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Like most professions, automotive repair relies on good information. Preciseness is a must. If the manual shows a tolerance for a gear back lash or specific timing for an engine, the person holding the wrenches is going to do his/her best to obtain those values. It’s not only the values, but the descriptive nature of the components that’s just as important. If two techs are talking about a solenoid or a sensor, the terms and nomenclature are important for their conversation. This is true in just about any type of job or hobby. Getting the description of a component or procedure correct is all part of the communication. But, that doesn’t hold true with the novice or misinformed customer. Trying to sort out what is a real problem and what is not, can be a terminology battle.

 

I know I’m not the only one who’s had to deal with the phone call or customer at the service counter who is trying their best to describe their problem, while throwing in some term or part name that just doesn’t fit their explanation. Now, if I try to explain something to someone I always will use the full name or common name for the component. That way I feel I’m not misleading them. They may ask several times, “Now what’s that part called?” and if that happens, I’ll try a little less professional explanation. Although, from the consumer’s side of the counter all bets are off when it comes to explaining things. I’ve heard it all. From headlamps being referred to as “light diffusers”, and a timing belt as a “clocking controller”, and of course, the ever popular… “relay switch”. There are thousands of odd terms out there, far too many for me to list here.

 

By now, you’ve probably got some sort of grin on your face, yep, me too. My wife on the other hand, tells me I shouldn’t stand at the service counter with that quirky little smirk when this happens. Honestly, after some of the escapades I’ve had, you can’t help but laugh. Just to prove a point, one night after dinner my wife and I were talking about a subject dear to her heart…quilting. (Which I know next to nothing about.) I purposely blurted out a mixture of two different terms I’ve heard her use, all in the wrong context just to see her reaction. And, right on cue she went into full out “giggle snorts”, which nearly dropped her to the floor with laughter. That’s proof enough for me. Whenever you’re talking to a pro, and you try to sound professional and don’t… the giggle snorts are automatic.

 

This also includes jumping into an explanation for one problem, and then abruptly asking a question that’s completely unrelated or absurd. How do I handle these absurd questions? Easy, I have an absurd answer to go along with it. Of course, I’ll try to correct their misguided information, as long as it doesn’t go so far off base that it turns into a lesson in automotive repair rather than trying to fix their car.

 

Just the other day I got a call from a guy who told me this interesting story. He said after installing a new battery the headlights wouldn’t work, the park lights wouldn’t work, and it wouldn’t come out of gear. As his description of the problem continued, my little mechanic brain was already hard at work zooming through the wiring diagrams of that particular car and surmising the possible problems, when all of a sudden he blurts out an entirely unrelated question that stopped my thought process dead in its tracks.

 

“Do you think it’s the security system?” he asked.

 

Ok, good question… sort of.

 

A quick rethink of the theft and starting system on that type of car, I answered him, “Does it start?”

 

“Yes, but I can’t get it out of park.”

 

Knowing the circuits I could deduce it’s not the security system, so I answered his question like this, “No it’s probably not the security system. I’ll bet you have an open circuit either from something you left disconnected, a blown fuse, or fuseable link.”

 

“What’s a fishable link doing in my car?” (Did I say that?) That’s a new one. (I’ve got that smirk on my face again.) He kept repeating it even after I tried to correct him. For some people it’s from misguided information, or sometimes it’s a homegrown interpretation of how the car works. Sometimes they just don’t comprehend what you’re telling them. It never ceases to amaze me how many times somebody will call a component by some homemade name, or twist a problem they are having into an indescribable adventure into some weird world of automotive jargon.

 

Maybe it’s me… maybe I’m trying to be too precise. But, I can’t think of any other way to be, except to be as precise and to the point as I can possibly be. For example, the call I got about a 95’ Jeep that the owner claims to have ripped out “all” the wires. But, it runs fine, has a transmission problem, and the tail lights don’t work.

