PAPShop

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We tried walkie talkies, but they ended up being a toy rather than a useful tool.

http://www.amazon.com/Quitter-Closing-Between-Your-Dream/dp/0982986270

This book will give you some insight, Quitter by Jon Acuff.

Did anyone ask the customer "Why?"

Makes them uncomfortable and tap dance instead of us.

_{Email sent.}

1. What Jeff said.

2. See some work you like? Ask the business owner who did it for them.

3. Have a brother that is a graphic designer.

4. What Jeff said.

To add another option to the list for you guys/gals to research:

https://myshopassist.com/

 

The guys who created this solution are shop owners themselves and have been known to create custom solutions for clients. They also put on an event in association with EFI University called "Essentials of Operating a Shop Seminar". Might be worth reaching out to them. I haven't used the software myself so I wouldn't have any info to share on it besides having heard about it from some other shop owners.

They did an 1 1/2 hour seminar at PRI called "Essentials of Operating a Performance Shop". It was packed!! One of the attendees had gone to the full class and he highly recommended it. We did learn quite a bit in the short seminar, and the slides were very informative.

I had a guy that was asking for a price quote. All the guys were busy, so I asked if the owner could call him back. He said "you've seen enough of these go thru the shop, just give me a ballpark figure, I won't hold you to it".

I told him my ball park figure will be a major league size ballpark, where the guys would be a smaller little league size ballpark figure.

He laughed and said give it to him anyway. I gave him the figure of between $100 and $10,000..... he laughed again and made the appointment.

Generally we give ballpark figures with the disclaimers.

If you ever get up north, I'll show you how I use baymaster for my inventory. I'm happy with it and the support. My situation is different also because I stock a lot of ATV parts. About $30k in inventory last I checked. All accounted for in baymaster. I also integrate with QuickBooks and it keeps my inventory up to date on the balance sheet.

 

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Revisiting this subject...... again. Do you use Baymaster online? Also, we do progressive billing on our restorations. Does it allow that?

We have not stepped into texting customers for repair completions. I can see how it can be very effective for younger customer.

In addition to auto repair, we also do restorations. We send progress pictures of restorations to customers using a "shop cell phone" which is an inexpensive smart phone with a really easy number.

We are a performance shop and use the phone when we are out of the shop for the weekend. I forward the landline to the phone, We are onsite at Brainerd International Raceway most of the summer on weekends, and have our racer support trailer with us. We are accessable because of the phone and we don't have to make calls from our personal cell phone numbers.

 

Also - Is anyone checking alignments on services or normal inspections for free?

We have teamed up with Discount Tire. They only do wheels and tires and that is it. They refer all of their customers to us for alignment checks and give the customer a $5 off coupon for an alignment (they also send their customers to us for any other repair work). We do the alignment check for free, and have built the reputation of being the best in town for alignment checks and usually do a "show and tell" when a car needs an alignment.

We are more likely to throw a car or truck on the alignment rack since we do have one and Vehicle Inspections are also done on the alignment rack so we can do an alignment check.

I agree with M-Spec.

We have an alignment lift (cover photo on https://www.facebook.com/Paradigm-Automotive-99678520342/ ). We use the lift for other work, short jobs and especially oil changes....... hook up all the tires and air up the tires, tech can walk under car and do inspection while oil is draining. I've seen a few brake jobs done on it, and the owner tends to schedule PPI's on that lift so he can "show & tell" what is wrong with the vehicles.

Listening to the radio or reading an article (don't remember which) the subject was "What is the #1 thing that employees appreciate and retains them as happy employees?" The answer was a Christmas Bonus. Not raises or benefits.

We will be giving a bonus this year, out of sincerity not because we have to - but in appreciation. The owner will personally hand it out with a handshake and a big thank you.

Do not short change your shop.

We do quality oil changes, just like the rest of the work we do on your vehicle.

We do not cut corners on your oil change, just like we do not cut corners on your repair.

We do not use the cheapest oil filter available, just like we do not use the cheapest quality part available.

We respect your vehicle, and want to do a quality job on your vehicle, whether it is an oil change, alignment, brake job or restoration.

