Sarcastic \"THANKS!\" to WR suppliers

[glassdoctor]

The latest thread on dealers reminded me of something that has really bothered me the past couple of years. I hope Jeff won't be too offended.. this isn't directed (only) at Delta Kits.

I would like to take this opportunity to "thank" Delta and other WR Suppliers for marketing their product to all the car dealers and their body shops.

Several of my accounts I have kept for many years... I never lost them to any competitor, and worked very hard to keep it that way, only to lose the account to the the dealer itself... usually the in-house body shop.

The most recent went with the "simple enough for a child" Delta kit. (No offense Jeff but this is the one that really bugged me.) The used manager and reconditioning people at this dealer are not happy at all... they want me doing thier cars. But the body shop has convinced the owner that it's a good idea.

Business is business and I can't fault WR companies for selling their stuff... I understand. But man it really SUKS when it goes down this way.

For me this "in-house" thing has been a much bigger problem than any competitors. I have lost NO accounts to a competitor but I have lost or have had to fight to hang onto 7 luctrative dealers accounts due to them wanting to go in-house.

2 I lost 100%
2 I am currently doing a little and working to get it all back.
3 I have got back 100%

Of course I do better work, etc, etc... no comtest there. It's just hard and takes time to demonstrate that. There is a reason I won in the capitalist market over my competition... if only they could see that rather than just the $$$ they think they are saving.

This latest dealer has already had to replace at least 3 windshields that their in-house guy messed up. Gee... it's working out real well for them.

[Delta Kits]

Not to be rude, but have you ever thought that YOU might be marketing windshield repair to your dealers? I don't know about our competitors, but we don't currently market to car dealers or body shops specifically. Of course, they can find us on the internet, but we don't advertise in their magazines, etc.

So, again, are you marketing to them accidentally? If so, how can you make sure dealers realize the trouble you go through, expertise it takes to do repairs?

[screenman]

I would say 70% of my customers have tried thier own kits and then realized how good I am. When they realize this it makes for great customer loyalty. If you worry to much about losing a customer I would suggest you do not have enough of them. Sometimes a kick up the A$$ is what we all need to get out and sell to some more customers.

[GlassStarz]

I have a unusual insight into the car dealer I was in auto sales 20 + yrs prior to my making the change to WR and the reason for the in house solution is simple
most service and sales department managers are paid a % of the profits they bill so much per hour internally and pay the tech by the hour. A $35 dollar repair done by the body shop cost the shop 1/4 hr labor for the tech getting maybe $5 the rest is profit in the dept. sales dept will always complain about how they should get charged the real cost but it will never happen a dealership that does 20 in house repairs a month will put $600 extra profit into the service dept with as much as 25% of the profit paid in commisions to the service writer and service mgr doesnt seem like much but start doing the pin stripes and used car get ready internally as well as the detail you can see what will happen. Its simple if you are collecting alot from the dealership they will always try to find a way to make it internal its just how the car buisness works.
the solution is to make yourself invaluable by offering something they cant do internally that was the reason I started to do touch-up as well. the sytem I bought is different and cant be duplicated while there I do the chips for example today I did 3 cars touch up at $100 per and did 7 cars at $25 per while there didnt have to drive to 10 places worked at the same place all day (4hrs) the other WR guy who they are happy with charges $35 I cut them a deal instead of $125 for the touch up if im doing the glass I only charge $100 same with the glass its only $25 if im there doing the paint anyway in the dealers mind he is saving $ but I make $100 + per hour while im there and its harder for someone to steal the account im down to 7dealers and bill 2k a week with plans to put 3 vans on the road when it warms up and my kid graduates

[repare-brise]

I can't fault the WSR kit producers for selling supplies, it is after all a free market (they don't even market to them). While dealers will buy kits, they will for the most part tire of the job. With the high turn-around most dealers face the person doing the repairs in the begining(and presumably the one that got the training) will eventualy move on. But you don't have to wait for that to happen. Prove to them that they can't do a repair as efficiently and to the customers satisfaction as well as you. I have dealers that own a kit and use it only on customer cars, but when it's for a used car they want to sell it's me they use. The reason is simple, since my last repair I haven't done 3 oil changes, 2 break, jobs, and so on, we only work on glass and we do it better than someone that does 2-3 repairs a week.

Next time you are confronted with the "we do our own" make them an offer they can't refuse. I tell them that the next repair they get in that they can't repair, I will come and do it for free. This proves to them beond a doubt that we are better. One of my franchisee,s turned the tables on his dealer with a clever argument. The dealer has signes in his waiting room praising dealer service over independants, with the slogan roughly translated " no one knows your car better than we do". Well no one knows glass better than we do.

