phynny

I had a couple of shops and sold out a while back and my weekly income was at least 4 times what I see the current franchising doing. Wondering what each of your bays is supposed to do per week?

I'll post the data collected once I gather everything and put it all together.

Charles

I hate to say it but sometimes you just have to write it off as a lesson learned. If they vehicle came in to be repaired and it left with the same issue then they have a legit gripe. Reasons like this are exactly why I charge diag time and take the time needed to make sure I can repair it and repair it correctly. Sucks, but it's happened to us all.

I do not think there is an owner here that would not gladly pay a new tech $25/hour if they were worth it. Why on earth would I pay some kid from school $25/hour when all he does it have me diag the issue, come to me 10 times during the repair to ask what's next and then screw it up in the end anyway?

Why would you charge yourself for your hourly guy fixing company vehicles?

I highly prefer a dedicated sales person.

NOT AT ALL! I did this for a couple years and it's so lop sided and frustrating for the tiny bit of cash it brings in.

We run them on with a gun then torque every after we lower it down, my guys are fantastic about it.

on another note, it can produce good customers and this may benefit fresh startups with few customers....

I have yet to see this be the case.

This is one reason we charge for any diagnostic work period. As long as they pay our rate, the rest is up to them, of course we try and keep the work here but at least we're never out time/money.

Seems as though you guys are trying to say technicians cant be businessman also? If there are 2 separate shops both with knowledgeable businessman owners and one has been a tech and one not, I'll put my money and statistics on the tech own shop any day. Right now I'm at a Midas with a non mechanic franchise owner and I see the complete opposite of what you're saying xrac, he doesn't understand why spending 1k on software updates is needed.

 

My personal opinion is the opposite.

How many former mechanic shop owners out there are struggling and failing because they have been "in the business" for so long?

They spend all day working in the business, doing things as they always have been, running on autopilot.

Instead, they should be working ON the business, watching KPIs, managing people and planning for the future.

 

I believe that non-mechanic owners have a different view of the business, look at it more like a business then a job.

Obviously training and learning how to run the business is essential, but non-mechanic owners don't get caught up in the day-to-day stuff as much IMO, they work ON the business more.

There is still a struggle, but it's a different kind of struggle.

I'm sure there's several owners on here who will agree with my opinion (Xrac I believe is one).

Basing mine of past and current experience of businesses I have purchased and currently work with. This business is not, nor will it ever be "cookie cutter" so unless you came up through the ranks it will be much tougher on non-mechanic owners. Just because xrac is doing fine really means nothing in regards to who will struggle more in this business. What you're talking about is delegating and having the right people doing the "business" side of things. Like I said, this is just from my personal experience and I've had a lot of it when it comes to dealing with failing shops. There are hundreds of better investments for non mechanics then auto repair shops, and so much less of a struggle.

which is a scam? Autoshop solutions or HarrytheCarGeek's IT guy's trick?

The whole, "Hey, we're from google and can get you on the front page for a low monthly cost of xxx.xx", then you find out they are not from google and they have done nothing for you.

Most of us have fallen for that scam at least once

I believe that non-mechanic owners have 10x the struggle to succeed. I'd stick with what you're good at.

I do not get the point of the video, I learned nothing...?

Not a chance you are responsible for that, you didn't build or break it. A customer that doesn't understand that is a customer I don't want.

We have Valvoline and we pay $6.14/gal for conventional.

I've been tossing this around for years and I'm very close to pulling the trigger. It'd be something like for an additional 20% the repair will have a 2 year warranty and for 30% we'll do a 3 year warranty on parts and labor. I've always taken care of customers after the 1 year warranty anyway so this could be a good way to recoup that and a great marketing tool.

Thoughts?

push it to the curb, throw the keys in it, rip up the RO. "Goodbye and don't come back."

This made me laugh out loud, thanks man

more like Long John Silvers and KFC, I think Chipotle has a decent burrito.

But you have to add the e bola

Interesting and disturbing. That'd be like Long John Silvers and Chipotle joining forces... You'd have a better chance of winning russian roulette with a 9mm then getting a quality job completed.

Ni-cop for president!

