Hi this is a Question for all the dealers on here. I am the shop foreman at a GM car dealership. Been there for 25 years. Just stating I am not new to the business. Anyway how much help and time will you or your employees spend to help someone on the phone. I get 10 calls a day from people wanting to fix there own cars with my time and knowledge. They get rude when you ask them if they want an appointment to bring their vehicle in for service. They also get rude when you tell them you do not loan tools. I do not have a problem giving them some direction at where their problems might be. But about 5 to 10 minutes is all I am going to spend with them. Just wondering how much time and knowledge you dealers are willing to spend with someone on the phone trying fix his own equipment.
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- Thread starter justtools
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TreeTangler
ArboristSite Guru
Honestly it truly depends on the customer and the call. If it's some obviously drunk backyard mechanic working on an 89 chevy that probably needed help getting dressed in the morning, it will probably be a very short call. However, if it's a gentleman that does all his business with me (say all his new vehicles and parts), I will probably take the time that I've got to help him out.
Each call is a different story and situation and gets treated so. At the same time, you are giving away "valuable" information. If this is the tenth call from a fellow for ten different vehicles and you havent sold him any parts, he's obviously just taking advantage. The John Deere dealership in my area now charges for a "phone consult", and a rather hefty fee at that.
You've really just got to use your judgement on each call. Sometimes good folks just need a simple answer to help them out. Sometimes they want you on the phone for an hour and a half walking them through a diagnostic process, that just can't happen in all reality. If they become upset, let them know that you are more than happy to have the shop take a look at it. A trick I always used was to tell people that I had customers standing in front of me that needed to be tended to, as was usually the case, and that I simply did not have the time needed to diagnose such an issue over the phone.
Each call is a different story and situation and gets treated so. At the same time, you are giving away "valuable" information. If this is the tenth call from a fellow for ten different vehicles and you havent sold him any parts, he's obviously just taking advantage. The John Deere dealership in my area now charges for a "phone consult", and a rather hefty fee at that.
You've really just got to use your judgement on each call. Sometimes good folks just need a simple answer to help them out. Sometimes they want you on the phone for an hour and a half walking them through a diagnostic process, that just can't happen in all reality. If they become upset, let them know that you are more than happy to have the shop take a look at it. A trick I always used was to tell people that I had customers standing in front of me that needed to be tended to, as was usually the case, and that I simply did not have the time needed to diagnose such an issue over the phone.
ckelp
just being myself
you nailed it,
the worst are the ones that keep calling back and they don't get the massage
the worst are the ones that keep calling back and they don't get the massage
Guido Salvage
Supreme Saw Whoreder
Does your doctor or lawyer see you for free?
alderman
Addicted to ArboristSite
Well my doctor did talk me through while I did a heart surgery on the wife.
Mike from Maine
Read that the ms362 is awesome!!!
At least some lawyers will give a free consult over the phone. In hopes of getting your business.
abikerboy
ArboristSite Operative
Hopefully with a sharp, sterile chain!
Lucky bastage...you found a wife with a heart ????
Been trollin ebay for one like that for years...
2rod511
ArboristSite Operative
My dad has ran his own auto repair service for about the last fifteen years and he has gotten to the point where he doesn't diagnose anything over the phone. The next question after the over the phone diagnosis is going to be how much will that cost. Start answering those questions over the phone without seeing the car and you are making life very hard on yourself. Might be different for chainsaws, however for autos it is bad business to diagnose and quote over the phone.
Cpjlube
ArboristSite Lurker
I agree. Any phone diagnosis relies on the caller to provide all the necessary info. It's pretty rare to get accurate info from a caller. Giving a price for repair can turn into quicksand pretty fast. A quick description of how to replace a part might be ok.
This thread makes me think about all of the "Why won't my chainsaw start?" threads. Three pages into the thread you finally get enough info to guess. Not that you guys aren't willing to help. But it's tough without all the details.
Chuck
Saw Dr.
Junk Collector
We do free estimates at our shop (for now,) so I can usually put those calls to rest fairly quickly by just telling them to bring it down. Generally it is the same crowd wanting to "talk shop." I do not mind then coming down and bending my ear for 10 minutes or so, but I make sure I am making $ for the shop at the same time. I am not ashamed to say that I charge a premium price to the shop owner, and he needs to be making billable hours any time I am there. No harm in having a guy look over my shoulder for a few minutes though. I can talk and work at the same time. Sometimes it gets boring if I am by myself anyway. A true CADist will want to talk saws with anyone else who has the same interest at every opportunity.
Frogfarmer
ArboristSite Operative
I rarely answer the phone but I don't do phone diagnosis. The counterman does answer the phone but he is no mechanic so he is polite and does all he can to schedule an appointment. The mechanic does not answer the phone. I will spend my time at length with a customer who comes into the store. Walkins come in all shapes and forms so be careful discounting the dirty drunken self taught mechanic. Many times they can be an asset and if you anger them they have many friends.
Thanks for the replies. I get tired talking to some guy trying to fix his own vehicle. He generally isnt buying parts here. Never coming here to pay our service dept for repairs.
Zombiechopper
Addicted to ArboristSite
yup. I know how this goes from working radiator repair
"my rad leaks, what's wrong with it?"
"I don't know, bring it and let me find out"
"how much to fix it?"
"between $25 and $500"
"What??!! 500 bucks?"
"I gave a price range based on every conceivable reason it might be leaking. Do you want to bring it in so I can find out what is wrong with it?"
"No, I'll just put more stop leak in it"
"Ok, but when we try to fix it properly it costs more to clean out all the stop leak. Might need to flush the block if you use too mush of that stuff"
"Nevermind, I already put 7 bottles of it in there."
"Ok, have a nice day."
"my rad leaks, what's wrong with it?"
"I don't know, bring it and let me find out"
"how much to fix it?"
"between $25 and $500"
"What??!! 500 bucks?"
"I gave a price range based on every conceivable reason it might be leaking. Do you want to bring it in so I can find out what is wrong with it?"
"No, I'll just put more stop leak in it"
"Ok, but when we try to fix it properly it costs more to clean out all the stop leak. Might need to flush the block if you use too mush of that stuff"
"Nevermind, I already put 7 bottles of it in there."
"Ok, have a nice day."
Saw Dr.
Junk Collector
A thought just occurred to me. Maybe I should start telling them about this guy in Virginia who knows a lot more about Stihl saws than I do. I could pass out 'ol Tommy's #, and let him take care of them. Yeah, that's what I'll do.
ErikTheRed
ArboristSite Lurker
Why waste good money on fresh water when you can use straight stop leak?
This is always a fine line to walk.
As a customer if you're not willing to "point me in the right direction" when I need help there is always another dealer who will take my monies. On the same token I would not expect you to walk me through a rebuild over the phone.
zogger
Tree Freak
Stop leak?? Snakeoil! You are supposed to use raw eggs...
spacemule
The Peanut Gallery
Does it make a difference if they stop by in person and offer you a coke?
braiding4fun
ArboristSite Lurker
In my business (which isn't saws by the way) I don't mind helping someone out who has gone to the time and effort to learn enough to ask the right questions, but when someone wants me to spend my time figuring out what they could have easily done themselves if they would have put any effort into it, it's quite frustrating. Oh, and figuring out something with a guy over the phone? When it doesn't work because he didn't give me the right info, guess whose fault it is? Yup, mine. Best policy is, if there's any doubt, make them stop by.
