Joe Marconi

I'm the opposite. My company is registered as a S Corp, but my property is another company, which is a LLC. You should talk to your lawyer and accountant to see which is best for you.

Your work is strictly wholesale? Do you do any form of advertising? Do you do any other type of work?

Please keep all of us updated. Scanners are a big issue these days. We all need to get it right.

These are all excellent points. The auto service business is getting more and more complicated and it seems that more time will needed on the services that were once considered gravy jobs. But, where are we headed with all this. Technology is great, but someone needs to pay for it. We cannot expect a shop to invest in all the training, tools and equipment and not adjust its price structure accordingly. Will the national accounts get onboard with the rest of the independent shops and charge accordingly? The only way to solve these issues is with proper training, proper tools and proper equipment. There is no other way. I have seen the transition from points to electronic ignition to computer controlled ignition systems. I have no doubt that we will conquer whatever comes our way. As far as nitrogen is concerned, all the issues pointed out will be a big problem until it becomes standard.

The same wise old must have talked to me too, because I agree with it all. We cannot be everything to everyone and not everyone can be our customer. I am a business man, but a man first! There are a lot of great customers out there. It took me years to find them and business is great. We have to realize that everyone has a unique personality and sometimes must be dealt with a little different. The quality and image of our business will help to draw the people you want. We all need to examine our customer base, find out what type of customer we want and market to those customers. Will it be a perfect plan? No, but nothing is perfect. Glad to see so many shop owners on the same page.

Great idea, get him to join in, tell him I am looking forward to it!

First, thanks for sharing this story. Situations like this help everyone. Something does not sound right with this guy. To dispute a $1.00 difference for the analysis charge is a little strange. To start a ridiculous dialogue after the diagnosis is done in that manner, and to suggest that the problem is a fuse is also quite strange. Plus $170.00 sounds like a very fair price. I think your service manager did the right thing. He sounds like a man that can think quickly on his feet and make decisions that are based on what is best, in the long term, for the business. This is a rare quality and if I were you I would support him on this (Please tell him I said that). As far as not charging anything, I agree too. In the big scheme of life, it means nothing. You can’t be everything to everybody. If you try you will end up pleasing no one. Great story! I’m glad to see you get your share of “questionable” people coming thru your door too.

AutoShopowner.com uses this form of ads thru google. I have someone who works with me on this. I could find out more info if you like.

I hope you are right. I want this to be a sign that the tide is starting to turn. This power-hungry administration must wake up and understand that this a nation of free thinkers. To quote Lincoln: "and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth". --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The election of Scott Brown in Massachusetts is a clear message that the people are not happy with the current democratic administration. I think the next few months will be very interesting.

I don't have any hands-on experience with that particular scan tool.

For those models we use the Snap On Solis with pretty good sucess. You need to buy the VW program. We also have the new launch which is a nice tool for Asian cars and Euro.

What car makes do you do the most?

I am Jet Fan, I mailed the place kicker a gift card to Ruth Chris Steak House!

I guess it's a combination of things. We are open Mon thru Fri (8-5) and Sat till around 2. We have a great crew and worked really hard at refining our dispatching and workflow. We actually had teams of techs with a stop watch timing how long road tests took, lof's, brake work, state inspections, etc. We became very efficient without sacrificing quality. Also, we give productivity incentives and offered overtime when available. And, of course, we set high goals with high standards.

Thanks, Tire Business Magazine will feature the article in it's next issue. They ran a few of my articles before. I have a few photos on my site. There are not the best, but you can look... http://www.osceolagarage.com/gallery/

Yes, BG should be able to supply all BG machines, product and service on the machines.

We have 2 facilities on the same property, a total of 10 bays. One building has six bays. In this building we do all major repairs: engines, transmissions, diagnostic work, etc. In the new 4-bay facility we have 3 quick maintenance bays and an alignment bay. In the new building we do LOF's, state inspections, tires, brake work and all other maintenance work. We are large enough and can cater to most walk-ins. One of the reasons for expanding was to increase car counts. My marketing strategy is a bit different than what we were taught years ago. We once concentrated on high ARO. I like to create opportunity through high car counts. I do track ARO, but want high traffic. If you want to build a business, you need to increase market share. One of the easiest ways to do that is to make your shop convenient for the consumer. 4 years ago, I scheduled my work by appointment only. I had the 6 bays at the time and we did about 80 cars per week. In 2007 we started a new program: "JUST SAY YES", where we tried to accommodate the customer on their time. We increase car counts to 120 per week and sales followed. We jumped to 180-200 the very first week we opened the new building, largely in part due to this strategy.

Thanks. Can you believe it! No one gave them a chance. A rookie QB and a rookie coach. Can't get better than this.

