Garage Owners Beware

So, I suppose this lesson that I am about to teach you could be a lesson for all types of business, not just garages! This type of customer has always been a laughing point when the garage guys meet over a pint of beer!

Subsequently, we vey often get onto the customer who calls into the garage and says ” could you just fit a set of front brake pads, or could you just fit me a “head light bulb”. Yes these are just customers you have to avoid!

The sign in the car window that I have used as the image for this post.

Unquestionably, this says it all. Admitably, not all small jobs go wrong! However, your staff must be made of the customer who just pops in and they are tempted to fit the “small job” between customers that are already booked in.

So the number of times that these so-called “small jobs” have been fired would amaze you. Of course, the latest and most common one is “can you just fit a light bulb“. This is one that you need to watch out for! Some are relatively easy to fit. However, many are also a nightmare, requiring half the cars front end to be stripped down before the bulb can be fitted.

Another similar problem is the “can you fit my own brake pads “customer.

This is a temptation to a new garage owner. So a customer walks in with new set of usually cheap brake pads and asks you if you can just fit these! As tempting as it may be, we never fit customers own parts. Consequently, you will always find that its not just the pads that are gone. So, then you are in a dilemma. Probably one that you never needed. Garages and similar industries cant do “right for wrong”!

So we all know the other problems

associated with the simple job of just fitting a set of brake pads. Anything can go wrong, and believe me, it often will. My advice is to stay clear of these customers.

Established garages will know all their good customers and will generally be too busy to accommodate the “can you just” brigade. My advice is to stay clear of these people and politely say that you are fully booked and, in any case, do not fit customers own parts.

After all, as I say, the image says it all.

Garage Owners Beware