CAR_AutoReports

I think @bantar touches on everything that matters about data in this new world we live in. 

The most services you are using in today's business world, the more people have your data. 

So it's really not just your SMS, it's your SMS and everything it enables for you. 

Backups are important, but remembering that having things your way, always comes at a cost.

What's happiness in a Management platform?  Only you can decide.  Somethings have trade-offs others are "must have".

Every platform comes at a sacrifice of time, cost and how much data do I want to share with other platforms and companies.

If you want to consider new software, you really have to decide on how you want to run your business. 

Then start reading up on the available options and understand what each enables or doesn't.

That's where happiness lies.

10 minutes ago, JimO said:

Again - The topic was “What kind of alignment equipment do you own?” I am interested in remaining in the alignment business but I am not interested in becoming an ADAS specialist since I do not have the required space to accomplish that. I have read that Autel and Hunter have forged an alliance so I would expect Hunter’s ADAS coverage to only improve in the future when this alliance becomes productive. I have always respected Hunter and their new relationship with Autel certainly improves my perception of Autel. I am sure this is something that Snap-On must be paying attention to.

You mention your ADAS experience which is commendable, to stay within the topic and out of curiosity what kind of alignment equipment do you own?

 

Jim, I didn't reply to the thread in question, because I have nothing of value to add to the thread in general.

I replied to your post within it, because I thought I had value to provide to you.  It's become clear that was a mistake.

29 minutes ago, JimO said:

“One really has nothing to do with the other”? I must disagree, the ability to calibrate ADAS after performing an alignment on most new vehicles is a requirement, they go hand in hand. The topic of discussion is “What kind of alignment equipment do you have”. I answered that question in my post explaining that what I currently have is old and needs replacement and I included my reasoning for delaying the upgrade. If I do an alignment and the vehicle requires an ADAS calibration post alignment and I purchased equipment with no ADAS capability then shame on me for poor investigation before purchase. Two years ago Hunter offered new equipment with limited ADAS capability and since then their coverage has improved considerably. I am trying my best to prepare my ship and upgrade to a platform that gives me acceptable coverage to minimize my potential inability to perform an alignment due to poor ADAS coverage. I fully understand that if I want to specialize in ADAS calibration that I would require much more equipment than an alignment machine but again, that was not the topic, I just want to be able to perform an accurate alignment on most vehicles.

The ability to calibrate a cruise control module, while performing an alignment surely has nothing to do with one another.  I have been performing ADAS calibrations for 18 months now.  I have a little bit of experience.

Yes, having the alignment machine with the ADAS tools to calibrate, is going to be helpful.  But it's not going to allow you to calibrate anything but front facing distance modules and maybe some front facing sensors, at least at this stage in the game.  Maybe as technology evolves, this too will evolve, but as for the calibrations I have been doing.. I don't see how you're going to calibrate anything but something required with an alignment. 

So now, the question becomes... do you invest in other equipment, like the Autel system.  Where you get the option to select if the vehicle is on an alignment machine?  Which is a question that has been asked in a lot of front facing cruise control calibrations.  I would imagine that this makes it easier for you calibrate those items.  The Autel system doesn't ask you, is this a Hunter Alignment machine, to my knowledge.  Although they may be working on a potential partnership to bridge that gap.

So, my comment stands, with one caveat.  One really has nothing to do with the other if you're looking to perform a range of ADAS calibrations.  Which I would imagine if you're looking to get into ADAS and make the investment... might be a worthwhile to look into the Autel system as is with a Hunter Alignment machine coupled with it.  But you're going to have do some real research on who has the Hunter machine with ADAS, who has ADAS without the hunter machine and who has ADAS with another alignment machine.  To learn about the range of issues they all may be facing.

If you're just worried about front facing calibrations, then Hunter with it's ADAS coverage and expanding line up might be your best bet financially.  But if you're looking towards the future, it's a complete waste of your money if you ask me.

Doing ADAS calibrations is much more involved than having the tools.  You're going to need a serious tech manage these types of repairs.  Someone who knows how to dot all their i's and cross all their t's and you're going to have to get used to saying "no" to a customer, who might have to spend $2,000 in suspension work before you're comfortable giving them a $400-$800 alignment and sending them on their way.  You're asking the wrong questions and mad at me for giving you the right starting answers.

