stowintegrity

I know it wasn't supposed to be the focus of your post, Joe, but I thought some of the other posters might appreciate my thought on this... We often speak to our staff about the level of service we give out customers, and I don't mean to imply it's a one-way street. My techs are reminding me about Mr. So& So, and the issues his car is having. They're quick to remind our service advisors that it's the PEOPLE we serve, not the cars. As a matter of fact, it's company practice to refer to the jobs for the day ONLY by the customer's name, not the vehicle or the type of service. (No one here will answer the rookie who asks who's working on the Ford Taurus, or who's going to get to put those spark plug in the PT Cruiser. In fact, the correct question is literally, "Who's taking care of Mr. Jones, today?") My advice on the 5 o'clock bolt? We had a round table meeting with employees and suppliers alike, and here's what we agreed to as a team: The service advisors would respect the technicians' schedules, and assign work that could reasonablly be completed by 4:30pm, giving the tech a 30 minute window. Our whole team would honor the delivery schedules for the "last minute" parts emergencies, and not abuse the friendly nature of our relationship with suppliers by rushing them every other day at 4:30 for jobs that "had to go", and conversely, our technical staff agreed to staying as late as 5:30pm on ANY day, knowing they would of course, be paid, if it meant keeping a promise to our customer for delivery that day. With each leg of the service triangle working together, and respecting one another...we're often out the door by 5 anyway, with most promises kept. In the instance that a tech needs a little more time, or the service advisor needs to keep a promise, etc....we talk to one another, and keep the peace. Just one man's opinion.

We use Champ brand filters. They have a free "lookup" on their website that lists the part numbers for the oil filter, air filter, cabin air filter, fuel filter, and transmission filter (all, if equipped). Since we use this brand, and know that one of our broadline suppliers stocks it, a simpke lookup and use of the Copy/Paste command, and we can easily "dump" all the filter information into the Memo field for the customer's vehicle. You're correct, I think - Mitchell only references the OE numbers. If you can't find a similar lookup tool for the manufacturer of the line of filters you use, the OE numbers can at least be used in the interchange field in any Nexpart electronic catalog. If you have the catalog installed in Mitchell...it's just a few extra clicks before you're looking at the filter numbers associated with the OE number....and all the ones that your supplier stocks for you. Happy hunting!

It's understandable these days that some percentage of your marketplace will be hesitant when you start asking for what they may consider "personal" data. In addition to using the correct tone & matching their enthusiasm, it's important to remember these two things as well: 1. Timing is EVERYTHING. We've found that there is significantly less hesitation if we ask the right questions at the right time, and then never forget that when it all comes down to it, some aspects of how we do business is really just important to US, not our customers. For example, having a touch of OCD, I like to make sure that by the time we're invoicing out a customer at our counter, that ALL of the contact data our system collects has been entered, and if it's a repeat customer, that we've made an attempt to update it & confirm that nothing has changed. Let's face it, the invoice just looks so much more "balanced" when all the info is there, right? A new customer making an appointment for the first time, whether in person or over the phone, is only required to give us their first/last name, phone number, and their best guess as to what kind of car they drive. We never ask for anything else at that point, because let's face it....you don't need to know anything else yet. By the time the car is there, and we discover after decoding the VIN that it's a 2003 PT Cruiser, not a 1999 Chevy Impala as they thought, we better have had the chance to begin building a rapport with them, which brings me to my second piece of advice. 2. Never forget that it's a PERSON you hope to servce, NOT a car. As shop owners, we need to teach everyone on our staff to stop thinking like a mechanic/technician...at least to a small degree. If you answered the phone or greeted a new friend correctly in your lobby, and followed through by offering genuine sincereity in regards to the laundry list of issues they describe, an amazing thing happens. They actually start liking you, right off the bat. Anyone involved in guerilla marketing knows that they NEED to know & like you WELL before they will trust you & your staff. Offer them a cup of coffee, grab a notepad, and for Pete's sake, come out from behind the desk to meet them coming in the office. Sit down & discuss their concerns, listen attentively, then make sure that whatever their primary concerns are that you are blatant about telling them, "Mr. Smith - I see why you're concerned. I'm sorry it's been a real headache for you up until now, but the good news is that you're in the right place. Enjoy a cup of coffee, and relax. We'll get your inspection completed in no time, and before any other service is done, we'll make sure you have all the facts, and have a chance to ask questions before we begin. Can I have your keys, please?" Now...the amazing thing happens... A technician, either standing by, waiting for "the gentleman to arrive, or called in by the advisor, takes the keys and the printed work order, and smiling at our new friends, says, "You must be Mr. Smith! Hi, sir, I'm John - I'm gonna work hard to get you all the information you need, and I'll be back in xx minutes with what I've found. Thanks for coming in!" Now...the service advisor steps in, and says, (in true Peter Falk (Columbo) fashion, with hand to forehead), I almst forgot, Mr. Smith...can I get some basic information from you real quick, while we're waiting?" At that point, I think you'll find that Mr. Smith won't hesitate to tell his new professional friends exactly what they need to know to make sure they are best able to take care of him now, and in the future. Name, Phone, Address....and yes....Email address. Just one man's opinion

