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Posted

My "Winterize Special" consists of Radiator Flush and Fill with New Anti-Freeze, check belts and hoses, pressure test, check heat temperature, check battery and charging system.

 

ONLY $99.95

 

This includes up to two gals. of antifreeze

 

Please remember to use the word "anti-freeze" instead of coolant. FYI, many people nowadays think coolant is FREON, but I always say "anti-freeze" in cold weather. Also notice that I use the word "radiator" instead of cooling system, because most everybody knows what a radiator is.

 

This special opens the door for batteries and battery services, thermostats, water pumps, radiators, belts, hoses, heater cores, etc.

 

Hi-Gear

  • Like 1
Posted

Thanks for the info John . Another question for you John who does your web page and how much does it cost you ?

 

someone who is taking to long, not doing a good job and charging way to much.

  • Like 1
Posted

 

someone who is taking to long, not doing a good job and charging way to much.

I was thinking about having my wife do mine also. Thanks for reminding me why I haven't.

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

Posted

Car-x who does your coupons or what program do you use? id like to be able to have nice looking coupons like that. thanks.

 

This was done by our local newspaper with artwork we supplied.

Posted

What fall specials have you used and worked well for your shop? Detail what your specials consisted of and what you charged.

 

What is your intention for putting together specials? In other words, what is the

reason you're wanting to come up with some specials?

 

Are you wanting to attract new customers?

 

Or get your existing customers to come back in sooner than their next oil change?

 

If you could post your answers to those questions, we could help you come up

with something that's going to help you make money.

 

 

Posted

Hey Elon i am a one man shop so its really hard to do everything as checking my customers in being a service writer to the work and every thing in between. i just would like to make sure im not leaving money on the table with not

saleing to my customers i have now and would always like to attract new customers as well. Im not great at being a service write but in learning every day so i could use all the help i can get.

Posted

Thanks for providing some insight as to what you're trying to do. That helps.
Based on that, I have a couple more questions.

Are you thinking that while you have that customer in there for an oil

change or whatever they came in for... that you could upsell them to a

fall special?

 

I see you have posted on your yelp page that you do an inspection when

your customers come in:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/lakeside-tire-and-lube-dawsonville

What is your current process for this? In other words, what kind of

conversations are you typically having with customers about these inspections?

Posted

Ok Elon .The sad thing is i pretty much wing it at this point. I have tried paper inspection sheets and as of late ive tried the Mighty Auto Parts paperless inspection on my Ipad. The problem is there has never been a inspection used here so im very new at it and im not sure the best way to implement this.

Posted

That's fine. We were all winging it at one time, until we got a little help.
One of my mentors used to say to me: "every master was once a disaster."
And that pretty much summed up my experience whenever I tried something new.

Inspections are a big subject but here's the down and dirty, condensed
version that can at least get you started, in thinking about them.

Inspections are required in order to service today's customers properly.

Here's why: The average age of the vehicles on the road today is 11 1/2 years old.
That's the oldest they've ever been in the history of the automobile.

That's a lot of mileage being racked up and a lot of parts wearing out and
failing every day. The problem is: your customers do not know what they need
to do to maintain their vehicle properly.

Here's what your customers know. It doesn't matter whether they are male or female,
most of them only know three things about their vehicle.

They know they have to but gas in it constantly, change the oil occasionally and
buy tires periodically. Everything else is a mystery and something to be dreaded.

They need a professional to take care of them. That's where you come in.

There's a number of other questions I would like to ask you about your situation.
Look for a message from me in your private messages.

Posted

Something I use and that I can easily measure results is Demandforce post cards. http://www.demandforce.com/product/value-added-services/postcards/

 

I send them out to the customers that I don't have their email addresses, for example now for the holidays I sent Halloween, Thanksgiving and now Christmas cards with a $20 off their next transaction. It cost me $0.79 per card, but the return on the investment more than pays off for the campaign.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

If youre looking for something fresh and modern to make your marketing materials, I sometimes use canva.com. A lot of the pieces and artwork there are free, and the templates are beautiful and not your typical ad/coupon design. I use this when my graphic designer cousin is too busy lol.

  • Like 2

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

         0 comments
      It always amazes me when I hear about a technician who quits one repair shop to go work at another shop for less money. I know you have heard of this too, and you’ve probably asked yourself, “Can this be true? And Why?” The answer rests within the culture of the company. More specifically, the boss, manager, or a toxic work environment literally pushed the technician out the door.
      While money and benefits tend to attract people to a company, it won’t keep them there. When a technician begins to look over the fence for greener grass, that is usually a sign that something is wrong within the workplace. It also means that his or her heart is probably already gone. If the issue is not resolved, no amount of money will keep that technician for the long term. The heart is always the first to leave. The last thing that leaves is the technician’s toolbox.
      Shop owners: Focus more on employee retention than acquisition. This is not to say that you should not be constantly recruiting. You should. What it does means is that once you hire someone, your job isn’t over, that’s when it begins. Get to know your technicians. Build strong relationships. Have frequent one-on-ones. Engage in meaningful conversation. Find what truly motivates your technicians. You may be surprised that while money is a motivator, it’s usually not the prime motivator.
      One last thing; the cost of technician turnover can be financially devastating. It also affects shop morale. Do all you can to create a workplace where technicians feel they are respected, recognized, and know that their work contributes to the overall success of the company. This will lead to improved morale and team spirit. Remember, when you see a technician’s toolbox rolling out of the bay on its way to another shop, the heart was most likely gone long before that.
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