Before doing WS repair I owned a Volvo(surprise) only garage, I charged 25-50% more an hour than other local independant shops(and actually $2 more than the closest Volvo dealer). What kept the customers and referals comming back(other than my great singing voice, if I was not allowed to sing while working it was $5 more per hour LOL) was that when presented with a problem it took me much less time to find the fault than a "cheaper shop". in the long run the customer saved money. Ask your dealer the last time his tech cracked out a WS, his percentage of come-backs, ect, the answers will usualy leed to points for you to use.

Finaly if your business is dealer dependant, find some new customers, dealers are a fickle lot, fleets, corner garages, body shops, factories, and retail are all much more reliable, and appreciative of our service. Diversity is key to a healthy portfolio in any business.

At Your Service

[glassdoctor]

Hey, I agree with the replys... thanks for the comments.

I think some have missed the point though.

What has "bothered" me is just that it's been very fashionable around here the past couple years to go in house. Whether or not WR companies actively or passively market to body shops and dealers, or just who is "marketing" WR is of no concern... not the point I was trying to make, although I can see how that was picked up on by Jeff.

Please let me reply a bit...

1. I'm not mad at the WR companies at all.

2. I actually have more work than I can keep up with. Biz is good. I would tell how many cars I did yesterday but that shouldn't matter, and some wouldn't believe me anyway. I will say I do around 30 new car dealers, some very small and some are as big as any in the US.

3. The people I actually work with (used manager, recon guys, salesmen, etc) DO want ME to do the work. It's the body shop that gets the owner to lay down the law and take over.

4. Quality of my repairs is not a problem. So don't do there.

The 2 delalers that I "lost" have had the "in-house philosophy" for many years now so I shoudn't even count them. Guys I know there do call me when they need a repair on a personal vehicle.

So that leaves 5 dealers that have gone in-house that past couple years.
3 of them I never lost more than a couple repairs... no biggie.
2 became a problem but I'm working on getting them back and it's going pretty well, but it's not a done deal yet either way.

I'm not looking for other sources of work, or answers why dealers go in house. That's obvious... they think they will save $$. Sometimes it works out for them and sometimes they fall on their face.

Just wondered if anyone who does dealers has seen this in their area.... otherwise thanks for reading my "rants". Haven't done that in a while. Is there a peace sign smiley?

[glassdoctor]

Yvan
Thanks... some good points there.

I am very dealer dependent. I do a few rental agencies and some cash jobs I run into during the day of course. But I'm +90% new car dealer.

Fortunately most of the dealers I do are great to work with... I think that's due to working with them for 15 years. Let's just say I don't have to waste time standing around getting approval, etc... and only doing one car, etc.

But I have been there for sure... 20, 30, 45 miuntes waiting only to get zero work...

[glassdoctor]

screenman
Don't worry about me.

Funny you should mention a good kick in the arse can be what you need.

Several years ago I lost 2 dealers in one month. (the 2 "in-house philosophy"dealers) That was the best thing that ever happened to my business. That was a kick in the butt and I hit the streets and replaced the lost accounts many times over.

We do tend to relax when things are going smooth, but we can fight like a bulldog when we are backed into a corner.

[glassdoctor]

GlassStars

True. Again, it's business and you can't blame them for wanting to save money. As long as they are willing to deal with the headaches they get from having the in-house boob do the work.

Sometimes the used car dept. doesn't get such a sweet deal though. I know one dealer where the body shop guy charges $50 for wsr, $200 for detail, etc... to do the lot cars. Used cars get the shaft but it's all good in the eyes of the owner cause it's in-house after all.

I've been meaning to ask you about the touch up buisness. I have talked to the guys about getting the system myself, and add another full time guy. Right now I just do glass and some headlights when I feel like it. The system sounds good. There is another company with a similar process that works my area, but your brand says they have a better product and the other company is a knock-off.

I would like to talk to you sometime if you don't mind. PM me you phone if you want.

Thanks.

[GlassStarz]

I went to 3 locations and saw the sales pitch and demo including the knock off you speak of the guys in Kansas were right on the $ awesome results with minimum work I have been in the car buisness for a long time and never seen a system that works as well as theirs.

Back to the general the reality of WR is more kits get sold to replacement guys than WR only
When one chain of aftermarket or lube shops orders a kit for their whole chain it adds up to what the MFG might sell to WR only guys in a year without the big chains and inhouse people the MFG couldnt stay in buisness
Many dealers go inhouse so they can sell it to their customers as well as do their own jobs unfortunate for us but in the grand sceme who cares?