Category Archives: 2010 July

Shop Talk- Why aren’t we open longer on Saturdays?

Posted on November 9, 2010 by tomdwyer

You may know that our office is open on Saturdays from 8am until 11am for pickup and dropoff, but we don’t have any techs on duty for actual repairs. Why not? It seems like a logical thing to extend our … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010 July, New Client Orientation, Newsletters, Shop Talk, Support, Uncategorized | Tagged parts houses, Saturday hours, Shop Talk | Comments Off

How Much Is THAT Gonna Cost? Understanding estimates

Posted on July 21, 2010 by tomdwyer

Understanding estimates is key to wise spending
By Tom Dwyer

Giving estimates for the cost of a job is one of the hardest things to do in any business. A client, understandably, wants to have at least SOME idea what they can expect to pay, but the service provider is being asked to predict an uncertain future and then stand by that prediction. One Portland automotive icon, Harold Dick, would banish clients who asked for an estimate. His feeling was that you were asking him to care for your car, so you should trust him to charge appropriately and be prepared to pay whatever it took to do it. Most businesses are a little more accommodating, though, and will give some estimate of what their work will cost. Estimates can be deceptive, either through intent or by accident. I hate to lose work to an incomplete or deceptive estimate provided by another business. Continue reading →