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Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages #

Posted by Peter Warman on August 26, 2010, 2:13 pm
Message modified by board administrator September 7, 2010, 3:09 pm

Well here we go again

http://www.aftermarketnetwork.com/News/Industry+News/item27139/

Which, TV / Radio news channels and Tabloids have all jumped on the Garage bashing band wagon, is it deserved?

Well Which sent mystery shoppers into 62 garages out of a possible 25,000 (mostly doing an excellent job), then found several service related items had been overlooked, so now there is a call for all garages to be licensed

Well I can confidently say that after 30 years in the motor trade that garages with Industry Motor Codes, Forte Good Garage Scheme and Bosch Car Service signs over the doors will change nothing

If you want to make sure that every vehicle in your workshop is serviced correctly, then following the manufacturers service schedule or an industry standard service sheet will cure all

All the items that were over looked are ALL on an industry standard service schedules such as the Forte Good Garage Scheme, so why were they not checked and ticked off?

It comes down to possibly a lazy tech, in to much of a rush for tea break or lunch or no service schedules being used at all

So what's the answer:

How about making an Industry Service Schedule a legal document, the service items are checked and the technician signs it off at the end, any overlooked items are then down to that individual tech, you don't condemn the whole garage

This would make sure the Servicing Technician does his job correctly. The customer would be given the completed schedule which is a legal document stating that the checks have been carried out, much in the same way as a Gas Fitter would sign off a boiler for a landlord

So instead of sending in mystery shoppers, just make sure ALL items are completed or "Tick as you Go"

Peter

PS: As for adding 125ml of screen wash at £00.80 well that is obviously a hanging offence

Re: Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages

Posted by Graham Bullock on August 26, 2010, 6:46 pm, in reply to "Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages"
Graham Bullock

Hi Peter

"It comes down to possibly a lazy tech, in to much of a rush for tea break or lunch or no service schedules being used at all"

OR a Tech who gets paid peanuts unless he attains a bonus, I have read on AM On-Line that some After Sales Managers are after 110% or even 115% from the workshop. I have even been told by a Merc Tech that he only got paid an hourly rate for the amount of hours billed to the customer, if they quote 4 hours then that is what he gets paid - irrespective of how long it takes to do the job "Correctly" Now, be honest - what sort of job is going to be done?

I find with some of the type of work I do, that to do a job correctly takes a lot of time but other garages are constantly trying to beat the clock and under quote to compete. Sometimes a service may take 4 hours but the book time is say 2, all you hear from the customer is that I am overly expensive and have been called a rip off merchant more than once.

"then following the manufacturers service schedule or an industry standard service sheet will cure all"
Only last week I priced a Full? Service on a Seat Ibiza, it did not matter if I used a manufacturers service schedule or an industry standard service sheet as the customer asked me to beat £98+vat that he had already been quoted.

I think you are correct when you say a Technician should sign off a service sheet, but why stop there? All work should be signed off.

Graham

PS It would be interesting to know the full facts as to what type of garage they were and what trade associations they were members off.

Re: Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages

Posted by Keith Simpson on August 26, 2010, 8:00 pm, in reply to "Re: Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages"

Well another knife in the back for the good garages. I think the garages involved should be named and shamed into getting there act together or close. Techs that cannot perform simple tasks should be down the road. Sorry for the harshness just don't like to think we are tared with the same brush.

Keith

Re: Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages

Posted by Mark Banks on August 26, 2010, 8:13 pm, in reply to "Re: Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages"

Here we go again..... Someone has it in for us again!! I remember similar stories in the news last summer, is this going to be an annual event??

I suppose we could have unknowingly been one of the garages in the survey, who knows? It would be nice to see detailed results of this 'mystery shopping exercise' to see exactly what type of garages were targeted? Were they all independents? Will they all recieve feedback on their performance and be made to improve the way they operate? If not it will be the same story in the news next year!

There have been some pretty harsh statments in the media....

"Cowboy Garages"

"inexcusable dishonesty"

"failing to deliver in practice"

"shocking levels of incompetence" in garages

Plus many more....

For those of you that didn't see it watch this clip from daytime TV...

http://www.gm.tv/articles/52581-garages-customers-unsafe.html

When I saw it I thought The guy being interviewed (car expert) did not sound like a garage owner or a technician. I also wondered if he was being paid to promote 'Motor Codes' (lets not go there

). Anyway a quick google of his name reveals he works for What Car magazine.

Reports like this especially when broadcast so widely (TV, radio, web)annoy me because although like you guys I try to do my job to the best possible standards, the whole independant sector get tarred with the same brush and branded as "Cowboys".

What can we do about it though??

Regards, Mark

Re: Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages

Posted by John Ritchie on August 26, 2010, 10:45 pm, in reply to "Re: Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages"
John Ritchie

Hi Peter , i watched this the other morning with interest to see what the came up with this time !.
It was interesting to hear the "expert" say you should search for a good garage through bodies such as the motor codes (can see a nice pay coming his way), how many of these garages were in the motor codes ??, were any golden garages ?.

Graham said . "I find with some of the type of work I do, that to do a job correctly takes a lot of time but other garages are constantly trying to beat the clock and under quote to compete" We have all been there before graham and i know where you're coming from .

Peter mentioned about sticking to the service schedule but for example there are cars as you know that can have seized brake pads that the manufacturers service schedule doesn't want you to remove & clean or in the case of ford don't want you to remove brake drums for 3 years.
We know from experience that certain makes suffer from sticky pads etc.
If we remove to clean the pads etc then that time isn't in the allocated service time and technicaly not part of the service shedule.

