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  • Report:  #1065485

Complaint Review: Precision Tune Baton Rouge Keith McAllister - Baton Rouge Louisiana

Reported By:
NPolk - New Orleans, Louisiana,
Submitted:
Updated:

Precision Tune Baton Rouge Keith McAllister
2843 S Sherwood Forest Blvd Baton Rouge, 70816 Louisiana, USA
Phone:
(225) 293-2886
Web:
http://www.precisiontune.com/Franchisees/BatonRougeLA.aspx
Categories:
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On June 22, 2013 I was charged $200 more than what the owner had called and quoted me.



On June 22, 2013 I was in Baton Rouge to take care of some business when my air started blowing warm. Since Precision Tune was across the street and  I had used them before (about 8 years ago), I pulled in to have them check it out. I left my car and called a ride to pick me up. I received a call about an hour later saying that I needed to replace my constant control relay. He told that the part was $218 and hard to locate at that point in the day. I asked how much would my total be of he could find it. His response was $460 which included 2 hours of labor. I told him to please call me if he located the part and to move forward. He assured he would call back in 30 minutes to let me know the status. An hour later after no call I called him. They had found the part and began the work. He told my car would be ready in an hour and apologized for not calling me back in the agreed upon 30 minute time frame. An hour later he called me back to tell me that my car was done. I arrived ready to pay the amount that was quoted but was hit with a $660 bill. He said that it was the cost of the labor for the diagnostic and how his mechanic got paid. I was not made aware of this until that moment. When I let it be known that this was not what we discussed he took $60 off but by then I had no choice but to pay it the remainder. It was getting dark and I had to get back on the road. He knew this. I have tried since Monday, June 24th to resolve this. I have even contacted corporate. I have been to their social media accounts which yielded a callback but I was told by corporate that while they could sympathize that there was nothing the could do because it was my word against the owner. The store called me back and said that they would find a resolve for me so I gave them 3 days and still never got a callback. 

Owner's reply to my BBB complaint:

Nakelia Polk arrived at our business on Saturday morning 06/22/13 at at 10:49am. She stated her A/C system was not blowing cold, and requested that it be checked out. I spoke with her and quoted our diagnostic fee for this service is $90. Ms. Polk approved the diagnostic fee, and asked additionally that a Louisiana State Inspection be performed. I explained that the cost would be $18. Both prices were explained and approved by customer and then she left, awaiting a call with an estimate to repair the vehicle. I personally made a call back to the customer once diagnostic results were completed, part and availability was known. I personally called and reviewed with Ms. Polk the additional part would cost 289.40 and additional labor would be $180. The part was available at a Ford dealership here in town, three other vendors were called but part was not in stock and had to be special ordered. Customer approved the repairs. This being a Saturday, and already close to 1pm,and remembering that the Ford dealer does not deliver on weekends, I ask another technician would He be willing to stop.



His work and drive across town, pick up the part, so we could accomodate the customer needs. He complied with my request. The vehicle was repaired correctly and with success. Results of Service provided: the vehicle came into the shop with a faulty "A/C Constant Control Relay" and system blowing HOT AIR, and left with a "New A/C Constant Control Relay" installed and blowing "COLD AIR" at 52 degrees. Customer was called and informed repairs were successful and vehicle was ready to be picked up, and that we close at 3pm on Saturdays. Customer arrived at 2:56pm to pick up vehicle.



Repair Bill was $663.00, for A/C diagnosis, State Inspection, part, labor, shop supplies, and taxes. Customer immediately told cashier she was not going to pay that amount. I was asked to come speak to customer about the diagnostic fee charged. Customer said, she always uses Pep Boys and they do not charge her a diagnostic fee. I explained that I could not comment on what Pep Boys policy is, but that our diagnostic fee was explained when she dropped her car off, and if I remove the fee then the employee performing the diagnostic service would be working for free. (Incidentaly, I since have called Pep Boys in New Orleans and here in Baton Rouge. Both stated that Company Policy is to charge a diagnostic fee, and they would have quoted and charged a dignostic fee. Further

company policy says fee is "not WAIVED, DISCOUNTED, OR APPLIED TO THE FINAL BILL"). Ms. Polk then stated and I quote: "I am not prepared to pay more that $600.00." I made a decision to discount the diagnostic fee by $45, and to apply a discount enough to reduce her invoice down to the $600 that she had stated she would be willing to pay. Customer attempted payment by personal Check, which was declined by our Check Service. She then paid the invoice, with two seperate credit cards. The service asked for and rendered, is fair. Ms. Polk made a personal decision (which is her choice) on Monday morning June 24th to get on every available "Social Media" outlet, type out

her complaint, called me a "RIP-OFF", and list accusations that are not true. She states she has a professional background in Marketing. I suggest that professionalism shoud have been used on Monday morning the 24th. I should have been the first personal she contacted. She did not call me first, but chose this approach. Then she contacts our Corporate office and misrepresents the TRUTH on several occasions, to inculde commenting falsely about Precision Corporate. Then she files a complaint with you the BBB,(again which is her choice). But the facts (TRUTH) always are the test in any complaint. Ms Polk was not threatned, harrassed, forced to pay any invoice, she stated she would pay $600. We accepted her offer. Now, enough is enough. This matter is settled.  I opened this business 17 years ago. I work everyday extremely hard for all customers that come to us for automotive service. This customer is asking for money back based on her lack of knowledge or just an unwillingness to consider that she is wrong, and is closed to any other explantion that could shed light on her experience. This is my answer to the complaint, and cannot be change, edited or altered without my approval!

