Just put this sign up - Sick of the arguments...

[Stanley Mishap]

 

Customers are still arguing and walking out (and in one case shouting `You charged my wife 40 quid for our car key !...RIPOFF ! ...across Wetherspoons ...)

 

We`ve all tried the `Explaining` route .... but they still cant see why what they perceive as `ONLY A KEY ` costs this much...

 

I now have Dad`s who`ve bought their Daughter`s £150 Nissan Micras on a 19/20 year old plate ,playing blue murder about a spare key .....

 

...Or is it just me ?

[Peter@CopyCut]

What a polite notice, I wish I could be that calm typing it.

 

I had a customer asking how much is to cut a key, I said £4 sir, he turned around and said "oh no, it's cheaper in India, you are trying to rip me off" and walk out.

 

 

Peter

[grahamparker]

Don't have these problems, never have.

 

Know your facts be polite and above all have patience.

 

We all get 1 every now and then but most come back and apologise when they have been told a price dearer

by some other key cutters (timmos are always a good place for that).

 

No need for signs.

[kobblers]

Personally, I think the sign would be construed as confrontational, Stanley.

 

I see your point but maybe it could be better worded?

 

 

Rick.

[Count Muppet]

I've learned to just laugh it off and say "I'll see you soon"

[Stanley Mishap]

Don't have these problems, never have.

 

Know your facts be polite and above all have patience.

 

We all get 1 every now and then but most come back and apologise when they have been told a price dearer

by some other key cutters (timmos are always a good place for that).

 

No need for signs.

...Plese spend a month in my shop then - `politely explaining`... to Pensioners , people with little grasp of English and 17 year olds who stink of dope ....

[grahamparker]

I Work on the East Marsh in GRIMSBY one of the most deprived areas in the country.

 

Our shop is located in the centre of what is locally known as murder mile.

 

The side street called Rutland Street was featured on GMTV a few years back as the worst street in the uk.

 

Makes no difference where you are if your polite and friendly you can succeed anywhere.

[Count Muppet]

I Work on the East Marsh in GRIMSBY one of the most deprived areas in the country.

 

Our shop is located in the centre of what is locally known as murder mile.

 

The side street called Rutland Street was featured on GMTV a few years back as the worst street in the uk.

 

Makes no difference where you are if your polite and friendly you can succeed anywhere.

 

You paint a lovely picture of your street graham

[grahamparker]

You paint a lovely picture of your street graham

 

Luckily i grew up here and the decimation of the fishing industry has led to a lot of depravation.

 

But i love it and although the area is rough we don't have any real problems to speak of.

[Count Muppet]

When you're part of the problem, the problem isn't a problem

[Paul_]

I always use the same line about transponder chips pretty much wiped out car theft and hot wiring cars. I'm not sure if i'm totally right but they always understand the price after that line. 

[Auto Key Wizard]

Key Poster.jpg

 

Customers are still arguing and walking out (and in one case shouting `You charged my wife 40 quid for our car key !)

It's not just what you sell, it's how you sell it, We have no problem getting the sales.

 

Firstly @ £40 your too cheap (we demand from £75 all day long)

Secondly like Graham, Know and explain the facts, be polite and above all have patience.

[Stanley Mishap]

Oh - I`m so sorry everyone ....

I`m obviously way too cheap .....so I`ll double the price ...

and my explaining technique to 17 year olds with a £150 car , or housewives who`ve husband has given them a tenner is substandard....

 

As usual on this site ....if you say you don't sell Zippos anymore - then someone says `WE sell 20 a day !`

If you say you hardly cut Chubb mortice _ then someone says `I cut more now then ever !`

 

Well believe me lads - I`m in contact with many repairers and reps (and on the phone to warehouse guys) and the general consensus is that `SHOE REPAIRERS CUTTING TRANSPONDERS IS THE BIGGEST HEADACHE IN THE INDUSTRY ` 

 

A lot of us were sold very expensive key cloning machines , transponder chips and Key boards on the understanding we`d all be making money hand over fist on this unavoidable new technology

 

 ....well 20 years in ....myself and a loads of others I speak to are lucky if you do about 2 a fortnight ....

 

so if you`re doing well at it .....GOOD FOR YOU !

[kobblers]

Well said, Stanley.

 

One of my biggest bugbears on forums such as this is the playground bully mentality that appears, from time to time.

