Gary Childs

Great points for sure. I take pride in being quality shop for both my customers and my people working for me. No flat rate here at all, very good hourly pay and bonus's payed monthly as a team. I take pride in not selling things not needed right away like brakes at 20% life and just let the customer know they will be needing brakes in the next 6-12 months or so and we will keep and eye on them at oil changes etc. One of the things I learned long ago was how you treat a comeback or warranty problem, that gets top priority over anything right away! Get it back in the shop right away over any other work etc that is here or waiting to be worked on. Fixing a comeback or warranty instantly as we can gives more good word of mouth then anything else it seems. My guys know how I work and they all look out for customers for us too, pay them very good and they know it. Heck if we even get all the work done for the day I let them go home and pay them for the whole day. 

Yes we use a strong labor matrix manly being in a salt belt state the labor guides do not compensate for the rust problems around here. Times should not be the same in per say Arizona versa upstate NY. Many techs I know when I lived in Arizona would quite on the spot then work on a upstate NY car or truck. They would run away screaming.  

Total waste of your time. They only pay 150 bucks here and some take a long time to install. I did them for about 3 years then got out of it. Plus most people that have them only come for that stuff and nothing else. DONT DO IT!!!! 

I been using QB's only for all my business and they are great. Watch out for the scammers that E-mail with QB's e-mails trying to get money out of you. They E-mails look like they are right from QB's but they are not. Try calling the phone number listed with a cell phone with the caller ID blocked, if they do not pick up the call they are the scammers.  

We are very friendly with many shops around us, there is enough cars for everyone in this area and I always say if you get stuck on a brand we specialize in give me a call and i'll try to help. Most of us all also go on vacations together and even play poker and have bowling teams so always trading idea's on how to better all our shops. This I think really works out good for all of us. 

We went to 124.00 per hour last Monday and I also talked 3 other shop owners I know and respect to do the same thing and they did. 

We went from $90.00 per hour to $110.00 6 months ago and not one customer said a thing. I'm thinking of going to $125.00 soon, the dealers around here are $135.00 and up, chain stores I'm told are around $125.00 already too. 

We see the opposite. We were up only 5% over 2019 but 2019 was a rocking year and 2020 was even better. We did 1.7 mil with only 5 techs. Car count around 400 per month. This year we are 15% bottom line to date over last year. I see a bright future this year too as long as our government does not screw us all. 

Very well said Martin. We have the same standards here at my shop. My wife always tells me "you know every one around here" when we are out due to the many people that always stop us to say hello. My tech's are always singing out in the shop and when they don't the customers ask why. A good clean friendly environment makes everyone smile, looks good and is safer. We are up 9% over last year and have always grown every year for the 17 years we have been here. I do really think one of the best things a shop can do is how they treat a customer when something goes wrong or the dreaded "Come Back". If we have a return problem we drop everything right away and help that customers problem right away! They have top priority now over any other job in the shop. We let that know that too. I have found how you fix a screw up say's so much more about your integrity then anything else. Customers will brag you up more if you treat them right. By far.

How the insurrance companys have got away with this is body shops depend 90% on insurrance jobs and they can dictate what they will pay to get those companys to try to steer work to there body shop. We do not have to much isurance work come in but when it does I always prepare before hand and go very high with all the quotes and play there game to met a middle road. I'll look in all 3 major times books and use the highest etc. Seams to work out most the time. Service contract companys on the other hand are mostly snakes and we deal with them the same way and see what they will pay. If they do not pay what we need I go to the customer for stortages. I do not sell service contracts, I did not make any money selling the service cntract so I do not plan on losing money servicing there contract holder. There are few good contract companys out there but far a few in between.

Nice artical Gonzo. As a Master ASE tech for 27 years now I can say I am very proud to wear the badge and show all my customers I care! I personly think all techs should be required by law to be certified.

Great story Gonzo! You do have a way of telling it like it is for sure.

I had 2 this week that made me shake my head and laugh.

I had a male customer about 45 years old come in with a grinding sound from the rear, he told me he was sure it had nothing to do with the power train because he had "The Whole Power Train" resently replaced at the dealership under warranty. I could not help myself and and had to ask him if they also replaced the caboose! He shook his head yes.

