Joe Marconi

I really appreciate the comments, it great to hear other points of view. This helps with me with this situation and I will convey this to my staff. Again, the power of ASO and networking!

A good customer called me the other day to let me know that he has concerns regarding the quality of our work. Last week we installed an exhaust system on his Maxima and two days later it sounded like the muffler had fallen off. There was so much noise he was afraid to drive the car. We went to his house to pick it up. We found that the baffles had broken apart in the brand new muffler we just installed. About two month ago this same customer had to bring the Maxima back due to a grinding noise from the brakes. We had done front brake pads and rotors a week prior. We replaced the defective pads along with a new set of rotors at no charge and everything was fine, or so we thought. With each incident we did a follow up call to insure that there were no additional issues. Apparently, these two situations did not sit well with this customer. During his phone call he reminded me that he was a loyal customer and that our customer service is exceptional, always going above and beyond the norm. However, he went on to say, "Exceptional customer service can’t make up for the quality of the repairs." He was very candid and honest. He said he would not “jump ship”, but he has concerns, and that if there are any more quality issues, he will look to go elsewhere. He even mentioned the dealer as an alternative to us. I did not make any excuses, only apologized and assured him that we will do our due diligence to find the root cause of these issues. I thanked him for calling me and let him know that most people would not make this call, and how we welcome the opportunity to know how our customers feel. This situation was a real eye-opener for me. I always believed that exceptional service can save you when things go wrong, but obviously this is not necessarily so. There is no doubt that due to our “above and beyond” customer service culture, we are able to sustain most negative cases. But, I guess even the best customer service can’t save a restaurant if the food is continuously bad. I now need to take a more proactive approach with respect to where I purchase my parts. We also need to track every part issue and see if there are any trends or patterns to the failures. We will bring it up to the parts supplier, but if the parts supplier makes no effort to fix the issue, I will have to seek other companies to do business with. In this business climate, too many things can go wrong. We, as business people, need to understand the perspective of the customer. And, no matter how much we preach customer service, the quality of our work is the signature of our brand and our company.

Four months ago a customer came to perform a brake inspection and look over the car for any needed services. It was a first time customer, referred to us by one of our regular customers. The car needed brakes and a few other minor services. Other than that the car was in very good shape. He seemed like a reasonable and friendly person. He came back yesterday for an LOF and state inspection. The tech noticed that the right front wheel bearing was dangerously loose. When the service advisor called him, he blew up and started screaming at the service advisor, stating that we missed it four months ago. My service advisor tried to explain to him that this bearing was so bad, there is no way someone could have missed it. In fact, it was inspected by one tech and then handed over to another tech for the brake work and then re-inspected afterwards. He continued to yell and said not to touch his car. When he came down to pick up the car and pay for the state inspection, he signed the credit card receipt and then threw the pen and the receipt at my service advisor! He then began his rant again. He went on and on and on. My service advisor said nothing, but tried to explain again the facts of the case. I was not at work yesterday. I plan a Friday each year before Christmas to spend with my wife to finish up Christmas shopping and just spend the day together. My manager called me at night to tell me what happened. I called Mike, the service advisor who dealt with this guy, in the morning to first praise him for his professional conduct and get his take on the situation. I apologized to Mike to having to be subjected to that abuse but again praised him for his control and how he handled himself. Here’s the kicker, as the customer was walking out the door, he turned to asked Mike how much the job would be. Mike gave him the price and the guy said, “When can you have it done”. I am sure Mike wanted to tell him, “When hell freezes over”. But, he remained calm and said, “Monday”. He said to keep the car and fix it! Is this strange or what? Monday I plan on calling this person when his car is done and you know I will be the one handing his keys to him and collecting his money. And while Mike was very professional and did the right thing, I just might “persuade” this guy not to cross that line again with my people, because I don’t know how you feel, but no one has the right to disrespect others, no one!

Hey, Gonzo, did you record my conversations with MY CUSTOMERS??? Because I have had those exact same people calling my shop! This is amazing, is there species of people out there that are somehow programed to invade repair shops? Maybe is a plot, or some sort of test? Anyway, happy to see we are all in the same boat. You just gotta laugh, right?

My thoughts and prayers go out to those who lost their lives yesterday and their families in Newtown CT, an area not far from where I live. At times, things don’t seem to make sense. Tragic events such as this reminds us how precious life is and why we need to focus on the things that really matter in our lives. As the President said last night, “Hold your children a little tighter tonight and tell them you love them.”

