Shop / Customer Advice

[Howard]

This opinion applies to all shops:

When you take the time upfront to discuss all of the work to be done and all of the details of the deal money wise there are usually no problems. This seems to be the biggest problem with most shop / customer difficulties. Customers expectations are not fully expressed so the bid for the work is lower than it needs to be. Customer thinks things were left out, Shop wants to charge more for these things.

A written contract for major work should include all major parts and labor itemized.
Small items may be over looked on the estimate but customers should be notified asap of a change to the bottom line. Surprises suck when it comes to money.
Timeframes for custom work should always have some flexibility.
Communication is the key to happy customers.

[Jorgen]

Its good advice... Im in remodeling.
Heres the bullshit I deal with. Last job we did...
Home owner goes around us, the general contractor, and tells plumber to insulate pipes. Thats $150. Home owner lies and plumber tries to bill us. I have no change order. I dont get my 35% markup. Home owner tells plumber to install dishwasher. I know it might seem a little strange, but for price and contract reasons, it was not our responsibility. Floor got scratched. Now he wants his floor refinished. Homeowner had allowances for material. Example $800 for a shower door. He managed to go over his allowances in several different places. Some people will just bend you over and fuck you any way they can.

So... get a contract, get a change order, expect people to try and fuck you, expect your always going to end up doing something for free.

[The Bean]

Small items may be over looked on the estimate but customers should be notified ASAP of a change to the bottom line. Surprises suck when it comes to money.

Timeframes for custom work should always have some flexibility.
Communication is the key to happy customers.

Agreed. Specially good communication :wave:

[AFSil80]

Couldn't have said it any better.

An updated customer is a happy customer. ;)

[I RON DON KEY]

the truth.

[cpa s13]

Agreed.

Anyone who drops off a car at a shop and that needs a good bit of work to be done should expect the completion date to get pushed back. Not because the shop purposefully falls behind but usually something is missing/broke/wrong etc. and parts have to be ordered or more repairs are needed.

Also estimates are just that, they aren't exact; and while all major items/services should be itemized. 9 times out of 10 there was something left out or not known at the time of drop off and its going to cost more.

So, If the completion date is one week plan for 2, and if the estimate is for $1000 plan for $1500.

[Casey]

werd very true. ^

[FlyingStroke240]

Agreed.

Anyone who drops off a car at a shop and that needs a good bit of work to be done should expect the completion date to get pushed back. Not because the shop purposefully falls behind but usually something is missing/broke/wrong etc. and parts have to be ordered or more repairs are needed.

Also estimates are just that, they aren't exact; and while all major items/services should be itemized. 9 times out of 10 there was something left out or not known at the time of drop off and its going to cost more.

So, If the completion date is one week plan for 2, and if the estimate is for $1000 plan for $1500.

I do agree with you on the job being late to certain extent ( maybe a week or two but a whole month?) but i do not agree with the whole price thing. I'm gonna try to make this really simple b/c I'm very sleepy. When you tell a customer $30, you have to honored that price. When you are making a quote, there is an area when you put $200 for unknown things that may come up. If the full $200 is not used, it shall be refunded to the customer. Once you open and run a shop and is doing the same thing over and over again, You should be used to this kind of stuff.:redx:

[hellfire]

I do agree with you on the job being late to certain extent ( maybe a week or two but a whole month?) but i do not agree with the whole price thing. I'm gonna try to make this really simple b/c I'm very sleepy. When you tell a customer $30, you have to honored that price. When you are making a quote, there is an area when you put $200 for unknown things that may come up. If the full $200 is not used, it shall be refunded to the customer. Once you open and run a shop and is doing the same thing over and over again, You should be used to this kind of stuff.:redx:
You really don't put $200 for misc. You just have a part that says you are allowed to go over the estimated price, becuase of course, its estimated.

And also, a small job, and a big job are two different things.

Example:

Welding a diff. Thats one thing. You state a price, say $50. And that is the price. Nothing really can change.

An SR swap. Thats a whole lot of jobs bundled into one package. Take my price for example. So $4500. While that includes a lot, maybe they want A/C, and don't have the lines. So that gets added in. Maybe its a SOHC, and they want PS. There is another fee.

You get the point. So a lot of times, a set price becomes higher, due to whatever reason.

And yes, an updated customer, is always happier. There are the odd people who don't care at all, until its done though.

Tyler

[I RON DON KEY]

You really don't put $200 for misc. You just have a part that says you are allowed to go over the estimated price, becuase of course, its estimated.

And also, a small job, and a big job are two different things.

Example:

Welding a diff. Thats one thing. You state a price, say $50. And that is the price. Nothing really can change.