Also, looking at your facility.... you might have other problems.  Your quarters might be too tight to comfortably perform ADAS calibrations, opening you up to real liability risk.  Your tire racks and tool boxes are standing metal (anything over a certain height and within close proximity) that is a clearly outlined "no-no" in nearly every calibration I've performed.  ADAS calibrations require a clear working bay of significant side and front clearance in nearly every front facing calibration.  Something you may want to consider and research before you believe in the marketing brochure jargon and sign on any dotted line.

On 2/9/2020 at 7:40 PM, JimO said:

I currently have a Hunter and need to replace it however ADAS has kept me from moving forward.  I have read several posts from this site and other sites/publications concerning ADAS and the requirement to perform required calibrations after routine tasks such as alignments.  To this point I have not been able to confirm that any manufacturer is offering equipment that is capable of performing all resets/calibrations needed for ADAS equipped vehicles after the completion of an alignment.  The last thing I want to do is purchase a new piece of equipment, receive a phone call from a customer inquiring if we can perform an alignment and not be able to confidently answer “Yes, we can take care of that”. 

You're going to need multiple pieces of equipment to be able to do alignments and ADAS calibrations.  One really has nothing to do with the other, even though you can perform ADAS calibrations on an alignment machine.

Up 25% from our best year and 44% from a down year in between where I had surgery.

This isn't a gimmick, it's the only way to run your business in this industry and succeed against the marketing onslaught we all face.

We've added 14 new people to our system in about 21 days.  7 of which spent money at our facility doing a lot more than changing their oil and rotating their tires.

Updates for May 2020:

We are continuing to work on some industry integrations that will help our members perform their services faster and more efficiently.  We will likely have news regarding completed integrations towards the end of this quarter.

Additionally we are working on a few things we can talk about.

• Quickbooks Online Syncing - CAR will sync to Quickbooks Online in the near future.  Presently sales files will sync to Quickbooks Desktop version.
• Texting & Other Customer Communication - We are working on ways to integrate texting into our platform alongside of our native customer communication that is already built into our process.
• Mobile Payments - We are working on ways to automate deposits on services, as well as payments overall through the platform.

Recent changes and updates:

Added new categories to our hierarchy based on customer requests.

Video uploads have been updated to allow for videos that are 250mb in size. Test driving vehicles with ADAS made this a necessary evil for the time being.

Hide Prices from customer view.  Some customers have indicated that they share their screen with customers who are in the service facility, so we have added a button to hide cost prices from view by pressing the "H" in the Service Request View Page.

Action Menu in a Service Request has been enhanced with payments and tech assignment functions.

Service Request List Enhancements

You now have the ability to change the headings on our Service Request List.

You can make quick changes to help sort while working:

Or you can permanently change the headings to suit your workflow style more appropriately, in this print screen the Request ID and Estimated Delivery Date are omitted from view.

We have made numerous mobile fixes that enhance the use of our platform from any mobile device available on the market today.

A reminder that we are the only platform on the market today that was designed for mobile use and touchless service. 

This wasn't an afterthought, we have been building towards this goal for over 5 years.

Complete Auto Reports allows you to:

👉 Check in a customer
👉 Create a vehicle profile
👉 Look up and order parts (through Partstech for now, other integrations coming.)
👉 Send the estimate to your customer
👉 Get customer approval digitally
👉 Let your customer know the vehicle is ready.

All without making a single phone call.

You will not find a system that offers more value and better customer integration that what we offer.

Our revenue is up 25% from our best year two years ago.

Hello everyone, I am suggesting we have a thread with comments that only relate to information regarding help for businesses or communities affected by recent events.

I will start the thread by listing relevant links I have at this time:

the U.S. Treasury Department has released a draft application for the Paycheck Protection Program (the
new forgivable loan program) created by the CARES Act. The Paycheck Protection Plan application process starts
Friday, April 3, 2020 and those eligible and interested in applying should begin that process as soon as possible:

- For a top-line overview of the program:
https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/PPP -- Overview.pdf

- If you’re a borrower, more information and links to SBA lenders http://www.sba.gov/ can be found here:
https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/PPP--Fact-Sheet.pdf

- The application for borrowers can be found here:
https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/Paycheck-Protection-Program-Application-3-30-2020-v3.pdf

Importantly as well, we have included links to Small Business Administration (SBA) resources that will help navigate
the government subsidies, loans and programs available:

- The SBA’s Local Assistance Page, https://www.sba.gov/local-assistance which provides local resources and
information on offices and other resources around the country;

- Lender-Match, https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans the SBA’s tool to find local banks and lenders
based on your needs and;

- SBA’s Coronavirus Resource Page:
https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-relief-options

Hello everyone.  First and foremost, we hope that you, your family, your team members and your business are doing as well as one can expect in this new reality that is taking us down an unbelievably difficult time in our history.