All great comments. Direct mail, as in any other forms of advertising takes time to develop, and the more consistent you are with your message on a continual basis, the better. Don't give up on advertising. I do agree that you need to identify your profile customer and then find those pockets of your demographics that fit that profile. You will need to try different things, some will work, some will not. ID your ideal profile customer, create the message you want to give, give an offering and commit to continual advertising. Metro areas like yours (I'm from the Bronx originally, so I know Queens) are bombarded with so much advertising, it's tough to get thru to your target audience, but it can be done. Can Mudlick help you understand your ideal customer and then target them? This is a question I would have for them. Another thing to consider: A consumer is not ready to buy until he or she realizes a need or an awareness of your product or service. That's why you need to constantly advertise. Look at it this way: you are sitting watching the football game and a commercial comes on about Home Depot. Home Depot does not expect you to jump off your couch and run down to the nearest Home Depot, just because it aired a commercial, right? No, it's just sending a message, reinforcing its brand. Hope this helps and makes sense. Great post and good luck!

So true Gonzo! When I tell myself, "Now I've heard everything", something new comes along. You look at life thru the lens of a writer, always seeing the inner story. That's a gift, and we are lucky that you can bring out things in life that we are aware of, but when you bring it out, it has a deeper meaning. So keep looking thru that lens and keep writing!

TECH NET Shops, which are selected by CARQUEST auto parts have a nation-wide warranty and it works great!

This is a constant battle in most shops, I know I struggle with it too. Some techs are so clean, you never have to tell them to keep thier bay clean. Others, are natural pigs. I asked my manager, who was once my lead tech, why some techs are such pigs. He told me that honestly when we are working and busy we never think of it. It's not like they WANT to be pigs, they just are not wired that way. Create a shop layout where each tech has easy acess to drain pan, oil drain buckets, oil absorb, brooms and plenty of garbage pails. When there is a little down time, have the crew as a team clean the shop and give praise to anyone that cleans anything on thier own. We have a clean-up person too, but his job is mostly to keep the bathrooms clean, the customer waiting area and the exterior. I think, if possible, the tech should be accountable for his/her own bay. By that, I mean, stop throwing the oil filter boxes or the water pump boxes on the floor, be more carful when draining oil, get a drain pan when bleeding brakes, etc. A lot can be done, it just needs to be a concerted effort. Hope this helps, it is an on-going issue for most....

I don't know what system is best, I am not an expert with all the technical stuff. But, I would look into who you have working for you and find out how the items are missing; employee theft, customer theft or a combination of both. I do have secrutiy camers at my business, but I don't use the cameras to maintain honesty, I try to hire honest people. I hope I am not sending the wrong message to you, but prevention is better than a "gotcha" policy. Does this make sense or I am over-reading this.

Remember Pearl Harbor On Sunday morning, December 7, 1941, the American Army and Navy base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was attacked by the Imperial Japanese Navy. The attack came as a surprise to the American Army and Navy and lead to great losses of life and equipment. More than 2000 American citizens were killed and more than 1000 were injured. The Americans also lost a large proportion of their battle ships and nearly 200 aircraft that were stationed in the Pacific region. More than 60 Japanese servicemen were killed, injured or captured. The Japanese Navy also lost five midget submarines and 29 aircraft. Let us never forget the brave men and women who have served our great nation!

I got a call two weeks ago from an insurance company asking for my insurance carrier and policy number. When I asked him why, he said that one of my customers was involved in an accident and claimed that her brakes did not work, and that we were the last shop to work on the brakes. I asked him to explain the details of the situation. He said that back in August, this woman rear-ended another car and claimed that she could not stop and that we had just did the brakes. He continued to say that she drove the car away from the scene, with only minimal damage and that the car was never inspected at the time and that she is still driving the car now. The other car sustained $2000 worth of damage. I said, “Really, and what fairy tale land do you think I live in?” I called my insurance company and they said they must open a claim because someone made a statement against me. He told me that it happens all the time and sometimes the insurance settles because it will cost more to fight it. This is nuts, anyone can say anything? My insurance company promised they would not just cave in without a complete investigation, but this smells really fishy. These are the things about business that I do not enjoy!

A few weeks ago I put an ad out for a tech in the local Penny Saver and on Craig’s List. I listed 2 positions, B rated and Entry Level Lube Tech. I got a lot of people responding to the ad; a lot more than I expected. It was nice for a change to have to choose and not settle. I ended up moving one of my techs into the B position and hiring an Entry Level tech, a graduate from Lincoln Tech, who has a lot of street experience. After we narrowed down the applicants to 4, we had each work a few days to see how they work, fit in, and interact with the rest of the staff. I made my choice after consulting with all the techs and service advisors. You never really know how things will work out, but at least we had a process.

