Tyre Fiting - That's Where The Money Is!!

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Yesterday, I had a slow puncture, so went to get it looked at.

First fitter - sorry mate, we close at 5 - come back tomorrow
Me - but it's not even 4.50! I am working and can't come back tomorrow.
First fitter - yeah, but we're tidying up!
Me - How long does this take?
First fitter - about 20 minutes
Me - so you can't help, you don't need my business?
First fitter - sorry mate!

Off I trundle to the place 2 minutes away

Second fitter - sorry mate, we close at 5 - come back tomorrow
Me - I am working and can't come back tomorrow.
Second fitter - sorry mate, try up the road

I guess that a puncture repair is not as profitable as tyre, but it is turnover/profit. I have used both of these dealers before (they are small/local businesses), but, from now on I will not.

Does this industry make so much money that they can turn business away? Someone please say yes I am straight off to the wholesales cpmpany to stock out my garage!!!!

 

[captaincloser]

I imagne the experience has left you feeling a bit flat ?

Trouble with the tyre business is that everything is inflated; prices, tyres and waiting time.

Going back to argue will just create more hot air I am afraid

 

[vvaannmmaann]

Maybe they don't want to break the law?

http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/faqs/workingtimedirective.htm

 

[wilwong1971]

They will fall over themselves to change a run flat tyre for you...especially if they are £ 250 each!

 

[PenfoldRepair]

I have a friend that runs a tire place, he dont even charge for changing tyres. He makes his money from selling tyres.

They make a bucket load of cash too. In 3 months he went from just him to a team of 5. He pays peanuts for tyres and sells them for an amazing profit.

 

[AndyBlue]

Was it the staff or the owner you dealt with - Clearly both are going to have different views, the guy on £6 wants to go dead on 5. The owner with bills to pay will want your money (Unless he is just racking it in of course)

 

[saxondale]

ten to five on a Friday? for less than a tenner, just occasionally the customer isn`t right.

 

[Minuteman Press]

You shouldn't feel deflated.

Expect to pay around a tenner (that's inflation).

 

[Posilan]

If they close at 5, surely they should do the clearing up afterwards?

If my local Sainsbury's stated it closed at 9pm, I wouldn't expect to be refused entry at 8:50 just because they were cleaning.

Steve

 

[mhall]

Having worked at Sainsburys when I was 16, even now I won't go into a shop just before closing time unless I am desperate. My Manager back then was very old school - the tills closed on time as he wanted to let the staff go and not pay overtime for people wandering around with all the time in the world on their hands. Lights were flashed and dimmed ten minutes before closing time.

It's very different now with 24 hour opening and night filling of course - back then we closed early on Saturday and were shut on Monday but it left me with a very deep "let the staff go on time" scar !

 

[DesignerNick]

If they close at 5, surely they should do the clearing up afterwards?

If my local Sainsbury's stated it closed at 9pm, I wouldn't expect to be refused entry at 8:50 just because they were cleaning.

Steve

But if you were nipping in and out you wouldn't, if you planned to do a big shop for an hour you would probably get asked to make your way to the checkout within 10 minutes.

 

[Posilan]

But if you were nipping in and out you wouldn't, if you planned to do a big shop for an hour you would probably get asked to make your way to the checkout within 10 minutes.

Oh, I quite agree - and if it was fitting a full set of new tyres, doing the tracking or fitting a new brakes, I would expect them to ask me to come back - but a puncture literally only takes 5-10 mins to fix.

Steve

 

[Merchant UK]

Oh, I quite agree - and if it was fitting a full set of new tyres, doing the tracking or fitting a new brakes, I would expect them to ask me to come back - but a puncture literally only takes 5-10 mins to fix.

Steve

Complain to their head office, they may do the tyre for you for free. I'm sure head office would be suprised at someone turning away customers or telling them to go elsewhere

 

[easiprint]

ten to five on a Friday? for less than a tenner, just occasionally the customer isn`t right.

Short sighted view. What about the loss of future income as customer will go elsewhere in future. Bearing in mind the op said this was a small garage, customer satisfaction should be a priority.

 

[saxondale]

Short sighted view. What about the loss of future income as customer will go elsewhere in future. Bearing in mind the op said this was a small garage, customer satisfaction should be a priority.

nothing short sighted about it pal, I`ll guarantee at some stage the OP will be back there for a tyre or an exhaust etc.

they always do.

and please, don`t try and lecture me on customer satisfaction by reply. There is nothing anyone can teach me about it.

 

[easiprint]

nothing short sighted about it pal, I`ll guarantee at some stage the OP will be back there for a tyre or an exhaust etc.

they always do.

and please, don`t try and lecture me on customer satisfaction by reply. There is nothing anyone can teach me about it.

OK, pal, if you say so....

 

[saxondale]

OK, pal, if you say so....

I do, i have over 4K customers that renew every year, some for over 30 years, the average number of times is 18, I have an industry beating retention rate and a testimonial on my website from the local Range Rover dealer principle asking me how I provide a service "he can only dream of providing"

the one thing I do know about is managing customers.

HTH

 

[GeorgeStrait]

I do, i have over 4K customers that renew every year, some for over 30 years, the average number of times is 18, I have an industry beating retention rate and a testimonial on my website from the local Range Rover dealer principle asking me how I provide a service "he can only dream of providing"

the one thing I do know about is managing customers.

HTH

Sod all the customer service rubbish - what's "HTH"?

 

[Lee Jones Jnr]

I do, i have over 4K customers that renew every year, some for over 30 years, the average number of times is 18, I have an industry beating retention rate and a testimonial on my website from the local Range Rover dealer principle asking me how I provide a service "he can only dream of providing"

the one thing I do know about is managing customers.

