I didn't watch your whole video, but with what you were saying about bridgstone that is something I have done since day one of working as a mechanic. I have never ever pushed up sales and always made recommendations in order of priority. I have been working at the same shop for almost 26 years and always stay busy with many many loyal customers . I was thinking of opening my own shop, but with the way the industry is going and all the lack of laws and regulations of auto motive repair thinking that a small business now a days will be too hard to get going. Not to mention the lack of "seasoned" mechanics out there. I don't think the shop I work at has had a certified mechanic in the last 12-15 years. I have been an ase certified master for many years with my L1 , state inspection license and master emission repair license. Sometimes I think keeping up the certifications is a waste of time.. Yes I know my trade very well, but I don't think pulling a shop off is something that can be done in the dire times of the industry

Customers are searching for shops that can be trusted and will treat them fairly.

If you're staying busy with many loyal customers, that's evidence that your

customers trust you to help them maintain their vehicles.

 

As for opening a shop...

In my opinion, this is one of the biggest opportunities for shop owners, who

understand customer loyalty is the name of the game. So, you've got that

part down.

 

There are many people that blame failure on lack of laws and regulations,

in the auto repair industry. The truth is: unlicensed shops are not the

cause of lack of sales. It's lack of trust (as you've already discovered).

 

There is heavy competition for seasoned techs. If you set yourself apart,

as a shop owner, who treats his/her employees with respect, you'll have

a waiting list of employees, wanting to work with you.

 

And with the proper sales training, to make sure you know what customers

need to hear and what they need to see, in order to choose your shop

over all of their other choices...

 

And with a marketing plan that is based on getting a fast return on

investment, you'll be in a good position for success.

 

If you ever want to talk about your plans or you want someone to bounce

some ideas off, feel free to contact me.

Thanks Elon I am still up in the air about opening a shop or just turning wrenches. I am 43 so It is at the point where I either do it or just turn wrenches.. Being at the same shop for almost 26 years I have seen many techs and owners come and go. Many different ideas on how the shop should run, but I never ever changed the way I did things. I told them if they didn't like it let me go, of course I am still there and doing things the same way I have for as long as I have been fixing cars.. One of my biggest fears is getting good techs, I feel that they would hate me because I can't stand mechanics that are just in it for their pockets and don't give a damn about the customers ( seeing how much you can get out of a customer) , shoddy work, etc. It drives me up a wall, not to mention all the youtube mechanics out there. By that I mean the ones that watch youtube videos on how to fix a car. UNREAL ! in my 26 years I have seen so many so called good mechanics who were worthless. so that puts a huge black cloud on my plans for opening a shop. It is very hard when you push yourself to be the best , be at the top of your game and want the business to thrive even though it is not your own business. Just to have incompetent money gouging crooks out there even working in the same shop who just don't give a rats ass about the customers!

The best time to find out if everyone is on the same page, is when interviewing

people. Many shop owners only ask questions about the technical end of things.

 

They skip the other subjects, which need to be discussed, such as the ones

you're describing. In other words, if an employee has been taught one way

of doing things, such as "seeing how much you can get out of a customer",

it may be a breath of fresh air to work in a shop that believes in treating

the customer right.

Or as you describe, they may not be a match for your shop, if they want

to sell things TODAY... that really aren't due for 90-120 days out, for example.

Either way, the best time to find out those things out, is in the interview.

By the way, if your shop has a revolving door of owners, maybe you are

in a good place if the opportunity to change ownership shows up again.