Quantcast
Jump to content

More Trouble for Right to Repair Act


Joe Marconi

Recommended Posts

A member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Rep. Martin J. Walsh, who originally supported the right to Repair Act, is now urging his colleagues not to vote for the bill. Rep. Martin J. Walsh, a Democrat, was listed as one of the original co-sponsors of the Bill.

 

According to Rep. Walsh, the claims that small repair shops are at a disadvantage are nothing further from the truth. He goes on to say that repair stations see it unnecessary to invest in a full suite of the tools and training and that the solutions are already in place.

 

In other words folks, this politician is agreeing with the notion that the problems that we are faced with everyday in repairing and servicing our customer’s cars are all ours. We are the problem, not the auto maker. Our Problem???

 

We created TPMS? We created window door modules that need reprogramming after installation? We created transmissions that need reprogramming after replacement? We created idle relearn recalibration after removing the intake plenum to replace spark plugs? We created steering angle sensor recalibrating after a wheel alignment? I could go on and on, but you get the point.

 

How do you feel about the right to Repair Act? Is it a waste of time? Are you all really happy with the direction we are headed?

 

I know where I stand. I have been fighting for our rights for years, even at the State level, testifying before public hearings….tell me where you stand.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Rep. Martin J. Walsh, who originally supported the right to Repair Act, is now urging his colleagues not to vote for the bill. Rep. Martin J. Walsh, a Democrat, was listed as one of the original co-sponsors of the Bill.

 

According to Rep. Walsh, the claims that small repair shops are at a disadvantage are nothing further from the truth. He goes on to say that repair stations see it unnecessary to invest in a full suite of the tools and training and that the solutions are already in place.

 

In other words folks, this politician is agreeing with the notion that the problems that we are faced with everyday in repairing and servicing our customer’s cars are all ours. We are the problem, not the auto maker. Our Problem???

 

We created TPMS? We created window door modules that need reprogramming after installation? We created transmissions that need reprogramming after replacement? We created idle relearn recalibration after removing the intake plenum to replace spark plugs? We created steering angle sensor recalibrating after a wheel alignment? I could go on and on, but you get the point.

 

How do you feel about the right to Repair Act? Is it a waste of time? Are you all really happy with the direction we are headed?

 

Hi Joe,

Happy Friday:)

 

We, the repair industry, already have the RIGHT to REPAIR!

 

The information we need to repair vehicles is available to anyone willing to invest in proper tooling, information and training!

 

The R2R Legislation is driven by Aftermarket Parts Manufacturers who need the OEM Information to produce todays complicated aftermarket parts, the repair industry already has all the information they need available to them. Just a business matter of deciding what to invest in, finding the information, buying the proper tools and training our people:) We already have the Right to Repair!

 

Imagine if all the monies, put into the R2R Legislation, had gone to education and training of our Technicians, Shop Owners and Service Advisors.....Wow, that would certainly help the industry fix cars better! Lets all work together, focusing on learning & training others, to access and use all the information we already have available to us! We already have the Right to Repair:)

 

Have a Fun Day!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe we are looking at this wrong. Perhaps, we should fight for the “Right not to be Frustrated”. I totally agree that investment in training, tools, equipment will serve us far better in the long run. But what about a 3 bay shop that services: Toyota, Hyundai, GM, Ford, Chrysler, Nissan, VW, Volvo, Honda, Kia and Suzuki? How can a shop of that size afford all the training, tools, scan tools and equipment to really compete? I hope the answer is not that he/she has to pick and choose what models the shop can afford to work on. Because that, I see is the only answer. The only way to truly compete is with factory scan tools and factory equipment. The aftermarket, is very good, but does lack in certain critical areas.

 

If a shop has to give up market share as a business decision, he gives part of his business.

 

And, what if a shop has a fleet account and takes cares of a local company’s Ford Vans and next year the company decides to buy all Sprinter Vans? Try tooling up for Sprinters, that is no fun. Again, the shop already invested heavily in Ford scan tools, training and equipment but now needs to change gears and tool up again. I know, change will occur, but it is frustrating.

 

I have a large company and due to my economy of scale I can afford the training and tools necessary to compete, but that’s not the case across the board. Plus, I really cannot put all the blame on the shop owners and techs, they do a remarkable job with the limited resources and training they have.

 

I appreciate the dialogue in this forum. We as independents need to work together. Let’s keep the dialogue going, it’s our future.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I absolutely agree with you Joe:) We need to work together, both the OEMs & Independents, to better serve our industry!

 

However, your original post asked about the "Right to Repair Act".

The R2R Legislation is not going to help repairers. It is not going to solve our problems, it is not going to give us more information or tooling, and there is a good chance, if R2R Legislation passed, it would make our access more complicated for many years to come.....

