I this a reason for a customer to be mad?

[Humble Mechanic]

So I am really looking for a customer's opinion on this. I think I know what most techs will think. I did an entire post on the blog about it today, but here is the short version.

We had a customer give a somewhat negative survey last week. She was upset because we did not change her clock ahead 1 hour. She didn't mention that wanted it changed. She said she was using that as an indicator of how thorough our service department was.

What do you guys think?

Personally, I do not change any settings if I don't have to. That includes clocks(unless the battery is replaced) radio stations, seat settings, a/c settings and so on.

 

[In The Doghouse]

Sounds like she is being petty. If that was all I could complain about I wouldn't complain.

 

[wiartonwillie]

We had a customer that we reset her clock to the correct time, she then complained that all her clocks are 15 min. fast so she is never late. You will never please then all.

 

[iahawk]

wow, I wouldn't expect or even want a shop to change any of my settings! For every 1 customer who might want their clock changed you'd probably have 10 who don't want anything changed. To ding you on the survey for that is nuts...

 

[Humble Mechanic]

Sounds like she is being petty. If that was all I could complain about I wouldn't complain.

It reminded me of a district manager I had years ago, when I worked retail. He tried to find a ton wrong with my department. He couldn't, so he yelled at me for some of my signs not being "left justified"

 

[gr8laker]

She was upset because you didn't set her clock? Please! What else did she want? Maybe you should have went over her house, and did a couple of loads of her laundry. GRRRRR!!! I swear, customers pull **** like this because they think you'll give them a discount.

 

[Humble Mechanic]

We had a customer that we reset her clock to the correct time, she then complained that all her clocks are 15 min. fast so she is never late. You will never please then all.

That is exactly why I don't change stuff!

To be fair, had she asked, I would have been more than happy to change it for her.

 

[koditten]

Write her off. You can't please her. Let other customers read her review. Others will agree she is whacked.

KO

 

[CNGsaves]

Lots more information needed:

a) Type of car . . . Ferrari or Geo Metro?
b) Any electrical work done that would have brought you that close to radio, or electrical in general?
c) What all services were done?
d) This the wife of someone VERY IMPORTANT . . that would trigger special treatment that somehow got overlooked?
e) Customer have prior history of this kind of service being done routinely?

 

[fivespdcat]

In my situation I hate when service people, valets or anyone that drives my car messes with any of my settings. I give it to you with my preferences set, including seat adjustments, radio, etc. do not touch! I tip less to someone that changes my radio station and doesn't put it back or moves my seat. I think what you did was perfect, please do not change. The number one reason I don't valet is because a lot of the drivers mess with my settings. I give you the keys for my comfort, not yours... Sorry it's a pet peeve.

 

[BFBOB]

Would she have been more or less annoyed if you had fixed or adjusted EVERYTHING that was the least bit out of spec -- without her asking, and of course charging accordingly??
Seriously, I'd think a very gentle note or phone call is in order, noting that many people don't like it when you "adjust" personal things like the seats, mirrors, radio -- so you now only do it on request.

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

I don't understand things about some people:

1. Those who constantly sweat the small stuff.

2. Those who get up every morning looking to have World War Three with someone!

I think life is way too short for either.

 

[mtnkrake]

I haven't even changed my own clock yet.

 

[koditten]

I haven't even changed my own clock yet.

Im hip. This drives my wife nuts.

 

[DodgeMech]

about all i change is i move the seat back if i get in a 110 pound lady's car...cuz i'm a 6 foot 280ish pound man haha...

 

[cglasgow]

S
What do you guys think?

That unless you were working on the clock itself, or disconnected the battery so that the clock had to be reset, then setting the clock was outside the scope of the work you did. Unless the above or she asked you to change it, then it is unreasonable for her to expect you to have touched it.

 

[Humble Mechanic]

Lots more information needed:

a) Type of car . . . Ferrari or Geo Metro?
b) Any electrical work done that would have brought you that close to radio, or electrical in general?
c) What all services were done?
d) This the wife of someone VERY IMPORTANT . . that would trigger special treatment that somehow got overlooked?
e) Customer have prior history of this kind of service being done routinely?

It was some type of VW, I 'think' it was a Jetta.

No electrical work done. If there was, I would be on her side for sure.

We did a 10k miles free service. Basically an oil change and tire rotation

I don't think she is any more important and all the rest of our customers.

This was her first service with this car. She may have had other VWs serviced with us, but I don't see that history. Our system only shows her history with that car.

 

[Outlander]

I haven't even changed my own clock yet.

^^this. Maybe I should have gone to the OP's garage so I would have someone other than myself to blame.

Neither my wife nor I could remember how to do her car. Guess I have to look it up. Maybe she went to the OP's garage too

Seriously - call the client, make a big deal about it and ask her opinion on how to make the service better for everyone. Buried in the craziness you might find a golden nugget. If not, she will think she handed you one

 

[jake00]

Insane....

 

[the_saint]

FWIW the dealership that I deal with does manage to keep the radio presets and the clock at the proper time/settings when working on the car which is appreciated.

I wouldn't expect them to worry about DLS or manage my paranoid need to have the clock set ahead by 15 minutes etc.

 

[rockwithjason]

she can wipe her *** with that survey.

 

[rburke65]

Just another crazy!

