Ethical?

[TowZone]

Topic Originally  create by BIGBLUE1 who asked:

 

I have recently become aware of something that I find hard to justify.  On a trip back to visit my former coworkers I was speaking to the boss and he said that c***'s towing moved all the toolboxes for the employees when the dealership got shut down for FREE expecting all of their future tow calls for the "service" that he provided.   Being a small startup towing company this is really off putting to me not to mention hard to compete with.  Does anyone do stuff like this or am I dreaming when I say this shouldn't be happening in today's business.  Is there a difference between what he did and saying Ill give you 5 bucks every time you call me for a tow, and do I have to start doing that to compete with these guys. I mean a kickback is a kickback right?  Please let me know your thoughts, as I could not stop thinking about this all night.  

 

nytowboss said:

i don't see anything wrong with that i use to send lunch to some of my bigger accounts when i was in the heavy end of the business i have one better for  you i ran a company in NYC were they use to plow all their dealerships for free and we had alot of dealerships . unfortunately freebies are part of this business i know plenty of people will disagree

 

PROHOOKER said:

I do similar things to help mechanics / shops with moving things........

Ken Purchase - Ken's Towing - 10848 Main St. - Honor Michigan 49640

 

cdntowguy said:

You can call it a "professional courtesy" or "building fences" around your customers. Either way favours are done, and as long both parties are happy with the outcome, it's all good.

As far as giving $5.00 for every tow they give you, they call that "commercial rates"  or "fleet discounts" and I think you'll find it's a little bit more than that per tow.

Steve

 

BIGBLUE1 said:

Please don't think that I am ignorant of the towing practices that go on, and fleet discounts are part of the mechanic side too.  I just don't see why its different on the mechanic side of things.  My customers come to me for a quality job at an affordable price by someone that they trust.  Shouldn't it be the same for towing services?  Maybe that is the problem I have with the whole thing.  But if cutthroat is the name of the game I'm sure I can play that way too.

 

rotator60 said:

Unfortunately...favors such as that have become part of the "game" of getting and keeping customers..Like you..I disagree with the practice of doing such things..

 

Timco said:

Welcome to the real world.

A part of life. Always has been, & always will be.

 

twinbulls said:

Favors.... Very good subject.... Now there is a favor and a kick back and a bribe.....

A favor is something that does NOT happen that often ... Its maybe short term help...a one time deal...

A kick back involves giving something back from something .. say they pay $65 for a tow and you give them $5 back ...I would say its different from a discount because a discount is giving a lower price with with NO kick back...

A bribe is giving with the intentions of getting something larger back or longer term...

A tool box is more of a personal thing... its the mechanics lively hood and his personal tools.... I always want them to think of me first.. Recommend me first...
So I dont mind doing the occasional " FAVOR " for the shop or mechanic.... As long as it is reciprocated and they treat me the same...

Now there is the tow my stuff for free people Just because I give you work.... I say NO .. or sure if you give me FREE oil changes and tires LOL....

Stay Safe

 

BIGBLUE1 said:

twinbulls thanks! I was seeing them as all the same before, and the way you split them up makes sense. A kickback is what I was talking about in my original post with the 5 dollar thing.

 

TOMJR said:

Doing a favor or whatever is ok as long as the people recieiving the favor doesnt make a habit of needing favors. My first big account I ever got started out ok but needed favors. By the end they never had money to pay for discounetd tows because everyone was a relative or a needed a tow for a botched repair the shop made. They totally took advantage. Then there are the people you do a favor and they recomend you to others who need favors and nobody has any money to pay ever. Favors could be horrible. Thgen there are those who did me a favor who I cant wait for them to break down so I can repay their favors.I got one guy who cant break down enough for me to repay him.

 

gardenfan said:

I don't work for free. I will on occasion do something that appears to be for free, but in reality, its more of a trading services thing. One mechanic local here, if he breaks down personally, he gets a freebie, but he has also helped me out with maintenance and repairs on my truck, and vehicle. Its a win win situation. He would never ask me to tow in a customer for free, well infact he has never asked for anything for free, I just never billed him lol.

So a trade for services, its no different than if you are a plumber, and I am an electrician, and you plumb my house, and I wire yours, while no money exchanged hands, it wasn't done for free.

Dealerships around here use who they use, we have a hard time getting into some dealerships, and others have a problem getting in the ones we service. Dealerships will use whoever gives them the best service, while making them look good.

Remember, just because he did those moves for them, doesn't guarantee them anything, three months down the road when they get a new service advisor who happens to like you, then you will get calls despite what the other tow company thinks they deserve.

 

schu said:

I see that toolbox move as good PR for that company , they just helped out a group of guys who lost their source of income

 

EdBoy9573 said:

Exactly. And when they all get to their new jobs they can bring you business from different areas.

 

Brian Bell said:

Usually I'll give discounts but sometimes I'll repay what I think of as a favor or just be the 1st one to do a favor.

It's all about building Bridges or building Road Blocks .....   One will take you further and the other one will be the end of that road.  

 

auto rescue said:

Then again some things like "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" as the saying goes or in other words;

If I do something for someone and it works out good for me it's a shrewd business move, if someone else does the same thing for anyone else and it helps them and I did not think of it first then they're a crook