The Independent Garage Association (IGA) is reinforcing its standpoint on improving business-customer relations in response to a survey that suggest m [See the full post at: Breaking: IGA responds to survey about rip-off garages]
Unfortunately a few bad apples have spoiled the reputation of honest garages and created suspicion.
That said it’s good to ask questions and understand as much as you can about your vehicle. An honest garage will welcome and answer any questions you have. Many garages including Gloucester road Gearboxes Ltd in Bristol will be happy to provide free advice and a free diagnostic test drive.
If in doubt consult more than one garage and check out reviews.
Yes it’s the minority of rogues that spoil this reputation for the majority of good businesses and regulation would sort this I feel sure. But perceptions are important and for every woman I speak to, she either has been suspicious of her treatment as a female or she knows someone who has been poorly treated. The power of perceptions is huge and yet there is no INDEPENDENT INDUSTRY BODY tasked to uphold the reputation of our industry. Rogues need outing for sure but customers aren’t angels either. Every garage should be able to sign our FOXY Lady Promise to ‘never overcharge, patronise or sell motorists anything they don’t need.’ The ones that can’t are usually the ones that pay poorly and incentivise their staff to sell us things we don’t need to earn commission. I think this practice should end.
The main problem I’ve found is garages and dealers that operate a bonus scheme. Every one I’ve worked in I witnessed people selling stuff on customers cars that didn’t need doing (I always refused to take part and had lowest sales) but the garages I’ve worked in where there was no bonus scheme I never saw anything being sold/fitted that didn’t need doing (apart from some misdiagnosis I witnessed)
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