Evening star., 1926-09-05

hc'S NoStii lOS. anu lilt NOIu IL
used in it's benign sense, belong not
only to the dealer. Far from it. The
motorist is guilty of them, too.
Ask for Advance Release.
In sorne up-to-the minute service
stations it is customary to ask the car
owner to Sign a release card by which
he valves any claim against the es
tablishment after it has again placed
the car in his hands. Later he dis
covers that the car was damag ged
while it was undergoing repairs or ad-
Justment. But he has signed the re-
lease. and from the service stations
viewpoint that's that
Analysing such Il case, one service
expert says:
This is just another instance of the
breakdown of system through human
inefficiency. No dealer should ask a
customer to sign such Il receipt or re-
lease unless he is certain that the car
is i'll good order. No customer should
sign such a receipt until he first has
looked over the car--in daylight-and
tried 1t out in the presence of the serv-
ice manager, who can check-up any
damage the owner may do to it him
self.
BY 10 means all service stations re-
qulre owners to sign such receipt
Thus good system is discouraged, and
whenever anything happens to a car
that has been sent i'll for service
dealer and customer must resort to
primitive tactics of debate, with the
best arguer winning out Good meth
DDS constantly are shelved because
there are too many instances where
system appears either too efficient"
or Just form"
Flexible Plan Advised.
The success of one organiza tion's
flatrate system is that it is flexible
enough to compensate for the human
failings Without provision for human
shortcomings fiat rates fall flat. and
the experience of the business has
demonstrated it. No matter how care
fully fiat-rate plan is worked out
there always is the unexpected to cope
with. and the orga niZation that is run
ming like q machine cannot expect to
succeed where the human side is sub
merged.
Not enough is put down in black
and white, according to another OBJ
server of conditions. II do not say
this because / feel that it is necessary
to have written evidence as a safe
guard against dishonesty. but as a
safeguard against lapse of memory. >
he says. "OrderS cannot be carried in
the head with any degree of success.
If the mechanic forgetS something
the owner of the car is going to sus.
pect that he has been gyppcd. And
if the owner forgets that he has or
dered something extra in the way of
service the dealer is made to feel lie
has taken advantage of hrs customer ,
Signing of receipts and releases is
an automobile dealers way OF protect
ing himself against the whimS of the
unscrupulous. If he does not have to
pay for damages for which his shop
was not really responsible he has less
operating loss to pass along to the
rest of his customers, which is just
another way of saying that he will be
able to maintain his service efficiency
at the customary cost level But the
motOriSt appears to be justified in
feeling that he should not sign until
he is sure everything is all right
Rushing to the dotted line in service
leads to many complications that in
crease costs and troubles.
New Employees Mistakes.
Much criticism has been aimed at
service stations for mistakes made
by new employees. 1t is true that
many ears have been seriously dam
aged by mon who have obtained Jobs
rs experienced mechanics under false