Small engine repair business work guarantee

[RepairmanJake86]

I own my own business and have grown immensely, I do good work and want to guarantee it for a reasonable amount of time. Any business owners out there guarantee your work for a certain amount of time? How long is reasonable in your opinions?

[Savage3]

In my opinion,  this is a simple question, yet requires a complicated solution.  Obviously,  you would like to provide a long warranty based on your quality work. However,  in many cases, due to poor quality fuel and less then adequate parts, you may not be able to provide the guarantee you want. I would proceed with caution keeping profitability and sustainability in mind. 

[Mech]

I guarantee the workmanship.. But all my work is on used vehicles, and done in accordance with and after negotiation with the customer's needs and priorities. If the work is some compromise, and it nearly always is on some plane, then I advise them of the possibilities and implications.

Clear communication's the thing, making sure they understand what's being done and what might not be, and why. The whole crux of professionalism isn't this do it once and do it right bullshit, it's about your customer being able to have confidence in you.. Ask any lawyer or doctor or accountant..

[olddude]

I somewhat agree with Mech somewhat. What I found with a lot of customers is no matter how much talking you do is they only hear what they want to hear. They bring you a boat motor, lawn mower, motor bike or what ever for an oil change. You ask is that all you need? They say yeah that's it. You change the oil and filter then call them to tell them it's done. They say great I'll be by to pick it up later. Three or four weeks later they roll in and haul it out. Thirty minutes later they call back fussing, you changed my oil and now my mower blades are dull and I want to know what you plan on doing about it. You explain that they were offered the three different plans we had to offer and you chose the basic plan that only covered the oil change, They don't ever seem to remember you offering them the super duper plan with the oil change that covered a basic check over, a deck cleaning, blade sharpening if needed, new spark plug and a compression check for $49.95 all the remembered was the $9.95. Oh, they remembered all those other things you mentioned in the super duper plan they just forgot about the $49.95 part. That's one thing I don't mind missing out on by not being in business anymore.LOL

[MarkinAR]

I've always stood behind my work and do so for quite some time.  However, for the idiots that need brake pads and then fuss because it's using oil a month later, I'll tell them to piss right off.  My favorite was a guy that said he needed wheel bearings on a Polaris, brought bearings and everything.  I said you don't need them, the ball joints and tie rods were falling off.  He wanted the bearings put in anyway and then fussed because the wheels were still falling off when he picked it up.  I took my labor charge and sent him on his way.  Said I'd be happy to replace the tie rods and ball joints too, like I said it needed originally.  He never brought it back because he was too embarrassed.