Please advise (poor comms with avionics shop)

[4RNB]

Background: For a decent proportion of the maintenance of my plane, I've stuck with the shop that the previous owner spoke well about. Early on the shop did not respond to texts or emails. Prior to a flight test, I discovered one of the required tests was not documented, the shop did the test the following day. I was interested in a new engine and avionics upgrades, received no response from the shop until I actually showed up in person. At that point, I had all of their attention and received good service. This shop helped with other pressing problems, successfully diagnosed one via telephone or text, fixed it quickly. They installed a new engine and dropped everything they were doing to help with an issue when I was bringing the plane home (this likely took up a days worth of time, ignoring other people).

Like lots of aviation and other small businesses, there is no front office staff to run interference or handle routine matters. Small talk, window shopping, and tire kicking type behaviors all distract from getting work done. I have a farm business and dislike handling non productive conversation so I kind of get any early communication issues.

The shop has also allowed use of loaner cars at two airports, one of which I created a headache for them with.

Current Situation: In December of 2021 I paid a large amount of money for ordering an all new panel. I did this knowing there were a large delay in Garmin shipments and had no idea when things would arrive. I recall a conversation in which at least one incorrect item was ordered. I was told the PFD was supposed to ship the end of June. It did not, and ship date was changed to July 28 for arrival about July 30. Likely early in August, I asked via text if the shipment came in, the reply was that they would let me know. So far they have not let me know.

This past Friday, I again asked if the shipment came in and asked for an assessment as to when the install time would take place. I was told that they would try and figure that out this past weekend, did not hear anything back.

Mondays are busy at the shop. I sent an email asking again about PFD arrival and possible install date. I was told they already had two walk in customers, that answering my questions was a priority. I've not yet received an answer.

Other:
1. I've left a vehicle at that airport expecting work to get started. It is a PITA arranging transport and I really need the vehicle back home. It has now been there a month or two. If I knew that work was delayed or soon to start I could more easily decide on getting my vehicle home.
2. When I've been at the shop, I've seen stacks of Garmin boxes, each has the customers name on them. None of the boxes have had my name on them...
3. While I do not think it is the job of the shop to deal with my anxieties, I find this process difficult and frustrating. In my mind, it takes all of a minute to look on Garmin site and find shipment status, or to take a glance around at equipment that has arrived each day.

Suggestions?
Am I off base thinking some simple responses are in order?
What would you do?
When I think of what could be going on my mind comes up with some unfriendly and expensive scenarios.

Thanks, and I will take my answers off the air.

 

[Justin Brady]

I don't think you're out of line. If they say they will update you and they don't you have every right to be annoyed.
I never understand this crap, as a business owner customer service is more important than everything else. Period.

How far are you from the shop? I'd just stop in for a friendly visit routinely.
if you're too far out for that then a friendly phone call can do the same job.
There's no excuse for poor communication IMO.


The squeaky wheel gets the grease as they say.

 

[Joe_B1]

Shop is busy, maybe over their head.
Garmin has long delays on shipments, might not be responding to avionics shop so no point in texting you with no answer.
Other customers are getting stuff done because their stuff has arrived.
You are essentially at the whims of Garmin as to when your stuff arrives.
Sucks but don't **** off the shop or it will ruin your previous relationship with them.
Maybe go and have a meeting with the shop to get the true status of your build.

 

[4RNB]

I don't think you're out of line. If they say they will update you and they don't you have every right to be annoyed.
I never understand this crap, as a business owner customer service is more important than everything else. Period.

How far are you from the shop? I'd just stop in for a friendly visit routinely.
if you're too far out for that then a friendly phone call can do the same job.
There's no excuse for poor communication IMO.


The squeaky wheel gets the grease as they say.

I am 2.5 hr drive and one hour flight away. I've tried to do this by text/email so as to not disrupt the workflow. Proprietor is also managing the work/people.

 

[4RNB]

Shop is busy, maybe over their head.
Garmin has long delays on shipments, might not be responding to avionics shop so no point in texting you with no answer.
Other customers are getting stuff done because their stuff has arrived.
You are essentially at the whims of Garmin as to when your stuff arrives.
Sucks but don't **** off the shop or it will ruin your previous relationship with them.
Maybe go and have a meeting with the shop to get the true status of your build.

I've been at the shop and seen how busy it gets. Again, I've tried to ask questions just via text/email so they can be answered later. But later has been weeks...
I don't want to tick off the shop for sure.

