Bad Service!! What Would You Do?

[CrystalRiver1]

BMOC=Big Man On Campus, just a slang for Big Dog, someone with status. An old College term for the guy who knows all the women, where all the parties are, etc.

The thread starter took his saws to a Stihl saw shop to get fixed in February, seems reasonable to me. I assume he just now gets a call saying they are not going to fix them. ABarrick basically thinks people ought to fix them there self or don't buy them, to which you agree.

What if you came into my restaurant and ordered a burger, which is on the menu, and after an hour I tell you, "Sir, you need to leave so we can seat these oil field workers, they are the Big Dogs, tip well, and eat steaks. Your burger is not worth my time, go home and fix it yourself"?

That's it!!!

 

[CrystalRiver1]

Was there a time frame you all agreed on when the repairs should be completed or was that just assumed? If you have had many problems with this shop in the past why did you continue to return?

We agreed upon 60 days, because I was in no rush for them at the time.
I returned, because in lieu of their slothfullness...they do decent work at a fair price.

 

[Cobby08]

That's it!!!

What I'm saying is from a business point of view. Ok, you are the boss now... you have 45 minutes until closing do you serve the one guy a burger or do you do the table full of oil workers that want 10 steaks? Or do you try to do all of them at the same time, burn a couple steaks, and send the burger out half rare as you were rushing? I agree that that is excessive but you need to see both sides too.

 

[CrystalRiver1]

What I'm saying is from a business point of view. Ok, you are the boss now... you have 45 minutes until closing do you serve the one guy a burger or do you do the table full of oil workers that want 10 steaks? Or do you try to do all of them at the same time, burn a couple steaks, and send the burger out half rare as you were rushing? I agree that that is excessive but you need to see both sides too.

I say you open your mouth and communicate to everybody who patronizes your business. That way you don't alienate anybody to the best of your ability.
Do business in a business like manner...this is not nuclear fission here.
BTW...I'm a business owner.

 

[Dub11]

I think alot of people are missing the point. 2 months turned to 6 months. If they didn't want to service them then it should of been addressed way sooner.

 

[Cobby08]

I say you open your mouth and communicate to everybody who patronizes your business. That way you don't alienate anybody to the best of your ability.
Do business in a business like manner...this is not nuclear fission here.
BTW...I'm a business owner.

I think alot of people are missing the point. 2 months turned to 6 months. If they didn't want to service them then it should of been addressed way sooner.

I get both of these... I really do but my point is lying within the idea of prioritizing. I agree that is too long of a time and yes they should of called. I am defending the dealers who are on the service end in the aspect of who I choose to service first.

BTW... I'm a head Piss-on.

 

[Hinerman]

No, I basically said people shouldn't buy broken junk and expect others to be happy to repair it so they can turn a profit on the others work.

What difference does it make of what a person is going to do with a saw that they bring to your shop for repair?

If you take a car to a shop for repair, does it matter if you are fixing it to flip or fixing it to drive?

 

[Dub11]

I get both of these... I really do but my point is lying within the idea of prioritizing. I agree that is too long of a time and yes they should of called. I am defending the dealers who are on the service end in the aspect of who I choose to service first.

BTW... I'm a head Piss-on.

I get ya on that I work at a print shop and have literally had my boss run down and yell stop the presses we need to run 1000 sheets asap lol.

 

[Hinerman]

What I'm saying is from a business point of view. Ok, you are the boss now... you have 45 minutes until closing do you serve the one guy a burger or do you do the table full of oil workers that want 10 steaks? Or do you try to do all of them at the same time, burn a couple steaks, and send the burger out half rare as you were rushing? I agree that that is excessive but you need to see both sides too.

Stay open late and serve them all the best steaks and burger they ever had

 

[CrystalRiver1]

What difference does it make of what a person is going to do with a saw that they bring to your shop for repair?

If you take a car to a shop for repair, does it matter if you are fixing it to flip or fixing it to drive?

That's right...that's their personal business.
Their business is to provide a service.

 

[Cobby08]

Stay open late and serve them all the best steaks and burger they ever had

Ideally yes... and miss a daughter's Kindergarten graduation? Miss your mother's birthday that could be her last? I couldn't... been there and done that. You raise valid points but in my eyes you need to realize what you are in business for; knowing when to close the doors is a huge gray area.

 

[Dub11]

Just a fyi but after working in a restaurant in high school I don't go to any place with an hour or less before close.

 

[CrystalRiver1]

Ideally yes... and miss a daughter's Kindergarten graduation? Miss your mother's birthday that could be her last? I couldn't... been there and done that. You raise valid points but in my eyes you need to realize what you are in business for; knowing when to close the doors is a huge gray area.

Those are valid and undestandble occasions.
But, my daughter doesn't graduate everyday for 6 months nor does my Mom have a birthday in like manner!
Besides, if they did, tell your customer so they have the option to wait or go else where.
Thats falls under rudimentary Business Management #101, Expediting, and Logistics.

 

[Cobby08]

Those are valid and undestandble occasions.
But, my daughter doesn't graduate everyday for 6 months nor does my Mom have a birthday in like manner!
Besides, if they did, tell your customer so they have the option to wait or go else where.
Thats falls under rudimentary Business Management #101, Expediting, and Logistics.

