-
Available Subscriptions
-
Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?
-
By Joe Marconi in Joe's Blog0 commentsIt 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.
-
-
Similar Topics
-
Episode 200 - Balancing Customer Service & Profitability in Auto Repair With Rick White & Mike HimesBy Changing The Industry
Episode 200 - Balancing Customer Service & Profitability in Auto Repair With Rick White & Mike Himes
-
By marxautocenter
Hello all,
I'm currently the General Manager of a pre-owned vehicle sales and service center. The business has a great reputation in the community, and has done well for 35 years. The current owners are ready to retire and enjoy a life of less responsibilities. They have deemed me fit to take control, and are helping me out by carrying the note, with a good down payment of course. We are still working on the nuts and bolts of the deal, and it has me thinking of all the avenues I could pursue in the future. Which leads to my question, should I continue to sell cars, or just focus on service? I know I'm not giving much information, but I'm looking to hear from other owners who may have experience on both ends, on some pros and cons. I know the 2 segments are symbiotic, as sales gives us future service work, and service has the option of offering vehicles for sale when a service customers vehicle is deemed not worth repairing.
The current numbers are skewed, as service gives a discounted rate to sales in the manner of 50 dollars per hour of labor, as opposed to the 134.77, and also parts are at cost. I am a numbers guy, and would like to make a decision on what would be most profitable, and I will have a better idea as we work over the reports.
I'm just looking for opinions from knowledgeable folks. We don't have a master technician at the moment, so we struggle on diagnostics sometimes, and I would have to resolve that should I decide to remove sales from the equation.
Sales end is currently handled solely by one owner, other than myself talking to customers on the lot. We have a license now for 30 cars.
Fenced in yard behind building capable of storing 40+ cars, with a front lot that displays the 30 vehicles for sale.
Great customer base, minimal advertising in the 35 years of business. ARO is 426.20 currently, and we average around 2000 RO's annually in the last 4-5 years.
I know I'm not providing enough information, but I can update when more becomes available.
Thanks in advance!
-
By Changing The Industry
Episode 199 - The Realities of Labor Rates and Technician Pay With Brandon Sloan
-
By Changing The Industry
Episode 198 - Transparency and Member Engagement With Associations with Ryan Ragan of ASTA
-
-
By Changing The Industry
Episode 197 - Used Parts & Bad Practices In Auto Repair With Jeff Compton & Keith Perkins
-
-
-
Similar Tagged Content
-
- 0 comments
-
Episode 200 - Balancing Customer Service & Profitability in Auto Repair With Rick White & Mike Himes
- 0 replies
- 68 views
-
Episode 200 - Balancing Customer Service & Profitability in Auto Repair With Rick White & Mike Himes
- 0 comments
-
- 0 comments
-
- 0 replies
- 30 views
-
-
Our Sponsors
Recommended Posts
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 accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now