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<center><big><big><b><i><font color="#3333ff">Giammalvo Files</font></i></b></big></big></center>
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<img src="mark3.jpg" alt="Mark Giammalvo"
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<p><i><font color="#000000">Mark Giammalvo specializes in driveability
diagnostics </font><font color="#000000">at his family
business, Sam Giammalvo's Auto Sales & Service,
Inc. in New</font> <font color="#000000">Bedford,
MA. </font> </i> </p>
<p><i><font color="#000000">Mark, who has been with the business for
over 20 years, is an ASE
Master Technician and Parts Specialist. He also holds the
ASE L1 certification, and has an associates
degree in business</font> <font color="#000000">management.
<br>
Mark is also a writer for Motor Age
Magazine and is the past secretary of the Alliance of Automotive
Service Professionals, (AASP).<br>
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<big><big><big><b>Mark: Check Out These Prices :)</b></big></big></big>
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<p align="center"><small><i><font color="#000000">(Printed in the Journal
of The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers,
AASP) <br>
<br>
</font></i></small></p>
<br>
It all began on a typical busy Monday morning. A pile of paperwork
on my desk was staring at me from the preceding weekend. In addition,
there were phone calls to return, parts invoices to expense, a new car
shipment to check in, etc. It was the typical beginning to a new work
week. As I went through the ominous pile on my desk, an invoice caught
my attention. The invoice was a copy of a service repair order from another
dealership. My brother had made a small notation at the top of the invoice:
"Mark: Check out these prices!" Right after the exclamation point was
a little smiley face that he had also penciled in. I knew immediately that
this was going to make for some interesting reading. <br>
<br>
As it turns out, our customer, and owner of a 99 VW Golf, had come
in to have us check some service recommendations. Another dealership
had made some service recommendations and the customer wanted us to
follow up on the needed items. My brother had inspected the VW
Saturday while I was off for the weekend.<br>
<br>
The dealership invoice stated: <i>"Starter is making a noise when
starting, $480.00. Serpentine belt is cracked and dry rotted, $165.00.
Car is due for 40k service, $465.00. Left front center cap is missing,
$35.00. Exhaust bracket is broken, $75.00, Repair play in lower radiator
mounts, $187.00. Customer has declined services at this time."</i><br>
<br>
Now I could see why the customer wanted a second opinion. Let's
face it. Were talking about $1,400.00 in possible services here.<br>
<br>
Since I was not in the shop Saturday, I was intrigued as to what
my brother had found. I pulled up the customer's invoice in our system
for that preceding Saturday. Our invoice was two pages long and the content
was interesting. We had inspected the starter motor and measured its draw
in amps. No problem or noise was found with the starter. We inspected
the serpentine belt. The serpentine belt was not new but lacked any visible
cracks or dry rot. It was noted that the belt could be replaced at some
future service if the customer wanted. The estimate we gave to replace
the belt was $62.23. We inspected the car for the 40k service. The Alldata
showed that the 40k service consisted of the replacement of the oil and
filter, air filter, spark plugs, a tire rotation and a few other routine
inspections. We inspected the exhaust and observed the broken bracket. Since
the location did not yield enough room for a clamp, a muffler shop was
recommenced for an inexpensive re-weld of the bracket. The lower radiator
mounts did have some slight play but nothing to warrant replacement in our
opinion. In the end, our invoice totaled $64.15. <br>
<br>
Had the customer decided to do the 40k service, the invoice total
would have been higher but surely not anywhere near $1,400.00. I guess
our customer was lucky in that they got out of a potentially expensive
situation, pretty inexpensively. <br>
<br>
It's always tough being in the "second opinion" position knowing
that you might have to disagree with another service provider. Ok, you
don't want to point fingers but what should you really do? What should
you tell the customer? In the end, it does not matter if your opinion is
in agreement or not with the other shop. It also does not matter if you
are more expensive or less expensive. All you can do is be honest and
to the point. Every shop and every technician looks at each car differently.
Our industry is not an exact science. Some shops recommend certain services
that other shops may not. Some shops compensate their technicians
with a percentage of sales while others do not. All these variables can
add up to the over selling or under selling of automotive service. <br>
<br>
Focus on the positive factors in the situation with your customers
and send them on their way.<br>
<br>
<br>
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