Quantcast
Jump to content


Recommended Posts

Posted

In order to expand our company and add another facility, I pushed the envelope a few years back to increase traffic and car counts by offering while-you-wait service. For a period of time we also advertised, “No appointment needed.”

 

The trick was to retain quality and still offer speed of service. We found we could not do both. Our car counts did go up. In fact they went thru the roof, but we felt we were not giving each car the care that we wanted to give. We soon stopped advertising, “no appointment needed.”

 

We still offer while you wait for certain services, but we book the appointment and allotted time. We only take walk-ins if we are absolutely sure that it will not negatively impact workflow. Our new plan is working, to a point. We still get a lot of people coming in asking for service with no appointment. The issue is there are a few tire stores in our area that take everything in, no appointment needed. There are also a few new car dealers that have quick lanes (all makes-all models).

 

It’s a tough competitive world out there today. WAY BACK in the ancient times (you know, the 1980’s) we would actually laugh at someone who walked in without an appointment. But things have changed.

 

How are other shops handling this situation? I know we have members with shops from 1 bay to 30plus, so any feedback would be appreciated.

Posted

Joe, that is a tough one. You do not want to turn away customers because you are spending advertising dollars to get them in the door and new business is essential to replace customers attrition. However, if you overbook you do not do adequate time to inspections or customers and you do not have time to do the repairs or maintenance that you could sell. If you try to staff up to handle the walkins you may then find yourself with too much overhead. We also find ourselves with a building too small (7 bays) to handle the traffic we can generate at certain times. We try to schedule as much as possible and to not take walkins if it overloads our schedule. I try to be very apologetic and to schedule them for a future day. In our case this works about 70% of the time but we still probably lose 30%.

Posted

Joe, that is a tough one. You do not want to turn away customers because you are spending advertising dollars to get them in the door and new business is essential to replace customers attrition. However, if you overbook you do not do adequate time to inspections or customers and you do not have time to do the repairs or maintenance that you could sell. If you try to staff up to handle the walkins you may then find yourself with too much overhead. We also find ourselves with a building too small (7 bays) to handle the traffic we can generate at certain times. We try to schedule as much as possible and to not take walkins if it overloads our schedule. I try to be very apologetic and to schedule them for a future day. In our case this works about 70% of the time but we still probably lose 30%.

 

I'm finding the same thing. And, you are right about advertising. We need to spend the money for continued growth, but the balancing act of not enough work vs being overbooked is tough at times. It's as if people today are conditioned to get everything they want now. Years back, people were more understanding.

Posted

It's as if people today are conditioned to get everything they want now.

 

I think you hit it right on the head. The narcissism of today's society is really appalling to me. It used to be I'm here, I'm ######, deal with it. Now it's I'm here, drop everything and wait on ME, to Hades with everyone else, those who got here before me, those who scheduled appointments, everyone but me. I'm here, I'm the only one who matters because I'm ME. No I am not ###### or ####ophobic, and I'm also not of the drop everything because I'm here crowd. I simply used the play-on words to illustrate my point that I believe Joe is right on the money with what is wrong with society in regards to how we can serve them.

 

And those are the customers you'd do very well do be without, if it were not that more and more of today's "constantly connected" society are getting that way. I'm a little different being a one man shop with two hoists and a flat bay, but I do almost everything by appointment. Even though today I am sitting here looking at an empty schedule and I would gladly take a walk-in. I think that a successful shop, if there were enough employees to even out the work would do like the brake and alignment shop I sublet my alignments to. They have six or seven techs and always have two slots each day dedicated to "Walk-ins/work-ins." I don't know if that is one hour each or two hours or how long but they built into their schedule two opportunities each day to accommodate customers who "it just started making noise." Or my doctor's office does the same thing. If you call first thing in the morning they have 3-5 appointments available for same day care. Either place can used unscheduled time as a buffer if the run over and those slots aren't filled, but it also isn't a large percentage of their available productivity so they don't hurt too much if they don't schedule those slots and they aren't filled by walk-ins. But the alignment shop has 6 or seven techs and my doctor's office has 7 or 8 doctors on staff, and late hours (til 8:00) too, talk about patient CARE! So if you have only one or two techs, one or two hours a day could be a substantial chunk of your productivity but if you have 6 or 8 techs, then it becomes a much smaller percentage and probably very manageable.

