Joe Marconi

Let us never forget what happen on Sept 11, 2001:

On September 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al Qaeda hijacked four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Almost 3,000 people were killed during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which triggered major U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism and defined the presidency of George W. Bush.

10 hours ago, Eric Roberts said:

Hi I guise we all have some good ideas which is going the right way. I suppose this started when I wa a young mechanic. To be truthful I could not concentrate enough and as time went by I discovered that I was a good talker. This attribute became useful to me in later life as I progressed to owning my own garage business. Some mechanics are good at explaining things to customers. I find that the guys who are say a little shy will soon get used to the idea and conversations will start to flow.

What does help is that we have a great reception with a TV and a free coffee machine. This is where the talking starts and very rarely in the workshops.  

Eric, I see that you are from "Across the Pond." Welcome and great points of view.  I like when we get perspectives from other parts of the world.  How did you find Auto Shop Owner? 

7 hours ago, xrac said:

First of all This is a great thread with a lot of useful information and wisdom from warriors who have been in the trenches.  Car-x started as Car-x Muffler.  I guess that was a pretty simple business model. Every technician sold their job while the manager priced it up, sourced parts (mostly in house inventory), and billed out customers. By the time I bought a franchise it was Car-x Muffler & Brakes. We did exhaust, brakes, shocks, struts, undercar, and starters, alternators, AC, etc.   That was the store model I was introduced to with technicians selling their own tickets. After about a year I realized we would not make it by being a muffler and brake place. I hired a guy and he led us into being a General Repair shop. When we started we did not have any type of labor guide or any type of access to technical information. Everything was best guess and knowledge. It is shocking to me now that Car-X was selling franchise so unprepared.  Of course as we went general repair we added subscriptions and scan tools and moved ahead. As we did that we dropped the technicians selling their own tickets.  First of all that was an inefficient model as far as I am concerned. Like the medical field you have people trained in specific skilled. Most technician’s aren’t great service writers or great managers. They may be passable but usually it’s not their strength. People like Joe have became great through years of experience and training.  Likewise great service writers or managers may not be able to fix cars.  Our technicians are paid to identify problems and fix them. Our service writer’s job is to sell the job, deal with customers and allow the technicians to be as efficient as possible. We have done it both ways and the later is the only way to go in my opinion. 

Frank, that's for the recognition, and you make a great point.  When I started my business in 1980, I was a trained technician and ran my business that way. And oh boy, the mistakes I made from thinking as a tech when talking to customers. it cost me big time! 

Now, as you pointed out, I went thru a TON of training and learned the art of speaking to people and building relationships, among other things.

I know it IS possible to have techs speak and discuss things with customers, and there is a place for that. But the shop must have a protocol on the do's and don'ts. Hope this makes sense. 

I agree with all the comments. For the last few years I was in business, we were very careful what we scheduled as a wait.  And if the customer gave us push-back and had to wait, then it was explained up the front what could occur if something goes sideways.  BUT, customers still got upset. 

For that reason, wait customers were reduced to only certain simple services, and mostly on newer cars. 

4 hours ago, bantar said:

Well, I have a friend that builds an application for Service Industry businesses...  Anyone that schedules repairs, has cars/trucks on mobile jobs, etc. (Carpet Cleaners, Handyman, etc)   His product is called ServiceMinder.io   It tracks driver locations, plans the routes, handles invoicing, etc.   It's probably overkill for a small mobile team.   I'd have to guess that there are other such products on the market.   Probably search for mobile worker tracking app.

In the old days before GPS, you'd see the telephone linemen (and many others I'm sure) taking a nap on the side of the road, and no one knew that they were not "on the job".   Now, with GPS, you are on a leash.   I'm betting that it also reduced the revenue on the golf courses too.   Some people like siestas and some like to play.  

The new GPS technology reminds me of a story that a friend told me about another new technology that started back in 1974.....  Direct Deposit.   Many people would get a check on Friday, cash it and then bring home, let's say 80%, pocketing the other 20% for fun money.   The wife didn't know how much the husband really made.    He said his team was livid about having to use Direct Deposit.   It worked out well for those wives as their husbands FINALLY received that long over due "raise".  😁    Technology is both great and evil depending on context.

Even with tracking your employees, I still say that only a limited select few services can be performed on the road.  Technology and the necessary tools are just a few of the driving forces that makes it very difficult for mobile repairs. 