An SR swap. Thats a whole lot of jobs bundled into one package. Take my price for example. So $4500. While that includes a lot, maybe they want A/C, and don't have the lines. So that gets added in. Maybe its a SOHC, and they want PS. There is another fee.

You get the point. So a lot of times, a set price becomes higher, due to whatever reason.

And yes, an updated customer, is always happier. There are the odd people who don't care at all, until its done though.

Tyler

fckkkkkkkkkkk

i got a sohc, so now i won't have power steering if i swap an sr?

fckkkkkkkkkk hahhaha

[hellfire]

Say "fckkkkkk" outloud. Sounds odd... Fff-kkkkkhhhhhh

Tyler

[I RON DON KEY]

yeah i did, and i laughed.

but do i?

[hellfire]

You will either need to bend your SOHC hardline to the drivers side, which is ghetto, and can kink. But DOES work.

Or do the better way and get a DOHC pressure line. Also, you will need to get a DOHC or switch the resivior over to the drivers side.

Tyler

[Cash]

This problem happens across many industries. In IT it's called scope creep. After a project is started, the customer decides they want more features, but still want to pay the negotiated price and expect the same completion date. My dad owns a construction company and deals with customers that decide they want more expensive appliances and want additional work done, but then get pissed off when the price for the job increases. People just need to quit being cheap and realize that labor costs money. More labor = more money.

[Howard]

Good stuff being discussed here and that is the point of this post. Maybe all shops should make the vendor review section required reading for new customers.
I know that an engine swap for most young people is the largest transaction (besides getting the car) that they have made so far. Getting the car you can see what your getting, in an engine build or swap they don't know all of the details so they might not know what to ask. If the details of the work are on paper then both customer and vendor have a record of what is and is not included.
Try going into a restaurant and sitting and just saying FEED ME! I doubt you would be happy with your meal.
If you say I would like a salad with Italian dressing the fillet medium rare and Baked potato with the works you will feast the way you want it. Damn now I'm hungry.
I have read the he said she said blogs of bs blasting a shop and getting all of the facts wrong. I have also read (and seen the frustration) shop owners defending their shops. I have met and talked to most of the shop owners servicing the drift community and I believe that none of them are trying to get over on their customers.
Prices and quality may vary from shop to shop but there is no bad intent.

So, Talk it over before you get started and things will work out better.
Howard

[Andy C]

i like this :goodjob:

[osiriskidd]

You really don't put $200 for misc. You just have a part that says you are allowed to go over the estimated price, becuase of course, its estimated.

And also, a small job, and a big job are two different things.

Example:

Welding a diff. Thats one thing. You state a price, say $50. And that is the price. Nothing really can change.

An SR swap. Thats a whole lot of jobs bundled into one package. Take my price for example. So $4500. While that includes a lot, maybe they want A/C, and don't have the lines. So that gets added in. Maybe its a SOHC, and they want PS. There is another fee.

You get the point. So a lot of times, a set price becomes higher, due to whatever reason.

And yes, an updated customer, is always happier. There are the odd people who don't care at all, until its done though.

Tyler

did you just call me odd, broski?

[hellfire]

^^ LoL.. In a round about way, yes. But I love you. Hahah..

Tyler

[rtrhead]

well put

[hellfire]

Good stuff being discussed here and that is the point of this post. Maybe all shops should make the vendor review section required reading for new customers.
I know that an engine swap for most young people is the largest transaction (besides getting the car) that they have made so far. Getting the car you can see what your getting, in an engine build or swap they don't know all of the details so they might not know what to ask. If the details of the work are on paper then both customer and vendor have a record of what is and is not included.
Try going into a restaurant and sitting and just saying FEED ME! I doubt you would be happy with your meal.
If you say I would like a salad with Italian dressing the fillet medium rare and Baked potato with the works you will feast the way you want it. Damn now I'm hungry.
I have read the he said she said blogs of bs blasting a shop and getting all of the facts wrong. I have also read (and seen the frustration) shop owners defending their shops. I have met and talked to most of the shop owners servicing the drift community and I believe that none of them are trying to get over on their customers.
Prices and quality may vary from shop to shop but there is no bad intent.

So, Talk it over before you get started and things will work out better.
Howard

I'm pretty sure most shops have estimates and invoices.

We have an itemized Estimate, that the customer recieves when the car is dropped off, and an Invoice, that is updated as needed as work progresses.

Tyler

[Howard]

Tyler, I know you got your stuff together. I'm kinda directing this info to the new guys getting into the car scene. Most shops handle their business properly but some don't.