Posted

I keep a drive on lift open and monitor drop in business myself as often as i can. It's all about referrals! Even if you can't help offer them a cold drink and a idea on solving his/her problem. We shut down at 1:00 Saturday's. Today I let the men go for the weekend. I was just about to turn the key in the shop door lock when a frantic lady drove up with a low tire She was not happy with my answers to "our we open" and "Can you change my tire on this rental car that i am returning" No I said but I will do something. I opened the shop door, gave the lady a Rose,our business card, I aired up the tire and followed her to the down the street to Discount Tire . She gave me a hug and kiss on the cheek. Priceless!

 

 

 

The Frogfinder

  • 1 month later...
Posted

I keep a drive on lift open and monitor drop in business myself as often as i can. It's all about referrals! Even if you can't help offer them a cold drink and a idea on solving his/her problem. We shut down at 1:00 Saturday's. Today I let the men go for the weekend. I was just about to turn the key in the shop door lock when a frantic lady drove up with a low tire She was not happy with my answers to "our we open" and "Can you change my tire on this rental car that i am returning" No I said but I will do something. I opened the shop door, gave the lady a Rose,our business card, I aired up the tire and followed her to the down the street to Discount Tire . She gave me a hug and kiss on the cheek. Priceless!

 

 

 

The Frogfinder

 

What a great story! So, we can win and not always be everything to everyone.

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
  • Available Subscriptions

  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

         0 comments
      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.
  • Similar Topics

    • By JustTheBest
      If you're ready to skyrocket your car count so that you can finally make the money you know you and your family deserves, you're in the right place, because it's never been easier to grow your repair shop, as long as you have the right offers and deals to attract customers.
      But I will warn you if you make the same flimsy and lame offers that are just like your competitors, you’re actually making it harder to grow than it ever has been before.
      Because I want to make this easy, you’re lucky. Right now I’m starting a brand new Private Case Study Group where I will help 3 repair shops deploy my “Perfect Offer Formula” that lets you generate car count immediately, and if you start today, you can do it before Mother’s Day (May 11, 2025) and continue to do that month after month.
      The best part is, you’ll do it all without ever discounting your prices, adding free services, or tossing in Give-a-Ways that only attract the bottom feeders and car owners without money.
      In this case study, I’m going to give you the exact formula that you need so you can grow quicker without wasting time trying to figure out how to get car count and what to do next or what offers you should run this month. 
      Look, there’s only three reasons you’re not getting the car count you want right now…
      #1) Either you don’t have a compelling offer that focuses on value -not price
      #2) Your offers are just plain terrible and they aren’t what people want or need.
      Or 
      #3) You don’t have the correct packaging or (as we call them, wrappers) for your offer. 
      What I see a lot of repair shops do is they literally just use flimsy lame offers that look just like what your competitor is doing… 
      Or they try to duplicate offers the big box auto repair shops are making… 
      Or they continue to discount their prices… trying to come up with that secret formula that makes some phony illusion of a great deal.
      But all of that is just a race to the bottom.
      This private case study program's going to solve all of that for you because I'm not only going to literally take you by the hand and show you everything that you need to do, I’m actually going to do it for you! 
      And this doesn’t matter if you don’t think you can do it, or you’re not good with that math and calculating prices, or even if the last offer or ad you ran was a total big fat loss!
      We're actually going to be working together. And I'm literally going to tell you everything you need to do, starting from you spending 20 minutes setting up your pricing profile, 
      Then I’ll build out your personalized plan, 
      I’ll be tweaking things and helping you decide exactly what offer to create, and then do all the heavy lifting to create the three Value Wrappers… that make your offer stand out in your market; get car owners to stop and see your offer; then book their job immediately…(not next week, next month, or when they get around to it!) and much, much more
      And then after that, you're going to get 30 days of check-ins where you can ask me questions. 
      I'll ask you to share your sales statistics and analytics so that we can improve them. 
      I'll send you new ideas for the other 3 Perfect Power Offer Strategies that are proven to work, and even do so much more, and by the end of that, you’ll have the complete “Perfect Offer Program” that will let you stop chasing car count once and for all!
      And since I'm going to be coaching you throughout this program for your specific account, know that it doesn't matter what market you’re in; it doesn’t matter if you don’t have one of those fancy main street locations; and it doesn't matter how much marketing experience you have because I'm literally going to be meeting you exactly where you are. 
      No matter what you need, I'm going to help you do that. 
      If you need better wrappers (to actually get people to see your offer), I'm going to help you do that. If you need help putting your perfect offer together, I'm going to tell you exactly how you should be doing that differently so that you can skyrocket your car count.
      In just the past few months, the typical repair shop that's gone through this program has grown their car count within 15 days of starting, and nobody has ever gained less than 10 new jobs the first month if they implement everything that I show them to do continually. (Your results may vary, depending on how well you follow our directions)
      Now, there is one catch.
      Actually, there’s three catches.
      #1- This is a nationally advertised program across United States and Canada, and it’s limited to only 3 qualified repair shops. 
      #2- This private case study group is limited to only one repair shop per market. In other words, I won’t compete against myself.
      #3- This may be the last time I offer this Exclusive One-on-One Case Study Opportunity to grow your car count immediately - because I'm still only one person, so I can only work with so many shop owners.
       