We have some updates and some news we want to share with you.

News:

While the world has come to a halt, we have certainly felt the change in direction at our facility in Linden NJ.  However, the average RO numbers we are seeing, are nothing short of remarkable for the work we have put into this endeavor.

We are the least expensive system that offers the ability to invoice customers (Digitally and Paper) with a full DVI system attached to it.

Our plans start at $69.99 and $119.99 for a 5 team member facility.  You will not find a better value anywhere in the industry for shop management than what we offer with one system.

Updates:

Removal of Completed / Completed & Paid From Plain View: 

 

When you press the dashboard icon, you may notice that you are missing a bunch of Service Requests.

 

You're not missing them, they have been hidden from plain view and can easily be brought back.

 

Notice anything new, like that red line of text?

 

Note: This list EXCLUDES Completed service requests.

 

 

Clicking on it will cause it to turn green and read:

 

Note: This list now INCLUDES Completed Service Requests.

 

Hours & Minutes: 

 

Jobs that run over 24 hours, no longer display "Days" that correspond to hours.

 

Easy Check - Add New Customer: 

 

In an on going effort to improve our process, we have added "Add New Customer" to the "Easy Check In" flow.  This will allow you to add anyone not on the platform, and then proceed to add their vehicle and start a service request or make a future appointment.

 

 

 

Administrators Can Now Delete & Reopen Service Requests: 

 

Based on learning more about how we each function every day in our facilities, we have decided to add the ability to soft delete service requests from appearing in the list that employees see.  With that also comes the ability to to correct a mistake on an invoice, without reaching out to us.  A snapshot of the service request is taken prior to being reopened. 

 

 

CAR Mobile Display:

 

We've been working really hard on our mobile display as well.

 

There are no pages that should require you to pan right anymore.  Everything should be contained within the window you are in on your mobile device.

 

 

We are continuing to make significant strides in our product, through your crucial feedback.  We appreciate every bit of advice you give us on how to make CAR better for you and the community overall.  Please don't hesitate to share with us.

Just had one yesterday...

Why are you charging me $230 just to look at my car?

Well, the technician had your car on the lift for 1.5 hours identifying all types of problems or safety issues.

The service advisor then spends at least 1 hour researching and putting together your estimate and communicating everything to you.

So we have ~3 hours of work into your vehicle and have provided a comprehensive estimate with labor times, parts and part numbers.  You can now take this information and make an educated decision on whether or not your vehicle is worth fixing.  Information you didn't have when you dropped the car off for "low brake pedal".

You were also charged for 2 hours when we spent much closer to 3.

Do you show up at work and work 3 hours for free every day?

**Silence falls over the room**

Congratulations.

I'm willing to work with you, if you're interested.  No games, no gimmicks.  Complete and holistic evaluation with a structured action plan.

It won't be easy, changes recommended can be relatively cheap all things considered, but there will be work involved.

There are a fair amount of shops in your area (2 mile radius) and A LOT more just over the river. I see nothing but potential.  Just need someone willing to do some work and some improvements.  The only money I envision you spending is upgrading your website, the rest of what you will need can be done mostly from a computer with some time, effort and follow through.

23 minutes ago, TheTrustedMechanic said:

I like a lot of what you wrote.  From the way you structured your scenario that I replied to, it sounded like you did all that work and then handed them the bill.  I couldn't figure out at what points you contacted the customer for additional approval.  For my misunderstanding I apologize, but I NEVER intended any disrespect.

 

I agree that documentation and explanation are key.  My best customer is the educated customer.  Not college or higher learning, but the one who is aware of what I have done, what needs to be done and why it needs to be done to achieve their objective of a safe and reliable car.  I feel it is my job to educate them on these topics so they can make an educated decision that hopefully is the best decision for them and their family.  So documentation is key. 

