Alex Bruene Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 So, I just got called into the warranty queen's office. As it turns out, they've put "a few" warranty claims against my number that were done by non-certified techs, and I didn't have any idea about it being done. Now, these claims are being gone over with a fine tooth comb by Ford, and they want the work-orders pulled and faxed in... They want me to sign off that I did the repairs and/or supervised the repairs and got the "apprentice" doing the repair paid. What to do? I am substantially pissed about this. It's making me wonder how many times they've done this, and could this be one of the reasons that Ford is scrutinizing so many of my repairs? What do you guys think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshbuys Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 I am often asked to be the certified tech for one of the guys I work with, he's been in the business for several years, but is new to the 'dealership world' and they haven't got him fully trained yet, he's very intelligent and good at what he does, so I don't mind doing it on his, but whenever I do, it get's a flag from my timesheet with the letters 'DND' in the corner, this stands for 'Did Not Do'. Management doesn't know that I add these letters every time they ask for a flag, but it's my way of looking out for #1. If it ever comes down to an audit situation with Ford, you can bet I'll tell them what really happened! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Clayton Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Got one word for ya, KARMA. Just kidding. I would not sign anything and I would put this back in the lap of the higher up who decided to use your number in the first place. They do it at my shop also and they are always saying "hey you just worked on this vehicle" and I look at the ro and say nope, I didn't. I then hand it back to them and walk away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 So, I just got called into the warranty queen's office. As it turns out, they've put "a few" warranty claims against my number that were done by non-certified techs, and I didn't have any idea about it being done. Now, these claims are being gone over with a fine tooth comb by Ford, and they want the work-orders pulled and faxed in... They want me to sign off that I did the repairs and/or supervised the repairs and got the "apprentice" doing the repair paid. What to do? I am substantially pissed about this. It's making me wonder how many times they've done this, and could this be one of the reasons that Ford is scrutinizing so many of my repairs? What do you guys think? I know you need your job, but this is a decision you need to make and make it for the right reasons, or be willing to live with the decision you make. I would say no. EMPHATICALLY NO stating exactly why you wont. If you had no knowledge of this occurring then you have a problem, or more specifically, your dealership has a problem and apparently they know it otherwise they would not be asking you to make a false statement and sign off on it. What is your integrity worth? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Bruene Posted August 10, 2011 Author Share Posted August 10, 2011 If you had no knowledge of this occurring then you have a problem I work at a dealership that will hire anybody. Some are trained, some are not. More people fall in the "are not" category that the "are" category. They actually hire alot of "are not" because they can pay them alot less than the "are"... Now I see that they are doing jobs, and my employer is telling Ford that I did the job... Not happy. Not happy at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 I think Ford needs to discover this. It's wrong. It flies in the face of every technician that has taken the time to do the training and become certified. You should be insulted actually. It's disrespectful. It's against Ford's policy. It may even be illegal in some places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 The word "fraud" comes to mind... Here in the Republic of Alberta, the Labour Relations Board flat out states that your employer cannot make breaking the law a condition of employment (naturally, after you blow the whistle, things can get difficult... but then you might have some excellent grounds for a Jim Dandy law suit). You cannot be dismissed for refusing... One of the overwhelming questions is "do you want to be associated with a business that has no integrity?". Has truth and honesty become a casualty in the modern world? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieselD Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 I think Ford needs to discover this. It's wrong. It flies in the face of every technician that has taken the time to do the training and become certified. You should be insulted actually. It's disrespectful. It's against Ford's policy. It may even be illegal in some places. I agree 100% here and I have had this happened to me as well and was quite insulted they where using my certs for another guy to get paid and "fool" ford. I worked hard for my training and I feel I have earned it and any "perks" that come with it. I have even had rechecks come back under my number and I know I never worked on it. On top of that I have had to fight backflags on stuff flagged under my number and fixed incorrectly by a untrained tech. I was PAYING for someone elses mistakes!!! This is why I keep a close watch on every RO I touch and flag time against. