That Friday when three hail damage cars showed up and we had to turn them all away

It was a real gut punch. The shop phone rang off the hook all morning, and by 2 PM we had three separate people drive in, each with a car that looked like a golf ball. The dents were so deep and close together on the roofs and hoods, it was a total loss for traditional PDR. My boss, Frank, just shook his head at each one and said, 'Sorry, man. That needs a whole new skin. We can't fix that here.' It felt awful telling people no, especially when you know they're stressed about insurance. It made me realize how much of this job is knowing your limits. Has anyone else had a day where the work just wasn't the right kind for your shop?

3 comments

3 Comments

william_garcia15d agoMost Upvoted

Man, that line about the cars looking like golf balls is so true. We had a hailstorm last spring that sent us a dozen just like that. You're right, it's the worst feeling to turn people away when they're already dealing with insurance. But what are you supposed to do, you know? You can't promise a fix that won't work. It really does come down to knowing your limits, like you said. Those days make you feel helpless even though you're making the right call.

the_simon15d ago

Yeah that helpless feeling is the worst part. I always end up feeling like the guy who shows up to fix a leaky roof during a hurricane. Like, I brought my tools and everything but we both know this is way past what duct tape can handle. You just have to stand there in the rain with them for a minute.

william86415d ago

My first year in the business I would have tried to fix that roof. I mean, I hated saying no to people. But after seeing a patch job fail and cause way more damage, it changed my mind. Now I get that standing there in the rain with them is the actual job sometimes. It feels wrong but it's the only honest thing to do.