump and 5 more things.
> Can't really say until I see the car.
> I can give you a Price Range for waterpump jobs on that type of car
> yes, but a quote ..........
> over the phone, not having seen the job - that's crazy ! You loose
> money doing that, or at the least, you cause bad feelings when you say
> water pump jobs on your XYZ is $ 200 and after you see the car and the
> job, have to tell them it's more.
Not if you explain it correctly the first time, IME (and again, I'm
assuming flat rate, which most all shops use). The price is always
conditional, based on the results of your actual examination. If you
want to add a range, that's the same thing in just a different wrapper.
> Never give a price quote on the phone.
> It's also not a good sign that price is their first concern.
> Their first concern should be............quality of the work and
> parts, and in my world, that it's a fair transaction for both parties.
I have NEVER met this customer you speak of. Price is *always* the
first concern! (well, sometimes it's "I need it yesterday!") Second is
quality of the work, and whether the perceived additional quality is
worth the extra cost. And in the context of this discussion - i.e.
supplying your own parts - how many customers will be wanting to supply
their own parts if cost is not the primary concern (yes, some Vanagon
folks will, when they know it'll take a week to get the part if they
just drop off the van - but this is not the general case)?
Keith Hughes
'86 Westy Tiico (Marvin)
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