Joe Marconi

That is hard to accept. I feel for you. You may not know, but I recently sold my company, so I am not up to date with QB. I did use them for probably 20 years or so. Let me do a little digging to see if I can find out more info.

That is hard to believe from QB! I don't blame you for being upset. There are no other options? Have you tried to reach out to them? I know the past few years they have been a growing company, and not the same company that I first started with them, years back.

Joe Marconi will be speaking at the upcoming virtual conference Amplify 2023, hosted by AutoLeap, with an exciting session to help shop owners be prepared with their business! Joe's session is titled "You Can & Will Survive an Economic Downturn". For most repair shops, the recent years have been smooth sailing for business. Although it's impossible to predict our economic future, does that mean you shouldn't always be prepared for what's next? The COVID pandemic brought a variety of challenges, and while it didn't bring significant negative impact to the repair industry, it does offer the opportunity to reflect and properly prepare for a time when an economic event could. Join Joe in this live session to dive deeper into this topic, happening at Amplify 2023 on March 24th, 1:00pm ET! Book your complimentary, virtual ticket today. https://bit.ly/3XSdY8b

As an "old timer" who got his start during the muscle car era, this is hard to accept. Am I too sensitive? The Associated Press covered some of the driveway mechanics and enthusiasts who are converting classic cars into electric restomods. This includes some business owners like Sean Moudry, co-owner of InspireEV near Denver. He recently restored a 1965 Ford Mustang with an electric powertrain. The project cost upwards of $100,000. Read the article in Ratchet and Wrench: https://www.ratchetandwrench.com/site-placement/latest-news/article/11461897/ev-restorations-booming

Great tips, and great advice!

Check Out Our NEW Series on YouTube, and See WHY You Should Team Up With The Top Shops In America!     In The Vault with Darrin Barney - A New Series! We're so excited to release the first interview clip from our new YouTube series, "In The Vault with Darrin Barney" ! This series follows Elite President and Shop Owner Darrin Barney interviewing fellow shop owners, managers, and service advisors at our AMI-Accredited Fly With The Eagles 3-day Shop Management course. In this interview, Scott Schmid of Archer's Auto Repair in Idaho talks about the career changes that led to his beginnings with Elite, the immediate results he saw, and the business values that he holds dear. Watch now, and subscribe to our channel so you never miss an upload of shop tips, webinars, interviews, vault clips, and more! Watch Now!     Are you looking for a more successful shop and a healthier work/life balance? Top Shop 360 is your answer. Did you know that after spending only 90 days in Top Shop 360, our clients AVERAGE more than a 4 to 1 return on investment? And, we're one of the only companies that requires NO CONTRACTS with our coaching? There's a reason Elite's Top Shop 360 is number one. All our coaches are working to give back, and elevate the industry that we love. We know every shop is different, which is why our Business Development Master Plan outlines YOUR goals and every step to reach them, and coaching is tailored to exactly what you want to accomplish. Learn more about how our shop-specific approach can help you uplevel your business TODAY! See How We Help!

Do you think the reason for high productivity and beating the labor time is due to becoming very proficient in a particular area and skill set? As in your business model? In the "Most Car Makes, Most Car Models" world that I operated in, over the years it became more challenging to beat the time. For example: A tech's first car for the day is a Check Engine light problem on a Buick, then an ABS issue on a Lexus, and then a climate control problem on a Volvo. To be proficient in this environment is challenging, at best. Thoughts, comments?

Charlie, Yes we get the point! Great photo. You make great points about the current state of business. And as someone who has been in this industry since 1974, I can tell you that your words have never been more true. The "arrogance" you speak is the prime reason for writing this blog. Perhaps, shop owners should ask themselves, "Is my recent success directly related to what I did, or is it the benefit of current circumstances?" Thank you for you post!

Great comments and feedback! You are lucky that productivity is not an issue at this time, that means that you are doing a lot of things correct. You make a great point that many are afraid to charge what they need to charge. I wonder if it's from fear or not truly knowing their numbers and the need to achieve a profit?

Most shop owners would agree that the independent auto repair industry has been too cheap for too long regarding its pricing and labor rates. However, can we keep raising our labor rates and prices until we achieve the profit we desire and need? Is it that simple? The first step in achieving your required gross and net profit is understanding your numbers and establishing the correct labor and part margins. The next step is to find your business's inefficiencies that impact high production levels. Here are a few things to consider. First, do you have the workflow processes in place that is conducive to high production? What about your shop layout? Do you have all the right tools and equipment? Do you have a continuous training program in place? Are technicians waiting to use a particular scanner or waiting to access information from the shop's workstation computer? And lastly, are all the estimates written correctly? Is the labor correct for each job? Are you allowing extra time for rust, older vehicles, labor jobs with no parts included, and the fact that many published labor times are wrong? Let's not forget that perhaps the most significant labor loss is not charging enough labor time for testing, electrical work, and other complicated repairs. Once you have determined the correct labor rate and pricing, review your entire operation. Then, tighten up on all those labor leaks and inefficiencies. Improving production and paying close attention to the labor on each job will add much-needed dollars to your bottom line.

