Boy some customers don't tell you.

[KE4AVB]

Just had a customer wanting his spindle and blades replaced. Customer provided the parts. Not something I like in the first place. Well I replace the spindle, blade, an fixed the two front flats. No other work done as no other problems reported. Customer pickup the mower then comes back 7PM (1900 hrs) complaining about problems that I didn't fix as they were not reported and not tested for due to the customer providing the parts.

He is acting like I should those problems for free. Boy is he cheap instead replace the belt and cover on his mower had zip tied it and then lost the retainer. He was making out like I left it off when I install the spindle when in fact it wasn't there to start with. Now he is complaining about the hydro driving correctly.

When the mower gets back in, I will do a proper inspection and he can pay what it takes to get the mower working right.

[bgsengine]

Yeah have had plenty of those. I always tell em up front, no warranty of any kind if they provide parts and just want a specific issue fixed. I'll always do a test mow (or whatever) after and note down any problems and tell em when they pick it up.

[KE4AVB]

Ever have one to get mad that you found problems but didn't fix them without approval? I had few that just went away pissed.

The ATV he left here has been sitting awhile but just want the throttle cable replaced. I figuring there is a lot wrong as the battery is already dead. At I manage to figure what year and it is today. Almost never got the VIN to be anywhere readable but what do I expect on a 38 yrs old Yamaha where the VIN is on the lower frame. Just the year model out that VIN had to compare body parts for the specific model.

[bgsengine]

Ever have one to get mad that you found problems but didn't fix them without approval? I had few that just went away pissed.

.

Heh. can do even better - 12 year old lawn tractor that had been parked for 3 years, found mouse nest, (and they ate coil wires), dry rotted belts, carburetor rusted and corroded and float crushed from frozen water in float bowl, battery froze and cracked, cables corroded, and acid ate through PTO cable, throttle cable, and safety switch... it was brought in for a "quick tune-up and sharpen blades" , called them back with estimate (over $500 worth of work & parts) and the guy called me a rip-off because the tractor ran just fine when it was parked, refused to approve the extra work, and demanded that I fix all the other problems under shop warranty because we had serviced it 3 years ago just before it was parked and forgotten..... (and surprisingly, going back over the unit service history, last service was actually 5 years ago, when it was owned by the guy's father... evidently that 3 years ago service was done by someone else.. if it had been done at all..)

I told him to come get it, no charge, and not to set foot on the property again or I'd have him arrested for trespassing.

[KE4AVB]

Yes we have to stand our ground sometimes. May lose a customer but those kinds we don't anyway.

Yes I got several barred customers here too. I had 5 years ago togive me heck and I was trying to be nice. That was until he called and cuss my mother out. He didn't think I knew where he hung his hat at but he got a surprise when the county sheriff deputy show up with instructions for him to crease and desist.

Anyway stay safe Brian. Lots of crazies out there this weekend.

[nos351wcm]

I keep records of repairs just in case of such instances. Sorry for your troubles. If one is not in the trades or service industry then they will never understand

[KE4AVB]

I keep records of repairs just in case of such instances. Sorry for your troubles. If one is not in the trades or service industry then they will never understand

It just something I have learn to overlook most times as I have been in the service industry every since '79. There is always someone trying to get by with something. At first I was surprised by how customers' employees though I got the whole amount I wrote the repair for labor wise.

Even with all the years of experience it still irritates me sometimes. I had one customer a few weeks ago complaining about what I quoted for a repair of his handheld Stihl blower. So I said he could have it back and put it back together himself. He was about to do it until I sat the box down in front of him start walking away. He changed his mind. I don't he like jigsaw puzzles without instructions.

[bgsengine]

I keep records of repairs just in case of such instances. Sorry for your troubles. If one is not in the trades or service industry then they will never understand

Yeah but records don't count for anything much when the customer tries to accuse you of doing work that you never did (or even saw the machine ever before) in the first place.... Which is a good reason to have unique repair tickets/invoices (they can't possibly fake an invoice number even if they can copy your header/footer/form... Had one customer write up a fake repair order on his computer and try to "prove" I did that work and get his money back... but invoice numbering on computer records tripped him up)

[KE4AVB]

I keep records of repairs just in case of such instances. Sorry for your troubles. If one is not in the trades or service industry then they will never understand

Yeah but records don't count for anything much when the customer tries to accuse you of doing work that you never did (or even saw the machine ever before) in the first place.... Which is a good reason to have unique repair tickets/invoices (they can't possibly fake an invoice number even if they can copy your header/footer/form... Had one customer write up a fake repair order on his computer and try to "prove" I did that work and get his money back... but invoice numbering on computer records tripped him up)

It takes all kinds...Like the ones that owns multiple units of the same make and model. Over the years I had them try old trick you didn't get it fixed trick but having a system that keeps track of the serial numbers ( and VINs) trips them up. My invoices list them as Chassis.Every job gets an unique job number, every machine and engine gets unique ID numbers, and then there is the invoicing numbers. And the Auto Manager software I run it keeps record back to 10 years so I easily pull the records of what have been worked on and what was done. Yes about half my time is spent on records keeping but it is what it takes to protect myself plus it just makes it easier to do things later.

[hanz63]

Honestly I have no issue with this. I think a lot of it is how the service order in written, being clear in the three C's. Write the thing like you are at the local new car dealership. They know how to stay off the hot seat. Much else is charge what your worth. Skip the junk and cheap skates and leave them for someone else. Mark up parts like you know how.