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Joe Marconi

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Everything posted by Joe Marconi

  1. Joe Marconi
    Many shops have adopted that same strategy; small raises throughout the year. It's a great way to keep pace without a huge impact.
  2. Joe Marconi
    From my experience, used car companies want to do minimal repairs and want deep discounts. Too many short cuts are taken. I stopped working for most because I did not want to compromise the quality of my work.
  3. Joe Marconi
    Wow, you did the math! Nice, great job!
  4. Joe Marconi
    You bring up good points. All too often, if not all the time, the labor guides a not even close when it comes to big jobs.
  5. Joe Marconi
    This is a great topic, and one that every shop owner must understand. We do not work for the insurance companies, we did not sell the policy to the customer, and we will not undermine our work and submit to the insurance company sub-standard policies. Let's be totally transparent with our customers, and let them know upfront what to expect. And that most likely THIER insurance policy will probably not pay for the entire repair. Let's all stick together when it comes to insurance companies.
  6. Joe Marconi
    It is amazing to see that so many shop owners are increasing their labor rates,. Long time overdue. One thing I want to bring out: When it comes to the customer, we need to focus on value, not price. We need to bring the attention to what we are doing in terms of value the customer receives. In my experience, whenever a customer questioned the labor price or price on parts, it was due to either it was the wrong customer, or I did not do a good enough job a conveying the value for what I was doing. One last thing, in the sales presentation, promote the benefits, warranty, and value. Price is the last thing the customer hears. And don't break up parts and labor, one total price.
  7. Joe Marconi
    Best of luck to you, there is great opportunity in the Auto Repair business today. Perform your due diligence and take your time. Make the best choice for you. Happy Holidays!
  8. Joe Marconi
    Do you have an insurance broker?
  9. Joe Marconi
    There is no system that has all the features that all your needs, however, there are newer companies that are making an effort to bring newer technology to the modern repair shop. My advise is to create a list of all the companies and then ask for a demo, and see if you can actually use the system hands on. This is a big step for many shops that have been in business for a while.
  10. Joe Marconi
    Wise words.
  11. Joe Marconi
    This is great to see. One point I want to make; we are seeing more multi-tier labor rates with shops across the country. For many aftermarket independents, they do a variety of different makes and models and skill levels. As you can see in this post, EURO and pre-1971 cars command a different labor rate. Shop owners, you need to look at your business model, do the math and ensure that your labor is in line with what YOU NEED to earn a profit. Amazing posts! Let's keep this going!
  12. Joe Marconi
    Great points, great post! I agree with you. Let's hope more and more shop owners change their mindset.
  13. Joe Marconi
    Let's all keep in mind that the average age of car in the US is 12.8 years old. And the majority of cars being built today are traditional internal combustion engine cars, so we will have plenty of work well into the 2030s and beyond. The shift to EVs and more hybrids will happen, so prepare and train. But, the world is not going to shift overnight.
  14. Joe Marconi
    Fear of raising prices and labor rates are real. This is a great suggestion. For those that hesitate, go up slow, a few bucks at a time, each month. Test the waters. You will find that no one will notice. Here is a real life story. A good friend of mine on New York was fearful of raising his labor rate because of push back from his manager and service advisors. They said that in these times we would lose customers. I suggested he raise his labor rate $4.00, but not tell anyone. They didn't notice the increase! Point here, it's a mindset.
  15. Joe Marconi
    First, let me state that you need to treat every customer as if they are royalty. However, your existing customers have a relationship with you. They trust you and return to you for a number of reasons. The key to growing a business is to get NEW customers to return. Survey after survey shows that customer retention greatly improves with each vehicle visit. So, you need to give your new customers a compelling reason to return. Plus, you need a marketing plan that reaches out to your customers to keep your business top of mind. What marketing strategies to you have that makes a great impression on new customers and makes them wanting to return?
  16. Joe Marconi
