Joe Marconi

I think this will hurt sales for those people looking for cheap tires (which is a large segment of the economy). The tire industry will adjust. Time will tell if it will be for the better.

The windshield cost is around $200.00. I did weigh everything. I also believe my advisor and the tech that nothing happened at my shop.

The question is: what is this customer worth to me? Will paying the $200.00 for the new glass help to retain this customer, or is it an admission of guilt?

I want to hear from a few more people before I tell you what I did.

We at AutoShopOwner.com want to express our condolences to the families of the 13 soldiers who died this past Thursday at Fort Hood and offer our prayers for those wounded and hope for a speedy recovery. We owe a great debt to the military and to the heroes who fight for our freedom.

How would you handle this situation? A customer was in for a routine oil change on her Cavalier. The tech noticed a small crack at the bottom of the windshield in the black tinted area while performing his walk-around. (The car was dropped off for service the night before).

The Tech told the service advisor and noted it on his work sheet. The advisor called the customer and informed her of the crack. She said there was no crack before she brought it in. When she arrived to pick up her car, she didn’t say a word. She would not even engage in a conversation. She paid the bill, walked out in a huff. The advisor walked after her but she ignored the advisor. I decided to call her. She insisted that we broke the windshield. I explained to her that we did a pre-check walk around and noticed the crack. There was no reasoning with her.

Before I tell you how I handled the situation, I want to hear from you. What would you have done?

All of us work hard, maybe too hard at times. But we all need to stop and smell the roses once and while. Let me tell you the best remedy for burnout: Plan a day off for absolutely no reason. And if you feel guilty being away from the shop, I say Great! Slow down and take care of yourself, everyone around you will benefit.

Now that the Health Bill has passed the House, I can only see tougher times ahead. What scares me is that the numbers don’t add up to what the government is telling us.

Plus, has anyone really read the 2,000 pages of the health bill? And, to say that the Health Bill will be made available on the Web for 72 hours for anyone to read is a joke. I don’t think Super Man can read that fast. Why 2,000 pages?? How many pages is the Declaration of Independence? The U.S. Constitution only consists of 6 pages!!! And that includes the Bill of Rights! Are the inmates running the asylum?

Someone tell me on wrong on this one. For once I rather be way off base.

There are so many choices out there today. To offer health insurance or any benefit you need to speak to the right advisor. Ask our your area, other businesses or other local shops for names. If there is a local Chamber of Commerce of other organization, they can help with a few names. Do your homework, it will pay off.

We all need to take a break now and then, and the holidays just make it more special.

Sorry, I have not heard of it. Are you concerned with harsh cleaners?

We close for Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and NewYears Day. For Christmas Eve, we do not book any work. We finish up what ever is left over, clean up the shop and have a shop party. I order in hot food and invite all the shops, automotive sales people and part houses in my area. It's a tradition I started 25 years ago.

We get 50 or 60 shop owners, techs, sales people and parts people combined. it's a nice event and kicks off Christmas really nice.

The holidays are special to me. It’s when family and friends get together. It’s when we need to take time out and reflect about things that you can’t put a price on.

Thanks for the tip

Nitrogen is not a common service in my area. Altough many tire dealers are using it has an upsell. I understand the benifits, just not comfortable with yet. Maybe I'm old fashion.

I knew you would be! Thanks.

We need to go to lunch one day...

I usually don’t mix politics with business, but this year is different. I feel that we need to get out and vote in order to preserve our future. There is a strong movement toward bigger government and more government control. And I don’t like it.

I don’t know what side of the isle you stand on, but I want less government in my life and business, not more. I pay enough taxes. It’s time that the people of this great nation take a long hard look at what is going on in Washington. Our president promised us change, but never told us what that change would be.

Thomas Jefferson said it best…

"A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government.”

The older I get the more sensitive I am to my health and the health of my people. I battle everyday about the use of brake cleaner in addition to other safety issues.

Even changing oil becomes a problem. It’s hard not to spill oil onto the exhaust manifold or into the frame or onto the bottom splash shield on many of the cars today when performing an oil change service. (I think these engineers should be forced work in a quick lube doing oil changes for a month before designing an oil pan or oil filter location.) My techs want to keep the car clean so they use brake to clean up the mess.

I would like to know what other use to clean brake parts, etc.

$3,300! WOW. We should get into the insurance business. Or, maybe find a way to sell a maintenance program to our customers. We dealt with Royal too, not a happy experience.

People often come in with an extended warranty contract to see if we honor the contract. We always respond the same way, “Yes we do, but what ever the warranty company does not cover, you will have to pay the difference. Plus we need to find out if the warranty company covers what’s wrong with your car”.

Too often I see the same puzzled look on their face and hear the same response: “I was told that this contract covers everything and all I have to pay is the deductible”.

We know the real truth, don’t we? I don’t know how you handle this issue, but I tell the customer upfront that if it is a covered repair and my invoice is more that what the your warranty company is willing to pay me, you will need to pay the difference.

I am successful with this upfront approach 95% of the time.

I do not want someone at a warranty company sitting behind a desk telling me how much to charge or tell me that they can get a used steering rack from a junkyard half way across the country.

How do you handle extended warranties?

Scary story! I shared the article with my staff during our Fri morning meeting.

Right on target! And, as some shops try to compete on price, they are actually sealing their own fate and dragging the rest of us down.

We need to stand together and get what we deserve. I know what I need to turn a profit, and it's not found on the Internet.

WOW! You can change the shop names and the techs, but the story is the same.

I am glad I wrote this story. People don't realize this, but like you said, the emotional scares takes time to heal.

You have a great story. Thanks the email and best of luck. It sounds like you have a good thing going!!

Joe

Anytime!

What about pricing. I do get some people come in after reseaching parts online and hand me a printout from some cheap site. I really do not want to go down this road with customers.

Your thoughts?

Do not hope, my good friend. Hope is never a plan for sucess. Look at you sales figures and make it your goal to reach that goal. Less than1%???? You can top that, I know you can.

Put together a sales plan to reach a certain sales goal for each job, each day, each week, each month.

Don't say hope....Say, "I WILL do better than last year!"

Stay positive and positive things will come your way

Joe

I agree. Do you think that the web will somehow dictate or set standards with respect to pricing and servicing?