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Posted

Has anyone seen the TV commercial for AAMCO Transmission promoting they will test a check engine for free! Well, this is misleading and deceiving advertising. Click on the link below and find out the truth posted on their Web site!

 

This type of advertising damages an industry already filled with confusion and mistrust by the average consumer. Anyone….and I mean anyone can hook up a scanner and get trouble codes. That is not a diagnosis. Even though AAMCO states on its web site that it’s only a “Free Check” of stored codes and that more testing is needed, the majority of people will not go to the site and read the fine print.

 

THEY WILL, HOWEVER, QUESTION YOU THE NEXT TIME YOU TELL YOUR CUSTOMER THE TRUTH AND GIVE THEM A PRICE TO DIAGNOSIS A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AFTER HEARING “FREE” ON THE TV.

 

Here’s the link, let me know what you think. Are there any AAMCO dealers out there? I know we would all like to hear from you.

 

http://www.aamco.com/Check_Engine_light_on-FREE_Check.asp

Posted
Has anyone seen the TV commercial for AAMCO Transmission promoting they will test a check engine for free! Well, this is misleading and deceiving advertising. Click on the link below and find out the truth posted on their Web site!

 

This type of advertising damages an industry already filled with confusion and mistrust by the average consumer. Anyone….and I mean anyone can hook up a scanner and get trouble codes. That is not a diagnosis. Even though AAMCO states on its web site that it’s only a “Free Check” of stored codes and that more testing is needed, the majority of people will not go to the site and read the fine print.

 

THEY WILL, HOWEVER, QUESTION YOU THE NEXT TIME YOU TELL YOUR CUSTOMER THE TRUTH AND GIVE THEM A PRICE TO DIAGNOSIS A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AFTER HEARING “FREE” ON THE TV.

 

Here’s the link, let me know what you think. Are there any AAMCO dealers out there? I know we would all like to hear from you.

 

http://www.aamco.com/Check_Engine_light_on-FREE_Check.asp

 

Autozone has sold tons of parts by using a $300 code reader and a $8.00 per hour counter person this way. It is sad that the average DIYer and consumer does not understand that a code reading doesn't really tell you much most of the time. It only indicates where to start. We have a local shop that does free diagnosis and also generates some large estimates.

Posted

You know this will only hurt most shops. They don't have the marketing program to bring in masses of people and then up sell other work. Nor, do they have a national ad that brings in thoudsands of people like AutoZone. AutoZone does not care if one or two people are not happy, there are plenty more. But for us, that could be damaging.

Posted

We do a lot of diagnostic work. Check it for free??? What does that mean???? Work for free????

 

I think there are just trying to get customer thru the door, a kind of bait & switch.

 

There is no such thing as free lunch!

Posted

I send people at times to my local Advance auto parts to let them read the codes for me. Because I am by myself it helps to know what the code is before I even see the car. I know this doesn't always help in the diagnosing the code but its a good start to save me the time. :)

Posted
We do a lot of diagnostic work. Check it for free??? What does that mean???? Work for free????

 

I think there are just trying to get customer thru the door, a kind of bait & switch.

 

There is no such thing as free lunch!

 

We have a very modest diagnostic charge for most basic diagnosis. This is a compromise between free and charging full price and it seems to work pretty good for us. When people ask if we charge for diagnosis I explain to them that we do because we do more than read codes and that codes do not tell you what is wrong with the car. I tell them we figure out what is wrong with the car but if they only want a code read they can go to Advance or Auto Zone. I do this for two reasons. First it shows that I believe there is value in what we provide and I make no apologies for charging. Second, it gets rid of people who only want to know what the code is and they are either going to be a DIFYer or don't intend to spend any money.

Posted

I printed their website. What we tell customers: Anybody with a scan tool can read codes. Doesn't mean anything. 1st of all we charge $49.99 to read the codes. We charge 135.99 for pin point tests. We draw a picture with each code then like a tree off of that code into 4 or 5 tests for each code. We explain also, we have to have the right tools (several scan tools) the knowledge to interrupte and to be able to fix their vehicle.

Posted

I am right with you 100%

 

I can teach a monkey to read codes. That's not an analysis. And, I don't want to go down that road where I start a "bait and switch" form of advertising either.

 

I like your approach. Do you get people who question your analysis fees?

Posted
I am right with you 100%

 

I can teach a monkey to read codes. That's not an analysis. And, I don't want to go down that road where I start a "bait and switch" form of advertising either.

 

I like your approach. Do you get people who question your analysis fees?

Posted

We don't usually have a problem with our regular customers, but new customers sometimes have a problem with it. We must educate them. I just had a fellow call up and used your anology about teaching a monkey to read codes, but that wouldn't fix their car. We have had several customers have their codes read, went and purchased the part it saId and then brought it to us because it didn't fix their car. That made a believer out of them. We have to take the time to explain and educate each customer.

Posted

Consumer education is a start. My only concern is how to overcome ads like the Ammco commercial. People sometimes hear what they want to hear. Also, sometimes, their brother in-law who sells shoes has more credibility than we do.

 

You bring up a great point when you say your regular customer do not question you. The same with us.

 

What is comes down to is that we need to continue to build customer trust through honesty and integrity. Also, we must realize that we cannot be everything to everyone.

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

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      It 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.
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