You really caught my eye with your line, "When you treat someone like a friend and respect their hard earned money..." because that is exactly how I treat my customers.  I work hard for my money and demand value for what I spend.  I expect to provide the same to my customers.  And above all, I fully realize that I am spending my customer's money when I recommend a repair.  I understand Genuine's position and I fought the same fight, people claimed they didn't have any money.  And during the recession or the beginning months of the year, that is true, many people are barely getting by.  But building a relationship, if you can, is the key.  Out of 100 customers through the door, you might only retain 20 and only 10 become long-term customers.  But building relationships and adamantly demanding honesty, knowing when to turn down a job because it's not "right" is the best way to conduct business I believe.

 

We all hear, "But I'm going to be selling the car soon," as a ploy to get us to 'band-aid' a repair.  What happens when we do? A year later the customer comes back with, "But you just FIXED it."  But did you really fix it or did you just band-aid it so they could sell the car like they swore they were going to do?  Or you put the cheapest part on because anything was better than the bad on that was on the car.  One year warranty you tell them but that won't matter because they are going to sell the car.  Two years later they come back, "But you just put that on, now it's bad again.  I shouldn't have to pay for it again because YOU put a cheap part on."  It took me about 3 years to finally figure out how to call the "But I'm selling it" customer a liar without being offensive and to REFUSE to do anything but, "The right job, the right way, at a fair and honest price."  Now when I hear that line, unless there is literally a For Sale sign in the window, I do NOT believe it and I NEVER compromise my quality and integrity in order to meet their expected low price point.  I have built a reputation and most of my customers simply say, "Fix it, I trust you."  But that is of course after I explain, what went wrong, why it needs THIS specific repair and how much it will cost.

But the bottom line is, I hope you did not feel that I was disrespecting you, or if you did that you understand now that I was not.  I just didn't know where in your scenario you made your calls for additional time and repairs.

We're far from that, I took 0 offense to what you said and just look to provide a medium for discussion.  We all do what we need to do to survive, but I think more often than not we all do the same things at different times in our career and how it was executed... depends on the outcome.

To your point, we're really upfront with new customers that we do not work for free and there will be a charge to look at their vehicle.  We literally give them the keys and state "This is how long it takes us to do X, we need to do X first and then move onto Y, which requires Z time.  It is impossible to predict if we will need more time at this stage, but we can only promise to be fair and forthcoming in everything we do. We understand this might not suit your needs, but we're always here should you need it."

When you say that because you mean it and not because it's a sell line, people will open their minds to the idea of trusting you.

Once you give them a reason to solidify that trust by doing exactly as you said... you change the conversion from 2 in 10 customers to 4 in 10 customer becoming life long customers.

I really just want to reiterate to everyone that the basis for my success started when I treated every single customer as I would expect to be treated in that scenario.  It doesn't mean I didn't lose my cool or make a mistake or I didn't perform a service for free to make it up to someone... It means I set my goal and I did everything in my power every single day to achieve it.

Ultimately, years of free training provided by a local vendor.... made me open my eyes.  But I still had to do the leg work.

Just remember everyone:

A thorough vehicle inspection takes no less than 45 minutes.

• Full code scan: 10 minutes on a $4000+ piece of equipment, with monthly updating costs.
• Test drive?:15 mins min, depending on customer concern
• Lift and wheels off: 15-20 mins
• Document findings: text, photo 10 mins
• Build estimate: 5 minutes to 3 hours.

The fastest at their craft and process can do that in 45 minutes.

It;s likely closer to an hour from start to finish depending on exact needs.

Would you call your plumber and electrician, that pays you for your service at your shop, and expect them to do the equivalent for free?

Why should you?

On 2/17/2020 at 12:37 AM, TheTrustedMechanic said:

@GENUINE - I work with JustTheBest and I can tell you that he knows what he is talking about, but I also know that you are 100% correct.  Good customers are not everywhere, some places do have too much low-ball competition and there simply are not enough good customers to go around in some areas.  You presented your REAL WORLD facts and JustTheBest presented fancy buzzwords but you are both right.  For example, on the point of Henry Ford, his words were correct, but he operated a business on a far grander scale than most of us will ever achieve.  And that gave him great opportunities that we will never have. 

I know two things from experience,

1) You will get a lot of "hate" and negative feedback telling you that you are wrong, that you can change your situation and your customers if you want to, if you try hard enough, if you put in enough effort, if you try this latest fad advertising. 