I'm constantly amazed at how much this trade is under valued by the bill & ben garages and fast fits but how can the value of our trade be raised in profile and more importantly ££ for us if the press have the boot in when someone misses a dangerous defect like a reverse light or charged a budget busting 80p for screen wash !! . A customer recently told me he spent £70 getting his push bike serviced but thought the garage that charged him the same for his car was a rip of for what he called "an oil & filter change"

Regards
JR

Maybe we need to start our own code .... hmmm

Re: Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages

Posted by Keith Simpson on August 27, 2010, 12:03 pm, in reply to "Re: Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages"
Keith Simpson

I think the only way to get all this out in the open and sorted once and for all is to highlight the garages involved. Then investigate any shortfalls. Then garage owners would be able to defend themselves or at least do something about it. It is all one sided if you ask me and this rag can say and print what ever the hell they like and get away with it.

Keith

Re: Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages

Posted by Tom Williams on August 27, 2010, 7:16 pm, in reply to "Re: Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages"
Tom Williams

Hi all,

I'm sure some items were missed and 'Which' has highlighted them. As a Bosch Car Service Garage we just received the expected communication asking us to ensure strict quality control etc.
The problem with relying on quality control and the associated bureaucracy that goes with it is that it doesn't really address the problem.
I have been reading negative 'Which' reports on the repair businees for four decades now.
The fact is, that the job is much more difficult than the public think and the remuneration doesn't match the calibre of technicians needed to ensure that it is done properly.
Sure, it doesn't take a genius to get tyre pressures right but the same guy is probably expected to fix anything that comes through the door.
In terms of time pressure also there are issues with flat rate job times. Many service times are so short they barely let you get the basics done. Let alone unloading golf clubs etc to find the spare wheel and hunting high and low for the locking wheel nut key which you were told was in the glove box. Not forgetting locating the cause of the rattling noise and the check engine light that the customer forgot to mention when he booked the car in.
A garage can only be as good as it's worst mechanic, and all quality control in the world won't prevent some of his bad work remaining undetected until things go wrong.
In short, until the repair trade can consistently recruit and retain highly motivated well paid mechanics who the public hold in high esteem, 'Which' will probaly be writing the same stuff for the next forty years.

Re: Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages

Posted by Barry Thornton on August 28, 2010, 9:07 am, in reply to "Re: Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages"
Barry Thornton

One to think about
We as technicians have to work on hundreds of different models and varients of cars.
Doctors have one basic model with two variations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages

Posted by Gwyn Williams on August 28, 2010, 11:08 pm, in reply to "Re: Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages"
Gwyn Williams

Yes Barry, and their customers can tell them where it hurts! And even then, they quite often misdiagnose!
Seriously, though, the problem is not one of competence, it's a simple lack of quality control by garage management. Even a highly skilled tech with a high level of training can overlook items, though hopefully, not as many as seem to have been overlooked here!
Sloppiness has no place on the road or in the workshop, good working practices would eliminate these problems.Good management and supervision are essential. Spot checks on Technicians,fully detailed check lists issued for each type/ model to each tech, and one guy doing spot checks on each vehicle before it leaves the workshop.
Every vehicle should be treated as if it was a Which? car. Which? is how it should be!!

Re: Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages

Posted by Tom Williams on August 29, 2010, 9:48 am, in reply to "Re: Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages"
Tom Williams

I know that quality control has it's place, but if you can't trust your mechanics to consistently carry out basic checks you have a staff problem.
Remember all 'Bosch Car Service' garages are audited and have in place a quality control scheme which documents the checks. So quality control may not be the complete solution.

Re: Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages

Posted by Ed Kaps on August 31, 2010, 4:11 pm, in reply to "Re: Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages"
Edward Kaps

Being a subscriber to Which magazine I was very disappointed at this latest story and the publicity it has generated, I will not be putting this in my reception area for customers to read as I am ashamed to be associated with it via our link with Bosch Car Service.
Having spent the last 25 years being associated with 'accreditation'and 'quality'from AA specialist, Bosch service agent, BS5750 right through to ISO 9001/2000 I do feel experienced enough to comment on these schemes and unfortunatly I have to agree with Peter that these signs over the door mean nothing.You are only as good as your staff, the majority of your customers come to YOU, not because of accreditation to some quality scheme which time and time again has been shown not to work, but because they trust YOU and your staff.
It has cost me a small fortune over the years to 'Comply' with these schemes,right from the earliest days when I was told that you will not be able to do business with Industry unless you have BS5750.
I wish I had never bothered, I don't believe it has been, or ever will be, beneficial to you or your customer to join a scheme.Unfortunately, the way things are going, we probably will have to,-with no benefit to the consumer either, but a nice steady added income to whoever makes the most noise and becomes the latest in a long line of parasites feeding off our Industry.

Ed Kaps
Teesside Autotech Ltd
'AA Specialist', 'AA Appointed','Bosch service agent', 'BS5750', 'ISO9002','ISO9001/2000','Bosch car service', 'FSG Assessed and appointed',etc etc
Been there,seen it,done it.

Re: Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages

Posted by Tom Yates on October 29, 2010, 7:10 pm, in reply to "Re: Consumer magazine Which? slams "shocking levels of incompetence" in garages"
Tom Yates

Well lads I also subscriber to Which magazine, and I agree with this kind of publicity, i think its great for the good guys and bad for the workshops that do don't do the work correctly,
I have a wall in my reception area where i pin up all these pages out of this type of mag and it gives my customers something to read while they are waiting for there car to be repaired,

Tom Yates
Tom Yates Autos
40 YITG, self appointed, self regulated, and proud of it.

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