People who haul a riding mower in the bed of a pickup

[OddBall]

Originally Posted by RED-85-Z51

That would work, in theory. But it would have ot be outside at all times...wonder how long it would hold up?

Throw a $10 tarp over it.


That motorcycle lift seems to be a great idea

[Jeff '79]

Originally Posted by OddBall

Throw a $10 tarp over it.


That motorcycle lift seems to be a great idea

Why not just save the money and help the guy lift it off?
Didn't Red mention that he needed some strength training?

[bsmith]

Originally Posted by Jeff '79

Why not just save the money and help the guy lift it off?
Didn't Red mention that he needed some strength training?

RED has osteogenesis imperfecta.
Not worth the risk.

No good deed, and all that stuff...

[Jeff '79]

Originally Posted by bsmith

RED has osteogenesis imperfecta.
Not worth the risk.

No good deed, and all that stuff...

I'm trying to get Red to wig out man! Geez !
I know.

[Aerovette]

If you are being fairly compensated for your efforts. I don't see the issue. If you are NOT, then that would be your own fault and not the customer's.

This is the problem I have with customer service these days. It has become "conditional".

[RED-85-Z51]

Originally Posted by Kerrmudgeon

I got rid of my tandem wheel utility trailer because I was tired of moving it around to cut the grass. Bad enough to have my boat parked on the lawn!
At the cottage between wave runners, skidoos, boats, paddle boats, tractors, bikes,etc. it was getting a little crowded in the yard. I've been downsizing for a few years now. Much better.

3 years ago I had a 20 foot trailer, 4X8 trailer, and about 10 antique Garden Tractors...i downsized to the 4X8, the 6X16, and 1 Tractor, and 1 rider...its nice to have the extra room.

[RED-85-Z51]

Originally Posted by Jeff '79

Why not just save the money and help the guy lift it off?
Didn't Red mention that he needed some strength training?

My arms are hella strong, years of wheelchairs and walkers..upper body is FAT but im very strong up top, my legs..pft...right leg is good, left leg is not so good, plus I broke my back years ago....I can lift but not well.

[RED-85-Z51]

Originally Posted by aerovette

If you are being fairly compensated for your efforts. I don't see the issue. If you are NOT, then that would be your own fault and not the customer's.

This is the probelm I have with customer service these days. It has become 'conditional".

I charge a fair amount for repair and diagnostic services, as well as prts. Its good money, but im not going to hurt myself or strain myself because the customer is ill equipped for the job. I mean, hell...they have many options, borrow a trailer, rent a trailer, buy a used trailer, pay me to come get it, etc. Doing it the hard way it purely by choice.

Where I used to work, I once timed myself with a stop watch during the busy season, and day to day, I spent over an hour, each day, loading, or unloading peoples stuff from their trucks...keep in mind, that the time spent doing this is NOT figured into the repair time, so its like working an hour a day, for free. And that sucks.

[Aerovette]

Originally Posted by RED-85-Z51

I charge a fair amount for repair and diagnostic services, as well as prts. Its good money, but im not going to hurt myself or strain myself because the customer is ill equipped for the job. I mean, hell...they have many options, borrow a trailer, rent a trailer, buy a used trailer, pay me to come get it, etc. Doing it the hard way it purely by choice.

Where I used to work, I once timed myself with a stop watch during the busy season, and day to day, I spent over an hour, each day, loading, or unloading peoples stuff from their trucks...keep in mind, that the time spent doing this is NOT figured into the repair time, so its like working an hour a day, for free. And that sucks.

It is not a responsibility of the customer to be properly equipped, it is the responsibility of the person offering the service.

I am not being contrary, but if you can't even get my mower out of my truck, how can I believe you know how to fix it? I'm bringing it to you and from that point on, I am paying you do do what you do to get it back to me in working order.

Should I pull my wheels when I go buy tires or do I let them take the wheels off when I get there?

No offense, but the customer service starts when I pull up, not when you grab a wrench. Just like a restaurant. I show up hungry, I don't show up prepared to cook.

Perhaps you should offer a credit to people who load and unload their own equipment. ??

[RED-85-Z51]

Originally Posted by aerovette

It is not a responsibility of the customer to be properly equipped, it is the responsibility of the person offering the service.

I am not being contrary, but if you can't even get my mower out of my truck, how can I believe you know how to fix it? I'm bringing it to you and from that point on, I am paying you do do what you do to get it back to me in working order.