Hello. Paradigm, and thank you for the input. Yes. the other AutoCare center is in my local market, is well established, and has a long-standing relationship (as a purchaser) with the owner of the Napa parts store. The thing that doesn't make any sense to me is why the repair shop would care if they were the only one to hold the designation, and second, why the parts store owner would limit his own sales by promising to refuse such an arrangement. Ideally, I'm guessing that under other circumstances, both my shop, and, say, the 5 other Napa AutoCare centers in the area could cooperatively advertise in all the local papers, online, and in all the penny-saver books...and end up sharing the cost of all the advertising...saving each of us thousands of dollars in the process. I can't believe there are still others in this business that either think they HAVE to advertise wherever they see their competition, or worse yet, that they'll only advertise where their competition DOESN'T. In our fast-moving, technologically prone world, isn't it reasonable to assume that all our prospective consumers can easily compile a list of ALL the repair facilities in their town...easily, from their computer? Not only an I unafraid to list my company's contact info & mission statement alongside all my competitors...but I'm the weird guy who wants to have lunch with the other independant facility owners, and (with discretion) discuss the things that challenge us ALL, realizing that there is plenty of work for us all. I appreciated your response to my original post - I was hoping I wasn't the only one that found the situation to be an example of unparalleled unprofessional behavior. Hey - I'm honestly not trying to run anyone out of business...I firmly believe that while we're competitors in the same industry, that we're also similarly plagued by some of the challenges unique to independant operations. For the record...I'm the weird guy that will shoot an email out to a select few of my competitors when a new hire ends up being a nightmare...just to drop a name and save someone else the pain. After all, if we all started showing the simple professional courtesies, I think we'd ALL be more successful. Just one man's opinion.

I know of 2 other shops that have used their consulting services in the past, and attended numerous seminars. Although I haven't personally sought out their service for my shop, I can tell you that,depending on your circumstances, it may be the best or the worst decision you make. From the countless conversations I've had with my shop owner/friends, it depends on your expectations. For example, one person said that their first piece of advice was that if he wanted to make more money, start by raising his prices. That is either genious, or the sillyest, most expensive peiece of advice to get, depending on your own circumstance. Much of the advice, and ongoing accountability you'll experience will be driven by the very expensive nature of the relationship. Both friends of mine admitted that they often tried following their consultant's advice on every point, not because they agreed, but beccause they were paying them a lot of money, and it felt silly to do so and then NOT do everything they suggested. Some of it worked out well for them, but on other points, they found themselves telling their consultant that they would simply NOT continue one practive or another, and the response they got was, "Well if you don't get thte results you're seeking now, it's because you didn't follow ALL of our advice." Again - this is either genius or the silliest notion. Overall, I've seen plenty of the programs and pratices they offer, and although I haven't been privy to their one-on-one phone counseling, I think their MUST be a customized approach to each shop's success, as every shop's challenges must vary in ways that should give a professional consultant concern enough to customize the approach, right? I think information is worth something. However, if you already know you should be selling work to land on a particular gross profit margin, you understand why we charge shop supplies, you have a grasp on the concept of technician efficiency, etc...how much is it worth for them to teach you these things all over again? As the folks at Manageent Success ask often...do you know where the "Black Hole" is in your business? What piece of statistical data represents the biggest challenge to your own growth or sales/profitability goals? Plenty of sales, but your profit margin is too low? Have an ample car count, but find that your average repair order is lacking? We run our own custom report each week we affectionately call our "10 Key Economic Indicators" report. It helps us see a picture of the previous week, and where OUR black hole was. When we see a pattern we don't like, it helps us to target the right department, or effort, and make th correctiong quickly. It's nice when we see 9/10 of our key indicators hitting the target more than a few weeks in a row...but as soon as something starts to slip, we're all over it... -Just one guy's opinions

Thank you for your reply. I navigated the NAPA wabsite looking for where to begin, and I'm embarrassed to admit, I still don't have a clue aside from calling some toll-free number & start ringing anyone's extension that might have good information for me. Can you give me an idea of who to call, or what department/number?

