How to be tactful ??!!

[texaslp]

I agree, I think Zoom did the right thing for the little old lady and dodge's situation sounds like a different matter.

Hmm, maybe I should quit coloring over my gray hair! But then my cats don't like riding in the car.

[Stapleman]

I do agree with The One & Zoom, it's seems to be distinction
with out a difference. Would be interested in The One's response on dealing with the elderly situation,however, I feel
T/O beholds a great amount of compassion and also beholds
a silver tongue.

[topshop1]

Looking at the big picture, it is not worth mentioning to the customer...nothing to gain, plenty to lose.

Assign it to the clean up staff. If you have to pay them, so be it.

On warranty work, you eat it (and the tech appreciates you). On customer pay work, you increase the estimate accordingly and actually turn a few bucks on the mess. Think of it as an upsell after your tech does an inspection.


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Tom Ham
AutomotiveManagementNetwork.com

[TheOne]

Stapleman thank you for the kind words.

As for Grandma,
With most things I have an eye towards profit, and I never sacrifice todays profit hoping for one in the future. I would have invested a few minutes in conversation with Grandma. During the coarse of conversation I would have offered Grandma the interior clean for full value pricing. I would have dillegently done my best to sell it. If it became apparent that she could not pay full tilt for the cleaning I would have found a reason to INVEST in her and arrived at a dollar amount that she could comfortably afford to spend. I would make absolutely certain that she understood in her heart that the cleaning was worth every penny of the original price, and that she was "priceless" and therefore worth far more to us than the difference between what she paid and what the work was worth.

She would have paid SOMETHING. Free is just another way of saying WORTHLESS. Price is almost never the problem. Value is a perception and almost never talked about.

[ZOOM1]

TheOne-I value your opinion,but still have to disagree.I think cases like this are "gray areas" which need to be evaluated on an individual basis.I look at my decision to do the cleaning free as a form of advertising, an investment in future business,and I believe it did bring me additional PROFITABLE business.
I do ,however,admire your focus on profit,and agree that value is important,and not addressed enough.
Keep your insightful posts coming.

[TheOne]

I appreciate your right to disagree Zoom, but when was the last time you saw a gray area on a financial statement??

[ZOOM1]

You are right,there is no such thing. BUT...the roughly $100.00 I spent brought me several thousand dollars back in business-a pretty good return for my "advertising" dollars. Plus, I did something nice for someone,even if it didn't make me money at the time. Although we disagree on this,your dedication to profitability is commendable ! Looking for a job ?......

[ZOOM1]

You are right,there is no such thing. BUT...the roughly $100.00 I spent brought me several thousand dollars back in business-a pretty good return for my "advertising" dollars. Plus, I did something nice for someone,even if it didn't make me money at the time. Although we disagree on this,your dedication to profitability is commendable ! Looking for a job ?......

[Stapleman]

My hat is off to both of The One & Zoom for working towards a common ground. I have worked for several DP's
that share the methods of The One, I believe that consumers
want to pay and rightfully should. When i worked for Ford in the D/Land area ( 70's ) they would hand out promo items in lieu of a discount or FREE service. Thanks to both of you!!

[texaslp]

I kind of agree with both.

1. I think I would have done the same thing for the little old lady. In a service industry, it doesn't hurt at all to do a little something extra every once in a while, and it often returns to you 10 fold as it in fact did for this guy.

2, OTOH, I'm not in favor of giving away lot's of free stuff either.

I think the key is finding the irght balance(as in most things in life.)