Quantcast
Jump to content









The State of The Auto Repair Shop Industry in 2017


Recommended Posts

Struggling in today’s new economy, trying to build your car count and make the money you know you deserve while “big box” auto repair, new car dealers and that ‘price cutter’ down the street “eat your lunch?” If you’ve tried to grow your repair shop and profits but have failed, it may not be your fault. It could be you’re just using the wrong methods and tactics. 

You’ve heard that old adage “It’s not what you say… it’s how you say it”, right? Truth is, that applies to just about everything in life – and especially your marketing and advertising. 

There’s no shortage of schemes and scams sold as “new marketing ideas” along with “gurus” that go on and on with solutions as they tell you to “just send them a piece of mail”, or “just send them an email” or even “just send them a text” – but it’s the message that’s important – not the way you send it. 

So you’re left asking “Is it really is possible to grow your car count and profits?” It is, but first let me tell you a little about myself. 

I owned a repair shop just like you – and I struggled. In fact, I faced bankruptcy – looking it straight in the eye. It’s not pretty. It wasn’t until I focused on specific direct marketing strategies and developed a deeper understanding of ‘how customers think’ that I was able to turn my shop around and finally get what I wanted out of life.

Today, working strictly with auto repair shops to grow their business, I research and develop marketing strategies and tactics to the point it’s consumed and embarrassingly large amount of my time and energy. Family and friends say that my pursuit borders obsession. They’re wrong. I crossed the line long ago. 

I know of no subject more fascinating - yet often more confusing. The confusion is not only unfortunate; it’s largely unnecessary. 

In reality, given today’s fast pace world and unlimited opportunities, it has never been easier to stand out and steer clear of the 5 dangerous trends that each shop faces. It doesn’t require good looks, a silver tongue, charisma or a magnetic personality. It’s really simple when you cut through the smoke and mirrors. Cutting through the smoke is the hard part. 

In fact, if you haven’t grown your car count, profits and lifestyle to the level you want, it likely has nothing to do with you. It’s not your fault. 

Given the shell games of strategies being sold like “shovels and maps at the gold rush”, it’s a wonder we still have an independent repair shop industry at all. 

If this barrage of schemes, programs and complicated systems has left you more confused, take a deep breath and relax. We’ll take aim at this confusion, blow away the smoke and remove the mirrors and make things as simple as possible – and we can work miracles. 

But first – we must clear the smoke. 

When you get down to the “nitty gritty”, it’s all about direct response strategies. Thousands , or even hundreds of thousands of postcards sent to the wrong market with the wrong message can’t compare to a single well organized, tested and proven strategy. It’s those simple, effective and proven ways shop owners that know me make money every single month. 

How do they know they’re making money? They deploy simple systems and track everything - because the numbers don’t lie. Above that, those shop owners understand that there really are only 3 strategies repair shops need to focus on. 

Those 3 Strategies – known as “The Auto Shop Marketing Pyramid” cuts through the clutter and confusion that’s being pushed and sold to you – while making your marketing plan simple; regardless if you’re a new shop – or if you’ve been in business for years. (I cover that in detail in “The Auto Shop Owner’s Unfair Advantage” and you can get unlimited free access to Module 1 below.)

Don’t let yourself get caught chasing “shiny objects” and the latest “new-fangled-thing”. Marketing hasn’t changed in decades – delivery channels certainly have – but marketing hasn’t. 

Put your shop on a strict diet of “direct response marketing strategies” that work time and time again – and don’t get fooled by those “shiny objects” and so called authorities that lead you like a horse chasing a carrot. 
Hope this helps!

Matthew Lee
"The Car Count Fixer"

Get "The Official Guide to Auto Service Marketing"

Fix Your Car Count in 17 Minutes... Guaranteed!

The Shop Owner's Unfair Advantage FREE Access

Link to comment
Share on other sites










Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

         5 comments
      I recently spoke with a friend of mine who owns a large general repair shop in the Midwest. His father founded the business in 1975. He was telling me that although he’s busy, he’s also very frustrated. When I probed him more about his frustrations, he said that it’s hard to find qualified technicians. My friend employs four technicians and is looking to hire two more. I then asked him, “How long does a technician last working for you.” He looked puzzled and replied, “I never really thought about that, but I can tell that except for one tech, most technicians don’t last working for me longer than a few years.”
      Judging from personal experience as a shop owner and from what I know about the auto repair industry, I can tell you that other than a few exceptions, the turnover rate for technicians in our industry is too high. This makes me think, do we have a technician shortage or a retention problem? Have we done the best we can over the decades to provide great pay plans, benefits packages, great work environments, and the right culture to ensure that the techs we have stay with us?
      Finding and hiring qualified automotive technicians is not a new phenomenon. This problem has been around for as long as I can remember. While we do need to attract people to our industry and provide the necessary training and mentorship, we also need to focus on retention. Having a revolving door and needing to hire techs every few years or so costs your company money. Big money! And that revolving door may be a sign of an even bigger issue: poor leadership, and poor employee management skills.
      Here’s one more thing to consider, for the most part, technicians don’t leave one job to start a new career, they leave one shop as a technician to become a technician at another shop. The reasons why they leave can be debated, but there is one fact that we cannot deny, people don’t quit the company they work for, they usually leave because of the boss or manager they work for.
      Put yourselves in the shoes of your employees. Do you have a workplace that communicates, “We appreciate you and want you to stay!”
  • Similar Topics

    • By Joe Marconi

      Premium Member Content 

      This content is hidden to guests, one of the benefits of a paid membership. Please login or register to view this content.

