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triumphcorvair
triumphcorvair New Reader
5/20/12 6:16 p.m.

This is the first time that I am aware of with this shop. Usually the wife takes it in for an oil change and I can always expect a call from sher saying the car needs some type of additional service. Cleaning the battery posts is no big deal. I guess (my assumption anyway) they probably got a little miffed when I said no.

corytate
corytate Dork
5/20/12 7:22 p.m.

I can top the walmart broken glass story with my own first hand walmart recounting:
I worked in the tire center for a while a couple years ago, and this cuabn guy came in frequently, stood over our shoulders, and always came back complaining about something to get free stuff.
We did tires on his optima, he came back the next day saying we bent one of the wheels putting a tire on. it was the inside lip of the wheel, which makes it 100% impossible that we damaged the wheel. he was a real shiny happy type guy, and raised such a ruckus that we gave him money for the replacement wheel that he had already bought, and transferred the tire and sensors for free.
another time a service writer wrote up a car for getting the wrong tire replaced. LR was supposed to be done, written up for right rear. we ended up switching the tire over, putting the good tire that originally came off on, and refunding her money. this wasn't enough apparently, so she called corporate and complained so much that she came back and got three free tires to match her original already free tire.
I hate people.

mad_machine
mad_machine MegaDork
5/20/12 10:35 p.m.

Unfortunately Cory.. that is the problem with dealing with lowest common denominator in people.

Racer1ab
Racer1ab Reader
5/21/12 12:54 a.m.

You know, if I was taking my car to a place where I considered installing a camera to make sure the work was done correctly, I might just find a different shop to take my stuff to.

It's not exactly easy to find honest shops, but they're out there!

N Sperlo
N Sperlo UberDork
5/21/12 9:07 a.m.
mmosbey wrote: Legal issues are scary. You certainly don't want to capture audio.

Only if you plan on using it for legal measures. It would be a fantastic move to make a threat you couldn't follow up on. (not a good idea.)

My father had a car come into the dealership with something simple like a lose plug wire or blown fuse. He found it, fixed it, and charged nothing for it. Upon finishing up with the customer, he noticed the van with poorly tinted windows concealing the surveillance camera. (cameras hadn't gotten small yet.) My father promptly picked his nose and wiped the booger on the glass in front of the camera.

corytate
corytate Dork
5/21/12 4:55 p.m.
N Sperlo wrote:
mmosbey wrote: Legal issues are scary. You certainly don't want to capture audio.
Only if you plan on using it for legal measures. It would be a fantastic move to make a threat you couldn't follow up on. (not a good idea.) My father had a car come into the dealership with something simple like a lose plug wire or blown fuse. He found it, fixed it, and charged nothing for it. Upon finishing up with the customer, he noticed the van with poorly tinted windows concealing the surveillance camera. (cameras hadn't gotten small yet.) My father promptly picked his nose and wiped the booger on the glass in front of the camera.

something small like that, I really feel it helps you be a better person to do things for free for a customer. A customer will always love a surprise that saves them a little money, or something that comes out cheaper, instead of something that comes up as an unplanned expense.
I fixed a bent brake dust shield for a guy a couple days. he had replaced his own pads and rotors, and somehow bent the backing plates. HE was so happy to get rid of the noise that he tried to give me a tip but I told him it was no problem for me to do it no charge. Happy customer who will return.
good Business ethics are very rare but they are out there.

Keith
Keith MegaDork
5/21/12 5:17 p.m.
Racer1ab wrote: You know, if I was taking my car to a place where I considered installing a camera to make sure the work was done correctly, I might just find a different shop to take my stuff to. It's not exactly easy to find honest shops, but they're out there!

There's a lot to be said for that. I can trust the guy who works on my cars. I mean, he's a bit lazy and he eats out of our fridge but at least I can trust him

As for the original complaint - I can completely see this being an honest mistake. Tech thinks he's supposed to replace the spark plugs so he pulls the wires. Finds out he's not supposed to, and forgets to replace them properly.

I do little stuff for free for customers all the time. Pulling codes, etc. I once made someone ridiculously happy by giving them a 6x1 bolt. Little stuff like that pays off.

mad_machine
mad_machine MegaDork
5/21/12 7:17 p.m.
corytate wrote:
N Sperlo wrote:
mmosbey wrote: Legal issues are scary. You certainly don't want to capture audio.
Only if you plan on using it for legal measures. It would be a fantastic move to make a threat you couldn't follow up on. (not a good idea.) My father had a car come into the dealership with something simple like a lose plug wire or blown fuse. He found it, fixed it, and charged nothing for it. Upon finishing up with the customer, he noticed the van with poorly tinted windows concealing the surveillance camera. (cameras hadn't gotten small yet.) My father promptly picked his nose and wiped the booger on the glass in front of the camera.
something small like that, I really feel it helps you be a better person to do things for free for a customer. A customer will always love a surprise that saves them a little money, or something that comes out cheaper, instead of something that comes up as an unplanned expense. I fixed a bent brake dust shield for a guy a couple days. he had replaced his own pads and rotors, and somehow bent the backing plates. HE was so happy to get rid of the noise that he tried to give me a tip but I told him it was no problem for me to do it no charge. Happy customer who will return. good Business ethics are very rare but they are out there.

More businesses need to learn/relearn that. The business I work in (casinos in AC) is VERY good at giving the customer nothing for all their time and money.. Some do not mind it.. but I bet a lot will never return

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