Parts in Warranty

jim lockard

Hey Wall---How do you guys handle warranty on parts for equipment that you did not install? With the manufacturer extending longer warrantys on parts and the customer wanting to know or already knowing that the part is in warranty how do you handle it. As a service contractor I fix a lot of different brands of heating/cooling equipment that were installed by others. When the part comes off of my truck you pay for it and you pay retail. I feel that if the customer want to go thru the warranty thing they should contact the installer or that brands dealer not burden me with the problem. What are your thoughts. thanks J. Lockard

Mark Eatherton1

I agree...

If they buy the part from me, it comes with a full 2 year warranty. This means that if it dies on the 729th day, I'm there replacing it with another one for free, and the new one comes with a full 2 year warranty too!

If they'd have bought from me in the first place, we probably wouldn't be having this conversation, though, would we:-)

I'd send them back to the original installing contractor, and if they demand that I do it, I'd do it for my regular fee. Then, they get the advantage of my 100% 2 year warranty.

It's their call.

ME

DaveGateway

How about the homeowner that you install a new boiler for & they go to the oil company & buy a service contract on it ? the things brand new! I WOULD REPLACE ANYTHING ON IT..but now every time he needs something I'm gonna say call them {short of a flood}I feel we can't both warrenty the boiler.Sound fair?

jim lockard

ok Mark E

But lets say you get a call (It may never happen)to fix a heat pump in a tract home, out of 1 year installers warranty ( alot of installers around here do not service after the year's up just keep slamming them in)yet the part is in warranty for 5 years. If I go out and T/S a defective defrost board or fan board I replace it. H.O. says is part in warranty or knows part is in warranty. My response is it maybe but not with me. It a $150/200 furnace board now the H.O. hopping around in the driveway knowing he can get a new part for free in warranty, after I did the T/S and told him what was wrong and got the heat on. I also know I can return the part to the supply house and receive a new part but there is no profit in swapping parts
So how would or how have you handled this ??
J.Lockard

John Mills_3

Common around here

with new home dealers not servicing. We honor the warranty and charge labor plus any handling fees. This gets us a customer who normally will be loyal. Many sign up for annual service. Sending these customers to their installing dealer or someone else is throwing away a fortune in advertising money.

Mark Eatherton1

What John Mills said...

I'd let them know that it is not my responsiblity nor duty to cover the maufacturers parts warranty unless I installed the equipment. Then I have a little something packed into the job to allow for such a potential..

Throwing away good potential customes is not a healthy situation IMHO.

Good call John.

ME

Tom Tuohy

If the part

is in warranty I give them two choices. Call the installing contractor so he can replace it at no charge under warranty or I can warranty the part and charge the appropriate labor for the repair. If the customer chooses to call the original installer I don't charge them for the service call because I know in most cases the installer won't be there any time soon an I will ultimately make the repair and keep the customer.
TT

jim lockard

no ME

Never intended to lose my customer base over warranty parts just wish to know how the Wall handles it.
Some of my best customers have been the ones I've met in the middle of a cold night. As an American Standard Dealer I present 10 year parts and labor warrantys. When I service the equiptment I receive a markup on the parts as published in American Standard guidebook. If the part is still under warranty I simply get a new part but thats on stuff I installed.
Now that being said when I purchase and stock parts on my truck should I not be intitled to a fair markup even if I swap part for part on a "foreign" in warranty repair or what if I said no sorry do not have part will take your part to wholesalers on your dime be back in an hour or longer so now that $50.00 cost defrost board is now $200. and I am another 2 hours behind. Worst yet be back tomorrow turn your electric stove on be ok. (yea right)
M.E. when I read "Ellen" I learn to always charge and I always do mark up my parts.
J.Lockard

Dave Yates (PAH)

warranty issues abound

If we sold & installed the item, all is covered during our warranty period. After that, any remaining factory warranties are utilized.

If it's someone elses installation and falls within the first year of use, I ask why we're being called instead of the original installer and if they've checked for coverage from the original installer. I've found customers appreciate my being upfront about warranty issues.

Some times we get burned though. We had a customer with a failed State water heater that was under warranty. Nearest supply house was in a neighboring town (30 minutes each way) & we didn't charge her travel time. Imagine our surprise to receive a bill for $50.00 for having loaded the "free" replacement on our truck! Ouch. Called H&S Supply only to be told that's what they charge to load up warranty replacement water heaters! If only they'd told us up front so we could have given our customer the information and other choices. By the time we were billed, we'd long since sent out our bill - so that $50 came out of our hides. A letter to State & a reply that the supplier is free to charge whatever loading fees they deem appropriate - in other words - tough darts. Live & learn! H&S wouldn't bend, so we ended up paying instead of fighting it and possibly affecting our credit rating.

It's a different matter when dealing with warranty failures with products purchased through the big box retailers. Once we explain that there will be a charge (T&M) to wait in line and obtain parts, they often decide to have us install the higher quality goods we carry on the trucks.

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Mark Wolff

Warranty

If they want to receive warranty work, they can call the manufacturer or original installer to replace it. If the manufacturer authorizes us to replace it (give me a warranty work order number!) then we will. Otherwise, it is a full bill for T&M to replace it, and they can pursue appropriate recourse with the manufacturer or installer that promised the warranty. An aside... we only warranty our work one year. Have you ever had a competitor service your new boiler install wrong and get a call back claiming warranty due to their mistake? Our warranty only applies if we are the only ones touching it.

Glenn Harrison_2

My boss is in business to take care of all our customers.

And so, as part of our flat rate pricing, we have flat rate charges for replacing different parts under manufacturers warranties. It basically covers the tech's time, the parts guy's time to write up the warranty, shipping charges for returning parts, and a little extra for the mark-up that is lost on the part sale. Also, if we have to go get the part, there is a standard charge for parts pick-up. It doesn't matter whether it's our equipment or not, nor does it matter if it's an old customer or new. Works great, our customers all get taken care of, and we get our fare share, and we keep the customer instead of giving them away to the competition.

Remember, Rule #1 - If we don't take care of the customer, sombody else will.

Steve Whitbeck

I do it the same as GLEN HARISON