phynny

Lol I love it!

Are they junk?

Joe, this has bothered me tremendously since we opened the doors. My service writers boyfriend works at atz and he gets a flat 20% off all parts which is way more than I get...

 

For these reasons we have been systematically switching over to dealer parts and so far it's working out. Not to mention a lot of dealer parts are cheaper.

I completely disagree with the about post. Confront them as I have in the past and they will either fix it or you can order from someone else.

You have to keep written records of his lateness and every time you reprimanded him about it.

We like to keep a scrap car at the shop that we fill with all our old parts.

I've been searching for certifications other than ASE and haven't really found any unless they go to school for a year or two... I don't mind sending a guy away for 2-3 months but a year is just way too long. I'd love to find some manufacturer specific classes preferably. Anyone out there know of any?

"Sorry mam/sir, if love to help but our hoses do do not reach and all my bays are full. I believe sheetz has one outside though."

Congrats on going to school. I'd recommend finishing school and finding a dealership that will hire you and pay off your tuition. If you work hard the knowledge you can get from a dealer is invaluable in starting your own business or finding a job.

 

I would stick with what is working for now because chances are your business would fail. Anyone can change brakes, starter, alt or even an engine with enough time but very few can diag. Especially with an independent shop that will see every vehicle made. An independent shop has to absolutely have the best techs to survive let alone grow. Hope this helps man.

Wow, your patience is saint-like. I had a recent scuffle with a crazy customer, but I'll post that later.

Numbers numbers numbers. If the numbers work and you are going to have the right people it's a win win. If either of those are in question then I'd reconsider. It's really hard when you get tunnel vision and don't deluxe you're buying something that is losing money then have to try and then turn it around.

If I could get paid for all the time I've spent explaining to a customer why the code scan tells them nothing and how different it is from a diagnoses.

I really don't get it, if you're looking for income from a site why start a site hat is never going to generate enough members to make you money. And if you're truly making a site for Shop Owners then why let anyone who wants in in?

 

I have had a lot lately I'd like to discuss and get advise on but I want advice from peers, which is the reason I joined the site. Basically, make up your mind as to the goal of the site. If anyone can join you'll lose a lot of great information from real owners.

 

I myself am almost finished with a multi million dollar shop and there are a lot of advise and questions I'd like to speak with my peers about but not on here while anyone can join. You think letting techs join won't hurt?, what would your etching think when they find out you make 35k/month when that is half a years pay for them? People are judge mental, jealous, bitter and malicious.

Income tax checks will be here soon, just hold on and ye shall be swamp'thd.

Almost seems like you are frustrated with your own team.  Something going on you want to talk about? I believe there are many different kinds of techs and different kinds of shop owners.  There are many shop owners out there who don't do anything for the business.  The employees are the ones struggling to keep the business alive.  Then on the other hand, there are many shop owners with staff who just don't care to try.  Everyone on this site is from different walks of life and it's important for us to remain open in order to never become "that guy"

 

Listen, Think, Speak

I think "my team" is fine. I really don't believe there are many shop owners that don't do anything for their business as this is not a business that can survive in those conditions. If you are saying that the techs are the ones up at night making sure everything is running smoothly and figuring out how to drum up business when times are slow I'm calling BS. You are throwing things at a wall trying to make them stick.

 

Let me see...I have worked in agriculture (6000 acre farm), trucking (local and otr ), asst. service manager at a 4 line dealer, lumber distributor, etc. I have experience in a variety of trades and positions. I had a vested interest in each one...the more profitable they became the more I made. Would that not be a lower level form of management? I have had employees and been all on my own. The point I am trying to make is we all learned/started somewhere! We are blessed with 2 ears and 2 eyes, but only one mouth, so that we can better watch and listen! I personally am open to any question or criticism..it will only make me better! 

No I don't see any real management experience if you want my honest opinion. And your shop, which seems perfect and exactly what you want so don't think I'm knocking you, is not a business in the sense we're talking. You don't have to worry about no-shows or late employees, stealing employees, poorly performed work etc.

 

I'm saying running a business is not easy and this site is as I understood a place for shop owners to get together and talk, complain, give advice or whatever else is needed. If I wanted a techs advice is ask for it which I do every Friday when I take the whole shop to lunch. It's ignorant not to hear what everyone thinks for the most part, just not here at ASO. I certainly don't want my guys signing on here and complaining or even giving advice.

 

For the people who have posted in this thread, how many of you have given this site info to you employees so they can join?

I started as a tech. Last dealership I worked for I was involved in management. Long before I opened my own shop I was doing the research. Numbers, locations, ARO, GP,NP, PL Ratios, etc. So to that end as a tech I WAS NOT CLUELESS! If as a tech you know what is involved in management it SHOULD help to be a better employee! And when a tech post a problem or question in here, it may awaken us to a un-noticed problem we have in our own facility.

Phnny I would ask where you got your management experience?

I figured you would call me out.

