flacvabeach

Personal vehicles only, and that grudgingly. I'm most at ease when my shop is locked up and nobody is there. I have very expensive coverage for injury, fire, etc. under normal circumstances. why increase the risk?

This and Service Writer compensation have been the toughest problems to solve for us, but after working for literally months with our ATI coach we have developed pay matrices for our techs that provide a safety net, create incentives for production, allow us to manage overtime pay, and allow us to achieve the labor margins we are looking for. The hardest part has been talking techs who were on an outdated pay plan into adopting the new one. Eventually they see that, with our car count, they can make more money on the new plan.

They also post your 5-star reviews to your FB biz page, which you can share with your personal FBs and so on...

When I see my guys breaking out the cutting torch, I always ask if they know where the fire extinguisher is. It's like I'm speaking Russian. They look at me dumbfounded for a second, look around the shop until they find it, then act like they had always planned to go get it. *** Every time! ***

Being a geek, I did my own for years, but gave it up when we saw the Kukui product. I had some initial withdrawal pains, but soon realized I wasn't even concerned about it any more. They are that good. I can still get in and manage my pages if I want to, but who has time? Strongly recommended.

We have a sign in sheet that new and return customers fill out. Sometimes returnees say "I'm already in your database" but our SAs are trained to say that we just want to make sure our info is up to date. They always fill it out, including the disclaimer and signature on the back. YOU HAVE TO GET THEIR SIGNATURE. Info collected includes e-mail and "how did you hear about us?" The form also includes checkboxes for "would you like to hear about interest-deferred financing" and "would you like to save $$ with our loyalty program?"

We have been using Pro-cuts for about six years. Our newer one is the larger Warthog model. Great machines - very reliable.Every brake job gets rotors cut if they are thick enough.

Appointment calendar built into RO Writer.

I'm with Used Tire Shop. Just say no. I want to guarantee the WHOLE job or not do it at all.

One of our shops is just about at capacity for car count, but ARO is subpar. Other shop, ARO is good but we could use more cars.

Each of our two shops has a pro service advisor. Each is assisted by a junior trainee SA who is responsible for answering the phone, greeting customers and doing the initial entry of the data into RO Writer. We want our senior SAs to spend as much time as possible selling work, estimating, and interfacing with our techs.

Each of our two shops has a pro service advisor. Each is assisted by a junior trainee SA who is responsible for answering the phone, greeting customers and doing the initial entry of the data into RO Writer. We want our senior SAs to spend as much time as possible selling work, estimating, and interfacing with our techs.

Have to agree with GPM, but there are a lot of underlying factors. Also trying to get SAs to sell more maintenance by mileage.

Junior, You might want to check out http://www.thehybridshop.com/dealer-opportunities/

We use the AutonetTV lobby TV through NAPA. It comes with a staggering amount of content and you can add your own videos, promos, ads, etc. I can have different content at my two shops or the same at both. The content they provide is entertaining and informative. I put ads on there for our hybrid work and for our used car inventory.

I would have loved to see this thread eleven years ago when I was getting started. Shows the value of participating in this forum.

We used DF for years and then migrated to Kukui because it is a full spectrum web/SEO/CRM solution. Having said that, ATI gives us free access to Customerlink reports that we use for marketing.

I agree, this is a powerful site.

We should all be grateful that some shop owners do not appreciate the value of a really good tech. The good techs are always looking for the best deal. You have to figure out how you can be the best deal.

Some folks are just testing you - looking for a reaction. Maybe they feel defensive about about needing your help. What does it hurt to say "Yes sir, somebody will take care of that right now"? You might make a friend for life. Kill them with kindness.

Alfredauto is correct. Anybody with tools can remove/install a hybrid battery, but any shop that goes into this without safety training and equipment is facing a major liability. Keep in mind these are lethal voltages we are talking about. When you turn off the master switch, the car is supposed to self-discharge - but does it? If not, those lethal voltages are still there. With THS you get that training and more. Training covers control systems, inverters, DC to DC converters as well as drivetrain and battery theory. A week of theory and practical for your techs plus you get to send a tech to SAE cert training. Then you have ongoing access to expert support people. As regards aftermarket batteries, I challenge any aftermarket supplier to let me run one of their off-the-shelf units through the THS testing process to document whether it is in balance and capable of supplying rated power and energy. Every battery I condition comes with documentation to show that it is performing at 95% of new specs. Also, these batteries discharge while sitting in storage. The battery should be charged to 60% of full capacity just before installation. It's analogous to engine replacement. An aftermarket battery is like a used engine from a junkyard you trust. A THS battery is like a remanufactured engine from a reputable machine shop/supplier. Each cell pack has been tested for total performance (not just voltage) just prior to installation. That performance is documented and the warranty is backed by a nationwide chain of THS shops. The THS process and equipment let you control the quality of the product you are installing. There is a lot of discussion on this forum about providing value for our customers. This is a classic example.

We charge $89.95 for a four wheel alignment check on passenger cars and light trucks. The price includes toe-in adjust if needed. Any other adjustments are charged at our standard labor rate.

This raises a lot of questions for me. I have tried to implement a process in which our general service tech takes any car that has been left with us and does a quick alignment check. The nice pictorial report is then included in our courtesy check results. The policy never seems to take hold. We are always too busy or whatever, so I watch my alignment rack sit idle. I'm lucky if I do five alignments a week and all of those are associated with a repair like a steering rack, tie rod end, etc. We very seldom sell alignment as a service. What are other shops doing as far as alignments as a percentage of car count?

Since adopting AutoVitals, all of our techs are using ipads to record vehicle inspections. They like them and better than 80% of our car count is getting inspected.

We just stand firm that to give an estimate we can stand by, we need to see the car. A good customer will understand and appreciate that you want to be accurate on your estimate. Let's say you estimate a water pump, the car comes in and the timing cover is leaking as well. Here you go back to the customer and tell them your $XX estimate has now doubled. Not a pleasant situation.