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Am I missing anything and a couple questions

torquedwrench
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torquedwrench Rookie

torquedwrench

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Hi everyone. I'm the business arm of a very new (Not even open yet) mobile auto repair business in a very rural area. I really just wanted to bounce a few ideas off of everyone, and get some input on what I have so far. We are starting on a shoe string, but Insurance and other fun expensive things are taken care of. Right now for work orders and labor times we're using Real Time Labor guide (Remember we're on a shoestring for these things but would love any recommendations on cheap SMS with more features 😂 ) Google calendar for scheduling and google voice to ring all the partner's numbers so someone can always answer. As of right now, my main problem is trying to source parts. The only parts store we have is a small Auto Value that I'll be talking to the owner of on monday because Auto Values websites seem to be beyond useless. All other parts stores are 40 or more miles away, although there is an oreilly's close to the edge of our service area so they could be used for some. Anybody have any suggestions on this or have any experience dealing with Auto Value? Any other suggestions are super welcome and I thank you all very much.

Jay Huh Rising Star

Jay Huh

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I have never heard of Auto Value. I can't even begin to imagine your struggle with not having any parts stores nearby. We have 4-5 stores at both locations that deliver within 15min. 

When I was mobile, I used to pick up parts on the way to the appointment. Problem with that is sometimes, customer tells you it's brakes but it's something else. Or doing brakes and caliper is seized... 

It might have to be a 2 trip repair... one day to diag and another day to install. Amazon.com has amazing prices and bc they are so cheap, you can mark them up quite a bit. I personally would love to use amazon for parts but 95% of our repairs are same day. 

Oreilly delivers so make a commercial account and wherever your hub is (your house) have them deliver there. When I started out with mobile, I put my home address as the shop address. Even after opening a physical location, they keep coming to my house! Apparently it's a pain to change it in the system and they have to remember to take it to my shop address lol

Jay Huh Rising Star

Jay Huh

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Also I definitely understand being on a shoestring budget.... really really do because I was there about a year and a half ago. I also started out with no capital and mobile.  I strongly strongly strongly recommend that you get Identifix if you have more than 3 customers a week. If it's only like 1 customer a week, it'll be hard to get.

Identifix has labor times along with factory service manuals. Has all the info you need. Chilton labor time is what they use and generally higher than mitchcell or alldata.

 

The BEST feature of identifix is the common fixes- this will save you A LOT OF TIME. We still diagnose but 90% of the time, it ends up being what people on Identifix has found to be the common problem. PM me if you have any specific questions. Not sure how many people have been mobile on this site but there are distinct situations of being mobile that a shop owner would not understand

 

 

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torquedwrench Rookie

torquedwrench

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Thank you so much for the Reply Jay. Amazon is definitely on the list for repairs scheduled a couple days out, as much as I'm not a huge fan of corporate big box stores it's really hard to beat their prices and Prime shipping. As far as Oreilly's goes, I've been waiting for an email back about my account approval for over a week, I'll probably just burn some gas on Monday and go visit one of the stores and see if I can figure anything out.

10 hours ago, Jay Huh said:

I strongly strongly strongly recommend that you get Identifix

 That one is actually on my list, I need to call the rep back tomorrow as I forgot until you mentioned it. My eyes and brains are all buggy from talking to sales reps for all the programs I've wanted to try. Would be nice if they'd just put pricing on the sites so a person would know if it's even in the budget or if they're wasting time by contacting, probably have almost 100 hours already listening to pitches from these company's that I come to find out is way beyond our means at the moment.

 

10 hours ago, Jay Huh said:

It might have to be a 2 trip repair... one day to diag and another day to install

I'm glad you said this, it's actually how we were planning on running it, unless the customer is stuck in the parking lot at work and is willing to pay extra for us to get same day parts as it would involve one of us making a good long trip (If we could even get them)

One other question, do you happen to know a way to search multiple parts stores at once? I know it's a feature of some of the more expensive SMS's but I was wondering if anyone had any other resources as this would cut down on order time tremendously for us since we have different parts stores to the north and south but both quite far away.

