Auto Shop Attitudes

The most important part of any auto shop is ATTITUDE.  I have come to accept that my car will not always be fixed on the first visit to the shop.  But, that is not the part that affects how I view the shop.  For the most part, we all understand that problems arise whenever something is being repaired.  However, it is the ATTITUDE the shop portrays that affects our view. 

How do they treat you on the phone?  Do they listen and put themselves in your position when you explain your problem?  After a repair, when you call back, do they dismiss your concerns as being ridiculous?  Do they act impartial in terms of the quality of work they have completed?

You can gain a lot of information just from your first phone conversation with a repair shop.  If they treat you as if they are doing you a favor to look at your car, then find someone else.  This is the type of ATTITUDE that shows how they are going to treat you from there on out.  Remember, you are doing them a favor by bringing your car in, not the other way around. 

Listen to how they react to your car concerns. The ATTITUDE you should hear from them is empathy.  Words and sentences such as, “that is unfortunate” or, “I am sorry to hear that you’re in that situation” tell you a great deal on how they treat their customers.  You need to be treated as a person and one with a real issue.  You don’t want to be treated like just another customer with a problem.

When a repair has not been done properly a professional shop will take responsibility and have an open mind to your concerns.  You can tell right away the integrity and professionalism of a shop, based on their own opinion of their work.  A professional shop knows that it is impossible to repair every car perfectly.  However, all they need to do is take another look and remedy the situation.

I think everyone is aware that it is impossible to repair a car perfectly every time, but, it is possible to show the proper ATTITUDE.