The next day a young lady called me and said her undercarriage was dragging on the ground and that her husband duc-taped it back up and she needs to set up a appointment to have to repalced. (We replaced the broken clips for the under motor plastic shield)

After reading these post I have a commett on Joe's post about the Evap system in a can. Come on Joe I thought you were up to date on all the new stuff out these days. You haven't heard of the "Evap-O-Fix" that is sold at any "Advance Auto" or "Auto Zone" stores?? It comes in 3 flavors, American, Euro and Asian. Just pure it in and drive, re-condisions vent valves, purge valves and 2 ways valves and also cleans your charcoal canister right out. We made the mistake one time of putting in the American formula in a 1998 Honda and in less then 10 mins it caused the alternator bearings to fail!! We wont make that mistake again and always read the labels now. The one good thing it says on the can is this product will not void any lifetime brake pad warrantys on brake pads installed by any "Muffler-Brake" national chain stores. Have anice day guys fighting the battles we all fight every week.

The Man Behind the Curtain

 

 

 

Here in my fantasy land, my daughter Katie is the gate keeper to the Emerald City. One of her main tasks is sorting out the cars for repair by type, length of time needed, or condition. My job is to play the part of the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-understanding wizard. I try to keep the flying monkey wrenches from pulling the stuffing out of everything, while still maintaining an even temperament throughout my busy day. But then there are those travelers on that yellow brick road that leave me puzzled, sometimes shocked at what they are telling me. These are the ones I let her handle; especially on those days when I'm already in a bad mood because my crystal ball isn't working.

 

"Yes, I'm having a problem with my car," The customer tells Katie at the front desk, "the last mechanic said my air filter caused my radio and door locks to short out."

 

Sitting at my desk just out of sight, I'm listening to this fable. By now Katie can hear my pen rhythmically start clicking; which she already knows is a sign we have another traveler from the yellow brick road. As the story unfolds I'll start to grumble or throw in a few timely grunts or coughs all while maintaining my position behind the curtain. My daughters (and my wife) have been around my wizardry far too long. If I'm having one of those days, and somebody comes in with a fable like this one… the best thing to do is take care of it in the front office without getting me involved. They'll all agree, "Just leave him be, he'll be fine back there behind the curtain fixing the cars, pulling those levers and stuff. Just leave him be, he'll make some fire, flame, and smoke belch out from around the corner, but he's actually harmless."

 

 

 

Katie answers the customers concerns, "Honestly, I may not be the technician here… but, I think I can answer this one for you… I seriously doubt that could happen. However, if you can give me some more details on what the actual problem is, I can relay that message to him."

 

"Can I just talk to him myself?" the customer will ask.

 

"Let me do you a big favor," Katie pleads with them, "I don't think you want to bother him with that kind of question. He's already in a grouchy mood today, and I think you better leave the asking part to me. He'll fix it, but believe me when I tell you… pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. He can be a little on the grouchy side sometimes, and if you ask him a question like that you may not like his answer."

 

Yea, that's right, I might just be in a grouchy mood, or… it could be that stupid sounding question that set me off… whatever it is, I would take Katie's advice and let her handle it.

 

I know I'm not the only shop owner/technician who deals with this kind of thing. Whether your mood starts off from a bad cup of morning coffee or the hundreds other things on your mind, or the half dozen car problems you need to sort out with only a certain amount of time to do them all in. Sooner or later your patience can start to wear thin.

 

Even on those days I try to accommodate as many people as I can, as quickly as I can, but it never fails someone is going to come in and ask some question that you don't need to be a wizard of the automotive world to answer.

 

"I need all my spark plugs removed. I read somewhere that spark plugs burn gasoline, so leaving them out will get me better gas mileage," this genius from the land of OZ tells me.

 

Cars must really be some sort of fantasy for some people. That or they're a few bricks shy a full load. On days like this, seriously, just let me deal with the cars, and let the front office deal with these fantasy land questions. It just boggles my mind how many people are out there flying around on their brooms without a clue how they actually work.

 

My wife calls running the front office; "Damage control", she's pretty sure if it was left up to me the only work I would have is the ones that were dropped off at the gates to the city or the front door with a note and a spare key.

 

If they manage to get past the gate keeper, they now have to be ready to deal with the smoke and flames spewing from that big head I seem to have (according to my wife). They'll try to reword the same questions they just tried in the front office (that didn't get anywhere) in different ways, just in case I might change the answer. By the time I've heard these fables in their third or fourth variation, I've had about all I can stand. (More flames and more smoke start emanating from that big fat head again.)