 

We, as an industry, need to work together to solve the problem of How can a shop of that size afford all the training, tools, scan tools and equipment to really compete?

 

This is not only an Independents problem, Dealers are also going to be faced with this problem as they are beginning to market offering services of all makes/models....

 

The answer may be to network with other shop owners in the area, we have begun to do that here. This may be the avenue the dealers will take...

 

Investment in training, tools, equipment is where we need to start. Networking and working collectively to solve this challenge, lets put our monies and energy toward that goal! This industry has survived may changes - we can figure this out:)

 

Have a Fun Day!

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
  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

         13 comments
      Most shop owners would agree that the independent auto repair industry has been too cheap for too long regarding its pricing and labor rates. However, can we keep raising our labor rates and prices until we achieve the profit we desire and need? Is it that simple?
      The first step in achieving your required gross and net profit is understanding your numbers and establishing the correct labor and part margins. The next step is to find your business's inefficiencies that impact high production levels.
      Here are a few things to consider. First, do you have the workflow processes in place that is conducive to high production? What about your shop layout? Do you have all the right tools and equipment? Do you have a continuous training program in place? Are technicians waiting to use a particular scanner or waiting to access information from the shop's workstation computer?
      And lastly, are all the estimates written correctly? Is the labor correct for each job? Are you allowing extra time for rust, older vehicles, labor jobs with no parts included, and the fact that many published labor times are wrong? Let's not forget that perhaps the most significant labor loss is not charging enough labor time for testing, electrical work, and other complicated repairs.  
      Once you have determined the correct labor rate and pricing, review your entire operation. Then, tighten up on all those labor leaks and inefficiencies. Improving production and paying close attention to the labor on each job will add much-needed dollars to your bottom line.
  • Upcoming Events

    • March 24, 2023 01:00 PM Until 09:00 PM
      0  
      Hi all,
      AutoLeap is hosting Amplify 2023, a virtual auto repair conference for shop owners, on March 24. We have 22 incredible speakers, and 13 industry associations and training institutes participating in this virtual event. The conference is free of cost.
      You can book your complimentary, virtual seat today using this link: https://bit.ly/3EXvfWY
      Amplify 2023 speakers include: Joe Marconi, Co-Owner AutoShopOwner and Elite Business Coach @Joe Marconi Aaron Stokes, ShopFix Academy Cecil Bullard, The Institute for Automotive Business Excellence Chris Cotton, AutoFix Auto Shop Coaching Darrin Barney, Elite “G” Jerry Truglia, Automotive Technician Training Services Greg Bunch, Transformers Institute Jeremy O'Neal, AdvisorFix The conference will cover essential topics such as:
      Navigating through the current industry challenges Tackling the technician shortage through employee retention Creating memorable customer experiences Growing & expanding your business in 2023 Financial planning & KPIs to measure And that’s not all.
      The interactive, dynamic conference also offers live networking opportunities, and fun games and prizes.
      You can book your complimentary, virtual seat today using this link: https://bit.ly/3EXvfWY
      #AutoLeapAmplify23
  • Similar Topics

    • By Ruben Van Zenden
      Today, we simply cannot ignore social media, everyone is using it whether you are a fan or not. Personally, I think it has its negative and positive sides. 
      I have been looking at 100+ car repair shops and noticed that only a hand full are using social media marketing, for example, Facebook advertising. 
      Why are so few car repair shops making use of this, in my opinion, great opportunity to increase car count? 
    • By carmcapriotto
      This shop is too slow. This shop is too busy. This shop doesn’t know either way. It wasn’t long ago that we heard a good bit of chatter regarding shops who were experiencing slow days but most recently we have experienced shops on the other end of the spectrum. They’re too busy and have mentioned pausing their marketing. In this episode, we discuss what shops can do to shift their marketing instead of stopping all together.
      Talking Points
      The too-busy shop trend - sound crazy, but true. Mistake: stop marketing. Busy today does not mean busy tomorrow. Stopping all marketing creates a roller coaster effect Everything is great until one day it isn’t Do you own a business or do you own a job? It’s time to grow up. Never stop marketing; pivot instead. Change messaging to less sales/promotion and more culture Start hiring Focus on brand building Messaging Shift to: More company culture Brand awareness Great Place to work Customer Acquisition Ads Community Relations Social Media SEO Customer Retention Emails Texting Social Media    
      Thanks to our partner, RepairPal. Visit the Web HERE
       
