carolinahigear

Merry Christmas, Gonzo and Friends!! I just sang this song in its entirety to my wife, son, and daughter. They enjoyed it and I Loved singing it!! I told them that all you guys are talented in lots of ways other than running an auto shop!! Hi-Gear

We are all in the Sales Business. Facts and Benefits, etc. A book that helped me tremendously and has helped put thousand$ and thousand$ of dollar$ in my pocket is How I Raised Myself From Failure to Success in Selling by Frank Bettger.

I use Payscape. Low rates, good service. Please contact me for person to contact. www.payscape.com Hi-Gear

I don't know what my average RO is, but a 2001 Ranger (202,000 miles) came in Friday for an alignment. It had 2 bad front tires, and I wrote an RO for $1288 to rebuild the front end w/ 2 new tires. He gave me $600 down and is returning this week for the work. Some later model, low mileage vehicles only need aligning, but most vehicles w/ over 100K need tie rod ends, bearings, etc.

I have not needed any repairs at this time. One reason I bought the CEMB is that the USA headquarters is in Gainesville, GA in the Atlanta Metro area. The folks there have been really helpful when we've called for any info.

XRAC, I have had the CEMB machine for 4 years, and it gets a lot of use.

I have a Hunter machine and wanted another machine, but didn't want to spend $30,000 up. I looked around and found that one of the best machines in the WORLD is a CEMB, and I bought it from Pep Boys for $10,500. CEMB has its USA headquarters in Gainesville, GA, and has been very helpful with any service questions, software upgrades, etc. We absolutely love our machine and the value that it brought to our shop. CEMB is a very large Swedish company that manufactures industrial and automotive balancing and alignment equipment. Think huge GE and Siemens turbines. Go to cemb-usa.com. You'll be glad you did!! Hi-Gear

My "Winterize Special" consists of Radiator Flush and Fill with New Anti-Freeze, check belts and hoses, pressure test, check heat temperature, check battery and charging system. ONLY $99.95 This includes up to two gals. of antifreeze Please remember to use the word "anti-freeze" instead of coolant. FYI, many people nowadays think coolant is FREON, but I always say "anti-freeze" in cold weather. Also notice that I use the word "radiator" instead of cooling system, because most everybody knows what a radiator is. This special opens the door for batteries and battery services, thermostats, water pumps, radiators, belts, hoses, heater cores, etc. Hi-Gear

We use B-G Products for throttle body/air intake/fuel injection services. It's the best we've used. The primary fluid services we do are brake, power steering, and transmission. For brakes we use a Snap-On machine, for Transmission a T-Tech, and for power steering a "generic" machine. They all work well. The best machine is the one between the service advisor's ears that explains the need to the client. Today on one van we did the power steering, brake, coolant, and fuel/intake service. Helps the vehicle.....raises the ARO......gives the tech satisfaction of doing a thorough job. Hi-Gear

CarER, You have a very nice lobby. I have just painted my building and am going to remodel my office. Yours looks very comfortable and inviting!! Thanks a lot for the nice pictures!! Hi-Gear

Welcome to the Forum , Cmillet! You will gain lots of info here. Feel free to ask questions because that's the best way for us to respond to your needs!! Hi-Gear

We do our road hazard in-house. We charge 10% of the sales price of the tire, and repair or replace at our option down to 60% of tread remaining. No hassle to customer or to shop. It's a money maker for us. Hi-Gear

Most of our fleet accounts pay with a credit card, or we fax an invoice and it's paid within a week. Do NOT extend terms (30 days) to your new accounts or you will regret it. You will be in the collection business instead of the fixin' business. 30 day terms went out with the carburetor IMO. I don't do free rotations on their service trucks, either. LT245/75R16E'S get heavy and we get paid for rotations. Hi-Gear

After reading all the preceding posts, I can say I have been in most all of the situations during my years in the business. Here's what I have to offer: Let's KICK SOME A$$ in $eptember and put up $ome Aw$ome Number$!!! Get er Done!!! Hi-Gear

I've also decided that if someone is interested in coming to work at my shop, then they will take an IQ test, a Suitability for Task test, and a Personality test. We all have a hard time getting qualified employees, so let's make sure that they ARE qualified.

There is a shopping center next door to my shop. When I have a car for sale, I advertise it on Craigslist. I don't have a "for sale" sign on the car (SUV, Truck, etc.) When I get a call on my cell phone, I tell them that the car is at the shopping center where AutoZone is. To go take a look and if they like it, I can meet them there after work. This way they never know I have a shop, and it is strictly a car for sale "By Owner." I am honest in answering questions, but sell the car as is where is. I previously sold them at the shop until I found out that the buyers thought they were guaranteed for life.

