REPAIR ORDER: "Check windshield wipers."

ROLE PLAY (bad example)

Service Associate: (Finishing phone conversation) Yeah, you should have it by 4 o'clock. Okay, we'll see you then. Bye-bye. (Hangs up phone; then to Bob) Yeah, Bob. What's your question?

Technician: I can't read this, Frank. It says, "Check...."

SA: (Looking) That's wipers. Sorry about that. Why don't you go check and see how they work.

T: Whaddya mean "how they work?"

SA: Well, according to what the customer told me they don't work properly.

T: Well, what did he tell you?

SA: He just said they don't work right.

T: (Incredulous) So you want me to go out, look at this car, and tell you if the wipers work.

SA: Right.

T: Who's gonna pay for this.

SA: That's what you get paid for.

T: No I don't.

SA: Look, just go out and try 'em.

T: Frank...

SA: I'm busy. I didn't go out and look at 'em this morning because I'm busy.

T: You're busy? I'm busy.

SA: But this is your job.

T: Oh, man, what am I supposed to check? Do you want me to look at 'em. Do you want me to see if they wash? What doesn't work? What is the problem I'm looking for?

SA: Just check if they work.

T: You turn the switch on, and they go back and forth. That's how they work.

SA: Well, go see if they do that.

T: O-kayyy....

ROLE PLAY (good example)

SA: Morning, Bob. How are you?

T: Good, Frank. Waddya got?

SA: Here, take a look.

T: "Check...I can't read this."

SA: Windshield wipers. You need to check 'em out and see if they work."

T: You didn't check 'em yet?

SA: No chance to. We were really backed up.

T: So what seems to be the problem?

SA: The intermittent function doesn't work.

T: This is a consistent problem?

SA: Yeah, happens all the time.

T: Do they wash and wipe okay?

SA: They do wash and wipe. It's just the intermittent.

T: Do they park okay?

SA: He didn't mention they didn't.

T: How about a previous repair. Anything on that?

SA: Nope.

T: And the rest of the system -- how's that?

SA: The wipers work fine. You turn the switch on to both speeds other than intermittent, and they work fine.

T: All right. So basically, the intermittant wipers don't work, but the other speeds do. That's all we know.

SA: Right.

T: I'll go out check it out and see if the relay's functioning properly. I'll let you know.

SA: Great.