Windshield Repair Philosophy

[desertstars]

How many of us consider the difference between brainlessly replacing a windshield or taxing our brains while taking the time to perform a quality repair?

Or the difference between those of us who extend themselves by searching this forum and other forums in order to improve our techniques instead of practicing a fast pump and go?

Those of us who really care rather than just consider repair as a way to make a fast buck need to take stock of ourselves every now and then.

The benefits to the insurance companies, the insured, the non-insured, our kids, the environment who all benefit from our preservation and conservation of non-renewable energy shouldn't be taken lightly.

Yes, the repair industry is a way to make money and so is the replacement business.

But, ask yourself which of the two options benefit society the most.

And then approach the next potential repair for your next door neighbor or some complete stranger as something much more than just a way to stuff your wallet.

View it with dedication and the belief that you are contributing to the future of your family and you can forget about how to sell the idea.

The bottom line is that we contribute infinitely more than we take in our business.

The next time you think that someone is doing you a favor by "allowing" you to repair their windshield, give some serious thought about exactly who is doing who a favor as well as the fact that our profession is a win-win endeavor.

Either to apologize or to beg for the business that is out there means a lack of committment to what should be our intent in the first place.

We need to emphatically convince people that their first option should be to repair in every instance that repair is a viable alternative to a replacement.

And, we need to educate them to the fact that a replacement shop is neither the final arbiter nor an objective judge that should be allowed to determine when and if repair or replacement is an option.

That determination and decision should rightfully rest in our hands.

[anythingclose]

Ok, I have a question.

I have read numerous times on these forums the statement, or something like it, that the decision whether to repair or replace should rest in the hands of the repair guys, not the replacement guys. My question is why? Isn't there just as much possibility for a crooked repair tech to convince a customer a repair is viable when it isn't as there is for the crooked replacement guys to convince a customer to replace a windshield for a single small bullseye?

I guess I just think that the problem is dishonesty, not the replacement industry. I have worked in many different occupations over the course of my life, and it seems like without fail every one has eventually revealed its darker side. I'll bet many of you have had the same experiences. How many times have you gone through a training period for a new job, or orientation or whatever they may have called it and they showed you step by step how to do everything. Then immediately upon hitting the floor and talking to the other employees you get the "Oh, that's not how it's really done, we usually just do blah blah blah because it's easier." Or some other excuse. It's one thing when it's laziness of the employees, but the last two jobs I've held it was the managers/owners deliberately doing things wrong just because it made more money. In both cases, after claiming integrity and a genuine desire to help their customers. So the problem with the repair/replacement industry isn't the replacement shops, its dishonest people, no matter where they are found.

Just my opinion.

[JWG]

Well most of the replacement shops around here do repairs as well. Of course they push for replacement unless a repair is requested. They make a little more with a replacement, but also they dont have to worry about a visible blemish in the glass or the repair failing down the road. With repair, with the insurance companies, all the customer has to do is say they are not happy with the repair, whether is was a flawless repair or not, and the shop gets a chargeback when the w/s is replaced. And this can happen a day later, or a year later. Less chance of a stress crack or leaks than a repair coming back on you, at least thats how I look at it.

I do repairs only, but I have a replacement shop I refer the customer to if the damage is "not repairable" by insurance standards.

[Brent Deines]

I used to own a repair/replacement shop and "never" had a customer call their insurance company to complain about a repair failing or to report that they were unsatisfied. I can also count the number of failed repairs on one hand.

I also consider myself a pretty decent replacement technician, but have to admit that we had a couple of returns for leaks every year. We experienced a couple of stress cracks over the years, but that was pretty rare. I would be willing to bet the most glass shops in Oregon get more than a couple of water leak returns each year.

There is more money to be made on each replacement job, but if you had enough repair jobs lined up I still think repair is more profitable after taking into consideration the additional overhead that comes with owning a replacement shop.

In addition, the liability risk is far higher for replacement jobs, and it is much easier to damage a customer's vehicle, so although I have heard the same arguments you have, my experience has given me a different perspective. If a windshield can be repaired I think that is the responsible choice. I think it is in the best interest of the customer not only because of cost, but also for safety. Any time a windshield is replaced there is the possibility of adhesive failure which could cause injury or death if the vehicle is in an accident. We can argue about how much of a risk that is, but statistically it is clear that it does happen. So far repair has the unbelievable record of never causing injury or death. Repair is also the responsible environmental choice as the waste generated from a windshield replacement is hundreds of times greater than the waste generated from a windshield replacement.

However, I agree that dishonesty and greed are not limited to windshield replacement shops or that all replacement shops are dishonest. In my shop the customer always had the option to repair or replace, but I always recommended a repair if the damage was repairable. For me it was not a question of which service was most profitable, but which service was in the customer's best interest. Some glass repair technicians will repair anything which is not always in the customer's best interest, and some replacement technicians will replace a windshield that could easily be repaired. Both of these are wrong in my opinion.

I really don't think it is fair to say that glass repair only technicians do a better job than technicians who do both windshield repair and windshield replacement or vice versa. Some glass repair only are good and some are not, just as some who offer both services are good and some are not. It really bothers me when a repair only technicians says you can't get a good repair in a glass shop or a glass shop says that you can't get a good repair from someone who works out of a tent or at a car wash. Location has nothing to do with it. It's all about the equipment, training, and most importantly about the integrity of the technician.