Keith McAllister

 

My rebuttal to BBB complaint:

(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)

The owner is not accurate in that he quoted me the $180 in labor in addition to the cost. I would not have agreed to any repair over $500 without getting a second opinion. That is just not who I am. I was prepared to pay for the diagnostic check if I did not have the work done. What Mr. McAllister left out is that he was supposed to call me once the part was located before they started the work. I had to call him to check the status. I was then told the part was found and the work had begun. Mr. McAllister then apologized for not calling.

Another thing that he left out is that the reason that I went to social media is that no one at Corporate returned my call. I knew this was the best way to get a callback and it worked. When my call was returned I was told that essentially it was my word against his and that each store has its own autonomy because they are franchised. After that I call I did FINALLY receive a callback from the manager of Mr. McAllister's store. I was assured that my old part was there and that they would work on a resolve. I immediately called the legal department at Precision Tune Corporate (Lauren) and I told her that it looks like they would resolve the issue. At this point I would have accepted an apology and a free oil change - just something that said we know that we made a mistake in the price quote. I got no return call from the manager. At that point I sent an email to Mr. McAllister that I carbon copied the corporate office on (June 26, 2013, see below). I waited for a response. I even put in another call to the person at corporate in charge of franchising. No call back. I left a message for Mr. McAllister days before I contacted the BBB. I have tried to get a resolve from day one. At this point it's not about the money. It's about poor business practices and the inability for a self proclaimed honest business to admit a mistake was made and that changes to how they quote prices need to be implemented.

Please understand that I would have liked to work this out fairly on June 22nd but as the owner, Mr. McAllister made the final decision to charge me a price and would not back down. I did what I needed to do to get a response and in many ways it worked because this is why the manager at his store even called me back. Now I am continuing to do what needs to be done to make sure that better policies are implemented.

Finally, for the record, I also contacted Pep Boys after the incident. I was informed that as always, if it's a service where the diagnostic isn't included they inform the customer up front and they include it in the final quote.

Email sent to Mr. McAllister:

Good Morning Mr. Keith,

I have been trying to reach you to no avail. Your manager did provide a callback on Monday. He promised a resolve to this so I gave him the day to work it out. I did not get a call unfortunately.

Mr. Keith, this is not solely about the money. I trusted you to be fair and I prepared to pay based upon what you said my TOTAL cost would be. While it may have been bad communication on your part, as a person that makes a living as a communicator I will say that this is a poor way to communicate with your customers. It left me not only in a financial bind but more important it left me not trusting Precision Tune as a corporation. After not being able to get any assistance from the corporate office of Precision Tune its is evident that they are merely franchising out their name without any concern for how its used.

Since your manager has said he has my old constant control relay (which I will pick up personally on my next visit to Baton Rouge) and so far my air is working I am only seeking resolve on the additional monies that I was asked to pay AFTER being given the original price for service. I do not want what is not fair.

You can opt not to resolve this and to brush me off as a "disgruntled." This is your choice as a business owner. My choice as a dissatisfied customer is to tell anybody that will listen about my well documented encounter with your establishment.

I sincerely hope that we can reach a resolve that will be mutually beneficial. As I said before I am only asking for what is fair as a consumer.

Best Regards,

Nakeila S. Polk

 



2 Updates & Rebuttals

NPolk

New Orleans,
Louisiana,
Thank You

#2Author of original report

Tue, July 09, 2013

Thanks for your rebuttal and allegiance to Keith and Precison Tune. What I left out of this reexport inadvertently was that I was charged for 2hours of labor yet my car was done an hour sooner than quoted. 

As a consultant and former labor organizer I am the last one to ever cheat a worker OR try to get over on a business owner. My issue is that, the same way I am up front with my clients about what my services will be and all that is included, well that's what I expect when I am they client or consumer. I don't work for free and I do not expect anybody else to. 

I trusted Mr. Keith to be fair and honest and he has not been. We all work very hard to make a living. I for one am very conscious about how I spend. If he had communicated better I would have gotten a second opinion. Who knows, I probably still would have gone with PT after checking around. 

Giving me a bogus quote took that option from me. 


Tyg

Pahrump,
Nevada,
Keith we feel for you!!

#3General Comment

Tue, July 09, 2013

 In todays society ppl are no longer held accountable for the actions they perform. Your customer screwed you ad your business and then wants MORE!! This is one of the lowest types of septic slime that you as a business have to deal with. They want something for nothing. They find even the SLIGHTEST reason to complain so they can get more. I have had much automotive work done and I know that a AC fix can be pricey. Im 100% sure all of your fees associated with this repair were disclosed. Be it from a head injury or their inability to remember longer then a fruit fly, you would not have done the work unless THEY GAVE PERMISSION!!! SO them not "remembering" the diagnostic fees is just their way of screwing you. KEEP FIGHTING!!!! Guttersnipe pukeslime like this customer you have to deal with NEED TO BE TAUGHT A LESSON!!! I say sue her. Sue her for the lost wages, damages to your business reputation, defamation of character, hell the list CAN go on.

Its time that businesses start getting treated the right way. The customer is ALWAYS wrong. They ALWAYS have unrealistic demands that no sane business owner would or could bend to. Its time these ppl learn that you can only be screwed over so much before something has to give. This person contracted you to do a repair, during the course of the repair this customer "forgot" that there was a opening diagnostic fee. Because of this you lose money that is RIGHTFULLY yours and your employees. Im forced to wonder how this customer would react if her job did the same to her. How would she feel if her boss screwed her over on her paycheck because some lovely customer refused to pay what was rightfully owed. Im betting she wouldnt be as accepting of the situation as she is expecting your business to be.

Keith....keep this in mind.......YOU CANT FIX STUPID!!!!

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