Customer Service Please

[cjhutch]

What is up with the customer service at various shops? I contacted 3 different shops and only one even picked up the phone or returned my call. I'm not asking for anything special, but if you have a voicemail and ask customers to leave a message how about calling them back? If someone stops by your place during business hours have someone up front to greet them or at least a bell or something so you know when someone arrives. I'm not going to say any names because the two shops that didn't get back to me have done good work in the past for me and when you meet them in person they are cool people. The thing is if I were a new customer I would not know that and simply take the lack of communication as a smack in the face. I ended up going with another shop I've never used before mainly because each time I called someone picked up the phone or returned my call when I left a message. In addition their rates are a little more, but I live a pretty busy life as well and can't wait around for people to get back to me whenever they decide to or be on the phone calling every hour in hopes of someone actually picking up the phone.

[msanch24]

haha those in the auto business are great at talking to cars. Not so great at talking to people, i guess. My mechanic is the most socially awkward person ive ever met, but damn he does a good job for cheap. I literally have to walk around back and yell at him when im picking up my cars.

[RL...]

Just take your business elsewhere... Plenty of shops that do have good customer service

[Vteckidd]

well when you get fanboys who come in everyday wanting to talk to you for 4 hours about how dope it would be for them to build some car they will never have the money for, it gets annoying.

You dont have a clue what it takes to staff and run a shop. they are there TO MAKE MONEY, not to kiss anyones ass. You know how expensive it is to have someone who SOLELY answers phones and does quotes and nothing else?

Regular maint shops can afford it because they make $100/hr no matter what and their customers are willing to pay what they charge. Performance shops are lucky to make $80/hr and they have to compete with the 18-25 year old kids who ALWAYS bitch moan and complain about how $1000 for an engine swap is "too much".

Im not saying the places should call you back, but you cant expect super cheap prices (which most of the consumers in this industry want) and top notch customer service.

Once the consumers are willing to start actually paying for the services performed and pay what they are worth, then maybe things will improve.

[Vteckidd]

Just be glad you weren't trying to call TRM in buford. If you even get through, then if someone actually picks up, good god leaving a voicemail to get back to you.

It took less time to drive up there (1.5 hours) away and talk to them than the hassle of 25 phone calls. RIDICULOUS. The place does great work but damn on their phone system.

Everytime you stop to answer the phone you are losing BILLABLE time. period. It costs them money to answer the phone.

This isnt UNIQUE WHIPS where you have a dedicated secratary to do everything

[quickdodge®]

I agree with you completely on your entire post. Except for the part below:

... but you cant expect super cheap prices (which most of the consumers in this industry want) and top notch customer service.

I can and will expect good customer service. Good customer service and business goes hand in hand. They promote each other. If you're not open for business or you're too busy to deal with customers because of your backlog, then you should close the doors for a few days to get caught up. If your door has an OPEN sign on it and it's facing the public, then someone should very much respond to the sound of that door opening and closing. At least in the initial part of the visit. Now if the shop rep picks up on a valid sense that the customer isn't trying to do any work at that time and is just dawdling, then I can understand a polite way to get back to work. If the person has a history of coming by every time he gets an idea about something (but never having anything done), then the rep should come up with some way (politely) to get this person to stop interfering with the operations. A really repeat "offender" should probably be told to stop coming by during business hours as he is then messing up the workload.

Everytime you stop to answer the phone you are losing BILLABLE time. period. It costs them money to answer the phone.

Every time you DON'T stop to answer the phone, you just might be losing billable sales. It could cost you money to NOT answer that phone. There's no reason why someone can't answer the phone, get the gist of the call and get back to work. It's not hard to control the conversation in an effective and immediate fashion where you're not wasting a lot of time and yet trying to help out a potential customer.

Mike, I see what you're saying, for sure, but good customer service should never be compromised. Later, QD.

[STRteg]

Mike, I see what you're saying, for sure, but good customer service should never be compromised. Later, QD.

This is the truth,not going to mention any names however I just recently had body work and paint done to my civic and I was trying to get info from a reputable shop on the repair process of my core support,well left voicemail after voicemail no reply for a week so i spent my money elsewhere

[Doppelgänger]

+1 to the OP. I recently had a delay dealing with a local shop. I wasn't looking for some killer deal or lowest price on the part I was looking for. I was looking to spend money and time on a local business. I could have gotten a good deal from a website and called it a day, but I wanted to give this shop a chance to impress me so I could pass on the expierence to others. Unfortunately I was let down and ultimately contacted an out-of-state shop and had my request filled in about a week....and spent another $80, of which I had no problem paying because I was well taken care of from the get-go.

[msanch24]

well when you get fanboys who come in everyday wanting to talk to you for 4 hours about how dope it would be for them to build some car they will never have the money for, it gets annoying.

You dont have a clue what it takes to staff and run a shop. they are there TO MAKE MONEY, not to kiss anyones ass. You know how expensive it is to have someone who SOLELY answers phones and does quotes and nothing else?

Regular maint shops can afford it because they make $100/hr no matter what and their customers are willing to pay what they charge. Performance shops are lucky to make $80/hr and they have to compete with the 18-25 year old kids who ALWAYS bitch moan and complain about how $1000 for an engine swap is "too much".

Im not saying the places should call you back, but you cant expect super cheap prices (which most of the consumers in this industry want) and top notch customer service.

Once the consumers are willing to start actually paying for the services performed and pay what they are worth, then maybe things will improve.

well, at least now i know where not to go.