Joe Marconi

You brought back fond memories with the part about the 67 T Bird. I remember working on those A/C systems. The funny thing is, back then it was no big deal, we all understood how the valves worked. Question: were we better mechanics back then? I see young tech who are very advanced in areas of electronics and computers, but mechanically they often struggle. Thoughts?

I agree with Frank. There needs to be a process and method for estimating. Mitchell and Alldata are probalbly the most popular. Keep in mind that many jobs are not found in the book and the "book" is not the Bible either. Good judgment sometime takes over when the book does not seem right. Another point, it's common today to have menu priced jobs too. For example, wheel alignments. Most shop establish a set price. keep asking questions, we will help you along the way!

I agree Keith, we all have The Working Man's PHD, right?

Iit's much the same way in New York. The classifications are regulated and set by the State Workers Comp Board. I switched carriers a few years back because they assurred me that they can classify my service advisors as sales people. Well, the State came in, did an audit and I had to pay back premiums. The state has no service advisor class and lump them into the same class as techs. I am working the the local Serivce Station Dealers Association to set a meeting with the State Board. It may be futile, but I have to see it through.

I did buy one, it's called a crystal ball....

Great comments Keith! I feel much the same way. It’s an interesting thing about car counts. We have seen car counts remain very strong; in fact some weeks they are thru the roof, but sales…well that’s another story. Like I said in my post, it’s rare when a customer just throws the keys on the counter and says, “Call me when it’s done”. I don’t know if we ever truly got out of the recession. I think the long term affects of unemployment, high gas prices, high food prices, loss of retirement funds, loss of equity in your home and the constant barrage of bad news from the media has taken its toll on the American public. We are all tired! I have a good friend in the restaurant business. I asked him the other day, “How’s business”? He told me that his cliental has not diminished, and that he gets the same amount of people coming to his restaurant every week, but they are not spending the money like they use to. Many of them order just the meal, no appetizer and no dessert. So, people want to go out, but they are very cautious. I hope you are wrong with your assessment of the last man standing, but we will see.

I had a feeling you did, but did not want to bring it up....

Living in New York, I don't know what's worse: the extreme cold in winter or the extreme heat and humidity in the summer. What I do know is that summer heat and humidity can take it's toll on anyone. Most of us have gotten used to it, and we accept is as part of the job. On extreme days, I do make sure the techs get a gator aid break or similar. It's tough being in the shop sometimes when temps get above 105 degrees. We need to gve ourselves a lot of credit. Most of us do and never complain...

I bring this up often, but it's worth bringing up again. It's August, and that means in a few weeks many people will be heading off to college. We should market this: Give tips for the road, safety, getting the car checked out for the trip back, etc. I offer a Back to School Promo, which includes and oil change, tire rotation, multipoint check, and a fuel and engine additive. It's a great promotion and has a lot of value to students headed back to college. Any other marketing we can share?

The other day I was discussing customer issues with my service advisors during our regular meeting. It appears, they tell me, that people are more edgy today than ever. It used to be years back that people would throw the car keys on the counter and tell us, “Just call me when it’s done”. Now, it’s more like, “Call me first if you find anything”. I am not complaining about sales, it’s been pretty good lately, especially after a less than normal winter. It’s just that the mood of the consumer is somehow different. Is this the new normal? I think it’s so important now that we see things from the consumer’s point of view. Give them great service, quality work, and show them that there is great value in our services and repairs. I wonder what the rest of the country is seeing?

My all-time favorite myth? When a customer says to me, "You do have that machine that tells you exaclty what's wrong with the car, don't you"?

Want to Destroy Someone’s Enthusiasm? Tell them what they did wrong! The best way to kill someone’s enthusiasm and passion is criticism from a superior. All too often, the boss or manager never engages in any conversation with the staff unless it’s to point out what the employee has done wrong. We all make mistakes. Pointing them out without recognizing someone’s accomplishments is a waste of time and does no one any good. You will bring out the best in people when you appreciate and encourage people. People desire recognition and want to excel. Try to overlook mistakes, point out success and praise accomplishments. People will respond better to praise and appreciation than any amount of reprimanding or criticism.