3 hours ago, bantar said:

IMO, "mechanic" is only frowned upon within the auto shop.    Your average consumer does not know the difference between a technician and a mechanic. A mechanic works on cars.  I have a car that needs work.  I need a mechanic.   I'm not denigrating anyone by using a common term, mostly because I don't know the other term.    I probably don't even understand that cars are hard to work on.   I can't work on my car, but I bring it to a shop and they have that computer which tells you what is broken, so how hard can it be?  Doesn't really matter.   Customer comes in.   If they don't value your service, they go out too.  Otherwise, you help them fix their car.     Heck, I overhear many people telling their ride-home that they are at "jafj fdkjfakj", not even knowing my proper business name....  but they are here, so my marketing worked.   It only matters later when they go to recommend my business to their friends and can't get the right words.

I generally explain automotive repair in this manner:     Cars are very complex.  The most talented technicians want to be paid what they are worth.  If you are seeking out the least expensive car repairs, you will find technicians that work for low pay.  Good technicians don't work for low pay.    You get what you pay for.   Sometimes this resonates, sometimes it does not.  Caveat Emptor.

Don't try to change the general public's language.   Match their language with your advertising.    Focus on your reputation.   Good reputation implies that you have good "mechanics" working for you!

A great message. The customer's perception is the one we need to understand.  It does all come down to marketing, and letting some terms go. 

4 hours ago, Eric Roberts said:

Not only do they do the job of repairing cars but they can also take the customers through the whole procedure of paying for the work done and issueing sales invoices and dealing with credit card payments.

I find that this gives the staff and the customers a better shopping experience due to the personel contact. Another thing I ask for is that my staff should have total access to our computer system and also can answer any phones from incoming calls.

How do you cross-train your employees on every aspect of the customer experience? Also, techs will greet customers, work on their cars, and then perform the car delivery process?  

26 minutes ago, xrac said:

Waiters are a pain in the rear.  Repairs never go as planned. Bolts brake. Guys take lunch.  A projected 3 hour repair turns into all day.  The wrong part is delivered.  It happens all the time.  Maybe waiting on an oil change is practical but that is about it.  We encourage people to drop off by saying "we can get it in on Monday if you can drop it off".  Can't drop it off we can't get it into till next week.  We also offer rides home.  I tried loaners for a while but now do not think the headache and cost is worth it.  The more affluent customers always have options. It is the poorer customers and single individuals who most often want to wait. 

 

Ha!  You get right to the point! You make great points, Frank! 

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Years back it was common to perform oil changes every 3 to 5,000 miles, and we would see customers 4 to 5 times a year. Today, you are lucky if you see customers once a year for an oil change service. 

So, what are you doing to maintain customers on a more consistent basis? 

Great information, and great tip!

There seems to be a lot of mixed reactions since COVID on customers waiting for service.  For many shops across the country, most customers drop off their cars for service these days.  

What's your strategy? Does it depend on your business model?  

At the Elite Invitational this past June, held in San Diego, we invited a customer panel to discuss a variety of issues with the auto industry. One of the things we discovered was that consumers don't know the term "Technician" and still refer to us as "Mechanics"

This is important to understand, especially with our internet marketing.  For example, a consumer may Google, Auto mechanic near me.

Thoughts? Opinions? 

3 hours ago, weighit said:

When I ran a Ford body shop and the paint reps wanted to put on a new paint product show they would offfer any shop in the given area to send their painters to my shop for the show. It was always held after hours during the week. They got to see first hand how that new product would help the shops make money. Problem was my shop was equipt with the best of equipment, supplies well run and clean. The other smaller shops didn't or would not upgrade to our level, so sending one of their painters into our shop was the kiss of death. They were really afraid I was going to take one or more to work with us, or the employee would go back to where they worked and complain that they didn't have the best of equipment to do the job. Attendance to the seminars was spotty, even though the paint company put out a really nice meal and gave all kinds of free items to the folks who came.

I can see your point, but you did nothing wrong. Just provide an exceptional workplace.  While not every shop can afford to showcase itself with the newest and the greatest, they can provide a great workplace environment. Plus, isn't having shops that set a certain standard help raise the bar? 

2 hours ago, TTP said:

We are a specialty shop. We work on mostly trucks (gas or diesel), installing aftermarket parts, repairs and performance upgrades,  but we also work on the classics too. Doing jobs that most shops turndown. I was charging $90.00 an hour two years ago. We raised it to $125 the first of this year, no issues. This month we raised it to $150. So far not much kickback. Still waiting to see how the rest of the year plays out. 