Jay Huh Rising Star

Jay Huh

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8 minutes ago, torquedwrench said:

Thank you so much for the Reply Jay. Amazon is definitely on the list for repairs scheduled a couple days out, as much as I'm not a huge fan of corporate big box stores it's really hard to beat their prices and Prime shipping. As far as Oreilly's goes, I've been waiting for an email back about my account approval for over a week, I'll probably just burn some gas on Monday and go visit one of the stores and see if I can figure anything out.

 That one is actually on my list, I need to call the rep back tomorrow as I forgot until you mentioned it. My eyes and brains are all buggy from talking to sales reps for all the programs I've wanted to try. Would be nice if they'd just put pricing on the sites so a person would know if it's even in the budget or if they're wasting time by contacting, probably have almost 100 hours already listening to pitches from these company's that I come to find out is way beyond our means at the moment.

 

I'm glad you said this, it's actually how we were planning on running it, unless the customer is stuck in the parking lot at work and is willing to pay extra for us to get same day parts as it would involve one of us making a good long trip (If we could even get them)

One other question, do you happen to know a way to search multiple parts stores at once? I know it's a feature of some of the more expensive SMS's but I was wondering if anyone had any other resources as this would cut down on order time tremendously for us since we have different parts stores to the north and south but both quite far away.

You can haggle Identifix down to $139/mo. I think it's $189 otherwise.

When your account rep for Oreilly sets you up- it will have an online portion where you login and order parts. It'll tell you if they have part in stock or is in the district. We have Advance Auto, Oreilly and Napa up at all times to look up parts that way. My SMS has an integrated feature that looks up all the parts at once but I just do it this way

Jay Huh Rising Star

Jay Huh

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1 minute ago, torquedwrench said:

Thanks once again Jay. Do you use the Identifix SMS or do you just use the repair module. I think one is called Direct hit and one is Direct shop.

 

I just use Idnetifix and not the Direct hit shop. For SMS I use shopboss.com- best sms out there in my opinion and low cost too

torquedwrench Rookie

torquedwrench

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1 minute ago, bantar said:

Hi torquedwrench, are you KingOfTheCouch13 on reddit starting a mobile Uber for Mechanics business?

I am not. Although it's an interesting idea but wouldn't do well in my area :D

  • 1 month later...
jfuhrmad Enthusiast

jfuhrmad

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Hi torquedwrench,

First of all, good luck with your new venture.  I hope it goes well for you.  I can tell you that AutoValue is my primary supplier and they are awesome.  Not sure if all their stores are like mine, but mine is faster, smarter, more organized, more reliable and more stable than the NAPA, O-Reilly's, and Advance we have in town.  Plus, in the last year they have overhauled their vendors and carry some really high quality product lines that you've probably never heard of.  They aren't very marketing savvy so they don't look all flashy like O'Reilly's or Advance but their operations are smooth and well-oiled.

 

As for their website, I know their old website was a pain for ordering, but their new one isn't too bad.  Well, at least the variation that integrates with Mitchell1 isn't too bad.  I also want to 2nd Jay on Identifix.  It will more than pay for itself especially for doing mobile repairs.

