DealersEdge Professional Forums

1st I'll admit that I have been wrong on many occasions. Let's get that out front. I do not agree with the following however, maybe I'm old fashioned. If I'm wrong, tell me please. I'm a big boy.

Who pays for the mistake?

Scenario #1.....Parts employee working the counter fails to bill 2 rotors on an RO and mistakenly only bills 1, but puts 2 across the shop counter. 2 weeks later it is discovered the error in his ways. Customer pay, no way to recoup. Parts manager bills employee full retail and takes it out of his paycheck.

Scenario #2....Similar to #1 except it's a warranty part billed on the incorrect line on an RO and doesn't get paid on the claim. Parts manager bills employee full retail and takes it out of his paycheck.


Am I wrong to think that this is not right? Is that not the cost of doing business? All make mistakes and it's my thought that we should learn from them and not repeat the same ones. Now, if there is a parts employee consistently making these mistakes, then yes, there is a problem. put him/her in the delivery truck or send him/her to be a service porter or launch him/her. Charge the loss to parts policy and move on.

Please let me know your thoughts...................

I have done it both ways. The question is for me why didn't the service adviser catch it? Did the adviser bump up labor to cover the quote?? If he did now you have two issues.

I have never billed an employee personally for a mistake. Like you said, its part of the cost of doing business. If it becomes an issue where it happens more than once in a VERY great while, that employee will be looking for a new job, but I'd never make them pay for them...and definitely not full retail. Sounds like the parts manager is an asshole.

tmundal wrote: Sounds like the parts manager is an asshole.

Exactly.

To me it's like a tech damaging a tire on a lift, if it happens too much you do have to address it with him.

Department pays, employee is taught correct procedures, If the employee continues to make the mistakes you might need a new employee.

parts manager is an asshole plain and simple

Mike Nicholes wrote:Department pays, employee is taught correct procedures, If the employee continues to make the mistakes you might need a new employee.

My stance also Mike.

For clarification, this is not at my store but at a store i know of. I am beginning to understand the reason for such high turnover.

roncox wrote:parts manager is an asshole plain and simple

That's true.

Never charged an employee personally for an error. We are human we all make them. If it's a problem that happens over and over I would write them up first then possibly terminate them but never charge them.