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One of the things around here is Fundraising Benefits for families that are going thru a tough time. They have had a house fire and lost everything or they are have a major medical issue, etc.

 

That being said, as a business we get asked ALL the time for silent auction donations. We have designed a form for the requestor to fill out and have internally set up criteria as to who we will donate to. I am looking for ideas for something to give that will get bids to raise funds and will promote what we do as a business. We usually give alignment gift certificates, valued up to $80, our 4 wheel alignment is $79.99, and a t-shirt packaged together.

 

Any suggestions? Thanks.

Posted

We do the same with shop gift coupons for oil changes, tires rotations and such. We just make the coupons on a 8.5 x 11 and laminate them. We also give them a number which we track in a spreadsheet as to who/what we donated to and then tracked which RO they were used on as well as any additional sales it generated. I had a nephew that used to make these really cool barb wire crosses that I would buy from him and give away. I paid him $40 for each one and they would always bring $100+ at the auctions.

I am working on standard language for requests and denials so we can be more consistent in our language. We have a donation request form on our website that I could make easier to fill out but I don't want it to be to easy. We point everybody to the website. My committee is sometimes just me and those people that come in at the last minute, we don't even mess with unless it's something near and dear to me. Most of the people we just tell that we plan and budget the bulk of our donations a year in advance. I am working towards just making budgeted contributions to a Charitable Trust that I have and then any request will have to go through the trust. This would just give us a buffer and allow staff to simply tell people who ask, that donations are handled through the trust which only meets monthly or quarterly. I have included the simple form from our website. I would appreciate any feedback as well. sas-donation-request1.pdf

 

 

Posted

I give out synthetic oil change coupons. They are worth $60. I probably hand out 5 a month. As much as I'd like to believe otherwise it's all charity.

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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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