AutoTech

Aloha and mahalo for the great review!  Teri Cox

Aloha.  Thank you for the great review and understanding that waiting on parts is simply part of the game.  We are given many opportunities to practice  patience!  Mahalo.  Teri Cox

Aloha and thank you for acknowledging the trust you have with AutoTech.  Our motto is "Honesty is Law and Customer Service Comes First."  Greg, the owner (who happens to be my hubby) is a straightforward hard working man.  He is always driven to do what is right.  We are all human and mistakes do happen.  And Greg always owns up to what is right for the customer and right for the shop.  Thank you so much for your trust.  Teri Cox

Aloha and mahalo for the great the great review.  Teri Cox

Aloha.  It is discerning to see such a negative review and to hear your frustrations expressed toward AutoTech when we simply are following the State's requirements.  I am sorry this has been an upsetting process.  It looks like you were in for a safety inspection which failed due to your expired registration.  This is a common event for many of our customers whose vehicle registration is expired.  You said that it was a mistake to come to us for service and a safety inspection.  One has nothing to do with the other.  Since you had an expired registration, you would have failed a safety inspection no matter who was doing the inspection.  

Yes, failed safeties are paid for on the day of service and the State allows 30 days to correct the reasons for failing, without having to pay a second time for that service.  It is the State which requires the vehicle of a failed safety to return for the final inspection to verify that the reasons for failing have been corrected, to take updated photos and to put the new sticker on the vehicle.  This can only be done by a State Certified Inspector.  

AutoTech schedules safety inspections Monday through Friday 1:00 - 4:00pm.  The appointment times are first come, first serve with a vehicle possibly every 15 minutes.  Most customers are very pleased with the effeciency at which we operate.  I am sorry for the inconvenience you have expressed and that your bad day was expressed with a one star review.  Reading your words allowed me to believe you had been terribly inconvenienced with a long wait.  And you went as far as judging AutoTech as beeing greedy and only serving those who are paying for new services.  You are clearly upset with the system.  

I spoke with our staff, and no one was aware of your upset.  I realize now that you are simply complaining about the requirements to complete your inspection and that you have not even made the appointment for the final inspection.  So I am confused why you are scolding us on social media for something that hasn't even happened.     A one star review is very punishing for our overall score and feels underserving. 

It is unfortunate that you chose to make this a public conversation.  You say that AutotTech should be available on your timeline.  We are here for you.  Once you complete the process with the DMV to update the registrations status for your vehicle, simply call to make a followup appointment to complete the inspection process.  These are State rules, not AutoTech's.  You suggested that we do not have enough employees to satisfy your needs.  Herman Kihe is our State Certified Safety Inspector.  There are many days when the safety schedule has several openings that could serve you.  But know, that if you wait until closer to the end of the month when other customers are realizing their safety sticker is expiring, there can then be a delay in getting an appointment.

I do ask that you reconcider your experience with an understanding of the State rules and how planning may eliminate some of these perceived frustrations.   As a business owner, it is upsetting to have a customer go to social media with the intent to cause damage.  I personally do not like social media but it is a game we must play.  We take cusotmer complaints seriously.  In this complaint, with what you have written, I do not know how to fix this to your satisfaction.  You simply failed the safety inspection due to an expired registration.  It is your responsibility to make an appointment with the  DMV to renew the registration, or in some cases the registration can simply be renewed on-line with the DMV.  With the proper planning, it is possible to have an appointment with the DMV late morning or early afternoon and have an appointment the same day at AutoTech and be done.  Or once current with the registration, simply call for an appointment that works for your schedule.  

Again, I really do not understand why we are deserving of this public scloding and a one star review.  It is only you who can remove this review. And it is only you who can change it.  I ask that you reconsider what you have truly experienced.  You came to AutoTech and had a safety inspection.  That inspection simply failed due to your expired registration.  The State allows you 30 days to correct reasons for failing and it is your responsibility to schedule a follow up appointment to complete that inspection.   I hope this clarifies your misunderstandings of how the State operates its safety inspection program.  Sincerely, Teri Cox

Aloha.  Thank you for sharing further details of your experience.  I want to respond to the original complaint.  It states that the complaint ONLY had to do with the appointment AutoTech requires for the final inspection.   Having customers randomly dropping in to get the final inspection would be disruptive for the customers who have appointments.  Requiring appointments is the common procedure as most people take days and weeks to correct the reasons for failing an inspection.  It would be routine for the Service Advisors to say that an appointment will be needed to schedule the final inspection.  It is rare that those corrections are made the same day.  