2) I have been exactly where you are and deal with exactly what you express that you deal with.  I have overcome some of it, but some of it I simply do not have the means, methods, opportunities or privileges to use to overcome.  So in some ways, I can, in other ways, like you, through situation and circumstance, I simply can't.  Not because I think I can't but because I do not have the means, opportunities or privileges to do so. 

For example. let's say even though you own your property, let's say you are renting, as I am, even if you wanted to move and you have the money to move and the bank approval for a purchase price that is at a level that is competitive, ALL of that is you thinking that you CAN, However, if there is no property available to buy that will allow your repair shop business (in my community it is not only "industrial" zoning but it also has to be approved for auto repair) then you CAN'T.  You CAN'T not because you think you can't but because you do not have the privilege or opportunity.  Sure, you "can" move your shop 100 miles away where there are buildings for sale, but that is not a wise opportunity or truly feasible unless you truly want to start over from scratch.  However that was of little concern to Henry Ford, he didn't have to move his family or his business, he just moved a manufacturing facility or a dealership or an office complex, he moved a fraction of the operation, not the entire operation.  That is where you are 100% correct, "The pie in the sky Apple, Starbucks, etc philosophy just doesn't always work, not at the small level of most independent repair shops. At least not here." And no matter how accurate JustTheBest and Henry are, it does not apply and does not change anything in your situation. 

 

I have worked with JTB for several years and he and I have disagreed on things and I had doubted other things would work but tried them anyway.  The things I tried usually worked and had positive ROIs, some much to my surprise.  Some didn't work very well (only X/10% ROI positive) while others worked extremely well and were 10, 20, 30x ROI positive.  I have flat out refused to try some things because they cut against my personal beliefs.  While I would not say they were dishonest, they were not consistent with who I am.  Other things I have declined to try simply because they are not conducive to my business, like pushing LOFs HARD.  I lose money on every one compared to selling that rack time for a full rate parts & labor job since I am a one man shop.  If I was a big enough operation to have a dedicated LOF rack and tech, it would be a different deal, but I am not. So I "can" push LOF's hard and fill my day with oil changes, but I CAN'T make any money at them.  That is not me thinking I can't that is just cold hard reality,  Just like it is with you in your situation. 

 

So I suggest you "man up," put your flame suit on and be prepared to get torched with all these "The pie in the sky Apple, Starbucks, etc" philosophers.  Not all are that way, but enough are and they are happy to tell you, "You can, but only if you are willing to work hard enough," not recognizing that you are working hard enough, you just don't have the right resources to draw from or build with.  Others will tell you, "I was in your shoes, this is what I did and it will work for you, but only if you do it EXACTLY AS I DID."  You and I both know that just because it worked in their shop doesn't mean it will work with yours.  But there is still a great deal of knowledge here and JustTheBest has a lot of great ideas and systems to try, some you will stick with, others you might try and decide you either don't have the time to work or the interest in spending the money for help to do.  But don't give up.  You can't get blood from a turnip, but that doesn't mean you can't make it into a decent meal.

I've learned a few things on my own, but this:

Not because I think I can't but because I do not have the means, opportunities or privileges to do so. 

This is probably the most accurate phrase I've read in a while.

But you know what I did have when I didn't have means, opportunities or privileges?  I had time to pick a discipline and learn it.  Then I enacted it.

While I let that run it's course, I found the next thing I knew nothing about and couldn't afford an expert, I learned that to the best of my ability and enacted it.

I've run this gauntlet for almost 12 years now over 3 locations and on the brink of watching it all vanish at least twice in those 12 years.

Through those trials were and sometimes still are a sh*tload of tears, but tomorrow is always a new day and as long as I conducted myself with integrity today... I'll sleep just fine.

Not to discount Genuine, location surely is a strong variable in success, but that doesn't mean you can't find a form of success in a sh*tty location.

I've done it, with the most laughable budget known to man and in a miserable part of town all by making a plan and enacting it one day at a time. Plan has a fault? Something doesn't work? Adjust. Repeat.

Some of the best advice I ever got was exactly this:  Your shop is no different than a factory, a factory has to have X level of output to be sustainable.  Your shop has to reach X level of output just like the factory does.  I'm not going to tell you how to do it, but if you want to survive you have to have to figure out how to do it.

I had never thought about shop output as related to factory output.  That seed is what lead me to charging for diagnostic and thorough inspections.  But I didn't wake up the next day and go full rate.  I worked my way there.  Finding my footing along the way and over delivering to my customers in every way possible.

