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I've had this a few times, when it has I've asked them for their pay check stub? lol, and they tell me thats none of my business and I reply your right will just leave it at that!

My yellow pages budget has went from about $12K per year down to less than $1K and I think that is a waste of money.

My thoughts on this are even if your spending just a thousand bucks on an ad the generates mostly shoppers and limited buyers, how much time it ties up dealing with a dead end estimates that's the frustrating part for me.

First, it is interesting that we are discussing phone book advertising. For most shops, this form of advertising is not effective, since the increase in online searches overshadows any other form of traditional advertising.

 

As with any form of advertising, the best way to track the effectiveness is to ask all first time customers how they found you. But the key is ask a follow up question; "In addition to the radio ad you heard, has anyone else referred you to us?" Many times the customer will say, "Yes, my neighbor Tom Smith recommended you, and I also pass by your shop every day."

 

Tracking phone calls is good, but unless you turn the call into an appointment, you will not know the true picture.

 

Lastly, you must track these first time customers and get information. And ask a lot of probing questions. Hopefully, your management software system has a field you can enter the information. If it does, you can generate a report for all first time customers. If not, create your own system.

 

This type of customer interview also helps to establish a relationship.

 

I hope this helps.

Sorry to beat a dead horse, but I knew it in my gut I just needed to hear it, the old ways die hard. Do you run any ads in your local phone book/s maybe just one liners for info purposes? I do like your idea on the keeping a log on my system I do be leave I have it. I need to fix things and this where I'm starting. Other than the sales calls, I get price shoppers and referrals. I'm a one man shop trying to cover it all. I try and qualify them quickly, I do try and talk about other things instead of giving a price and I do win some jobs this way and most without fail just want a number and I give them one (Ball park) it's just too time consuming to give a full estimate. But i'm not logging the info, I think saving that data would be good for me to follow up with them in a week or so on a few of those one's I missed. Thanks Joe.

All companies trying to sell you their credit card processing services, marketing programs or anything else

are using a list they purchased from a list broker. They are not combing the yellow pages.

 

I see your yellow page listing includes a website address. Is your website down?

Yes my website is down but that's another post for another time. I know their not combing the phone books but would stand to reason that the phone book company's sell these tracking numbers as "New leads" to these telemarketing company's. The sales person I dealt with this week was showing me all this compiled data about there ads with this system of tracking and how great it was. Then I asked her who funded that research..that was it end of pitch.

Hello all, It's time to re-up with the phone book ads again and was just wondering if you guys are in more than one. In years past I was in two but the last 2 years has been just one. I haven't kept track of the calls like I should have I do be leave it does generate the phone to ring but not for all the right reasons, you know the ones I'm talking about The CC processors, Auto zone O2 sensor installs, other bs type calls. So other than logging every call, is there anything automated. The book company has a tracking phone number they can use in place of mine to track calls coming from the ad/s but not who there from or what type of calls they are. Any and all insight on the subject would great thanks again.

Simply Awesome!

 

That's being a little to paranoid, an attorney would have to prove gross negligence on your part in order to have any type of case. If you aired up a tire, made a recommendation to put the spare on or replace the tire and the customer refused the service you have performed your duty. If you refused to air the tire despite being required to by law to do so you will would easily be held negligent as it fits the legal description perfectly.

 

As for an opportunity to sell, most of the time the tire is only down a few psi, just enough to set the TPMS light off, usually its because they went to a quick change oil place that never checked/adjusted and rotated the tires, that or its turning to winter and the weather is colder.

Yes, maybe just a little paranoid, I see your point not filling the tire on that one too for sure. So it seems your damned if you do and damned if you don't and as things go when your work for yourself and as for the attorney proving negligence seems like anymore you have to prove your innocence and that could cost you 5-10k or more for your own attorney, yes I know i'm being paranoid, lol...

Looks like another opportunity to sell, I mean the tires low for a reason right? just putting air in the tire could open you up legal issues, like the tire has a nail or glass in it they leave your shop with it like that and the tire blows out and kills someone, the owner of the car states he was just at your shop and you just filled it with "air" (if he's still alive). If he doesn't want it looked at or fixed send him on his way. Law or no law I'd rather deal with fighting the fine from the state than a blood thirsty ambulance chasing attorney.

When I do jobs like that I tell the customer best case (bolts spin right out) or worst case (the heads are coming off) and advise them that I hate broken bolts and do my best to not break them and can take time to remove them without breakage. Advise customer broken bolt are more involved than just drilling them out, such as other components needing removal like p/s pumps, starters, motor mounts etc for access. Always open the customers eyes to these type of problematic jobs like this, the last thing you want is your pants down around your ankles while trying to explain to your customer after the fact. In the end get paid for the job or just don't do it.

When I do restoration work I bill out the parts & labor and add 10% profit & 10% overhead (like most general contractors) on the total bill, never had anyone complain, but you list a thermostat for some old p.o.s. at 95 bucks for a 20.00 part that takes 1-2 hours to locate (of course they don't understand why it takes time) the'll flip out every time.

I do Saturday's by appointment only and customers must drop off the vehicle/s Friday night before we close so I don't get stood-up and if it's not there Friday I won't be there Saturday and yes, no oil changes.