Winter Wonderland

     Winter weather is upon us!  In Colorado this means bad roads, jaw dropping scenery, and broken glass.  For those of us repairing and replacing auto glass we face some special challenges this time of year.  Here are some tips and information to help you with repairs and replacements completed in winter conditions.
   
     Going skiing on the weekends will often result in chipped windshields.  If you get chip in your glass try to put some clear tape over the outside of the break to keep out moisture.  When chips get wet they are hard to repair and often have to wait until they dry out slowly on their own.  Also, water form the roads will carry in all sorts dirt, oil, debris, and mag chloride.  Mag chloride makes repairs very challenging as it leaves an oily residue that can inhibit the resin from bonding well.  Repairs can still be done, but their visual quality will be diminished.  So keeping it dry will help us to make your windshield repair turns out the best it can.

     Windshield replacements are also tougher to do during the winter.  Our urethane is works just fine in cold weather, but plastics tend to become very brittle when cold.  We tend to move a bit slower as each install takes longer.  While we can deal with cold we can't deal with wet.  If rain or snow is coming down we must get the car under cover and have enough room around the vehicle for our technicians to work safely.  If we can't do that we may need to reschedule so we can provide the highest level of service.  This is a good time to let you know that we do have a shop where the weather is always good.  If you are concerned about weather affecting your service appointment, in shop service may be a good option.

     While you safe to drive your vehicle as soon as 30 minutes after the windshield has been set, it may take up to a full week before the urethane is cured completely.  Plastic and or rubber mouldings are less pliable in the cold so you may hear some squeaking and creaking during this time. It's nothing to get concerned about. If  it's still there after a week or so though, then we may need to take a look at it.  This is also something that happens more often with certain vehicles.

     To help insure the best level of service we appreciate it if you can clean the vehicle of snow beforehand.  We also don't want to work on ice since it's very dangerous for our techs.  If the sun is out we'd love it if you can park facing it since warming up the vehicle can make an install or repair much easier.  Doing these things will hep us take care of your auto glass needs and help you to see Colorado's unmatched scenery.

E- 470 Stickers are Here!

     Since the introduction of E-470 toll stickers they have always been a casualty of windshield replacements.  The reason they can't be transferred is due to a metal filament that is broken whenever it gets removed.  Until now you could either call to get a free replacement or there are a few places to go to get new ones.  While it's not the end of the world it becomes another thing on the to do list.
     We're proud to announce that we can now take care of your toll sticker replacement on site.  Our technicians have replacement stickers ready to go and we will contact E-470 for you to set up the new sticker.  It's one less thing you have worry about and one more reason to give us a chance to earn your business.

A Reluctant Decision

     Scheduling work orders has always been one of our greatest challenges.  We're making constant decisions between where work orders take us and when we can be in the area.  Our in shop scheduling should be easier, but after the past few years We've learned that scheduling in shop work has its own unique problems.  The biggest problem has been the rise of the no-show.

     To understand no shows you first need to know how we schedule in shop service.  We are a single bay shop so we do one install at a time.  We try to do our best to devote our in shop technician to one install at a time to provide quality service.  We don't  overbook since that would diminish our service.  In addition to setting up the time we have to procure all necessary parts ahead of time.

     No-shows are potential customers who have reserved a time slot for service and then never show, never call to reschedule, and never answer their phone again.  It's infuriating to turn away other customers because our capacity is full only to find ourselves twiddling our thumbs when someone doesn't show for their appointment.

     After much brainstorming and deliberation we decided that the best option would be to put a credit or debit card on file.  If a customers cancels without twenty four hour notice or does not show we will charge the card on file a $25 fee.  If we get twenty four hours or more notice of rescheduling or cancellation then there will be no charge.  I'd like to let you know that all numbers are deleted and no card information is kept on file.

     Efficiency can effect pricing and we have found ourselves at a crossroads.  Either prices would have to go up or we we'd have to find a way to work more efficiently.  I'm glad to say that after implementing this strategy our shop is now running much more efficient and we can keep prices where they are.  Thank you for your understanding and support.