Hiring & Firing Employees

Hello everyone.  First and foremost, we hope that you, your family, your team members and your business are doing as well as one can expect in this new reality that is taking us down an unbelievably difficult time in our history. We have some updates and some news we want to share with you. News: While the world has come to a halt, we have certainly felt the change in direction at our facility in Linden NJ.  However, the average RO numbers we are seeing, are nothing short of remarkable for the work we have put into this endeavor. Average Service Request (RO), W/O Tax: $𝟕𝟗𝟕.𝟒𝟎 - These are our numbers for the month of March in the year 2020. We think that number speaks volumes to anyone who runs a shop and is trying to figure out how to build value for themselves, their team and their customers. We are NOT a Euro shop, although we work on a few of them.  We are not a fleet king servicing the many fleets available.  We have a healthy balance of customers that trust us enough to do what we do best... keep their car running in immaculate form. We are the least expensive system that offers the ability to invoice customers (Digitally and Paper) with a full DVI system attached to it. Our plans start at $69.99 and $119.99 for a 5 team member facility.  You will not find a better value anywhere in the industry for shop management than what we offer with one system.   Updates: Removal of Completed / Completed & Paid From Plain View:    When you press the dashboard icon, you may notice that you are missing a bunch of Service Requests.   You're not missing them, they have been hidden from plain view and can easily be brought back.   Notice anything new, like that red line of text?   Note: This list EXCLUDES Completed service requests.     Clicking on it will cause it to turn green and read:   Note: This list now INCLUDES Completed Service Requests.   Hours & Minutes:    Jobs that run over 24 hours, no longer display "Days" that correspond to hours.   Easy Check - Add New Customer:    In an on going effort to improve our process, we have added "Add New Customer" to the "Easy Check In" flow.  This will allow you to add anyone not on the platform, and then proceed to add their vehicle and start a service request or make a future appointment.       Administrators Can Now Delete & Reopen Service Requests:    Based on learning more about how we each function every day in our facilities, we have decided to add the ability to soft delete service requests from appearing in the list that employees see.  With that also comes the ability to to correct a mistake on an invoice, without reaching out to us.  A snapshot of the service request is taken prior to being reopened.      CAR Mobile Display:   We've been working really hard on our mobile display as well.   There are no pages that should require you to pan right anymore.  Everything should be contained within the window you are in on your mobile device.     We are continuing to make significant strides in our product, through your crucial feedback.  We appreciate every bit of advice you give us on how to make CAR better for you and the community overall.  Please don't hesitate to share with us.

Complimentary Webinar - Handling Staffing and Unemployment Issues During COVID-19 Guidance from Top Employment Experts  We know how difficult it has been for shop owners to navigate through the employment issues that have come with COVID-19, so we decided that we needed to help. Elite has arranged for SESCO Management Consultants, the top experts in HR and Employment Law when it comes to auto repair shops, to hold a special session to help shop owners through the greatest COVID-19 employment challenges.    In light of what the industry is going through, we've arranged for this session to be held free of charge.     Join us next Tuesday (4/7) at 10:00 Pacific Time, and learn:  How to ensure you're complying with the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Paid Family Leave).    Everything you need to know about employer and employee coverage    The most important considerations when it comes to leave use and pay requirements    How to sort through staffing, unemployment and other operational issues    The answers to any questions you may have Seating is limited, so Click Here to reserve your spot today.   Wishing you the best,   Your Friends at Elite

I think we can COUNT on it (parts shortages). Oh, that and higher prices. Having said that, I believe we'll be well positioned as an industry because as the government slows down the printing presses, people will fix up 'Ol Betsy rather than buy a new car they can't afford. Debt is dumb and cash is king but anyway you slice it, it's a house of cards.  

I got a few responses but nothing overwhelming.  FNGJWS I do wonder if the parts are going to stop rolling. I know the dealers around me let go of every single car salesman, and half their service center staff, half or more of the parts staff.

Interesting that no one has brought up the subject of parts availability. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if we start seeing spot shortages of parts in a matter of days, not weeks, and I fully anticipate that if we "flipped the switch" tomorrow and informed the world that it was okay to come out and play, that it would take many, many months for repair parts and tire inventory to return to normal. I'm anticipating a storage lot FULL of vehicles awaiting alternators, tensioners, water pumps, front end and brake components, PCM's, you name it. We don't make anything here anymore in our beloved country. We sold our soul to the devil years ago and now we are going to reap the "rewards". Too bad we have helped develop the economies of our adversaries on the other side of the world rather than our struggling neighbors here in our own hemisphere. You know, the hard working people who share our values (or what USED to be our values--hard work, sacrifice, providing a better future for our children, etc.), worship the same God, and speak the same language? Alright, alright, at least it's Latin based but you take my point. Forgive my rant, I'm just afraid of the debt TSUNAMI that is headed our way and the way in which those who wish us ill are going to take advantage of our greed and short-sightedness. Hold onto your butts, it's going to be a bumpy ride. Just my dos centavos worth.

I just wanted to share my experience today.  I took the advice and emailed all of the documents for the SBA Disaster loan to [email protected] .  I received an automated reply :   Automatic reply: Small Business Disaster Loan Application   Thank you for reaching out to the U.S. Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center. If you are attempting to submit an application for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan as a result of COVID-19, please visit our new streamlined application page and apply at https://covid19relief.sba.gov/.   If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reach back out to us via email, or call our Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call (800) 877-8339.   Thank you in advance for your patience,   SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center   I went to the link above and is was automated application (all questions that were on the paper form were asked).  Once completed I received the following.   I just wanted to share my experience!  Thank you for all of your support!  

@bantar Thank you so much for this information!  It is greatly appreciated and I will email and mail the documents requested asap! I did breathe a bit easier after reading the post you shared concerning the approval.  Again, thank you so much for your time to share!

I do remember reading that some businesses are already engaged and making progress, but I don't remember the specifics.  Here's another resource that is chock full of information from other small businesses of all types.   Check it out:   https://www.reddit.com/r/smallbusiness/ I did at least find someone who has completed the process:  When the Disaster loan website started, the process included creating an account, then providing all documents.  Later, the business would receive an email with some confirmation that it was received. I guess this was overwhelming.  They've changed it to download the applications and submit it "blindly" by uploading your documents.   The latter process is not sending out emails.    Someone posted a note about not using the blind upload process, but instead suggests mailing documents to [email protected] : It may not really be necessary to panic because one person answering the phones at SBA didn't understand how the blind upload queue is being handled / processed.   All in all, things are moving so fast, that clarity and surety are both lacking.