This week I’d like to dip into my metaphor bag again and talk about doctors.

Often times, one of the most challenging things we in the automotive industry face are effective communication with our customers. Not everyone is created equal when it comes to understanding technical issues, and, as most people do know, cars are rapidly becoming more and more technical.

It’s been my experience that most people would like to have some idea of what it is you are doing to their vehicles, but may be reluctant to try and find out. Likewise, many in the industry do not make a good enough attempt at finding a common ground in explaining things. When it all starts to sound like techno-speak mumbo-jumbo, we are not doing our job.

I like to talk to a customer and find out what they do for a living or hobby and try to make comparisons or come up with (wait for it…) metaphors. One of my favorites is doctors. Going to the doctor’s office is something nearly everyone has done, so it is a good place to find a common ground.

I like to think of ourselves in the auto repair industry as doctors for cars. There are the “E.R.” doctors who have to deal with an emergency like a car that broke down on the freeway when the customer needs to pick their kids up from daycare.

There are the “specialists” who deal exclusively with brakes, exhaust, or a certain brand (like Toyota or BMW). Then there are the “general practitioners” who keep your vehicle maintained and running well with regular tune-ups, oil changes, and other items so you can get the most mileage and reliability from your car or truck.

When you need service, you can make an appointment or walk-in. After describing your symptoms at the counter, your car will be checked out to try and diagnose its “illness."

The technician will perform a series of tests before a completely accurate diagnosis can be made. These tests can include measuring fuel pressure (instead of blood pressure), ignition and spark testing (E.K.G and pulse rate), or scanning the computers for any signs of trouble (check the ears, throat, listen with a stethoscope).

If a problem is difficult to detect, other tests may include measuring voltages at different points in an electrical circuit, using an oscilloscope to watch an electronic signal, or even dis-assembly to visually inspect a component (let’s get a blood work-up, order an M.R.I. and an X-ray).

When we can look at things from a different perspective, I think many people will have a better understanding of what goes on when you drop your vehicle off to be serviced. If it’s just in for routine maintenance, there should be very few unexpected surprises, but if it’s in because of a warning light, an issue with it’s performance, or a little hesitation that “only happens once in a while," there may be significant time involved in making sure the correct diagnosis is made.

So, to wrap up this week’s column, try to have some patience (“patients” – get it? I love puns, too!) when dealing with your service provider and you can be fairly certain that you won’t be asked to “take two aspirin and call me in the morning."

By the way, remember that summertime is coming, so don’t wait if you start “running a fever” (have an overheating vehicle). Get checked out and stay healthy (sorry, I couldn’t resist).

Todd Ainsworth is shop manager at Alki Auto Repair and can be reached at todd400@comcast.net or 935-8059.