Joe Marconi

This past week, we had a customer that needed a steering rack. After giving the customer a price, and authorizing the repair, she suddenly remembered she had an extended warranty. My service advisor explained to her that many extended warranty companies do not always pay the price we need for the job, and that they try to make deals. Let's fast forward: after the warranty company authorized the repair, the claims rep told my service advisory that they we send us the rack ( common thing these days, right?). My service advisor tried to refuse, but the claims rep threatened they would take the car to another shop. In fact, he said, "There are shops in your area, willing and ready to do the job." At this point I got involved, I told the rep, "First this is my customer, not yours. We diagnosed the rack, we have authorization from the customer to repair the car and do not threaten me again!" The rep backed down and offered to pay the suggested list on a reman rack. I then called the customer, expanded to her in detail about what HER warranty company was trying to do. I also let her know that she would have to make up any shortfall in the price, which amounted to about $65.00. It's tough out there, and too many of us are not getting the much needed dollars we need to survive. We need to stand together on this. If we cave to an extended warranty company, we will all go down in flames.

I love the way you weave humor into real life situations. It's also amazing how each of us go thru the same things! After all these decades, perhaps the one thing that really gets me going is when a customer says, "But I thought you had that machine that TELLS you what's wrong with the car." Thanks Gonzo, took a break from burgers and beer, now back to the Beer.

I appreciate your opinion. Great post. One of the other key take-away's is that everyone looks at things thru their own set of eyes. Your perceptive is your reality. So, we need to each other's view point in consideration. Also, keep the lines of communications open and promo-to the culture of,"We are all in this together."

I think this is a great post. We need to give our techs the opportunity to earn a decent wage. And I am glad to see that shops take this into consideration. I just want to add something that is not mentioned often; there are many pay plans out there, and while no one pay plan fits all, it still has to comply with all Federal and State regulations. Thru my work with other shops around the country I have seen some issues with proper documentation, overtime wages, salary vs. Hourly issues, and issues with other how a tech's payroll is calculated. My recommendation is to have your pay plan reviewed by an attorney who understands all the Wage & Hour laws.

As we celebrate July 4th with family, hot dogs and burgers, take time to reflect on our Nation's Independence and all those liberties we enjoy. Also, for the brave people who have fought to protect this great country to preserve those liberties and freedom. Happy July 4th!

Thanks for sharing Gonzo,a great story and a great tribute to your father!

Perhaps one of the most frustrating thing is when a customer calls the day before their road trip vacation, and the check engine light that's been on for weeks must be repaired TODAY. I guess some things will never be overcome. Great insight Gonzo!

Fred, not sure why. Please be sure you are on the mailing list, but your sales rep should have informed you.

I am away in California, when I return I will post the list of concerns that was sent to Advance Auto Parts.

At a TECH NET meeting this past March in Westchester County New York, a heated discussion erupted over the acquisition of CARQUEST by Advance. And the comments by the shop owners was not good. We decided to list all our concerns and present these concerns to our sales rep. To be honest, we all felt that this list would fall on the deaf ears of a corporate giant. I drafted a letter and sent it on its way. The letter spread through the company and it was only a few days later when my phone was ringing. Advance got the message and wanted to talk. After a few informal meetings with people from the Advance Auto and reps who were formally from CARQUEST, we all agreed that we need to break bread at a round table discussion and air out these concerns. The TECH NET shops, along with people from Advance met in the same room last Thursday in Westchester to discuss the concerns we had listed in March’s meeting. The meeting started with a detailed presentation on all the programs Advance has for the independent TECH NET shops and the things that Advance are working on. Programs all designed to help Repair shops become more successful. Then we engaged in an open and honest (and sometimes heated) discussion. We discussed everything from our concerns that Advance was too aligned with the DIYer to the issue that shops felt that our cultures are not aligned as they once were with CARQUEST. Well, we may have entered that meeting with guns drawn and cocked, but the words and actions from the Advance reps resonated to all of us that Advance is a company that recognizes that the future of Advance and the future of the Independent Auto Repair shops is dependent on the relationship we create. One by one the people from Advance spoke to us, asked questions, answered questions and at the end we witnessed a different side of a company we once thought as Too Big to listen. More importantly, this meeting set into motion and new-found relationship between the professional automotive repair shops and Advance. Our future looks a little brighter.

You may want to speak to a security company. That's what we did. It may have cost a little more, but I had more questions than answers. In the end, I was happy that I asked a pro.

I wrote this a number of years ago as a tribute to not only my father, but to all who work in this industry. Joe Marconi MEN OF STEEL Some of my fondest memories as a young boy in the 1960’s were the Saturday afternoons I spent with my father at Babe’s Body Shop in the Bronx. Babe and my father were old army buddies who served together in World War II. They grew up in the same neighborhood and remained friends their entire lives. I never knew his real name or his last name, everyone just called him Babe. As my father and Babe would talk about the old days and the War, I would wander off and watch the men in the shop perform their magic. I can still remember as if it was yesterday. I watched in amazement as these men took a wrecked car and pounded it back into shape. In those days, you didn’t just replace a fender or quarter panel, you fixed it. These guys had the strength of Hercules and the skill of a Michelangelo. I remember on one particular day, my father noticed how fascinated I was watching the guys in the shop. He knelt down beside me, pointed to the guys and said, “I call these guys, Men of Steel. These are tough guys that work hard each and every day. They can take a crumpled-up fender and with hammer in hand, work it back into shape just the way it looked when it rolled off the assembly line; and all by eye”. Before we left to go home, my father and I walked around the side of the body shop and pulled two sodas out of the Coke Cooler. Then we would sat down on a bench seat taken from of an old Desoto and finished our Cokes. Could an eight year old ask for a better summer Saturday afternoon? For many of us, childhood memories have served to create pathways to our careers. The auto repair industry is filled with shop owners and mechanics that draw upon past memories to shape their lives. The auto repair industry may have changed a bit, but we still perform magic every day. We are a dedicated breed and should be proud of what we, as a group, have accomplished. My passion for this business was born watching those “men of steel” back in the 60’s. I knew from a young age what I wanted to do in my life. I feel lucky that way. I often wonder how many people go to work every day hating their jobs. I am a mechanic and a shop owner. It’s the life I chose and it’s the life you chose. We all have a special bond. The glue that has bonded us together is our past. That same glue will help secure our future. My father encouraged me to open my own shop and we shared some great times before his passing in 1986. You see, he was also one of those “Men of Steel”. I’m not one to live in the past, but I would give just about anything to have one more summer Saturday afternoon, sitting on that bench seat behind Babe’s Body Shop sharing a coke with my Dad. Happy Father's Day!

