Windshield Repair Forum

Was driving down the road and a customer saw my sign on my truck asking me about chip repair. We pulled over. I have State Farm myself and was actually heading there to get a new card b/c I just bought a truck. We pulled over and he had 3 chips on his windshield and said he had state farm. He called them and of course he had a 50.00 deductible on glass. So it would have been cheaper for him to get his glass replaced rather than the chips repaired. He asked me if I could go cheaper on my price and I just politely told him no. I tried explaining the benefits on repair rather than replacement but its hard to talk someone into spending more money on repairing their chips when they can get whole windshield replaced cheaper. I know this is nothing new, and I'll accept insurance or cash, whatever the customer wants to do. If insurance companies quit paying for repairs I'd still roll along just fine. I just don't understand why they will pay for people's windshields to be replaced and not pay for small repairs. Old argument I guess. Most of my business actually comes from SF customers and they just pay out of cash. But if people start getting 50.00 deductibles for glass, nobody is gonna get chips repaired. I always try to inform people though how much safer and better for the environment that repair is over replacement. Any advice on how to handle these situations?

I think fewer and fewer people have $50 deductibles these days. People without a lot of money need to lower their rates so they typically opt for higher deductibles and people who can afford the higher premiums can also afford a higher deductible and understand the risk/reward ratio is in their favor.

I explain to the customer that if a windshield is not replaced properly they may experience leaks or complete adhesive failure in the event of an accident. The average customer does not know how to distinguish between a quality installation and a hack job so they are at the mercy of the installer. I don't do this to scare people into thinking that all aftermarket installations are unsafe, but simply to help them understand that there is a safety concern with windshield installations that does not exist with a windshield repair.

Thanks Brent for the reply. Yeah, I don't usually see 50.00 deductibles. And you are right, installation can be unsafe, especially if done by a hack. Thanks again.

We made money when there was no deductibles, it is a matter of finding the customers with no glass cover. Fleets, trucks, buses, garages etc.

I would like to see the day when glass is not covered by insurance at all, then watch people wanting to save money.

Windshield911 wrote:Was driving down the road and a customer saw my sign on my truck asking me about chip repair. We pulled over. I have State Farm myself and was actually heading there to get a new card b/c I just bought a truck. We pulled over and he had 3 chips on his windshield and said he had state farm. He called them and of course he had a 50.00 deductible on glass. So it would have been cheaper for him to get his glass replaced rather than the chips repaired. He asked me if I could go cheaper on my price and I just politely told him no. I tried explaining the benefits on repair rather than replacement but its hard to talk someone into spending more money on repairing their chips when they can get whole windshield replaced cheaper. I know this is nothing new, and I'll accept insurance or cash, whatever the customer wants to do. If insurance companies quit paying for repairs I'd still roll along just fine. I just don't understand why they will pay for people's windshields to be replaced and not pay for small repairs. Old argument I guess. Most of my business actually comes from SF customers and they just pay out of cash. But if people start getting 50.00 deductibles for glass, nobody is gonna get chips repaired. I always try to inform people though how much safer and better for the environment that repair is over replacement. Any advice on how to handle these situations?

so are you saying, the client would have only had to pay $50 for a complete WS replacement?

I assure you if ins compaines start paying less, then you will not roll along fine...similar to
doctors charging $650 for a scan, then insurance only pays them $150...If insurance compaines
start paying less then everyone will be screwed, you will either have to accept their rate, or
their customer will find someone who is desperate for the job...if ins stops altogether, then
everyone has no choice but to pay cash, then you can somewhat set your own rates, but as long
as ins has a say, then they control your life, and you have little to nothing to say...I wonder
at the current time, how many actual WS techs is a 100% cash business, as long as Ins is
around, I doubt not many, and ins controls everything, and everyone, and at the end
of the day they controlled you, and you could not do the job that you very much wanted to do...