It is kind of like I have an algorithm of actions ahead, a decision tree. Getting an answer on things helps me make the next (and/or better) decisions with regards to my vehicle, travel, and other things.

 

[Justin Brady]

I am 2.5 hr drive and one hour flight away. I've tried to do this by text/email so as to not disrupt the workflow. Proprietor is also managing the work/people.

Gotcha,
There's a fine line between being a pain and being too accommodating of the delays.
if you're the "oh no worries just let me know, no rush sorry to intrude" guy and it's you and the "calling every day ****ed off-guy" guess who's going to get the slot?
I like to be somewhere in the middle, friendly but firm.

If it were me I'd ask for an order number from garmin so that I could follow up with them directly to see where the delay really lies.

A few weeks ago my wife's jeep was in the shop, they ordered a transmission module and told me it would take a week to arrive.
I called bs, it doesn't take a week to ship an in stock part from 2 states over, but didn't make a fuss.
A week goes by and it's not here so I call again. "we'll look into it and get back to you" no reply. his went on for a couple more days before i finally got mad and asked for the tracking number.
They "are sure it should be here today".
-No give me the tracking number.
I finally got the tracking number from a manager and sure enough it had been sitting there for 6 days.
They put it in that day and all is well now.

 

[Ed Haywood]

I have generally found that people in the trades are less responsive to email than white collar professionals. Not surprising when you consider the work environment. One guy works in a shop and does physical stuff for a living, while the other sits at a desk and slings messages for a living. Drove me nuts til I realized I was projecting my desk jockey expectations onto them. It is a lot easer for them to make phone calls. Plus they aren't forced to develop inbox management skills, so they get swamped with spam.

Best way to handle it is use your words. Talk to the manager and find out what method of communication they prefer.

Interestingly, I have found a lot of trade-based small businesses are using Facebook Messenger, probably because nobody has a web page anymore, but they all have a Facebook page for marketing. I got an aircraft frame blasted and powdercoated recently, and got quotes from 4 local vendors. None of them checked their email and their voicemails were full. But send an FB chat and instant response was the norm.

 

[Racerx]

I have generally found that people in the trades are less responsive to email than white collar professionals. Not surprising when you consider the work environment. One guy works in a shop and does physical stuff for a living, while the other sits at a desk and slings messages for a living. Drove me nuts til I realized I was projecting my desk jockey expectations onto them. It is a lot easer for them to make phone calls. Plus they aren't forced to develop inbox management skills, so they get swamped with spam.

Best way to handle it is use your words. Talk to the manager and find out what method of communication they prefer.

Interestingly, I have found a lot of trade-based small businesses are using Facebook Messenger, probably because nobody has a web page anymore, but they all have a Facebook page for marketing. I got an aircraft frame blasted and powdercoated recently, and got quotes from 4 local vendors. None of them checked their email and their voicemails were full. But send an FB chat and instant response was the norm.

Being in the trades I can confirm most of this to be accurate for me. I personally rarely answer emails. But I do have someone that will respond and try to answer the questions in a timely manner, if they know or have an answer. Now, sometimes as mentioned we simply don't have an answer. Yesterday I took a call about a customer inquiring on his material ordered last week. An odd size for me to stock, but our vendors almost always carry it. With supply chain and trucker issues what has almost always been on our doorstep next day. It's still not here and our vendor tells us tomorrow or the next day. I Really hate telling my customer the same thing thats been told to me. Its frustrating times on my end as well as my customers. So I might try to withhold whats been told to me as I sometimes suspect the answers I get arent actual reality.

As far as Facebook goes, we're not on it. I much prefer the phone. I won't answer my cell however with so much junk calls and its 50/50 whether I answer a text with a text. Ill relay the text to the person I pay to answer the phone. Now, if a customer stops in... I'll spend some time face to face.

1. Face to face meeting- At this point, you're not a tire kicker. You've given me money. You're here, I'll give you a few minutes
2. Call me. I probably wont be the one to answer. The person that does might have an answer. If they don't depending what I'm working on, they may get me. Or take a message. I will call you back, or have someone call you back. However, as previous...unfortunately in this day and age I may get the same answer and giving you the same answer is going to alienate you. It frustrates me as well.
3. Not being on facebook, I'm probably more responsive to email. I can have a more thorough response, but follow up questions can drag the email chain on instead of being asked in person or over the phone.
4. Text... I can only write so much via text. I probably won't respond with a text unless its a short response. Someone will follow up with a call back.

