ANOTHER WONDERFUL DAY IN THE GLASS BUSINESS STARTED AS A USUAL FLURRY OF CALLS IN THE MORNING. WHAT TO MY DISMAY WAS A FAX I RECEIVED FROM ONE OF MY GMC DEALERS. COULD I MATCH THIS PRICE FROM SAFELITE AND DIAMOND GLASS? THE AD ANNOUNCES" GMAC IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE WE HAVE NEGOTIATED WITH TWO OF THE LEADING GLASS REPLACEMENT COMPANIES, DIAMOND GLASS COMPANIES AND SAFELITE AUTO GLASS TO PROVIDE GMAC PLATINUM DEALERS WITH A SIGNIFICANT DISCOUNT ON REPLACEMENT AUTO GLASS. MOST GM VEHICLE WINDSHIELDS ARE PRICED AT $164 INSTALLED OTHER GLASS IS PRICED AT COST PLUS INSTALLATION FEEL. OEM QUALITY GLASS, PLUS ALL WORK IS GAURENTEED AGAINTS DEFECTS AND WORKMANSHIP." PHONE NUMBERS WERE GIVEN. WELL WE CALLED, AND THE PRICE WAS NOT 164 BUT 205 FROM DIAMOND AND SAFELITE AT 211 ON A VAN W/S. PRICE WAS NOT GAURENTEED BECAUSE IT MAY CHANGE DUE TO THE AREA. IMAGINE DIAMOND STATING QUALITY AND SERVICE IS THE PRIORITY, NOT JUST PRICE AS STATED IN GLASSBYTES DATED MAY 16TH. SO WHEN ALL YOU PEOPLE SAYS DIAMOND GLASS IS CHANGING.. I SAY HARDLY. SAFELITE AND DIAMOND SAME PRICE SAME SERVICE ..... ANY ONE ELSE SEEN THIS FLYER?

Not the least bit surprised, in Sep/Oct issue of AutoGlass there is another article about how they will have all techs certified, and require continuing education, and put some type of policing program in place. What do you suppose the cost to DT would be to have all techs at all locations certified?

Certified by who? SDIBT?
Safelite/Diamond Institute Of Bad Technology?

And yet another idiotic GM decision!

The big 2 strike again!!! Why are we surprised at this???? As my dad used to say........ Actions speak louder than words!!

Diamond's techs will probably be certified, that I can believe. It's the management that is certifiably insane, they continue to spew out how great they are, how they are changing, and then every cash quote I give out they are 100.00 bucks cheaper around here. They leave money on the table for no reason, money all or any or some of us could get if they weren't quoting W1217's for $140.00.

DT is probably the same way every where else as they are here. Whe they are busy, up goes their pricing, when they are slow, they give it away to get the job. Nothing new, that has been their MO for years.

SDIBT......good one! How much quantity do they have to do at those prices to stay afloat, they must have some good investments. I mean it's got to be a miracle if they've ever had one repeat customer. I'm not even sure if the one located near us (35 miles appx) has reopened. It closed the first of this year after the FBI incident, also they had a driver from that store kill the driver of another vehicle in an accident, while driving the company van home from work (desperate for techs when you give those perks) with his 11 year old child in the DT van with him, niether of them were injured. Sidenote, we had just laid the guy from DT off one month previous, we suspected he was taking small items from stock, urethane, blades, glass cleaner etc.. Don't want to think about destiny or fate or what might have happened had he still been in our employee, claims he blacked out while driving, he tested clean for drugs & alcohol. Bet they are fighting a huge lawsuit on that one.

Can't take the heat stay out the kitchen

Most dealers are happy with the fast service,quality and fair price they get with their ind shops.We have all of our vans serviced there and recomend them to alot of people.They know when they have a good working relationship and a good thing.If they are not like that, that is not the work you want.We have all the big guys around us and to bad for them.Beleive it or not there is some good work out there still,it just takes alot of persistance and work.Most of us ind shops know that.Good luck big guys,you are going to need it.

HEY LANCE,
I CAN STAND THE HEAT IN THE KITCHEN. IN FACT I CAN BRING HOME THE BACON AND FRY IT UP IN A PAN. THE PROBLEM NOW IS THAT THE BACON IS LESS AND LESS.