Saturday Hours

[Truett]

Let's throw this out for discussion. I own two Goodyear tire stores. For the last 15 years we have been open on Saturday from 8 till noon. We are closed on Sunday. We have a manager/service writer and a "B" level oil changer and tire tech. Most Saturdays we do 2 oil changes, a few tire repairs, maybe a tire or two. About once a month a set of tires. One or two people who only come in on Saturday but could come in during the week. Almost never make payroll let alone expenses. Looking into closing on Saturday, at least for the winter months. We are located in a downtown location and don't see much traffic on the weekends.

What do you do and what do you think about my situation?

Richard

[xrac]

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[FROGFINDER]

or promote you are open on saturdays.

[tyrguy]

We used to be open a full day on Sat with a full crew. 2 service advisers, 2 out of 3 techs and our tire changers. 1 tech was always off on Sat [i left it up to them to choose who was off]. Eventually cut back to closing at 2, then noon. About 20+ years ago we I decided to give the service advisers and techs the weekends off but in return, we went to staying open till 9 on Wed with all 3 techs on board. So for the last 20+ years Sat has been myself and 1 or 2 tire changers [depending on the season] from 8 till noon. We do a lot of free tire changes and rotations, and probably average 8 tires sold retail except like now in season when that will jump to 16 to 20 or more. There have been Sat where we do less than than $100 retail. However, we also deliver tires to our local car dealers, make service appointments for the following week, and have customers pick up vehicles that have been finished during the week so there are intangibles that don't show up in $$s. It's probably a break even proposition but I just haven't pulled the trigger on closing on Sat yet. Except when I was a tire salesman for the Mohawk Rubber Co on the road during the late 70s, I've never had Sat off so I don't know what I'd do if I wasn't working. Final note: About 3 months ago I asked my techs how things were going and they replied okay except that staying till nine on Wed night was getting old. In response to that we decided to stay till 6:30 on Tue and Wed instead. We get the same tech hours but but it eliminates me buying them dinner and we all get home at 7 instead of 9:30 which is a big difference. I like it more myself.

Edited December 4, 2016 by tyrguy

[mspecperformance]

Weekends is a touchey subject. There are going to be for and against it. For the morale of your staff and maybe even your own quality of life it does make it very appealing to close on Saturdays. The flip side is as we are becoming more of a ME ME ME NOW NOW NOW society, businesses can take advantage of the convenience factor. I think it is a little too short sighted to just look at what kind of money you are making on that particular day. As another member stated maybe you should promote that you are open on Saturdays. Also do you calculate what you are making for Saturday drop offs for work during the week?

[lmcca]

Let's throw this out for discussion. I own two Goodyear tire stores. For the last 15 years we have been open on Saturday from 8 till noon. We are closed on Sunday. We have a manager/service writer and a "B" level oil changer and tire tech. Most Saturdays we do 2 oil changes, a few tire repairs, maybe a tire or two. About once a month a set of tires. One or two people who only come in on Saturday but could come in during the week. Almost never make payroll let alone expenses. Looking into closing on Saturday, at least for the winter months. We are located in a downtown location and don't see much traffic on the weekends.

What do you do and what do you think about my situation?

Richard

 

We were EXACTLY this except no tires, during the week we get killed with cars and on Saturday, 9 to 2 for us it was dead. One or two cars and thats it. I put it to the owner as far as costs etc and he said no, we will stay open on Saturdays. Then 3 months later, guess he started to realize, we closed it for saturdays. Been closed on weekends for several years now and its great for employees and us and the customers are used to it now and not many objected. Some places get creamed on the weekends, some dont.

 

close it up, your peoples morale will go up some too.

[Jeff]

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[ncautoshop]

I'm a family man. Monday-Friday 9a-5p. We even close an hour for lunch. Our employees have families and profit isn't the only thing to consider. Our customers don't mind a bit, we're booked weeks out!

 

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[alfredauto]

It would be more convenient for some customers to come in on Saturday, but we need a break. I found trying to close at noon or 1 impossible. If we are open Saturday and a guy traveling comes in at noon needing a fuel pump it's too hard for me to say no. I'll stay until the job is done, and then another emergency shows up at 4. Then I'm coming in on Sunday to get that one back on the road because Monday is booked up.

[Trealubit]

For the past ten years we have been mon-saturday 8am to 6pm. We switched to monday to fri earier this year goes against your gut since we are so used to working saturdays. Several customers compalined about the no saturday hours but most all of them accepted it. Employees love it. And my wife and kids love it too! In business side of things we made our m-f more productive and efficient to increase sales and margins bcuz of loosing 1 workday. We made sure to offer rides to home, work, train stations, even pick up car from work and closed hours drop off to make it easier on the clients who preffer saturday service to bring cars on weekdays. It works but i do wonder about the opportunites available for weekend service. But at the end of the day you got to choose on what is important for you.

 

Good luck on your decisions

[Jay Huh]

Saturdays are our busiest day! I buy lunch for all my employees because we are so busy, even in the winter when the weekdays are slow. It'd be nice to close on Sat but afraid of the work we'll miss, we need the Saturdays to stay profitable

[Trealubit]

Yea it all depends on your business model. There is no "one" way success plan. There are a lot of variables and market conditions. If saturdays is your busiest and you and your team willing is to work then keep at it. 👍

[ncautoshop]

Saturdays are our busiest day! I buy lunch for all my employees because we are so busy, even in the winter when the weekdays are slow. It'd be nice to close on Sat but afraid of the work we'll miss, we need the Saturdays to stay profitable

That's great, but I really believe you should give at least 2 days off a week. Maybe Monday!

[Shopcat]

I agree that Saturdays are a case by case basis. If its busy AND profitable, it may be worth it. But if only a few low buck deals come in, it is way better to close and concentrate on making money during the week with a full compliment of well rested staff.