Walking into a brake fitment centre conjures one of two reactions for a customer; you either immediately feel at ease, knowing your car is being tended to by trained and qualified professionals, or you’re left questioning the professionalism and service you may receive from them. If you have ever felt that way – chances are you’ve dealt with a less than professional organisation.
Here are five great indicators of what a brake fitment centre should feature:
Accreditation is the first indicator of whether a fitment centre operates within the requirements outlined by professional governing bodies. In order to receive RMI accreditation, strict guidelines must be followed; these include items such as:
“The criteria is based on staff qualification, suitability of premises, standard of workroom, equipment, test bench and injector test equipment. The criteria in SADFIAs opinion is of a high standard, and based on this fact, the SADFIA National Executive Committee agreed that a Grading system would not be required as all aspects of operation are covered extensively in the Accreditation Criteria.”
We all understand that fitment centres get busy; unless your fitment expert has encountered a problem that requires part to be shipped in, or specialist work to be carried out, brake fitment should be able to be conducted within the time considered acceptable to wait.
If a regular brake fitment check takes ages, or you are told to return at another time without a valid reason – you should probably look for a more reliable fitment centre.
After all, your road safety and the safety of others hinges largely off the ability of your cars brakes repair to assist in avoiding collision.
You would expect anyone who boasts the name of “expert” or “professional” to be able to advise you on any aspect of your braking system you might require. Customer service is often a deciding factor that will either lead to a great experience, or a customer that never returns. If you receive anything less than professional, attentive and friendly service – look for another supplier who will make the experience less stressfully, and one who is prepared to go the extra mile for you.
One of RMI’s pre-requisites for obtaining their accreditation is to prove that any technician employed to work on a vehicle have sufficient training and experience; anyone with less experience should be under the supervision of a foreman or leader, so as to guarantee the work is carried out in a manner that guarantees the work itself. If your brake fitment technician shows signs of not knowing what he or she is doing, why would you trust the work they are performing on one of the most important features of your car? If your gut feel is that they cannot conduct the work, do not allow them to do it.
If you’ve shopped round and done your homework, you’ll likely have found one or two quotes within a specific price range – and perhaps another one or two that are higher or lower than the others. We allow ant to opt for the cheapest, but when an accredited RMI approved dealer offers a great deal, you’re in a for a win-win situation. Be sure you are not being overcharged for any product or serviced!
Want a brake and clutch fitment centre that ticks all the boxes, is RMI accredited and guarantees you some of the best service in Gauteng? Click here to get in touch with Astro Brake today!
