A bad tech giving a quote to a bad writer is a DISASTER and a loss of a customer. In the present environment at Chrysler dealers (I would assume GM also) writers who don't perform get shown the door QUICKLY. It didn't used to be this way. Our staff now is a former tech, a woman who will ask what she doesn't understand and a long time champ in the lane.

One thing I have noticed more of in the last year is an increase of customers who want a detailed explanation of what is happening. I am mostly happy to provide it. It doesn't bother me, it just makes us look better..lol. Just yesterday I had a guy in front of the WiTech on my laptop showing him what was up. There was basically an intimitaded, deer in the headlaights type look on his face most of the time, but he did show some interest in seeing what kind of things that could be done anbd I do know he walked away with a new perspective.

 

I have NEVER had a problem with informing a Customer what they will be paying for.....

The problem comes in when the customer Swears his engine makes a Knocking noise, and the Odometer reads 35,990, And hes pissed at me cause I dont hear anything.

The problem comes in when the customer swears her radio intermittently Blanks Out, And the odometer reads 35,990, and she's pissed at me cause I cant find anything wrong with her radio.

The problem comes in when the writer goes to the parts counter and blindly orders a radio for the customer, and voids off my comments on the ticket.

Then ...There are the Recall customers, Who dont give a rats **** what you did to their vehicle, As long as they Got their FREE $hit.. The majority of these people DIDNT EVEN LOOK AT THE LETTER that came in the mail.

Any recall that states INSPECT and IF NECESSARY replace, is a problem waiting to happen.
"Your fine Mr Jones" I inspected the part in question and Replacement is not required"........And at that point, Hell rises from the floorboards, Because he isnt getting his "Free $hit..." I'll bet he doesnt even know what I inspected...

 

This is great to read all this stuff. Being a dodge tech since 1989, And i agree with a lot that you guys are saying. Thats why i set myself up to start working in the parts department when i am thru turning the wench. My job has to deal with a lot of warranty transmission repairs. Which you lose as soon as you open the hood and ck the fluid level. I have a few more years left in the trade.

 

I have been questioned for years by Friends, relatives, and even a few of my customers, About why I dont start my own Business.

The answer in my head is simple......If MY customer do to me then, what they do to me now.....I'll end up in Jail.
I keep doing it, Because it is what I love to do......When I'm done, Ive considered Teaching it, If there are still any youngsters left who are foolish emough to want to do this

It boils down to this. I know how, and you do not , so you WILL pay for my Knowledge and skill. Geico got it right....A CAVEMAN CAN DO IT......

I need a HUT, and Jabbar over there Know how to build huts, and has all the necessary "HUT-BUILDING TOOLS". He wants two of my Bearskins , and he will build one for me...... You either give him the skins, or you SLEEP OUTSIDE Yes folks, it really is that simple....

 

Lets put some stuff in plane ole English for most people that will read this. People may or may not understand a lot of this but every one understands money.

My Chrysler education 2 year associate degree cost me about 10 grand back in 1996 I paid for it no loans no bs just hard earned cash. Second part Real tech are required to buy tools now this is where it racks up. Over the past 15 years I would say 80,000 in tools lost ones broken ones tool boxes and so on. We cant afford to buy cheap crap we need the stuff that is 100 bucks for a ratchet or 400 bucks for a set of sockets all of this stuff is meant for day to day mechanics and it costs. Dealers and other shops dont pay for stuff its up to you. They pay for the required special tools and scanner that Chrysler requires them to have to correctly work on certain parts of a car but after that its all US. SO when we ask for our just due and payment remember some of us have tool bills that are paid weekly to fix your car and do it in a timely fashion.


I did a brake job the other day pads and new rotors on a 04 Jeep Grand took me 25 min.
This was on the ground not a shop lift. When i got done the guy paid me and said how did u do it so fast and do i get a discount because u did it so fast? Of course i said no sir it does not work like that. If you would like to go to advanced auto part up the street and buy all the tools that would be needed to do this job and then the extra time it would be needed cussing because some of the stuff needed to do it U would spend about 100 bucks plus take you about an hour to do what I did. The stuff I used cost me 1725 in tools Snap on 1/2 electric impact 550 cornwell 1/2 sockets set 400 cornwell master torques set 150 dual piston caliper compressor 50.00 floor jack 250 ratchet set snapon 325. This is why i can do it so fast Like we keep saying on here U haft to pay to play plus the un toold of amount of days we go in for training. Hey TN I am sure u like to travel down here to the training center dont ya hehe I am 15 miles from it =)

 

We also have the same deal here in our dealership, We buy our tools and laptops and PC for work. The dealer only supplys the special tools and scanners. But at one time i had to buy my own special tools to repair the A604/41TE transmissions, Because the dealer had only one set of tools for 8 transmission techs. And a transmission wet bench too. Snapon.

 

Today in "The Djinns " escapades...............

Customer comes in with a 2009 Aspen HEMI.....requests Synthetic oil Change, Tire rotation, and wiper blades.

The key to the locking lug nuts was no where to be found, So we called the customer to tell us where he Kept it.....A simple response...In the Glovebox, "Stuffed in the pouch with the owners manual..

OK..FINE......Back to work......

Upon opening the Pouch...I noticed ...NOT 1..NOT 2, BUT 3...yes THREE...Public assistance Benefit cards......All in the same name....from 3 different states.....

Now, far be it for me to judge someone.........But at the end, there was a 20 dollar tip for me......NOW

2009 ASPEN,loaded ,with a HEMI.. 50,000 dollars
Synthetic Oil change on a 7 quart motor....110 dollars.
wiper Blades, premium Snow 35 dollars
Tire rotation.....25 dollars
Tip for the TECH...20 dollars...

HAVING THE BRASS NUTS TO PULL A STUNT LIKE THIS....ABSOLUTELY FREEKIN PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was so sick to my stomach. that I could not even attemp to eat any of the Pizza that I bought for my Co-Workers.....That I paid for with HIS 20 dollar bill.........

 

Well...since this thread is all about frustration we go thru as professional Techs, I thought it only fair to add a point to the GOOD column...

I have always gotten a charge from being "ASKED FOR" by a customer..BAck in the day , I had a good deal of customers that were loyal to our shop, and it was more of a personal "Relationship" with these people... eventually after many years, the shop closed, The guys all went there separate ways, I moved out of the state, and I guess the customers all found someone they were comfortable with to work on their cars.
Just the other day, I got Paged to the office , to meet one of those" "BY NAME" requests. I saw a girl, standing there, I would estimate mid 20's, that looked a bit familiar, but I couldnt quite place her..She said her father had recommended she come and speak to me about her car...Ok, I didnt want to be rude, so I didnt ask who her father was, so I listened to what she had to say, and had the writer "Check her in". When i took the repair order from the writer , and saw the name...I nearly collapsed.
As it turns out , She is the daughter of A very good customer that I had some 20 years ago,in fact probably one of the first vehicles I worked on when I started in the business, and she was the little girl who I used to turn the TV on for so she could watch cartoons in the waiting room while I fixed her dads car.
She said she had just moved to the area, and she owned a Dodge, and her father had heard a rumor that I worked at the Chrysler dealer in the area. So she set out to find me..........It doesnt get any better than that...

 

YES! It just happens that I was there on the 17th for a one-day.
Going back for one in March I think.

 

if U do let me know I will come up there we can have lunch when u go at 1130 with ED hehe