HTH

Must be my local Stratstones! Mystified how they ever sell a motor

To be quite honest, if the OP gets a flat nearby again, will he be principled enough to go somewhere else?

 

[saxondale]

To be quite honest, if the OP gets a flat nearby again, will he be principled enough to go somewhere else?

we wont be ................

 

[saxondale]

Sod all the customer service rubbish - what's "HTH"?

Happy To Help explain to you why no-one can teach me anything about customer service.

 

[easiprint]

First thing I teach all my staff is never call anyone pal - customer or not.

 

[Lee Jones Jnr]

First thing I teach all my staff is never call anyone pal - customer or not.

What's the second thing you teach them?

 

[easiprint]

To be quite honest, if the OP gets a flat nearby again, will he be principled enough to go somewhere else?

I hope so. I was stitched up about 15 years ago by my local Kwik Fit. Can honestly say I have not been to any of their branches since. Much prefer to use the small garages now.

 

[saxondale]

First thing I teach all my staff is never call anyone pal - customer or not.

sorry fella .................... oh, woops, there I go again.



I think it may be too subtle for you.

 

[easiprint]

What's the second thing you teach them?

How I take my coffee of course

 

[easiprint]

sorry fella .................... oh, woops, there I go again.



I think it may be too subtle for you.

Really...?

 

[saxondale]

Really...?

I`m ignoring your own use of the word pal, in fact I might as well put you on ignore too - see ya mate.

 

[saxondale]

What's the second thing you teach them?

that he doesnt trust them when he`s not there and closes the shop for his family holiday every year

staff - yer right.

 

[lynxus]

Id just not bother getting it fixed lol.

I currently have a slow puncture however I keep a pump in the car.
It needs pumping up once a week maybe.. So I just keep the tyre pressure +/- 5 psi..

Then once the tyre is worn like the rest, Ill just get a new un.

Its too much effort sometimes talking to these muppets and getting simple things fixed.

 

[easiprint]

that he doesnt trust them when he`s not there and closes the shop for his family holiday every year

staff - yer right.

Yes, three of them, all part time, all in production not office work, hence the office is closing for the first time this year for 10 years. Don't call me a liar when you know nothing about me.

 

[captaincloser]

Yes, three of them, all part time, all in production not office work, hence the office is closing for the first time this year for 10 years. Don't call me a liar when you know nothing about me.

Dont let this creep wind you up .He is a full time spoiler of threads on here, usually two or three simultaneously.Has been banned for a few months it seems but now back doing his little boy stuff all over UKBF.

 

[Tax-UK]

sounds like their managers weren't around

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

I am fortunate that I have a choice of several tyre dealers in my area, so will not be visiting these guys the next time.

I have always tried to chose local companies, as opposed to the biggies, as they are normally better value! On the whole, general customer service is similar to chains.

 

[crphillips]

I had a puncture once and rolled into a garage at approx 17:00, closing time.

I said to the guy.

"ayyup fella, what do you charge for a puncture?"

"£7.50"

"I'll give you £15 if you can do it now?"

"no worries, i'll get it sorted for you"

10 mins later back on the road! Nice guy, got it sorted.......either he pocketed the complete £15 or the garage owner got £7.50 and he got £7.50.....considering he probably comes away with less than £40 a day that's a considerable rise to his wage for 10 mins work.

 

[captaincloser]

Back in the 70's I had a temp job (whilst studying) with the Michelin Tyre company in their Art Deco building in the Fulham road.

I got a £20 tip for helping Ginger Baker change a tyre on his Landrover. Heady days.

You'll need grandchildren to remember who he was or maybe still is !

 

[Merchant UK]

Back in the 70's I had a temp job (whilst studying) with the Michelin Tyre company in their Art Deco building in the Fulham road.

I got a £20 tip for helping Ginger Baker change a tyre on his Landrover. Heady days.

You'll need grandchildren to remember who he was or maybe still is !

1969 Hyde Park, Classic

http://youtu.be/Z0ON06W8D7E

PS I was only 5 years old

 

[captaincloser]

1969 Hyde Park, Classic

http://youtu.be/Z0ON06W8D7E

PS I was only 5 years old

There should be a prize for Merchant UK for getting a Ginger Baker video firstly onto a business forum and secondly to get it onto a tyre fitting thread.

Congratulations,,

 

[cjd]

As it happens I've just returned from Kwik Fit. Asked them to fix a slow puncture and check an odd squeak in the brakes.

The slow puncture was a faulty valve which they replaced for nothing. The squeaky brake they couldn't find anything wrong with, again no charge.

A while back I had a problem with a brake warning light coming on - they put it on the ramp, removed all the wheels, checked all brakes, pipes and callipers, then the cylinder. They topped up the brake fluid and asked me to drive for a week and come back. I came back and all was well. No charge.

I have a habit of buying a new car every ten years. Kwik fit replaces brakes for life - do it once then the rest is on them. They think it's funny, they laugh when I drive up.

I've used them for years - my local one is brilliant, I use it for MOT's servicing exhausts and tyres, I can't recommend them enough.

 

[Lucan Unlordly]

Oh, I quite agree - and if it was fitting a full set of new tyres, doing the tracking or fitting a new brakes, I would expect them to ask me to come back - but a puncture literally only takes 5-10 mins to fix.

Steve

That's not necessarily true.

I had a slow puncture on a Saturday morning, took it to the local tyre guy and he pointed out a serious defect that i'd probably been running around with for weeks.

The tyre I wanted wasn't in stock there or at the other local branch and the spare was a little flat and although it was virtually brand new, as he pumped some air into it the valve broke.

In all it took 40 minutes.