Out of every vehicle on the road or on garage forecourts, what percentage have glass insurance on them. The clever guys are the guys doing work where insurance is not involved.

screenman wrote:Out of every vehicle on the road or on garage forecourts, what percentage have glass insurance on them. The clever guys are the guys doing work where insurance is not involved.

thats true, but how much more difficult to get those type of dealer, fleet, type accounts...
I bet it is more easier for someone to find a client with ins then it would be to find a business
that will take you on such as those high profile accounts, but you are right, those guys
that are doing business with no insurance type of accounts are probably getting paid
more money then the avg ins that just pays a mere $50, I would hope so...but if the dealer
did not want to pay their rate, then they keep looking until they find someone within their budget range.

You will be surprised, when money is involved, most will become cut-throat just to get the job...
Ie: Carpet Cleaning, I have seen business cut-throat other compaines just to get business, even at a loss.

If ins compaines ever went to "bidding" method, this would be a disaster...WS techs would be
under bidding each other just to get work, bad for techs, but insur would love this because it
would lower their payouts for WS repair...

I have found many people buy on things other than price, I know I do. Quality of service, reliability, standard of work and many more. This is a sales business first and last, without sales you have no business, often the harder it is to get a customer the harder it is to lose them, if you do the job correctly that is.

Give me the uninsured every time, I seldom do 1 job at a time and I get top dollar for good service. Today for instance is a holiday over here but I decided to put a couple of hours in, quick trip into one of my fleets and 5 nice paying jobs in less that 2 hours, that would be 8 hours if I relied on single customers.

Remember these words that were told me many years ago, nobody ever regrets buying quality.

Just pointing out my way of doing business I appreciate others may not want to put as much effort in as I had to in the early days.

screenman wrote:I have found many people buy on things other than price, I know I do. Quality of service, reliability, standard of work and many more. This is a sales business first and last, without sales you have no business, often the harder it is to get a customer the harder it is to lose them, if you do the job correctly that is.

Give me the uninsured every time, I seldom do 1 job at a time and I get top dollar for good service. Today for instance is a holiday over here but I decided to put a couple of hours in, quick trip into one of my fleets and 5 nice paying jobs in less that 2 hours, that would be 8 hours if I relied on single customers.

Remember these words that were told me many years ago, nobody ever regrets buying quality.

Just pointing out my way of doing business I appreciate others may not want to put as much effort in as I had to in the early days.

nobody ever regrets buying quality, but quality is sacraficed every single day...we give up quality so we can buy
crap from china, and in todays toliet economy, people watch what they spend, otherwise, why did the guy care
so much over a few $$$ when he could have gotten a repair right there and then, why haggle over a $50 duductible...
he is watching his pennies like everyone else...and if it means him getting a lower quality WS replacement that
could end up in leaks, then so be it...he may have sacraficed the quality of his WS repair over a $50 deductible...
I do admit, even in a bad economy, some do not care what they spend as long as they get good quality, but there
are far more willing to accept lower quality if it meant a cheaper bill...

I have to admit, WS repair isnt rocket science...anyone can become very good at it if they choose to do so, but
some probably never got proper training, and they do a quick seal, then run...but you can not blame others
for bad quality work, because the client may choose to call you the next time, after all, its not like there is
a WS training class in every major city, and it looks like I will even have to train myself...but if you take
the time to do the repair right, then their should be no reason why anyone can not become good at WS repair...
there will always be techs out there that do a lame job, and they are chasing that quick buck, and carpet
cleaning is no different, if you do a crap job chasing a few bucks, then you get a call back, and most, after
getting paid, do not bother showing up to do the job right that they should have done right the first time...

David S,

Your quote: "If ins compaines ever went to "bidding" method, this would be a disaster...WS techs would be
under bidding each other just to get work, bad for techs, but insur would love this because it
would lower their payouts for WS repair..."

Just to update you...Lynx Services a (TPA) has already done this for some years now with StateFarm and AllState. It"s called customized offers! Many non-mobile shops in my area will offer $20-$25 for repair just to get customers in and try to convert these into replacements. State Farm is leaving Lynx and going with Safelite in 2012. I'm sure things will change. Maybe Allstate will follow in 2013.