Walk on Wet Paint Blog

About 7 years ago I decided to start changing my own car tires between winter and summer. I’m certainly no Sunday mechanic, but figured since I’ve been involved with teaching thousands of people to change tires, and I’ve now seen about 20,000 tires changed, it was a no brainer. This spring, while changing my tires from winter to summer, I accidentally cross threaded one of my summer wheel nuts, rendering it useless (more of a brainer than I thought). Fortunately, a winter nut substituted until I could make it to the dealer to get a replacement on my next oil change. I’ve had my car for 8 years now, and try to take good care of it. It sees the dealer regularly to keep it up with any needed maintenance, but sadly, my current dealer will see me no more and they have no idea why.

I’m not the type to complain on bad service, my feeling is in a competitive marketplace, there is always someone else that can provide me service unless I have a good relationship with plenty of equity that is worth preserving. If something strikes me as odd, rarely are second chances given, and I’ve had many in the area of car service and this one is the latest.

Last week, while getting my oil changed, I requested a new nut to replace my old one. The service manager knew me as he recognized my license place “PITCREW1″. We chatted about my program last time I was in the dealership getting work done. I thought, great to be recognized as a returning customer. He is pleasant and quite helpful to say the least, I can’t fault the service at all except for one odd thing. $4.65 for the new nut… $10 to put it on! At no time when I requested the new nut, did he inform me that it would cost $10 to put it on. This might be an assumption he can make for most customers that they may not be able to or willing to put it on, but I’m “PITCREW1″. He knows I can change a nut. Did he suggest to me that he can give me one to put on and save the $10? No. Just did it… $10 please. Did I expect a fee, certainly… that much, maybe, but I did not get the chance to make the decision before hand.

Upon completion of the work he and let me know then that the $10 was there as a fee. I wonder what goes through his mind when he informs a customer after the fact of an unexpected fee and realizes they could have done it themselves? I’m not arguing the fee, nor could I after the fact. It did takes someones time and expertise to put it on, but my point is simply this. KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER. Could he have given me an option and let me decide?

I thought he did know me, and enough about me to know that I could have done it myself, or that he would just do it as a courtesy. To nickel and dime your customers will only ever give you that… nickels and dimes. You will eventually lose them on the bigger stuff, like the future of my business. I hope they enjoy the $10, it’s the last they will get from me.