 

Labor rates are not only affecting the auto repair industry. This past week, I spoke to a good friend of my who owns a heating repair business. He says his labor rate now is $175.00 and that will go up the first of the year, 2023.  His reason, in order to keep and attract quality people, I need be able to pay them, and still earn a profit. 

I have been in the auto repair business since 1974. We have been too cheap for too long. However, we need a balance between being profitable and competitive. And we need to pay our employees the wage they deserve. 

On 9/3/2022 at 8:58 AM, xrac said:

One of the problem the mobile guys have is the employees that are loafing and not working because they have no visual supervision.  My friend who was a manager said guys would go out and sleep in the truck. Then either the business eats the hours or the customer gets over billed. This was in a mobile fleet business where they billed by the hour not by the job.  

Wow, now that is an issue that is worth discussing: How do you set up a process that keeps track of your mobile employees?

1 hour ago, tomkatv10 said:

Yes, I was starting to plan that out when Covid hit so it was tabled, but it’s back in play for 2023 planning. I am in a town with a lot of cars and a decent amount of auto repair facilities. We are probably the number one or two independent in regards to volume and revenue and growing steadily, but growth has been bottlenecked due to amount of bays and parking. There are no more facilities zoned for repair in the immediate area. When I moved here, my plan was to conquer this town one car at a time. Only way to get into the other shop’s territories to get those cars is to drive to them. So mobile will be part of the expansion into those territories. We be selective about what we do and what we drive back to the shop. It’s really just about expansion without another brick and mortar 

 

 

From my perspective, the key point in your strategy is in the last few sentences when you state that you will be selective about what you do. It will be interesting to see how your plan progresses. Keep us posted. 

9 minutes ago, xrac said:

None of the m9bile service guys who tried it local have survived. Mobile serve seems to be the way a lot of guys boot strap there way to eventually having a bricks and mortar location. 

If you think about all that goes into servicing and repairing cars these days, it's hard to imagine being efficient at it. It has to be limited to basic and simple tasks. 

20 hours ago, Transmission Repair said:

Free pickup and delivery is a lot better that mobile service.  No investment in a mobile service vehicle, etc.  Uber to their house, pick the vehicle up.  Deliver the vehicle after the service and Uber back to the shop.  Since most customers live within a 5-mile radius, Uber is cheaper than using 2 employees to pick up and deliver.

No doubt, a great service for your customers.  

According to Lang Marketing Aftermarket Consulting, Mobile repair and service is on the rise. I have mixed feelings about this, since repairing and servicing cars today is so complex.

BUT, can mobile service be used to attract new customers, or used as a strategy to check the car out at someone's home or work, with the ultimate purpose to get the car to your shop? 

From Lang Marketing 

"Mobile Repair currently represents only a small portion of the Do-It-For-Me (DIFM) market, but it is growing at an explosive rate. As the DIFM light vehicle market plunged during 2020 and rebounded in 2021, Mobile Repair grew many times faster than the overall DIFM market, unhindered by the onslaught of COVID-19."

Sources: 

I have heard from a few shop owners, that they are afraid to send their techs to a training event because they fear that they will be recruited by another shop.  How do you feel about this?

Perhaps it's time to sit down with your techs and see if all is ok?  People quit for a number of reasons. Should we get ahead of this, if this is a real problem these days? 

Wishing everyone a Happy Labor Day!  I hope you take the time to spend with family and friends. You deserve a little R&R.

22 hours ago, Transmission Repair said:

The very first management book I ever purchased helped  me immensely.   It was Tom Peters' book, In Search of Excellence.  Here's Tom's YouTube channel loaded with sage advice.  https://www.youtube.com/c/TomPetersExcellenceNow/videos

 

"In Search of Excellence" was a book that changed my way of thinking, way back in the 80s. 

One of the best strategies I gained from the book was MBWA (Management By Walking Around).  To think that a simple process of walking through your shop and talking to your employees about all different topics, not just business either, would become a key part of employee management, boost business, and improve morale. 

Great book. Recommend reading, even though is nearly 40 years old. 

On 8/29/2022 at 5:07 PM, bantar said:

No OSHA inspection nor Fire Inspection in 5 years.    I'm mindful of obvious OSHA issues and try to keep things right.  I'm sure that there are some lesser known items that we may not be compliant with, but I hope not.

Agree, that's the problem; we don't always know what potential violations we may have.