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Scheduling for profit

Joe Marconi
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  • 5 months later...
Stephen Rookie

Stephen

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Scheduling for profit is an art. If you schedule too many jobs you run the risk of not being able to up sell and allow for emergencies. Book too little and your techs may be sweeping the floors by 3:00. What method do you use?

 

 

I know that there are management companies out there who tell their clients (shop owners) that they should only book for 50% of their available hours on a given day because they feel your techs should find all kinds of work when doing complimentary vehicle inspections. To me that is a very high risk and is based on the premise that your customers don't take good care of their cars

 

What if you have a loyal and regular client base who comes in religiously for every scheduled oil change and maintenance service and your techs look the car over thoroughly ? - sorry but every RO for that type of client isn't going to make the target $ 500 ARO that these companies tell you is possible - and if you force that on your loyal A customers, you'll kill the geese laying the golden eggs in my opinion

 

Also what if those people who need the work don't buy it all? Despite what the economists were saying, they have now conceded a recession is likely - oh sure I know - people will take take care of their cars and not buy new ones - how many have you experienced approval on only a portion of what you recommend?

 

 

Our solution - book 'em Dano! I want to get as much work in as possible - techs are far more productive if they have several cars going at once - remember there's also a parts and customer authorization bottleneck unless you specialize on only 1 make. If I over book then I pull the best Ace in the deck -one of our 7 free loaner cars delivered to their home or office

 

What do others do? Opinions on my approach?

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  • 1 year later...
taotao Newbie

taotao

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Everyday is A Gift

My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister's bureau and lifted out a tissue-wrapped package. "This", he said, "is not a slip. This is lingerie." He discarded the tissue and handed me the slip.

It was exquisite, silk, handmade and trimmed with a cobweb of lace. The price tag with an astronomical figure on it was still attached."Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least 8 or 9 years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion.

Well, I guess this is the occasion. (wow gold,)

He took the slip from me and put it on the bed, with the other clothes we were taking to the mortician. His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment, then he slammed the drawer shut and turned to me, "Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you' re alive is a special occasion."

I remembered those words through the funeral and the days that followed when I helped him and my niece attend to all the sad chores that follow an unexpected death. I thought about them on the plane returning to California from the midwestern town where my sister's family lives. I thought about all the things that she hadn't seen or heard or done. I thought about the things that she had done without realizing that they were special.

I'm still thinking about his words, and they've changed the weeds in the garden. I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time in committee meetings. Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experience to savour, not endure. I'm trying to recognize these moment now and cherish them.

I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for every special. Event such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, the first camellia blossom… I wear my good blazer to the market if I feel like it. My theory is if I look prosperous, I can shell out $28. 49 for one small bag of groceries without wincing. I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties; clerks in hardware stores and tellers in banks have noses that function as well as my party going friends.

"Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my vocabulary. If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now. I' m not sure what my sister would've done had she know that she wouldn't be here for the tomorrow we all take for granted.

I think she would have called family members and a few close friends. She might have called a few former friends to apologize, and mend fences for past squabbles. I like to think she would have gone out for a Chinese dinner, her favorite food. I'm guessing. I'll never know.(wow gold)

It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew that my hours were limited. Angry because I put off seeing good friends whom I was going to get in touch with someday. Angry because I hadn't written certain letters that I intended to write one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my husband and daughter often enough how much I truly love them.

I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter and luster to our lives. And every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that every day, every minute, every breath truly, is... a gift from God.

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  • 10 months later...
Dan Reichow Contributor

Dan Reichow

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BRAVO! I agree with you %100. I take the same approach.

 

A year and a half ago we started a new program called: “Just Say Yes”. When a customer calls, we find out when he wants to bring the car in and we book that time. This program has increased our car counts dramatically, without sacrificing productivity or quality. It works!

 

The problem with these management companies is that their principles are outdated. They are living in the past. Look at all your national chains. They are all car care centers, open all week long, including Saturdays and even Sundays.

 

We live in a fast paced world. People do not want to wait. We need to listen to our customers and find what THEY want.

 

I think those management companies can take a few lessons from you.

 

We have done the same thing and opened up on saturdays / longer week hours // What a difference . We are in the retail business want sales then need to be there and handle the calls

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Dan Reichow Contributor

Dan Reichow

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Have you made adjustments to your staff in terms of scheduling? We use a rotation basis so that people still have their time off, but we have full staff for 6 days a week.

 

WE ROTATE STAFF TO HANDLE AND WE HAVE SIGNED TWO TECHS TO ONGOING SATURDAYS .

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