Autozone's free diagnosis

[robc]

How have you all combated AutoZone offering free retrieval of DTCs for customers? Attack them? Fight fire with fire? Ignore them? I am not sure what is right here when a customer complains about an $85 diagnostic charge because AutoZone does this for free!

I am also not sure about your area, but in my neighborhood educating the customer doesnt work. To them shops will spin whatever yarn they can to separate them from their money so trying to give a customer a ten minute explanation on the difference between code retrieval and proper diagnosis is difficult. The only thing that has marginally worked is to pull the most intensive DTC trouble tree and ask them who is going to do these tests to confirm the source of the problem.


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** Rob, Editor WD&S **
Help is only a message post away!
robc@dealersedge.com

[gordyw]

I agree that the customer can't be educated very easily. A code that they retrieve is just that, a number relating to numerous components or circuits that could be the cause. When we get the calls for over the phone diagnosis we pretty much say "it could be, but without our diagnosis there is no way to know for sure" I dont believe Auto Zone diagnosis is much of a threat.

[Bill Stueckemann]

Auto Zone's newest fad will not last. At our local Auto Zone store customers lined up for their code reading. Most customers will learn the hard way as AZ will after many replaced parts that do not correct the problem it is not a total repair. I think this will pass in ashort time.

[GLEvans]

I agree with Bill - The quality of the diagnosis of most independent shops suck! We are in a situation where most of the AZs or O'Rielly's don't carry too many Mitsubishi parts because they aren't real big sellers. Most indie shops send in the customer to purchase the part instead of buying it themselves and making a profit on it. That way, the customer gets stuck with the part if it doesn't fix the problem and we won't give a refund for it. In our part of town, where most of the customers want something for nothing I parley these 2 stories: A )An indie shop did a computer diagnosis and told the customer the car needed a transmission control unit. The customer brought me their VIN to get a price on it and it turned out the car had a manual trans.(Whoops!) B) A customer came in wanting a price on an ECM (oue ECMs run around $1000). An indie shop told them they needed it because "their computer could not comunicate with the ECM". We checked it out, replaced an EGR solenoid (for $130 diagnosis, parts and repair) and sent down the road a happy customer.
I could sell the customer alot of parts I know the he won't need because a "know-it-all" shop threw their car on a machine and it said it needed them. Rarely does a car need engine control parts we don't stock. If a customer comes in wanting an off the wall part, I encourage them to bring the car into our shop.
Now an auto parts store that doesn't have an experienced tech wants to get in the game? All they have to do is make one mistake to give us an example and we will capitalize on it. Bring them on! We will make fools out of them just like we do to that great chain brake shop - Just Brakes!

[MJB]

We are at a GM dealer and don't see this as much of a problem.I see this like I always heard people don't buy 1/4 inch drills because they want a drill what they want are 1/4 inch holes. I don't think are customers want to know they have code p1870, what they need is thier vehicle repaired correctly and I don't see the parts store as competition in this area

[Doug]

Free scan for codes? Who cares? As someone mentioned, this, too, shall pass.

I believe in being competitive, sure. that only makes sense. I don't concern myself with being the cheapest in town or offering lots of "free" anything. Been there, done that, loaded the shop up with a bunch of coupon clippers and tight-wads who were more concerned with the best price than any of the benefits we had to offer.

I might add, that, in my own experience, getting the best price does *not* prevent these people from being as demanding as customers who pay full bore.

Fair pricing and quality work will load your shop up with.....you guessed it: *quality* customers !

Cheers
Doug