Now, with that said, for me I can spot the pain in the ass clients. Im a welding fab shop. I do a lot of railings, but more commercial and industrial stuff. We'll repair or build anything metal. But without fail, homeowners wanting new railings are the biggest pain in the rear. They'll want 6 different quotes for different styles, beat you up on every quote, then call you every other day when you tell them theres a 4 month lead time to get the picket design they wanted shipped from India. Almost without fail these people are the ones that make first contact via email.

If you have a vehicle at the airport, go get it. Sounds like the perfect reason to talk to the shop.

 

[Justin Brady]

Being in the trades I can confirm most of this to be accurate for me. I personally rarely answer emails. But I do have someone that will respond and try to answer the questions in a timely manner, if they know or have an answer. Now, sometimes as mentioned we simply don't have an answer. Yesterday I took a call about a customer inquiring on his material ordered last week. An odd size for me to stock, but our vendors almost always carry it. With supply chain and trucker issues what has almost always been on our doorstep next day. It's still not here and our vendor tells us tomorrow or the next day. I Really hate telling my customer the same thing thats been told to me. Its frustrating times on my end as well as my customers. So I might try to withhold whats been told to me as I sometimes suspect the answers I get arent actual reality.

As far as Facebook goes, we're not on it. I much prefer the phone. I won't answer my cell and its 50/50 whether I answer a text with a text. Ill relay the text to the person I pay to answer the phone. Now, if a customer stops in... I'll spend some time face to face.

1. Face to face meeting- At this point, you're not a tire kicker. You've given me money. You're here, I'll give you a few minutes
2. Call me. I probably wont be the one to answer. The person that does might have an answer. If they don't depending what I'm working on, they may get me. Or take a message. I will call you back, or have someone call you back. However, as previous...unfortunately in this day and age I may get the same answer and giving you the same answer is going to alienate you. It frustrates me as well.
3. Not being on facebook, I'm probably more responsive to email. I can have a more thorough response, but follow up questions can drag the email chain on instead of being asked in person or over the phone.
4. Text... I can only write so much via text. I probably won't respond with a text unless its a short response. Someone will follow up with a call back.

Now, with that said, for me I can spot the pain in the *** clients. Im a welding fab shop. I do a lot of railings, but more commercial and industrial stuff. We'll repair or build anything metal. But without fail, homeowners wanting new railings are the biggest pain in the rear. They'll want 6 different quotes for different styles, beat you up on every quote, then call you every other day when you tell them theres a 4 month lead time to get the picket design they wanted shipped from India. Almost without fail these people are the ones that make first contact via email.

Good points.
I have to disagree with not passing along what you're told, that's literally the best you can do. Just not answering is much much worse to me than getting a "my supplier is saying tomorrow, it may or may not be tomorrow I'm sorry I don't have a better answer for you, I'll let you know when I know"

We have standing policy for all of our sales people that if someone seems like a PITA then you just pass on the job. It's almost never worth the time when you already know they are going to be difficult from the beginning.

And random question for you, same Racerx from DTT?

 

[Racerx]

Good points.
I have to disagree with not passing along what you're told, that's literally the best you can do. Just not answering is much much worse to me than getting a "my supplier is saying tomorrow, it may or may not be tomorrow I'm sorry I don't have a better answer for you, I'll let you know when I know"

We have standing policy for all of our sales people that if someone seems like a PITA then you just pass on the job. It's almost never worth the time when you already know they are going to be difficult from the beginning.

And random question for you, same Racerx from DTT?

When you're on the 4th or 5th time saying "my vendor says today or the next day" eventually your customer is going to think your flat out lying. It's a crappy spot to be in regardless and completely out of your control.

Agree on passing on jobs, I will do that a lot and its been happening more frequently. Usually sticker shock scares them away, but every once in a while you get the ones that say yes to the pain in the butt customer price...which is usually double the normal price. Did that yesterday after spending 15 minute on the phone with the guy over a 400 dollar install. Price was high, but you want a ball park price sight unseen thats what you get. Said he'd send me pictures...pictures I never got. I'm not hurt.

I got the nickname 15 years ago racing stock cars in high school in the midwest. I was racing Legends cars, then a guy with a Super Late wanted me to run his car one night. The track PA announcer got word it wasn't the regular driver, but didn't know who it was. Also was called "one armed bandit" after getting into a wreck with NASCAR driver David Ragan and the very next week setting the track record. Right arm in a cast from finger tips to bicep, shifting was a little difficult

 

[Cloudhound]

The squeaky wheel gets the grease as they say.

It's also the first one that gets replaced!