The main thing to remember is to stay calm and think about the process logically. First, contact your insurance company to find out if they will cover the repair or replacement of your windshield. Most insurance companies provide for free chip repair in their plans. If this is the case with your insurance company, reputable glass repair shops such as Deals Glass Service and Kimble Glass Service will come right to your doorstep to fix it. They even have the ability to completely replace your windshield at your location so you do not have to worry about carrying the automobile in to their shop and leaving it. Also, remember the insurance company cannot dictate where you must take your automobile for repair. You have the right to choose the repair shop you feel the most comfortable with.

Most cell phone customers use smart phones now and have their phone with them when a window gets broken. To make it easier to get help and get you back on the road, Deals Glass Service and Kimble Glass Service has a new mobile website. The website is easily visible on Blackberry, Android and IPhone mobile devices. You can easily access quote forms for automobile glass as well as residential glass. There are contact numbers which are “click to call” capable making it possible to click the number, which automatically dials the number for you!

The websites can be found at m.dealsglassservice.com and m.kimbleglassservice.com which are easy to remember since the “m” stands for mobile. It makes for an easily viewable, one stop shop website in time of need. Make sure to place the website address in your favorites or bookmark it in your phone so when needed it is very easy to find. Deals Glass Service and Kimble Glass Service both have mobile windshield repair and replacement services.

Even motel, hotel and shopping center parking lots with cameras are no longer safe. Since the economy is suffering, people that would not normally steal have turned to crime just to eat and pay their family’s bills. It is best to keep you belongings in the trunk, locked glove compartment, rear floorboard, under the seats or other out-of-sight areas of your vehicle. These lessen the chance of a smash and grab opportunity. If all of this fails then make sure to rely on a glass professional such as Deals Glass Service which can provide a full mobile glass service. It is a good idea to place their mobile webpage in your favorite’s area of your smartphone just in case you do need a windshield or window replacement.

1.) Proper Analysis.  Is the company registered with AGRSS® Safety Standards Council?  Are they backed by PGW’s Prostar Certification? The key to proper analysis is having it done by the right people.  Seeing these logos will let you know that you are in the right place consulting with a qualified auto glass replacement provider.

2.)  Qualified Technician. The simplest way to tell if a technician is properly trained and experienced is to ask if they are NGA certified  or look for the NGA Patch on their uniform.  The National Glass Association hold each technician to high performance and customer service standards.

3.) The Best Auto Glass. Usually the safest and most stable windshield for your automobile is the one installed by the manufacturer, but once there is extensive damage that is no longer true.  In this case the best option is OEM Glass, or glass made by the Original Equipment Manufacturer.   OEM Glass was created with the same type of machines and instruments as the glass that was installed by the car maker, ensuring the best fit and form for each car.

4.)  Top Quality Adhesives.  Since the adhesives are all but invisible to the consumer, this product can seem to pale in comparison to the quality of the glass.  But in the case of a collision, adhesives are what holds the windshield in place to provide a barrier between you and the cold, hard world.   And the moment of impact is a terrible time to find out that you have inferior adhesive on your glass.  You can rest assured that as a general rule – Good, reputable shops use high quality adhesives.

5.) Safe Drive Away Time.  While this may seem like an unnecessary inconvenience, we all know that accidents can happen anytime, anywhere.  That also means it’s not unheard of for a car to be involved in an accident while pulling out of the auto glass shop.  Even the best adhesives wouldn’t hold up to collision safety standards without properly curing. The bottom line is: it’s for your own good.   If a shop is not insisting on allowing time for the windshield to cure, then you know that safety is not their top priority.

Keep these things in mind the next time you need a windshield replacement, to help keep you and your automobile safe from crooked repairmen.

But remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t true – a saying that often applies to these situations.  These bold auto glass sales tactics vary from approaching drivers at car washes and gas stations, to aggressive telemarketing to actually damaging windshields, then approaching owners at home or work about replacement.  Their work practices also range from the completely above board to down and dirty – some lie to insurance companies about everything from the quality of glass to the location where the repair was done.  (They have even been known to spam perfectly good auto glass blogs!)

The worst of the worst work in teams: one repairman does the work, then another comes by and approaches the same driver, stating that the work is of inferior quality and needs to be re-replaced.   When these charlatans convince drivers to sign off on this work they are securing one’s complicity in defrauding their own insurance company.  And usually the car owners still find themselves with cheap glass and bad installation – and maybe slightly higher insurance premiums.

So drivers beware!  If you weren’t seeking out a service for you car, don’t trust a stranger who approaches you to tell you what they can do for your automobile.  An auto glass replacement company with a good reputation doesn’t need to be aggressive to make it in this business!

