How would you respond to this:

[Glassdoc]

Guess I feel differently about than "just take the money". I work in an area with close to 230 dealerships in roughly a 25 mile radius. These "used car managers" and "general managers" go to the same auctions twice a week and suprisingly enough talk to each other.. So.. if a dealer that is not happy with your work for what ever reason tells the other 4 or 5 at the lunch table. It won't take long for all of them to think your work sux or that you are a push over.. But, stand your ground, have some ethics, be a straight shooter and do the best you can do with what they give you and they will respect you for that, if nothing else. I have accounts that I have serviced for 15+ years, and I know all of them know where I stand on what can be repaired and what can't. And they will not ask me to sway from my standards. it would be non-profitable for both of us.. As for, who cares about the competitor? Yeah, its business.. I never mind winning over a customer with better service. But know if this happened to this guy, it can and will happen to me.. Why put myself in that position? I demand more than that of myself than to set myself up for failure whether it be 11 years or 11 weeks. If the guy did shoddy work, yeah I have no problem stepping in and being the hero saving the day. But not due to one accident that could happen to any of us at any given time.

So you work for them for several years until you crack one and someone else gets the account who cares? Thats how it works the day you stop taking accounts because the other guy lost it for whatever reason is the day you should go back to an hourly job.
Seriosly who cares why someone switchs to you? take the account and do the best you can to keep it.
I suppose if you found the girl you wanted and had been working hard to get dumped her ex because she thought he was cheating and you find out he didnt you wouldnt go out with her anymore?

[dingmedic]

jmho I let all of our dealers know that we attempt to repair the damage. The windshield is already broken/cracked. I feel that if you let them know upfront you are better off. I have had 2 in the last 3 yrs and no problems with the dealers.
Dawn

[Dr.Chipster]

Having done business with dealerships I have found if you are willing to meet half way in this case $550.00, this tech might have saved this account. Being in the descriptive automotive industry I have had this happen before. I posted a vehicle online with cruise control that had no cruise control and the dealership ate the cost to sell the car and then asked me to pay for it. That mistake cost me $300.00 of free service to the dealership which I was glad to pay because they are one of my best accounts. I think it shows good character and integrity when you are willing to fix your mistakes. Remember he would not have attemted the repair if he didn't feel he could fix it. Its the risk we all take. We are all human and prone to mess things up once in a while.

[GlassStarz]

And it really breaks down to salesmanship once again instead of continuing to work the customer and keep them up on what he did for work he fell in the groove for 11 yrs if every time he saw a potentail break out he worked the customer telling him "Boy that one is ugly but I think it can be saved and should it break you were going to have to replace it anyway so I will try my best to save it" result is when one breaks they are prepared and when they dont you are a hero Basic Salesmanship! but he didnt do that so when one broke he was shipped who's fault is that?
And because the other guy didnt do his job right you walked away from a potential long term customer

[harrellbenjamin]

Guess I feel differently about than "just take the money". I work in an area with close to 230 dealerships in roughly a 25 mile radius. These "used car managers" and "general managers" go to the same auctions twice a week and suprisingly enough talk to each other.. So.. if a dealer that is not happy with your work for what ever reason tells the other 4 or 5 at the lunch table. It won't take long for all of them to think your work sux or that you are a push over.. But, stand your ground, have some ethics, be a straight shooter and do the best you can do with what they give you and they will respect you for that, if nothing else. I have accounts that I have serviced for 15+ years, and I know all of them know where I stand on what can be repaired and what can't. And they will not ask me to sway from my standards. it would be non-profitable for both of us.. As for, who cares about the competitor? Yeah, its business.. I never mind winning over a customer with better service. But know if this happened to this guy, it can and will happen to me.. Why put myself in that position? I demand more than that of myself than to set myself up for failure whether it be 11 years or 11 weeks. If the guy did shoddy work, yeah I have no problem stepping in and being the hero saving the day. But not due to one accident that could happen to any of us at any given time.

I worked in the car industry in the N/East Pa-Nj- De for 20 years as a manager and salesman.Believe me a Windshield tech is the least of their worrys and a tech being the topic of conversation is a strech at best.As far as getting a bad rep because they talk.....................I dont think so.Take the money....there is very little honor in the automotive industry and just because you take the high road unfortunatly you are in the minority in that part of the US.Manager in that part of the world change jobs as often as the seasons...JMHO

[harrellbenjamin]

And it really breaks down to salesmanship once again instead of continuing to work the customer and keep them up on what he did for work he fell in the groove for 11 yrs if every time he saw a potentail break out he worked the customer telling him "Boy that one is ugly but I think it can be saved and should it break you were going to have to replace it anyway so I will try my best to save it" result is when one breaks they are prepared and when they dont you are a hero Basic Salesmanship! but he didnt do that so when one broke he was shipped who's fault is that?
And because the other guy didnt do his job right you walked away from a potential long term customer

Exactly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Contrary to what you may believe ,they do not care about the Techs very much at all.You are just a necessary evil.....................

[Bois]

But, last week he was doing a repair on a "new" delivery and actually caused the stone shot to spread to the point it needed to be replaced. The wanted him to pay for an $1100. windshield and he refused." (can't say I blame him)

Glassdoc, If the vehicle was newly delivered wouldn't the manufacturer's warranty cover replacing the windshield? Sounds like the windshield may have been damaged in delivery or maybe during a test drive.

[Bois]

When I approach a used car or reconditioning manager I make it known that I fully understand that their only reason for spending money on any used car is to make it cosmetically marketable. Therefore, if I can't make a rock chip "practically unnoticable" then I don't bill them for the repair because I haven't "helped them to sell the car". This is my only purpose and value to them..

Blind Squirrel, In my opinion, if a customer sees a vehicle with a chip or small crack they aren't going to tell the salesperson that the WS looks ugly. Instead, the customer is going to tell the salesperson that they're afraid that the WS will eventually crack out and they'd have to replace it. Also, most of the dealers I work with are concerned about crackouts - not looks.

For this reason, I place a written warranty card (back of business card) in the glove compartment of all dealer vehicles that I repair which extends my warranty to the purchaser. The dealers like this because they can tell the prospective customer that the break has been repaired and that the repair is warranted.