Joe Marconi

You should be proud!

Amazing! What a voice!

We all know that Cardone has issues with regard to part quality. And I made it known how I felt about the issue. But, it would not be fair if I didn’t recognize the efforts Cardone is taking to correct their problems and regain the confidence of the shop owners. This past week, I met with a rep from Cardone, along with two other reps from Advance/CARQUEST. The meeting was to address the quality issues I had with Cardone steering pumps, gears and steering racks. The Cardone rep was very informative and updated us on efforts they are implementing to improve their products. I appreciate Cardone and Advance/CAREQUEST coming together to discussing this important issue. One of the key take-aways was that I really felt that they were genuine and interested in improving relations with independent shop owners. My hope is that Cardone builds products that are up to the standards and quality aftermarket shops are looking for. But, as I stated, it was encougraing news, and I appreciate Advance/CARQUEST for setting up this meeting and to Cardone to spend time to address these issues.

Many of you know that I write a monthly column in Ratchet + Wrench Magazine. The magazine feature articles on shop management and business related articles. In my opinion, as shop owners we need to read publications such as Ratchet + Wrench. I think too many of us tend to maintain our technical knowledge, but may fall short with regard to the business side of the of running a shop. Ratchet + Wrench has great articles and also feature actual shops across the country. If you do not subscribe to the magazine, the link is below. And to be fair and balanced, there is another magazine, Shop Owner Magazine that is also dedicated to business, and is worth reading and subscribing to. Here are the links: http://www.ratchetandwrench.com/ http://www.shopownermag.com/

This is a questions that's been bounced around a lot lately. Below is a link to a video from Motorage featuring Brian Canning that is worth watching: http://www.searchautoparts.com/motorage/shop-management-operations-service-repair/who-responsible-tech-productivity?cid=95883

Yes, your other point about researching a job is well-taken. But again, if I read a medical procedure and a doctor reads the same procedure, who would you want to perform the operation? Great topic, great post....as usual Gonzo.

Customer satisfaction is a key component to insuring our success as shop owners. Too often we are not in touch with the customer and how their view our shop. In addition, what we do after the sale is crucial to our future business. Here's a link to an article in Motor Age written by Brian Canning worth reading on how to improve customer surveys and at the same time improve your customer's retention and confidence in you. http://www.searchautoparts.com/motorage/shop-owner/shop-management/perfecting-shop-customer-satisfaction-survey?cid=95882

Gonzo, right on target! You state that everyone should have some knowledge of how their car operates. I agree, but to what extent should someone take that knowledge and attempt a repair or service. For example; everyone should have some basic knowledge of how their own body works, in order to remain healthy. But we wouldn't watch a video on how to remove a tooth and then attempt to do it, would we? I know this I a far-fetched analogy, but as you state, reading the manual or watch a video will never replace the skill of a trained, talented mechanic. Oh, thanks for using the term mechanic. Don't know if you did it intentionally, but I like the old term.

This is a great idea. I wonder how we can pull this off? Suggestions?

Source: Are Low Car Counts the Real Issue?

Car count is a key performance indicator (KPI) showing you the health of your business. But before we blame low car counts for the reason why we are not achieving our sales goals, we need to take the time to look at all the numbers; analyzing labor and part margins, average repair order (ARO) production issues, other critical KPI’s, customer retention and workflow processes. Only after a thorough analysis can we begin to work on the issue of car counts. This is not to suggest that a shrinking car count is not a problem. Many shops are experiencing declining car counts for a number of reasons: increased competition from dealers and mass merchandisers, improved car quality, decreased factory scheduled maintenances, decreasing vehicle visits, and other of factors. The key thing is to track all key numbers and vehicle visits per year, per customer. If you see your car count trending down and you are not meeting your sales objectives, and all other KPIs are in line, then you need to address this issue. But, are you really losing customers? You may find that that customer visits per year is the problem. With increasing scheduled oil services and the perception that cars don’t need maintenance, this is a big problem. And it may be the problem for a declining car count. A more proactive approach, selling preventive maintenance and other services will help. In addition, bump up your marketing efforts, especially with you existing customer base. And lastly, make sure you stand out by providing world class customer service.

That is funny!

Sorry, have not heard of it and have no knowledge of it. But, would like to meet fellow ASO members!