Agree....emails may be overated for some businesses. Now, before we ask for the email address, we ask, "Which form of communication do you prefer to receive service reminders, etc. Many of them say, "Post Card". I think every shop needs to do a study to see what is working for them.

Don’t Assume Customers Prefer Emails Emails are a great way to communicate to your customers, especially with service reminders and recommendations. But, don’t blindly assume that customers prefer email correspondence or that the customer even reads their emails in a timely manner. Many people, especially with home email addresses, don’t check their emails daily. And when they finally get to them, the “in box” is loaded with a back log of emails and your service reminder email may be missed as the customer quickly scans the emails and hits the delete button. Business people live by emails and text, that’s different. At write up, particularly with first time customers, ask what form of communication the customer prefers and get permission for either: Email, Text, or Post card. We have many people who when asked for their use email, say yes and give us the email address. But when asked how they would prefer their service reminders, they tell us, “Post Card please.” More and more shops are using text programs to remind people of appointments and to communicate with the customer. This technology has its place too. Again, just make sure you discuss with the customer that you use this technology and ask their permission to opt in. One more thought, because of all the spam and junk emails we get, email may not be as effective as it once was. Post cards reminders and recommendations still have their place with CRM marketing.

Very inspirational! Napoleon Hill said, …“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve. Regardless how many times you may have failed in the past or how lofty your aims and hopes may be.”

For the past 14 years or so, I have been involved with helping local Police departments, State Troopers and insurance companies putting the pieces of an accident together to find out if the cause was human error or mechanical error. And there have been times where I was hired to testify as an expert, but usually to explain to the jury or a grand jury “how” a particular system works. I remember one case where the jury had a tough time understanding skid tire marks vs. yaw tire marks. So the D.A. office hired me to explain the difference. I brought in photos and charts, it was like a TV show. Real neat! NOW, because of this, from time to time I get these liars….ah…lawyers, that bring up some ridiculous case about a consumer wanting to sue their mechanic. I see right through it and tell the lawyer, "I am not interested in burning a fellow shop owner for monetary gain which has no basis on truth or fact." Great story, Gonzo!

The service writer position is a key position, it can make or break a business. An effective service writer can increase sales and improve customer service, all positive things. If this women was not doing service writing, you need to hire a service advisor. You might make enough money with a service writer to eventually employ that women too. Plus, who does all the book work and other administrative duties? The more you grow, the more you need to have people working with you. Don't put everything on your shoulders.

I agree with all the replies. I have used Hunter, Snap On and John Beam thru the years. Hunter is my choice, hands down.

It amazes me how some mechanics are always productive and others are just mediocre at best. From my experience, it has a lot to do with the attitude of the mechanic. Those that produce more on a consistent basis are self-motivated. It’s not solely about the money; although I believe that top produces need to be rewarded, especially if they contribute more to the successes of the business. In addition, I have I found that the more you include your staff in the daily business and ask their help with solving problems, the more they are willing to work as a team and to the success of the shop. But in the end, from my experience, is really depends on the people. Great people accomplish great things. Mediocrity breeds mediocrity. Thoughts anyone?

Holiday Parties I just read an article in the local paper, and due to the economy and budget reasons, many businesses are not having a holiday party this year. My advice, try to do something. The people at work are like family and coming together at the holidays will go a long way with morale. It doesn’t have to be a lavish event either. People respond to appreciation, and one of the best times of the year to show the people who work with you that you truly appreciate them is during the holiday season.

Mechanics love tools. Even now I still enjoy strolling up and down the aisle on the tool truck. It’s amazing how we all are so much the same. I too have those specialty tools, purchased long ago, with no use, but will never get rid of. And, I also have those “homemade tools”. Just the other day, I opened my brake tool draw to grab a bleeder wrench and came across a brake shoe retainer tool (for large trucks) I made over 35 years ago when I first started. I picked it up, and it was like touching the past. I will never get rid of this tool, and I pray that I never lose it. I still have some of the tools my father gave me; one is a Snap-On ratchet which has to be over 60 years old. A few months back one of my young techs asked me if I had a real small snap ring plier. As I opened up my box to find the tool, one of my other techs said, “It’s like walking through a museum”. If it is a museum, I am one proud curator!

I don't use it, I use Mitchell1, but I have seen it and it's not bad, it has a lot of nice features and easy to learn and to use.