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Buisiness; Hot and Cold after a Tough Winter

Joe Marconi
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alfredauto Experienced

alfredauto

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This last winter was extremely busy for us, mostly snow tire installs and maintenance issues. Come the end of February and beginning of March and it was as if someone hit the off switch. No tires, no oil changes, nothing. We made it through 2 weeks of no phone calls by luck, a couple transmission jobs came in which took up the time. (Normally we don't do tranny r&r's but any work is better than no work) You could play hockey on the road in front of the shop, nobody was doing anything except trying to keep warm. Propane shot up to $5 a gallon. Then like the switch turned back on we are backed up 5-7 days again, phones ringing off the hook. The story is the same with other shops in my area. Feast or famine for all of us. I'm optimistic for 2014 as a whole.

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CARMandP Proficient

CARMandP

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We have had a terrible winter. April was a little better but we are already off almost 50k from what we were this time last year. Car count way off. Doing everything that I can to get cars in but not feeling very optomistic even about staying in business this year :(

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Gasanddiesel Rookie

Gasanddiesel

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March was amazing for us. We picked up several engine jobs from people not keeping antifreeze in their engine over the cold winter.

 

April was slow. We barely broke even.

 

May is picking up, but not nearly what i want it to be. Still too much standing around time and doing jobs i don't want to do.

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ncautoshop Proficient

ncautoshop

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March was amazing for us. We picked up several engine jobs from people not keeping antifreeze in their engine over the cold winter.

 

April was slow. We barely broke even.

 

May is picking up, but not nearly what i want it to be. Still too much standing around time and doing jobs i don't want to do.

March was real slow for us. April was up 40% from last April and now customers are lined up out the door!

 

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

    • Joe Marconi
      The Toolbox is Last to Leave, First is the Heart
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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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