Maintaining customer satisfaction is a crucial aspect of any business, but it’s even more important for auto glass companies that have earned the prestigious Diamond Certified award. For Reliable Glass, the keys to achieving and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction are simple: take a detail-oriented approach to its work and focus all its efforts on living up to its namesake. “Our goal is to be the best at what we do, and an important part of that is providing workmanship and services our customers can count on,” says Bookkeeper Jenny Sargis. “That’s why we get so many referrals from local dealerships and auto body shops–they know we have the ability to get the job done right the first time.”

Reliable Glass has been providing auto glass repair and replacement services throughout Sonoma and Napa Counties since 1995. The company handles everything from simple rock chip repairs and broken mirrors to complete windshield replacements, and its technicians have the training and equipment to work on vehicles of every make, model, and size.

Unlike less experienced auto glass companies that take a “one size fits all” approach to every job in an effort to maximize their workload volume, Reliable Glass takes a careful, measured approach that’s designed to ensure consistently high levels of quality. “In addition to maintaining a staff of experienced technicians, we use a higher quality urethane on our windshields and back glasses than most companies use,” says Ms. Sargis. “It’s imported from Germany, so it’s a more expensive product, but we feel it’s worth the investment to ensure the long-term quality and performance of our glass.”

Another distinguishing attribute of Reliable Glass is its wide range of service capabilities, which allow it to work on everything from normal-sized vehicles to buses, motor homes and boats. “We also work on vintage cars, which a lot of glass companies won’t do because it’s meticulous and takes more time to do correctly,” says Ms. Sargis. “Regardless of the type of glass work our customers need, we provide the same reliable service that’s geared toward customer satisfaction.”

If you have a rock chip in your car’s windshield, remember that size matters when it comes to having it repaired. If your windshield gets chipped by a stray rock while you’re driving, you can typically have the chipped area repaired rather than replacing the entire windshield. According to Jenny Sargis, bookkeeper at Reliable Glass in Rohnert Park, rock chip repair is a fairly simple procedure. “The way to fix a rock chip is to force a resin into the recess, which fills the chip and any connecting cracks to keep them from spreading any further,” she explains.

While this process may be simple, determining whether or not a rock chip can be repaired can be more complicated, as it’s a matter that insurance companies and auto glass installers tend to disagree on. “Most insurance companies say chipped areas smaller than a dollar bill can be repaired, but a lot of auto glass companies won’t repair anything larger than a quarter,” explains Ms. Sargis. “With larger chips, the resin tends to harden too much before reaching the outer edges of the cracks. Some companies address this problem by drilling holes along the crack and filling it multiple times, but that’s not good for the glass’ structure.”

The one place you should avoid after having your windshield replaced…
After having a new windshield installed, some car owners are concerned about the effects of weather on the job. Ms. Sargis says weather typically isn’t an issue, but a car wash can be problematic. “You should avoid taking your vehicle through a high-pressure car wash for at least two days after a new windshield or back glass is installed, and that’s because of the urethane that’s used to seal the glass in these areas. By the time you leave the shop, the urethane is cured enough so it won’t move around, which means the car is safe to drive, but it won’t completely cure until 24 to 48 hours later, so it’s not a good idea to put it through a car wash within that time frame.”

Ms. Sargis gives one additional recommendation for those who’ve had a new windshield installed: “Since the urethane continues to cure for another couple of days after installation, you should keep your door windows rolled down just a bit when they’re closed, which will allow air to escape. In contrast, keeping the windows rolled up will cause pressure to build in the cabin, which can potentially blow pin holes through the urethane and result in a whistling noise later.”

Q: How long will it take to complete my job?

A: It depends on the extent of the work. Door glass jobs don’t take very long to complete, but a back glass or windshield job usually takes about four hours from start to finish. Windshields are held in place by urethane, which needs time to cure before the vehicle is safe to drive.

Q: Can you give me an estimate over the phone?

A: Typically, yes. Unlike auto body shops, we don’t necessarily have to see the damage before providing a quote.

Q: What if I’m not sure what year or model my car is?

A: If you don’t know certain information about your car, we’ll get the VIN and contact the dealership to make sure we get the right type of glass.

Q: Do you tint windows?

A: No, but we’re happy to refer you to a quality tint shop in town.

Q: How do you handle insurance?

A: As long as you contact your insurance provider and have full coverage on your vehicle, it’s usually a pretty seamless process. All you’re responsible for in terms of payment is your deductible. Once the job is complete, we’ll electronically file the claim with your insurance company, and they pay us directly.

Q: Will my insurance cover OEM parts?

A: Most people don’t have OEM riders on their insurance policies, but if you’re insistent on using OEM parts, we can take the price of an aftermarket part and subtract it from the cost of the OEM part so you just have to pay the difference.