      The longer you wait to grow your car count, the harder it's going to get started.

      Please do not make the mistake that I made, which I literally regret every single day. That is that I didn't start growing car count earlier when I was a shop owner. Car count is the solution to just about every auto shop problem.
      So if you don't sign up right now, it could decrease the odds that we can actually work together, because once we get the three shops we’re looking for, I'm going to have to shut this opportunity down.
      That just means it's going to be even harder to grow your car count.
      Remember, nobody else can provide and guarantee you results before Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11, 2025, so please stop procrastinating.
      Go below, register right now. I cannot wait to help you hit your goals because at the end of the day, you actually have nothing to lose. 
      I'm literally going to tell you everything that you need to do. You are going to implement it, and you're going to get the results that you want, period.
      And oh, in case you’re wondering, there’s no money back guarantee… because this is a totally FREE Case Study Group. 
      That means there's zero risk to you if you sign up right now while you still can. 
      https://thecarcountfixer.com/go

      Hope this helps! See you in the case study group!
      Matthew
      "The Car Count Fixer"
    • By Joe Marconi
      Take if someone who has lived through many uncertain times, this is the best time to bump up your customer experience. Show confidence and and show that you appreciate your customers. This also means showing appreciation for your employees - Happy employees create happy customers.
      While there is a lot of uncertainty these days, there is one thing you can take to the bank: With the right positive mindset, staying strong and driving forward, you will be better off in the good times. 
       
    • By JustTheBest
      Do you find your shop doesn’t even come up on Google search like the big shops or chains and delivering great customer service is hard, especially when you’re busy or short staffed?
      Do you find it hard to keep customers coming back? Is retaining customers a real struggle, never mind getting them to leave you a review on Google or begging them for new customer referrals. 
      If you’re tired of the car count rollercoaster, I’ve got a short (5 minute) loom video that shows you exactly how I can help you in less than 15 days… and it’s FREE! No, really!

      Check it out here!

