Friday, May 13, 2011

TGIF

Happy Friday Mon Cheri! It is wonderful to have had the sun for the last few days. We have been busy. We have an emergency paint job, yes, you read that right, an emergency. A gentle man from Alabama called Abby several times on Thursday in a panic needing his car painted that day! He was very clear and upfront about the nature of the emergency and did not understand why Abby did not give the matter as serious attention as he did. He explained he was here seeing his girlfriend and they got in a fight. She scratched her name in every panel in his car. His dilemma was he had to get back to Alabama to his wife!

I dealt with another gentleman this week who was so out of line and loud that I had to tell him to leave. We were in the shop and he went ballistic and after I asked him twice to lower his voice and change his tone, I noticed two of my guys in the back walking up to clean his ornery little clock. I, in the interest of his safety told him to leave immediately. He stormed out and I went up front as I thought he was heading there to vent some more. The guys were coming up with me to be handy to clobber him if needed. Mr. Chap left and I went into my office to leave a message on his home machine. He was demanding his vehicle and I told him he need to pay for it first and walked away. His wife answered the phone, I am still a little irritated, and I told her I wanted to leave a message for him. I told her to tell him he was not to call or come in until I called and told him his car was ready. I told her to tell him what I was doing to it and that his behavior was not acceptable in my place of business and would not be tolerated again. She heaved a sigh and told me, "Honey, it is not you, I am so sorry, I have been apologizing for that man every day of my life for 30 years." She kept apologizing and, heaved again, and said and - I - have to live with him. What do you say to that!!!???!!! I told her not to worry and I would pray for her.

I called him yesterday morning and told him his car was ready and asked when he planned to come and get it. He said today and hung up on me. I thought, this will not be fun.

He came in very nice as she was standing behind him and they were giving each other that stink eye people give each other after 30 years of marriage. My sense was that she ordered him to apologize and he was not planning to do so and the stand off was happening right in front of me. I had no idea who would win, but I just wanted to take cover!

you gotta love this stuff....I am growing thicker skin and a wiser knowledge of how to stand my ground without inciting a riot.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

The infamous Dave Durango!!!

Beloved, yesterday I was at an attorney's office regarding our dear 73 Vega issue and called the office to ask Abby a question....I was told Abby was on the other line trying to find a Compressor!!!!! INSTANT PANIC. I told her to call me if the office blew up, that meant the compressor too. As I made a U-turn in the middle of a busy street, risking my very life, believing we were on CODE RED, I envisioned sending everyone home, calling 40 customers and telling them their cars would be late and desperately wanting a bottle of liquid medication.

When I got to the shop, I ran up to my shop manager, Mitch, screaming/crying "What happened?!" He seemed to me to be very calm under the circumstances and, low and behold, I am thinking why were the DAs running????? He proceeded to tell me that one of our employees had to leave because his wife wrecked the car.........WHAT...WHAT...WHAT..No man, what happened to the compressor?? Oh, it just went down for a minute and came back up. It seems ok now. (For that I made an illegal u turn???) OK, here is where Dave Durango comes in. Dave is the guy we call when the compressor needs attention. Dave, I think, is getting used to our panic calls.

Yesterday at around 4, Dave Durango saunters in. "WElllllll, lets talk.....Your main compressor is ok, but.....lets talk about repairing the back up one." OK, Dave, got any idea what we are talking, money wise?? "Sure.....depends on what your are wanting..do your want me to rebuild it, get a new part or get a used part or if you want you can have a re-built part......Huh? "Yea, I remember, it went BOOM, and I thought, "That ain't good", then it went BANG, "yep, this ain't good" It is a cast iron piston and has to be pulled apart"........Huh? "Yep, you are talking around $2200. or $4500." HUH!!!

Yes, good old Dave Durango just sat and smiled. OK, I am a female, but spout from a family of engineers. OK, Dave, which would you do if it was your shop? (Visual..... Durango has Fabio hair and a wise grin.) Well, if it was my shop....then suddenly, we are talking about Marg Schott. Now I am confused???? I can usually follow a conversation, but how did Schott get into this??? Schott was a legendary lady, with a capitol B, known for her ability to create misery in the eyes of anyone who looked at her. Ok, Mr. Durango, now I am feeling like I do not know what you are trying to tell me...?????

So it goes, the colorful Mr. Durango is getting a few estimates to me for the back up compressor so the panic calls stop. The fear of having the main one go down, with no backup, is a scenario no body shop wants to face. Everything in the shop runs on air pressure.

Day goes on......now I am saying it too, "Aw, this ain't good".

The sun shines today, this is a good sign. Phone rings, "how much is a free written estimate?" I am serious! I am dying to say, $10.00.....well, you asked Sir!!

I walked into another body shop yesterday and now I want all new furniture in the lobby. Ok, what will it be? New furniture or a compressor? Let the sun shine.........let the sun shine in.....Ohhhh sun shine in.......Love, Lynn Moore