For more recent news about the problem with windshield bullies check out these articles at MSNBC’s Red Tape Chronicles and The Consumerist.

The real difference is that the NGA holds their Certified and Master technicians to a certain standard not required by many of the more lax business owners.  There are many factors that go into the safe completion of windshield replacement, and every step along the way must be done perfectly to avoid potential safety issues.  When their glass technician has been taught by qualified professionals, practiced in the field and then tested on their knowledge, consumers can rest assured that they will have a job well done.

Deals Glass Services is proud to employ many Certified and Master Technicians, several of whom have been with us over a decade!

Deals Glass Services’ Certified Technicians: Mike G., Cale M., Drake A., Kenneth O.

Deals Glass Services’ Certified Master Technicians: Timothy B., Freddie F., Todd L., Brien N., Mark S., Jason B.

With all of these highly qualified glass installers, Charlotte area customers can be confident that the person fixing their windshield has been held to the “Gold Standard”.  Unfortunately, there are dishonest people in every walk of life, and auto glass is no different.  If you have doubts about whether or not a technician or their management  is NGA certified, you can use the NGA’s certified tech finder to figure out if you are dealing with a honest glass shop.

Problems occur at any business (or home for that matter), but the real indication of quality leadership and effective teamwork is how those problems are addressed.  We believe that having the owner (someone whose personal reputation is closely associated with the performance of their company),  present in the everyday operation of each individual aspect of the shop makes all the difference.  When the business owner knows each employee, and that employee’s history with the company and role in daily proceedings, problems can be solved more quickly and efficiently.

We would hate for a customer to leave our shop and tell others about a bad experience with glass repair or windshield replacement.   But that is exactly what will happen if customer satisfaction issues aren’t addressed before they walk out the door – angry customers voice their opinions more loudly than the happy ones.  We recently heard of such an incident at a Raleigh location of a national auto glass chain that was featured on a local news “Troubleshooter” segment.   While no one wants their company’s troubles broadcast on the news,  the unfortunate consequence of sub-standard service is dissatisfied customers with strong opinions about your business.

We strive to make the customer experience not just satisfactory, but pleasant.  Some of the most common complaints in the industry are related to either bad customer relations by employees and management or inattentive, improperly trained technicians.  And while these issues are easily resolved by hiring the right people and giving them the proper training, those simple solutions can be out of reach to the people in charge who are thousands of miles away.

At Deals Glass Services we hope our family atmosphere and friendly, well trained staff will prove to customers that what we lack in quantity gives us the time to focus on the quality of each job we perform.

With mobile repair available and insurance footing most of the bills, we hope to see more Charlotte area drivers coming in for replacement immediately.   Since the windshield is essential to the structural integrity of the vehicle, driving around with a severely damaged auto glass is equivalent to ignoring frame damage.

Not only does the windshield hold up the roof of the car, preventing collapse, it is also integral to the Safety Restraint System.  In the event of a collision, the airbag deflects off the windshield in order to hold it’s proper position in front of the driver or front passenger.  When the windshield is weakened by a crack, the glass can fold like a hinge upon impact, displacing the airbags and further weakening the surface that supports the roof and provides a barrier that keeps people inside the vehicle.

Once drivers resolve to get immediate attention for their damaged windshield, their safety is still determined by the quality of the replacement products and the procedure of the glass technicians.   When a shop is using inferior products, it can compromise the safety of the work they are doing.  Aftermarket (non-OEM) windshields don’t always have the proper fit or proportion and cheap urethane doesn’t dry properly – when these factors are paired with improper training in procedure it can spell disaster for the car owner.

We want anyone who has a severe crack in their windshield to remember that the windshield is essentially a safety component.  So please, get your OEM replacement at a qualified shop as soon as the damage pops up – before your windshield pops out!

Auto Insurance is an extremely competitive market with so many companies marketing their customer’s annual savings over other companies.  But often you have shopped around and annual savings aren’t making a big difference in your monthly payment.  Then how can you tell the difference in what you get from an insurance provider when you really need them?

As an auto glass shop that works with many different insurance providers every day, we have a clear perception of how each company treats it’s customers and the standards they require of the shops that do the repairs.  We are glad to know that Allstate carefully researched how repair shops that provide excellent customer service and superior repair work can save them frustration in the long run.

With this knowledge, recent internal policies have shifted preference to shops providing the highest quality service over the lowest possible price.  Deals and other shops that provide exceptional service and excellent  repair work have to appreciate the changes.  But the insured should also welcome the fact that an insurance company has taken into account their personal satisfaction with the entire claims experience.  Thanks Allstate!