Do You Trust the One Caring for Your Car?
How to know who to TRUST? What to Ask so you can trust your Auto Repair Shop Trust and Auto Repair Shops is always an issue in people's minds. Auto Nation did a poll and found that over 70% of the consumers number one complaint was a lack of trust in when having their cars serviced or repaired. I find this to be particularly true for women. The best way to empower yourself (man or woman) with information. Have a set of questions prepared, to ask the repair shop or service department. That way, any one male or female, old or young, you are in charge.
1: Does your Service Writer/Service Manager get paid on commission? hourly? or by salary?
This question is huge. If the Service Writer/Manager is paid only from a commission or percentage of their sales, then the motive to sell what is fast and easy is a major factor. What your car actually needs gets lost in the commission. Whether or not the vehicle gets the right service it needs and repairs it needs becomes an afterthought.
I have heard about dealerships offering a special bonus or upping the commission for any "tune-up" that was sold. This meant that many problems that needed real diagnosis were secondary and people often got a "tune-up" to cure a problem that did not cure the problem. Outcome... the car came back on a tow truck with a very angry customer. Service departments that are really concerned about being ethical and listening to a customer's needs, will most likely pay the service writers and managers a salary. A Bonus program, would be implemented for customer satisfaction, not on the individual ticket sale.
2: Is the mechanic or manager available to explain in layman's terms the problem with your car? Can what's wrong with my car be shown to me?
First, if you are not allowed to talk with the person handling your car when you ask, this is also a huge problem. The tech should be able to clearly explain what they are doing and why they are doing it. If they can't, it's possible they don't really understand the car and its problem. That is scary. Chances are they are guessing and this will become a very costly expense to your pocketbook. If the service department doesn't allow you to see the mechanic, you should wonder why! Are they are too profit driven to take five minutes away from one tech's production? Is the shop too messy and unsafe for a person to walk through. If that's the case, question if what they are telling is you is really what your car needs, and take your car elsewhere.
This article was written by Audra Fordin. To get more great advice from Diva Toolbox Media Diva Audra Fordin, visit her website at: whatwomenautoknow.com