We use NAPA Safety-Stop about 90% and have good success. The other 10% is when they don't have them in stock and we use AAP Platinum.

I have owned my present shop and location for 10 years, and service all makes. When I previously was in the automotive machine shop business (30 years), we serviced and machined engine components from quite a variety of engines. We covered boring and honing motorcycle and outboard blocks as well as reconditioning Cummins truck engine blocks and components, on up to V-12 and V-16 Stationary (Quarries, scrap yards, generators, etc.) engines. Of course we took care of all the "Grocery Getter" engines, and did auto racing and inboard marine engines, too. I have found that I enjoy servicing different makes, enjoy writing invoices small, large, and extra large, and that I hate like hell to tell someone that we "don't do that." I will offer to you shop owners that I won't take on "Just any job" if I think it's going to be a "Problem" job, but to me "Variety is the Spice of Life!!"

Congratulations!! This job really looks great!! It sure brightened up the shop and makes it look twenty years newer! A good move to close shop in order to get it done! Hi-Gear

I've never heard of it. While we're talking about pricing jobs and so on, I'd like to share a few things. I'm wanting to get 3 new toilets installed in my 26 yr. old residence. I looked on-line at some, and then I called a highly-regarded plumbing company in my area. I asked the lady if she could give me the price on toilets and installation costs. She politely told me that a technician would have to come out and look at the job, make some recommendations, and then they would give me a price. I thought....well, this is like people that call us wanting a price on brakes, tune-up, and other jobs that we haven't seen or inspected. So why would we give a price when the leading plumbing company won't? I have found that I like to have a goal of setting an appointment with the caller, because if they never come in the shop, I cannot get their business. Let's all get better at setting appointments, and from that appointment and inspection then let's sell the job!!

I'm like XRAC in that I don't work on cars, either. But I do have a gift of maximizing whatever business I am running. I like what I do because I enjoy turning out business. This would be applicable if I were the PIC at Walgreen's, CVS, etc. I would be looking to increase the daily fill rate as well as the profits of the pharmacy. It would be a challenge to take over a store that was averaging 282 prescriptions per day and within six months be running 375 per day. With corresponding profit increases. I have a daughter that is a pharmacist, so I'm somewhat familiar with the business and the pay plan. It sounds to me like you would like to have a nicely equipped shop for your hobby. Maybe you could achieve more satisfaction in your career if you had an outlet to pursue your automotive endeavors in your "off" time, and not have to depend on the shop for a living.

A very wealthy businessman once told me to remember the 3 rules of business: #1: Get the money #2: Get the money #3: Get the money If you have been there 10 years I would focus on doing more business, making more money, and remember that your clients are the ones with the money, and to leave the lenders alone. Be concerned with making money, and don't be concerned for a second about your credit score, credit worthiness, etc. Just put money in the bank. I am 61, I have had payments, and I hate a frigging payment. Believe me...I have made mistakes....Plenty of them through the years. Worried about making payments. Had sleepless and fitful nights. I opened my shop 10 years ago next month, and came in on a wing and a prayer. The only credit I have had was tool truck credit. I would buy something for, say $5000, pay $1000 per month and have it paid off in 4 months after paying $1000 down. I buy $250,000 in tires per year, and write a check for every tire that comes in the door. I have "0" parts bills at the end of the month because I pay weekly or on the spot. The shop truck is the one I bought in 2005 (a 1997 f-150) and my personal truck I have had since 2003. I now have a very good business and have not had my credit even checked since 2005 because I DON'T WANT ANY!!! I figure'd that I would tell you how I really feel because people need to hear this. Not everyone agrees with this concept, of course, but it's great to not have to make a frigging debt payment!!!

You start collecting storage the first day.

Not getting paid, but very glad to get it hauled off free.

I advertise A/C check and recharge for $89.95 including Freon. It makes it really easy to explain that if it needs recharging to make it cool, that it's only $89.95. If it's already charged and needs diag, then $89.95 covers the first hour of diag. If it is say...2008 car, 1/2 lb. low, we charge it and let it go. They're happy...we're happy. If it's 2001 car and out of freon, we tell them we need to add dye at $12.95, so it's $102.90. We shoot the freon w/ dye, it cools, and they come back when the freon gets low and we find the leak. We don't charge for the second recharge, but we charge for whatever repairs are needed. We started this program last year, and it is customer-friendly as well as shop friendly. Advertising a $29.95 or $39.95 A/C check doesn't make sense or make any friends. That's what we previously did. We really like our new program.