I spoke again with the Service Advisors and neither recalls knowing that you were leaving the shop and going that day to get the needed registration. Neither advisor recalls you asking if you could come right back.  Neither advisor recalls you being upset.  In most situations our staff would have gladly welcomed you back the same day to complete the process.  If you did ask and were told it could not happen that day, there must have been unusual circumstances with the schedule.   

You asked why I did not mention the muffler in my response.  I did not mention it because it was not in the complaint.  I was not aware of that complaint and neither was any of the staff.  There has been an obvious lack of communication at some point.

You questioned why it wasn't until the repairs were complete that the muffler was given as cause for another reason for failing the inspection.  There is no mystery there.  The mechanic who serviced your car for the repairs is not an inspector.  It was when your car went to Herman for the inspection that the volumne of the muffler was recognized as being loud.  Herman has been a state inspector for many years.  He knows what to look and listen for.  He said that the muffler on your vehicle was an after-market muffler, not stock, and that it was hollow making it too loud.  Mufflers are a rare reason for failing safety inspections.  On that day Herman went to management and said that he couldn't pass this vehicle without the muffler being replaced.   That was his decision and management supported him.  

It is not surprising that another inspection station allowed the vehicle to pass with a loud muffler.  There are many stations that allow vehicles to pass with more serious issues.  The next time you see a car broken down on the side of the road with a broken ball joint and the wheel bent under, look at the safety inspection sticker.  Many times it clearly indicates an inspection station recently passed that vehicle without checking the ball joints.  Yes, ball joints are a more critical safety concern than a muffler, but Herman said the muffler on your vehicle was too loud to pass the State's requirements.  

I absolutely agree with you that the parking lot can be a mess.  It is a small lot that is shared with a second business that is located in the upstairs of our building.  They too use the lot.  And it is almost daily that tow trucks drop off broken cars in the lot that cannot be driven.  They take up valuable space that we all have to work around.  We also have parts beng delivered throughout the day and mechanics driving cars in and out all day.   AutoTech is a very busy repair shop and that is a blessing.  Most customers park up front while they check in.  If it is for an inpsection, Herman regularly valets the car.  But yes, there are times when someone drives up the driveway and there simply isn't space for them at that moment.  

 AutoTech's motto is "Honesty is Law and Customer Service Comes First."  We are a 5 Star business because of our service.   I am sorry AutoTech could not meet your expectations in this situation.  We do hope that we have not lost a valuable customer over this misunderstanding.  

I want to address the service on your A/C.  A dye was put into the system to look for leaks. While the vehicle was in the shop, a leak could not be verified.  I trust the A/C is still working nevertheless, there could still be a very small leak.  If so and if you have further concerns, a leak can be identified with the dye.    Sincerely, Teri Cox

Thank you for the 5 Star Review!  We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience.  Teri Cox

Thank you for the great review.  Cookie and Aaron are our Service Advisors at the front desk.  We are blessed having them and everyone to the back corners of the building!  Herman has been here for 19 years now I believe!  And Cookie has been here for much of that time!  We have a great team with true aloha.  Thank you for sharing your experience.  Teri Cox

Thank for the 5 Star review and for being a loyal customer.  Richard and Carla, the previous owners are great people. They are enjoying the retired life of spending quality time with family and grandchildren.   Thank you for acknowledging Greg and myself as the new owners.  We are in our 5th year already of having this successful business.  We are always in a learning curve! but with the goal of being our best.   The business came with great employees and customers.  We know we are blessed.  Mahalo nui loa.  Teri Cox

Aloha.  Thank you for the 5 Star Review!  AutoTech is a busy shop!  We appreciate your patience and your business.  Teri Cox

Thank you for the good review.  We are always looking for ways to improve!  Thank you for taking the time to share your experience.  Teri  Cox

Thank you for the 5 Star Review!  Teri Cox

Thank you for being such a loyal customer!  And thank you for the 5 Star Review!  AutoTech is a super busy shop.  We have our loyal customers like you and we get new customers regularly because of our 5 star reviews.  Mahalo nui loa!  Ter Cox

Thank you for 5 Stars!  Teri Cox

Thank you for sharing your experience with AutoTech and for the great review.  Teri Cox