Printer Friendly Forum Posts - running the bay?

So here's a question for all the installers. What do you guys do if a customer decides to back out on an installation? Here's an example.

Had a customer a week back that wanted keyless/remote start done. It ended up being around 480ish with the bypass and labor. The sales guys told him he might be looking at charges if he had a factory alarm. He swore by the book he did not have such thing (Most people don't even have a clue).

Well today rolls around, we check the vehicle and it does have a factory alarm. So he's looking at an additional $55 because the fact alarm disarm is INSIDE the door. He is upset at the charges and lectures me for 30 minutes, while wasting my installation time. I keep telling him this is not part of a normal installation and in no way will i do this for free. So he leaves and I have a 3 hour spot open now even though i filled it quickly.

What would you do?

Also if you could not reach a customer in the same situation, and they did not respond within reasonable time, would you do the work and charge them afterwords without confirmation? If they refused to pay would you go snip the factory disarm wire? lol (wishing I could sometimes)

Just general remote start/keyless input would be appreciated since the season is soon upon us posted_image

I personally would have just of done it. Tried to go halfway first then just have given in for the simple fact that now you had three hours empty and a customer that is probably not going to come back. Now if you did it for free, you would have recieved the 480ish and a happy customer because he would feel like he's getting it for free. And in all honesty it takes what 20 minutes to run wires into doors.

Ya, I tried to meet them halfway, but it is the fact that the sales people told him a week before. And it was a molex, so it took about 45 minutes extra.

I feel like this industry is not appreciated enough. My other job is a flight instructor, and it is easy as hell but I get paid WAY more. But I work on cars for fun as a part time gig, but i feel it requires more studying/understanding.

I've got the T shirt on this one. I do sub contract alarm etc. installs for a number of retail outlets in North west London and I've had to train the sales staff to say the following:- "Everything subject to our engineers checking the vehicle beforehand. We will confirm prices at that point". The vehicle's in your work-shop and you're half stripping it. Provided you come across as straight forward and honest, they are not going to back-off and will usually deal. My other method is to get to the customer before the sales staff (i.e. Morons unless I've trained them to ask) quote.

I had a similar situation ...Where i sold a r/s and informed the customer to bring 2 keys...One would be in stalled w/ the r/s...And would only get 1 key back...I think the whole NKR bypass(and his age) totally screwed him up...Long story short...He wanted both keys back...And the unit taken out...So i explained labor is non-refundable...He was so irratated by this point that he agrred...Refund was $79.00...I kept $180 and got the unit back...LOL...Anyway...I understand your point...He was well informed about the cost ...But at the $500 dollar mark... Going through door or using a bypass(car?) probably would have been your best bet...But you said you filled the appointment spot rather quickly...And maybe in some situations you dont need there business...Anyway...I love those guys who try to tell you how to run your business...As they go clock in at temp service...

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M.E.C.P & First-Class
Go slow and drink lots of water...Procrastinators' Unite...Tomorrow!

I've been running my bay for quite a while now, what i've realized is people don't know half of the technology they have existing in their cars so they think we don't either. In a case like yours mr Yimke, what i would have done is quoted the customer the total 530ish he might have had to pay, keep in mind he knows you're charging him to have the equipment installed and working, without knowing all the details off your job (factory alarm disarm for example), that way he would have been content that you were dealing with him in a fair manner and if there was no factory alarm present, you would have been able to tell him you're giving him 55 dollars of the install. And what a happy customer he would have been. Also before i dive into any job, i talk to the customer a little, by doing this i feel out the person, so i know how to carry out my task, the customers that are down right stubborn and ill-mannerd, i let them know exactly how much they are paying for the job, and exactly what is going to get done, any additions to the job comes with additional cost, this way they rarely can complain!

P.S. i love the customers that say, "just install,and give me the bill", posted_image . Cheers.

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COMMIT YOUR WAY TO JEHOVAH AND HE WILL ACT IN YOUR BEHALF. PSALMS 37:5

t&t tech wrote:

I've been running my bay for quite a while now, what i've realized is people don't know half of the technology they have existing in their cars so they think we don't either. In a case like yours mr Yimke, what i would have done is quoted the customer the total 530ish he might have had to pay, keep in mind he knows you're charging him to have the equipment installed and working, without knowing all the details off your job (factory alarm disarm for example), that way he would have been content that you were dealing with him in a fair manner and if there was no factory alarm present, you would have been able to tell him you're giving him 55 dollars of the install. And what a happy customer he would have been. Also before i dive into any job, i talk to the customer a little, by doing this i feel out the person, so i know how to carry out my task, the customers that are down right stubborn and ill-mannerd, i let them know exactly how much they are paying for the job, and exactly what is going to get done, any additions to the job comes with additional cost, this way they rarely can complain!
P.S. i love the customers that say, "just install,and give me the bill",. Cheers.

