Received this email the other day about replacement's we do every year for a local town. Just wondering what everyone's thought are.... These are billed at our rates which are averaged by ,body shops, dealers and general automotive repair in our surrounding area.



To Whom It May Concern,


We are in receipt of the 14 glass invoices for the Town of &&&&, who is our insured. Attached are our glass rates. We have been in contact with other vendors in the area and we were advised that our prices are fair and reasonable.



As in the past, we will apply our rates to the invoices received and pay accordingly. If you would like to send us any POPs that would prove your case for cost increase, we will be more than happy to review them.



Thank you

Cristy

I get letters and email like that. I politely explain that my prices may not be as low as some of my competitors but are in the range of what’s fair and reasonable. I always have a valid assignment, and I make it clear that I’m willing and able to defend my position. Often I’m paid my full invoice, and when I’m not I follow through with collecting as I said I would. No one is going to set prices for me. This is MY business, and I will decide what to charge. And by the way, what my materials cost is not only none of anyone else’s business, it’s also completely irrelevant to what is a fair and reasonable price. Would you go into a tire shop, etc and insist that you will only buy their services if they tell you what their materials cost? Give me a break.

I say that you are free to charge whatever you think is right, just as they are free to take their business to any place they would like, based on whatever their decision making criteria is. If they want to do business with you, then they pay your price, if not then go elsewhere.

However, I suspect they want you doing the quality work that you do, BUT at your competitor's price. It doesn't work like that.

Stand your ground! But also be ready to lose the account.

If they asked you do the work (at your assumed prices) then wanted to pay you less, I wouldn't accept that. Tell them to pay your bill and then invite them to not come back.

Insurers don’t “take their business “ anywhere. The customer is the car owner, and if they have insurance they can assign their benefits to you. As Mark1 quoted from another regular on this site, “Who is the customer?” If you can’t answer correctly you need to find a different profession.

Freddy is correct on this one.

ESPECIALLY if it's an insurer, who did NOT contract for the repairs with you, contacting you to "alter" invoices you have already generated with YOUR customer. Just because you SHARE a common customer, does not give an insurer the right to become a third wheel in a two party contract of repair. Not until, or unless, the insurer CHOOSES to contract FOR the repairs within the insurer's stated rights or options under their policy of insurance.

Even then, IF they do, which no one knows of ever happening since the 1960s, they would have to do so BEFORE the repairs are completed, or a repair contract between you and the owner is created, not AFTER.

Of course, then the insurer would assume the liability of repairs, which is exactly why this does not happen.

But we've been through this many times, go back and research old strings and read up.

JMHNLO