How many contractors are doing this? Your thoughts are welcome.
When you receive an ice machine warranty service call do you inform the customer there will be a flat rate service fee paid no matter what. Now if you sell and install the machine i can see waiving the flat rate fee.
Another thought.. Always get a credit card on file for payment, because to many times the owner rushes out to do errands about the time you finish and are expecting payment.
Years ago we were factory service for mani a customer would call for warranty repair. We would find the problem isn’t covered the office would have to submit it have it denied then try to bill customer. Tied up a lot of time and money
Honeywell you can buy better but you cant pay more
I told my wife when i die to sell my fishing stuff for what its worth not what i told her i paid for it
The company I work for does is an Authorized Service Agency for dozens of manufacturers and pretty much all warranty work is a PITA. It’s the worst part of my job frankly. Ice machine warranty might be the worst (although combis are a close second). The main issue is that all to often the issue is water related which is not covered under warranty. Now your stuck in this pissing match with the customer and manufacturer just to get paid.
Hoshizaki has horrible labor allowances too. They used to be the worst to do warranty work for but I think Atosa has taken their crown from them. Here’s an example from just the other day: I installed a brand new machine (did not sell it) and right out of the box it didn’t work, the system was flat. It’s covered under warranty right? so I call to finding out much time they will pay me to locate the leak. The Hoshizaki tech support guy says “we don’t pay to find leaks, we pay to fix them”. So I can spend two hours looking for a leak and they won’t pay me?! So recoup the money from the customer right? Lol no not that easy. No one wants to pay to fix something that is clearly under warranty. But I don’t want to lose this customer and no matter how understanding someone is it’s unlikely that I’m coming out of this ahead. So I gave the leak check a try, found nothing in 45 mins so I charged it and walked away. Didn’t find a leak so I didn’t get paid from Hoshi. Also didn’t charge the customer. That’s some BS right there.
The company I work for does is an Authorized Service Agency for dozens of manufacturers and pretty much all warranty work is a PITA. It’s the worst part of my job frankly. Ice machine warranty might be the worst (although combis are a close second). The main issue is that all to often the issue is water related which is not covered under warranty. Now your stuck in this pissing match with the customer and manufacturer just to get paid.
Hoshizaki has horrible labor allowances too. They used to be the worst to do warranty work for but I think Atosa has taken their crown from them. Here’s an example from just the other day: I installed a brand new machine (did not sell it) and right out of the box it didn’t work, the system was flat. It’s covered under warranty right? so I call to finding out much time they will pay me to locate the leak. The Hoshizaki tech support guy says “we don’t pay to find leaks, we pay to fix them”. So I can spend two hours looking for a leak and they won’t pay me?! So recoup the money from the customer right? Lol no not that easy. No one wants to pay to fix something that is clearly under warranty. But I don’t want to lose this customer and no matter how understanding someone is it’s unlikely that I’m coming out of this ahead. So I gave the leak check a try, found nothing in 45 mins so I charged it and walked away. Didn’t find a leak so I didn’t get paid from Hoshi. Also didn’t charge the customer. That’s some BS right there.
Here is another perspective. I used to be the HVAC guy at a medium size hospital. We had 20 Hoshi's We bought 4 new ones. First one out of the box won't dispense. I'm not taking a new machine apart that's been plugged in for 15minutes. I called the vendor and he pleads with me to see if I can fix it. Ok but I want NO ISSUES with future warranty.Found a pin in the dispenser harness not seated. Got a restaurant gift card for my trouble.
2 nd machine out of the box. First night it's plugged in it makes so much noise patients can't sleep. No noise during the day. Next night same thing. I go in at 2 AM to hear it. Sounds like a giant buzzer. I call the vendor again and they send an " authorized " repair guy. He tells me if he finds nothing wrong I get charged. I tell him he isn't leaving until he finds it because if he doesn't, I'm sending 2 units in boxes back to Hoshi and next year's rep!acements are going to be a different brand and coporate is going to hear about it.
The company I work for does is an Authorized Service Agency for dozens of manufacturers and pretty much all warranty work is a PITA. It’s the worst part of my job frankly. Ice machine warranty might be the worst (although combis are a close second). The main issue is that all to often the issue is water related which is not covered under warranty. Now your stuck in this pissing match with the customer and manufacturer just to get paid.
Hoshizaki has horrible labor allowances too. They used to be the worst to do warranty work for but I think Atosa has taken their crown from them. Here’s an example from just the other day: I installed a brand new machine (did not sell it) and right out of the box it didn’t work, the system was flat. It’s covered under warranty right? so I call to finding out much time they will pay me to locate the leak. The Hoshizaki tech support guy says “we don’t pay to find leaks, we pay to fix them”. So I can spend two hours looking for a leak and they won’t pay me?! So recoup the money from the customer right? Lol no not that easy. No one wants to pay to fix something that is clearly under warranty. But I don’t want to lose this customer and no matter how understanding someone is it’s unlikely that I’m coming out of this ahead. So I gave the leak check a try, found nothing in 45 mins so I charged it and walked away. Didn’t find a leak so I didn’t get paid from Hoshi. Also didn’t charge the customer. That’s some BS right there.
You absolutely could charge the customer for that, then he could call the place where he bought it and get them to pay for it. You say you don't want to lose the customer so tell them upfront it will be t&m including any needed repairs. If they're even somewhat reasonable they won't fire you for that.
You absolutely could charge the customer for that, then he could call the place where he bought it and get them to pay for it. You say you don't want to lose the customer so tell them upfront it will be t&m including any needed repairs. If they're even somewhat reasonable they won't fire you for that.
It’s that simple and it’s not. That’s exactly how it should work but when egos get involved all bets are off. People wronged see everyone involved with the wrongdoing as the bad guy. The dealer didn’t make the broken piece of equipment, neither did the service company but we both get lumped into the “bad guy” side of it all. And I can’t just talk a bunch of crap on the manufacturer just to get on the customers good side either because if the mfg catches wind of it (and they do) they can drop me like a bad habit.
Agghhh... just typing this out is getting my pulse moving faster.
I brought this up because we encounter this every week. Our company does require a card on file for every mom and pop type business. (This idea came from a local lift truck service company, I called for service and they said sure what's your card number. I learned a lot of service providers are doing this in all trades.) We also require a flat rate service fee for every warranty service call on equipment we did not sell and install.
We get push back from the end user and the vendor who sold the machine,but we don't back down. There is nothing in any manufacturers warranty statement that states a service provider can't charge the customer a flat rate service fee, or any labor not covered under warranty guidelines. We have even been threatened by the manufacturer a couple times that we won't be a rep for them. So your telling me we can't do warranty work on your brand at a loss of $$$. We appreciate the favor, thank you!
Now Bros, I can see the situation where a Fire Dept,Catering Hall(W/ AC in kitchen),Made-In-House-Bagged-Ice-By-Beer-Distributor Distributor,Hotel,Hot Sheets Motel,Factory Cafe's, KindaSorta places do catch my interest.
Sometimes the customer went around the service co around the dealer and around the local distributor by ordering on line trying to install themselves and anything wrong is warranty and they don't think they should pay for anything-WRONG!
if it were installed by a factory approved company it would have been but that would have cost more in the beginning.
Cheap usually costs more in the end.
You want Warranty parts here’s the old one let me know when you get the replacement)
pecmsg
add will you be paying with cash or check today?
Amen to that. These manufacturers offer huge discounts to online sellers that never even see the product(goes straight from distributor warehouse to end user) but want us to fix it for half our normal rates. My wholesale price for Manitowoc ice machines is always more than some online outlets’ retail price.
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Originally Posted by VanMan812
