Would you bring your own steak to a restaurant?
Times are hard we know, and with the current economic situation, we sometimes receive requests to install customer-supplied parts. Like the majority of avionic shops worldwide, it is JLC Avionics’ policy to not install customer-supplied parts that do not have a recent 8130/3or acceptable yellow-tag/maintenance release. Parts that are supplied for installation without this requirement will, at the customers expense be; tested, any necessary repairs made, and re-certified prior to installation.
Hopefully, the following will help you understand our policy regarding such request.
Profit:
Obviously, as a business we have a reasonable mark-up on the parts that we sell and install – it’s part of being in business! Our profits allow us to continue to invest in our business operations, but when a customer supplies their own part that mark-up profit is lost. We could raise our labor rates to make up for the lost revenue, but that is not a path we want to go down (we feel that our labor rate is fair and competitive as it is).
Customer Relationships:
We strive to build our business by creating loyal, lifelong relationships with people who value the quality of work, experience level, honesty and professionalism that we provide. Our customers value the service we provide and we believe we charge a fair price for said services. When the motivating factor for the customer being at our shop is just the cheapest price, and there is no interest in developing a relationship with our company, then the truth is we can’t win.
Reputation:
Our reputation is in part based on the quality of the work that we do, and part of that involves using high quality products. We have spent time and effort cultivating dealerships with the most respected aviation manufacturers in the world because we respect their products, and we have the specialized training to diagnose, repair, and install such products correctly. Most customers do not have this level of knowledge and often have not considered the following:
Things To Consider
- Is this unit going to solve your issue?
- If you have an equipment problem, who diagnosed it?
- How do you know that the part you are supplying is going to solve your issue?
- Is the part designed to work with the other equipment in your aircraft?
- Is it the same Mod. standard ?
- Were there any alterations the manufacturer made which will change the way it needs to be installed?
- Will this part work correctly with your other installed equipment?
- How do you know it will work with the rest of the equipment in your cockpit?
Internet forums are a great source of information, but not always reliable. Customers pay us for our expertise because they are not experts. Parts (especially older ones) may not “talk” to other installed components and can be incompatible. Mod. standards are especially likely to alter the compatibility, even on so-called common place equipment.
What about quality?
As mentioned before, the quality of our work is obviously reliant in part on using quality equipment. That used part you purchased may be of questionable or poor quality – it may also be illegal. What about parts traceability? Ask yourself if you are just purchasing someone else’s problem (after all they are selling it for a reason).
What about a warranty?
We warranty all of our work, but we can not warranty equipment that customers provide to be free of defects as we have no knowledge of that fact. Would you provide a warranty for a transmission I bought on the internet and asked you to put in my car?
Our reputation has been built by selecting the highest quality parts and providing them at competitive prices. We feel that our customers come to us for the expertise, experience, service and high level of professionalism we offer. If we allow customers to provide their own parts, not only is the integrity of our work compromised, but there is also an opportunity for the client/business relationship that we have worked so hard to establish, to breakdown. As mentioned in the title of this would you bring your own steak to a restaurant?
We hope that you understand our position.