      How To Get In Touch
      Website - https://independentautodieselrepair.com/ 
      Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/IndependentAutoandDieselRepair
      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
    • By rabail_mushtaq
      Hey there,
      Amplify 2023 is just around the corner and we can't wait! The conference will be the first-of-its-kind event for auto repair shop owners, powered by AutoLeap, featuring:
      13 sessions from industry experts and seasoned shop owners
      14 top associations and training institutes 
      The conference will also offer unique opportunities for you to network with your peers, play games and win exciting prizes: 
      Discuss all aspects of shop management in a networking lounge
      Snap your best picture to take part in a photo contest
      Test your trivia skills with fun quizzes
      Top the leaderboard by competing for the most points
      Take your observation skills into action by participating in a scavenger hunt
      Join in on the after-party
      You will have the chance to win big. Our prizes include:
      Kamado Joe Joe Jr. 13.5 inch Portable Charcoal Grill
      DEWALT Mechanics Tool Set - 192 piece
      Bose QuietComfort 45 Bluetooth Noise Canceling Headphones
      Samsung Galaxy Tab A8
      And much more! 
      Register today and join us at Amplify on March 24 for a full-day immersive virtual experience starting at 9 AM ET.

       
    • By carmcapriotto
      Kim + Tracy Capriotto spend time in this episode laughing, chatting, and sharing about key moments in the industry, career transitions, and working with family. Tracy shares her battle with an internal dialogue. 
      Thank you to our friends at RepairPal for providing you this episode. RepairPal is the key that unlocks more business for your repair shop. Learn More at RepairPal.com/shops
      Talking Points
      Working with family. You’re either crazy or an angel. I think it’s an angel.  What’s your top tip for working with family? what was it like watching your dad take on the automotive world with his podcast? at what point did you think you wanted in on that? what has the transition like for you joining your dad? let's chat about your Women in Auto Care involvement - what are your favorite events? what are you doing in that group?  Your greatest lesson? your favorite podcast episode you've done so far funniest edits + bloopers  
      Lagniappe (Books, Links, Other Podcasts, etc)
       
      Tracy’s Women in Auto Care Podcast Carm’s Podcast Episode about their Adoption Story  
      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
    • By carmcapriotto
      "Keep a cool quarter of a million? Or give it away.... You’d think that was self-evident, but usually, companies are unintentionally giving it away. If you’re like most of our clients, you’ve got enough worries on your plate when it comes to making sure everything in the business is running smoothly. You don’t have the bandwidth to take on another project, especially one this large—that has the probability of costing the company thousands of dollars in repairs, overages, gas...the list goes on. Recently we helped a company drive down the cost per mile from 48 down to 36 cents per mile by showing them how they can run their vehicles longer for more mileage and reduce their total investment in that vehicle, therefore, lowering the cost per mile. They were replacing their vehicles every hundred thousand miles. We showed them how much they can save by extending the mileage to double and triple which...came out to a cool quarter of a million dollars. That’s where we come in. We help businesses just like yours run more smoothly with less breakdowns, less downtime, and more profit in their pocket at the end of the year." Bill Deboer
      Bill DeBoer, DeBoer’s Auto Sales & Service. Listen to Bill’s podcast episodes HERE.
      Show Notes
      freefleetbook.com Growing with fleet and retail- had office space next to the current location, rezoned it highway commercial to be recycled and added 6 bays. RR 481: David Saline – Start or Grow Your Fleet Business Wrote the book to try to speak to those people so that we can acquire more fleets and bring people into their wheelhouse, but also help out those people that aren't to the point where needing a fleet management team, but they're just trying to survive on their own. Downloadable PDF- cost per mile, vehicle maintenance tracker spreadsheet etc "The fractional fleet management program, where they can hire us, we can manage their fleet for a fraction of the. Because we're doing it on a fractional-time basis, they don't need that full-time management. But at the same time, they get all the same perks and benefits." Get 30 vehicles collected with only one or two contact points. So now you're not making 30 individual calls; you're making one phone call. You get a good relationship going with the key stakeholders and the decision-makers in those fleets.  Telematics- all that data gets pulled into our fleet management program as we set up these vehicles on the maintenance schedules as they hit their miles. Share it with their prospects for fleets
      Thanks to our Partner, NAPA AUTO CARE Learn more about NAPA AUTO CARE and the benefits of being part of the NAPA family by visiting www.NAPAAutoCare.com Connect with the Podcast: -Join our Insider List: https://remarkableresults.biz/insider -All books mentioned on our podcasts: https://remarkableresults.biz/books -Our Classroom page for personal or team learning: https://remarkableresults.biz/classroom -Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/carm -The Aftermarket Radio Network: https://aftermarketradionetwork.com -Special episode collections: https://remarkableresults.biz/collections
         
      Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio


  • By nptrb, in Automotive Industry,

    By nptrb, in Automotive Industry,

    By nptrb, in Automotive Industry,

  • Our Sponsors



×
×
  • Create New...