Gonzo, to my point...we cannot make the insurance company dictate policy. To a degree it's happening in the medical field and it will end up hurting us.

First, I think as a industry we give too much away in regard to inspections and diagnostic testing. While I do agree with the approach of charging for inspections, I think the first step for any shop is to define what is routine and what requires extra time and should be charged for. Let me give you an example. If you go to the doctor for a check up, there are routine basic tests he will do; check blood pressure, heart rate, listen to your lungs, etc. That's part of the doctor's basic inspection. But, if the doctor sees the your blood pressure is high, he will order other tests that you will be billed for. We need to take this same approach. So, for an oil change service, you typically check the lights, wipers, tire pressure, fluid levels, etc. That's routine. But, if during the road test the tech finds that the car pulls to one side while braking, then there needs to be an inspection done to find the problem, and that needs to be billed to the customer. (This is what we do in our shop) And lastly, I also agree that if the customer has not been in for service in a while, there is nothing wrong with selling an inspection up front. Will it prequalify your customers. Probably, but many companies do. Take a look at Starbucks.

Sorry... Try this: https://automechanika-chicago.us.messefrankfurt.com/chicago/en/for_attendees/welcome.html

Interesting topic today, Gonzo. It is been on my mind a lot too about the future of our industry. The autonomous car will come. To what degree and how it will evolve is anyone's guess. You bring up great points, especially about the driver taking control under certain situations. One thing's for sure, for us "older guys", we may be looked upon the same way the blacksmiths were viewed 100 years ago. Interesting thought? PS: Always enjoy your articles!

A recent US sales report from Automotive News states an increase in September for SUVs, crossovers and full size pickup trucks. The increase is hopeful news that consumers are not as concerned about gas prices and are financially better than a few years back when we saw an increase in small economy cars. Larger vehicles require more services and maintenance; and sales today will help fill our bays tomorrow. Here's a link for more information: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=cm#inbox/148cdd8ff300b28e

The Automechanika trade show will be in Chicago April of 2015. Trade shows are a great way to network, learn and get your motivated. I am hoping to make this one, never been to a Automechanika show. Below is a link for more info. https://automechanika-chicago.us.messefrankfurt.com/chicago/en/for_attendees/welcome.html

That is great, you will not be disappointed. Elite is doing a series of these one day seminars around the country, most of them coordinated by Jasper Engine/Transmissions. Jasper is a big proponent of training and is always looking for ways to help the industry.

That's a good point. I guess the key take away is to know who you are dealing with, inform the customer and do your homework. We should also be careful about maintaining our profit margins. All great comments!

I never give up on anyone. But, I do feel that everyone has a responsibility to not only the company they work for, but to themselves. As someone who has spent 40 years in this industry, I know all too well what we go thru, whether it's under the hood or behind the service counter. There is no easy answer or one-size-fits all when it comes to employee management. The best we can do is continue our quest to find the best people, mentor the ones we have, treat our employees with respect, and keep the lines of communications open. But, it's a two way street, with both the shop and employees pulling in the right direction. Once one side feels they are giving and the other side is not, you will have problems. Great comments, I am glad I posted this.

Best of luck in business and welcome to AutoShopOwner.com. I want to ad a little advice that I have given time and time again. To be successful you will need to have an understand on business. The more you understand how to generate profit, how to market yourself and how to systemize your business, the more successful you will become. There is a wealth of information on this site, so I recommended researching the site. And, of course, post your questions or comments. There are great shop owners on ASO that are willing to help their fellow shop owner.

We are a AAA Approved Repair Shop in New York. Every region and/or state is different. Although they all adhere to certain polices and structure, there are many AAA separate entities scattered around the country. And there are differences among the different entities. For example, in New York, we are required to give a AAA customer a 10% discount, if they ask for it, other states have a cap or only are required to give 5%. What I can tell you is that AAA is one of the most recognizable logos in the country and instills consumer confidence. And marketed correctly, can help your business. By the way, you cannot use AAA to build your business unless you market it in your area. To become a AAA Approved Repair Shop, you have to meet a certain set of standards, have a clean-looking facility, you will have a survey done on your customer base and must have techs ASE certified. I really don't know why some are having trouble contacting AAA. That is concerning.