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COD (customer own diagnostics) #

Posted by andyhyoung on September 12, 2013, 7:29 pm
Edited by board administrator September 15, 2013, 1:07 pm

Looked at a Mercedes E211 today for electric boot release inop.Customer said he knew the problem (googlepubdiagnostics)and supplied a new latch assy that he had purchased.I thought I just give the car a quick check only to find that the number plate lights did not work either (not mentioned by cust).So I guessed there would be broken wires up the boot hinge.Seen it before,main earth wire broken.So I fitted the latch and told the cust that this had not fixed the fault and did he want me to investigate the problem further.He agreed ,I repaired the wiring and all good.So the customer has now paid for a lock,fitting and my time to check and repair the original fault.Don't you just love these customers?Long may it continue

Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)

Posted by Lee Mackintosh on September 12, 2013, 9:39 pm, in reply to "COD (customer own diagnostics)"
Lee Mackintosh

I prefer the custoner own diagnosis jobs because it saves me diagnosing it wrong as well.

Its good when they are wrong as you can charge them twice for the same problen and they can't even complain for a chamge as it was there cock up.

Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)

Posted by Keith Simpson on September 12, 2013, 10:54 pm, in reply to "Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)"

We are now getting customers coming in with a fault code written on a piece of paper, then asking us to find the faults.

When we tell them that we would want to do our own scan test, they refuse to pay saying they are not paying twice. Even when we explain it would need to go back on machine to do basic testing etc.

Can't believe some folk.

Keith

Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)

Posted by Michael Whitworth on September 14, 2013, 1:44 pm, in reply to "Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)"
Mike Whitworth - Administrator

I had a call the other day from a lady that had a problem with her car, the referring garage said "they didn't have the right connector"!!!

When we explained it would cost £50.00 plus vat for us to carry out some initial tests/diagnostics she said "I am only prepared to pay £17.50 as that is all the garage (that couldn't fix it) charged her" !!!

I despair.

Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)

Posted by Dave Hill on November 21, 2013, 5:13 pm, in reply to "Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)"

"I am only prepared to pay Â£17.50 as that is all the garage (that couldn't fix it) charged her" !!!

Did you managed to retrieve your boot from her butt hole Mike?

Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)

Posted by Keith Simpson on November 22, 2013, 11:45 am, in reply to "Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)"

I keep getting customers from ATS and Kwikfit that have scanned the car and can't fix it. They charge the customer £30 for scan test and then send them to us.

We tell the customer we will have to do our own scan test and that's £40. £70 before any repairs are carried out. I have had many complain about paying twice, I can't blame them but they sometimes insinuate we are trying to rob them.

I have contacted both these companies and asked them not to send anything that they have partly charged for. Yesterday they sent one to us after they had charged customer £29.99 for aircon re-gas that failed. They just want the easy money It's getting silly and pissing me off.

Keith

Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)

Posted by Michael Whitworth on November 23, 2013, 7:21 am, in reply to "Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)"
Mike Whitworth - Administrator

"But I have already had it diagnosed, I just want it fixing!!"

"The other garage told me Your machine is better than theirs and will tell you exactly what's wrong with it"

"They said they can't diagnosis it because they haven't got the right lead"

Just some of the phrases I hear on a daily basis.

Mike

Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)

Posted by Andy Mason on November 25, 2013, 11:19 am, in reply to "Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)"
Andy Mason

We have had customers bringing vehicles to us that have been into Halfords, with eml on and in limp mode, for service and mot, sent out the same and no mention of any problems, even though customer booked vehicle in with fault.
As said "get rich quick servicing"
Andy

Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)

Posted by John Ritchie on November 27, 2013, 7:54 pm, in reply to "Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)"
John Ritchie

Don't you just love customers, might be worth bolting a plank to your boot before kicking them in the ass lol.

Seriously though it might be worth having some form of signage giving diagnostic prices before entering workshop so there is no confusion.
I know a business that had a sign up with prices list as follows: Answers £10, Answers requiring thought £15, Correct Answers £20, when a customer come in asking for information they were pointed to the sign, if they turned away then no grief was to had and no time wasted.

HTH
John

Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)

Posted by andyhyoung on November 27, 2013, 8:30 pm, in reply to "Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)"
Andrew Young

Well,they dont get any better than this,(or do they?)Customer phones up today;"I have a Fiat 500 and the airbag light is on".Yes sir,I can investigate the fault and advise you accordingly.Customer" I have removed the airbag module for you to test,to save any time!!"Sorry guys,I give up,shoot me now.

Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)

Posted by Dav Littlewood on November 27, 2013, 8:36 pm, in reply to "Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)"

Has anyone had the one "garage up the road charges £20 for a code check but if there isn't a code found or it does not tell you what exactly is wrong then they don't charge"
I usually reply that if there are 4 codes do I get £80.

Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)

Posted by patrick heaher on January 3, 2014, 2:55 pm, in reply to "Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)"

(we have a sign that says
good quick cheap
choose any two
we also have a potato in the office if a customer comes in with a code or part to fit we show him the potato and tell him theres a chip shop down the road see if they will give them cut price chips if they take their own

Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)

Posted by Keith Simpson on January 4, 2014, 11:22 am, in reply to "Re: COD (customer own diagnostics)"

nice one Patrick.

Keith

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