What is "Service"?

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 598, 26 February 1929, Page 6

What is "Service"?

Need For Expert Attention

THIS is the third and final article of a series on free service. and will deal with the subject of fiat rate charges. In this connection an analysis of existing facilities goes to prove that motorists have a legitimate grievance in a great number of cases.

Years ago such institutions as service stations were unheard of. Motoring had not grown fast enough to warrant their installation, and in addition each individual owner had, in most cases, a favourite garage to which he took his car for anything and everything.

Another aspect was that the limited number of any particular make of machine made it next door to impossible for any one establishment to specialise. Gradually, but still lagging behind the general trend of automobile development, specialists began to establish themselves in order to cope with the increased demand for such work as cylinder grinding, fitting new pistons, the making of gear replacements, and the like. IN RE COST These new ventures certainly relieved an acute position, inasmuch as a job would be turned -out with greater speed and satisfaction than hitherto. But the very important aspect of knowing just what the work

would cost was still in a great measure left “in the air.” The owner had perforce to wait for his bill, and fight it out afterwards. Tie was absolutely at the mercy of the repair men, and in far too many instances accounts were submitted to him upon the basis of what he could afford, and not what had actually been done.

Further, the easy man was often penalised, for mechanics would get the habit of booking up odd time and wasted hours to his job ticket, and the cost of the finished repair would soar accordingly. NO REASON WHY

To-day the position must be viewed from an entirely new angle. So many machines of identical type are now sold that, with few exceptions, there is no valid reason why every distributor should not make available to owners a schedule of flat rate charges. Whether the organisation is large or small matters not at all, for any and all service and repair work on their particular machine must be specialised, or they fail in their duty to the purchaser. In every other walk of life the motorist expects, and gets, a firm price for whatever repairs he wishes carried out. The painter quotes for his work, and does it at the price. So with the electrician, decorator, pianotuner, and so on. Granted there are more “bits” in a car, and the possibility of subsidiary trouble is always present, but a flat rate for any specified job is only a matter of degree, and a conscientious effort to meet and serve the motoring public. A CASE IN POINT Let us for a moment deal with a specific case, in order to see just how the motorist is affected. Take the case of a top overhaul, that is, decarbonising, grinding in

valves, adjusting tappets, etc. Regardless of whether the car seems to be going well or not, in my opinion every engine should have a top overhaul at least every five or six thousand miles. Every distributor must know the average cost of this particular operation, and thus be able to quote a flat rate for it. The owner would thus know just where he stood in regard to expense. Certainly, some distributors print a schedule of charges, but the majority adopt an attitude of “wait and see,” refusing positively to be bound down to a set figure. This short-sighted policy forces many owners to take their work elsewhere. It is not conducive to success, especially in that most important direction, service after sale, which is the key to continued goodwill between owner and agent. More particularly with regard to standardised machines, repair and service work must be specialised, so that poor organisation or lack of initiative—or both—is solely responsible for the absence of a schedule of fiat rate charges in any individual case. TO SUM UP The “whys and Avherefores” of service in all its branches, dealt -with in this series, will now be briefly summarised. Free Service. —When a new car is delivered, the owner naturally expects it to be in sound condition, and in good running order. While in theory every car is tested and delivered in perfect condition, it is found in practice that a number of minor adjustments may be needed during the first few hundred miles. Labour for this work, together with an occasional

“once over” the car by an expert to see that the owner is not maltreating the machine either wilfully or through ignorance, constitutes free service. Maintenance.—Fair wear and tear due to miles of running, 90 days or any number of days’ service, does not mean that brakes will be relined gratis if the motorist has travelled several thousand miles in that time. That is a maintenance charge pure and simple. Neither can the distributor be expected to repair, free of cost, any damage that may ensue by reason of lack of knowledge or skill on the part of the owner. Warranty.—With every new machine the makers issue a certificate of warranty wherein they guarantee the workmanship and material in the car for a certain period. Should any unit fail within the stipulated period, and it is proved to have been faulty, a new part will be supplied free of cost, but the owner must pay the cost of labour to do the work.