Should I pull my wheels when I go buy tires or do I let them take the wheels off when I get there?

No offense, but the customer service starts when I pull up, not when you grab a wrench. Just like a restaurant. I show up hungry, I don't show up prepared to cook.

Perhaps you should offer a credit to people who load and unload their own equipment. ??

Actually, in this business, the service starts once the equipment is on the ground, loading, unloading, tieing down, etc..is totally on the equipment owner. MANY shops wont even help if the equipment is on a trailer, they often dont even allow the customers to pull around to the shop itself, the customer is required to unload out front, and push/pull/ride the mower to the shop.

A tire shop, works on tires, and you drive the vehicle to the shop, and they remove the tires, etc. A fair comparison would be, if the car was on a car hauler and they had no ramps, and the tire shop was responsible for finding a way to unload the car from the car hauler....you think a tire shop is going to spend time with that..???nahhh

Its like an electric motor shop...you bring them your truck and tell them the starter wont work, and expect them to go out and remove the starter, and rebuild it, then put it back on....haha, not going to happen, their responsibility starts when the starter walks in the door...up to that point is all on you.

The way small engine shops see it, and you can ask others in this industry, the answers will all fall in line in the same realm of thinking...if the customer got their mower up into their truck at home, they can get it out out at the shop.

[RED-85-Z51]

What if a guy pulls up to a tire shop with a truck on the back of a roll back, but the rollback wont work...would the tire shop be expected to figure out a way to get the truck off...to fix the tires? Hell no...tire shop manager will tell him thats its not on them...go somewhere else.

[Aerovette]

Originally Posted by RED-85-Z51

Actually, in this business, the service starts once the equipment is on the ground, loading, unloading, tieing down, etc..is totally on the equipment owner. MANY shops wont even help if the equipment is on a trailer, they often dont even allow the customers to pull around to the shop itself, the customer is required to unload out front, and push/pull/ride the mower to the shop.

A tire shop, works on tires, and you drive the vehicle to the shop, and they remove the tires, etc. A fair comparison would be, if the car was on a car hauler and they had no ramps, and the tire shop was responsible for finding a way to unload the car from the car hauler....you think a tire shop is going to spend time with that..???nahhhIts like an electric motor shop...you bring them your truck and tell them the starter wont work, and expect them to go out and remove the starter, and rebuild it, then put it back on....haha, not going to happen, their responsibility starts when the starter walks in the door...up to that point is all on you.

The way small engine shops see it, and you can ask others in this industry, the answers will all fall in line in the same realm of thinking...if the customer got their mower up into their truck at home, they can get it out out at the shop.

Fair enough comparison. I shall rethink my position a bit.

[RED-85-Z51]

Like I said..Ill help, unless its just stupid hard and unsafe...Ive had times when Im just standing there in disbelief and the customer is ssitting back acting like im supposed to find a way to get it down..that mindset, never works out well for the customer.

Ive had customers that I had to find ways to open their tailgate because they didnt tie their mower down, and it slammed into the tailgate hard enough to bend the latches...seemes especially bad on Toyotas.

[C5Nate]

Originally Posted by RED-85-Z51

The way small engine shops see it, and you can ask others in this industry, the answers will all fall in line in the same realm of thinking...if the customer got their mower up into their truck at home, they can get it out out at the shop.

I can see his point.

If something went wrong, (ramp broke, was not set on the tailgate properly or lift malfunctioned) he would be responsible for the damage and repairs to the equipment. Also liable for any injuries resulting from "helping the customer out".

Friggen lawyers would have a hay day.

[Fastguy]

Why not build a stationary ramp out of plywood and 2x6 that you can back trucks up to?
Build it so you can put a floor jack under it to change the height.
Or you could buy one of these.

Atlas TD6MR Portable Scissor Lift

[snide]

Originally Posted by Fastguy

Why not build a stationary ramp out of plywood and 2x6 that you can back trucks up to?

Local motorcycle/ATV shop had built a wooden ramp for loading/unloading motorcycles and ATVs.

[RED-85-Z51]

Ive considered digging a "ramp" down into the ground and lining it with concrete, but I keep coming back to the issue of...a giant hole in the ground...motherf(ckers cant backup, and keeping it drained during rains.

[Kerrmudgeon]

"You got it here, you get it on the ground........ Then I'll look at it."

[C5SilverBullet]

Originally Posted by snide

Local motorcycle/ATV shop had built a wooden ramp for loading/unloading motorcycles and ATVs.

And then...