Had this happen not long ago on a 5.4L I believe. I gave them a quote for plugs and it called for 1.5 hours which they agreed to. Upon pickup is when the father/son duo came in and started complaining about the price, the father(60+ years old) informed me that 2 hours is a complete rip off and he could do it in 20 minutes. His implications were that we were ripping his son off and I was just in a mood that day so here's how I handled it. I told him if he would go get just 4 plugs replaced of my choosing in 2 hours I'd refund his full bill.

He declined my offer and his son became a loyal customer.

I was just saying if you were to badger a paying sponsor, they will likely be chosen over one upset member. You'd likely get the boot. At least my experiences in other forums has shown this. If every member was upset or a large portion of the membership was upset that might hold some water lol

 

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Ah, gotcha man. I didn't think that would have any bearing on things but you never really know I suppose. There are a lot of people bothered by it and have contacted me after my original post. Most are either too nice or have said that I've already shed light on the issue so the don't have to keep pushing. Like I said though, I'm done with this thread and guy honestly.

I guess that's your right. Bet you won't stick around long lol.

I'm guessing your phone rings non-stop with courtesy calls all day? Mine does too!

 

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I've been around a bit longer than yourself and have no intention of leaving so I do not get your point. Yeah, we all deal with the non stop "courtesy" calls all day long :/.

I have talked to Elon several times on the phone. He has always been insightful and truly seems to care about me and my shop.

 

Elon offers help for shop owners to maximize their time profits and sales skills. Where do you think he should look for new clients? McDonald's?

McDonalds sounds good smart guy... How about you read about this site and what its for before you make ignorant comments, here, I'll link you since you obviously haven't read it. http://www.autoshopowner.com/about_us.html

Just to answer a couple of questions that have surfaced in this thread.

 

First of all, thank you to ncautoshop and UsedTireShop for your kind

comments. It's my intention to help everyone I come in contact with,

in any way I can. And I always try to do that whether I'm being paid...

or not.

 

For the record...

 

1) The shop owners that are a match for my services are not big.

 

Instead, they are shop owners just like you who are wanting to be able to

take a vacation at least once a year without worrying about how the shop

is doing, in their absence. And to be able to be paid what you're worth,

without discounting, couponing or giving your profits away.

 

2) The shop owners I am able to help the most are the ones that have a couple

of hours per week to work ON their business, not just IN their business.

 

3)) That's the only requirement, along with having the same philosophy as mine,

which is in treating the customer right. In fact, I am deadset AGAINST anything

that looks or sounds salesy or pushy when it comes to selling.

 

Today's customers no longer tolerate that behavior and most of what I

write about proves that. So that is a breath of fresh air for the shop

owners that want to be successful without being the typical hard-sell,

smooth-talking sales person.

 

4) The promotional posts I have made have been primarily on the blog

provided to me as a benefit of being a paid member that supports this site.

Without paid members, it probably wouldn't be here at all.

 

Here is what they have put together in an effort to raise money to pay the bills here:

http://www.autoshopowner.com/membership_packages.html

 

What that means is: I have invested in this site so that I can help this site

stay online. I'm not going to pretend to know Alex or Joe's financial situation.

I do know forums cost money for hosting, security, etc. Without paid members,

many forums go out of business and offline.

 

This is the blog page AutoShopOwner gave me as a benefit for my investment.

That is where I post my updates to my own website, which is what blogging

is all about:

http://www.autoshopowner.com/blog/16-elon-block-sellmoreautoservicecom/

 

I am also allowed to have a sig file, as a paid member, which is what you see

below my posts. These are benefits I paid for and therefore, I am using.

 

So, if I have done something to offend someone here, it certainly was

not my intention. And as skm suggested, you can ignore my posts.

 

I did not bother to read your whole post but I did catch something about paying... IMHO you should go peddle your "product" elsewhere as this isn't the place for it.

If I am incorrect in my assessment of the site and it's goals I'm sure Joe will step in and clear it up.

Either way I'm done with this conversation, I'll leave you to your shamwow type tactics(I say this jokingly-ish, as I literally got stopped by a shamwow salesman today). .