2 hours ago, GENUINE said:

Hi all! Lots of interesting scenarios unfolding here, and most all are very valid. BUT, all work great in a perfect world. As someone above stated, "until techs all get on board like plumbers, electricians etc"...THAT is the key! In a community where ALL the shops abide by this policy - charging fairly for their diag time - it works great. But unfortunately, especially in low income areas, it just doesn't work that way. AUTOZONE becomes the diagnostic place and any guy on the street will attempt to replace any part they say is needed. When all that fails (and we all know it will) THEN they end up on my door, broke, angry, and expecting me to gladly pick up the pieces! Now, in addition to the original problem, I have to address all of the other stuff that someone has done.  It's the nature of the beast trying to operate a legit business in poorer neighborhoods. So sometimes it's easier to play their game, agree to "include it in the cost of repair" and not have to deal with the jack legs getting in there first. Truly it is a lose lose. A reminder to the wise when thinking about getting in this business.....LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION has never been truer!

We have a fair amount of customers that are very budget conscious.  We just treat them like people and help them make the best decisions based on whatever they can afford.  Even if they can't afford anything.

The ones who understand what you do for them, become your biggest advocates without you ever knowing. 

The ones who don't, never return and likely aren't a good customer base for you anyway.

To make you feel better... I started here "So sometimes it's easier to play their game, agree to "include it in the cost of repair" and not have to deal with the jack legs getting in there first. "... and worked my way up slowly to where I am.  We all have to start somewhere.

One you built up the trust, where customers aren't wondering if you're taking advantage of them all the time... the pricing part gradually becomes easier.  It's just never "easy". 

I don't "run the clock".  Every circumstance is different.

To help customers understand, I document everything I do from start to finish, just like we track our time.

That means every test we perform, I attach its result and label what I did to test any given part and why.

Since each circumstance is different, we try to make the most of our time.  We request up to 2 hours and will work up to 3, assuming the third hour is on us.

If we need more than that... we send the customer the information and then call them to review it.  Ask them if they want us to keep going or if they will figure things out differently.

Strange thing happens.  When you treat someone like a friend and respect their hard earned money, they have no problems paying for the service they are receiving.

So, we work insanely hard at being accurate, fair, and professional at everything we do. 

Our customers notice and don't mind paying... because they feel what we provide, is worth paying for. 

It didn't happen overnight and it was a really long road here, but I'll never run any other service business in this lifetime with any other mindset.
 

On 2/16/2020 at 1:47 PM, PherBag said:

I keep it short and nice. I tell people I have to pay the technician for his time spent working and testing for the correct repair needed to your vehicle. If I don’t pay him, he wouldn’t work here. I haven’t got any bad mouthing from it, but sometimes they just say OK thank you and hang up.

We charge full labor for diagnostics as we have seen full vehicle diagnosis with test drives and other in bay testing surpass the 4 hour mark for accurate assessments. We occasionally get a complaint or a "Can't you remove the charge", we hold the line.

"We are sorry but the amount of tools and time it takes to properly inspect vehicles, does not allow us to perform this service free of charge."

Our most recent full system diagnosis had 3 hours on the lift, followed by one minor repair to get the vehicle driving, followed by 1.25 hours of driving for all monitors to run.  Then a reevaluation of codes that returned, what they are indicating, and another 1+ hour(s) of lift time diagnosing them.  Throughout the diagnosis we used the scanner for 2 hours at minimum.  We will use the volt meter at minimum and possibly the scope.  All tools that cost us a lot of money and some of which require subscriptions to stay up to date.

We'll be all into this particular example for 6 hours.  If they get all the work done, we can and usually provide a fairer rate for diagnosis considering their support.  If they get nothing, They pay full rate and have our entire process documented, and available to them digitally to take anywhere else and bargain on their time.

I've had one person really cause a problem over the last 3 years over this practice.  He was warned prior that we do not assess vehicles for free and there is no "standard" charge to do so.  So I don't lose an ounce of sleep over it.

I used to be the guy that allowed diagnostics to leave uncharged, not since I learned how much time we spend diagnosing and inspecting.

We have 3 loaners and offer local rides to work, anything within 2-3 mile radius would generally qualify for a ride.

We were a part of the RedCap Valet trial program and quite honestly, didn't find much use for it when we tried it.

