Quantcast
Jump to content


Are There Any Jobs Your Shop Won't Do?

Obsidian Motors
 Share

Recommended Posts

  • 1 month later...


JimO Collaborator

JimO

Posted
Posted

I have owned a shop for fifty years and I think that knowing when to say no and pass on a job is vital to success. When I first started it was easier to try to be everything to everybody because I had youth on my side plus we were working on vehicles that were easier to repair. GM, Ford, Chrysler and AMC made up 90% of our customer base with Toyota and Datsun (now Nissan) just entering the scene. We rarely saw a European car in those days. As vehicles became more complex we began to realize that it would be very difficult for a small, three tech shop to become proficient with every vehicle that came in. We got burned a few times by getting involved in jobs that were too complex or too time consuming. We are also blessed with a busy location which allows us to be more selective. So fast forward to 2022 and we have people in our area with Bentley’s, Ferrari’s and Lamborghini’s that I will not touch. Convertible top problem on any car - No. Involved electrical problem on a Jaguar or Land Rover - No. Windshield replacement on any vehicle - No. Involved, 8 hour heater core on any vehicle - No. Intermittent problem that I feel will most likely not end well - No. Transmission work on any vehicle - No. Installation of aftermarket radio, remote start, theft alarms - No. Any kind of work on motor homes, large trucks and busses - No. I could probably keep going and add another 25 more items that I would say No to but I will stop at this point. Saying “No, I am sorry but I can’t help you with that particular problem, I suggest you bring it to the dealer” allows me to concentrate on the jobs that we are good at, jobs that don’t put a physical strain on my older techs that have been with me for over 40 years, jobs that allow us to be profitable. I fully understand that many of you possibly need to say Yes because if you say No there may not be any other job. As I noted, we have been blessed for 50 years with a busy location that provides us with more work than we can handle so this, more than anything else, allows me to be this selective. With that said I can’t help but think that as these vehicles continue to become more and more complex everyone, busy or slow, will be getting familiar with explaining to customers that they need to go to the dealer for various repairs. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
juanpablo4219 Contributor

juanpablo4219

Posted
Posted

Good Day!

We are a Brake and Front End shop!

We do oil changes, state vehicle inspections, suspension work, alignments tune ups, cooling systems, what I call "basic maintenance".

I have learned to say "No" for the fact that we  have small location, the property itself won't allow us to do some of the big jobs.

we are an in & out shop 

We have 4 bays, 1 for alignments, one for state vehicle inspections and 2 for brakes and suspension and anything else within our capabilities. 

we are a 2 man show, but we work fast and efficiently to where we don't delay our customers more than we need to.

We have become a Suspension Specialist shop, most of our revenue comes from alignments and suspension work. 
The big jobs are for the big shops, where they have room for the cars and more techs, and the cars stay over night. 

 I hate to take a car and don't deliver within the time.. 

Some of our customers want us to do odd jobs out of scope of work, but time is a very valuable commodity, we take a big job and then I have to either turn down work or don't deliver the big job on time.

I just don't think is fair! the big jobs put a lot of stress on us because we want to finish them on time.. and some time we end up loosing time and money...

My next addition to our list of services will be the ADAS. The camera and sensors calibration goes a long with our scope of work...
I am still studying the process... not many places down here in Brownsville, TX doing that type of services yet..

  • Like 2
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
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

    • Joe Marconi
      Want to End Your Technician Shortage? Focus on Retention!
      By Joe Marconi in Joe's 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

    • Joe Marconi
      Are Your Tech's Tools Covered By Your Insurance?
      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.

    • Changing The Industry
      The Basics of Owning An Auto Repair Shop - Balancing GP per Hour and Productivity
      By Changing The Industry
      The Basics of Owning An Auto Repair Shop - Balancing GP per Hour and Productivity
    • Joe Marconi
      What Are Your Top Ways to Attract and Retain Auto Technicians?
      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.

    • Joe Marconi
      Do You Use Your Calendar to Bump Us Sales?
      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.

    • carmcapriotto
      Surefire Ways To Get Your Google Business Profile Suspended [098] - The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast
      By carmcapriotto
      Thank you to our friends at RepairPal for providing you this episode. As shop owners we were part of RepairPal’s Certified network and you can learn more at RepairPal.com/shops.
      Show Notes
      Reasons Google will suspend your GBP Adding Keywords to Your Business Name Using PO boxes or virtual office addresses Using your home address for a service area business - mobile mechanics Making major changes to your information - name, address, phone number Adding Reviews - Talk about RV Masters Recent experience Spam Reviews Two businesses sharing an address - same with phone number A competitor reported you  Dandy Review Removal: Negative review removal using AI They had to rebrand from ReviewVio because of all the negative reviews and complaints that they received. They over charge and under deliver. It is a 12 month contract - not monthly Writer’s Hand: WriterHand.com's Review Generator AI employs state-of-the-art natural language processing algorithms to produce high-quality reviews in a matter of seconds. The tool is designed to cater to the needs of both individual writers and businesses seeking to enhance their online presence. By simply inputting a few key details about a product, service, or experience, users can obtain well-crafted reviews that reflect a genuine customer's perspective. Embed Social: Use AI tools to help you collect more reviews, reply to reviews faster and make your reviews widget designs. New AI Optimization services: Boost Ninja:  Speak on Accurate Automotive GBP Listing being suspended after adding this company to their listing - Supposed to be a Google Maps ranking system by boosting local rankings by targeting top keywords and AI Optimization to your Google listing Problem is when you talk to client’s who have hired companies like this and ask what they are actually doing - the answer is the same: “I have know idea”  
      How To Get In Touch
       
      Group - Auto Repair Marketing Mastermind
      Website - shopmarketingpros.com 
      Facebook - facebook.com/shopmarketingpros 
      Get the Book - shopmarketingpros.com/book
      Instagram - @shopmarketingpros 
      Questions/Ideas - [email protected]
      Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio


  • nptrb

    Understanding S-Corp Distributions and Draws | Are They Taxable?

    By nptrb, in Automotive Industry,

    0 comments 714 views
    nptrb

    Tax Season Preparation: A Comprehensive Guide

    By nptrb, in Automotive Industry,

    1 comment 582 views
    nptrb

    Spring Clean Your Finances: 5 Steps Every Business Should Take

    By nptrb, in Automotive Industry,

    1 comment 459 views

  • Our Sponsors



Main Sections

More Sections

Discussion Forums

×
×
  • Create New...