Windshield Repair Forum

A guy called me earlier and said he has 3 chips in his glass, not cracks just very small chips. He said rocks kicked up and when they hit they just took a little hunk of the glass off. I will inspect and make sure there are no cracks.
But if they are just little voids, the best thing to do is just Clean them(no chemicals) hit them with the dry star to make sure they are dry, Pit Fill them, cure, scrape & polish? Correct? If it is going to be this easy........honestly what should I charge for this? Should I just charge my normal chip repair price? $$ +10 +10 or just the straight $$. OR just do it for free and then I will have a new customer? since in reality it may only be 3 drops of Pit Resin.

Thanks everyone!
Frank

What may constitute to him as just a little hunk of glass coming off could in fact be breaks in the glass, so I'd go in to that figuring you'll charge him for three rock chip repairs at whatever your rate is for three repairs. If you are just filling it with pit resin, well then its up to you. Maybe bill him on the time it takes to complete. If you would charge him $70 for the three chips, and that takes you 30 minutes to complete, you would be charging $140/hr, so charge accordingly. Or if you sense you will receive referrals or future business, maybe just a flat fee for the travel time.

Well I get folks like this on occasion, I charge for "repairs" but filling pits is a comp service for customers. We do that for all folks who come in, with the thought that if they see that we care about them they will return with legit repair issues. It only happens every now and again and it's good public relations so.... You really cant loose. Maybe their family or friend has a chip? You gotta be honest to have referral business!! Just go in with that in mind and you will do fine. Luck to ya, Scott

If a customer comes to me (e.g. at my tent location) I will repair a surface chip for free. If I have to drive more than 10 miles to meet the customer, I'll charge a minimal fee for gas - say $5 for a single chip. Unfortunately, I;m not allowed to charge for surface chips if it's an insurance referal.

Just before you put in the dab in some normal resin and wipe off the excess, this should leave the pit damp with resin. This just fill the rough area's on the surface of the pit that the thicker pit fill will not flow into and the do the rest as you describe. We have even used this method many times on TV screens with great success. As for charging, how many service engineers will call at your house free of charge over here it is none. The customer has asked you to do a job he expects to pay for your services.

Guelster;29261 wrote:A guy called me earlier and said he has 3 chips in his glass, not cracks just very small chips. He said rocks kicked up and when they hit they just took a little hunk of the glass off. I will inspect and make sure there are no cracks.
But if they are just little voids, the best thing to do is just Clean them(no chemicals) hit them with the dry star to make sure they are dry, Pit Fill them, cure, scrape & polish? Correct? If it is going to be this easy........honestly what should I charge for this? Should I just charge my normal chip repair price? $$ +10 +10 or just the straight $$. OR just do it for free and then I will have a new customer? since in reality it may only be 3 drops of Pit Resin.

Thanks everyone!
Frank

Guelster,

Who is running your business, you or us memebers on the forum? I hate to sound cold but you will have to make the decision in the end as to what you feel most comfortable with. I know how exspensive it is to live where you do. It is not just 3 drop of pit resin as you elude, it is your knowledge and skill, time, gas, supplies etc. etc. Like previously mentioned you could offer, FREE(If you have to go to them this seems foolish to me if work is actually performed), Standard one chip rate(even if it is non structural damage, certainly seems fair), reduced rate,(try to gain new loyal customer and potential referrals, in therory this sounds great but even if you charg fairly, if they are inclined to remember you, you will get the referral and hopefully that person will call)?

Your are providing a unique service that customer needs and should be compensatetd for your time and skill they do not have. If they have contacted you they are already in the mindset of paying for your service.

Remember you are in business to stay in business. Charge accordingly, but be fair and honest with your customers. For quite awhile when I started out, I had a problem charging my rate for service. I felt guilty about charging for something so easy, even though my price is certainly fair. Even though I new I was saving them time, money and aggravation it just did not sit well. I got over that real quick as I suspect you will. Think highly of yourself and the service your business provides.

3 chips all just surface? I seriously doubt it. At least one or two of them probably will need to put your bridge on to fill something, even if it is not much. I predict you will be on that job for 25 minutes or longer. Sometimes I throw in a surface chip for free, but that's if there is another chip on the windshield and am getting paid the usual fee for that. Your time and gas and skill, as already been mentioned, are worth charging the normal retail going rate, at least 25 to 50% higher than your commercial rate.

I have had several triple chips that were all just slight surface chips so it is totally possible and happens several times a year. Since my work is all insurance referrals I read the customers, explaining to them that these will not crack and you don't need to worry but if you want I can smooth them out as to help not wear out wiper blades and make shield look nicer. I then only bill the insurance 1 repair. I explain that they are aloud so many repairs a year and I hate to waste them all on little nicks in the glass. Most customers are very very happy.

I don't do surface pits unless it's for free. I tell them most surface pits are not at risk of cracking, simply cosmetic.

I used to just do them and not bill insurance but 99% of customers wanted me to at least do something for my time. Sometimes I have done as many as 7 nicks and only bill for one repair. I always thought that was wrong to do but after most customers telling me to bill them I just figured I would. They were concerned enough to call them in. I have has several tell me to dig up as many as I can find on the shield and bill them all LOL of course I didn't but they figure they pay the insurance they might as well get there use of it.