 

Aside from the short history lesson about his car, his only “actual” question was, “Do ya think it’s a coil pack?” Ok, for the layman a coil pack might as well be a widget. But, to the trained and seasoned tech the mere word “coil pack” speaks volumes. Again, that little mechanic brain of mine was trying to put together a mental picture of wires pulled out, a bad transmission, and no tail lights only to have this question about a coil pack come at me from left field. Now all I have is this “Rube Goldberg” image of what’s left of this guy’s car in my head. (For the record a coil pack is a device that produces the high voltage spark for a spark plug, and a are in pairs or multiple coils molded together to form a “pack”.)

 

His only question was whether or not I think it was caused by a coil pack. My answer to him, “Ah, no.” The more he explained his problem the more my diagnostic mind went into a tail spin with even more bizarre interpretations of unrelated issues. At some point it becomes a futile effort to either explain things, or try to make sense of what is going on.

 

Every mechanic has experienced these “questions” at some point. I for one, get a kick out of the absurdness and wacky explanations. If you can imagine spending a day deep in thought over a serious diagnostic problem with countless diagrams, software, and scanners, then end up on the phone with somebody wanting to know how much to put a helicopter landing pad on the top of their Yugo, then you can understand why your mechanic gets a case of the giggle snorts when you ask him that.

 

Sometimes it might be better just to tell the mechanic what the problem is and leave the diagnosing to the experts. The details are in the communication, the better the communication the fewer giggle snorts.

 


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Posted

Words of wisdom Gonzo, nice article. Please Mr customer, just tell me your problem...that's all we want. We will do the rest!

 

Reading your article reminded me a funny story (the coil pack reminded me). We had a customer come to the shop with a Ford Explorer with a misfire. We diagnosed a coil and spark plugs, common issue. When we inform the customer he becomes agitated and says, "Hey pal, what are your guys trying to pull, I just did a tune up, I replaced the points, plugs, wires, cap and rotor, the whole nine yards!

 

Frank, the service advisor said, "Ah, are you sure you are talking about this car, the explorer?" He said "don't touch my car, I am coming right down"

 

When he came to the shop we just let him scream and yell and carry on. We all watched him make a scene and kept silent.

 

Finally I pulled him into my office and brought him into the 21 century.

 

We did the job and never heard from him again.

 

Be carful, last I saw he was heading WEST!

Posted

I guess that's only fair Joe... I sent a few crazy's in your direction so now we're even. LOL

Posted

That is a good one Gonzo. Although unrelated thus does relate to customers ignorance. This week I received a call from a woman with a 93 Ford Probe. She ask for a price on an alternator because it had to be jumped every morning. Auto Zone had tested the battery and it was good and had told her it was probably an alternator "core" whatever that is. Based upon what she was telling me that after the jump start it would run fine all day I told her it sounded more like a bad battery and to bring it in and we would test it. When she showed up she also asked us to look at the head lights. It had the retractable kind and would bounce up and down on their own. My clue of what I was into came when I saw the car. The car was yellow with a convertible top that someone had added, bondo was cracked and coming off on the trunk, a blue right fender, and a white retractable right side headlight. She had just bought this beauty for $800. She left the car with me overnight to look at the next morning. As I was closing out for the day it was cold and dark outside and I could hear the right front headlight on the car flip up and down without any assistance. It made almost a rhythmic noise and it was still doing it when I drive off. Reckon that might have anything to do with the jump starts?

Posted

good one Frank, that's as bad as the guy who came in telling me his, "flipendoozel" went haywire. I never did find out what that was, he left in a huff because I asked him to spell it.

 

LOL... unbelievable...

