Central Towing

Any updates after close to a year?

1-Geico (chosen for consistency & top pay)

2-Honk

3-Urgently

Anything below is because they're CC up front

4-Agero 

5-Swoop 

6-Allied Dispatch 

7-Allstate 

8-Roadside Protect

9-

10-

100% ^^^. They email over card info along with dispatch details when they do accept our exorbitant prices. Goes right into a folder along pics from the call. Never had an issue. I believe b/c by the time they call us they're so desperate they dare not burn a bridge with an "out of network", non-contracted provider.

We don't work via contract for Agero/Swoop but when they're desperate they call and its very profitable. We actually ran one yesterday for them. I answered the phone and my aggravation here is that some of dispatchers will actually tell you when asked where is the vehicle located? They actually respond with "its a local roadside". We then go on to explain to the dispatcher that anywhere in the world you pull over is a "local roadside". When we press further for a location, they'll describe what you guys have just stated....any numeric address that's in somewhat of proximity to the break down location. For this call I specifically asked "is this on the interstate?" The dispatcher replies "no sir, its at blah blah blah address". That turned out to be a repair shop for Porsche/MBZ/BMW. I know that shop well. This call was for a Nissan Rogue. There is no way this customer landed at that shop. I wont go into why but suffice it to say,  I know it for a fact. So, I add another $100 "finding fee" to the charge explaining I know its on the interstate. The dispatcher gets approval but still claims its at this address. We wait for the CC details to come in and run it before the driver is even notified he has another pickup. We scan the dispatch info and low and behold, in the notes it says its on the interstate with actually very detailed directions (MM and direction). So is it that they are instructed in India to never say its on the interstate or are they not given access to the notes??? 

This was a Swoop call if it makes a difference to anyone. You'd think technology would make it easier to find someone but in fact, it seems to be the opposite. We as towers must charge accordingly. When we have to hunt the motorist down b/c they "never answer the phone for numbers they don't recognize" and spend time traveling north and south on the interstate for a vehicle we were given wrong directions for by the MC, that time must be paid for. We charge each call as if its going to be the biggest misdirection/pain. Doing so ensure us a windfall every time. 

Our lockout rates are on par with our tow rates because the risk is so high. We explain to the customer prior to sending a driver they will have to sign a damage waiver, that while such occurrences are rare and we make every attempt to perform the service without incident, they do happen simply due to the nature of the service. We've never had to use it and God only knows how effective it would be against a fictional claim, but hopefully its deterrent enough. 

In my opinion, they should be called "break-in's" not "lock-outs." That terminology describes the customer's experience when you think about it, not ours. Its a customer that's simply "locked-out". The challenge for the SP is to "break-in".  Seems much more daunting of a task when correct verbiage is used to describe the action. We make sure to tell the customer prior to the service that we are essentially doing just that.......breaking into your vehicle. There is no easy way to do it, yes we're doing it as gentle and cautiously as possible, but its still a spade...*shrug*

Toyota's have always been a pain for us. They def take longer than most if we accept them at all. Honda's weather-stripping seems to be double layered on some vehicles. For that reason, if its not an older Honda we generally turn them down. We do not accept any premium vehicle for obvious reasons. Some may be easy but like the scenario the OP is going through, its just not worth it. Imagine if you tear the weather-stripping or even pull it down somehow...the customer will likely request replacement (which they're entitled too) and because of supply chain issues the dealer cant get one and the customer is fearful water will seep in when it rains so they request a rental for the time it takes the dealer to get a door weather-stripping (which the price is already inflated for before inflation). I'm painting a horrible picture but its easy to see how a mistake spirals completely out of control with an indignant customer and indifferent motor club. 

Congrats! Happy to have found this place. More than just a resource for sure.

15k capacity bed?

Ball joint snaps under stress during a slow reverse....see it all the time. Nice work. That PG seems to have oddly tall ceilings no?