We also educate the customer with what they are getting for the price of the oil change. We have never made excuses for our oil change prices, they are between $45-$60 depending on oil filter and number of quarts of oil, and semi-synthetic or full synthetic. Full synthetic may be more.

There is a perception that we get across. We want the customers to know we do quality work on everything.

We had a guy that lost a socket, and like most, he figured it out at the end of the day. This tech was so cheap, he would not buy a replacement. About a year later, the car came back for repair. The socket was still on the car just where it was left...... on the bolt; it never came off during a year's worth of driving. The tech joked he didn't need to buy new tools, he just needed to wait for the car to come back.

We became "official" in November 2007, open for business in December. Each November we look to the November that finished our first year of being open, November 2008. We did fairly well our first eleven months, not knowing what to expect. Then November came................. our gross for the month was $0. Yup, you read that correctly. We could have locked the doors and stayed home and would have been ahead. At the time we thought "what are we doing, did we do the right thing?" We opened a new business during a major recession, it has humbled us how far we have come.

Last month was better than the first November we were open. We set a monthly goal for last month and hit it. We have grown in size and redefined our business thru the years, but we know we will never have another month like November 2008. And for that we are thankful.

I think finding professional content that all follows the same theme is more difficult to find than just surfing the internet and posting it on your TV through streaming or via download onto a USB drive. If you want all of your videos, images, marketing, etc. to all follow the same theme and have a coherent professional presentation, you will have to have the software and know how to edit the content you find online. I agree that the cost is high and do wish that there was a tangible way to measure if the service is worth the cost, but with marketing often times it is difficult to measure.

I think it is as simple as creating a "power point" presentation. Finding someone to create one for you is simple. Students are always looking for work to add to their portfolio. We have a couple of people internally that are pretty good at marketing. We have a power point that has been used for Chamber trade shows and I'm thinking that would be a great place to start.

I am still learning the features of the new smart TV's, I don't have one personally. Thank you Victoria for the insite.

Remember those picture frames that did a slide show of pictures? Thinking of doing one the those in the waiting area. No external computer or internet needed, just add or subtract "pictures" to the chip when needed.

When we first opened, we sent Christmas cards, the inexpensive boxed cards from the store. A couple of years ago we gave a bag of peanuts in the shell to our best customers. Last year, the owner gave a personal phone call. The phone call got a lot more mileage than the peanuts or the cards.

We have a Hunter Haweye Elite. We have the ability to do performance alignments, and alignments on vehicles that are lowered, lifted or have odd shaped or expensive wheels & tires.

In addition to the winterization (like above) This has been really popular Lift and/or Level Kits.

https://www.facebook.com/Paradigm-Automotive-99678520342/

We are also adding it to our Black Friday/Shop Small Saturday Christmas Specials.

Here is ours www.oktireandbait.com still updating. but let me know what you think.

Nice website!! Like it that you are a bait shop too (I know, it's a Minnesota thing.)

We just got informed that our insurer is now Lloyds of London.

My thoughts are people need to be better prepared, we will dump 16in of snow and then be -40 two days later and haven't missed a day of school or work. Alaskans are a tough crowd

We don't get quite that cold, but Minne-Snow-tains are just as tough.

Can't wait for snow and pot holes and people going into the ditch; keeps the alignment rack busy!

Our waiting area is in our store. The counter is a 2 x 4 frame covered with sheet aluminum. The idea was to have a comfortable "man cave" that is female friendly. We have collected some memorabilia over the years, that is interesting to some, and we have a few magazines.

The window behind the TV looks into the room with our chassis dyno and where we do restorations. We did have wifi, which we are setting back up, we got a new wireless router.

I don't know how to post pictures, but here is the link to the pics on facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/99678520342/photos/pcb.10156252203820343/10156252134245343/?type=3&theater

It does come from the top. Fortunately, 3 of our guys are neat freaks and every tool is put away in their toolbox at the end of every night. We have only one problem child who is about to be the guest of honor at a blanket party. (Just kidding, but it is the owner's son so he can't be fired. The owner is going the have a serious sit down with him.)

Something my wise father taught me - A job is not complete until everything to put away. Maybe not assign the next job till the area is clean?

We spent the end of the day yesterday (Friday) doing the little extra cleaning; corners, trash, etc. This happens on the evenings when everything is done and it's not quitting time.