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Bruene Posted August 10, 2011 Author Share Posted August 10, 2011 The RO in question... I had never laid eyes on it prior to today... and I don't think I would have hadn't Ford called for the hardcopy to be faxed. My number did not get entered in our system as being the tech. that had done the repair, only by the warranty clerk when she submitted it to Ford. I can't help but think of the grief she has put me through in the past with trying to get paid for things... The term "irony" comes to mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Amacker Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 This goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway: Do the right thing, but be prepared to lose your job for doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DwayneGorniak Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Stupidity costs Money. Their stupidity should cost them the money.....Period! It's just downright fraudulent and wrong! I wouldn't sign off on that shit either and I would check in with your labor board to know what the laws are. I have been in your same situation a few years but they didn't force me to sign off. They ate the bill! However, this is something Ford needs to wise up to and catch these fuckers at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 The RO in question... I had never laid eyes on it prior to today... and I don't think I would have hadn't Ford called for the hardcopy to be faxed. My number did not get entered in our system as being the tech. that had done the repair, only by the warranty clerk when she submitted it to Ford. I can't help but think of the grief she has put me through in the past with trying to get paid for things... The term "irony" comes to mind. I have read many of your problems... if this blows up or the claim bounces, I would call it poetic justice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 What is truly distressing is the idea that this conduct might be becoming "acceptable" business practice.. Our local LubeX is telling customers that their rear diff lube is a "temporary" lubricant and must be changed.... this because of the murky appearance of the fluid FROM BRAND NEW. On occasion, we "dance with the truth" to get a customer approval on a warranty claim that could go either way. I will be the first to admit that, if you do not ask a question, I will not answer it... but if you do ask it, I will answer it truthfully... There is nothing morally wrong with that precept.. it is a case of letting people take advantage of themselves. At the same time, it does bother me... Looking somebody in the face and telling a premeditated lie... something like an apprentice telling me he checked the diff level and finding the check plug full of mud... or something like telling Ford that a qualified tech performed the repair when he didn't. A long time ago, I discovered that, if you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.... Alex... your warranty wench has proven her character. A distinct lack of integrity... no idea of honesty.. a willingness to break the laws of the land.... everything she has ever done is now suspect... Have a good day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Jim, I know that we have touched this subject in the past and we would be kidding ourselves if we thought that this kind of thing doesn't happen every day. From the time a vehicle is written up, to the repairs we make and document, to the claims processing there are many people involved. I doubt there is little we as individuals can do to change it but we shouldn't ignore it when someone drags us into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Kieth... I hope I didn't give the impression that the ostrich approach was viable. One only has to witness one of my "you can't fucking do that to your fucking customer" tirades to see where I'm coming from. Ford, for all intents and purposes.... is, at times, a customer... Muck fe!!!! hoodathunk??? The kicker.... Let us say that I tell a lie to one person... It doesn't matter who that person is... I have told a lie... and this will prove that I am capable of lying.... Once I am shown to be capable of lying, the question now becomes "who am I lying to?" and "when am I lying?". My rose coloured glasses are firmly in place. Allowing this shit to happen is condoning it... Condoning it is no better than doing it. It becomes a moral conumdrum... Somewhere - sometime - somehow... sombody has to step up and say "this is shit and we wont put up with it"!!!! Done as individuals, this might be a little risky... Done as an ad hoc group... If there is this sort of dishonest shit going on, we desparately need to bring it to the publics attention... it isn't the desk jockeys that will get the heat... it is you and me and Alex.... and every one like us... If we allow it to happen, it will be us to blame... Wrong is wrong... and no mount of moralizing will ever change that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Saunoras Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 This topic came up today during a discussion with our manager. He acted like he was telling us(the 2 certified guys) something we didn't already know. well no shit, if we have one non-cert that is doing warranty work then how else is the claim getting paid? Thank goodness it's not entered that way in our system, my manager is definitely stupid enough to give me a comeback that I never touched. I've obviously had my tech number used in many warranty claims on vehicles I've never layed eyes on. Even though I have no say in this or nothing to do with it somehow I think it's going to involve me if it ever comes down to the wire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 I'm identified by a unique identifier in STARS, also tied to my Social Insurance Number in the Ford system. No fuckin' way someone else is using my S.I.N. for ANYTHING!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Clayton Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Oh yeah? Do they know you as Captain Obvious at Ford? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Saunoras Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 so how about the truck shop down the street just put a set of cats in a 07 F350 5.4.......no big deal right? How about they put it in, we generated a warranty repair order, and I was told to write a story about what went wrong with them and flag my time. Hmmm, yep that's the way we do shit around here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Bruene Posted March 25, 2012 Author Share Posted March 25, 2012 I left the dealership in question about a month ago to return to my prior employer. I did not drop the dime as far as these questionable practices are concerned... But did use the information I had as collateral to get all the money they owed me in a timely manner. I feel a lot more comfortable working at a place that does things by the book. And, FWIW, I haven't been debited once since my return to my old store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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