xrac

That is an under statement!

Setting Up a Website for Your Shop Website..

Now this is what I call fishing:

The car wash is a nice little perk.

First of all welcome to the forum. I think you have already answered your own question. It is YOUR business and life is TOO SHORT to be miserable everyday because of someone who works for you no matter how good his work is. I had a service manager who use to work for me and whom I really love and whom I consider to be a very good friend. He and I got along like oil and water though. We just couldn't work together everyday. He was miserable and I was miserable. Without his knowledge I looked for and found his replacement. Before he I ever told him he came to me and told me he was quiting. It all worked out beautful. My Army Ranger service writer I replaced him with has almost doubled our business and my old service writer went on to eventually find a place where he makes more money and is now the manager. If I were you I wqould start looking for a replacement.

Here is your chance. Everyone should get a shot at this. Takes all of fifteen seconds and that is if you take a look at his current stats. Great! Wow!! First, it's hard to believe that CBS is actually doing this. Second, that they're brave, and honest enough to actually show the ongoing polling results. Take the poll yourself and when you submit your grading of how he is handling the top issues, a second page will come up showing you the current results of how America is voting. Please note, this isn't Fox doing this. This is mostly people who watch CBS. That's telling. DO THIS!!!!!!! and pass it on. This is a CBS poll on Obama's first year performance.... Grade Obama's First Year in Office - Political Hotsheet - CBS News Here's your chance to grade the President! Make sure your pop-up blocker is disabled so you can see the results.

Gonzo, you would be welcome anytime. I usually don't work Saturdays but when I do I favor Papa Johns but my Service Manager who usually covers Saturdays like KFC but we feed a little bit of everything. The agreement is on Saturdays we don't take lunch but eat on the run, work a shorter day, and we provide lunch. Just call ahead and let me know your coming so we can have enough food. Do you like thin crust or original?

Welcome! It is good to have you! For the record I have no previous automotive background except the 11 years I have running our shop. You wouldn't want me working on your car!

I think this is indications that this is a good time four our business: Read more: More cars scrapped than purchased in 15-month period - Business - TheState.com

Our atmosphere with many of our customers is very friendly almost like the old country store. Some of our regulars may come in and make a pot of coffee if we are busy. Vendors are important too. We try to take care of our vendors. If any of our vendor employees salesmen, counter help, or delivery drivers come to us with a vehicle problem we try to take care of them. We will tell them what they need and to go get the parts and we will put them on at a reduced labor rate. On Saturday's we feed our workforce and today it was Papa Johns. When a vendor woman driver delivered a part today while we were eating I invited her to have pizza with us. It is amazing what little jesters like that do. We even had one vendor employee, a single mom, who had to have a hysterectomy and missed six weeks of work. We contributed money and solicted money to help her while she was off work.

What did it cost you? I would like to know because I checked into this a few years ago and the cost wasn't justified by the volume of business I thought it would create for us. I was wondering if their cost structure has changed. I called them a few months ago and told them I was interested in finding out more but they never got back to me.

Has anyone ever thought about or checked into accepting the Wright Express credit card?

How much does that cost?

Joe, I agree with you. However, I have had a couple of times that I had to reign in excessive use. It was usually something like a divorce or domestic situation leading to the abuse.

That is right! The mechanics lein process is a hassel and it adds about $100-$125 to my total cost not counting the time involved. The newspaper charges are outrageous for the legal ads.

What's your cell phone policy? Cell Phone Policies by Elite - AutoPro Workshop Blog post - Where Professionals Gather for Better Business

I let the guys do repairs on their stuff if we are not busy as long as it doesn't interfere with business.

They told me to make the repairs and we made them but they never came and picked up the cars or paid for them. They couldn't pay the bills. Both are young people in their late 20's-30's. I will have a 2000 Hyunda Elantra for sale if anyone is interested.

I have two cars like that right now that I have had for several months and I am finally going to go the mechanics lien route on.

Gonzo, I would say your article was a hit since there are already six responses. Or is that all of your friends? Diagnostics...

New Iowa Law Prevents Repair Shops from Holding Customers' Vehicles Until Bills Are Paid Iowa Law...

Cute kid, must take after his mother!

The best thing that ever happened to me was when I wound up in the environmental contracting/consulting business. Before that time $100 look like a lot of money to me. In that business some job of less than $2,500 wasn't hardly worth messing with. The environmental business I started with grew from sales of $80,000 to $8,000,000 in about 5 years. The dollars we turned and the business was phenomenal. Myself and one man with a trackhoe went on a job for 5 days and after all the bills were paid we had $21,000 profit. Those were the good ole days that are now gone but that experience helps me not to be afraid to charge a fair price. These days we often present repair estimates in excess of $1,000. There is no hard sell. We tell them what we found and what is needed. If there are repairs that can be postponed a few days we let them know that. We will even put the items in order priority wise. If a car isn't worth fixing we will also advise them of that. It is amazing how many $1,000+ tickets we sell. We had one for $1,300 today.

Joe the nice thing is that those "friends" who were looking for something for nothing or nearly nothing have been replaced by paying customers and now a lot of them have became friends. I think it was Carnegie who said that "A friendship based upon business is better than business based upon friendship." I still think 25% markup is way too low.