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Hello, from McKinney TX

bantar

By bantar
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bantar

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Hi Guys. I've been lurking for quite a while, absorbing as much goodness as possible. Been trying to open a shop for the last 2.5 years and I've run into more road blocks than a collapsed mountain pass. I'm bruised but still moving forward. McKinney is a northern suburb of Dallas. One of the major challenges is finding a quality location for an auto-shop. Not welcome in many shopping centers, or too near residential, etc. Finally found a spot at what I believe will be a busy and frequented intersection in a high-end demographic. We broke ground in December and hope to be open late summer. It is a Kwik Kar store, which appears to be a franchise, but it's not. They license their name, build the stores, and sell supplies. I own the land and soon a building. I have no franchise fees, nor am I obligated to purchase anything from them, nor do I get corporate oversight (beyond maintaining the brand positively). 4 bays will be quick lube and 6 are for repair. In this market, it is a respected brand. But, I'll be honest, amongst others in the trade, it's not spoken of highly due to the quick-lube business. Where it matters, with customers, as best I can tell, it is respected.

 

My focus will be on quality repairs. I expect the business to be 50/50 lube/repair, but 90/10 with car counts. When I first started looking at this, I thought that we needed another honest shop, but as I studied it more, I've come to realize that the market is dying to have another competent shop. I've been secretly shopping many different places and I've seen poor quality work being done for very honest reasons. While I'm there, I talk to anyone and everyone that will speak with me. And I was surprised by what I've found. The need for competency, and I put this blame squarely on the management. A great technician at a bad shop is not at his full potential.

 

I'll say that I've learned quite a bit from reading the forums here and over at another technician forum. I feel like a paper tiger with all that I've learned (just about to walk into a paper shredding museum). I want to thank each of you for your contributions here. I've certainly valued your input. I'll try to share what I can and give back to the community as well.

 

--brian

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    • Joe Marconi
      The Toolbox is Last to Leave, First is the Heart
      By Joe Marconi in Joe's 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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