 

[SKAutomotive]

Getting upset at the tech for moving your seat is asinine. The average male is 5' 10" and woman is 5' 4". I am 6'2" almost 6'3". I can't even get in most of your cars with how close you midgets sit. If I am ever working for a customer servicing shop again, I will kindly hand your keys back and tell you sorry, I don't want to move your seat and get a bad survey and upset you. So, I cannot get in your car and will have to ask you to take your car home and work on it yourself.

As for the OP. This is one of those customer's that needs to be fired.

 

[The Lazy Destroyer]

Agree, do not change any settings (clock, radio, etc) unless it was part of the work.
Changing the seat position is totally understandable, although bonus points if they change it back close to where it was before.

 

[Voodoo Chili]

I would have probably asked her if she wanted it changed, especially since it was off by an hour... If it was 5-15 mins I would have left it, figuring she was a get there early/late type of person..

Did you guys notice it was off, and just didn't ask, or did you not even see it? Maybe you are feeling guilty because you didnt even notice it was off by an hour?

Pretty small thing, and not a very good test to see how thorough you are though...

 

[Cedge]

I'd worry a whole lot more if management was making an issue of a complaint this petty... but for far different reasons.

Steve

 

[mike_81]

She probably doesn't know how to do it and is too embarassed to ask!

 

[Garage Dog]

Oh please - don't worry yourself over such irrelevant drivel...

 

[djjsr]

I certainly wouldn't be upset if my clock wasn't corrected but I'd be impressed if it was. I visit one service dept that sweats those kind of details and it keeps be coming back.

jmo

 

[where2]

I don't think the guys giving my 04 Jetta an alignment, new control arms, and two rebuilt half-shafts today reset my clock either... Oh wait, I reset it myself as I was backing out of the driveway on the way to the alignment shop this morning. When it comes to my Jetta oil changes, I'm more worried whether the tech is using VW's magical mystery Castrol for diesels in my TDI than whether I got my clock reset.

In my wife's Jetta TDI, if I reset the clock, I catch grief... "It was ** minutes ahead on purpose...".

 

[ddawg16]

My jeep does not even have a clock.....

Don't sweat it....she is an entitlement 47%'r

 

[Abeo]

Back when I worked at a collision/Mechanical shop, we (meaning me) would do complimentary detailing on cars that had bodywork done, or had a bunch of money spent on mechanical repairs. This usually included a exterior wash, blowing out the vents, vinyl treatment/glass cleaning, tidy up **** and vacuum. For pigsties, I'd neatly put the stuff in boxes in the trunk or back seat, and any change found would go in the ash tray.

We often got compliments about how nice of a surprise it was, and how they appreciated the service... but I never heard of anyone complain about the clock, DST change or other.

 

[coljar]

With the exception of moving the seat so a taller or shorter tech can test drive the car, I want them to keep their d**k skinners off my settings.

 

[ADSR]

I haven't even changed my own clock yet.

X3. The nav in my cherokee is a ***** to change.

 

[kmk7110]

Haha i get flustered when the company mechanic changes my radio, do i make a fuss. no, theres absolutely no point to sweat the small stuff and then again you dont want to upset the company mechanic because one day you'll come to work and have to radio in your truck or no AC.

working in the customer service industry you get all kinds. She is the kind i wouldnt want coming back. To much hassle for me.

 

[Stuey]

Once I got an alignment and might have had my tires rotated as well. Left the parking lot with the steering veering off to one direction. I went back and was told the alignment was fine but that one side had severely underinflated tires.

Even worse is if I go to the dealer and have my tires rotated with an oil change. They screwed up the TPMS reset a few times, and always leave me with underinflated tires. It's enough to annoy me but not enough to complain about.

Working on the tires and not checking/adjusting pressure - that's a lack of thoroughness in my book.

Complaining about someone not correcting the time for daylight savings, 2 weeks after the time shift? That's most certainly nothing to complain about.

 

[CNGsaves]

It was some type of VW, I 'think' it was a Jetta.

No electrical work done. If there was, I would be on her side for sure.

We did a 10k miles free service. Basically an oil change and tire rotation

I don't think she is any more important and all the rest of our customers.

This was her first service with this car. She may have had other VWs serviced with us, but I don't see that history. Our system only shows her history with that car.

Now, with the above information . .. it can be surmized that ENTIRE PROBLEM relates to Scheduling !! This customer MUST have service dates Changed at least a week different from the date in question !!

This will ensure proper TIMING within the 28 day cycle that your dealership has chance-in-hexx to please that particular customer !!

However, if she's 60+ yrs old, then it'll take even more work!! The Service Writer will have to get corporate to re-program the customer questionaire checklist in computer to include the DLS (Daylight Savings) question at appropriate times of year so that customer is asked that very question.

 

[SKAutomotive]

It is extremely unprofessional for a tech to touch anything related to radios unless directly working on it. There is absolutely no need for a tech to listen to your radio. This is a job not a leisurely Saturday. The moment I got in a car, if the radio was on, I touched nothing but the power button to turn it off.

If you do have to go on a test drive, how do you hear the car if you have the radio on? And why do you need the radio on to drive it 100 feet into your bay? There is no reason for a tech to even listen to the radio, nevermind touch your presets or change your stations or adjust your volume. Shame on techs that do that.

 

[lh4x4]

One of my cars had two digital clocks on the dash. The CD player had one and it was lower mounted than the dash clock. So the higher one I left on daylight savings time and the lower on standard time.

I really liked that. Never had to adjust. Look up for DST and down for CST.

Boy! am I lazy?

 

[ZRX61]

Break it off in her ***.