ewelchtx

Not to sound trite, but if you're shop lives by social media, it can be hurt by it. Let your good customers decide based on their personal experience, not rumor, grapevine, hearsay, innuendo..etc.

I would bet your best customers are not big "social media" people but are busy, productive and have more to do than stare at their phones.

I've seen it, lived, it won it.

I feel your pain. I am 61 and have been in the business for 45 years also. Has happened a few times to me. Only thought I have when it happens is what comes around goes around and that persons karma will show some time in their life. Get pissed and move on. At least now a days we have a place to vent.

On another note, have you gotten into texting yet? I find I have a 90% answer rate with texting and only about a 50/50 chance with the phone any more. We ask every customer at write up if we can text them. Phone return calls with voice mail average about 2-3 hours, texting about 7 minutes. Set up a texting system for our shops for about $13 a month and can be used on any computer in the shop.

Richard

And it creates a record of the conversation, unlike a phone call.

Running high volume tire stores for 30 years. Only one ever left loose came off within a block. FWIW

I always told them the discount part houses made money when a customer returned with a bad part. A cheaper part guaranteed them a second trip.

How many times would you like to fix the problem?

I wanted to add, lot's of guys don't really understand margin vs markup. Here is a great article that illustrates how to figure margin and use markup:

 

http://www.accountingtools.com/questions-and-answers/what-is-the-difference-between-margin-and-markup.html

 

It's real simple. If you want a 25% margin, divide cost by reciprocal of 25 or 75%.

A 33% margin = 67% markup

A 40% " = 60% markup

Expenses + expected or budgeted profit divided by actual gross profit equal Sales needed to pay bills and obtain profit.

It's very simple.

Profit before taxes should be at least 12.5% to Sales

I was a service mgr in Austin at my dad's Firestone dealership, working 6 days a week, bustin that a__ and here comes Jimmy Carter one night telling me I had a problem and should change my attitude(malaise speech).

Knew right then it was political. When election day came in 1980 my wife in I were first in line at the voting place. I was 25 with a mortgage, a family and a good job.

Reagan's tax reductions produced the sames howls of deficits you hear of Trumps now plus Reagan was 'old and stupid' according to the dems.

Yeah, how's young and cunning working out for all of us.

In 1983 when Reagan's policies were implemented(democratic Congress), our business exploded and did really well until we sold it at a premium 5 years later.

Entire lawn mower blade

Joe I remember reading that we spend 70% of our time tending to 30% of our customers. Those generally being the WORST customers. Good advice!

Same goes for good and bad employees.

In my 45 years of meeting and greeting upwards of 30-60 customers a day, Just the Best gave the best advice. Make the process simple, quick but thorough enough to get background on problem, if possible walk to car with customer to assess general condition and use. You also get a feel for what type of personality you're about to engage with.

In my opinion, if nature of repair is uncertain at this point, upselling at greeting or check in is not the time. My 2 cents.