    • By Changing The Industry
      Why You Cant Raise Your Price
    • By nptrb

      Premium Member Content 

      This content is hidden to guests, one of the benefits of a paid membership. Please login or register to view this content.

    • By Changing The Industry
      Shop Marketing Pros Live at L&N Auto
    • By carmcapriotto
      Thanks to our Partners, AAPEX, NAPA TRACS, and Automotive Management Network By leveraging tools like digital vehicle inspections (DVI) and customer relationship management (CRM) systems, businesses can significantly improve their operations and customer experience. These integrations allow for a more streamlined process, from diagnosing vehicle issues to maintaining consistent communication with clients. Ben Dexter, National Training Manager, NAPA TRACS Show Notes
      Ben's journey in the automotive industry (00:00:55) Ben's progression from service writer to National Training Manager and his experience in the automotive industry. Importance of shop management systems (00:02:04) The critical role of shop management systems in the automotive repair industry and the support provided by NAPA TRACS. Value of training (00:03:21) The significance of investing in training and the impact of leadership participation in training programs. Building customer rapport (00:11:22) Ben's approach to building customer rapport and the importance of effective communication and attention to customer needs. Significance of scheduling (00:13:12) The shift from reactive scheduling to a coordinated approach, addressing the issues of timely and accurate repairs through effective scheduling. The power of software integrations (00:15:37) The commitment to utilizing shop management software and the potential of integrations with other tools like DVI and CRM for business growth. Utilizing shop management systems (00:19:08) Encouraging the use of shop management systems and the availability of resources for business advancement. Role of technology in DVI (00:20:42) Discussion on the coordinated effort required for effective Digital Vehicle Inspections (DVI) and the benefits of real-time communication. Challenges in utilizing software (00:22:32) Exploring the reasons behind the underutilization of software tools and the need for effective leadership and training. Importance of testing and measuring (00:25:13) Highlighting the significance of testing and measuring business performance for improvement and growth. Communication and customer service (00:28:27) Emphasizing the importance of effective communication with customers to prevent unexpected breakdowns and enhance customer satisfaction. Impact of scheduling on service advisors (00:30:07) Discussing the influence of scheduling on service advisors' decision-making and the need for consistent customer recommendations. Rethinking business analysis (00:32:47) Encouraging a reevaluation of business statistics and reports to identify missed opportunities and improve overall business strategies. Morning Meetings and Reporting (00:33:21) Discussion on the importance of morning meetings, sales reporting by service writer, and constructive performance discussions. Maximizing Existing Resources (00:34:55) Emphasizing the significance of making the most of existing resources before seeking more car count. Linear Quantity Opportunities (00:36:32) Exploration of the linear quantity opportunities in parts matrix, addressing traditional matrix problems and opportunities for improvement. Commitment to Lifelong Learning (00:38:54) Highlighting the importance of lifelong learning for success in shop management and overall strategy. Thanks to our Partners, AAPEX, NAPA TRACS, and Automotive Management Network Set your sights on Las Vegas in 2024. Mark your calendar now … November 5th-7th, 2024. AAPEX - Now more than ever. And don’t miss the next free AAPEX webinar. Register now at http://AAPEXSHOW.COM/WEBINAR NAPA TRACS will move your shop into the SMS fast lane with onsite training and six days a week of support and local representation. Find NAPA TRACS on the Web at http://napatracs.com/ Get ready to grow your business with the Automotive Management Network: Find on the Web at http://AftermarketManagementNetwork.com for information that can help you move your business ahead and for the free and informative http://LaborRateTracker.com Connect with the Podcast: -Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RemarkableResultsRadioPodcast/ -Join Our Private Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1734687266778976 -Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/carmcapriotto -Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmcapriotto/ -Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/remarkableresultsradiopodcast/ -Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RResultsBiz -Visit the Website: https://remarkableresults.biz/ -Join our Insider List: https://remarkableresults.biz/insider -All books mentioned on our podcasts: https://remarkableresults.biz/books -Our Classroom page for personal or team learning: https://remarkableresults.biz/classroom -Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/carm -The Aftermarket Radio Network: https://aftermarketradionetwork.com -Special episode collections: https://remarkableresults.biz/collections            
      Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio


  • Similar Tagged Content

  • Our Sponsors










×
×
  • Create New...