Windshield Repair Forum

Hey fellow WSR Techs,

I have a prospect that approached me during a repair at one of my dealer accounts today.
He asked if I replaced WS? I said no and he proceeded to inform me of a chip he has and wanted to get the WS replaced.

I explained the benefits of repair vs. Replacement and considering the year of his car explained how his repair could be FREE!
He said "I want it replaced" I asked him what was his deductible and he said $50.00

Ok I have never heard of a $50.00 deductible espeacialy with Allstate.
I asked him why he is so set on having a new WS.
He said repairing it will screw it up and it will loose its value.

I went on with this guy for an hour it felt like. I learned he had a bad experiance with a very well known "Glass Vendor"
And said the last repair he had done looked worse than before they started.
I remembered my "Demo" glass I had in my van and decided to show him the quality of my work.

He was impressed, but still wanted to call his insurane to see if he can just get replacement, Why spend that money when it can be FREE and Fixed Today???

I don't know if he was just pulling my leg or what. Have any of you ran into a situation like this before? If so how did you handle it? What was your approach and success??

I have found this attitude a lot in my short time in the business, and this is my theory... car owners are so upset paying insurance policies for nothing ( is how they see it) that replacing the windshield would be a kind of revenge for the insurance company. I imagine this guys thinking to themselves "at least I made them pay too, ha ha ha".

From my point of view is the worst thing for everyone including us w s repairers. 1. They pay a deductible cost. 2. His policy price rise. 3. Insurance company pays a lot for the new WS. 4. We lost a repair.

I ask myself too.... how can we make them understand.... open his eyes...

We as a trade lost the opportunity to convince this guy about the benefits of WSR when he had his first one repaired by an unskilled tech, the market is full of them. I would say in the UK the majority of repairs are rubbish. Some major replacement companies give their guys 1 hours training on WSR and then send them out to do the job, without dryout, without UV protection and without any knowledge. Surest way to convince a customer WSR does not work is too give them a bad repair.
Can we stop this sort of thing happening, I doubt it very much.

The way I see it; if you have a chip and you dont have it repaired, then there is a strong possibility that its going to crack out.
Intelligent people will choose to have it repaired before it cracks out.
Not everybody is intelligent.
If somebody has their mind set on getting a new windshield, I am not going to loose any sleep over it.
I just let people know that I do WSR, that it will prevent it prevent it from cracking out and save them money. After that its their decision.

Don't forget to mention all the problems that may occur during a windshield replacement that are not factors with windshield repair. The factory seal is undisturbed, no chance of leaks, no chance of rust, no chance of sealant failure, etc., all of which can cause unsafe conditions for the vehicle's occupants. Some windshield repair technicians do better repairs than others, but even a poor windshield repair does not create the unsafe environment that a poor windshield replacement job does. As a replacement technician I certainly don't mean to bash the replacement side of the business, but if our customers only knew how many poor replacement jobs were being done every day, and how unsafe an improperly replaced windshield is, they would always look first for the repair option.

You may have mentioned all of these things and still been met with rejection, but I find that rarely the case, even if the customer has only a $50 deductible. No one wants to risk the lives of their family, and in Oregon no one wants to have their windshield leak. I think having owned a glass shop lends credibility to my argument, but the selling point is the same even if you have no windshield replacement experience.

Thanks for all your replies!

This customer called and finally had the repair done. I spent extra time on his WS, longer cures I was determined to regain a much better outlook on
His part for the WSR Industry!

After completition I asked him what he thought? His answer:
"I'm shocked" "This looks a lot better than my last one" "You wouldn't know it was chipped, looking at it now"

After those compliments I achieved my determination and regained. What ill call" WSR Respect"

Very well done, old fella.