Comment of the Month

This month’s Comment comes from a longterm client on one of his post-service Comment cards.  His question is on the card, and our response is below…

Hi Michael,

Thanks for taking the time to fill out your Comment Card.  Our clients’ opinions are absolutely vital to us, and these cards are one of the best ways we hear from you. Your question about Diagnostic Time makes perfect sense, and I think I can explain.

Many shops will advertise that “if you do the diagnosis, then the diagnostic cost is free when you do the repair!”  But every shop needs to be paid for their diagnostic time, and it’s not ‘free’ when the repair is done.  They’ll inflate labor time an hour or so, or mark up the parts a little extra, but you WILL pay for the time… it’s just not called out as an individual line item.

It may be easier for a customer to think “hey, what a deal!” if we “rolled the cost into the repair”, but to us, that seems a little too much like a bait-and-switch.  We, like every other shop, charge for our diagnostic time but we leave the cost to stand alone so you know exactly what you’re paying for.  It’s a little less comfortable but a little more straightforward, and helps build the “trust in judgement” that’s been bringing you back for years.

It didn’t sound from your card like you were upset about paying for diagnosis itself, but just in case I’ve included one of our newsletter articles about diagnostic time with links to other articles that dig even deeper.  I’m also including a coupon for a free Washman car wash to make that “sore spot” a little less sore.  Thank you again for commenting.  I hope I’ve answered your question, but please give us a call if there’s anything else we can do for you.  We look forward to seeing you again soon!

We also have a couple ongoing offers you might find valuable…

Carbon Neutral Program–

Our company’s commitment to the environment led us to partner with Bonneville Environmental Foundation to create our Carbon Neutral Program in 2007. Client members offset the carbon production of their vehicles for one year AND save 10% on Labor Charges here at the shop! It’s a win for you AND our environment and it’s been very successful… since we instituted the program our members have prevented over 1.9 MILLION POUNDS of carbon from being dumped into our air!

Referral Reward Program–

Year after year, referrals from our existing clients are our greatest source of new clients, so we’ve tried hard to think of some way to appropriately reward people for their referrals.  Our solution is  our Referral Reward Program, where we make donations to the non-profit group of your choice to say ‘thanks’ for your generous referrals.  Here’s how it works…

Your reviews and referrals matter

We are constantly grateful for the supportive and loyal clients we have developed over the years.  Your comments and appreciation keep us on the right road to providing the superior automotive service you deserve.  Your reviews and referrals are not only the highest compliments we can receive, but they’re the lifeblood of our new business.  If you like what you’ve found at Tom Dwyer Automotive Services, please tell a friend or take a minute to write a review on Yelp, Angieslist, Google, or the review site of your choice. Thank you!

Latest Automotive Recalls  

Automobiles are just like any other product; occasional flaws in manufacture or design can cause problems once they leave the factory.  When an issue is identified the manufacturers and government work hard to bring the vehicles back in for refit or repair, but not all recalls make the front pages.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration maintains a constantly updated list of recalls from every manufacturer.  The last month’s recalls are below, but clicking the button at right will take you to the full list at the NHTSA website.