Inappropriate upselling, One of the main reasons the garage trade has such a dodgy image in my opinion Mike. As many on here will know, as a youngster I went from my college studies straight into the tyre industry working with saloon, sports and prototype cars. It was a working environment where excellence was taken for granted and everything had to be done "just right". I remember watching a man welding up fabricated rear uprights in John Surtees F1 workshop with oxyacetylene - would be done with TIG today - I'd learned oxy acetylene welding in college and thought I was quite good at it. This chap just took the whole thing to a new level, was so beautiful to watch it almost brought tears to my eyes.
So, when that division closed down and went back to the other side of the pond, I went into the everyday hurly burly of the motor trade, found employment on the shop floor and got my eyes opened wide as to how different a college approach is to the "real world". Luckily my training served me well and I didn't have any very big problems although I quickly learned some short cuts, like separating ball joint tapers with a hammer (always used a splitter in college) Our senior management was seriously into maximizing profit and upselling was a big part of it. The temptation was very great to sell something either not needed at all or that could safely wait for a few months as you got a few "bob" on your wages for everything sold that wasn't on the job sheet. It was a big shock anyway because the engineering involved, compared to the racing stuff, was positively agricultural. It wasn't too long before I was foreman (working) and my job hung on making profit in the shop. I had a very simple approach. Check the vehicle over before starting on the ticketed job. If you find something you feel genuinely needs done now then show me and I'll sign it off for submission to the reception engineer who then rang the customer. With a bit of luck a reply will be received before work on the vehicle is completed so the additional work can just carry on (unless it's something I can't schedule into the day). My shop made good money and I totally stamped out the oil can applied to the damper rod, pads and discs being changed far too early, replacing a steering rack when all that's needed is a rod end, etc, etc, and I'm not even going to mention oily rag oil filters and the like! It paid off too because I built up a solid core of customers who came back time after time. Had a lot of "moments" with head office management though!
I don't like big glitzy showrooms and workshops with clean overalled workers and floors you can eat your dinner off and reception people you can't get past to speak to someone who actually knows about what's been done to your motor. A small family business with a few mechanics, not too young any of them - except the apprentice - a middle aged or older foreman, grubby overalls and a shop floor you have to be careful not to slip on (wipe the soles before you get back into your car) and when you hand the car in it's to one of them not a clean handed reception type who hasn't usually a clue how to answer any of the questions you ask.