    I really do believe all this conversation on this topic shows the importance. Hiring qualified people, and charging what we need and deserve are two hot issues today. Now, more than ever in my 45 year career have I seen such a issue have more relevance. Lets keep this up, work together, think together and share together, and I know we will raise the bar.
  17. Joe Marconi
    $169.00. Proud of you. You have obviously done the math and willing to charge what YOU need to make a living, invest in your future and pay your employees the wages they deserve too. I tip my hat to you too. Let us all have the will and courage to charge what we need to, and not worry about those that are not willing. YOU will be profitable and in business, the others will not.
  18. Joe Marconi
    Expenses are going up all around us. To be honest, it's a matter of survival. However, for too long too many shops have merely survived. It's time we thrive.
  19. Joe Marconi
    Stevo: Words of wisdom. Right on point. I applaud your insight and honesty. With more people like you, we will move our industry in the right direction. The renegades, as you put in, are a big issue. What we need to do is to ignore them and charge what we need to charge, If more shop owners did this, we will move the needle. Thanks again for the great words of wisdom.
  20. Joe Marconi
    This is all great news. Labor rates around the country are increasing. A much-needed increase.
  21. Joe Marconi
    For many shops, business during the winter can slow up due to a number of reasons. What I have found that works is to schedule a flood of service reminders and past recommendations to go out during the months of Jan and Feb. Maintaining touch with your existing customers is a great way to keep your shop top of mind, and it may just bring in a little extra work too. Any winter marketing tips to share?
  22. Joe Marconi
    Great points. I do know that dealerships are overwhelmed with warranty work, particularly big jobs. And with the shortage of techs and dealer obligations, dealers have to move the warranty work to the front of the line in many cases.
  23. Joe Marconi
    There is a large repair shop in the mid Atlantic states (they want to remain anonymous) that just formed an alliance with a local new car dealer to service their used cars. I will change some of the details; a request from the shop owner. But, the story brings up a few interesting facts. And, the big news is: This shop is profiting from this relationship! The shop owner was approached by the GM of the dealer to service some of the used cars they have been taken in on trade and want to sell. The dealer techs are not trained and not familiar with the different car lines, being a Chrysler-only dealership. Due to the shortage of cars these days, the dealer is taking in on trade, all makes and models and wants to sell the used cars. And we all know profitable used cars are. The repair shop performs a multipoint, which they get paid for, and then they do many of the services and repairs, which includes tires, brakes, wheel alignments, oil changes, air and cabin filters, wipers and other simple services. Most of the cars are newer cars, and the work can be done by a GS tech. I don't know the pricing, sorry. But, I am interested to see where this goes. Imagine, a new car dealer asking an independent repair shop to service and repair their used car fleet???
  24. Joe Marconi
    One of the lessons from COVID is for repair shops to have a strong cash reserve. Shop owners need to budget their money each week, and allocate money to different bank accounts, such as payroll, operating expenses, taxes, etc. Another account I would recommend is to have a Cash Reserve account, where money is allocating each week, and not touched unless their is a emergency, such as an economic downturn and or if an economic emergency occurs in your area or with your company. While no one could have predicted the affects from COVID 19, I think we can all agree that being cash strong is a viable strategy. You should have anywhere from 3 to 6 months of covered expenses in a separate bank account. I know, I know....it's a lot of money. Start slow and build each week. Anything set aside is better than nothing. Of course, to have a reserve means that you need to have the profit to put away. Right? Well, another reason to know your numbers, revisit your pricing and make sure your labor rate is enough to support your payroll, operating expenses and have enough left over to set aside money for the unexpected. Trust me, you'll be glad you did.
  25. Joe Marconi
    I am not hear to debate the reasons why gas prices are so high these days. I was in California last week and many gas prices at many stations were well over $5.00, some inching toward 6 bucks. Could we use this to our advantage? Perhaps promoting ways for our customers to squeeze every mile out of every gallon through gas saving tips, preventive maintenance, etc.? Like to hear from everyone.

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