Poor response
Page 50
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
I have read the letter regarding "24-hour breakdown services" with interest.
I personally took the trouble one night, while sitting up—our motto is "WE NEVER CLOSE"—to phone 14 of the 24-hour breakdown services listed in your 24-hour supplement and only one offered assistance, in the way of towing in for attention in the morning.
Hauliers have brought this situation on themselves. Very few take the trouble to make inquiries as to where they can avail themselves of a repairer in different areas at night, or— from the repairer's point of view—make any prior arrangements with regard to paying for, work done.
It is fully expected that we should accept a complete stranger's word that his cheque will be in the post that day (very few are). This leads to either an embarrassing situation, poor relations between the haulier and the garage or bankruptcy through bad debts,
We have two fully trained fitters on for seven nights a week, covering a large stretch of Al which means our transport costs in the way of service vans and towing vehicles are high; this olwiously has to be passed on to the customer, who normally imagines that the cost of his repair is, or should be the same as his own garage, and fails to understand that breakdown work has to be at a higher rate.
We get very little support from hauliers who we have done repairs for, in the way of Dery supplies; the drivers are more inclined to go to the smart service station where they would have a blue fit if asked to adjust a fan belt on a Leyland Beaver (Morris Minor—yes).
Any decent work they tow to their own workshops—(just have a look and tell us what the trouble is so that our fitter knows what tools, to bring, and you can lend him a jack can't you?).
Although we enjoy operating this type of garage, I would not criticize anyone who failed to operate a 24-hour service, even though he is supposed to, under his dealership franchise, and advertises as much, but finds it easy to say the fitter is already out.
Very few people realize the difficulties in operating this type of service, especially when there is this complete lack of support and co-operation from hauliers—until they break down of course!
D. BINGHAM, Proprietor, Colsterworth Service Station, near Grantham.