Inventory Control of R134

[Carl]

I just did a count of our 134 today and discovered a discrepancy of 50lbs! We use 30lb canisters of 134. Our charging/recycler machine is kept in the parts dept. most of the time, but now with the hot weather the techs don't seem to have the time to bring it back.Our booker catches some of it, but apparenly not all of it. Any ideas for controlling it better would be a great help.Thanks in advance.

[scotstrong]

What we have found works well is the following: every time service comes to get a new 30# jug, you charge service for the whole jug on a "shop supplies" ticket. On the last day of the month, look at your sales history for the month of whatever part number(s) you charge out R134 with, and then credit the service department back with the amount that was sold. When the service department gets charged for the "lost" freon, suddenly service management starts paying closer attention and forces better controls on the technicians. The actual users are now being held accountable for any loss instead of it just going to "inventory shrinkage."

[mh]

Hi Carl,

There is a previous string from several years ago about the "freon situation" if you search under R12 Freon. We had problems with this also, primarily with the R12. We now chain/lock machine(s) to the wall. Techs have to sign in and out on a clipboard. Amount is weighed before and after. Parts always charges out maximum amount on RO's if any AC related part is given out (evap, compressor, cond). The techs do gripe about this sometimes but dealer agree's with method and it works. You may want to consider raising cost price to compensate for any losses if you have no other options and cannot charge off losses to service. 134 never seemed to be much of a problem just the R12, but maybe that was more noticable do to cost.

[greg01]

I had a terrible time with this at the previous dealer I worked at. I would weigh the container before and after each tech had it. Then when it came back 4 pounds light, and I billed 4lbs to the RO, the service manager would flip, and argue that the car wouldnt hold it, yada yada yada... He even tried to tell me that weight wasnt a good way to measure it, because the machine did it by volume, and that changed by temp.

I compensated by inflating the cost to account for the typical amount of "lost" freon. He either was too stupid to catch on, and was happy to see 2lbs billed (at the cost of 4), or just didnt care to argue any more.

The current dealer was already billing it to shop supplies when I started, and the service advisors were responsable for billing it. AMEN, I wasnt going to change that one. I am 110% positive they are taking a bath on it, but its buried in the shop supply account and doesnt show so obviously, so I dont much care as Im not paid off shop profit (I know, a bad attitude, but you had to be there for some of the "freon fights" I had at the last dealer). Same goes for motor oil!! No way I am going to even think about suggesting a change to this policy!!!

[mh]

Greg01

Boy are you lucky!! I'm surprised your dealer is allowing this and your service manager doesn't catch it. Does service always show a profit in their supplies acct? I wouldn't rock the boat if I were you either!!

[greg01]

There shop supply account isnt terrible. Its not a profit point, but they arent really losing their shirt. I guess it works, but im sure they would be making more money if freon wasnt involved.

[Jon]

We used to have a lot of problems too, R-12 was definitely worse because of the large cost increases in the past few years ( we no longer sell R-12, retrofit to 134A only ). We set up a dummy part number for an ounce of 134A and post to the RO by the ounce. When we hand out a fresh 30# tank we sell it in PS (ADP) and then receipt 480 ounces in PR with a reference of "BULK-CONVERT". If there is more than a couple of ounces showing as "ON HAND" when the new can goes over the counter we bill it internal to shop policy. Yes, the service manager used to scream about it, especially R-12, but a calm discussion of the matter made him realize it was totally under his control - closing an RO with an AC op and no freon was the tech and closers fault. We also pointed out (over and over) that they needed to have freon billed EVERY time it went in, they had been doing evac & recharge and only billing for the "extra" ounces they put in on top of what they took out. They finally came around once they realized that they had about $10,000 tied up in AC equipment and were eating $500 policy adjustments for the shortages in R-12. Since even GM warranty pays for a full charge regardless of how much you evacuate it shouldn't have been such a tough concept to get across. We still have one writer that argues about it, he wants credit for the 1/2 pound they put it to leak test before they suck it back out to replace the evap core, now we just ask him if we should charge it to his personal account !

[This message has been edited by Jon (edited 07-11-2002).]

[cwalden]

Thats the same way we control ours,480 ounces
at a time.The difference if their is any is charged or credited to shop supplies.

[Mack2]

We use Robinair charging cylinders. Problem Solved.

[Howard]

We bill ALL 30 lb 134 cyls to shop and there is no "parts related" problems, service charges customer. We have 12oz cans for those times when they are necessary. R-12 we use only12oz cans to prevent loss, again no parts problems.