Don't get complacent!  1st of all we are having a great best year, with that said, things change.  Our employees have all been here from 6 years to 20 years.  Well, One of our Technicians is leaving for another shop with a salary of $100,000.00  He would be making this or almost this by flat rate of $41.  He is fast, but has to pick up kids at different times, etc, life.  We left the door open for him coming back.  The shop he is going to does about 1/2 of our total sales.  They have 2  Service

Don't get complacent!  1st of all we are having a great best year, with that said, things change.  Our employees have all been here from 6 years to 20 years.  Well, One of our Technicians is leaving for another shop with a salary of $100,000.00  He would be making this or almost this by flat rate of $41.  He is fast, but has to pick up kids at different times, etc, life.  We left the door open for him coming back.  The shop he is going to does about 1/2 of our total sales.  They have 2  Service

The Summer is in full swing, a time when many people take vacations and also spend time engaging in their favorite hobbies and activities.  How do you spend your free time?  

Having been a shop owner for 41 years, I have lived through many economic swings, both good and bad.  I can tell you that increases in prices, from gas to food to new car prices, can prove to be a good thing for auto repair shops.  People tend to tighten their belts during tough economic times, but also understand that they need their cars in the best shape they can be to save on fuel and save on costly breakdowns.  How can you help your customers save on fuel costs and focus on preven

With run-away inflation and the never-ending increase in gas pricing, auto repair shops in the Northeast are cautious.  While 2022 so far has been very good for most, the fear is that the forces that eat away at the consumer's discretionary spending will also affect their ability to pay for recommended services and repairs.  How are you dealing with this? What strategies could we share? 

2021 started off real slow, with Jan and Feb being the worst months.  March to August were very good, with sales hitting our goals.  September is a little slower than we like it to be, but I feel we are trending in the right direction, with customer coming back to us that we have not seen in over a year. No complaints. Could it be better, of course. But all good and moving forward! 

I will never forget the day when a customer, who didn't like the price, took cash out of his pocket, crumbled up the cash, and threw the money at me.  This customer clearly crossed the line, in my opinion.  Before I tell the rest of this "true" story, I would like to hear from you: How would you have handled this situation?   

When it comes to advertising, there is an endless list of strategies.  And, it appears, that everyone has a different strategy and opinion about what works and what doesn't.   So, the question is: What's Your Most Effective Form of Advertising? 

Great article out of Automotive News magazine.