ncautoshop

Dustin, I've been struggling with this subject as well. I can tell you its key to keeping quality employees and keeping them on track. I've honestly given up just because its hard to wear all the hats and write the handbook. If you find any resources please share! Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

You're exactly right. Thats how he got here. He didn't want to pay to get it done right the first time, looked for the inexpensive options. Now the trucks got problems so he has no choice....and he still doesn't want to pay lol.His son called today said I'll have a check monday and they'll pick it up later in the week. We'll see! Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

I had a 7.3l come in about a month ago. Stalled when warm, misfire and blue smoke. Find the hpop, icp amd uvch have been replaced. With key on fuel sprays into the valley and when the ebv valve is active oil is pouring down the back of the block. The column shifter is obviously missing bolts. The idm is throwing all injector open codes. After proposing the first fixes (idm, shifter rebuild, fuel filter housing reseal, abs sensor rf and ebv rebuild) the customer informs me its been at another shop and they've replaced the the injectors with a stage one single shot and tuned it for the single shots. Mind you the truck runs factory exhaust and no gauges. Later he goes on to explain that 6 months after the injectors he was out of town and the truck quit so another shop replaced 1 injector with a factory unit. I instantly told him it must be replaced before diagnosis continues. He approves all work, and proceeds to calls at 6pm and leaves a message "my idm is under warranty, you cancel that order" . I returned his call the next day and informed him that the part had been installed before he had called and had he informed me at the time of approval or within a business hours I could have likely returned the part before install. After the idm we find a injector 4 open code a number 7 (factory style injector) contribution code. After calling his 3 mechanics and book keeper I find the origin of the aftermarket injectors and order a injector after verifying the new estimate with the customer explaining that these were all fix first type repairs and that due to the condition further work may be required. I attempt to do a compression test but the injector that was recently installed isn't correctly seated and leaks compression so I repair the shifter and other approved items. Once the jobs were complete we tested compression and found all lower than what I'd like to see and number 7 at 100psi. Now the customer who approved all these repairs and understood the possibilities of more issues proceeds to explain how he only ment to do the work if it would fix it, and that he had no obligations to pay us, especially the $130 diagnosis or the idm because it was under warranty. Now its been here for 2 weeks awaiting payment of $1900.00 I instinctively take it personally and look for what I did wrong lol After reading these stories I realize his vehicle failing could fall on the door step of the other shops or him for poorly maintaining it but its not my fault, I've only performed services he approved that were required to properly diagnose his vehicle! I guess it goes to show we're the professionals and its our job to set expectations with our customers. Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

Im a newbie so I started after the revolution of the industry. I will say there extremely valuable information available on forums and services such as these. Many times its not just whats wrong it includes information to prevent reoccurrence or discussions that open the door for manufacturer dialog and solutions. These are conversations that would have gone unheard 10-15 years ago. I also see that it can be a tremendous problem if not handled by shop managment. Iatn somewhat governs itself a bit, I feel that post with inadequate test results or the "tell me what it is, I'm to lazy to look " dialog gets less response and a poor score. If the tech cant troubleshoot he or she will provide less than satisfactory results when it comes to fixing it right the first time. A company that would produce independently written troubleshooting charts in checklist form (available from sources like alldata) would give managment some form of verification. If the sheet isn't completed with specs retreived from the diagnosis, the supervisor can look into it. I think if we're going to continue to moving towards information services like this there must be some accountability on the techs part. After saying all that, services like this will eventually be required. With all the new models and new technology and lower book hours, technician abilities will soon be maxed out Imo. Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

We're not that far from there, we're in Blowing Rock. I'll pm you my email tonight! Thanks for such a great article! Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

Ive been asking my local vendors for years to carry test strips! Now I have a source! Thanks for the great info! Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

Where do we get the book? Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

I'm stuck on one now that had been incorrectly diagnosed and "fixed" by another shop. Customer approved the required amount to resolve a very major oil leak and a very major diesel fuel leak and some other items just to get the vehicle where we could diagnose it. Was told multiple times that this was just a starting point. Now they dont feel that its fair that the repairs didn't fix the truck and wont pay! Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

Thats what I was taught, may be wrong but its what I was told lol Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

Its a very valuable resource! I struggle with being to emotionally involved in my business. I take hard times or customer complaints very personally. Inturn i end up burnt out with little production. This websites taken some of that pressure off, opened my eyes to the fact this is a hard job and everyone struggles at times. Its also given me a baseline tonstart actually building an organization as opposed to working myself to death lol. Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

Welcome! Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

He's really helped alot of folks! And hes always been willing to help those who have questions. Thats rare! Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

Saw this on another forum, thought it might spark a discussion here. http://www.automotive-technicians.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1094 Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

