Joe Marconi

Best of luck to you and welcome to ASO. Looking forward to sharing your experiences, opinions and comments.

Take from me, someone who has spent a lifetime in the auto business: after a while you can't help become a little battle-weary. The things we have seen over the decades has to take it's toll on you. There are times when I just walk away. Let me give you a quick example. I walked into the waiting room the other day, and a customer yells out to me in front of other customers, "Joe, every time I come in here, I have to spend money. Your guys got me again." My reply, "Good morning to you too.", and I walked out of the office. Apparently, this guy hit a pothole, split a tire in half and bent the wheel. Was he joking? Well, in comedy there is always a bit of truth. If you think about what someone has to endure in this industry over time, it's amazing we all don't go postal!

A long time customer came in the other day for a LOF service and an annual state inspection. He also needed a battery, but said that he would come back for it. When I tried to explain to him that we had to jump start the car, he said he knows about it and he will come back. This did not seem right. Being me, I pushed a little; “Tom, why won’t you let me install the new battery today?” He was silent. I then said, “Tom, you are going to buy the battery from someone, why not buy it from me.” He replied, “Joe, I can’t afford your price.” I replied, “Tell me what you want me to do.” He said, “Nothing, I will put the battery in myself and save the labor.” I told him, “No Tom, I will put the battery in, you pay for the battery and I’ll pay for the labor, deal?” He was silent again, and then said, “Yes, you got a deal and thank you.” Sometimes, you need to close the book on sales strategy, profit margins, and quotas and just do what you feel you need to do. Sometimes, a compromise is a win.

I have seen this problem all too often. Production is the key to success in any shop. But, having to the right people always comes first. It sounds like there is a issue with the tech you have right now. Whether on flat rate or hourly, each person must know what is expected of them. They must know that what they do matters to the over financial stability of the business. If you have the right person, and you are a true leader, they will listen and they will act accordingly. As the owner, you must do what you need to do. If someone is an obstacle, remove the obstacle. Give the person a chance, but with the understanding that we all need to pull in the same direction. That we are a team. You should not fear hiring someone if it is the right thing to do. We tend to wait and procrastinate for reasons that usually end up hurting us, and never the person we fear in the first place. Being a shop owner means that sometimes you need to make those hard decisions. Always asks, "What is the right thing to do for the long term and for the greater good of all?"

Wow, you brought back memories. As young mechanics, we would test each other by starting up cars in the shop with our backs turned to the car. We had to guess what make car it was by the sound of the starter. You weren't much of a mechanic if you couldn't do it either. I remember I could tell it was a mid-60s automatic GM car by the distinctive noise it made as you shifted from park to drive. And what about the whining sound of the 2 speed power-glide in park of neutral? What happened to those sounds? Great memories Gonzo...maybe gone....but not forgotten.

I agree Gonzo. Technology has changed more in the last decade than the previous 4. The DIYer will always be there too, but I have a feeling that they will get into more trouble than it's worth. No one can foresee the future, but it obvious where the trend is going; and that's more and electronics and hi-tech systems.

This is a serious situation. Every detail of a potential accident in the shop or other type of emergency should have some sort of plan. Many insurance companies can help with this, and in some towns, the fire inspector and local police dept can help with knowing what to do in case of an emergency. It's worth looking into. Most shops wait until something happens before they implement a plan. Great post, something we do not think about often enough.

Sorry you could not post the article. I have to contact Alex to see why. Your insight on the evolution of the repair business is spot on and interesting. To a degree, facts are replacing fingers. I see my techs spend a good deal of time researching before they even get their hands dirty. And on some jobs, their hands never get dirty. I think the Mechanic of yesterday lived in a much different world. Although there were always challenges and changing technology, today's tech needs to be proficient in areas that were not needed 40 years ago. This is neither good or bad, it's just how the industry has evolved.

Welcome to ASO! You've joined the right group! I want to add; please check with state and local laws concerning the questions you're asking. Every state is a little different and the requirements are different. Welcome again and great first post!

The recent plunge in fuel prices combined with a recovering economy has created an increase in new car sales. In the past I viewed this a positive sign, since these cars will eventually trickle down to the aftermarket shops. But with the intense strategy to keep new car customers in their service bays, I feel that new car dealers will actively go after the service and repair market. New car dealers know that future new car sales are made by keeping those customers as service and repair customers. I am overreacting? Your thoughts?

