Best beloved, Mon Cheri, Good Morning. Finally, It is a Sunday morning of peace. I leave for church soon, but first a visit with you.
Great, the first summer I am running a body shop, we have to break the heat record set 50 years ago! Lets baptize Lynn with fire, literally. Those of you who know the feeling of working outside when it is close to 100 degrees F, can understand. Now, I understand too. I will never enjoy a sauna bath again. We all hung in there each day, even as some businesses were closing and sending workers home during the heat, we worked as hard as ever. I spent time one morning holding a 19 year old boy across my lap and wiping his face, arms, neck and back with cold towels while he was throwing up in a waste basket. I did so until he was OK enough to sit in my office and drink a Gator Aid. I called his mother and then sent him home for the day. I had planned to call 911 if he did not stop throwing up within 10 minutes.
"DO NOT TRUST IN THE SWORD IF YOUR HEART IS NOT IN THE BATTLE"
Unknown
We recently had an insurance repair that involved replacing most of the car. It had to be a borderline total. We had it about 3 weeks. The insurance paid over 5 grand and the customer's deductible was $500.00 which she knew and was fine with all along. THEN, one day as it is nearing ready, someone called saying he was her brother from Chicago and wanted to talk about the deductible..."you know, you guys usually forget the deductible in some cases...." Sir, I do not know you and am not going to discuss this woman's private business with you no matter who you say you are. If it was her brother, he planted the seed of you can screw the body shop out of their money.
She then, for the first time, started calling saying she did not have the $500. We told her she could apply for interest free financing or not get her car. She applied for $500. and was turned down. She said she had it, just wanted her car back. We finished it and when she came in to get it, told Abby she only had $400. and could she have her car, please. Abby said that was not her call and would ask the boss. I walked into the office and sat down and told her very nicely, I was very sorry, I could not let her have her car and she knew that because we had talked about it. No, I said. Then she must have given up and produced the $500. cash. Bless her heart for trying. I think in talking to the brother from Chicago, he explained the art of legal extortion. Did not work on me this time. Must mean I have learned a thing or two.
During the heat, I have come home every day, so dirty and sweaty, I just went upstairs and got in the shower. I used an old tooth brush on my nails and feet. I then caked my feet in lotion and put on footsies. I have been sleeping with conditioner in my hair, all these efforts to not dry up and try to stay feminine. The weather finally broke a little and there was a slight breeze. I was giddy. Sad, but true.
I have not dealt really well with customers lately, no secret. A young man came in set up the repair and paint. (cheap) ordered a used trunk lid as his was damaged. Then dad came in to inspect the car. OMG, he opened and shut the trunk several times saying it was not right.... it opened and shut perfectly. I kindly told him, sir, you must be somewhat confused, this is a Honda, not a Mercedes and a used trunk lid, it is perfect. He then pointed out specks of dirt on the white car and I brushed each of them away. I then told him this was silly and I was done. He asked if he could be blunt. Please, I told him. He said I did not have a good attitude. I told him, YEA. I know. I was HOT AND DIRTY AND TIRED. It was not personal, it was me after 5 days of working in this heat. Now what else did he want. He goes, nothing. We fixed the only legit issue on the car and he was a happy camper.
MEN......we had a lovely woman come in and get her estimate and set an appointment. Then...the fiancee called. Who was he trying to impress? Started to yell at me that the repair should take not more than a day or two!!!!! I looked at the estimate and said sir, I have been doing this a long time and there is no way this can be done in a day, and nothing you are going to say will get me to promise a day to you. I told him to take the car elsewhere if he wanted, but I won't lie to him, give him a free rental or anything else. PERIOD. It involved replacing a door, repairing other dents and painting. I would not even commit to 5 days! What did that yahoo know about anything but being a bully.
Speaking of a bully, a foreigner came in with a piece of crap car he wanted to have painted to match the cab company he was going to drive for. He was so rude, and I mean rude at the estimate, we asked him to leave. He went out for a while and came back in nicer. they drew out the lines for the two tone and left. We painted the car during which time he kept calling me yelling at me about it costing too much. He picked it up, haggled more, but I ran his card for the price I told him.
He was happy with the car, but came back with his boss saying it was the wrong lines, denied telling us how to do it, wanted it redone for free. I told the cab owner to either bring the cars himself or go else where. I told him I will not tolerate people like that man anymore. I told him if he wanted it redone, he would pay. It got heated from there and I ended up telling this creep that "My ancestors were born here and do not think you can come to my country and bully me or anyone else!" I told him to leave. If he was a guest in MY country do not try to bully me again. He picked up his car very nicely and paid for it. Beloved, did he reconsider his attitude or was he afraid I would report him??? Who knows and I really do not care. I did look over my shoulder for a while.
Life has not been normal this summer. I cannot seem to grasp an ability to handle where I fit in at work, family or friends. I have just kept to myself and when I do, it is lonely and when I don't, it is too stressful. I do not know if it will get better or not. There is only so much work a body can do and then it has nothing left to give.
