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Jesus visited our shop today


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I walked to the front counter to help a customer as my manager was out running an errand.    Shortly after stepping up, a new customer, David, maybe in his late 20's, a transplant from Georgia, came up to the counter and asked my receptionist for her name, Ericka.  He then asked if he could say a prayer for her.    She said, "Definitely!".   He prayed over her and our shop.   It was a touching moment.   They continued talking and I continued helping the lady I was talking to, Cynthia, who had in tow, her 2 yr old daughter.

I was explaining to Cynthia about her repairs and was giving her a few options.  She was upset that she had just spent about $1000 on a long delayed cooling problem in March.   Then, she's back for engine problems due to exceeding her 100K maintenance.   This invoice was about $2000.   She was frustrated with her car and said that she was going to take it to the dealer to trade it in.    The recommended repair was going to fix this problem for sure.   I was trying to provide confidence for her to make the best decision. 

While we were wrapping up, our friend David stepped up and said that Jesus was calling on him to pay for her repair bill!   She was astounded and started crying.  At first she did not believe him and I too questioned whether this was prudent.  I gave him an opportunity to back off, but he insisted.   He took no credit for his deed and proclaimed that Jesus loves her and need for her to be helped.     Shortly thereafter, Ericka and Cynthia were hugging and crying in the parking lot.

I was more touched by his original action, praying for Ericka.    I'm happy for the 2nd action, but now, I'm worried about his ability to really afford his own action.  I would hate for this to hurt him. I really think that he will be feeling the pinch of his very kind gesture.  

Sadly, after his service was complete, his own car would not start as it needed a new battery, which we did not stock.   So, we got him started and pointed him in the direction of a parts store with the battery in stock.

 

EDIT:  Wait, he was also here a few weeks back, when another customer offered to pay for a half of one of my employees prosthetic leg, that was due for refit.    And I remember seeing him before this even.

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No update.  He whipped out his credit card and paid.   She left with a working vehicle.   

Our new friend David, who came, beaming with happiness and love left a memorable impression.   Even with no actions taken, he would have been remembered.   It shined bright. 

 

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  • 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!”
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