Fellow shop owners- wondering how you deal with the caustic friend. Its the friend of your customer who thinks they know all, and knows nothing and INSISTS on providing their opinion every time they tag along to see the customer's car .. Which is usually every meeting you have with your customer. Once the customer leaves the shop and talks about what they just saw on their car, the caustic friend HAS to give his 2 cents which is really worth nothing because he is talking out his ***. It causes friction because your customer is torn from what you say (the pro) and what his friend thinks is 'right'. Do you ask the guy not to come to your shop ? Or have him there and just grin and bear it... or what.Curious.....
just let him talk. give em enough rope and they'll hang them self. I have a shop, but I get in to many resto shops. everyone has there own way of building cars. I don't agree with some and if I thought they would listen I might say something. always keep an open mind. either that or keep everyone one out of the shop
Call your customer, and tell him to come over to the shop by himself, because his friend is a distraction. You might want to invite him to lunch and try to find out whether you should even continue the work. If there something he doesn't like, etc. Sometimes builders don't do what the customer wants, and then tell him that is the way it is done. The customer may want something that is unsafe, or just plain stupid, and if you just push them aside and do it your way anyway, then he might bring a friend to say the things he's thinking, because he's a mouse. Find out if he's a mouse, try to set him straight, and if not, tell him to bring a trailer.
Had a similar situation once.I simply at a later date,turned to guy I was doing car for and simply asked him if how the car was being built/looked was up to his satisfaction(quality/cost),he replied yes-asked if there was anything to this point he wanted to change in any way-no.I said-"no offence but you friends aren't building or paying for this car,you and I are,so leave them at home for our discussions of the build schedule."He acknowledged,said his friend just trying to help,and interested in hang'n at the shop,but agreed to one on one meetings.May not apply for your situation,but worked out great-car is done/gone and paid for,both customer and friend happy with finished product!Good luck
These are things that happen to all of us. I have a rep as being kind of an *** Hole that does good work. I generally just look at the Customer and say something like "Who the **** am I building this for?" in front of his buddy. That Kool's his Jets. I've also said on many ocasions "If your so smart why don't you just take it and do the Job? My customers also know when they are here to Bull **** I'm still on the Clock, talk all you want. I also Stop working while they are here. It tends to keep all that stuff to a Minimum. Don't be afraid to tell them, I half to get back to work, are we done? First off prior to even taking in the Job you must have a Clear agreement as to "What" you are going to do and stick to it. This might sound Harsh but it's worked for me for over 40 years. Any time I've tried to just let it go it get's totally out of hand, then I get Pissed at myself for not being in charge. Be good at what you do and stand your ground. You don't half to be Rude just direct, you'll find people appriceate it and will let you do your work. After all, They come to you because you have a good reputation and know what your doing. They Owe you the respect to let you do your job. The Wizzard
Man, this isn't the sole domain of the fab shop; used to see this in repair, too. But I think the boyfriend/husband is more likely to be a PITA than the friend (who as often as not is just another car enthusiast). Here's one of many examples: A girl tows her car in on Saturday - turns; won't fire. Usually, I wouldn't take diag on Sat; just oil changes for good customers and stuff... but she was cute, and very nice, and we had a little time. So, Stan and I go out and find it needs some plugs and ignition cables, or something like that. Easy one. I call the girl up and tell her that we spent fifteen minutes on the clock figuring out the problem, put on these parts at so much $ for parts plus labor, plus another 15 or 20 min to look the car over and make sure it didn't look like it was going to go south on her after we close for the weekend. Boyfriend came to pick the car up with her... started in on me for charging $50 labor to put in plugs and tell her it needed a tune up. I told him that since he was such an expert, that it was really *********** of him to not keep her car mantained for her. When he opened his mouth again, I told him to wait outside. Boyfriends... they're almost always looking to go 'alpha male' on the mechanic to look good to the girl. Some husbands are almost as bad, but after they've been married ten years and know they aren't going to hit that cooch tonite...
yeah Ive had two instances- one was the friend and the other the WIFE- who made such a big stink about nothing I almost had to call the cops she was being so ridiculous...she hadn't even been here before that day. I think hubby might not have been telling her where his cash was going..LOL I was just wondering if anyone had a nice way to say 'screw' to the friend without actually saying 'screw' ya know? I dont want to piss off my customer for ******* off his best pal. Luckily it hasn't happened but a few times- just was wondering how you guys all handle it. I do have a VERY clear cut contract I have customers sign so its not really an issue of whats being done, more of an issue that the guy feeds the customer with ******** cuz he is talking out his *** about something he knows nothng about..never built a car in his life and doesnt even own one. The the customer starts to belive him -because its his best buddy - who he has known for ** years etc etc etc and not because he is saying anything that could be construed as constructive or the truth... kinda like chatting with the builder of your house, then asking your neighbor what he thinks . The your neighbor proceeds to tell you how HE would do it- yet he never built anything in his life- but he 'saw it on TV on that House building channel' OY.
