BRAKE LIGHT RULE CHANGE
Recently the State of Texas changed it’s Inspection Requirements regarding Third Brake Lights effective as of Jan. 1, 2017. Texas DPS did this without prior notification or as of Jan.5, 2017 any notification at all to Texas based window tint businesses or Texas consumers. Inspection Stations were made aware of the change in an update to their Official Handbook. No notice of a Public Hearing was directed to Texas based window tint businesses.
What this means to you is that your vehicle will not pass inspection in 2017 and beyond if it was tinted according to the rules as they were established prior to Jan. 1, 2017 and you will incur additional costs to be in compliance.
Who is at fault? It is our opinion that the State should have done two things;
1.) Grand fathered all vehicles tinted up to and including De. 31, 2016
2.) Notified both Texas consumers and Texas based window tint businesses.
Texas did neither.
Now what? In order to get your vehicle inspected the rear windshield film will need to be either;
1.) Removed and replaced with an opening for the third brake light.
2.) A cut out of the existing film will need to be made to allow the brake light to be unobstructed.
What is this going to cost you?
To remove and replace a rear windshield is both lengthy and expensive, especially when the expense is totally unexpected. The average cost is $200 but can be less and can be more depending on the window.
What about the defroster?
Whenever window film is removed from a defroster there is the danger of the defroster never working again. Keep in mind that most companies, ours included, do not accept the liability for damage to any defroster do to the installation or removal of window film.
What about cutting out around the brake light?
While this sounds like an easier proposition it is not feasible with a majority of cars. Brake light patterns are nearly impossible to cut out when the film is installed without risking injury or damage to the vehicle. The average cost of cutting out around the brake light, when it is feasible to do so, is $125.00
Warranty Returns and Defective Merchandise
All products sold come with a Manufacturer’s Warranty. Some Manufactures will only repair products returned as defective and some will exchange a defective product for a new one under very strict circumstances that THEY control. The retailer HAS NO CONTROL over this process.
All written warranties require the Customer to return the product to the manufacturer’s address at their expense.
Only under very strict conditions will the manufacturer allow our company to make a Courtesy Exchange. There are no guarantees that we can make a Courtesy Exchange even if we did in the past.
Basic Rules we must comply with to make a Courtesy Exchange.
There must be a receipt from our company. If there is no receipt in the store computer there is a $25 charge for a successful Records Search.
The Merchandise must be Current Models and In Stock.
The item exchanged can only be exchanged for the Identical Model.
The Merchandise must be in PRISTINE LIKE NEW condition. If the product shows any wear and tear whatsoever the manufacturer is going to deny the exchange.
Removal and Re-installation Labor, Rewiring charges, Repair Bills, Parts, new integration parts required and Shipping Charges MUST be paid by the customer.
Exchanges are not free of costs and these costs are passed on to the owner of the merchandise. Charges must be paid for prior to the exchange.
Price List For Exchanging Merchandise
1. Total Basic Alarm Rewire $150.00.
2. Exchange Basic Alarm Remotes $20 each.
3. Exchange Upgraded Alarm LCD remotes $30 each.
4. Amplifiers $30 to $100.
5. Speakers $15 to $30.
6. Head Units $25 to $50.
1.) Make a Customer Duplicate Receipt.
2.) Write on the top of the duplicate receipt the problem with the merchandise.
3.) Take a new unit and exchange ONLY the defective part.
4.) Repack the Defective part into the box.
5.) Do Not Write on the Outside of the box.
6.) Put the duplicate receipt into the box.
7.) Tape a note to the outside of the box or use a Post It note detailing what is wrong with the defective part inside the box.
8.) In the case of Alarms try to consolidate the defective parts into one unit box. For example, put defective remotes into a box with a defective brain module rather than having two un-sellable boxes you’ll have only one un-sellable box.
9.) Segregate the defective product from sellable product.
10.) When you are going to return several items put them in a box, on the outside of the box mark RA and your store number.
11.) Print a RA packing slip and put it into the box and keep a copy for your records.
SAFETY and SECURITY
Yesterday one manager allowed his team to all leave together for lunch. This is a serious breach in safety for the manager and the store. It is never acceptable for the manager or any employee to be left alone in the store. The only possible exception is when the employees are with customers in the parking lot immediately outside the store.
When a manager enters the store at 8:45am there needs to be at least one employee with them, upon entering the door needs to be re-locked. Customers may not enter until 9:00 am or until the store alarm has been disarmed.
Managers need to remain in the front of the store throughout the day as much as possible most especially while customers are present.
11/3/2016 Two individuals attempted to steal a double din stereo from the Bandera sound board while the manager was momentarily distracted in the back of the store. Quick thinking by the manager allowed him to get vehicle information, communicate it to the police and then the office where the information was then distributed to the stores. Our sales team at the south side store was then visited by one of the individuals. He took photographs of the vehicle with it’s license plate visible, the individual and even the vehicle parking passes. He also collected some $200 in cash for some labor.
SOUND BOARDS
Every sound board is an important asset to your successful sales. Areas behind the boards are not storage areas for cleaning supplies or anything except the head unit boxes for the units on display.
"Packing Straps" should be attached to make the stereos much more difficult to remove by a thief.
Each wire on the board should be labeled.
Installers and managers should have as much pride in the sound board as any install they do.
The Tint and Alarm Special
The purpose of this sale is to create sales excitement on the phone and in purpose. How you present the Special is going to make the sale or break it.
Each manager is required to report the number of phone calls to the store and how many people walk in. The purpose of this is to identify areas where you have opportunity to increase sales.
Each phone call is an opportunity to pitch the Special. "What time do you close?" or "Where are you located?" are examples of those innocuous little calls that don’t merit much thinking to answer. The over achieving sales person will not pass on this opportunity to deliver a high energy response that includes the basic facts of this incredible special. The simple reply "6pm." or "At the corner of …" will do little to generate the excitement that will drive your sales.
Keeping that potential $100 discount on this deal as a super closer then springing it either during a phone call or in person should make the most cynical buyer hand over their keys. IT SHOULD ALSO ENABLE YOU TO WRITE LAYAWAYS.
"If you come in today I will ….."
"If you do it right now I will …"
"I tell you what, if you put a deposit on it right now I will …"
….always followed by "You want to go ahead and do that?"
As one manager said to me "Anyone who can’t sell this deal needs to let the Tinters and Alarm Installers loose, they will!"