Attention people with a broken windshield who don't trust windshield replacement companies:
How Internet Junkie Kathy Morris Transformed Her Fear of Shady Auto
Repair Companies Into a Foolproof System to Make Sure You Never Get Ripped
Off Again!
I was pretty sure that shady auto repair guys out there took advantage of my
being a woman - and the fact that I knew very little about automotive
problems. On those few occasions that I did have to hire my own mechanic, I
had the feeling that I was being overcharged and sold parts that I
didn't even need. But how was I to know?
One time I even had to bring my
car back to a garage after a repair had been done, only to have them charge
me twice as much the second time! This made my blood boil, as I was sure
that they were double charging me for something that they didn't fix right
the first time. It was enough to make me want to quit driving! My
girlfriends shared the same feelings about auto service people. We were all
pretty sure that we had been ripped off in the past. This disgust for auto mechanics
makes the next turn of fate in my life the most bizarre thing that has happened to me.
The Bizarre Twist of Fate that Put Me Head to Head With an Auto Mechanic
One day I got an email from a guy named Don who found me on the internet.
He had been searching for someone with similar goals and beliefs to his and
found me. Don and I talked first over the internet - and then on the phone a lot. I
was really starting to like him. Then he told me something that left me
gasping for air! Don WAS one of 'those' people who repaired cars for a
living! When I first heard that he was an auto repair guy, I was hot. I had
been carrying around a lot of anger from years of feeling ripped off by
guys like him. I exploded all over him, and I told him all the problems I
had with mechanics.
The Worst Part Was, Don Admitted That Mechanics Make a Habit Out of Ripping Customers Off
Don agreed that there were many people in automotive
repair fields, even his (windshield replacement) that made a habit out of
ripping people off. He explained that the way he saw customers was as a
long term relationship, with a goal of having them come back many times and
telling all their friends about what a great job his company had done. Don
had seen auto glass companies come and go in the eleven years he had been
in business. All the ones that had failed had made the mistake off shorting
the customer in one way or another. Don's natural inclination was to treat
the customer as if they were a friend. He also understood that without his
customers he was nothing, so he better think about what they want first.
The One Document That Can Save Every Customer From Being Shafted By a Mechanic
When I saw that Don was not a rip off guy, I cooled down. But my violent
anger about auto repair businesses made me wonder. How do people know if a
mechanic isn't a crook if they haven't used him before? I thought about
this a long time. Then I decided to make a list of everything that people
should watch out for when hiring an windshield replacement shop. I decided to
call this the Customer Bill Of Rights, so that every potential customer of
Don's could see UP FRONT what tricks people were up to in the auto glass
business, and how Don's Windshield Replacement guarantees that this wouldn't
happen to you in writing. Don was sure this would really drive the crooks
in the glass business crazy, and that made him laugh and tell me to go
ahead and do it. Here it is:
THE CUSTOMER BILL OF RIGHTS
(1) People are afraid that their new windshield might break from a poor
installation, so the customer has the right to have his or her windshield replaced
for free no matter how it breaks for one year from when purchased. If the
customer had an insurance deductible before, it will be waived. If they
paid out of pocket, they will pay nothing.
It does not matter how the windshield broke, so you don't have to prove anything. How does anyone know how
their windshield broke anyway? It doesn't matter how it breaks, vandal, space
alien, car accident, crazed ex-boyfriend, rock off the highway, we will
replace it no charge to you if it breaks in the first year after we install
it. This guarantee does not apply to commercial, racing or off-road vehicles.
(2) People are afraid they won't be under warranty if they lose their
receipt, therefore, the customer never is required to have a receipt for
warranty work of any kind at Don's Windshield Replacement. (Best Buy ripped Don off on
a fax machine he bought because he couldn't find the register receipt. They
wouldn't warranty it even though he had his credit card bill to prove the
purchase! He was seething mad, and he vowed to never require a customer to
find their receipt.)
(3) People hate it when you not on time, so if we are late, the customer has
a right to get the labor for free.
(4) People hate to wait for a windshield emergency, so the customer has a right
to auto glass service 7 days a week. Don's place is open every weekend, 9
to 5, all day Saturday and Sunday.
(5) People don't like mean people, so the customer has a right to friendly
service. (Don doesn't like mean people either.) Because Don is a friendly
person and knows all of his employees personally, he has instilled in them
how important it is to be a friend to the customer.
(6) People have a right to not get charged more than they are quoted. Some
glass shops make a living out of removing your windshield, telling you they
brought the wrong one, and that you need a different one that costs twice
as much! You will never pay a penny more than the quote Don gives you, you
have his word on that.
(7) Some auto glass shops will come out to do a windshield repair and purposely
overpressurize the repair or push on the inside of the windshield with
their hand to spread the crack. Then you'll have to buy a more expensive
windshield, and they hope it's from them.
Don's Windshield Replacement warranties all of it's chips 100% (which is easy, because they have
skilled technicans who fix chips right). The customer has a right
not to be tricked into buying a windshield.
Note: sometimes a chip or small
crack will spread even if the repair is done properly. Don does not charge
for a repair if it happens to spread(it is a rare occurrence).
You can minimize this happening by staying to watch the windshield repair the serviceman does.
Also, don't tell them you don't know how the repair process works. Tell
them you have read about how easy it is to make a windshield chip turn into
a long crack. That should scare them enough not to cheat you.
(8) People hate getting dragged to court! (Duh.) There are a few unscrupulous
glass shops out there that drag customers to court when the insurance
company short pays them for a job. This will never happen at Don's Windshield Replacement.
The customer has a right not to be harassed!
Don will settle any problem with the insurance company and if they
don't pay, it is not your problem.
I knew if I shared this Bill of Rights with you, you would know that Don
is one of the few auto glass business owners that goes out of his way to
make his customers happy - and even puts it in writing. So if you need a
windshield replaced, or any piece of auto glass, I suggest you give his company a
call and save yourself the aggravation of having to watch out for a shifty
auto glass company.
To get a price for your windshield, you can fill out the form below or call
Don at 703-352-7514 or 202-237-6461 or 301-309-3764. Remember, every piece of glass comes with a
"No Matter How It Breaks" warranty. Don makes it easy because the installer will
come to your home or work and install the glass right there, 7 days a week.
They even do all the paperwork if the insurance is covering it, just call
Don's shop and tell them you want your insurance company to pay for it.
They will bill them directly, and you will only pay your deductible.
Remember, only Don's Windshield Replacement has the "No Matter How It Breaks" Guarantee.
Sincerely,
Kathy Morris, Don's girlfriend
P.S. Here's is what some of Don's customers have to say about his company.
I thought they might be able to say it better than me.
Reserve Your Appointment (Takes 60 Seconds)
Are you ready to get your windshield replaced (or any other piece of glass in your car fixed?) Then
fill out this simple form. Jobs reserved online can be done as soon as the next day - seven days a week.
If you aren't sure if you want an appointment yet, fill out the form anyway, and one of Don's customer
service representatives will call you with the different options for your car.
Please include a phone number and as many details as you can.
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