Question for auto shop owners………..

Two fold - if someone has a breakdown that can be easily fixed - a way to have a new satisfied or prospective customer . 
 If a major or long repair or diagnostic then a appointment is the answer . 
While traveling I had a drivers side window on my truck lower but refuse to go back up , no problem EXCEPT is was below ZERO out . Stopped at a auto dealership to see if they could help - said they were booked up but if i could wait they would see if someone would be free . 14 minutes late service writer contacted me - 3 mechanics had got window back up - said regulator was bad - just don't lower window until I got to somewhere who could fix it fully . Asked about their shop cost - said next time they would charge - this time on them . 

Working in a shop along a Interstate we saw our share of Urgent and Needed back on the road work.  Weed thru some diagnostics where if is Easy fix, work them thru, otherwise offer number to tow companies or point to a Pay Phone(Back then).  Most with real problems were looking more for a Rental Car company in most cases and would get back to the car at a later date.

Most repairs should be done on a first in, first out basis but there are other considerations that come into play. Sometimes the shop may be waiting on parts for what is in the bay and can take on a quick repair instead of starting another major job. Sometimes it may mean interrupting your normal work flow to get someone out of a bind and back on the road. Think of how you would want a family member treated if they had a problem out of town that could be quickly resolved to get them back on the road. There are no hard and fast rules, a workable balance that keeps almost everyone happy is best. JMHO. 

Not necessarily screwing regulars, possibly attempting to earn faster money, or too short handed and still attempting to maintain service levels. Some shops intentionally cater to transient business as reaps higher referrals in the long run but destroys local credibility as noted.

Paul, some of us have progressed beyond the '80's.

On the phone this morning trying to make an appointment to get hearing checked. Lady put me on hold to deal with a customer checking out. So, who's time was more important the customer checking out or me becoming a new customer? Eventually a different lady came on and made an appointment, the other lady calls me back 2 hours later to get the rest of my info. I hate these callbacks from the dr. office, like I'm sitting here with nothing to do when I'm working on the farm. As far as repair shops like tire guys and tow trucks and even mechanics if you want to take the emergency jobs because you like the challenge, the people, or the money you need to schedule your work to cover it all. The guys who are good at it seem to get it all done. Some of the guys that enjoy it will work on the big projects after hours when they don't get disturbed by customers. If you don't want to be a slave to your shop then work accordingly. 

Brother was a line mechanic for a dealership but did work at home in his spare time like tune ups and brake jobs and a clutch or such repair at his OWN timing .
 One neighbor he did work for sent his brother in law over to have some work done . 
Guy comes into garage and tells my brother he is dropping his car off and wants it back the following day in early afternoon.  
 So they start off a little far apart on side work - Brother says he can schedule it in later some time next week - the guy gets all upset and says he needs it now and wants a actual time and day he wants it done by - So brother grabs the wall calendar - looks at it and say - have a opening 4 months from now at 8 AM Saturday - car will be done by midnight and expect you to pick it up at 12:30 AM that night .
 Last he heard from the guy 

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It's triage like a hospital emergency center.

Assess the sick car and if it's having a heart attack it gets pulled ahead of the hangnail patient.

Buy a beater backup vehicle, like an old pickup because you can use it to haul sod, and you can get by a week of your regular car at the shop.

I'm a little too impatient and I just go buy parts and do the repair myself instead of sitting in the waiting room at the shop.

The backup vehicle is the parts chaser if I run into unexpected issues and need more parts.

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