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    • Joe Marconi
      The Technician Shortage Is Our Fault, And It's Time We Own It
      By Joe Marconi in Joe's Blog
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      The Technician Shortage Is Our Fault, And It's Time We Own It
      Nearly every day, I hear shop owners complain: "There's a technician shortage. We can't find qualified people. There's no one out there." If that's true, then who's to blame?
      The industry? The schools? The government? I don't know how you feel, but who promised us an endless supply of qualified technicians?
      Another common complaint is that young people do not want to work in the trades. Well, if that were true, then why are other trades such as HVAC, electrical, and plumbing growing? What are they doing that the automotive industry is not? 
      Here's the reality we need to face: We do have a problem, but we shouldn't look for someone or any entity to rescue us. Not the government. Not the trade schools. Not the recruiting companies. No one owes us a workforce. If we want great people in our industry, it's up to us. At some point, we need to own up to the truth: Building a pipeline of qualified technicians is our responsibility.
      In this blog article, I will break down the key reasons we are in this situation today and what we, as an industry, can do to solve the technician shortage. Are you ready to look in the mirror?
      Have We Pushed Technicians Away?
      Let's take a look at flat-rate pay. True flat rate, which pays a technician only for the hours they produce, is a controversial pay plan that emphasizes high production levels and creates a competitive work environment that, if not properly controlled, can lead to increased mistakes and a decline in morale and team spirit. Additionally, the stress and physical demands placed on technicians as they age are not favorable to long-term employee retention. What do we do with technicians as they grow older into their fifties and begin to slow down? 
      I have heard all the arguments and pros and cons of flat-rate pay, and I am not going to judge any pay plan. Let the facts speak for themselves. True flat rate has changed in most areas around the country and has evolved into a pay plan that gives technicians some pay guarantee.
      Many shop owners have learned that team morale, along with the opportunity to earn income, is important to technicians and to the company's long-term success. But let me ask you: how many technicians have left or been pushed out over the years because of the old flat-rate pay system?
      Another issue is the workplace environment. I remember being grateful to be hired as a young technician at a local repair shop. While very thankful, the work environment was not ideal. The shop owner kept the bay doors open year-round (I am from New York) unless it rained or snowed. He felt that if the bay doors were closed, customers might think we were closed for business. We had no heat and no hot water. Many of the jobs were done outside, year-round,  in all types of weather. The starting pay was minimum wage, with no benefits, sick days, or vacation pay. 
      Now, again, I need to point out that I was truly grateful for the opportunity this shop owner gave me. I learned a lot working there, and the experience was pivotal in my career. But looking back, I wonder how many people were discouraged by these working conditions?
      While the physical demands of the repair workplace are daunting, perhaps even more critical is the culture. Too many of my generation shop owners preached the mindset of "my way or the highway." We were the business owners, after all. We started our companies, took all the risks, and provided jobs. Why shouldn't we be the ones to set the ground rules our way?   
      Many of us found over the years that the "my way or the highway" mentality was a sure way to isolate employees and make them more likely to look over the fence for greener grass. In other words, it led many technicians to seek employment elsewhere, where they felt they could be appreciated and recognized for their hard work. The issue, however, was that there wasn't much green grass around. Disappointment after disappointment, bouncing from repair to repair shop, eventually led to despair. So, I ask you: were workplace conditions a contributing factor in today's technician shortage?
      Another factor that we are all well aware of is the complexity of the modern automobile. When I started, the work was mostly physical, and you were required to master essentially three vehicle models: General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. Let's fast-forward to today. The evolution of automotive technology, along with the extensive training and tools required, has outpaced the typical technician's pay compensation, with no clear career path. Again, leading to frustration and insecurity about the future.
      Here is the bottom line: people don't leave their job; they leave their experience. We must do a better job. 
      The News Isn't all Bad; Your Next Steps to Fix the Technician Shortage
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      When it comes to culture, this is where the rubber hits the road. People crave recognition, praise, and a sense of purpose. Despite what you hear, people are not just money-motivated. Once people feel secure in their financial situation, retaining and motivating technicians can only be achieved by connecting with them on an emotional level. You cannot show enough appreciation. Give out praise for a job well done as if your business depended on it, because it does.
      As technicians age, we need to have a place for them. Expecting a 58-year-old to perform like a 35-year-old is unrealistic. We need to be more focused on career pathing. Provide training, skill development, and coaching to develop leaders and mentors within our older workforce. While their bodies may have slowed, the knowledge they have gained is priceless. 
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      Lastly, don't get left behind. Commit to ongoing training for all your employees. Keep up to date with tools and equipment tailored to your business model. Don't try to be all things to all people and all vehicles. Identify your core profile customer and the vehicles they drive, and become an expert on those vehicles and the services you offer.

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