      Matthew
      "The Car Count Fixer"


    • By carmcapriotto
      The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops.
      Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo: https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/
      Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/
      If you would like to join their private facebook group go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind
      SHOW NOTES
      Throughout the episode, Coach Chris covers a range of pivotal topics that are crucial for business growth and sustainability. He discusses the potential benefits of real estate investments, drawing parallels to the Monopoly board where acquiring properties can lead to increased revenue and long-term financial gains. Additionally, he explores the concept of financial diversification, encouraging shop owners to explore various avenues for generating income beyond their core services.
      A significant portion of the discussion is dedicated to the value of forming strategic partnerships and investing in employee development. Coach Chris emphasizes that nurturing relationships with other businesses and fostering a skilled workforce can lead to enhanced service offerings and a competitive edge in the market. He also highlights the critical role of cash flow management, advising shop owners on how to maintain a healthy financial status that supports both day-to-day operations and future growth initiatives.
      Strategic expansion is another key theme, with Coach Chris providing insights on how to scale operations thoughtfully and sustainably. By aligning expansion efforts with clearly defined business objectives, shop owners can achieve financial stability and set the stage for long-term success.
      Introduction and Overview (00:00:09)
      Coach Chris Cotton introduces the podcast and its focus on auto repair business strategies.
      Monopoly Metaphor (00:01:05)
      Chris uses Monopoly to illustrate strategic business management and growth opportunities for shop owners.
      Defining Your Business Size (00:02:03)
      Discussion on ambitions regarding the size of the business—local, regional, or national expansion goals.
      Opportunities for Growth (00:03:12)
      Encouragement to view business opportunities as "squares" on a Monopoly board, representing growth potential.
      Real Estate Investments (00:04:25)
      The benefits of owning property, including passive income and stability for the auto repair business.
      Diversification of Income Streams (00:05:28)
      Exploration of additional income sources like storage facilities and rental properties to enhance financial security.
      Financial Investments (00:06:41)
      Importance of stocks and retirement accounts for long-term financial growth and stability beyond the auto industry.
      Flexibility in Business Strategy (00:07:58)
      The need for adaptability in response to unexpected challenges and opportunities in the business landscape.
      Strategic Partnerships (00:08:41)
      Value of collaborations with suppliers and other businesses to create growth opportunities and enhance profitability.
      Employee Development (00:09:04)
      Investing in team training and development as a critical factor for business success and employee retention.
      Connect with Chris: chris autofixsos.com
       Phone: 940.400.1008
       www.autoshopcoaching.com
       Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ 
      AutoFixAutoShopCo
       Connect with Chris: chris autofixsos.com Phone: 940.400.1008 www.autoshopcoaching.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ AutoFixAutoShopCoachingYoutube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0ae 
      www.autoshopcoaching.com 
      Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ AutoFixAutoShopCoaching
      Youtube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0ae
      The Aftermarket Radio Network
      Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion
      Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life.
      The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level.
      The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching.
      Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest.
      Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size.
      To listen to more episodes, make sure and go over to iTunes and or Spotify.
      Don't forget to rate and review us!
      Connect with Chris:
      AutoFix-Auto Shop Coaching
      www.autoshopcoaching.com
      www.aftermarketradionetwork.com
      #autofixautoshopcoaching #autofixbeautofixing #autoshopprofits #autoshopprofit #autoshopprofitsfirst #autoshopleadership #autoshopmanagement #autorepairshopcoaching #autorepairshopconsulting #autorepairshoptraining #autorepairshop #autorepair #serviceadvisor #serviceadvisorefficiency #autorepairshopmarketing #theweeklyblitz #autofix #shopmarketingpros #autofixautoshopcoachingbook
      Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio
    • By Joe Marconi
      Over the weekend I met a 67 year old shop owner who has been in business for 41 years, and still involved in the day to day operations. He added that he has done nothing to plan for his future and his exit. 
      Life can throw us a curve ball at any age, are your properly prepared.
      I know it sounds a little crazy, but the right time to get you business ready to sell, is when you first go into business.
      What are you doing to prepare for your exit, sale or if life throws you a curve ball?
       
       


  • Our Sponsors



×
×
  • Create New...