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More Cars Or More Customers or What?

Joe Marconi

By Joe Marconi
in Running The Shop

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JustTheBest Rising Star

JustTheBest

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You're right! It's NOT 1995! Getting the typical customer in the door 3 times a year can be a struggle - never mind 5 or 6! But with that said, it always was and still is about car count. Call it cars - call it customers - you need the "churn". Without actually having customers, you've got nothing to measure.

Your entire post was a look at "what's going on" in your shop. Sure, you may be seeing a change in ARO - but because you've got the business, you've got something to compare to. 

That's why I was a little puzzled (by a recent post you made) about changing all the marketing you were doing - or eliminating some of it. I agree, we're in the middle of a pandemic and nobody has a playbook as to how this is going to work out - or what to do. 

Maybe this post should have been What are YOUR numbers? 

My issue always was that recession, depression or new competitors - you've got to keep up the grind. Not saying that you don't make changes - but you've got to stay in touch. 

Then - the key - which is what you've already proven is- you're got to track it. You're watching your numbers. At least you have the details and information to make good decisions. I can't tell you the shop owners I talk to that can't tell me their ARO, how many "real" customers in their database (no, the 9,000 people are just names and addresses) - or even access their customer list to do mailing or anything. 

So you can argue cars or customers. It doesn't matter - It's all about MEASURING. Unless you're MEASURING what you're doing - where things are going - and making decisions on the numbers, cars, customers or covid doesn't matter. 

Running a repair shop isn't a "what I feel like doing" type of business, but I still get surprised!

Hope this helps!
Matthew
"The Car Count Fixer"

P.S.: Join the conversation at YouTube at Car Count Hackers

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

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