A few tips

[DaveC]

Of course, your employee "shared" their lunch with you;)?

[repare-brise]

Dave

No I didn't get a free lunch out of it, but I wasn't billed for time and millage either, nor was any resin used, just a little rubbing alcohol. But now that you mention it a good steak would be an idea.

Merci

[Layne]

Gosh! I enjoy reading this thread....I remember reaching inside my vehicle for my moisture evaporator---looked everywhere for it. I guess I left it inside a vehicle the previous trip, just didn't remember which one, and never got a call from the client. Expensive lesson---I got a battery pack from Lowes and never put any of my tools inside a vehicle any more!

[StarQuest]

Another tip.....make sure when getting into and out of vehicles you always check to make sure your cell phone is still clipped to belt.

Last year I was working multiple units at a truck rental location when I suddenly noticed my cell phone was missing. Unfortunately, the truck I dropped it in was a one-way rental already in route to Arizona from Detroit, Michigan. After calling the number at least 7 times within the first hour somebody finally answered it. Lucky for me the customer was cool and agreed to stop to get a bite to eat so I could catch up with him at a stop 80 miles away. Needless to say I offered to pay for his lunch and thanked him graciously. Boy, was that dumb on my part!

[mafsu]

A-1 I wouldn't go that far for a retail job, not anymore anyway. When I first started out I drove all over, I had an account with the state DOT and went to different offices 3 or 4 days a week. DOT is a great account for someone just starting out, their vehicles have a hard life. It allows you to get some experience and they don't expect the best repairs in the world. In addition you get paid for practicing. Here in VA in addition to trucks they have Fleet Management which is basically a car rental company for state employees. I'm sure most states have these(cars run in the ground, but it sure beats only working on trucks all day).

[sunshine wr]

Have a place for every tool in your box, if you've got an empty spot somthing's MISSING.

[Sneck]

Here's one...

If you are getting in and out of a customer's vehicle, make sure that you do not have a pen (or pencil) in your back pocket. It can very easily catch on the seat fabric and tear a hole. This has not happed to me at a customers, but it has happened to me in the chair im sitting in right now as I am typing this.

And if you adjust anything like the seat position, the rear view mirror, the heat or defrost settings... etc., remember to put them back just the way you found them. I know when I leave my vehicle at a repair shop, and when I come to pick it up I have to re-set everthing. It makes me feel like somebody must have been climbing all around in my vehicle, and screwed up more things then they fixed.

Sneck

[Jeremiahswindshieldrepair]

If I ever get an improper VIN or miss the VIN altogether I just call the insurance company and ask for the agents phone number ... if said the proper way they will always give the agents number to you. Then I call the agent and explain that i have done a repair .. it has already been called in and my company name is on the billing but that Iforgot to get the VIN amd I had hoped they would get it for me. Not once have I been turned down. Takes all of 10 minutes and problem solved without having to wait for a customer to call you back weeks later if at all, which is what I used to do.

My tip is: always talk about their job or their dog that's in the car or something .... that way if the chip isn't cooperating you can keep working on it and then when it is done act all surprised that it has taken so long but you just got to jabbering and time flew by. The repair has turned out great though, I didn't think it was going to turn out quite this good .. so we've been very fortunate on this one..... then start talkign about their job again right away to turn their attention back away from the time issue. This of course is not to be used in lieu of honest estimates in time .. but if a chip that 19 times out of 20 takes you 10 minutes to do and you happen to be on the 20th one and it's taking you 15-20 minutes and you told them 10, it is nice to have the excuse of talking way too much ... but then again that just comes naturally to me

[cure4glass]

Yvan,On a similar note
Just yesterday I went to a ladie's house to do a repair she was really worried about spreading farther.The first ting I do is take a look at the damaged area and she was anxious to hear whether or not it could be repaired. I told her "sure, I can take it all out",then went to my truck, got my razor and scraped it right off. It was sap from a tree in her yard.She was quite embarrased but I told her that it was'nt the first time such as that had happened.She wanted to pay me for my trip, I refused .I gave her a magnetic card and told her to pass my name along.
Another time a guy asked me to come to the ballpark where he was practicing and do a repair.He said he would leave the check under the floor mat.Later he called and was thrilled that he could'nt find the repaired spot but wondered why I did'nt take the check from under the mat.I told him it was just a smudge and wiped right off with windex.That was about five years ago and have done many since for him and his associates.

[Layne]

Sunshine---Obviously you have a much neater tool box than I do. I have so much junk in my box that an inventory would take a lot of time.

While I was in the missile/rocket motor profession prior to my retirement, we used "shadow boards" which is very similar to your suggestion. A painted picture of the item stood out if the tool was not in its designated location--- thereby covering the paint

Layne