Time for church and prayer, Lord, My God, share with me Your Grace to continue. All my love, Bon Jour, LM
Great, the first summer I am running a body shop, we have to break the heat record set 50 years ago! Lets baptize Lynn with fire, literally. Those of you who know the feeling of working outside when it is close to 100 degrees F, can understand. Now, I understand too. I will never enjoy a sauna bath again. We all hung in there each day, even as some businesses were closing and sending workers home during the heat, we worked as hard as ever. I spent time one morning holding a 19 year old boy across my lap and wiping his face, arms, neck and back with cold towels while he was throwing up in a waste basket. I did so until he was OK enough to sit in my office and drink a Gator Aid. I called his mother and then sent him home for the day. I had planned to call 911 if he did not stop throwing up within 10 minutes.
"DO NOT TRUST IN THE SWORD IF YOUR HEART IS NOT IN THE BATTLE"
Unknown
We recently had an insurance repair that involved replacing most of the car. It had to be a borderline total. We had it about 3 weeks. The insurance paid over 5 grand and the customer's deductible was $500.00 which she knew and was fine with all along. THEN, one day as it is nearing ready, someone called saying he was her brother from Chicago and wanted to talk about the deductible..."you know, you guys usually forget the deductible in some cases...." Sir, I do not know you and am not going to discuss this woman's private business with you no matter who you say you are. If it was her brother, he planted the seed of you can screw the body shop out of their money.
She then, for the first time, started calling saying she did not have the $500. We told her she could apply for interest free financing or not get her car. She applied for $500. and was turned down. She said she had it, just wanted her car back. We finished it and when she came in to get it, told Abby she only had $400. and could she have her car, please. Abby said that was not her call and would ask the boss. I walked into the office and sat down and told her very nicely, I was very sorry, I could not let her have her car and she knew that because we had talked about it. No, I said. Then she must have given up and produced the $500. cash. Bless her heart for trying. I think in talking to the brother from Chicago, he explained the art of legal extortion. Did not work on me this time. Must mean I have learned a thing or two.
During the heat, I have come home every day, so dirty and sweaty, I just went upstairs and got in the shower. I used an old tooth brush on my nails and feet. I then caked my feet in lotion and put on footsies. I have been sleeping with conditioner in my hair, all these efforts to not dry up and try to stay feminine. The weather finally broke a little and there was a slight breeze. I was giddy. Sad, but true.
I have not dealt really well with customers lately, no secret. A young man came in set up the repair and paint. (cheap) ordered a used trunk lid as his was damaged. Then dad came in to inspect the car. OMG, he opened and shut the trunk several times saying it was not right.... it opened and shut perfectly. I kindly told him, sir, you must be somewhat confused, this is a Honda, not a Mercedes and a used trunk lid, it is perfect. He then pointed out specks of dirt on the white car and I brushed each of them away. I then told him this was silly and I was done. He asked if he could be blunt. Please, I told him. He said I did not have a good attitude. I told him, YEA. I know. I was HOT AND DIRTY AND TIRED. It was not personal, it was me after 5 days of working in this heat. Now what else did he want. He goes, nothing. We fixed the only legit issue on the car and he was a happy camper.
MEN......we had a lovely woman come in and get her estimate and set an appointment. Then...the fiancee called. Who was he trying to impress? Started to yell at me that the repair should take not more than a day or two!!!!! I looked at the estimate and said sir, I have been doing this a long time and there is no way this can be done in a day, and nothing you are going to say will get me to promise a day to you. I told him to take the car elsewhere if he wanted, but I won't lie to him, give him a free rental or anything else. PERIOD. It involved replacing a door, repairing other dents and painting. I would not even commit to 5 days! What did that yahoo know about anything but being a bully.
Speaking of a bully, a foreigner came in with a piece of crap car he wanted to have painted to match the cab company he was going to drive for. He was so rude, and I mean rude at the estimate, we asked him to leave. He went out for a while and came back in nicer. they drew out the lines for the two tone and left. We painted the car during which time he kept calling me yelling at me about it costing too much. He picked it up, haggled more, but I ran his card for the price I told him.
He was happy with the car, but came back with his boss saying it was the wrong lines, denied telling us how to do it, wanted it redone for free. I told the cab owner to either bring the cars himself or go else where. I told him I will not tolerate people like that man anymore. I told him if he wanted it redone, he would pay. It got heated from there and I ended up telling this creep that "My ancestors were born here and do not think you can come to my country and bully me or anyone else!" I told him to leave. If he was a guest in MY country do not try to bully me again. He picked up his car very nicely and paid for it. Beloved, did he reconsider his attitude or was he afraid I would report him??? Who knows and I really do not care. I did look over my shoulder for a while.
Life has not been normal this summer. I cannot seem to grasp an ability to handle where I fit in at work, family or friends. I have just kept to myself and when I do, it is lonely and when I don't, it is too stressful. I do not know if it will get better or not. There is only so much work a body can do and then it has nothing left to give.
Time for church and prayer, Lord, My God, share with me Your Grace to continue. All my love, Bon Jour, LM
excellent article thank you
ReplyDelete