Joe Marconi

Great post! I agree with the comments too. We do a lot of brake jobs also, and on a lot of car lines. In the early 80s it was easy: Ford, GM and Chrslyer. So we stocked pads. There are too many numbers now. Do your research and get the best deal on quaility parts from a supplier you have confidence in. Brakes are a great profit center. Let the parts house carry the inventory, keep the cash flow in your pocket. Don't look at COGs aquisition only, also look at the money sitting on the shelf. When you factor that, it makes a difference. Understand your margins and insure that all jobs are generating a profit. Best of luck to you, keep us posted.

I love when a salesman comes in and says those classic words, "I know I can save you money." That's when I run and hide.

I am in New York, about an hour north of NYC. By late Jan and Feb is does slow down. The winter storms, heating bill, paying off credit cards from Christmas, people don't go out as much. Combine that with the emotional aspect of winter and it can be tough. Perhaps the best thing you can do is to make sure all year long you do a good job each time a customer comes and leading up to the winter. Identify all future work, tell the customer that you will call them to set up the appointment and make sure that you book all the next LOFs, just like your doctor and dentist. Best of luck, there only so much cleaning and sweeping you can do, you need $$$$

For the past few years we hear O'Reilly's radio ads, but have not had the opportunity to actually see one or know of a store. I know there are shops out there that do business with O'Reillys, can you give us details and any info on their parts and service? Just curious.

Thanks for the post and for clearing that up. I think we can now see what you mean.

Wow, simply amazing! Hard to believe how out of touch some people are mechanically.

Years back we cut most rotors. Today, the metal is not the same, even on cars like BMW, Volvo, Mercedes and Audi. Most of the time its a better brake job to replace the rotors with the pads. That's not to say we don't use our lathe, we do. But it's rare that we do. We do use it a lot with drum brakes and cut most drums when we do a brake job.

That is a very good question. And I really don't want people coming to me complaining about others in the shop, even in management positions. For me, I like to stay in touch with everyone, and pretty good at seeing what is going on. If you watch how people react to each other and the subtle comments and body language, you will see that there is a probelm. Then it's up to the owner to speak to everyone and be candid about how everyone is getting along. This actually happen to me with a service advisor a few years back. I knew something was wrong, but did not know to what extent. When I started getting negative feedback from customers, it was time to pull the plug and let him go. Afterwards, the techs came to me to thank me. Thanks for the comment! Joe

Source: Get rid of the bad apples and improve morale

It looks like you are a tech and the real issue should be presented to the owner. Gravy techs are needed in any shop. Techs of all levels are needed in every shop. But no one position should shine and have an unfair advantage. Perhaps the real issue is that many shop owners are not properly charging for hi tech testing and repairs. While most shops enjoy the profits of what a gravy tech can produce, it does not mean that other services that demand hi level of skill should suffer, with regard to profit. It's the same old story, service advisors and/or shop owners easily bill out 1hr to 1.5hrs to hang pads and rotors, but struggle with how to charge for 2 hours of diag testing. Shop owners need to compensate techs according to their skill and experience. My A level techs get paid higher, a lot higher. For that reason the work they do is billed accordingly.

Get rid of the bad apple and improve morale I am a firm believer that the head of any organization is responsible for the culture of the company. And that culture will determine the morale of the organization. It’s no different for shop owners. If we walk around miserable, the whole shop will be miserable. If we convey an attitude of enthusiasm and maintain a positive attitude, morale improves and production goes up. Yes, that responsibility starts at the top. I am also a firm believer that employing the wrong person can undo any good the boss or manager does and can kill morale. It’s that old saying, “one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch.” You know the type; we’ve all had them at our shops. The employee that’s always in a bad mood, who complains about each and every job you give them, never wants to help his fellow employees, talks about everyone behind their back and thinks that boss does everything all wrong and that if he were in charge, things would run much better. Sound familiar? You have one those? Do yourself a favor, get rid of him or her. I recently had to make that choice, and I am kicking myself for not doing it sooner.

Years back I would always prorate a new employee and make Jan 1 a new year for each employee with regard to benefits. That meant that when vacations got renewed, along with sick days, raises, etc., every benefit for all employees came due at the same time. For the past few years we have gone to policy of anniversary hire dates. It's more work to keep track, but it staggers the vacation time, sick time and other benefits you may offer. What other policies are shop owners using?

Here is an interesting article on privacy issues with black boxes... http://t.autos.msn.com/news/new-law-covering-%e2%80%98black-box%e2%80%99-data

It's the next item on my wish list!

We do, esspeically when it comes to safety. We note on the invoice any issues we have and have the customer sign it. However, there are times that I would not allow the car to leave. I don't think that is legal, but if the car is really unsafe, such has leaking brake lines, I insist the car be towed off my property, not driven. It makes some people mad as hell, but I rather them be mad at me than drive an unsafe car. Some things transcend money and business.

