Shop opinion please

To help better the service I am providing I want to ask a few of you what you look for in a good service man and service transaction. When you take your tractor in what are some things you like and dilike about the experience. Thanks guys.

The big thing is "comunication". If someone brings in a machine for a starter problen and you notice something else in need of repair - talk to the man at least to let him know about it.

Agreed, communication and clear expectations.

As a mechanic by trade I can tell you what my customers say they like about me. I'm HONEST in everything I do in regard to taking care of them. If I say I'll be there to fix their machine, I'm there unless a true emergency comes up elsewhere. Given the variety of equipment types I work on I'll tell the guy that brings in a lawnmower to have a belt replaced that I'll attemot to get to it by a certain time, but also let him know that I have other customers who's machines have to take priority when they go down because that machine might be broke down and preventing my customer from setting off the shot full of explosives they have just loaded, or another might be holding up a clearing crew of 5 guys. Like I said, always honest with them about what I've go going on and their place on the ever changing 'triage list' of brokedown machines on my plate at any given time. Heck this week alone I've gone from plan A on Monday to plan X today because of the weather, rock drills having problems at the worst possible time, parts showing up early or not showing up on time, etc, etc, etc. Then I get to start next week on plan X, or maybe it'll be plan Z by the end of the day, and start the process all over again.

Like I said to my customers HONESTY outweights everything else. My customers know if I tell them part x needs to be changed it really needs to be changed. If I tell them part Y is good right now but still needs to be changed while we're already into the machine changing part X in order to save them money in the long run, then they know I'm looking out for them and not just trying to line my own pockets changing parts unecessarily. If I say I'll be there to fix your machine I'm there unless an emergency occurs and then I give them notice and am honest as to why their machine has to take a step back in line. I've had customers wait several weeks to get things done that weren't pressing because they know when they have an emergency they can count on me to be there for them just like I am my other customers. Then if for some reason I've got more than one emergency, am out of town, etc, etc, and I can't get to them, I also let them know I understand if they have to get someone else. Even then I've had customer 'emergencies' that the customer would find a way around with another piece of equipment, etc so they could hold out until I got back into town, got freed up, or whatever and could work on their machine instead of them having to take it somewhere else. It may have cost them to do the work around the broken piece of equipment but in their eyes they were saving money because they knew when I did get to their machine the job would be done, and done right, and I would be honest with them on the whole deal.

Ok, I got a bit long winded there, but, like I have said a couple of times,what all of my customers tell me is that for them, ultimately all they look for is somebody who is HONEST that they know they can TRUST without any doubts in their mind that you will do them right regardless. Everything else is secondary.

I'll agree with the others but let me add something that makes me mad. If I go to take something to get fixed and the person says they will call me when it is done and i wait for weeks on end and don't hear from them. When i get a hold of them they will start crying that they are so busy and behind. That is fine but please tell me that you are busy when I drop it off. I guess they are affraid they will loose out on money or something and take on more then what they can handle. if its going to take a while please tell me.. If Im happy with your work I do just wait because i don't want to take it some where and have it done wrong and cause even more down time

I like for a shop to let me know if it's going to cost more or if there's more problems to fix before they just go ahead and fix it for more money. I'd much rather have the bill come in lower than be shocked when it's quite a bit higher that originally estimated. Sometimes it's not worth fixing if it will cost too much.