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Posted

You guys are seeing it. Customers seem to be spoiled to the Free stuff at the dealer that the manufacturer pays the dealer to do or was priced into the car. Many more people under 30 don't even want to own a car. For the first time in 30 years only 50 percent of 17 year olds in USA have a license to drive. They travel by I Phone .

The greatest do it for me generation is dying off and who will/what will replace them? Any thoughts?

Posted

I suspect that new generation will have no other choice, but to use our services.

Even if someone drives and services the car at the dealer for the first 2-3 whatever years, eventually that vehicle has to be "used car lot" retired.

I don't think that anyone has figured out the way to make the cars disposable, at least not yet.

American public grew up with the notion of a car been a necessary and somewhat luxury item. Those kids are car-less until they find a job further away from the parent's basement, get married and have children. They travel by iPhone because they don't need much of a real travel, when they do, they will have to get a transportation; either a car or use the public transportation. In order to make the public transport usable and efficient they would have to elect into office people that can (and are willing to) make a difference and we know from the past data how high is the chance of that :)

Posted

I've got one teenager at home yet. He waited until he was 17 to get his liscense too. Most of what has been said about the internet being their travel method is true, however we all know eventually they'll have to get a car.

 

As far as the dealers offering specials that are drawing them to the dealer rather than the independent... I don't agree with that. What I've seen as a trend is that less and less younger generation guys and gals care less and less about knowing how their car operates or what maintenance is needed. We've all heard of the throw away society syndrome, well... this generation is different, it seems to me they expect the car to work perfectly forever with nothing more than gas in the tank. Not a throw away society more like use and abuse... then throw it away.

 

Cars have become able to maintain a reasonable drivablity level even with poor maintenance levels these days, and with less "home" look-see's under the hood the more likely something will go to castastrophic levels. Cost of repairs are going to escalate as well. Also, the education level of the technician has increased way passed the grease monkey days. Only after their car doesn't run right will they ask for advice or look for a service center... it's not like the days of repeat customers and life long customers...more like..."when I need ya, I need ya and nothing else"

 

I think we are going to see a trend in repairs increasing. It looks like the trend is to be less car knowledgable and more internet savy. The internet could end up being the mechanics best friend, if... more effort is put to providing information on the internet about car use, maintance, repairs, etc... which will inform those young drivers of the importance of regular maintenance and what it takes to be a mechanic these days.

 

I do believe things are looking up. They'll shop for your shop on the net, they'll check references, they'll price check parts,...everything on the net...then...they'll head to the service center.

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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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