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Labor $$ - More Important than ever!


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From as far back as I can remember, labor has always been an issue. As and industry, we have struggled to get paid properly for the work we do.  And those shops that understand how critical labor is, are the shops that have done quite well.  

In today's auto repair shop world; Getting the right labor dollars is no longer a buzz topic or debate- Labor dollars will be the salvation of your business. Labor translates into profit, and will also allow you to build for the future and to attract the quality people we need in our industry. 

If you don't know what your labor should be, you need to find out.  Don't call ABC Auto, down the street to ask him. The odds are he did not do the math. Plus his expenses are not the same as yours.

Depending on what you pay your techs, your overhead, and knowing your numbers will determine your labor rate.  I can tell you that there are shops that are paying techs a very good wage and those shops are getting $135 to $150 per hour, and more.  That is not a typo.  And there are shops that have multi-tier rates. So, for Diag and labor jobs that have no parts associated with the repair, their labor is much higher than their standard labor.  It's fair, it's honest and it's time we all raise the bar. 

Please, do the math, get help and make sure your labor is right for your shop. 

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I want to clarify something.  I stated in the above post that many shops are getting $135 to $150 per hour.  I am not implying in any way that this is too high or unreasonable. In fact, as an industry we need to raise the average labor rate across the board in this nation.

What I am saying is that you need to sit down and do the math.  Find out what your labor rate should be by determining your overall cost of labor and your expenses; and then adding your desired net profit. Also, I recommend you have multi-tier rates.  So, a C-level tech performing oil changes and general service is billed at your standard labor rate and an A-level Master Tech performing complex driveability and other onboard diagnostics is billed at a much higher labor rate. 

If you are not sure how to do this, you need to get help from a professional, such as a coach. 

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

         13 comments
      Most shop owners would agree that the independent auto repair industry has been too cheap for too long regarding its pricing and labor rates. However, can we keep raising our labor rates and prices until we achieve the profit we desire and need? Is it that simple?
      The first step in achieving your required gross and net profit is understanding your numbers and establishing the correct labor and part margins. The next step is to find your business's inefficiencies that impact high production levels.
      Here are a few things to consider. First, do you have the workflow processes in place that is conducive to high production? What about your shop layout? Do you have all the right tools and equipment? Do you have a continuous training program in place? Are technicians waiting to use a particular scanner or waiting to access information from the shop's workstation computer?
      And lastly, are all the estimates written correctly? Is the labor correct for each job? Are you allowing extra time for rust, older vehicles, labor jobs with no parts included, and the fact that many published labor times are wrong? Let's not forget that perhaps the most significant labor loss is not charging enough labor time for testing, electrical work, and other complicated repairs.  
      Once you have determined the correct labor rate and pricing, review your entire operation. Then, tighten up on all those labor leaks and inefficiencies. Improving production and paying close attention to the labor on each job will add much-needed dollars to your bottom line.
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