Stihl Professional Ethics & Standards 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary ethical reason a STIHL dealer should sell protective apparel alongside power equipment?
- Apparel has higher profit margins
- The dealer has a duty of care to promote safe operation of the products sold (Correct answer)
- It is required for the sale to be legal in all states
- Customers cannot buy PPE anywhere else
Correct answer: The dealer has a duty of care to promote safe operation of the products sold
Promoting PPE reflects the dealer's duty of care toward customer safety, not just sales volume.
Question 2: A technician is unsure how to perform a repair on a new model. What does professional conduct require?
- Improvise based on similar older models
- Complete the repair quickly and hope it holds
- Tell the customer the unit cannot be repaired
- Consult service documentation or technical support before attempting the repair (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Consult service documentation or technical support before attempting the repair
Working within one's competence and consulting official resources is a fundamental professional standard.
Question 3: Which situation represents a conflict of interest for a certified dealer employee?
- Recommending unnecessary repairs to earn commission on the work (Correct answer)
- Recommending a cheaper model that fits the customer's needs
- Referring a warranty issue to another authorized dealer
- Suggesting the customer read the owner's manual
Correct answer: Recommending unnecessary repairs to earn commission on the work
Recommending unneeded work for personal financial gain places the employee's interest above the customer's.
Question 4: A customer asks whether a chainsaw sold online by an unauthorized seller carries a full warranty. What is the honest answer?
- All STIHL products have identical coverage regardless of seller
- Online purchases always have double warranty
- Warranty coverage may be affected, and the customer should verify authorized-dealer status (Correct answer)
- Warranties never apply to chainsaws
Correct answer: Warranty coverage may be affected, and the customer should verify authorized-dealer status
STIHL products are sold through authorized dealers, and purchases from unauthorized sellers can affect warranty support.
Question 5: During a busy season, a manager pressures a technician to skip post-repair safety checks. What should the technician do?
- Skip checks only on simple repairs
- Skip checks but note it in the file
- Let the customer perform the checks at home
- Complete the required safety checks despite the pressure (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Complete the required safety checks despite the pressure
Safety verification is non-negotiable; schedule pressure never justifies releasing potentially unsafe equipment.
Question 6: What is the ethical way to handle a customer's personal information collected during a warranty registration?
- Sell it to marketing partners for extra revenue
- Use it only for legitimate business purposes and protect it from unauthorized access (Correct answer)
- Share it freely with other customers
- Post service records publicly as testimonials
Correct answer: Use it only for legitimate business purposes and protect it from unauthorized access
Customer data must be safeguarded and used only for the purposes for which it was collected.
Question 7: A technician accidentally damages a customer's equipment during service. Professional standards require the technician to:
- Disclose the damage and arrange for it to be corrected at no cost to the customer (Correct answer)
- Return the unit and hope the customer doesn't notice
- Bill the customer for repairing the new damage
- Claim the damage existed at drop-off
Correct answer: Disclose the damage and arrange for it to be corrected at no cost to the customer
Honest disclosure and taking responsibility for shop-caused damage are basic requirements of professional integrity.
Stihl Professional Ethics & Standards 3
What is the primary ethical reason a STIHL dealer should sell protective apparel alongside power equipment?