Windshield Repair Forum

Does anybody ever read the repair price averages in AGRR?
Where are you finding the $20 repairs? Craigslist? I'll be in the casino...

Looks like Vegas is the only place with some $20 rates. After you lose all your money you can't afford much more than $20.

Yes I look forward to comparing what other areas in the country (USA) are charging for WSR services. The SF Bay Area is among the highest places as far as cost of living so repairs should reflect that. However AGRR has not posted rates for this area yet.
NXQX

How many people did they ask in the survey?

I often find the $20 guy does not actually exist but is just a negotiating tool used by the customer, who is often a used car dealer.

Funny how you often feel better after doing a good job for a good price.

It's interesting to note that in Vegas we have several customers who focus primarily on high end vehicles who charge considerably higher rates than any listed in the AGRR survey and almost all of their business is cash.

Utah would be an interesting survey. They have some folks there offering extremely low prices, but like everywhere else, there are also those who maintain higher (more reasonable in my opinion) prices and are very successful. It's always fascinated me that if we have two customers in one city, one will claim the only way he can get business is to low ball prices while the other charges twice as much and is often far busier. Some will go out of business while others will thrive, but that is the nature of all business isn't it?

The survey says "shops". I wonder if that is just glass shops or if AGRR actually surveyed repair only technicians. We've found that a lot of repair only techs don't have phone book ads or websites, so they are often overlooked by the surveys.

I used to own and operate a retail store in San Francisco. We had an online business as well. The primary product that we sold were Montblanc pens, which sold anywhere from $300 - $2500 per pen (amazing that people spend this kind of money on a pen, but fortunately for us, there was a huge market). Anyhow, we were constantly in a price war with our competitors. There were eTailers discounting the pens up to 50% at times. It was almost as if they had only one focus, and that was to beat the price offered by every other competitor on line, often to the point of making no profit and even losing money! I played that game for a while until I realized how futile it was and how little money we were actually making in profit. Right then, I decided to stop discounting the pens entirely. From then on, we sold them at full price and offered free shipping as part of the sale. Ironically, our sales did not suffer because of this. Looking back on it, I think a few things contributed to our consistent level of sales. 1. Once we started offering the pens at full price, customers stopped feeling as though they had to haggle. The price was what it was. If they wanted to purchase the product based on price only, they were free to continue the search elsewhere. 2. We had expert knowledge about the pens and we were able to help the customer select exactly what was best for them. 3. Our customer service and guarantee was superior to everyone else in the same market. If all customers are looking for is a cheaper price, they will always be able to find one for less than what you are offering. Building a rapport, knowledge about what you are providing, experience, customer service, usually do not go hand in hand with someone trying to make a quick sale. Even though rates for WSR are far less than what we were selling in the store, I believe that a lot of what goes into setting rates and being able to attract customers remains the same regardless of the business.

I like Boston'a prices. I have been getting for a long time $65.00, 20 and ten depending on some different circumstance such as if a third $20 just might be too much for some to handle financially. I give active military, disables vets, law enforcement, fire fighters, employees of fleet accounts a $50.00, 10 and ten while on company premesis. Sometimes at the VA I'm an old softee and may give a larger discount or even a freebe again loooking at situation. Most work is mobile in wealthy neighborhoods and high end cars. Seariously thinking of raising prices out side a smaller radious. Couple of weeks ago I bartered for a lot of expensive exotic pen blanks for a repair.

There is a certain oil change co., chain stores, in my area who have partnered with a certain glass co. and are offering $19.95 rock chip repair and some days they do radio blitz and offer 10 bucks off that price. I have seen glass co. van in the back of some locations stocked with glass, hoping for the bait and switch, I guess.

In my area we have a national tire chain that has been offering $19.95 for over 4 years now. (in-house only). We also have many glass shops that will offer $20-$25 cash repairs (in-shop only). Not sure what questions these surveys ask but it would be interesting to find out how many repairs turned into full replacements (i.e. customer comes in with a simple bullseye and they fix it, when it's a star or other they convince them a replacement is necessary). Now if you go online with Safelite for a repair quote...the average would be around $90-$95. I'm somewhere in between ($60- $75) and normally get it.

I don't take cash. I only do insurance work!