Legendary College basketball coach John Wooden, would always preach to his players that it’s the details of the game that matters most. That worrying about the score was futile if the execution and the details of the game were not performed with consistency and to the best of everyone’s abilities. In other words, the score will take care of itself and the wins will come if every detail of the game is consistently executed properly. In the shop environment, only worrying about getting the car done, without performing all the steps properly will lead to an eventual breakdown in your workflow system. It will lead to higher comebacks, lower profits and poor customer satisfaction. To have a properly working workflow system, that minimizes comebacks, improves overall quality and improves customer satisfaction, requires paying attention to the details of the workflow process in a consistent manner. Is the customer write up process done properly each time? Are the technicians following the workflow process and every checklist done properly every time? Are the technicians short-cutting the process in an attempt to book hours? And, perhaps the main killer of the shop environment and workflow: a sloppy shop. Yes, a sloppy shop leads to a breakdown in the system. Disorder in the shop equals disorder in the workflow, which equals increased comebacks, increased chances of people getting hurt, unhappy customers and lower profits. Time is wasted finding tools and equipment. People tend not to care enough about the condition of the customer’s car because the shop does not put an emphasis on neatness and order in the shop. Cars will leave with grease marks, dirty floor mats and job details forgotten. The first step in any process is the shop environment and that means shop organization. You cannot have an efficient workflow until you have shop order. Everyone must be held accountable for keeping order. And it starts with the tech’s work space. Want to improve production, profits and customer satisfaction? Pay attention to the details, focus on quality, create a well-defined workflow process and maintain order in the shop.

Ok. I have heard enough. And disappointed. Let me remind certain people that I founded AutoShopOwner.com to improve the image and raise the bar for the auto repair industry. These forums are for professionals who want to conduct in a professional manner, not engage in schoolyard banter or trash talk. Tons of time and energy goes into this site to make it a home for all of us. To help each other, to promote our shops, to show the world that we are as professional as anyone else. I am requesting that everyone please respect each other's comments and opinion and engage in a dialogue that is inline with who we are: Hard working, dedicated pros that have a common theme in mind: To help improve the image of the industry and to help our fellow shop owners. The back and forth banter stops now. Do we have a deal or what? Joe Marconi Co Founder - AutoShopOwner.com

Thanks for those kind words. I have to admit, it is not easy. And, it is a struggle to maintain the right environment. But, if we "Kill the Messenger", we will never know how to improve.

We rarely cut rotors any more. The quality of the metal and thickness is an issue. I know that many dealers are required to have the Pro cut machine, but I question the reason why. Is it because the manufacturer would rather the dealer eat up labor than supply a part under warranty? Does not make much sense. In the North East, rotors don't last. Replacing them with a brake job is the best bet. Even Hi End cars have issues with rotors. That is not to say that we don't cut rotors, but it is rare. Drums we still cut. Too many aftermarket drums are not as good as the OE.

Amazing!

Perhaps one of the most difficult things to do as a shop owner is to consistently present yourself with a positive and upbeat attitude. Let’s face it; your life is filled with issues; from bounced checks to complaining customers, to comebacks and employee problems. But the fact is you are the boss and the leader of your company. And everyone is watching you. What you do and what you say is seen and heard by everyone. As the leader, you set the tone, the mood and morale of the shop. If you are negative, everyone around you will be. One of the best ways to lead is to set an example by being positive at all times. I know this may be hard at times, but to walk around with a doom and gloom attitude will actually makes things worse. People react to the emotions of the leader. It’s far better for the long term success of the company to have the people in your shop feeding off your positive energy, then being brought down by doom and gloom.

Gonzo, fire is something that we all fear. And, as you said, all of have our stories to tell. About 5 years ago, one of my techs install and EGR valve on a mini van. He was road testing it to confirm the repair and to see if the EGR system was working properly. For some unknown reason, the car burst into flames under the hood and burned to the ground. The insurance company sent fire investigators to the shop to determine the cause. After days of examinations, they could not come up with a cause. No one got hurt. But the toughest part was explaining to the customer...."Mr Jones, a funny thing happened during our road test....."

A report by Consumer Reports found that in general, consumers are more satisfied with independent auto repair shops, then franchise dealerships. This is a feather in our caps. Here is a link to the article in Ratchet + Wrench: http://www.ratchetandwrench.com/RatchetWrench/January-2015/Consumer-Reports-Consumers-Prefer-Indys-Shops-to-Dealers/?utm_source=KnowledgeMarketing&utm_medium=RW%20-%20Newsletter%20Emails&utm_term=RW%20-%20RW%20Insider&utm_content=RW_TheRWInsider_20150130&utm_campaign=Consumer%20Reports:%20Consumers%20Prefer%20Indy%20Shops%20to%20Dealers&eid=211700044&bid=1004475

I agree. Let us hope and pray. Maintain who you are and what you stand for. If we all remain true to ourselves, we will make a difference.

This has been my fear from the start. How can a website take the place of what we do when we engage customers. And what in the world is "national average?" This sends the wrong message to the consumer. A business that promotes price only will die by price. What separates one business from an other is more than price. Just look at Starbucks or Nordstroms or Ruth Chris Steak House. I will bet a year's salary their customers do not choose them for any "national average" I am sorry to hear, we have enough issues to overcome. Question: Will RepairPal and others like them paint us all with same brush and make us compete on a level that unsustainable?

I agree with xrac. We need to create long lasting relationships, not make technology the medium between us and customer. No matter how technical the medical field gets, you can't replace a great doctor and the comfort of his or her bed side manner. Things are complicated with the car in the bay. I can't help feeling this will send the wrong message.