Northeast States

Hello all, Our current supplier for shop supplies just announced a 25% increase on nitrile disposable gloves (Ouch), as well as a 10% increase on wiper blades and metal spin on filters. I have limited to no choice in forwarding these increases to customers. However, I am in the market of seeking other suppliers. What companies do you currently use for such stocked inventory? Any recommendations?  What are your thoughts in asking the techs to supply their own work gloves? Perhaps a non disposable nitrile grip?   Kind Regards,   Nick

I had a chance to look at your site and here's what I found.  First of all, I did see it on my desktop, but I checked it on my phone.  Why phone? Because Google says 82% of searches start on a mobile device. So it's fair to say that most are going to find you first on their phone, right? So where I did that, here's what I found: Your phone is NOT a clickable link. In other words, I have to search for a pen or pencil, something to write on and then scribble down your number BEFORE I can call you.  Your Phone number MUST be click to call, period.  Above that, I didn't find a map, hours, reviews, or coupons.  Think about this. Why would anyone search "auto repair louisville ky"? I don't think it's because they want to know how you're doing, do you? I think it's because they have a problem and the best part of that is that they have a problem and they DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TAKE THEIR CAR. Agreed?  So don't make them think. That is rule #1. So I tool a little time and checked... the menu pops up. Here's what it looks like: So the entire menu doesn't show up in one screen shot, but when I checked, I didn't find any of those other things.  So besides making your phone a clickable link, you should add what everyone wants to see: hours, map, reviews, coupons to name a few. Above that, I'll share this with you. It's virtually impossible to optimize one web page for more than 2-3 terms. And they should be related terms like check engine light, check engine light codes, check engine light diagnosis.  With that said, if you want to win, you have to make SPECIFIC LANDING PAGES for each service. Now I haven't done any research on your market, but you must do that so you know what people are searching for. The best part about that is the tools you need to do that are FREE. (Good price, huh?) I don't want to take up a lot of time here, but I detail it all in this video on CarCountHackers at YouTube. Above that, there's page title tags and meta descriptions that should be corrected. Pictures are not properly optimized for search either. I explain that in the video above too! Ooops! Wanted to check something out and when I click your services, there's no content. Page titles need some fixing there too.  Also, no schema data. That's what search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing) use to understand who you are and where you are.  If you want to come up for "NEAR ME" searched, it's critical.    Anyway, hope this helps. I am not trying to dump on you - but check the video out to figure out how to get found. Matthew "The Car Count Fixer" P.S.: Subscribe to Car Count Hackers on YouTube - Follow CarCountHackers on Facebook! P.P.S.: Double Your Car Count in 89 Days - FREE Course P.P.P.S.: Want to fix your car count fast? Just answer These Thee Questions      

@Mastermechanic took a peak at your site and a few things popped out. Something is up with your SSL because in google chrome your site is coming up insecure. Your repair quote form font on larger screens is too small Remove all the white space around your logo, it's way to big for a website 1500 px and causes it to be way to small in your header.  There are numerous font and layout opportunities. Update your copyright to 2019 Maybe try a different wordpress theme or update this one?   I edited your logo to 500px for you and have your son try that out. Its a png file like your original just cropped and resized. You'll see it'll look much better in the header. Here's a screenshot of the contact form text in Chrome, a bit small. I would also make that phone number clickable to a dialer.   Kudos to your son, looks like he's learning how to use wordpress!  

Your wordpress theme looks good and is pretty well optimized. Take a a look at some of minor source code errors, specifically with calling for the roboto font.  Looks good and even though your wordpress theme is using Yoast SEO plugin, you have an opportunity to edit your page title tags to be more descriptive like: </script><title>Home - Walt&#039;s Garage</title> and think about adding on all pages a description tag : <meta name="description" content="A page's description, usually one or two sentences."/> For the wordpress plugin you are using, here is a guide: https://yoast.com/meta-descriptions/ but keep in mind you can now go up to around 290 characters instead of the 155 listed. Looks good and looks like a repairshopwebsites theme. They usually cover all the bases with their clients. I'm not a fan of the pages ending in .html, but that's what they do. With this type of "cookie-cutter" website (which is fine) it's important to customize text as much as possible or they allow.

After speaking to a number of Euro & Specialty shops recently about executing targeted direct mail campaigns, I’ve realized there isn’t a clear understanding from the shop owners perspective about the capabilities and source of targeted auto lists. I hope to add some transparency to the subject here.  1.    What type of targeted auto data is available?  Below is a list of 6 categories available to select specific vehicles to target, with the top 3 being the most widely used. I have also attached a sample report that illustrates an example of data from a list that was run by make, model & year.  1.    Make 2.    Model 3.    Year 4.    Fuel Type 5.    Auto Class 6.    Auto Style 2.    Where does this information come from?  This seems to be the point of the most confusion. Targeted auto data is NOT available from any DMV. This is due to what is called the Shelby Act AKA Data Access Act. You can google Shelby Act and read a plethora of information about it on google.  Since the DMV does not release this data, the actual data that is available is compiled using multiple sources. The following list includes the primary sources of where this data is derived from. This list includes but is not limited to:   1.    Co-Registration: When someone goes to specific auto service businesses for example, they take down the vin number and car info and then sell this info the list        compilers. That is just one example. Over 90% of lists will come from service industries that report the vin info. Info is lacking on new models because they didn’t         go to a service provider that releases the data.  2.    Responder info: Someone who fills out form from a magazine, surveys, or forms they filled out     somewhere, etc.  3.    Online insurance quotes 4.    Warranty Companies 5.    Transactional data: If the consumer has purchased something for their car such as a stereo or running boards, etc.  6.    Major Car Clubs of America. 7.    Aftermarket Repair Companies 8.    Etc., 3. Questions to ask your direct mail &/Or List provider before purchasing a targeted vehicle mailing list. 1.    Is your list triple verified?  This means your list must have come from and have been verified by three sources in order for the record to be included. 2.    Is your list NCOA’d? To NCOA a list means to utilize the post office data to validate that the recipient’s name matches their current address. This ensures that the         owners of the vehicles haven't moved and are in fact located at the address confirmed.  3.    Is your List Shelby compliant? In summation, I can tell you first hand that not all list providers are created equal. I have personally vetted over 10 of the top list vendors to choose our resource for targeted lists. Therefore, my strong recommendation is to do your research, ask all of the questions listed above and get a list count from more than one vendor to compare.  I hope this helps and if there are any questions, please let message me.         Targeted List Example.xls

