A lot of technicians just don't get it...It is all about PRIDE in your workmanship...like you correctly pointed out, these things are cheap. However, a customer savvy shop realizes that it costs them pennies to replace but are worth dollars in positive customer relationships bringing in repeat business and good referrals. Customers are OK with a reasonable shop materials fee and you should keep these things on hand and let the customer know that you replaced them.

A smart service manager or owner knows that the customer may not always be right, but they are never wrong. Give the customer what he or she wants, always return their bikes looking as good as or better than they brought it in and watch your business grow. Keep putting this kind of, "I ain't gonna do that" attitude ahead of positive customer relations and watch your business eventually go down the tubes. I have BTDT on both sides of this issue so I know what I am talking about here.

BTW, a satisfied customer will tell everyone about your professional good service and attention to details and recommend you...a dissatisfied customer will tell anyone who will listen not to take their bikes to you. Word of mouth is the best advertisement you can have...or the worst.

It is your business, run it the way you want, but if you keep putting your attitude first, your customers will soon notice that they are second and you will loose customers and referrals.

 

FTHD did me right too after a left-turning cager sent me onto the couch with a broken leg and my Bob into the shop back in April. They had her fixed and back in my garage before I was walking again.

The happy ending to this was I was riding again by 4th of July and haven't had a problem with the scoot.

 

I have more customers than I can deal with thanks, they appreciate that I am up front with them and put things right if they are not happy...not that any of them are ever unhappy.

My customers come to me because I do a good job and charge a reasonable amount

 

The last time the dealer even came close to my bike was when they rolled it off the floor!
I do all my own work and would park it rather than let those ham fisted Chimps touch anything on it! It is a multi-million dollar dealership and they carry no parts at all! If you want anything other than oil and filters...yer out of luck! The parts dept. is little more than a UPS drop! The only good thing I have to say about the place is that Millisa (the girl that sold me my FB) still works there! HOT!!

 

Good enough reason to keep going back if ya ask me....like Amy at Road and Sport in Hamilton

 

I really didn't mean to break your *****, Spanners...I guess I am still pretty steamed about my recent experience with the dealer...

Peace, out...

 

Shoddy work at the stealership is blamed on one thing. Flat Rate.

The stealer also dispatches easy maintenance work to the tech grads and rookies to **** up because the stealer makes more money when they do it.

So you pay $100/HR for service. That's nice, because $10 of those dollars go to the inexperienced rookie to hack up your bike with the other $90 goes in the dealers pocket.

If it was dispatched to a legitimate tech (there are still few left) you would of paid the tech $25, and the dealer would of gotten $75... That is unacceptable in the stealers eyes.

At stealerships, the customer and the manufacturer pays the tech. Not the stealership. The only thing on a stealership techs mind is "how much money can I make today or this week?" If you think they give two flying phuqs about your bike. You are mistaken.

And this is all designed, and kept alive by the stealership. I would advise to not fund this kind of business as its pure extortion.

 

It's not you my Friend! Most HD dealers that I have had experience with was about the same or worse...I worked at multiple high tech, modern fortune 500 companies and from what I have seen and experienced, you would actually have to work hard to have a less functional operation when it comes to maintenance and CUSTOMER CARE...If they are trying to achieve worst in performance, they are there!!!! That's why I keep my bike, which I love when it runs..., but I give them zero dollars of mine. Find a good indept. mechanic and you will be way ahead of the "game"...Don't forget the "rigged" time to repair mandated steps/hours...They told me they had to charge me to remove and re-install my back wheel to change my tail lights...liar, liar, pants on fire...Not 1 penny of my money...ever. Ride safe.

 

Lucky for me we have two HD dealerships here in Tulsa. Myers & Duren are the marquee dealership, but I will never again go there for anything.

 

Like I said, I understand the difficulties and expense of running a service center. These kinds of service businesses don't look at, "how much can I make today," they are focused on, "how much do I need to make today to cover costs." It is easy to think that the $10 per hour technician is all it costs the business, that per hour expense is easily doubled when adding SS, medical, holiday/vacation/sick pay, and other perks necessary to attract good workers. The flat rate is good for the customer for the most part because it keeps the labor charge down. Most of you would scream bloody murder if you had to pay the full labor rate for a flat-rated job that turns to crap and takes 2-3 times longer. The profit made on flat-rate jobs that take way less time than allowed is easily eaten up by those jobs that take longer. Labor income is a break-even scenario. The real profit is in selling replacement parts and other goodies for a 50%-100% markup. You can usually negotiate labor charges, but good luck getting a discount on parts.