Customer Issue

[Randy Savage 5,000+ posts]

I did a 4 speaker install in a customers 93 Volvo about a month and a half ago. He came back about 2 weeks ago, said one of the speakers cut out, so I pulled out the front drivers side speaker and the speaker terminal had come unplugged. So. I crimped the terminal tighter, and put it back together, he was good to go.

Customer comes back in today with the same problem. This time, I cut the terminals off the wire, and solder the wire to the terminals on the speaker, put it back together, and pull the car out. I park it in our parking lot, right next to our bay doors. He comes in about 2 hours later to pick the car up.

He then claims that his digital camera that was on the back seat is missing. He says that the doors were left unlocked (I could have sworn I locked them, but whatever).

Now, before we take in a car we fill out a workorder. I didn't fill out a workorder this time, since it was a 2 second fix, but he did fill out a workorder for the original install. On the back of the workorder (which he has a copy of), it says that we are not liable for any personal property left in the car, and that all personal property should be removed from the car.

Now, I did have him fill out a workorder after he claimed the camera was taken, and he signed it...in which he kind of screwed himself.

Beside that...who's at fault here? Just want some opinions...

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[UndercoverPunk 5,000+ posts]

It's shitty that his camera got stolen, but he's a dumbass for signing the W.O.

 

[iLL-Faded 10+ year member]

His, One, dont leave your items unattended such as digi's or whatever he should of taken it with him. Two, he should use common sense, its not your fault snova its his.

 

[DiamondFanatic 10+ year member]

He's at fault, but it would have been bad form for you to leave a customers car unlocked after completing work on it at your shop. Unless you are positive that you locked his car, I would offer him some sort of compensation because at that point you would have been neglegent, regardless of what it says on the work order.

I've never had to deal with a theft complaint where I work, but I have had customers complain about door dings left in their cars that were not there before. The lot we share with a starbucks and a sprint store, so it can get quite busy. We've never offered to have the dings fixed, but it is a problem I thought of that seemed moderately similar to yours.

 

[Hartman 10+ year member]

For the sake of your business reputation, I would say you work this out with him in a reasonable manner, whether it was your fault or not. Either eat the cost of the camera, arrange to pay half, or whatever, it's important to keep him happy. There are some pretty obvious precautions that you could have taken to avoid this situation in the first place.

 

[revrider1 5,000+ posts]

He signed the workorder stating that you were not responsible, he should be at fault.

 

[iLL-Faded 10+ year member]

For the sake of your business reputation, I would say you work this out with him in a reasonable manner, whether it was your fault or not. Either eat the cost of the camera, arrange to pay half, or whatever, it's important to keep him happy. There are some pretty obvious precautions that you could have taken to avoid this situation in the first place.

true, always make the customer happy, cuz you dont know if hes one of those psyco killers that waits and hides in the bush's and follows you home.

 

[Randy Savage 5,000+ posts]

I work at CC...I don't have a business reputation to uphold lol //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[wilzyx 5,000+ posts]

I work at CC...I don't have a business reputation to uphold lol //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

ahahah yes!

 

[Polecat 5,000+ posts]

sounds like he is at fault...why did he leave the car for a 5 second job?

 

[Hartman 10+ year member]

If you work at CC then it's not your problem. I'm assuming things like this will be handled by the customer service department.

 

[lubetek 10+ year member]

sounds like he is at fault...why did he leave the car for a 5 second job?

because he wanted a new digital camera.

 

[Randy Savage 5,000+ posts]

sounds like he is at fault...why did he leave the car for a 5 second job?

That's what got me...he said he uses the camera for work, he takes pictures of real estate and whatnot...and he said he had a whole days worth of pictures on it. But, when he dropped off the car, he said he was going back to work...I'm wondering, if he uses the camera at work, why the hell did he leave it in the car?!?!

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

Tough call. He is partially at fault for leaving something of value in the vehicle. But you (CC, technically) could also be partially at fault for neglectfully failing to secure the customers property (locking the car). That clause in the work order doesn't exempt the company from taking reasonable steps to ensure the vehicle and it's contents are adequately secured, IMO.

 

[6spdcoupe 5,000+ posts]

Hes at fault for leaving "valuables" in the car. It is His responsiblity to remove anything that he feels valuable and doesnt want tampered with or possibly stolen.

Although at the same time, it should be normal work practice as well as ethically correct to make sure the car was secure upon leaving it in the parking lot. Although you may have locked it, you could have also forgotten to or had been distracted. In either event mistakes can and will happen, its normal, so dont take this as a shift of blame at all.

End result, just simply try to work something out with him that both parties can live with. Whether this be you a manager, customer service,etc.