I want to wish everyone a Happy Father's Day. A day to take time to reflect on the things that we cannot put a price on. Enjoy the day!

We are Goodyear G3X dealer, it's a great program and you still maintain your own identity if you want. Contact your local Goodyear and/or tire distributors.

Source: Sloppy Work Bay + Sloppy workflow process = Sloppy auto Repairs and Lost Customers

Legendary college basketball coach, John Wooden, would preached that it’s the details of how you play the game that matters most, not the score. He also said that to focus on the win during the game did not matter as much as a focus on execution during the game. Sloppy performance during the game usually means a loss. If the players execute every detail to the best of their ability, the score and the wins will take care of themselves. This concept holds true for the auto repair business. Everyone involved in the workflow process, from write up, to the repair or service, and right up to car delivery must be executed with precision and paying attention to detail. It doesn’t matter that a 3 hour job is completed in 2 hours, if the car is delivered back to customer with grease stains on the steering wheel. It’s the details of the entire process that count the most. When you have a sloppy workflow process, you will produce sloppy jobs. And that will mean lost business. The customer can only judge you on what she sees. The customer cannot see the brake shoes you installed, or the timing belt you replaced. But, they can see the condition of the car when it is given back to them. Paying attention to every detail and executing each step of the process to the best of your ability is crucial. In addition, the work area, the service area and the shop in general must be organized and clean. If your surroundings are sloppy, there will be a tendency to be sloppy with everything else too. And again, the sloppiness is something your customers can see, and they will judge you on that. Pay attention to detail, pay attention to every step in the workflow process. Execute each step with precision and quality. Don’t worry about the end result or when the car will be done. That will take care of itself if you take care of all the steps in between.

You are not alone...why things fall apart on some days is a mystery!

Great story and one that we need to all remind ourselves of: the relationships will build last far longer than any repair we have ever done or will ever do.

As a shop owner, it’s common to take on all the tasks of running your business; from the repairs to payroll to paying bills. Everything and anything seems to rest on your shoulders. While it’s admirable to take on all the responsibilities of your business, it can be overwhelming. In fact, in the long run, it will lead to burnout. When burnout occurs, you become ineffective and your business and life will suffer. Learn to delegate certain tasks. Sit down and clearly outline you job description as the owner. Then clearly outline the job role and tasks of everyone you employ. Whether you are a 3 man shop or have 30 employees, the entire weight of your business should not rest squarely on your shoulders. This is not to say you should remove yourself from running the business. You should and need to stay involved with what’s happening each day. But you need to assign certain task to others and then set up a system of reporting that allow you to remain in control without controlling everything.

For Mitchell 1 users, there is a workshop to be held in Orlando, October 1-3, 2015. I have been to these workshops, and they are worth the trip. For more information, click on the link below. http://www.buymitchell1.net/form/m1usersinfo.htm

I just want to point out that the reason for my post was more to point out that we have things in our lives to be thankful for, and not to focus on the issues and challenges of running a business. My 5:00 reaction was uncalled for and not the way I want to lead others. So, the only person I was truly looking to improve and be accountable was me, not my techs. But, I do appreciate all the great posts, Thanks!

Even after 35 years in business, I am still looking for that one day when things go smoothly. Yesterday, Friday, everything was going fine. We were finished up a few big jobs, the schedule was filling up for next week, the weather was absolutely beautiful and everyone (including myself), was in a good mood. Then it happened; The Friday afternoon nightmare. Just as the clock hit 5 o’clock, things began to fall apart. A brake job, just completed, had to be redone due to defective brake rotors. A BMW which was supposed to have been checked out for safety concerns now has a brake warning light on that was not discovered earlier. And the customer was told that “Everything was ok.” There was still one more car that needed a wheel alignment. With most of my techs leaving for the day, I blew up. “Hey, this 5 o’clock drop your tools and run has to stop”, I said. I was upset, but was I right to say what I said? What I am about to tell you is not an excuse, but it needs to be said. As a shop owner for 35 years and someone working in the auto repair industry for more than 40 years, I have been through more bad days than I care to remember. I do try to be positive. In fact, I preach this to others. But, sometimes, even the preacher sins. This morning I am sitting here typing away thinking about my day. It’s Saturday and my wife and I are spending the day with my daughter and future son-in-law visiting wedding venues. So, when I really think about, yesterday may have been a bad day at the shop. But today is a great day in my life. Lesson: put things in perspective and judge your life by the good things in your life, not the bad stuff that’s part of running an auto repair business. Let’s hope I can take my own advice.

Source: Another bad day at my auto repair shop, but not a bad life

There has been a lot discussion lately over flat rate and other pay plans. This is a topic that has been brought up before, but appears to be raising concerns among shop owners and techs. What is your experience with pay plans and flat rate?