*just doing play-by-play of what caused it out loud*

1. Urgently 

2. Honk

3. Geico

4. Quest

5. Allied Dispatch

6. Road America

Bummer. RA has always been leaps and bounds better than Agero for us. We stopped working with Agero YEARS ago

I found the podcast very informative, specifically on where technology and towing "could" and most likely is headed. I thought she was articulate albeit a little "salesy" but I recognize why she's there. For me, she oversold the value in proximity/quality to a motorist as opposed to price. I think in the beginning that was going to be their mission; to drive costs down for both MC and provider. They quickly realized when that when we set our own rates, the results were negligible for them. That brings price back to forefront. So, now we have new features built into the app to accept jobs when you're the closest provider for a 1/3 of your rates. Still, I'm a huge advocate for Honk. They are great to deal with for us. Profitable, friendly, and accurate info. But the idea of "proximity" based dispatching on their end is a little misleading. In our experiences at least. But it certainly sounds good for both motorists and providers.

I know the show wasn't about rates or the current "take it now" option, but for me, its the elephant in the room. I like to hold MC's feet to the fire so to speak, just as they do ours. It helps keep everyone honest and spur communication with transparency. With that being said, I still found the show informative and walked away with some Honk-specific knowledge. I believe Honk is setting themselves up for future domination so the more we can understand how they plan to do that, the better it is for us to adapt and remain profitable.

AIl in all, I certainly found value in the show and would recommend listening and will continue to do so. Kudos! I see you guys are in Atlanta. Cheer's from Macon and be safe!

Square since 2011-ish. Never had a single issue. We authorize users, then drivers download the app. Once it the card is processed we receive an email and the money is in our account the next day. If there is something out there easier, I'd be shocked.

On 2/6/2020 at 1:36 PM, DodgeTowGuy134 said:

As many others have already said, to get a credit card # from the customer upfront and bill for your "service call" (your time & mileage), then there would be a second CC charge for the actual services...On that note, one thing to be especially aware of if you take the CC# from the customer upfront and over the phone: Have some sort of process in place to help protect you from credit card chargebacks in these situations, especially if the customer doesn't notify you to cancel coming out the the location and they have another company onscene...

 

What we do is two-fold. First, we have the customer take some pictures of the situation and email them to us, with a statement that they (the customer) is requesting us to come out to their location to provide service. Then, we generate an invoice through our credit card processor and email the invoice to the customer for the "service call" and require them to PAY in invoice with their CC.... The email serves as a written request for service and serves to affirm that they requested your services, thus justifying your "service call fee", especially when you get onscene and the customer refuses to sign any of your paperwork! That way, if the customer attempts to file a CC chargeback with their bank, you have written proof (via the email and photos) to submit as supporting documentation for your service call fee that was billed and that the customer, themselves paid online via entering their card info and paying the invoice. 

 

We have found this process to be exceptionally useful!

This absolutely the same policy we have for winch-outs that are outside of the norm. In fact, every customer who wants to pay over the phone is sent an invoice via email that way if something ever comes up, it's the customer who willingly entered their CC information to request service. 

This quickly became a company policy after getting burned on a $1k long distance tow where the customer requested a CC chargeback after 3 months.  Any point when someone paid over the phone, prior to our current policy, we compile as much documentation as possible (multiple pics of the vehicle, signatures at pickup and drop off location, recorded names and numbers, etc) just in case this sort of thing occurs. Well, it inevitably will, and did. The customers CC company stated we had no recourse to appeal the chargeback because the card had a chip and CC law states that when a chipped card is processed manually, there is no recourse for merchant. It did not matter how much evidence we had to prove the customer requested our services and we completed the request. Hard lesson to learn but now its cash, card on the scene, or customer pays through the email invoice. 

Another one for Square. Each driver gets a processor and is responsible for it. All funnels into the business account and frees up the phones. Square is 2.7% if you have the card in hand. Like someone else has said, they are a few cheaper options out there but we have been with Square since their inception and have had zero issues. We've been approached by our bank with processors but there seems to be too much fine print and unknowns for us to switch.