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Posted

I was just curious on how everyone else's sales for the Christmas season were doing. Ours was the worst we have had in the last three years. It seemed right after Thanksgiving sales started to steadily decline in my area, We always experience a slight decline then a big surge through Christmas into January. How were yours?



Posted

We had a good response after thanksgiving .I deliver donuts,kolaches for breakfast and pizza's for lunch to the local repair shops and parts stores. We sent out service/safety and winter service reminders. I snail mail hand signed Merry Christmas Cards to the customer's that came to the shop during the year. When young children come in with the parents i give them Hot Wheels cars.

 

B)

Posted

We had a good response after thanksgiving .I deliver donuts,kolaches for breakfast and pizza's for lunch to the local repair shops and parts stores. We sent out service/safety and winter service reminders. I snail mail hand signed Merry Christmas Cards to the customer's that came to the shop during the year. When young children come in with the parents i give them Hot Wheels cars.

 

B)

 

YOU purchase the refreshments for the local parts shops and the repair shops? How does that work, I would think the other repair shops were your competition not your allies. Has this approach helped your bottom line? Are you in a small town setting?

Just curious...

Posted

We our in Houston Texas. I might spend about $300.00 per month about double that around Christmas. They are my neighbors. You got to sow the seeds to get a good crop.

 

B)

Posted

We were off bigtime :( Needed a good month and it didn't happen. January will be very tight.

 

Guys I agree, this Holiday season, wasn't the best. retailers were expecting a 4-7% increase in sales, but the net result was only .7%, that tells you real quick that people are not spending any money, other than what is necessary.

Now with this "Fiscal Cliff" we are about to jump off of its not looking too much better. A good friend of mine told me that its about to get alot worse before it gets better. I hope he's wrong. One of the oldest shops around this area closed up last week, he said that he couldn't make a go of it anymore. Its got me a bit concerned about our future. I guess if worse comes to worse, I can always go back to swinging a hammer...UGH!

Posted

It was tough for Horse and buggy maker's in the early part of the 20th century due to the automobile. How many of use can overhaul/service hybrid vehicles? Hydrogen vehicles? LPG vehicles? electric vehicles? Fuel cell vehicles? It always been Lead,follow or get out of the way! I am glad i will be retiring soon.

B)

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

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      It always amazes me when I hear about a technician who quits one repair shop to go work at another shop for less money. I know you have heard of this too, and you’ve probably asked yourself, “Can this be true? And Why?” The answer rests within the culture of the company. More specifically, the boss, manager, or a toxic work environment literally pushed the technician out the door.
      While money and benefits tend to attract people to a company, it won’t keep them there. When a technician begins to look over the fence for greener grass, that is usually a sign that something is wrong within the workplace. It also means that his or her heart is probably already gone. If the issue is not resolved, no amount of money will keep that technician for the long term. The heart is always the first to leave. The last thing that leaves is the technician’s toolbox.
      Shop owners: Focus more on employee retention than acquisition. This is not to say that you should not be constantly recruiting. You should. What it does means is that once you hire someone, your job isn’t over, that’s when it begins. Get to know your technicians. Build strong relationships. Have frequent one-on-ones. Engage in meaningful conversation. Find what truly motivates your technicians. You may be surprised that while money is a motivator, it’s usually not the prime motivator.
      One last thing; the cost of technician turnover can be financially devastating. It also affects shop morale. Do all you can to create a workplace where technicians feel they are respected, recognized, and know that their work contributes to the overall success of the company. This will lead to improved morale and team spirit. Remember, when you see a technician’s toolbox rolling out of the bay on its way to another shop, the heart was most likely gone long before that.
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