Joe Marconi

Do you have any details on his shop - Please message me privately, Thank you.

Well said! In my opinion, you hit the nail on the head! Great comments!

The other day, a local fellow shop owner, was complaining to me that his plumber just charged him $225 labor for a house call. My response was, "And why do you have an issue with that?" I know this plumber; he is very successful, in high demand in the area, does great work and provides a VALUBALE service. Does this sound familiar? You bet....sounds like you and your business!!! When the day comes that all of us truly know what we are worth and charge for it, that will be the day when all us raise the level of the auto industry, begin to attract more people to us, pay our employees better, build for our future and go home with the pay we deserve. I know this is going to cause controversy....so let's start the conversation.

If you have a repair shop business in New York State that you are looking to sell, please let me know. I will keep this strictly confidential. Criteria required, shops with 6 plus bays. Other details to be explained. Please email me: [email protected]

As we celebrate July 4th with family, friends and barbecues, let us remember and reflect on the meaning of this day; Independence Day. The day that represents the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the United States of America as an independent nation.

According to Zip Recruiter, tech pay on average is about $41,000 per year. Is this an issue? I know many of you pay more than average, but do you think that we need to increase tech pay in order to attract more people to the auto repair industry. One other thing to consider, the shop and shop owner needs to be profitable and make the money first in order to pay anyone a decent wage. Your thoughts?

Below is a link to an article about Obenbay's debut with an online virtual service advisor. Is this the future? Or will technology remove that personal touch. For me, someone that has built a business on strong relationships and human customer touch points, this is something I am not sure of. But then again, what about the millennials and the Z generation? https://www.openbay.com/blog/openbay-launches-industry-first-artificial-intelligence-powered-automotive-service-advisor/

After 39 years in business, it's time to get serious about my exit plan. While I don't think I will ever truly retire, I do think it's time to plan the next chapter in my life. I would like to hear from shop owners out there in the same situation. What are your plans? Are you selling your repair shop? Do you have a succession plan? And are you thinking about a different line of work to keep you busy?

You spend a lot of time and money finding an hiring an employee. Whether it be a technician, service advisor or office worker. However, the real work to ensure that the new employee is up and running begins when you hire that person. Don't make the mistake of thinking that a new-hire can be put to work without an orientation period. No matter how experienced someone may be, take the time to slowly acclimate that person to your shop, your other employees and your systems and procedures. The time you take in the beginning will help to create a long-lasting employee relationship.

Roughly a month ago, two events happened on the same day that reminded me that there are things that are so precious, you cannot put a price on them. Those events also reminded me that some of the things we stress over, really aren’t as important as we think. And in the end, it all comes down to the importance of life itself. I got a call that day from Paul, the person who picks up our scrap metal. He asked if he could speak to me in private. Now, being a seasoned business owner, that’s usually not a good sign. But, this had nothing to do with business. I met Paul in my office a few hours later. He appeared very uncomfortable and upset. After exchanging a few words about business and the weather, he told me that his brother died last year. He was one of three other brothers that died within the past five years. He went on to tell me that none of his brothers had any savings or insurance, so it was up to him to take care of all the burial expenses for all the brothers. As Paul spoke, I could see that he was emotionally drained. Then he said to me, “Joe, I really hate to ask you this. I am tapped out. I cannot support all my financial obligations at this time. Would it be possible to lend me the money to purchase the gravestone for my brother? You can make the check out directly to the gravestone company, not to me.” I have known Paul a long time. He’s one of those hard-working, tough-talking guys that you would never imagine asking for a handout. I didn’t hesitate and wrote out the check and handed it to him. He held back the tears as he shook my hand and told me, “Joe, I will never forget this, and I will pay you back.” About an hour later, the owner of a local tow company walked into my office manager’s office to pick up a check we owed him for last month’s tows. I wasn’t paying much attention until I overheard my office manager say, “Oh, my God, I am sorry, Dave. I didn’t even know you were sick.” Dave is 42 years old, married with kids, and has brain cancer that is not responding to treatment. Dave has a great attitude, but understands the reality of his illness. He’s doing his best while on the treatment, but admitted that, some days, he finds it hard to function. He told us how he started his tow company right out of high school and has worked hard his entire life. As he was leaving, I told him to reach out to us if he needs anything. He told me prayer might help. I told him I would do that. Before the two events that day, I was dealing with a few business problems. And I need to be honest: I was not in the best of moods. After speaking to Paul and Dave, those issues that seemed so daunting before, didn’t seem all that important anymore. I sat back in my chair, looked over at a photo of my grandkids on my desk, and told myself that I need to do a better job at arranging life’s priorities. As shop owners, we get caught up in the day-to-day struggles of running a business—sometimes at a cost to our families, friends and ourselves. We anguish over bad online reviews, disgruntled employees, slow days and declining car counts. We sometimes find it hard to sleep at night, reflecting over and over again in our minds, the problems of the day. And we repeat this cycle over and over, year after year. Let me tell you, no business issue is ever all that serious that it cannot be overcome. But, when life throws you a curveball, as in the case with Paul and Dave, those problems are not so easily overcome. There are many reasons why each of us go into business. For many of us, it’s the passion for the work we do. For others, it’s the burning desire to improve the automotive industry. While I cannot say that we are in perfect alignment in every area of business, I do know one thing with certainty: We all need to stop and reflect from time to time on all the things that have nothing to do with business, but everything to do with life itself. Those are the things that no amount of money can ever buy. Those are the things that are priceless. This story was originally published by Joe Marconi in Ratchet+Wrench on June 1st, 2019 View full article

Today we commemorate D-Day, June 6, 1944. Seventy Five years ago today, more than 160,000 Allied Troops, landed on the beaches of Normandy, France, to begin the operation that would liberate Western Europe from Nazi Germany’s control. Many brave lost their lives on this day. Perhaps one of the most important events of WWII.

Memorial Day is a time for barbecues and parties. However, it’s also the day in which we remember and honor those who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Please take time this weekend to reflect and honor those that sacrificed their lives for this great country!

Banner programs are good. And the strategy behind having a few main suppliers is not a bad idea. And don't forget, being part of a program does not limit you to buy from whom you choose to, just as long as you adhere to the program guidelines.

After nearly 40 years in business, I can tell you that there is no real solution to this problem. I gave up on labor claims years ago. I would wait months to hear back from an engineer's report, only for the report to say that somehow my tech installed the caliper wrong and that's why if failed. I don't want to sound negative, but that is a reality. Joining a program group, like TECH NET, that pays labor is perhaps the best option. Also, document all comebacks: The brand, the store you bought it from. Look for trends. Then, sit down with your parts supplier and work out a deal. No one wants to get rich over a comeback, but the truth is comebacks kill. Lastly, make sure your gross profit on parts and labor is in line and factor in a percentage for warranty issues. No company is perfect and no tech is perfect. Hope this helps.