If a customer needs a ride and we can't provide one... we just call an Uber from the shop account.  But we found that with extended repair times, customers don't want a ride to work or a ride home... they want alternate transportation while their mode of transport is down.

Our loaner car insurance is really inexpensive considering what we are actually getting and able to offer. 

We have casually offered to pick up and drop off, but haven't had many people take us up on it or want it.  Especially with the loaners available.

33 minutes ago, Robert Williams said:

$85.00 base diagnostic charge, $124.00 mechanical, $54.00 collision in Buffalo, NY

The collision industry is also ripe for a revolution.

2 hours ago, rpllib said:

Yesterday I had a conversation with an investigator for the sales tax division in my state. I ask her the following questions:

If I stop charging a mark up on parts and roll all the charges into my labor rate, would I be flagged for an audit by the sale tax division, because my overall sales would remain the same but the sales tax that I report would be cut in half. She did not think so and she had been asked the question before by other owners. Labor is not taxable in Michigan.

I then asked her "what if" I stopped charging markup on parts and started charging a "shop rate" (in lieu of a markup on parts), and that "shop rate" was a variable of (and based on) the cost of the parts used on the invoice.  She wasn't so sure how that would be received by sales tax division, by she would ask a compliance officer and report back to me. 

Personally, I would rather just have a shop rate that covers all controllable costs to the customer. Unfortunately in Michigan we are mandated to have parts & labor charges, plus billed hours, clearly called out on our estimates. It is unlikely, in my opinion, that the BAR would allow a "shop rate" other than as an additional charge on top of parts and labor, which is no less confusing to the consumer than our current scenario of marking up parts. I am currently in the middle of a friendly audit by the BAR and I will ask the compliance officer his thoughts on this. 

Maybe the first thing we need to agree on is that our true charge to any and every customer(consumer), by every and any automotive service facility, is typically:

"Our normal charge for the job minus our cost on the parts "   We control all other charges on the job, except parts cost. Regardless of what quality of part we use, there will be a parts charge and we did not set that cost.

This whole mess became much clearer to me, when I figured out that the price we charge a customer that wants to supply their own parts, is as follows:

Our charge when a customer wants to supply their own parts is whatever our normal everyday charge for the job is, less our cost on the parts required.

Once we agree that is exactly what we charge our very best customers, in every shop model, we will be one step closer to a solution, Imo. 

I personally think you made a few mistakes here.

a) You're trying to substitute parts for another line item, and that just looks shady when it comes to taxes.

b) You're now trying to lump your parts margin into a new category and have that on the invoice

c) Under no circumstances is a customer who provides a part to get a better deal than a customer where you are the one supplying the part.

What we did here:

a) Raised our labor rate to reflect the quality of service provided

b) Maintain accurate records on the amount of time actually spent on vehicles. Many jobs go over at least an hour because of rust/corrosion and the after service check list.  Like going over the service, cleaning up the mess made from the service, test driving the vehicle.  From these accurate counts, we bill with a 90%+ accuracy now.

c) Lowered prices on parts to a justifiable degree.  Most of our real margin is on items $100 or less.  Most stuff over $100 still has a margin, just nothing like you'd expect in most circumstances.

Also, customers who buy their own parts aren't generally welcome here.  Liability has become so large, that the instances where customer acquired parts are used, have been greatly reduced.   We will figure it out and you can bring it somewhere that allows you to use your own parts or you can keep going around town till you find the guy willing to help you save money over his own needs to survive.

We also didn't make our change overnight.  So what I might suggest:

Lower your parts margin and raise your labor rate.  Like a $10 raise in rate coupled with an equal decline parts margin based on the hours you bill a month.

Try that for 6-12 months and see where you land.

Then readjust till you can reduce your margin.

Our goal:

To get all parts to a less than 50% margin. We're still a little bit away, but we are close enough to where online retailers don't make us look like we are just fleecing people.  Consumables like brakes, air filters and oil/oil filters are the hardest to get down to reasonable levels.

2 hours ago, newport5 said:

I agree with above: it's not "a sell." (and certainly not an upsell - it either needs it or it doesn't)

The service ADVISOR educates the customer about the needed repair or maintenance. If you built up trust, they will say yes - or reschedule.

How can they say no? You aren't "selling" anything. They can't say not to the idea of repair, because it needs it (you're the expert). And your advice is coming from a trusted friend, you, the advisor. And everyone knows you have to make a profit -- just like their company.