Ya gotta wonder why his friend isn't building the car don't ya. Obviously the customer thinks you are the best man for the job or the car would be at his friends place. If or when the customer calls or contacts you to either ask why you are doing it some way or wants you to do it the fiends way be prepaired with an explaination a good one. You should be able to tell why you do something a certtain way. Tell you a story, last winter I was torqueing a flexplate on a disabled friends SBC. He had a couple of " Mechanics" show up and they started throwing out way too many suggestions includeing that the flexplate should be torqued to an outragiously high number. I mentioned the spec for torque once. The he continued to tell me how to do it. So I handed him the torque wrench smilled and went out for a smoke ( I normally don't smoke in this particular friends shop). Long story short my friend rolls out with the manual and the torque wrench in hand. Tells me they are only going to stay long enough to help me stab the mill and then they are gone. I torqued the flexplate we stabbed the mill and they never returned. Moral know that you are right and let the chips fall where they may.
I had a customer and his wife break down with something totally unrelated to the repairs I had made weeks before. They called me from the cell phone she cussed me and called me everything you could think of! I told her to put him on the phone, explained that anything I worked on I would guarentee but that if he wanted me to work on his car in the future he would keep his wife in check! Then I told him that if he let her cuss me like that again I was going to consider it like him cussing me and we were gonna get in the gravel the next time I saw him! They were never nicer, I worked on their cars for years after that with never a cross word. I guess maybe she talked to him that way but I had had enough. Sometimes people just need to check themselves!
not really- the guy never had built anything car related in his life- prolly doesnt even know how to change his own oil. I guess what Im saying is that mostly everyone gets these jerk offs in their shop. Looks like my thoughts on asking them not to come back unless invited by me is cool. Its MY shop right? .... Ive also spoken with all of my customers of late and advised them of the same thing- ya want a friend to come down to look ats whats going on - no problem- but open his mouth and he's outta here They are pretty OK with it- I mean I wouldnt walk into their office with a pal.
After retiring from an almost 40 year career I have to restrain myself from saying just have the caustic friend shot. I know we cant do that but sometimes you feel like it. I always tried to do a super job. I always wanted the guy to say everytime he drove my motor or carb or whatever , man that works nice. Then some know it all, who has never even built a snowman, comes in with your customer and disrepects your opinion. I think "well what the heck am I working on this for when this guys friend is a genius on such things"? Yeah I still feel that way now that you brought it up.
It isn't just a problem in your business, it's all businesses. I do remodeling and I hear that **** all the time. It's always a friend or relation. I just ask if their friend/relative is an expert in remodeling/construction and if they are why did they hire me? One job I did I had to put up large beams (about 14 ft off the floor). On a Friday I had the beams cut, ready for a crane on Tuesday. The owner asked me (on Monday) why I was hiring a crane. I asked what he suggested...He said his father-inlaw was there over the weekend and said we should use ladders to save him some money. I asked what made his father-inlaw an expert. He said he's an engineer. I said well, he's not much of an engineer. If he looked at the rating of the ladder and the combined weight of the worker and the weight of the beam he'd know it's not safe...Besides that if he's worried about your money why didn't you and him put them up, they're all cut and you had all weekend to do it?....There never was another problem.
Deal with the same in the petroleum business , problem is with gas pumps if you do it the way they think it "should" be done, things go boom!!!
You could go the totally ********, "Politicall Correct" approach. Politely inform the customer that he is welcome to come into the shop/work area at your side to discuss and view his project but his friend would have to wait outside or in your office as your insurance doesn't allow non-customers in the shop. If you place his project far enough away from a bay door or leave the friend waiting long times in the office he gets bored and loses interest in wanting to go to the shop.
any new words of wisdom? Ive actually been using some of the suggestions here and most have worked nicely!
i used to make up ******** excuses for stuff like this, but i've learned in life that honesty always brings out the best in people... i would just say to the guy: "mate, i'm enjoying working on your car, and working with you on it, and i think we're going well. however, your friend's expert advice is really getting on my nerves, which is putting me off the car a bit. can we just keep it you and me?" make sure HE feels a part of it (it is his money after all), and that you value HIS input... it's honest, it's true, and i bet the guy would see your side of it.
Chopshop, After working on cars for the public and in a fleet shop for many years I think Autcol's advice in probably the best. Straight forward communication with the customer in private is probably the best way. Tell him what you think. Demeaning someone is not going to help. He will respect you for your candor, and will even consider you more honest. Let him reel in his friend in privacy. Everyone will win. Alden
Luckily I havent had one of these types in a few months. BUT when I was honest with the customer , (both times) he freaked. I guess sometimes yo cant win...LOL Im not the type to demean - I mean heck, just cuz they dont know cars doesnt mean they are a rocket scientist in real life or something ya know? You never know....
One of the "laundry list" of reasons I finally said enough is enough and closed the doors. I miss owning a shop, but do not miss the issues.
I seem to find that who most arrive with the intention to test you or do the top dog thing are usually really interested in what you are doing. The environment in my shop is nice and I'm knowledgeable and friendly, this almost always wins them over... but if you are an idiot I'll let you know politely that you are full of ****. Luckily I only see cars for a few hours, I have a window tinting shop.
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