Consumers expect quality products most of the time. Nobody goes into a store, buys something and thinks, "Boy, I hope this breaks down after I use it the first time." We want goods that last and the higher the price tag, the less patient we are when those items fail. And when we have issues with our new piece of electronic equipment, or new video game or furniture, we want to be able to return that item without any hassles. We want to be able to go back to the store, voice our concerns and have the item replaced or returned with a full refund.
We want the same thing from people who provide us with service. If you've paid someone to replace your driveway, repair your roof, fix your car or even give you a haircut, you expect that person to back their work with some sort of money-back guaranty. If they don't, you as a consumer question their professionalism and the quality of their work. That's why many service-oriented businesses use guarantees as selling tools.
Boyd Dingman is a body shop owner who takes warranties seriously. Dingman owns two Dingman's Collision Centers in Omaha, Neb, and he's so confident in his technicians that he offers a five-year transferrable warranty on vehicles repaired in his shop. The average vehicle owner holds onto their vehicle less than three years following a collision, says Dingman, and the transferrable warranty is a way to let the customer know the shop is confident in the work it provides.
Such a move also aids the vehicle owner when he or she decides to sell. One of the first questions any buyer asks when considering a pre-owned vehicle is, "Has it ever been in an accident?" Dingman's customers can say, "Yes, but if you have any problems for the next (fill in the blank) years you can take it to Boyd's shop and he'll fix it." Talk about a security blanket for both consumers.
Sitting in Scottsdale, Ariz., prior to Collision Industry Conference meetings, Dingman talked about his approach and his view that if all shops were willing to stand by their work in a similar fashion, the collision world would be a better place. Many shops, he says, offer warranties, but they don't offer warranties that are transferrable. "We need to grow (a backbone)," he argues. Shops have to be willing to stick their necks out and back their own businesses and the work they are providing.
At press time, Dingman planned to raise the issue during the CIC conference, but he expected most in the industry (in particular the insurers) to not share his viewpoint. He understands that the likelihood of any sweeping process changes is not great. Still, he considers the approach to be a good one, and who can argue with him. His shop has earned the respect of his community via customer referrals and awards (the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce honored Dingman's with its Small Business of the Year Award for 2005).
There has been a movement in the last six months through the National Auto Body Council to enhance the image of the industry. Repairers are working to dismiss the notion that shops are run by dishonest, uneducated grease monkeys. In this day and age of high-tech repairs, nothing could be further from the truth. Perhaps Dingman's approach is one way to enhance the credibility of the field.