Like stated, I don't agree with that amount of time. I'm only talking about prioritizing work.

 

[Jon1212]

This is actually a hot button of mine...I run a repair business for a living and I can say I honestly can't stand when people who don't know how to fix anything or even worse, they can but are too lazy to, go buy things to flip and then expect you to bend over backward to accommodate them so they can make money flipping something. If you can't fix it yourself, you have no business buying broken junk to resell. That type of work should be back-burnered fill in work. If you're a busy shop, why make a tree service wait on their saws that they use to make a living while you fix something somebody doesnt need, just bought to make a few bucks...Just my opinion.

So because you "run a repair business" it's okay for you to flip stuff for a profit?
Perhaps the OP bought them thinking it would be easier to fix, and then realized he was fishing with the wrong bait...

I'm guilty of that. Not trying to come off as a jerk but I will prioritize a customer that is a commercial account. I understand that a customer is a customer whether its a $130 string trimmer or 20 MS 461's but if I have a large account I will absolutely put them first for a few reasons. 1) From a business point of view, I cannot simply afford to loose a big account like that and keep things going. Now losing a $130 sale, meh, yeah it sucks but it happens. I understand that you do that 3 times a week it could catch up fast. 2) If a saw they need repaired comes in, that is there income. That is how they support their families. I can respect that as this is MY income as well. If you have some firewood (and I am not degrading your task in any way shape or form) if you can't get to it because your saw is down, its just a PITA and an inconvenience. 3) Most commercial accounts are quick. They want the work done fast, no matter what the expense as they rely on your knowledge and trust you to make the best decision for them. Someone who comes in for one or two repairs a year TENDS to be one that takes more of, "Is that the cheapest way?" or "I can find the same part cheaper online." I don't have time for that run around stuff. I'm sure there are a few other things I'm missing right now and I understand there are two sides to every story. I just want to point out that we are also a hardware store, grocery, feed, and lumber yard. This IS our busy season. I am backed way up I admit. Between getting caught up and trying to help out in the rest of the store, Its frustrating trying to get started working on something then get pulled off it in 20 minutes to go shag boards. I find the room for error increases so I sometimes don't bother getting started on something if I know its an in depth project until I have sufficient time. I can't afford to do things twice because of a dead short in my brain.

As far as servicing only what they sell? I've moved back to that. I prioritize stuff this way. Commercial, my brands purchased here, my brands, pro brands, miracle work. I used to do that; whatever it is, bring it in. Then we had garage sale day and I had a floor of $20 piles of crap that they bought used at a garage sale for $5 and now they want a miracle. I'm no miracle man, nor do I want to be. I've gotten to the point where I only find it fit to turn down small work. So going back to a setup like your MS 270 problem, MOST shops are charging $65-75 an hour around here. Stihl manual says 125 minutes to which is at the minimum $130 bananas. I have a hard time charging that much for a saw that is worth about $175-$200. So as guilty as it sounds I don't prioritize it because I feel that its hard to justify the repair and telling someone that their saw isn't worth it ends up in a 30 minute convo of trying to explain why a product isn't fixing... blah.. blah... As sad as it sounds its a cruel circle.

tl;dr.....

We too have a few big accounts that may walk in with a pressing need. So I will stop in the middle of a carb rebuild on Farmer Fred's MS250 he never takes care of to spin some loops of chain, replace a rim sprocket, air filter, tank vent, etc....then go back to what I was doing. No big deal. The rest of our work hits the bench in the order it was received.

No, I basically said people shouldn't buy broken junk and expect others to be happy to repair it so they can turn a profit on the others work.

What difference does it make if the shop is getting paid to do the job?

 

[Jon1212]

Ideally yes... and miss a daughter's Kindergarten graduation? Miss your mother's birthday that could be her last? I couldn't... been there and done that. You raise valid points but in my eyes you need to realize what you are in business for; knowing when to close the doors is a huge gray area.

What if? What if? What if?......

What if your Aunt had balls? Then she'd be your Uncle.....

 

[Jon1212]

I was going to hire some contractors to do some work on houses I want to flip, but now @ABarrick has helped me realize what a fool I am.....

 

[CrystalRiver1]

So because you "run a repair business" it's okay for you to flip stuff for a profit?
Perhaps the OP bought them thinking it would be easier to fix, and then realized he was fishing with the wrong bait...

tl;dr.....

We too have a few big accounts that may walk in with a pressing need. So I will stop in the middle of a carb rebuild on Farmer Fred's MS250 he never takes care of to spin some loops of chain, replace a rim sprocket, air filter, tank vent, etc....then go back to what I was doing. No big deal. The rest of our work hits the bench in the order it was received.


What difference does it make if the shop is getting paid to do the job?

#PREACH!!!

 

[CrystalRiver1]

I was going to hire some contractors to do some work on houses I want to flip, but now @ABarrick has helped me realize what a fool I am.....

Yes, probably could teach Bill Gates a better way! LOL

 

[CrystalRiver1]

I just spoke with the owner today...poor guy is as lost as a goose in high wind...they have a business model & mindset from the 1960's...or "The Twilight Zone!"
I'm out.