Oh, my goodness can anything else be wrong in this repair order?

I guess I never will see a dealer who follows all the warranty policies, but I always expect that at least they try to follow the correct processes. Well, I guess I never cease to be surprised by my dealer visits. How in the world do we get so mixed up on getting the process right?

The manufacturer puts out endless videos, publications, training, and manuals, yet no matter what they do we are just too busy in the service drive to look at all the information available. Then when it all turns to poop and claims don’t get paid, time out, or have to be jimmy jacked to get through the system, everyone blames the warranty administrator!

The admin didn’t write the ticket or fix the car or charge out the wrong parts! Just give us a good ticket and watch us get it paid and quickly.

Warning this blog may be a little sarcastic and silly for some readers

So here are some great examples from my dealer visit to just one store.

The recall states “replace 2 door handles and install retainers on the remaining handles. Yet no retainers charged out. There were also no notes from the tech at all, and no time punch.

When I asked about the retainers and why they were not replaced to complete the recall, the tech said it was his mother-in-law's car and she didn’t need the plugs. Besides, she gave him a bad CSI score ( She must not be his favorite), and so it is okay if she falls out of the back door because he didn’t install the correct parts.

The vehicle inquiry specifically states “Prior approval needed”. No approval obtained. The advisor ran the vehicle inquiry but he said he didn’t have time to read it so he missed the prior approval.

No time punches on any RO. They didn’t know they needed to!
Really? Technicians have had the requirements for time recording since they were writing repair orders on tablets of stone using chisels.
Testing performed and no results listed anywhere in the story or attached. This is actually a common mistake. Remember that all testing performed needs a result listed in the story.

Add on repairs done that are not critical and not approved.
It was actually the drive manager adding on all the appearance items. I was wondering how he missed this in his training.

Customer complaints like “customer states perform TSB.” The customer’s name was Suzy and she just happens to know all about cars and TSB’s – she just didn’t know which one to ask for.

Out of warranty repairs with no notes. When I asked the service manager about it, he knew nothing, just like Cornel Klink. “I know nothing!” But then added, “can’t you just goodwill it?”

No manufacturer’s defects listed. Just replaced the parts with notes such as “replaced transmission, enough said.”

Missing Misc expenses because the advisor didn’t read the bulletin. Missed opportunities like filling up the customer's fuel, car washes, pick up and delivery.

Can you imagine the CSI score if you say “Mr. Smith, I know this recall is an inconvenience, so the manufacturer is paying for us to pick up and deliver your car, fill it up with gas, and we will give it a good clean up for you.” I know I would give you a 100% instead of “it sucks to miss work and take you my darn car.”

Charging out whole boxes of clips and aerosol. When I talked to the parts manager he just didn’t know how to charge out misc supplies and he would figure it all out when they took inventory, ( if he is still there).

No fluids charged out on parts that clearly should have had fluid added. I guess they figured that all the extra boxes of clips would make up for this deficit. And the best part of the whole trip was that the warranty admin would fix it all.

Here is the take away:

Advisors, it is your name on the repair order. You get paid for parts and labor. Please make sure you review your repair order for completeness.

Review the VIN inquiry for coverage’s and note the coverage. Make sure all approvals are obtained. Are the correct parts charged and on the correct lines. Write symptom-based customer complaints, not what you feel needs to be done to the vehicle.

Technicians, you are getting paid to tell the manufacturer what you did to the vehicle. Make sure comments are complete with all testing, results, and the manufacturers defect listed. Time punch correctly by punching in on the job as soon as you get the keys and off when you have parked the vehicle when the repair is completed. Most of all federally mandated recalls need to be performed exactly as instructed with all parts listed to be replaced.

Do I hear an amen from the warranty admins out there?

For more information visit www.awninc.com