Watch Out For The Newest Trick

[TowZone]

22 Dec 2012 21:12

rdonchann wrote:

Now they have started using a new angle on the dispatch sheet. It works like this:

 In the section where it normally shows benefit amount it states :As advised by R/A dispatcher.

 If this doesn't ring a bell for you, I will draw you a picture. You do a tow that they verbally tell you was fully covered. When you bill it and it comes up short the payables clerk then says the customer was only covered for X and you are out of luck getting paid.
I have had this happen in the past, then I would produce the dispatch sheet that says covered in full so they would pay the charges that were shorted.

  If it happens and the sheet only says as advised by dispatcher you have NO WAY of proving what you were verbally told at the time of dispatch. I contacted R/A about it and told them this did not work for us. I received a reply that said their dispatchers basically can't accurately dispatch what coverage the customer has so they are changing it to verbal over the phone. Trust me when I tell you that when you get shorted there will be no way to prove what you were told and YOU will be left in the gap. You can do what you want but we do not accept the call unless the dispatcher puts the coverage on the sheet and it is in our hands. It doesn't matter if the coverage is $50.00 or unlimited, you better get it in writing.  Below is their reply to my inquiry:


   (As Advised by RA Dispatcher) is correct. In the past we were having problems because  the agents were giving a benefit amount and the fax confirmation  stated the member was cover in full and this created a lot of confusion for all our vendors. From now on you have to make sure that you ask the benefit amount to the our dispatchers and whatever they tell you that will be the correct benefit amount.  Let me know if you have any further questions regarding this matter.

 

EKYtow55 said:

I have had a little trouble in the past back when they started with State Farm over similar instances over the amount of coverage stated by dispatch, if they don't how much coverage they have the there is a real problem then!!!

 

WEBOSLH said:

At least you got something for the run even if it was shorted. I'd do a run and come home to find a fax from them stating the run was CANCELLED. No goa, no pay, no appeal, nothin'. Then I got fired for asking for a raise. Best thing rd. amer. ever did for me and I'm just showing my appreciation.

 

Charlie Amann said:

we are starting to see this nonsense too. i just don't get it anymore

 

EKYtow55 said:

I won't do a call without dispatch fax PERIOD!

 

rdonchann said:

Oh they will send a fax, it just doesn't have anything on it that tells you coverage.

 

orcas tow said:

I have a great working relationship with R/A, they call, I quote price, they give credit card, I run card & provide the service. It has been much less hassle then dealing with the billing & adjusted rates. I e-mailed multiple times about rate issues & they don't respond so the above work efficiently for me & their customer.

 

I take the above back, after 5 calls last night, 3 calls this morning, finally they paid the $190 winchout that they were asking me to do, ran the credit card for agreed amount, then 5 minutes later when I'm en route they call back & said they made a mistake & their customer was only covered for $75 & could I credit the credit card back the overcharge & get the rest from the customer? WTF, waste over an hour of my time on the phone over a 2 day period on the same call! I said I would credit their card for the whole amount, get someone else to take the call & I will be hanging up on them in the future.... Too bad because the woman's car is still in the ditch. Its the poor customers who suffer because of Road America's poor judgment, poor performance & lack of taking care of their vendors.

 

WEBOSLH said:

Say, with a little luck, rd amer. will be dead last on the next survey.
It amazes me how hard a club will work, to run off good service providers. Too bad the general public don't know how this organization really works.

 

rdonchann said:

Orcas that sounds like normal. Wait until they get a real screw up.

 

orcas tow said:

I'm happy to give clubs a little slack & some extra time of mine as I'm on an island with ferry only access & its out of the norm for clubs. The problem arrises when they waste over an hour of my & their customers time with an attitude as if they don't care for either one of us. My time is valuable.

 

NationalAutow said:

Got one today ... said coverage per RA dispatcher ..... it was an accident call parked in a lot for a flooded out car. Fax showed to take car to our lot, store it over night and deliver tomorrow morning 150 miles away.

I finally got secondary tow on the line after holding 20 minutes. Talked to a supervisor. Supervisor said NO NO NO do not take car 150 miles tomorrow. We will contact State Farm tomorrow to see if they will pay for that. I informed this supervisor that fax said to take it. He said do NOT. I asked why would you give po like this? No answer.

A few minutes after I hang up, driver on scene calls and says customer wants car taken home 2 miles away.

WTH ???????????????????????

 

Blue Stripe said:

I just had a call yesterday, where the dispatcher said the customer will owe $61 in overage for the towed mileage. I accepted on the call, but was confused where this dollar amount came from. I didn't think a whole lot of it since it was a 12 mile tow, and even if EVERY mile was considered "overage", $5.00 per mile is pretty darn good. Fax comes over, and for "benefit amount" it says "CASH CALL". Uh, no, we're not going 16 miles away, towing 12 miles, and returning to base for $61. Called RA, and they advised that they use special low rates for State Farm clients on cash calls. No thanks, not interested one bit in that. I already work for reduced rates as contracted with Road America, I'm not doing even lower rates just because someone is a SF customer. Do they want a cookie too? LOL I was very glad I caught this before actually dispatching a truck on the call.

2 hours later, they called us offering the same call to us, apparently oblivious of the conversations we just had 2 hours ago. About 30 mins after that, after the phone calls slowed down a bit, I decided to call their customer myself. (after all, we did receive a detailed fax earlier) She said a tow truck had just arrived, and she had paid them the $61 cash. (apparently the tow co. didn't charge sales tax either, which is legally required in Ohio) She said even she thought that sounded cheap, but wasn't complaining. I was just disappointed I hadn't made the call earlier, she said she just needed towed and would have gladly paid retail rates rather than waiting for nearly 3 hours. Lesson learned by me, I'll call and solicit sooner next time.

 

Charlie Amann Said:

we are getting this same bullshit here in cinti too and to be honest with you i have just about had it. we pick and choose the ones we want to run now. i could care less any more about any motor club. they still call even when we cherry pick the ones we want to run. and if they quit calling they would be doing us a favor. im a ase mater certified auto tech and we fix cars. the towing business was a sideline and i could care less if we run them or not. motor clubs have ruined the towing business forever and its not going to get and better. trust me on this

 

JoeShoreline said:

My God, when will you all learn? NO MOTOR CLUB CONTRACTS Corp C/C Before we leave or get someone else. Period

 

rdonchann said:

Yea State Farm wants to dictate the rates for overages and cash calls. State Farm needs to own a few trucks so they can do that.

 

George Geissinger said:

Like AAA

 

Blue Stripe said:

Exactly!
My contracted rates extend only to the company I have contracted with.  As far as I'm concerned, any third party that will be paying is NOT a party to the contract and is subject to retail rates. 

 

DodgeTowGuy134 said:

Our company policy REQUIRES that the club dispatcher actually tell us what the customers policy limit is with a $ amount and we will NOT simply accept "covered in full" as a response because we REQUIRE a $ amount to be given. PERIOD!

 

@EKYtow55 @Orcas Tow @DodgeTowGuy134