Which are you, a customer or a dealer?

I have my customer viewpoint & I think it's reasonable. I guess it depends on what one calls "service". Just shift one's thoughts totally from gps to transmissions or washing machines or pickup trucks. It should be no different. I think most service mgrs would realize that if they charged their customers for time considering an answer to the customer's 1961 JD 4010D shifting problem via telephone, they'd probably lose a customer. I believe most customers do not expect them to come work on an out-of-warranty tractor or rate controller for free, unless purchase arrangements were otherwise. I believe most farm implement dealers have now added precision specialists for the same reason they added service managers 40 yrs ago. I remember before that there were only mechanics. But dealers/mfg found they needed that person that could spend time w/the customer & perhaps either solve the problem with only advice, or attempt to solve the problem in the shop, which everyone understands means $$. Probably same w/precision. If precision tech can just tell us via cellphone that we must have some wires crossed, either in the operator or the setup, then we can fix it. If tech says it's broke & out of warranty....we pay one way or another. But, the meter doesn't start 'til that point. It's probably a different viewpoint everywhere though.

Re. education...I think most major mfg are now spending or offering to spend a LOT of $$ on customer's education for the betterment of both. Did you ever attend any of the old John Deere Days? Much of that meeting time was spent educating the farmer/user/customer. The outcome either meant a happy customer with a good chance for repeat business or a good chance to create a happy customer after successful service, once agreed that was the necessity.

I'm sure that's the way it works "here".