Thanks for the B/U.
Seems like there are a percentage of folks that think they have a right to abuse auto repair shops because they spent money there. Now I understand it is upsetting when you have to put money into a car and don't let the reaction bother me when I quote a job. I empathyze with them at that point. However if the anger continues, I try to put a stop to it.
I had a new customer in the shop last week. While trying to explain monitors and check engine light operation, I paused to think the best way to explain it. She jumps at me and remarks " Your not saying anything, you don't know what's wrong", or something to that effect. I snapped back with " You don't need to get nippy with me, I'm trying to explain something to you that is technical in nature, and I want you to understand it". After that everything was fine.
A few years back we had a guy that never wanted to be quoted, Just fix it he'd say. He'd never look at the ccrd slip as to the bill cost, but look at me when he signed it. His car was a 85 mercedes- gray market car that was beat to death, and drove it like a maniac. There seemed to be a direct relationship of his bill cost to how he would abuse us after he got his car back. He was our number one customer in terms of money spent. The last time was just too much, we suggested he take his cars elsewhere, that we couldn't help him anymore.
We decide that weeding out the abusers and users was best for our mental health.
Jan 7, 2007 at 1:16 PM