 

Some people really have no clue about demographics.

 

Nil carborundum, mate

 

Rick.

[grahamparker]

I charge £35.00 - £39.95 inc vat for my Tansponder keys.

 

Local competition dictates my prices otherwise i would not cut any.

[rapidlocks]

i agree with views on price , £35 is far to cheap for what this service is worth when taking costs etc into account , but if you can sell and profit at £35 and cant sell above this in your area then i guess needs must as kit and stock needs to pay back and profits need to be made to survive and live .

 

some have driven prices down more in some areas than in others and competition is always stiffer in some areas .

[kobblers]

A common-sense reply, rapidlocks.

 

When we used to do unchipped car keys, they were £5.99, and some of our customers would almost have a heart attack, at that price, so we knew we wouldn't make any money from transponder technology.

 

Two of my local competitors have got rid of their cloning equipment as they were sick of the abuse from people who simply weren't willing to be 'educated', regarding the benefits of having such a system in their vehicles.

 

Weren't Timpson doing chipped keys for £35, recently?

 

Rick.

[kobblers]

 

 

"A lot of us were sold very expensive key cloning machines , transponder chips and Key boards on the understanding we`d all be making money hand over fist on this unavoidable new technology

 

 ....well 20 years in ....myself and a loads of others I speak to are lucky if you do about 2 a fortnight ....

 

so if you`re doing well at it .....GOOD FOR YOU !"

 

 

Maybe we should do a poll to see just how many people are making any real money from their investment...............

 

Rick.

[Peter@CopyCut]

 

 

"A lot of us were sold very expensive key cloning machines , transponder chips and Key boards on the understanding we`d all be making money hand over fist on this unavoidable new technology

 

 ....well 20 years in ....myself and a loads of others I speak to are lucky if you do about 2 a fortnight ....

 

so if you`re doing well at it .....GOOD FOR YOU !"

 

 

Maybe we should do a poll to see just how many people are making any real money from their investment...............

 

Rick.

 

 

 

 

Great idea, market is changing it would be good to know what sells what not anyway, this would help us all

[kobblers]

I'll recommend it to Ben, Peter.

 

Rick.

[Mick Friend]

How much is one key?

£1 

how much two key?

£2

NO DISCOUNT FOR BULK

yes order 50 and they are .85p

In chalvey 2 key £1.50

Go to Chalvey

He does not have this key

OH! I have the key £1

when I dont have the key they are 50p.................

[rapidlocks]

timpson buying power means our suppliers and manufacturers want to deal with them , as such they give them very very low prices , which has allowed them to offer bargain prices in their many outlets , as buying at around a 1/3 to 1/2 of the price we do they could undercut rates as a lost leader  , shot in the foot though for the suppliers as its made the kit non viable for their independents so gained with 1 hand lost with the other, the biggest effect on them is the sheer amount of independents that turned to china so they can compete , i see alot more cn900 mini , nd900 mini and handy baby units about these days that clone to £3 chips . so short term gain selling this way will cost them in the end.

 

i see many outlets now using mainstream units for id48 cloning but china kit for everything else as the consumable prices are far lower and allow them to compete with timpson and make profit.

 

its a race to the bottom that has already bottomed out for many 

[Mike at Vauxhall]

Good for you Stanley. Your shop, put up what you want, especially a notice ( quite a good concise notice) about certain customer behaviour. The costs involved around car key cutting make my eyes water.

[Auto Key Wizard]

Some people really have no clue about demographics.

If you are referring to consumer demographics?

 

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=customer+demographics

 

Nil carborundum

'Don't let the bastards grind you down'

 

Is that aimed at the forum members in this topic or the consumer?

[Count Muppet]

It does get annoying when people insist their key has no chip but it doesn't usually take long to educate them.

It's a shame that some of the cars are now worth less than a new key but I bet that doesn't stop them getting new tyres when they need them and they can cost hundreds.

I charge more than most of our shops for car keys. I also do a lot more than they do.

So many branches locally and some not even very local will send customers to me, even for keys they are able to do themselves.

It's all about the research and confidence.

If you're not confident in doing car keys it's best to invest your money elsewhere.

It seems to me that if you do what you enjoy doing and stop doing what you don't like doing, you will be much happier and more productive and will make much more money in the long run.