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Severe weather affecting business?

Joe Marconi
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Dustin Rutkowski Contributor

Dustin Rutkowski

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Here in MI we have not got as much snow as the east coast but we are having to deal the cold temps... with daily high temps being in the single digits or worse with -30 to -40 degree windchill, people are just not leaving the house. Schools are are closing so people are cancelling appointments to stay home with the little ones. January was a record low for us here at the shop but February is starting to look a bit more normal.

 

On a upside, we are gonna hit 30 degrees some time next week!!! Pack up the coats and bring out the convertibles!!!

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ncautoshop Proficient

ncautoshop

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It's really slowed us down. Had 16" Wednesday and Thursday left us 3-4". During the cold spikes we had windchill maintaining -30f below during the day, 70 mph gust or higher. Due to our shop situation we were at a standstill for days at a time!

 

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
ScottyP Enthusiast

ScottyP

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-27f this morning, actual temp not windchill, and the whole winter has been brutally cold. We broke a long standing record for most days below freezing, which doesn't seem like much for as far north as we are but there are always days every month that break 32. Not this winter we had 78 in a row, 1 day popped above freezing then right back to the deep freeze. We are also over 200" of snowfall so far which again is not unusual for us, we often break 300" of snowfall.

 

Business wise it seems to follow the weather to a certain degree. Warmer weeks bring more customers and times like this week where we really didn't even get above zero are slow, although my week was not half bad. People just don't want to do anything they don't have to do when it's -20f outside and -40f windchills. When warmer weather comes we will be very busy.

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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.
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