Awesome reply! As a nation our desire for cheaper has effected every aspect of daily life. Its almost as if most are preprogrammed to look for a lower price and complain if they cant find it. We've pushed the market to cheaper parts not because of our desire for higher margins so much as improving our customer relations. Im sure plenty of shops read the "three ways to improve gpm" and aggressively went for all three options. Raise prices, lower cogs and lower expenses. It sounds great but its not looking at the industry wide picture. Often I find myself telling the commercial pro at advance to not discount it more...he deserves a bonus for his hard work. I dont mind paying for quality support and parts and while the price can sting if its something like a come back, I try to avoid asking them to "help me out". We need to try this in every aspect of daily life in my opinion. Im so tired of every virtually everyone I see complaining about the price of virtually everything! On another note I spoke with a 30 year veteran of a ford dealer today who is looking for a career change, and he says most of tge dealer market in this area is following. His main complaint? Poor quality parts, unrealistic labor times, vehicles which are of poor quality and difficult to diagnose. Is this where the quest for gpm landed them? Did they forget about their staff and the quality of service to lower prices and cost? If we focus to hard on profits its easy to loose sight of the fact our purpose is to serve our customers and correctly fix their vehicles! Maybe the same happened with the part manufacturers. Sorry for the ling off topic post lol Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

The said thing is their producing what the people of this country are asking for, cheap and now. We've moved away from quality, away from interest how things get made, built and repaired and into how things get paid for.Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

My problem with oem is the fact their trying to price indys out. Our local dealers have been open about the fact that they've been told to price indys out of thenoem market. Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

Im considering using the advance auto shop managment system and driverside marketing program. We currently use all of their other services and im considering phasing out alldata when the contracts end. That being said, has anyone used driverside? Ive never really advertised or used any marketing, just word of mouth and now its time to step it up. That leads me to my next question, how do you handle turn downs. When you've got a shop full of big jobs (we're a small shop) and couldn't take on more how to you retain that customer? Thanks again for the great site! Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

It doesnt have a scope and lacked in diesel areas from my trial. Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

Average repair order. A low aro and high car count (from my point of view ) can destroy the quality of your service and work you to death. A low car count with a high aro can mean quality repairs and profit with a very happy customer if handled correctly. This method results in less comebacks (we all have comebacks, I actually had a simple mistake cost me a grand this week lol) and happier customers. Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

Thanks for the info. We're about the same. I've got slow month as far as car count with aro of 798.00 and car count of 1.23 a day, July was 3 a day with aro of 490.20.None of this is really a clear picture of financial health for the simple fact tires and some jobs are still billed via QuickBooks for various reasons. I can say that p&l has show a profit all the way through. Not much of one but there is a profit. And that includes me being paid. Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

if you don't mind me asking what is you average week in regards to hours sold? Thanks again for all the great advice! Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

Thanks for the advice guys. I'll be working on it. We don't pickup and deliver that many but we definitely haven't spoiled them lol. We do have contact information and we may consider a clinic next year, but for this year I'm considering just some basic follow up. Y'all say direct mail offers poor returns what are my other options? I'll start with contacting current customers...that's almost free! Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

Just me and a helper. We're still doing okay on aro but its the parts tend to be higher than labor. We've just started working on upping the hours per to and selling more work through inspections. We've also recently updates our pricing matrix. However we don't advertise. Never had. Its pretty tough to be efficient, answer the phone do the work and pickup and deliver the cars with two people. Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

You're exactly right. But between slow times and previous lack of correct billing its effected the long term numbers. Could I be more productive? Absolutely! But if there's not 8 hours of book time available to sell a day to do I can't bill it? I'm looking at direct mail to increase car count, maybe that's what I need to do. Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

So after a long story I won't bore you with we have our current financial information in hand for the last 6 months. Previous information is so incorrect its not even useful. There's a very disturbing trend that may break me if I don't handle things correctly, hence why I'm asking the most experienced folks I know. Our labor sales are low low low. We hadn't been charging for diag, just a base rate of one hour, likewise we had been using the labor guide and not billing a second more regardless of condition bit its still to low to be resolved with these fixes. Many weeks I could sell more labor but shop space and the fact I'm the only true technician limits our ability to sell more when figured with slow weeks it really throws the daily labor sold to a disgusting 2 hours. With high expenses that's even more disheartening because we're surviving on the cogs profits. No chance for real profit in the big picture. Some weeks we could sell 4 a day but it concerns me that we would loose our quality and workflow procedures that I've worked so hard to implement. Between answering the phone and doing the paperwork. Currently I need 3.7 hours a day at $65 to cover codb. I see the options below as viable solutions. 1: wait 6 months and re-evaluate the data with the implemented changes before price increase or drastic changes. 2: increase labor from 65 to 75 or 80 per hour at the end of the month and re-evaluate in 6 months. 3: try and increase sales with advertising and push much harder and work more hours (major concern here is customer satisfaction and quality control) 4: throw in the towel and go work elsewhere. 5: make dramatic cuts in expenses and eliminate some key business needs and bring them back after long term liabilities have been reduced. From my experience reacting to negative situations often results in over reacting I've considered raising prices, focusing on selling what hours I could and trying to be more efficient and let profit from cogs carry us until we have better data and we're more financially stable. I've got my helper calling shops and pricing labor and odd jobs to give me an idea of the market around us and I'll post with this later. Thanks in advance for the advice. Don't worry about me being offended. I'd rather hear I'm up the creek, near the dam and no paddle in sight if that's the case. For years everyone told me what I wanted to hear including my accountant. Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2