I agree, and everyone has a story. Either something happened to them, or a loved one. Some day over a glass of wine, I will tell my story.

There are many benefits to growing a company so that it runs smoothly and efficiently without the shop owner. Building systems and procedures to get the entire team on the same page is essential to any successful business. In addition, an auto repair shop will grow more successful, and worth more if the shop owner, is not needed in the day-to day operations. However, the question is: Should you become an absentee owner? This is not an easy question to answer, since it really depends on the size of your shop, your role in the business and how you feel about your business. For example, if you run a 4-bay shop, with four employees, that is vastly different from a company that has three locations with 25 employees. And also, you may really enjoy going to work and being involved. The bottom line is this: Build your company so that it can run without you, but know when to step back in when needed. Great leaders know when to get out of the way, and when to step back in and make course corrections. Ultimately, your business is your business, and the responsibility for its success rests largely on your shoulders.

A powerful show, and one that can affect anyone!

For all the veteran shop owners who have been around the block a few times, and have experienced the roller-coasted rides of being an auto repair shop owner, what advice could you give those shop owners just starting out or planning to go into their own business?

This makes sense. I had two locations when I was in Business. A 4-bay and an 11 Bay shop. The 4 bay, with lower car counts and the way the facility was constructed, it was possible to greet customers and perform an initial walk around MPI. With my 11 bay shop, and with the amount of drop offs and check-ins, it just wasn't possible. Plus, the way customers entered the parking lot, it just would not work. I agree with you: There is no one way to run a successful business.

That would be a worthwhile discussion and lead to many different strategies and opinions. I do agree we need to fix our image, but it has come a long way in the last 30 to 40 years, since I started as a young tech in the Bronx, NY. I can also say, that from my experience, the more value I gave to the customer, the less price was an issue. You can't charge whatever you want., But if the value exceeds the price, you just made a happy customer. This discussion will no doubt go in many directions, but it is a great topic!

God point, and I agree. There are also times when customers make appointments online, and depending on that process, the customer will usually list only what he or she thinks they need. Also, unsheduled walkins for existing customers should include looking up vehicle history and recommendations. Great comments!

Thank you. Great process!

Thank you Larry! Appreciate it!

Carm, I agree. This is a very important topic. And as was pointed out on your podcast, "It's always the other guy that got caught." No so. And even if we never have an OSHA visit, we still need to provide a safe workplace for our team.

Lucky. My friend. Lucky.

If you are going to Vision in March, please stop by the Elite booth and say hello to Kevin Vaught, Tom Amero and the new Owner of Elite, Darrin Barney! Also, two great training sessions by Elite... High Impact Service Advisor Sales Course - Tom Amero and Darrin Barney March 2nd, 1:00 pm-5:00 pm People buy from people, not companies. As a Service Advisor, what you say and HOW you say it has a huge impact on whether or not people move forward with doing business at your shop! In this class, we will help you generate higher profits through increased sales, more repeat business, and more referral business. We will talk about how to ethically build relationships with your customers and how you can help them view you as a trusted credible expert. This course will be led by Tom Amero, an Elite Certified Sales Trainer. With over a decade of sales, sales training, and leadership experience, he will help Service Advisors build their confidence and gain the tools they need to create more success. Come to this training and let's get your Advising skills to the next level! The Care and Feeding of your Superstar Techs and Advisors - Darrin Barney March 3rd, 8:00 am - 11:30 am Everyone knows how important your team is for the success of your business. But in reality, how many people are able to find and most importantly, keep those superstars once they get them on their team? Darrin Barney will show you a road map that will allow you to find, keep and grow your most important asset.. Your employees. Darrin and his team have grown his shop to one of the largest independently owned auto repair facilities in North America, and they have customers, literally around the world. His unparalleled success quickly caught the attention of the industry, and it’s brought about his being featured in countless podcasts and nationally published articles, he’s been on the cover of Auto Inc. magazine, and he’s spoken at number of the industry’s largest events. He is also currently the President of Operations at Elite. Here are a few of the topics that Darrin will be discussing. ELITE WORLDWIDE

A great and relevant topic. A must-listen to podcast for all shop owners!