Tech Support Contract Options?

[Waxman]

I bought my automatic and the company (Superior) no longer supports the machine (700-R Sidetrac).

I found a tech who offers unlimited annual phone support for a very reasonable rate.

Would you require a written contract for this service or simply pay the money and see how much pestering and whining and dumb questions you could get away with in a year's worth of breakdowns?

I've always been a 'verbal contract' kind of operator for certain things and while it has mainly worked out fine I have also been burned. OUCH!

 

[sprocket]

How can a company manufacture a car wash and just walk away from its customers, do they still make automatic equipment. Thats got to be a good business practice. If they are not out of business they should be!

 

[MEP001]

If the rate is very reasonable, why worry? If he's good, spread the word and get him more business and you won't have to worry he'll go the same way as Superior. If he's bad, spread the word and help make sure no one else wastes their money with him.

 

[Waxman]

He is a good carwash tech super familiar with my machine; I know this for a fact. I'm not really worried; just asking others what they do. I do not want to pay the money then be frustrated over things like accountability, returning calls and emails etc.

 

[Ghetto Wash]

If it is not too much, just trust him and see how it goes.

I pay a plumber $300 a month to do all the plumbing at my 4 washes, 5 rent houses and my house. Not replacing a hose or wand, but real plumbing or rooto-rooting if I can't get it. Sometimes I use him once a week and sometimes I don't use him for 6 months. He has got some steady income and I've got a reliable plumber that puts my calls first and is cheap. Just yesterday I showed up at one wash and there was water bubbling up through the seams in the concrete. One call and 4 hours later, he had located the leak in the water main, jack hammered up the parking lot, dug down 5' to get to the line, repaired the line and filled the hole back up. I still have to repair the concrete. Probably a 2-3 thousand dollar job by any other plumber and all I had to pay was $75 in parts.

My point is, trust the guy and treat him fair and It will probably work out for both of you. I have nothing in writing with my plumber, just a handshake. After 5 years of this arrangement we are both happy with it.

 

[briteauto]

I found a tech who offers unlimited annual phone support for a very reasonable rate.

I wouldn't worry too much if all of his assistance will be via telephone. It's not like you'll have to depend on him doing any traveling to your site, installing, troubleshooting etc.

Also - just a thought - although you can no longer get support form Superior, how about the distributor who put the machine in for you? Were you happy with him, and can he still offer you support for that machine - even if it is phone support?

 

[soapy]

I have tech support for my changers and Acws through Randy. It costs me a couple of steak dinners every year but is well worth it.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

All it cost me was a burger and tater tots from the snack bar on the convention floor

Come to think of it, that costs more than a steak dinner

 

[Jimmy Buffett]

He's pulled my a$$ out of the fire quite a few times too and I have never laid eyes on him!

 

[mac]

If he is that good on your machine, I would pay him to come and train you on it. About 4 hours should do it. Make sure you get good manuals with it.

 

[Louise]

I don't have anything formal with my tech support guy. I just shoot him a check when I use him.

 

[Waxman]

I now know as much as my distributor about the 700-R Sidetrac. His words, not mine.

The tech I want to use could I think give me direction which I would then take to do repairs myself.

I emailed him so we'll see what arrangement we make.

Thanks for the input on this.

 

[RykoPro]

We offer free lifetime tech support for our washes. This support goes with the wash so even if it changes owners we will do whatever we can to help anyone over the phone. We have to limit this to the Ryko customers in our state but I am willing to help others find prints and information on their Ryko wash system. I have access to everything including the names and numbers of all Ryko direct and distributor service and sales personal.

 

[DiamondWash]

I'm suggesting to Ryko is to have a on-line forum or chat with a live rep at Ryko like Hamilton, Kleen-Rite and many other are doing because as you said Ryko won't talk to the ordinary person who calls their customer support it's mainly for the techs so why call it "Customer Support"? ever since Ryko was bought out by Tri-Vest Investments they asked me to put together a list of things I would like to see changed or possibly added to Ryko to help the overall customer including myself.

 

[Jimmy Buffett]

I have one. How about a windy day fix that would close the door if it's really windy? I watch my bug spray and sometimes even foam blow out the back doors on really windy days. I know Mark 7 has one.

 

[RykoPro]

I have one. How about a windy day fix that would close the door if it's really windy? I watch my bug spray and sometimes even foam blow out the back doors on really windy days. I know Mark 7 has one.

All you need is an anemometer controlled switch connected in parallel with the your Ryko door thermostat.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

All you need is an anemometer controlled switch connected in parallel with the your Ryko door thermostat.

Wouldn't that cause both doors to close just as if it is cold? I know that would be the easy way, but it's not the best.

 

[RykoPro]

Wouldn't that cause both doors to close just as if it is cold? I know that would be the easy way, but it's not the best.

There are thermostats for both doors so if you only wanted one door to close, you would hook it up in parallel to just that one door thermostat. How else would you close a door of it got too windy without motoring wind speed?

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I just have a manual switch that I flip for windy days which cycles the exit doors. I guess I could use an anemometer to switch it automatically, but I've been doing it this way for 15 years so I guess I won't change. Mark VII uses only one thermostat to let the door control system know that it is cold. Why does the Ryko system use two? If it's cold both doors need to close.

 

[RykoPro]

I just have a manual switch that I flip for windy days which cycles the exit doors. I guess I could use an anemometer to switch it automatically, but I've been doing it this way for 15 years so I guess I won't change. Mark VII uses only one thermostat to let the door control system know that it is cold. Why does the Ryko system use two? If it's cold both doors need to close.

Well of course a manual switch is easier! I had never heard of the wind request before so I was just figuring out how it could be done.
Many of our customers like to leave the entrance door open longer to show people the wash is open. Some sites like to shut their North facing door sooner, its all about owner preference.