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Pep Boys Considers Closing 63 Stores

Joe Marconi

By Joe Marconi
in Automotive News

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Gonzo Grand Master

Gonzo

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Posted

They really didn't give a reason for low sales. Ya think people are getting tired of going back for repairs? Could it be the cheap parts and cheap labor...then again, it could be any other reason you could think of too. How about Auto Zone...??? Profits up or down?

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Gonzo Grand Master

Gonzo

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Posted

O'Reillys called me the other day and told me they are no longer doing PCM reflashing in their stores. They said there were too many problems with the system and the company that supported their equipment isn't going to update the equipment. So, they told me they are going to refer all their customers to my shop. Yea... I think....?!?!? Had a couple of calls already but they are expecting it to be free because they bought the computer at O'Reillys. Ah... 'fraid not.

 

All I can say is get used to Mr. General Public. Part stores are changing their standards and a lot of the things they used to do are going to revert back to repair shops ... again.

 

Check your local O'Reillys and see if the same thing is happening in your area.

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  • 5 months later...
alfredauto Experienced

alfredauto

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Posted

I worked for pep boys for 7 years or so, my stock yo yo - d from $2 to $15 per share, up down up down some things never change. They sent me to sunroof school, that idea didn't go too well. People brought in new cars and they had me cut roofs to install $299 sunroofs, at pep boys, think about that for a minute.

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

    • Joe Marconi
      Want to End Your Technician Shortage? Focus on Retention!
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      I recently spoke with a friend of mine who owns a large general repair shop in the Midwest. His father founded the business in 1975. He was telling me that although he’s busy, he’s also very frustrated. When I probed him more about his frustrations, he said that it’s hard to find qualified technicians. My friend employs four technicians and is looking to hire two more. I then asked him, “How long does a technician last working for you.” He looked puzzled and replied, “I never really thought about that, but I can tell that except for one tech, most technicians don’t last working for me longer than a few years.”
      Judging from personal experience as a shop owner and from what I know about the auto repair industry, I can tell you that other than a few exceptions, the turnover rate for technicians in our industry is too high. This makes me think, do we have a technician shortage or a retention problem? Have we done the best we can over the decades to provide great pay plans, benefits packages, great work environments, and the right culture to ensure that the techs we have stay with us?
      Finding and hiring qualified automotive technicians is not a new phenomenon. This problem has been around for as long as I can remember. While we do need to attract people to our industry and provide the necessary training and mentorship, we also need to focus on retention. Having a revolving door and needing to hire techs every few years or so costs your company money. Big money! And that revolving door may be a sign of an even bigger issue: poor leadership, and poor employee management skills.
      Here’s one more thing to consider, for the most part, technicians don’t leave one job to start a new career, they leave one shop as a technician to become a technician at another shop. The reasons why they leave can be debated, but there is one fact that we cannot deny, people don’t quit the company they work for, they usually leave because of the boss or manager they work for.
      Put yourselves in the shoes of your employees. Do you have a workplace that communicates, “We appreciate you and want you to stay!”

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