Nasty service department stories
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Tourer
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 422
Likes: 1
From: Northern NJ
Nasty service department stories
hi sportz riders.....
Has anyone had a NON helpful situation with a service depatment when asking questions on things.... Things like installation tips and such.....
I asked a few questions today at this one dealership around town, and the one guy was totally non-helpful and rude and a basic wise-#$$............
I guess you can't ask about how to do things if its something that they can make money on.... I'm mechanically inclined and like to do work for myself if i can, but this tech got nasty and wise when i told him that i was a electromechanical technician and worked on mail processing equipment....
like excuseeeee meeeeeee.... sorry if i have talent too dude.... i just wanted to know if they was anything that i needed to know out of the ordinary if i remove the bolt off the lower shock to install the axle covers.....
I thought the tech was gonna have a heart attack... He didn't want to hear anything I had to say because I wasn't paying them 85 an hour to have them do it..... oh well ....now for the major stuff .....they will never see me again.....
sorry, just had to vent......
am I wrong for asking.... I dont know... ??
regards,
a slightly disgruntled rider....
jim d.....drumer66
Has anyone had a NON helpful situation with a service depatment when asking questions on things.... Things like installation tips and such.....
I asked a few questions today at this one dealership around town, and the one guy was totally non-helpful and rude and a basic wise-#$$............
I guess you can't ask about how to do things if its something that they can make money on.... I'm mechanically inclined and like to do work for myself if i can, but this tech got nasty and wise when i told him that i was a electromechanical technician and worked on mail processing equipment....
like excuseeeee meeeeeee.... sorry if i have talent too dude.... i just wanted to know if they was anything that i needed to know out of the ordinary if i remove the bolt off the lower shock to install the axle covers.....
I thought the tech was gonna have a heart attack... He didn't want to hear anything I had to say because I wasn't paying them 85 an hour to have them do it..... oh well ....now for the major stuff .....they will never see me again.....
sorry, just had to vent......
am I wrong for asking.... I dont know... ??
regards,
a slightly disgruntled rider....
jim d.....drumer66
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,853
Likes: 21
From: central florida
RE: Nasty service department stories
not to start any crap, but been in auto repair most my life. can't say ive been anymore helpful when someone comes into my store and asks me how to install thier brakes or "ive done this and this and this and it still wont run. how do i fix it?"
with all due respect the techs are there to perform the work. its how they feed thier familis and pay thier bills. do it your selfers are great! but when you need the aid/advice of a professional you should be prepared to pay them for thier expertise. many have thousands invested in tools and schooling.
with all due respect the techs are there to perform the work. its how they feed thier familis and pay thier bills. do it your selfers are great! but when you need the aid/advice of a professional you should be prepared to pay them for thier expertise. many have thousands invested in tools and schooling.
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,275
Likes: 0
From: southern new jersey
RE: Nasty service department stories
ORIGINAL: relli
not to start any crap, but been in auto repair most my life. can't say ive been anymore helpful when someone comes into my store and asks me how to install thier brakes or "ive done this and this and this and it still wont run. how do i fix it?"
with all due respect the techs are there to perform the work. its how they feed thier familis and pay thier bills. do it your selfers are great! but when you need the aid/advice of a professional you should be prepared to pay them for thier expertise. many have thousands invested in tools and schooling.
not to start any crap, but been in auto repair most my life. can't say ive been anymore helpful when someone comes into my store and asks me how to install thier brakes or "ive done this and this and this and it still wont run. how do i fix it?"
with all due respect the techs are there to perform the work. its how they feed thier familis and pay thier bills. do it your selfers are great! but when you need the aid/advice of a professional you should be prepared to pay them for thier expertise. many have thousands invested in tools and schooling.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,853
Likes: 21
From: central florida
RE: Nasty service department stories
not my intent to get into a big debate here. bottom line of any business is to make money. myshop does quite well. we dont install cst parts and we dont tell people how to repair thier own vehicles. we're not rude about it. i dont ask my plumber or electrician how to repair my home either. i either research or hire it out. in general, we didnt put the effort into learning how to do it so we can tell someone else how to do it , we put the effort in to make a living. again no dis respect just felt the other side of the coin had a point here.
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 983
Likes: 1
From:
RE: Nasty service department stories
Techs are like everyone else...some have great personalities, others do not. Don't give up on this dealership because of one person. Many mechanics enjoy sharing what they know. (I wish everyone would read the book, "Love...the Killer App" as it basically says, "Give away what you know and you'll get even more in return." ) However, I digress. So, enjoy your new ride and give the dealership another try!
I would also get the manual. I think it's great that they are affordable. The ones for my car must be made from unatanium!
I would also get the manual. I think it's great that they are affordable. The ones for my car must be made from unatanium!
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,407
Likes: 3
From: Stanwood, WA
RE: Nasty service department stories
As another mechanic with time in the auto, truck, motorcycle and marine repair industries, I can back you up about all the way. Everyone has a bad hair day from time to time, but what puts me over the top everytime is a person coming in and asking me a question that is answered in their owners manual. When asked if they read it, they say "no", I say "goodbuy". I have no tollerance for basic stupidity. If they are pollite and don't talk to me like it's their "right" to get information out of me because they bought their product at my store and the question is a good one, I'll help out if I'm not swamped. Dave
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Novice
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Nasty service department stories
I think what you ran across was a tech that didn't want to loose any money in his pay check. Most work on a flat rate basis meaning that if a job says in the book that it should take 3 hours to do and he gets it done in 2, he still gets paid for three. When you look at it in this way, it costs him money to talk to you and maybe that's the reason for his attitude (still not right IMO). I personally feel this is wrong to get paid like this for working on a bike or anything else for this matter because it encourages the tech to take short cuts and that's not what I want to see on my bike. It happens in most all dealerships too. Do the job by the book or get paid for the actual time you worked on a job. An 8 hour day for these guys could bring in maybe 12 hours of pay. A 40 hour work week (worked) may net him 60 hours of pay for the week. Guess who pays for that![:@]
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Road Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 756
Likes: 0
From: MN
RE: Nasty service department stories
Service techs are constantly asked how to do jobs by pushy do it yourselfers. It can get old and annoying. Also, if the repair doesn't work out, they are often confronted by the person they gave the advice to asking why their advice didn't pan out. I can see the techs point of view but it's never a good idea to be rude.
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 226
Likes: 0
From: Lancaster, PA
RE: Nasty service department stories
I'm with aceospades on this. This type of interaction with a customer is an investment. It might not generate a profit and may even cost the dealer in lost time, but in most cases that investment will pay off down the road. I think a good service manager or dealership owner realizes this.