Wasting the time of an Indy

[219]

I still think the easiest answer is to give the car out with a minimal amount of fuel - tell them they are getting a free loan car and they just need to put in the fuel they are going to use ; make it clear they any excess fuel they leave in the car will just go to the next customer - I expect most will be very careful about not leaving too much in .

While I've used hire companies who use the full out , full back in regime , I have used plenty of others who give you as near as possible an empty tank , knowing that you can't return it with any less - of course , some companies make a killing on the refuelling charges .

The last option for Olly and others is just to stop giving out free courtesy cars and enter into an arrangement with a local hire company who will supply hire cars to customers requiring them .

Out of curiosity , what sort of free courtesy cars do Merc indies give out ?

A Class ? Smart for two ? 190E ? Polo ?

 

[Simzy]

So we love our cars and appreciate good independent Merc specialists, Indies. I won't say who, don't want to embarrass anyone, but I'm shocked to learn how Indies suffer from "customers" who book time and parts and then just don't show up. Hurts the Indy and hurts regular customers. Just putting this out here to hopefully reach out to remind people to not do this. Main dealers can probably afford it but Indies cannot. Support your Indies, don't let them down

I couldn't do this even if I wanted to as I live just round the corner from my indie and he is one big ******* lol

 

[turunch]

Such a useful database of available overordered parts should be called MercBay !!

 

[def90cars]

We just ask our customers to return with same amount of fuel. There is a petrol station here so not much excuse.

Although customers do tend to get a bit funny if its one of our cars in for warranty work and in this case ill fill enough to get them to wherever they live and back.

I had to have my Range Rover in for warranty work as it was supplied brand new with a broken driver's seat belt!

I refused to refuel the car as I had already paid the fuel to get my Rangey to the dealer - 90 mile round trip.

The woman on the reception was very snotty. "You have to do it!!!" I said I bet I don't and I would see her later without fuelling it (I was only doing about 40 miles in it over 4 hours) and she was free to get her manager to meet me when I returned.
When I did return she said all was OK and apologised for her misunderstanding and gave me a £50 voucher to refuel my Rangey next door seeing as it was there mistake (clearly whoever PDI'd it didn't wear the seatbelt when driving it!).

I also own a small garage in Manchester.... (all rich non-moaning forum members welcome ).. we do as most have said - leave a small amount of fuel in so if they just run 5 miles in it home and back we don't care but if they want to visit Land's End they will have to fuel it.

 

[ss201]

My indie was kind enough to lend me a car to do a 20 mile round trip from his out of the way garage into town. The fuel light was on so I had no hesitation in putting a tenner's worth in - the decent thing to do in my view. I brought the car back, mentioned that I'd stuck some fuel in and he said there was no need to do that, as the car was sold and the new owner was picking it up later the same day. No big deal as it was cheaper than a rental car, saved me waiting for a bus and helped me out - so what's a tenner buy you these days?

Can't believe the cheapskates who drive expensive cars and aren't prepared to put their hand in their pocket to cover a skilled man's overheads. I'll bet these people are great restaurant tippers, too.

 

[E270 Owner]

Our loaners are returned empty..........just as we gave them to them.

 

[stevieb15]

You're not alone. I have a complete sunroof assembly for a 164 ML, an inlet manifold for a Toyota Corolla and an office full of smaller parts.

If I hear "oh, I px'ed it as they offered me a really good deal" again I'll strangle someone!

Once a year I have a really big eBay clear out. Last time I sent a 163 steering column to Malta!

Deposits are one thing, but you really need to cover the whole cost...

Although it's a different product the cost of everything I import from South Africa as a "special" is covered by deposit...even by the corporate credit customers.

 

[NOMONEYBUTAMERC]

Just to add another slant to this thread , the company I work for supplies parts to motor factors. You would be surprised how many garages return bearings for warranty claims , which have usually been badly/incorrectly fitted. one wanted us to pay for a car to be sent to a Jaguar dealer to have the ABS light reset , because he had fitted the sensors back to front - despite the fact that written instructions are supplied with the kit. The labour claims are often many times the value of the goods supplied. It all comes down to people taking the p155 , and unfortunately happens in all walks of life.And just to quantify , the parts we supply are all oem quality.
To be frank , unless the customer is returning their car for work under warranty , I see no harm in charging one way or another for providing the use of a vehicle.

 

[BlackC55]

I still think the easiest answer is to give the car out with a minimal amount of fuel - tell them they are getting a free loan car and they just need to put in the fuel they are going to use ; make it clear they any excess fuel they leave in the car will just go to the next customer - I expect most will be very careful about not leaving too much in .

While I've used hire companies who use the full out , full back in regime , I have used plenty of others who give you as near as possible an empty tank , knowing that you can't return it with any less - of course , some companies make a killing on the refuelling charges .

The last option for Olly and others is just to stop giving out free courtesy cars and enter into an arrangement with a local hire company who will supply hire cars to customers requiring them .

Out of curiosity , what sort of free courtesy cars do Merc indies give out ?

A Class ? Smart for two ? 190E ? Polo ?

I had three. They are a C320 203, AMG wheels in light blue. A C240 203 in silver and the best by far is the C250TD 202 in mystic blue. I've since sold the C320.

They are all auto. We still have some customers that refuse to drive auto's and want a manual. I have customers that refuse manuals and want auto's. You can never win.

I have given driving lessons to quite a few people on how to drive an auto.

 

[BlackC55]

Another moan.....

This week we have had four cancellations and two no-shows. The cancellations have been all on the day of the booking.

I am very tempted to use a text system online to remind people.

Anyone have any experience of one of these?

 

[Spinal]

Anyone have any experience of one of these?

Only as a client. Both my optician an vet send texts 1 week before, then 2-3 days before, then on the day.

At first I found them amusing, as I have everything on my phone calendar anyhow... but I will sheepishly admit to finding them very useful when I forgot to put a checkup into my calendar...

M;

 

[acej]

Only as a client. Both my optician an vet send texts 1 week before, then 2-3 days before, then on the day. At first I found them amusing, as I have everything on my phone calendar anyhow... but I will sheepishly admit to finding them very useful when I forgot to put a checkup into my calendar... M;

+1 I like a txt reminder.

 

[IanA2]

As above, our vet and dentist send texts; actually quite useful.

 

[markjay]

+1 I like a txt reminder.

Same here. My local GP surgery, my dentist, British Gas, etc, they all use text reminders and I think it's great.

 

[nb_racing]

Do it. I find them useful. eg 1 a week before, 1 the day before and one on the morning.

 

[Doodle]

My chiropractor does reminders 24hrs beforehand, either an SMS or a phone call. It's in my diary anyway but the reminder is always useful.

 

[BlackC55]

Does anyone know of a system that they can recommend?

 

[neilrr]

Text messages are notoriously unreliable.

Just call & speak to the punter or leave a message.

 

[Doodle]

A text message is more likely to be seen than a voicemail, and are only unreliable in time critical situations. (i.e. minutes)

24hr in advance, it'll still arrive in plenty of time unless the person is in permanently bad signal - at which point trying to call them would be equally unsuccessful and they wouldn't get a voicemail notification either.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Does anyone know of a system that they can recommend?

Don't have details to hand but have used MS Outlook in the past, you can send a delayed message - so you can set up now to actually send the text automatically in, say, a week's time.