Welcome to AutoShopOwner.com Adrian. Don't be a stranger to the forums, we are here to help. Plus there's a lot of great posts you can research thru. Good luck to you.

Gonzo, you are right on target. We need to push the issue. We do have influence you know. Comebacks are hurting our reputation and consumer confidence and we should let our part suppliers know how we feel. In the end the customer's perception is key. And if their perception is that we are selling low quality parts, we all suffer.

I have been a believer in hiring entry level techs. We have a balance of seasoned veterans and newbies. Years back (and I am talking decades here) I would hire a young kid out of trade school and although he did not have the years behind him, he had a great foundation. They worked on the family cars, in gas stations or tire shops after schools and on weekends and gained valuable experience by the time they entered the work force. These days, many of the techs that graduate tech schools don't have the basics. Many of them are technically-potential. By that I mean many of them have an understanding about how to approach a diagnostic issue. But, basic skills are lacking. I think the biggest problem is that when asked where did they worked, many of them tell us: Camp counselor, the local deli, pizza shop. Some have done internships. I think many programs require this. But I just don't see that well-rounded background in mechanics that we had years back. I think that if a young person is interested in this trade, he or she should work in as early on as possible.

Gonzo, I think these day we have a better chance at finding a good cigar than we do finding quality parts. The problems are endless. And I can't say it's just one or two companies, it's epidemic around the industry. And even though you point out that you have learned through the years the liability with buying cheap parts, it's gotten worse. For 33 years I bought reman starters and alternators from a local rebuilder. They did everything in house. If they did not have a unit they would rebuild the one we took out of the car. The failure rate? Near zero! Well, with this race to the bottom with pricing, and with new units from the Asian markets, rebuilding was no longer a viable option. So, now we buy these NEW units, with a high failure rate. We see the same with NEW axles, a very high failure rate. This is an issue we have tossed around for some time now and it may become our demise. How long would Apple stay in business if 20% of its products failed?????

Below is a link to an article featuring the completion of deal in which Advance Auto Parts purchased GPI CARQUEST. This is a huge deal and will no doubt have other major part companies following this real close in 2014 and beyond. Last year Advance Auto Parts aquired BWP CARQUEST, in the North East area. This is where I am located. So, far the transition has been smooth and I am still dealing with the same sales people and parts counter people, which is great. New product lines are slowly being introduced to us, and I am curious to see how we address training, their new banner program for shops, the DIY issue, and other things that Advance brings to the shop owners. Just wondering how shop owners feel about this latest aquistion? http://www.aftermarketnews.com/Item/122323/advance_auto_parts_completes_gpi_acquisition.aspx

You love your AutoZone? We should be thanking AutoZone for Diagnosing the problems? Thank You AutoZone? I had to read this a few times to make sure my eyes were not deceiving me. I don't fault AutoZone or any other part companies for creating a business plan that targets the DIY and other consumer segments. And I don't consider AutoZone a threat to me or the independents. BUT (and this is a big BUT), I really don't know of many shop owners that Love their local AutoZone. Also, Reading a code and diagnosing a check engine light problem are two different things. I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion, that's the reason for the forums. Just curious, you must have a lot of AutoZone stock, don't you?

This has never happened to me, but I have heard of it. I really feel for you, it must be upsetting. We like to put our trust in others, but we also need to safeguard ourselves from those you do not walk a straight line. How did it happen? If you don't mind telling us.

It's like a scene from a zombie movie. Are all these people infected with some rare plague? The other day a customer brought us in her car with no steering. The rack was leaking so bad for so long it no longer functioned even when fluid was put in. So, she brought down her other car with grinding brakes. This was New Year's Eve. She said, "Ok, what car has the least issues? I need one car to go out with tonight" Back and forth the service advisor went with her. Neither car was safe, and we told her that repeatedly, but she just would not get it. Now she's angry with US! It's a plague, I tell you...a plague!

2014: Time for Review, Time to Move Forward It’s hard to believe that another year has passed. I guess my father was right when he said the older you get, the faster time goes by. If you haven’t done it already, you need to reflect on the past year. What were your accomplishments? Did you achieve your goals? Complete your review and plan to move forward. Did you complete your2014 business plan? If you didn’t, you should do it ASAP. And it must be written down. A plan is not a plan unless is written down. If it’s in your head, it’s nothing more than a dream. It’s a known fact that those with clearly written goals and a clearly written plan are much more successful. That’s does not mean you will always achieve those goals. But the odds are far greater when you have a plan and goals with deadlines. And please remember; a plan is a live document. You must review it often, tweak it as needed and modify it when needed. Please include life needs too, don’t make your plan all about business. We all want to move forward in our life. But, just like taking a road trip, mapping out the way makes it a whole lot easier.