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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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      Thanks again for listening to The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast on Aftermarket Radio Network. There are some other great shows on the network and you can find them at AftermarketRadioNetwork.com or on your favorite podcast listening apps like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and many others


      Tune in for another episode next week. Until then, go fill those bays!
      Talking Points


      General Topics for April:
      April showers bring may flowers - wiper blades, Aquapel, tires Continuing the theme from March Spring maintenance and cleaning Pot holes - winter damage Change back to summer tires Continue with the tax refund talk
      Days of the Year - Monthly Themes
      April is the first of the two National Car Care Months VEDA - Video Every Day in April


      Days of the Year - Weekly Themes
      National EMS Week


      Days of the Year - Daily Themes
      4/1 April Fools Day 4/2 National Ride Your Horse to a Bar Day 4/3 National Burrito Day 4/4 World Rat Day ⅘ International Pllow Fight Day ⅘ National Read a Road Map Day 4/12 National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day 4/15 National That Sucks Day 4/17 National Auctioneers Day 4/20 Easter 4/22 National Jelly Bean Day 4/28 Clean Comedy Day 4/29 Viral Video Day














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    • 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
      In the 200th episode of "The Weekly Blitz," Coach Chris Cotton marks a significant milestone for the podcast by taking a moment to reflect on the journey over the past year. He shares personal anecdotes that resonate with the audience, including a heartfelt update on Kimberly, who made the selfless decision to donate a kidney to her brother, highlighting the profound impact of family and generosity.
      Chris delves into key topics that are crucial for auto repair shop owners, offering insights and advice that are both practical and forward-thinking. One of the main discussions revolves around the concept of adopting a four-day workweek. He explores the potential benefits this can bring, such as improved work-life balance for employees, increased productivity, and enhanced job satisfaction, while also addressing the challenges and considerations that come with implementing such a change.
      Another focal point of the episode is the distinction between commitment and mere interest. Chris emphasizes that true success in business requires a deep commitment, rather than just a passing interest. He encourages shop owners to fully dedicate themselves to their goals and to cultivate a mindset that prioritizes long-term success over short-term gains.
      The benefits of business coaching are also highlighted, with Chris advocating for the value of having a mentor or coach to guide business owners through the complexities of running an auto repair shop. He shares how coaching can provide clarity, accountability, and strategic direction, ultimately leading to more effective decision-making and business growth.
      Throughout the episode, Chris underscores the importance of professionalism within the industry. He stresses that maintaining high standards of professionalism not only enhances the reputation of individual shops but also elevates the industry as a whole.
      In addition, he encourages listeners to take advantage of the marketing resources offered by the podcast's sponsor, Shop Marketing Pros. He explains how utilizing these resources can help shop owners effectively reach their target audience, build their brand, and drive business success.
      Overall, the episode serves as both a retrospective on the past year's achievements and a motivational message aimed at inspiring business improvement. Chris Cotton's insights and stories provide valuable lessons and encouragement for auto repair shop owners looking to elevate their businesses to new heights.
      Introduction to the Podcast (00:00:11)
      Overview of the podcast's purpose and the value it offers to auto repair businesses. Celebrating Episode 200 (00:01:08) Kimberly's Kidney Donation (00:02:06) Highlighting Episode 164 - Unlocking Greatness (00:04:21) Highlighting Episode 170 - Four Day Workweek (00:05:24) Preparing for 2025 (00:07:42) Highlighting Episode 172 - Commitment vs. Interest (00:08:46) Highlighting Episode 175 - The Pumpkin Patch (00:09:58) Highlighting Episode 180 - Profit First (00:11:11) Highlighting Episode 185 - Mom and Pop Shops (00:12:00) Highlighting Episode 186 - Coached vs. Uncoached (00:12:46) Highlighting Episode 187 - Project Alpha (00:13:05) Highlighting Episode 189 - Impact of Politics (00:13:55) Highlighting Episode 192 - Self-Obstruction (00:14:20) Highlighting Episode 193 - Being the Best Shop (00:14:46) Highlighting Episode 197 - Chris's Favorite Things (00:15:30) Looking Ahead to Episodes 201 and 202 (00:15:50)
      Connect with Chris:
      [email protected]
      Phone: 940.400.1008
      www.autoshopcoaching.com
      Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
      AutoFixAutoShopCoachingYoutube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0ae


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      Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio


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