Some brake jobs can turn into headaches when small air bubbles get trapped within the caliper itself. To resolve the problem, you could pump the brakes over and over, or you could try this handy suggestion to free the air bubble and move on with the brake bleed process.
When I first began writing service at an indie auto repair shop, one line item on the bill was “shop supplies.” We tacked on some percentage of the bill, capping at $19.88. Shows you how long ago that was!
Customers would ask about it, and many were angry about the charge. I think I know why, and I’ve since altered the way we invoice shop supplies at my own shop and it seems to work well. Maybe it might work for you, too. To me, there are two issues at hand.
This was the main reason for some of my customers’ protestations over this charge. We tacked the twenty bones onto the final bill, NOT on the estimate. That’s no bueno; the customer had no reasonable way to account for that extra money. Yeah, it’s just twenty bones, but in the customer’s shoes, it’s tantamount to negotiating after the handshake.
I think it’s fine to overestimate a bit and pull money off the final invoice total if you didn’t go through the amount of consumables you thought you might. Save a customer a buck and you’re a hero. Spend a penny more on a repair than you said you would, though, and you’re a shyster. Perception is reality.
Oh, I know. The costs associated with consumables you must use to run you shop the shop are very, very real. But a customer doesn’t think about it that way. I’m pretty sure it feels to a customer a lot like the VIN-etching-fee-on-a-vehicle-that-comes-with-etched-VINs or “market adjustment” you’ll see elsewhere in the automotive industry. In short, it feels like a cash grab.
I used to explain to inquiring customers that there were things I used that cost real money: nitrile gloves, brake cleaner, rags, and rust penetrant that didn’t easily lend themselves to itemization. That sort of helped.
Now? I just itemize all of it. It doesn’t take that long, and customers don’t seem to take me to task so much on the electronic parts cleaner or gasket maker I had to use to repair their cars.
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Some brake jobs can turn into headaches when small air bubbles get trapped within the caliper itself. To resolve the problem, you could pump the brakes over and over, or you could try this handy suggestion to free the air bubble and move on with the brake bleed process.
Any technician will have a few files in the toolbox for material removal jobs. But are you using these tools with the correct technique?
A practical approach to auto repair shop management.
A brake service job isn’t complete unless the reservoir cap’s diaphragm has been pushed back into place. This simple step is easy to forget, but it helps to reduce brake fluid contamination and ensure proper system function.
Ever spot what appears to be a second oil filter under a vehicle? Lemmy and Nick discuss the advantages of spin-on transmission filters for fluid protection and service.
Lemmy explains why this basic task always comes before removing the positive cable to help you understand the theory behind the practice.
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