That exactly my point is. I agree with you view points. Automotive schools can also prove to be a haven of opportunities those of us who have a passion.

If I understand you right, you are asking IF high school auto shop classes are still important because of the advances and innovations in the automotive industries.  IF the classes are teaching students the skills and knowledge that the auto repair industry needs.  Estoy usando un servicio de traducción, no hablo o Leo español muy bien.  Si te entiendo correctamente, estás preguntando si las clases de taller de auto de la escuela secundaria siguen siendo importantes debido a los avances e innovaciones en las industrias automotrices.  Si las clases están enseñando a los estudiantes las habilidades y conocimientos que la industria de reparación de automóviles necesita.    I believe the value and quality of high school education classes for automotive techs is and will be directly connected to how involved we as an industry are with the curriculum and how well the classes are funded.  In years past, at least into the 1980's auto shop classes were where the "dumb" kids were dumped.  I mean how hard is it to pull bolts and change an alternator, right?  Well today, it can be a major project and the electrical testing to verify it's the alternator and not the PCM is not simple, it only seems that way to experienced techs.  But a professional grade scanner is required for proper diagnosis.  And those scanners are not cheap.  The auto shop class MUST have the resources (money) to invest in modern equipment and updates in order to properly train the students and render value and relevance to our industry.  That requires tax money and we know how people "think" we are taxed enough already. (that is another discussion for another time) If we continue with OUR ignorance of thinking our taxes are too high and expecting the government to do all of these things for us with less and less revenue (relative to the actual increasing costs of everything) we will never see the value that the government COULD provide much less have auto shop classes that are properly equipped to teach and train our future employees.  How valuable is a student leaving an auto shop class that only had a red brick scanner?  Incapable of teaching bidirectional controls on a late model car?  Any capable, competent full function scanner-only tool will cost around $3000 (or more) plus periodic updates, that is $3000 TAXPAYER dollars.  If we as an industry get involved, have a voice, are paid attention to and PAY for the value we expect then high school auto shop classes can have great value.  The students almost certainly will NOT come out fully capable to start work unsupervised, but at least we won't have to teach them to push a wrench with an open hand instead of wrapped around the tool to smash their fingers when it breaks loose or to start all bolts before tightening the first one.  When we ask them to install a vacuum gauge or a cooling system pressure tester they will know how to do it.  When we teach them, as we would even with a technical school (college) graduate the high school auto shop graduate will at least have an understanding and know what they are looking at when they learn something new.  For instance, when we teach them voltage drop they will know and understand how the meter works and what we are testing, maybe not WHY we are testing this way.   If we think that high school auto shop classes have no value or are "for the dumb kids" then we are selling ourselves short too.  Just as we sell our customers, VALUE is not a cheap price, it is the benefit you get from the money you spend.  To get true value out of our schools, not just auto shop class, we MUST spend money, we MUST invest resources including our time.  If we put into it what we want to get out of it, we will see value in high school auto shop classes.  But if we ignore the teacher, the curriculum, the students and the school, we will see and realize only failure.  Now don't get me wrong, I don't mean give the school a blank check or quit your job and become a teacher or spend every day bugging the teacher, but be available to offer guidance, to give unsolicited suggestions and yes, to pay taxes to support the school that you and I and all Auto Shop Owners members benefit from the students that are educated there. What I mean is like in your business, you invest in tools and equipment that you think will grow your business, increase your revenue (and hopefully profits) and the same goes for the school, INVEST in the students so they can be of value to your business, even if it's only as an educated, income earning customer.  If you don't see a value or benefit from the high school auto shop classes, if you haven't been involved, then you are part of the problem and could be part of the solution.  If you don't see a value or benefit from the high school auto shop classes and you have been involved, then maybe it's time to ask for advice from fellow colleagues on how to try and change the curriculum, approach the board or change the board so they are responsive to the needs of the industry their classes are supposed to be benefiting.  And of course coach the board how to spend the money they have for auto shop class tools and equipment more efficiently to gain the most value from it, just like you do in your own business.  The underlying theme, if you haven't guessed, is industry involvement, as a resource for not only knowledge, guidance, finances and emerging trends/needs.    I know I touched the third rail here so if anyone disagrees with me, please make your replies IN CONTEXT and well explained so we can understand your viewpoint and its foundation and maybe engage in more than a "witty one liner" discussion.  Thank you.

Innovations in the automotive industry have gradually transformed,so with the high school education(automotive repairs programs ) is important for automotive industries ?