Woppy said:
I will dig into my bag of aggression and pull out whatever is necessary to achieve my overall goal~ a solid refund and job done correctly. That is what I believe to be fair. If I was in their shoes and they in mine I would of course agree to refund and polite/friendly service. But that’s how I operate...
As I said, if "solid refund" means "full refund" and you want that along with the problem fixed then I think what you are asking is typically unreasonable.
For example, let's say a trans shop replaces your transmission and the labor is, oh, over $800. Maybe they don't quite get something right and you have to take the car back in after having it a few days for an adjustment. Yes, they should fix their mistake, at their cost, but few if any shops will refund the total original labor costs. It's unrealistic.
Consider this:
IF all service organizations had a "done right the first time or we fix it and give your money back" policy (which is what you guys seem to want), then one of the following things would happen:
1. Shops would be more careful and do much better quality work the first time (that's a good thing)
2. Shops would have to raise their prices across the board to assure the required level of quality and to still be profitable in the face of those intermittent "no-cost" jobs due to mistakes
3. There would be fewer service centers because profit margins go down, and the need for more expert help would go up
4. Service centers might actually have to carry some type of insurance to protect them against mistakes so that they don't totally eat large jobs they goof on...kind of a malpractice insurance, so that they could get money back from the insurer when they go down a rathole on a vehicle.
5. This would ultimately lead to more specialization ("We don't do that here, you have to go to...").
6. Certain customers, after gaining a reputation of being too difficult or able to please would get turned away by service centers.
I suspect a combination of all of the above would happen.
So, if such policies were widespread, expect to pay more, expect to have less choice, and expect even MORE specialization and more hassle in getting the service needed.
Wow, it sounds like our healthcare system. Healthcare has a "no mistakes or its free on us" policy...not so much as a refund, but because everyone will and does sue the doctor or hospital when a mistake is made.
I will say, however, as a courtesy and in order to retain a customer I would and HAVE "eaten" the cost of work in the past when there has been a disagreement (not even necessarily a mistake), but that has been at my descretion as a service provider and if a customer EVER demanded it they might actually be shown the door and told to not come back. Such refunds and resolutions are for the provider to OFFER, not for the customer to DEMAND. The customer should simply say: "I'm not content...make me content!", then let the negotiations begin.
TJR