Good point there...Have used that a few times...Only problem there is price shoppers(phone)...But for the most part like t&t stated half of the battle is feeling out who/what type of customer your talking to as fast as possible...Amen to the "Just install,and give me bill"...Some of the reason we are still in business is our repeat customers...!

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M.E.C.P & First-Class
Go slow and drink lots of water...Procrastinators' Unite...Tomorrow!

Price shoppers, i don't care much to have them as customers anyway, i believe in paying for having things done right and remaining that way, whenever a customer makes a mention of "i could get this done cheaper elsewhere", i let them know that we charge that price because we are trained pros who know what we are doing, that our standard of work is of the highest quality, and that we have after sales service to back it up, if they still choose to go elsewhere, well, that's their right, i did my part, here's a perfect example.

Customer comes by the shop today and says "what's the price of an actuator"? i said "over the counter, or installed"? customer-"what's the difference"?. me- "over the counter it's 100$, installed it's 200$", he then says"100$ just to hook up two wires", i then informed him of what was involved and that he would have gotten warranty on the part had we done it, and he still insisted he would get it done cheaper elsewhere, i say ok, tested it and sold him it over the counter, closing time he pulls into the bay, informs me he paid sixty dollars to have it done, but says he has a problem, it's working in reverse, on arming the alarm the doors open and disarm they lock, me knowing it was simply switching the wires around at the actuator, i grinned slyly and said "there is a service charge of forty dollars",

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COMMIT YOUR WAY TO JEHOVAH AND HE WILL ACT IN YOUR BEHALF. PSALMS 37:5

Are we talking $US Darren? At those labour rates I'm joining you! Problem in the UK is EVERYONE's a price shopper, the companies that have only been going a few years panic and cut their prices inc. labour charges to the bone to "get the deal". I've never agreed with that and as I said before, if I'm in the loop I'll use your last comments and get the deal at my price. It's a lovely warm feeling in your gut when they come back with their tails between their legs and ask you to rectify it.

Ya I pretty much agree with everyone's comments and input. And yes I absolutely love the customers that don't care about the bill because they know I will do it right and not overcharge them.

But going back to T&T's comment about quoting them for the disarm, but refunding them. Do you quote them for everything, such as disarm, immobilizer bypass, etc.? Because during Christmas time for remote starts it gets crazy. I think I spend more time on calls for quotes than actually installing remote starts. And we all know how picky the market is for bargain shoppers. Let's say if I quote a Chevy aveo for immobilizer which is about $100 extra, and some other shop doesn't because their model does not have it, by it being an option on that car. I almost guarantee they will go with the other shop.

Also what do you guys think about setting up an answering machine during Christmas time for people to leave their year/make/model and contact number for price quotes? That way I can blow through an install and give them a call back when I am finished with that vehicle. Instead of getting up every 10 minutes and wondering where I was at.

If I was a potential customer and I was seriously looking,on hearing an answer phone, I'd just hang up and go on to the next one.

I was thinking the same Howie, but it has been some ideas I have been throwing around since my sales staff is incompetent. I just wish I could do one job instead of 2.

If you do not have voicemail/answering machine set-up now...Then Yes to that...! I wish i could pass up Priceshoppers...Only time i tell them to go elsewhere, is when they lie about pricing...(called a few stores in front of customer) Dude...Its tough and ultimatley it comes down to you...Couldnt tell you how many times a day i stop to do other ppl jobs...Why cant they price a friggin stereo install...??Whats so tough about looking up notes on vehicle during quoting process...??? This is part of my daily thought process...

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M.E.C.P & First-Class
Go slow and drink lots of water...Procrastinators' Unite...Tomorrow!

Also it sounds like you made a decent buck on that install...And they say for every good experience a customer tells 1 person...And for every bad experience the customer tells 10 people...I always try to solve the customers problems...Even out of my realm...Mechanical work...Bank loans...Etc...

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M.E.C.P & First-Class
Go slow and drink lots of water...Procrastinators' Unite...Tomorrow!

I was going to say amazing how us installers always have the same problems with store front stuff but it's human nature. They are the wage slaves and we're the artists. If we didn't secretly love this job, coupled with a determination to make things happen, would we be doing it for the pay? Rhetorical question. I'm going to print this out and leave it in a few shops to see if they get the message.

