A few tips

[Sneck]

Here's one...

Always Always Always explain to the customer that some of the break may still be visible after the repair. I always do explain this to the customer, but in this one case I did not. I just jumped right to work and repaired the star break he had.

My customer called me on the phone the following day and told me that I fixed the wrong chip on his windshield. I asked him where the chip was located that I was suppose to fix in relation to the one that I did fix. His reply was... "That is impossible to tell, because the chip you fixed is now invisible!"

In my mind I knew he was looking at my repaired star break. I told him that I will be right over to check it out and see what needs to be done. As I had expected, he was talking about the star break that I repaired. I put him at ease by explaining that even though there is resin in the break and it looks much better, you will always still be able to see a "skeleton" of the break, and the damage has been stopped - and won't spread. He was happy with that explanation, and I continued to explain and educate him more about windshield repair.

He thanked me for coming out again, and said he will refer his friends and family to me when they have a need for windshield repair.

The moral of the story is ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS EDUCATE, EDUCATE, EDUCATE the customer BEFORE repairing the chip.

Sneck

[J.T.Window]

Here's a tip:

Everything that comes out of my car either goes on my pad on the customer's hood or on the ground directly in my path back to my car. This'll also keep you from leaving your phone, appt. book, etc. on top of your own car.

Also, after driving onto the freeway with one guy's antenna on perched on my wipers many years ago, every removed antenna goes onto the customer's passenger-side floor leaning against the seat.

J.T.W.

[repare-brise]

JTW

Why would you remove an antenna? I have not had the need to do so to complete any repairs. Please clarify me on this, I have seen other posts on other forums regarding an antenna wrech, I couldn't figure out why, but now that you say you remove antennai to fix a windshield, I get the meaning behind the prevois post.

MERCI

[sunshine wr]

R-B, I also remove antennas, so I don't have to reach around them when repairing on the passenger side . I put them in a hole in my toolbox, the lid won't shut until I take it out.

[mafsu]

I remove them if they are in the way because I have broken one off while reaching around it before.

[crkdupinga]

When you remove the antenna do you use a drop of Loctite when you reinstall it to keep it from coming loose and falling off. A basic rule of automotive repair: If you touch it you own it in the customer's eyes. Another post spoke about not pluging into a customer's 12v socket for basically the same reason. That has caused me to re-evaluate some of my practices.

[mafsu]

No, I don't. I do tighten it with a wrench. I definitely own it if I break it off.

[Blind Squirrel]

Many times, when working on pickups and vans, the antenna is in the way. I use a small crescent wrench to remove it so I can work.
I caution, if you do this, if the antenna doesn't come easily, DON'T FORCE IT.
Last year, I was doing a repair on a chevy astro van. I tried to remove the antenna and it was balking, but the chip was down in the corner just at an angle that wouldn't allow me to mount my bridge. So, I got my wrench and put too much torque trying to loosen the antenna and snapped it clean off.
The customer was very nice, meaning she didn't yell at me. I told her to get it fixed and I would gladly pay for it . As luck would have it, this type of vehicle requires a lot of labor assembling and disassembling from the inside dash. End result for me $192.00.

[J.T.Window]

I did the same thing on the same van this year. The customer was very good about it and also a can-do guy. He removed and replaced the panels under the dash, the two of us snaked the new wire through to the radio so no labor charge, but the parts added up to almost $50 at the local Chevy dealer. -- Never Again!!!

J.T.W.

[repare-brise]

Thanks for the answers, but I will continue to refrain from removing any part of the vehicule(other than a bit of loose glass).

merci