How long would you wait for a tow truck?

[Kyle]

Just doing a little market research if you guys don't mind. My average wait time is 30-45 minutes. I feel that this is a pretty good turn time with all things considered. I know when you're stranded on the side of the road that feels like an eternity, but in Arlington traffic 30-45 minutes is about the average wait time especially when we are busy loading and unloading vehicles on top of the drive. How long would you wait?

On to the real issue at hand. Most people seem to be ok with this wait time and my pricing is very competitive for the Arlington area. Every week though, without fail, I get a couple of black folks that do one of two things or both:
1. complain about the price
2. complain about the wait time
3. complain about both

I do my best to explain the situation to them, but they usually aren't having it. About half the time they will hang up, then call around and end up calling me back. I don't have this problem with anyone else for the most part (occasionally though).

I also want to put it out there. Of the people that write me hot checks or hand me a bad debit/credit card, it's the biggest problem with the black people as well. Mexicans always pay cash and Asians are usually cash or debit, so there have been no check issues there so far. The check thing has become such a problem, that I have stopped taking them altogether. The one white guy that wrote me a hot check, drove to my house the next morning and paid me cash plus the $25 fee that I charge. I don't want to discriminate and only take a check from "white" people so to be PC I've stopped taking them from everyone except for my contract clients that do a weekly billing.

I guess what I'm getting at is... I'm a white guy with a small business. I do my best to be polite and treat EVERYONE as I would want to be treated. Not all black customers are the way as described above, but I would definitely say the overwhelming majority seems to be this way. Is there a better way for me to approach the situation or do things differently to "cater" to, for a lack of better terms, this specific group of people? I know you can't please everyone all the time, but I do my best daily to leave everyone with a good impression! At the same time, I can't tow for free and be there in 10 minutes. I could probably offer quicker turn around on our times if I raised my prices to buy more trucks, but then I would be in the same spot. It's definitely a fine balancing act that we are trying to do.

[The King]

An hour

[bcoop]

Black people complain about everything. It's just a fact. Somewhere along the way, they learned that people will make them go away by giving them what they want gratis. Don't cave. Caving is exactly how they learned this behavior.

[90GT50]

Hour, but if I have no other choice then it doesn't really matter, I suppose.

[Roscoe]

I hear about complaints like these every day.... LOL

You'd be surprised about what people will bitch about and what expectations people have when it comes to roadside assistance.

[UserX]

I'll wait as long as it takes. What I hate though is when you call and they tell you 20 mins, then it really takes 1.5 hours. They give you a short time to set the hook, then string you along. My advice is to shoot straight with your customers, give them a time that errors on the side of caution, no one gets pissed if you show up early.

[Kyle]

An hour is pretty much the industry standard and we strive to stay under that when possible. Most of the competition is at the 1 hour ETA so 45 minutes is usually a big factor for customers calling around. I always quote what the actual expected wait time is. If for some reason we aren't going to make that time, then I'm on the phone with the customer telling them exactly what happened, giving them the new eta, and offering a discount for the inconvenience.

I have had one time that I towed a guy literally for my cost and didn't make a dime, because I blew an ETA big time. It wasn't necessarily my fault either, but I made up for it a couple of days later when he called back because the shop didn't fix his truck the first time.

I'll do whatever I can to keep people calling back or referring new business!

[Sean88gt]

Black people complain about everything. It's just a fact. Somewhere along the way, they learned that people will make them go away by giving them what they want gratis. Don't cave. Caving is exactly how they learned this behavior.

Pavlov's negros?

[clevelandkid]

Is there a better way for me to approach the situation or do things differently to "cater" to, for a lack of better terms, this specific group of people?

Put some 24's on the truck and keep a Wu-Tang CD in the cab? Offer a free blunt with every tow? Outside of that, I suppose you get let them put their tow on lay-away.

[mstng86]

I wait as long as I need to. But don't dick me around and say you will be there in 20 minutes and show up 2 hours later.

Oh, and a complimentary refreshment might be a nice touch.

[Sean88gt]

Would loading their car and then unloading it serve any lesson?

[Kyle]

Oh, and a complimentary refreshment might be a nice touch.

I have thought about this, but there isn't much of a place to leave refreshments in the truck and keep them cool/warm depending on outside temp. I don't want to be handing customers beat up bottles of water with grease stains on them that are 110 degrees lol.

[motoman]

Kyle, not sure if you've looked into it or not but to handle the bad credit/debit card situation you should look into getting a cell phone card scanner attachment (if you don't have one). Lots of companies make them and it would save you the hassle.

[SMKR]

over 90 minutes and im calling someone else.

[SMKR]

Kyle, not sure if you've looked into it or not but to handle the bad credit/debit card situation you should look into getting a cell phone card scanner attachment (if you don't have one). Lots of companies make them and it would save you the hassle.

yea, at the apple store yesterday when I paid I paid via an employee that had this exact setup- pretty cool if you ask me. She swiped my card on her iphone and boom, paid.