 

Army, Navy, College, Construction Company, Real Estate Company, Flooring Company, Consol Energy Underground Supervisor, MSHA Trainer (Train up Presidetns of some of these companies), Safety Supervisor, Auto Repair Shop of course, Monro Supervisor, and some of these require clearances as far as Top Secre with SIOP, I'm sure there are more but this should be enough for you.

 

No offense but how can you say you weren't clueless? You have no employess so how can you understand?

Where are you located?

 

I agree with Joe, make a plan and write it down. As for the techs pay, that completely depends on the numbers. If your hourly rate is 100/hr and from hat it takes 20 to just run the business you can't pay him 80/hr or he's making you nothing.

Hmm…where oh where to start.  Shops are where techs spend a full third of their daily lives, earning the money for the shops, by and large.  The environments they work in, the people they deal with , and the challenges they face are not just in the stall.  They are every bit as concerned and affected by poor billing, marketing, sub-contracting, warranty plans, equipment issues, code enforcement, consumer issues and the like as the owners are.  The is a major difference: the techs are the ones who are chiefly responsible for being correct in diagnostics and repair practices.  If they are subject to a poor business environment and poor leadership, the practice of fixing things right the first time suffers a great deal.  Sadly, even in the face of poor leadership and business practices, they are held responsible by people who quite likely could not do the job they do. Techs don't get scapegoats. They are the doers, the thinkers, the actual workers that make a shop what it is.  This goes for virtually any service industry.  They have a vested interest in how their shops operate, because it is the framework in which they earn their living.  The same goes for writers, porters, inspectors, and support staff.

I'm so very glad you posted this as it absolutely proves my point. You techs are an important role in our shops. That being said you are more than clueless as to what business is or how it functions and certainly have no clue about the stress and stresses that owners deal with on a daily basis. I honestly want to tear this whole comment apart line by line to show how very foolish every comment is bit sadly it's 5am and I have work to do. That being said I'll be here until at least 7pm, I'll bet you don't work hours like this my friend.

 

Did I mention I have the flu so bad my hair even hurts?...

Seems like over the last few months we have been flooded with techs on this site and it's extremely frustrating. I for one am not interested in hearing opinions on customers, business and business practices from those who don't have a clue.

 

Thought I'd ask and express my thoughts.

I have worked at Subaru and now Hyundai. We turn rotors if we can, which is more often than not. For warranty work we have to use the on-car, if not we can use either-or. We get a lot of brake jobs. Even though our labor rate is high at 105.00, our brake jobs costs are generally lower than the independent shops who (in my opinion, foolishly) only go the new rotors route. We have flat pricing for our brands. 249.95 includes new OEM pads and hardware, turned rotors, serviced calipers for the rear, 299.95 for the same in the front. If it is an off brand pricing varies, but it usually all falls between 199.95 and 299.95. Our brake jobs with turned rotors still take an hour or less for any of our techs to do, I usually get them out in 50 minutes time. Our comeback rate on them is low as well.

 

We charge 0.5 for the turning of rotors per axle. So if they need new rotors it now becomes 199.95 + cost of rotors for the rear, or 249.95 + cost of rotors for the front. This is OEM of course. The average cost of rotors is around 69.95, so we are talking about 339.95 rear or 389.95 front. It's a substantial savings in the customer's eyes. Average brake job with rotors at an indy shop around here is about 299.95 to 399.95, and I couldn't tell you in good conscious what brand parts that includes. Most of them refuse to turn rotors, which helps us stay busy with gravy brakes.

 

Our techs get paid 2.0 with a resurface or 1.5 with replacements.

Your numbers really don't work and being a tech you really have no idea about what satisfactions are and your comback numbers. Most people don't complain, they just don't come back so in reality you don't know the failure rate of the rotors. Two-hundred and fifty bucks for turned rotors and front pads is certainly not any kind of a deal in any town I've ever seen.

 

Dealerships and Independents are from 2 totally different mindsets. As an independent I can and do refuse work or installing parts I do not believe in when working on my customers vehicles. I'm there to provide a needed service to my customers vehicles and I will only do repairs that will do that. A dealer doesn't turn any work down that a nickle can be made from.

At our shop 2 of us were store managers for Monro muffler for many years and I can tell you that they run the oil changes because it costs them nothing and takes business away from other shops. They can't even make money off of it so how can an Indi that doesn't buy 20,000 gal of oil at a time. And the customers that come in are just disturbing.

 

As you can see I am not xrac. My take is you are to "true" all rotors to do a thorough and proper brake service. This goes for re using or replacing them.

Care to elaborate as this doesn't make sense to me?

Find a good local bank so you have a local human to strangle when needed.

I can't get past the site, might have some good info but it in no way makes me want to read anything on it.

It's been my expierence that if a customer fully understands how important the right oil is for their car and they still want the $20 sludge then they don't care about their vehicle and preventive maintenance or even vital repairs are things they are not interested in. I want customers that understand the value of their vehicles and treat them accordingly.