Without any doubt, the relationship between consumers and technicians is a tense one. Two out of three clients do not have faith in technicians; while on the other side, technicians feel that consumers do not appreciate the complexity of their work.
Like any other human relationship, no party is completely right or wrong. The only truth is that they need each other.
The objective of this article is to explore the relationship between consumers and technicians from both perspectives, and give a word of advice, if possible.
Consumer’s Perspective
Healthy relationships are based on trust. Sadly, the main complaint consumers have is they do not trust technicians or repair shops. According to a recent study of the American Automobile Association (AAA), most U.S. drivers base their lack of trust on the following facts:
- 73% of repair shops overcharge for services
- 63% of drivers have negative past experiences
- 49% of drivers have concerns about the quality of work
If you are a consumer, you probably agree with all those figures. Fortunately, the same study showed 64% of customers found trustworthy repair shops that made them feel confident enough to do business with them.
Contradictory? Not at all.
Customers recognize the necessity of working with a trustworthy repair shop. Vehicles fail, and customers know it. A large percentage of customers simply plan ahead and find a reliable repair shop for their future needs. Repair shops have a bad reputation, which is confirmed by AAA study, but it does not mean that honest repair shops and technicians cannot be found.
In the end, that large majority (64%) did the correct thing. Regardless of their opinion, they understood that finding a reliable service provider was crucial. Our suggestion is to do the same. Don’t wait until the next emergency to start looking for a reputable auto repair shop. Find one now.
Technician’s Perspective
The point of view of an honest auto technician is quite different from customers. Technicians are aware of the bad reputation of auto repair shops; but even so, they work hard to offer quality service.
Most competent technicians are passionate about their profession. They have to prepare themselves in a plethora of disciplines. Not to mention, the auto repair industry is quite competitive.
Now, as a consumer, take a moment to think about your options. If you need to choose between a repair estimate of $1,500, and another of $700, which do you select? Will you take your time to evaluate both repair shops? Or will you simply choose the cheaper option?
Be honest with yourself.
It is natural for human beings to prioritize assets over expenses. For most people, the expense of a car technician is seen as just that—an expense and not an investment.
That vision causes a lot of frustration on hard-working automotive professionals.
So how does a consumer overcome this situation? Customers do not trust in technicians, and (truthful) technicians feel frustrated since they are so easily displaced by ‘cheaper’ and probably not-very-honest colleagues.
As you may expect, the solution involves both parties making concessions. The majority of consumers did their part, by taking the time to find reputable repair shops. Now, from the technician’s perspective, their responsibility is to continue to demonstrate reliability.
Communication is essential. Explaining why specific repairs are expensive, or the importance of high-quality parts, or the necessity of specialized tools, etc., is fundamental. Technicians have to ‘earn’ the trust of consumers. There are a lot of benefits (for both parties) in a healthy long-term relationship.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article may help alleviate the strained relationship between consumer and technician. The exercise of “stepping into someone else’s shoes” is very helpful. As mentioned in the introduction, both parties make valid points against the other. Ultimately, a distrustful relationship will harm both consumer and technician, while a healthy relationship based on trust will benefit everyone.