We've been investigating the various "CSC" programs available to shop owners as well, and they all have some of the same feaures, including: 1. Extended warranty (Typically 2 year / 24k Miles) 2. Various branding incentives like bay or office banners, signage, etc. to promote additional services to our customers. 3. Roadside assistance program offering towing service reimbursement to our customers. 4. Aggressive rebate programs on all purchasing in the form of a quarterly rebate check based on your parts purchasing as much as 5%. 5. "Points" system that banks savings on large purchases like additional equipment for the shop, again, based on meeting parts purchasing thresholds. All in all, each company's program will have their own pros/cons. I'd suggest reading the program information CAREFULLY before you sign on the dotted line, to make sure you know what you're committing to, and thoroughly understand exactly what you are entitled to in return. I'm hoping First Landing Autocare or someone else can give me some good advice about the NAPA AutoCare program, however... I've recently begun investigating the process to become a NAPA AutoCare shop in my area, and after setting up an account with the local store and expressing my intent, the owner of the parts store told me that although he's happy to sell parts to me, that he won't allow me to become a NAPA AutoCare center on the basis of having promised one other local shop that he would, in fact, be the only shop in the area with such designation. Not being able to comprehend the gravity of that, and being a little shocked at the impropriety of it all, I chuckled, assuming he was joking. Now mind you, he was polite, and indicated that it wasn't MY shop, but ANY shop that inquires as to becoming an AutoCare center will be turned down on this basis. I spoke to another NAPA parts store owner, about 10 miles away, and he offered to sell me NAPA parts, and that because he is aware of the volume I purchase, offered to do so at "NAPA AutoCare Center" pricing, but that the affiliation paperwork would have to come from the store closest to me, and that his hands were tied. Can anyone please tell me how it's possible that one local parts store owner has the authority to do this? Should I speak directly to the corporate office? Any advice? Thanks, Tony Does anyone currently have the NAPA AutoCare designation? Apparently the individual at my local NAPA parts store has (rather unprofessionally)

I did a study of every professional business in a 5 mile radius around my shop that performs oil changes. I called each of them on the phone, and told them I owned a Chevy Cavalier, and wanted to know how much an oil change was. (Of course, I didnt set any appointments...) I learned how much everyone charged, what it included, and what, if anything, made me feel like they deserved my business. (Why choose THEM?) Then I priced my oil change to reflect an amount that was just below the most expensive, and just nominally above the average cost, to include a filter, up to 5 quarts of oil, and of course, a chassis/suspension lube. What really helped us to stand out was the risk I took when I decided to stop charging for tire rotations, and start doing them FREE with every oil change. My LOF service went from $27.99 to $38.99, but with the addtional, free tire rotation and brake system check on top of the comprehensive vehicle inspection, it was easy to show the additional value. The result? We lost a handful of people wanting a $19 service, but the additional dollars from the increase in service cost, in addtiion to the additional brake jobs we now sell MORE than makes up for the few customers who've gone to the quickie lube joints run by the 18 year old managers trying to ram $60 air filters down their throats. In the end...don't worry about the price...focus on how you'll train your service advisors to reveal the increased VALUE in the service proposition. It works.

I agree completely with Marksas. As a professional service provider, it's actually part of my marketing & business plan to avoid the well-defined group of prospects that are likely to be romanced by an unreasonably low price by an amateur "Billy". I warmly tell my would-be patrons that although I understand their need to save money, that sometimes cutting corners in the qualitty of parts & service by seeking out the lowest bidder may very well NOT be in their family's best interest. I don't get mad, hurt, disappointed, or otherwise affected. I give them the very best advice by telling them that if they want professional service, it can't be had by someone with a rusty, handheld toolbox and a bumper jack, and most reasonable people agree with this premise. The BEAUTIFUL thing is that the segment of your available prospects who would argue or try to negotiate price will be disappointed when they learn your price is a fair, PROFESSIONAL assessment of what it will take to repair their vehicle...but you'll only have to tell them ONCE...and they'll never darken your door again to waste your time. HEck...tell them that while there's nothing YOU can do about that $20 quote they got from Billy, that you heard that your competitot, XYZ Automotive, may very well entertain it. Let them waste your competitor's time from now on...you can keep selling work profitabily without being interrupted by price shoppers. The minute that you drop your price or negotiate in this way with a price shopper, two things happen: 1) They walk away thinking you were just about to try overcharging them if they weren't smart enough to beat you up about it, and 2) You've just acquired another customer who will waste your time and try negotiating EVERY price they ask for in the future. Happy wrenching!