 

Needless to say, I'm probably my own worst enemy when it comes to things like this. Although, my wife and my daughters will tell you, "He might strike you at first, like a mean old grizzly bear, especially if you ask him something stupid. But deep down he's just a big old teddy bear. He's got a heart of gold, the courage of a lion, and pretty darn smart to top it off. Ya just don't want to rile him up when he is in one of those moods."

 

I got to admit, there's no lollypop tree in my backyard. There's no sugar coating my answers around here, and clicking your heels three times isn't going to fix the car at all. Magic only works in fairy tales, good diagnostics starts with the proper information.

 

So for all those shop owners, technician, bodyman, etc… out there who have a tendency to roll your eyes when somebody asks that ultra-dumb question… you're not alone.

 

Fantasy or not, there's a whole lot of us wizards out there who probably should stay behind the curtain a little more often and let the front office sort out those horses of a different color ……………………………… including me.

 

 

 

I know I'm not the only shop owner or tech out there that runs into these type of customers. Luckily, my gals in the front office help soften the wackiness by the time I get the work order. But... there are those days... oh man... I really just want to get in my big hot air balloon and leaves these idiots deal with their own strange problems. (just kiddin' of course)

Nothing like sharing our good and bad days with each other... we all have them.

 

 

 

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I pretty much follow the same things posted here, don't like it when the customer wants to suppy there parts and tell them the same things, wrong diag, warranty problems, fit and quialty etc. Of corse we have all heard the same thing "I thought I could do the job but." One time a customer came in and said her husband bought the brakes 2 months ago and still hasn't got toinstalling them, can we help? Her rear pads were metal to metal so long the fins in the rotors were showing. Also one thing that no one has address here is state laws on parts we install, some states have a min gaurenty on all parts and labor installed on a car.

And I thought it was just my shop that the wacky ones come too. You hit this one on the nail, when something like this happens to me and they walk out I KNOW I am better off. We all know how these type of things can take that ugly turn. Not worth it to deal with.

By the way I got your book in the mail this week, "loose nut" is a great read every shop owner can relate too for sure. Now if you can get Joe Blow to read it maybe our lives will be a little better. LOL.

Very Good Advice for sure. Thank you. We had the same problems and are just getting it worked out, we had one real rotten apply that is now gone. The guys in the shop are started singing out loud to the radio agian, thats a nice sign to me.

Very nicely done Gonzo. I too love when the local "Chepo" parts stores that read codes and send them on thier way knowing what the whole problem is. Makes our lives so much easyer when they provide was with thier findings doesn't it. LOL U.S. Marine huh, I knew there was something I liked about you. Semper Fi brother, myself also.

You forgot about the noise my car makes thing. And when does it make this noise. "I don't know". Then what kind of noise is it, "I don't know". Does it make this noise at idle or going down the road? "I don't know". Do you want to go for a ride with me so we can hear the noise. "No I'm late for work so you will just have to figure it out and I hope it is not going to cost much". I just want to tell them let me get the long plyers I have that I can pull miricales out of by butt with. Customers you got to love them.

Welcome to the site. As a fellow ex Honda dealership technician now owner, its good to have you here.

Thanks. I feel welcome already. I like oyur web site by the way, nice neat layout. You do it your self?

Welcome to AutoShopOwner.com! I wish you the best of luck. Don't be a stranger on the forums, we are all here to help you. By the way, where in Upstate NY are you? My shop is in Mahopac, Putnam County NY.

Hello Joe, We are in Saratoga Springs NY, I have 4 techs me and the wife and 8000 sq feet. I found out about you and this web site from the "Shop Owner" mag. Very good artical on your business and the way you do business. I hold many of the very same values on the way we treat customers here too. Works very well treating people like family. Looking forward to exchanging ideas with all here.

We seeing quite a few vehicles witgh variable valve timing having problems from lengthy oil change intervals.

Yes Honda is now have problems with their varable timing controls (Cam Phasers etc) and also timing chain tensioners getting clogged up and causing problems. Now we see them going to 0w20 oil only in full syn grades. I tell our Honda customers 5,000 miles or 15% if they want these cars to out last the bank payments. Cheap insurance for sure.

Hello Everyone. We have been in business now in upstate NY for 12 years + and going strong treating folks like we would want to be treated. Looking forward to learning more and passing our kowledge to others. We are a "Honda" "Toyota" spec shop but wellcome all makes and models. I have been working in this field for over 30 years, 1999 I said goodbye to the dealerships and went out on my own and have made a very good living at it. Glad I took that big step!