If you’re reading this article that means that you are still in business and have weathered the economic storms of 2009. While we are not out of the woods yet, things are definitely looking better than a year ago. 2010 will continue to bring us challenges and obstacles, but we all know that whatever doesn’t kill you will only make you stronger. Independent shop owners across this nation have proven their resolve and refused to participate in the recent recession. When thousands of dealers shut their doors and unemployment tipped 10%, automotive shops found a way to survive. I am not saying it was easy. I have heard from many frustrated shop owners this past year that questioned whether they should go on. Some did give up, but most did not. The fight goes on and 2010 will once again test your resilience. Many of your customers are still out of work and many small local businesses and local contractors are suffering. Both business and personal bankruptcy is still rising. These issues will no doubt continue to impact your day to day operations. We have already seen taxes go up in many areas and who knows what the health care calamity will bring us. The government will continue to spend like a drunken sailor on shore leave, which will have deep, long lasting affects on our economy for generations. The housing market had a few up ticks in 2009, but is still a long way from a recovery. Too many years of unrealistic growth combined with too much subprime mortgage lending nearly killed a once-touted safe haven for your money…real estate. Also, let’s not forget the war on terror, the global warming issue, the green movement, the volatile stock market or emerging Chinese dominance. Ok… I got the bad news out of the way. Now, here’s the good news. When the dust settles, who do you think will be there as a shining star? You will. Because the success and survival of your business rests totally on the person you look at each day in the mirror….You! You have no bail out. You rely on your own resources to make things work. You are tested each day and somehow get things done. That makes you strong. We are all sitting on a gold mine of opportunity. It may be hard to see, but it’s real. However, it’s an opportunity, not a gift. You will need to prepare for it and act swiftly. Those of us that plan now will reap the benefits later. There has never been a better time in history for the automotive service and repair industry. The motoring public is confused. They have lost faith in the American car companies. The government bail out to GM and Chrysler has made them look weak in the eyes of the consumer. Ford stands alone, not accepting a bail out. This may prove to be their silver lining. New car sales in 2009 were dismal for most car companies, including Toyota and Honda. Empty new car dealerships sent consumers scrambling for alternatives. We need to take advantage of what is happening in the economy and use it to our benefit. We need to show strength. Our day-to-day attitude must be positive toward customers and with our employees. Take a look at your operation, everything from the exterior facility appearance, waiting room, bathrooms, shop appearance, uniforms and everything else about your business. Make sure that your shop looks top-notch. I know it’s hard, but spend the money and make improvements to your operation. This will help boost your image and help increase confidence from your customers and the potential customers in you market area. Review your advertising and marketing strategy. Be consistent with your advertising. While others are pulling back on advertising, you need to keep forging ahead and stay in the consumer’s eye. Provide the very best in customer service. This is an area where you must not fail in. People will judge you more on how they are treated at the front counter than what brand of parts you install or what type of equipment you use. Trust me on this one. Customer service will make or break your business. Listen to your customer, they will tell you in which direction you will need to go. Your success in the coming years will be directly related to the level of customer service you provide. Make sure you have the right people at the front counter and answering the phone. Lastly, work on your leadership skills. As the business owner, you are the company’s leader. This puts you in a tough position where hard choices and decisions will have to be made. Make those decisions with the best of your abilities and don’t second guess yourself. You can’t be right all the time and being too fearful of making a mistake can cause indecisiveness, which will hold you back from achieving your goals. The good thing about making a mistake is the knowledge you gain from it. Be supportive of the people who work for you. Encourage them to be the best they can be. Promote the good things they do, rather than focusing only on what goes wrong. People want to be appreciated and recognized for the work they do. Remember, happy employees boost morale, which increases productivity and creates happy customers. Being in business is not easy, if it were, everyone would be in it. Being an auto shop owner in today’s economy is extremely difficult, but this career was our choice. The reward for being in business is making your enterprise your personal success story. Don’t worry about the size of someone else’s business. It’s not about building an empire like Disney World or McDonalds; it’s more about you and building your empire. That is the true measure of an entrepreneur. Good luck and prosper in 2010!

That's good; maybe I am reading it wrong. New York can be a tough area with a lot of negative talk. Plus, I am pretty much upbeat and positive all the time. It may be that when I don't see that same passion I confuse it with anger .

I have 2 advisors for 6 techs and one foreman. Like you, I do jump in where needed. I also have a women in a separate office who takes care of the books and answers the phone. In a busy week we can write 200 plus cars. Answering the phone can be an issue too. Right now in the winter, the service staff is adequate, but I don't think it will be adequate when we get into our busy season starting in March. I think I will test the waters and hire another person in service. Someone who can handle walk-ins, the phone, follow up on part orders, etc. I don’t want my techs near a phone or getting involved with pricing or talking to customers. You are right, that’s old school. I still go to management seminars where they tell you that the service writer should have the tech talk to the customer. Are you kidding?

Jets fans are used to suffering. My son who lives in L.A. is actually going to the game. As a Jet fan my favorite expression is..."There's always next year" We will see...

I too have upgraded my security system and now use cameras. It's sad, but I guess it’s a sign of the times.

Here is a great way to boost morale and get your people to think more like a team. Last spring I arranged a trip to the NY Auto Show with all my people. We went as a group and afterward went out to eat in a nice resturant. Everyone had a great time. There is another car show in Rockland County NY at the end of January and I have another trip planned. Bringing your staff together in a non-business atmosphere will boost morale. They will also see that the boss is human.