They can say no to doing it now, for several reasons: they don't care enough about maintaining their car, they are cheap, or they really can't afford it now. Oh, the go-to, "I'm selling the car." (That's when I tell them, "OK, don't do that, but do this, this and this, to get more for your car or make it easier to sell.")

Re "trusted" advisor, the trade magazines don't tell you how, they just say do it.

And the same goes for the "amazing customer service" or the "exceed/shatter expectations."  The trade magazine just say do it.  Maybe you're supposed to hire the writer and their company to teach you. (And how do you shatter expectations the next time?)

Future article coming on the "how."

I've been able to sum it up to this:

If it were someone you cared about, how would you handle this?

This puts you in an advisor mentality, or maybe even friend.  As those lines blur at times.  As a friend, if you're just telling them what the facts are, you can't ever go wrong.

On 2/2/2020 at 12:22 PM, Joe Marconi said:

the upsell,

As long as everyone keeps viewing it as a sell, the harder it is to break old habits and inspire new culture.

Confirmed for the month of December, but rebounded in January.

We don't have anything we can report yet.... but we are working on things this quarter.

We do however, have this interesting graphic to share:

18 minutes ago, bantar said:

Right on CAR!!!  This is the way to do it!  The POS industry should be enhancing their core platform rather than abdicating the creation of these features to others.  

I abhor overlay software systems.   When you use a 3rd party software package, they have to store data in a separate database, while at the same time communicate with your POS system.   Now you have twice the chances for something to go wrong as either can have a bug that breaks the system.   If you terminate the service of an overlay program and keep your POS, the historical data in the other database is now gone.   Please note:  I'm not critiquing any of these overlay software products.  They add value for some shops.    I only have one software vendor to contact when I need help and this simplifies my life.   Instead, I'm critizing the POS vendors and/or recommending selection of a modern POS system.

The system that I use has customizable DVI, but no ability to store pictures.   They integrate with a 3rd party overlay system(s), but, IMO, the fees are insane compared to the value provided.    Our system makes it really easy to capture needed work and present it to the customer.  

The frustration you are experiencing with overlay systems and ridiculous pricing including extra integrations... was the basis for CAR.

Customizable DVI's are on our roadmap for this year as we have specialized requests coming from many sources.

We provide 5 logins with the ability for a standardized DVI, photos | videos |document uploads, and customer communication for $120 a month.  Dollar for dollar, we think we provide an insane level of value for what we offer without any specialized equipment or extra integration components.

We're just getting started.  Any integration we manage will be offered through our platform seamlessly instead of relying on bridges outside of the core functions to accomplish it.

On 12/4/2018 at 9:18 AM, CAR_AutoReports said:

I can't speak for everyone, but I can tell you I am not ashamed to make a profit.  This is business and the way to survive is to adapt.  If you can name one industry that has not adapted to consumer behavior and survived, I would be very happy to hear about it.  Consumers have long treated this industry as if we are all thieves.  Before the internet, they had no recourse.  With the internet, they can put you out of business in 30 days time, if not sooner.

 

The medium here for discussion is how we all thrive in an environment that is turning every industry upside down, not just this one.  Part of that comes with providing a streamline experience where people pay for your experience and not your parts.  If we, as a group, adapted the mentality of my labor is where I make money, and not my parts... there would be less ability for the consumer to create havoc in our environment.  As long as we sell parts for multiples of what we are paying for them, while our consumers can research prices on their own... is as long as we'll have the mentality that's made this industry the last one to transform and shake the horrid reputation we have with the general public.

 

If you buy anything at a national chain, from the groceries in your house, to the device you are likely typing this on... you are a consumer.  Put yourself in their shoes and realize we provide the worst experience known to man.  There are no trades left where parts have such an influence on business, like this trade.  If you work on fleets, ask their owners how their business is going and what challenges they are facing.  Most of the fleets we service, make less than 20% on parts and all of their meaningful revenue is generated by labor.  Why?  Because the consumer can go to Home Depot and buy everything for the same price they can.  The consumer just can't install it, they realized that... adapted to it and are now seeing the benefit of not worrying about how much money to make on parts and focus on labor costs and managing them.

The ability to profit on parts started to erode in 2008, by 2015 we basically gave up on it, in 2018 in we streamlined our parts matrix to reflect higher labor vs higher part margins... 2019 was our busiest year yet.