Explain to the customer that you will do the quoted work for the quoted price which was made clear to not include the factory disarm. Hooking the disarm during initial installation will cost this much more and is highly recommended. Installing it at a later date will cost more as it will take longer to install. Also explain any installation warranty is void if anybody else touches your alarm system. If he refuses now, he will be back later to have it put in.

[QUOTE=Steven Kephart]Explain to the customer that you will do the quoted work for the quoted price which was made clear to not include the factory disarm. Hooking the disarm during initial installation will cost this much more and is highly recommended. Installing it at a later date will cost more as it will take longer to install. Also explain any installation warranty is void if anybody else touches your alarm system. If he refuses now, he will be back later to have it put in.[/QUOTE

Good point Steven...We incorporate that same thing at our shop...I actually stole the idea and wording from HHGregg...It helps tremendously...(in regaurds to the voiding of warranty and right to first access)

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M.E.C.P & First-Class
Go slow and drink lots of water...Procrastinators' Unite...Tomorrow!

So work this one out; 93 Prelude, in this morning, the nice shape, not the newer square one, AGuard 5.5 (Think that's a UK only spec) plus I/Start 5 plus529 closer, oh and remove the remains of the 15 year old alarm that's sitting there (not connected to locks or doors but it is to trunk (?)) Guess what? I pop the driver's door panel and discover there's no lock actuator! First time I've seen that on a Prelude, just like the mid-nineties Civics, well luckily the customer was hanging around so I pulled him over and showed him so he was prepared to pay. Just out of interest the 529t was dead on one side. Great so he's back tomorrow a.m. while I shove another unit in.

Howie- I feel for ya on that one. I probably would have charged them extra to pull the unit out since the lock actuators did not work. Maybe around $20-40 depending how long it took. I mean they actually saw the unit in there and usually I have to re-solder connections since most units I pull out are T-tapped.

As far as the junk 529, if they brought it to me I would charge them again, because it is their fault for bringing me faulty equipment. I would probably only charge them 1/2 labor though. Otherwise if it was bought from our shop I would do it for free under manufacturer warranty. I don't have the time to test security products posted_image

Stephen- Here's a question, how do you know/prove that someone else besides your shop touched the install? I have 2 other guys and sometimes 3 that work on vehicles. I mean the only way I can prove it is if I took pictures of EVERY install. Which I would not do/have enough time.

Also here's a side rant. Don't you love it when you are 1/2 hour behind schedule with 2 hours to go till close, with constant walk-in customer questions and 3 "scheduled" hours work of work? (With constant customer glaring through a waiting area window)

I love those days. *Insert sarcasm here*

yimke] wrote:

Stephen- Here's a question, how do you know/prove that someone else besides your shop touched the install? I have 2 other guys and sometimes 3 that work on vehicles. I mean the only way I can prove it is if I took pictures of EVERY install. Which I would not do/have enough time.

It usually is obvious. For instance, a factory disarm wire is now mysteriously attached to the alarm system you installed. At our shop we do things quite a bit different than anybody else around us. For instance all alarm wires are blacked out in electrical tape and we use a large number of zip ties to keep everything looking clean. However in the case of the OP we're not worried about proof. We just want the customer to know that going elsewhere for the disarm wire may have repercussions.

Its stops ppl from taking it elsewhere for repair and then getting that phone call that says...Well this shop just looked at it and they said it was this...And that the other shop should have never done that...And for 50 bucks we will fix it...Customer then comes to you and wants a refund...ETC...This works well for us and our battery sales...Customers always want to take their batterys to Autozone to be checked...What a joke...They stick that Big Yellow Sticker on the battery saying its "bad". They then bring the battery back to me Irate...Cause Autozone said the battery is bad w/ several dead cells...Quickly grab my DMM...Check voltage on battery...Its at 11.7 volts...Basically 100% dis-charged...I ask them how did Autozone test a dis-charged battery...Which the customer normally has no clue what i just said...! So basically it gives you first right to inspection/repair...And for the most part, customers will follow that advice...! So basically it stops them from taking it to your competitor...Who im sure is going to say whatever they can to put down your shop to get the customers business...! Also over the phone customers who call and want to take it elsewhere for repair...Simply say ...If taken to another facility for diagnostics/repair voids the warranty...For the most part the customer does not know very much about 12 volts and all it takes is someone else telling them something different then you to get them all excited...Plus if they want to by-pass you, and take it elsewhere...You have the oppurtunity to take back control of situation...By voiding warranty...etc...!

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M.E.C.P & First-Class
Go slow and drink lots of water...Procrastinators' Unite...Tomorrow!