Amazing, there are a few sane people left in this country....

When we speak of creating a vacation schedule, I don't know if it's denying someone or just trying to be fair. We have 15 employees. The goal is to make sure that everyone is taken care of, when it comes to vacation. I also think that an employee who as 10, 15 or more years with a company should have a little more say than a new-hire. Each year, as we grow, it becomes a juggling act. A company has an obligation to also remain profitable; in addition to recognizing that the people in the company are the most important element of the business. Small business is dependent on its workforce. There are not a lot of substitutes when one or more employees are not at work. The work simply does not get done, that would normally have gotten done by those on vacation. I guess there is no easy answer, but to factor vacation time into your business plan. Everyone needs down time and everyone looks forward to it.

Great saying, I am going to use that!

A very special message, and one that I personally thank you for. Too much of what we do DOES go unnoticed and it can turn us sour over the years. But those, like you, with a passion to excel will make a difference in someone's life. Whether it is a customer, a friend, a family member or another shop owner. Your articles express what most of us think, but cannot put into words. For that, you should be proud.

Do people realize the difference with an on the car lathe?

Each advisor must keep track of his follow up, they make a reminder in Mitchell and will hold aside in their personal file all unsold work that needs attention right away. They will plan out as budget and timeline for the work. They ask the customer for future dates to do the work and ask permission to call. For routine services they set up a post card or email reminder.

Follow Up On Unsold Work Marketing is all about creating a customer’s experience so positive and pleasurable that they will want to return to your shop again. If you can accomplish this, you will ensure a steady stream of cars into your bays. But, the strategy does not end with the experience. Every car you service will need some sort of future work. It could be anything from a basic oil change to a brake job or a timing belt. The point being, if you are not informing your customer of the services or repairs that are due next, you are probably missing out on a lot of potential work. We all know that money is tight these days and some of the repair bills can be expensive. Your customers may accept that they need the work you are recommending, but it just may not fit into their budget. Work with these customers, give them options. Inform them about the importance and benefits of the recommended work. Work out a time line for certain services and reassure them that you are looking out for their best interest. For unsold work, book the future work; spread the work over a few weeks or months if needed. Make sure you call the customer to remind them. I see too many shop owners, enter the recommendations on the invoice, but that’s not enough. You need to take a more proactive approach. And, don’t worry about being too pushy. If it’s in the best interest of the customer, you owe it to your customers to take care of all their car care needs. What about post card or email service reminders? They work great for state inspections, factory scheduled services and to remind customers who may be overdue for an oil change. But for important unsold work that needs more immediate attention; I have found that a phone call reminder works best. Try it, you will not be disappointed.

I was speaking with a shop owner the other day and he told he has a program where he will lend tech money for basic hand tools. The tools are owned by the shop until they are paid off by the tech. I have mixed thoughts about this. Has anyone tried this type of program or currently doing something like this?

I am interested in finding out more about the program Bolt On Technology, that intergrates with Mitchell Manager and possibly other programs. If anyone has any info, that would be greatly appreciated.

What's next? We make a recomendation that a vehicle needs a transmission service at 65,000 miles based on the condition of the fluid and we get sued because the owner's manual states 100,000 miles. This is crazy. We make recomnedations based on condition. It does not state in the owner's manual when to change wipers and brakes, but if a car needs them, you replace them. Right? We are the pro's. The car maker wants t sell cars and create the illusion that their cars don't need a lot of maintenance. If customers followed our recommendations, cars would last a long time, break down less, pollute less, have a higher resale value, perform better and would be more fuel effecient. That's exaclty what the car maker does not want. Agree or not?

All great comments. And I agree: How to compete with the backyard mechanic?...You don't. Every business must define their customer base. Never compete on someone elses terms. Be fair and honest and profitable. If you know what type of business you want to run, you will know what kind of customer you want. Find those customers and don't worry about the rest. In the 32 years I have been in business, I have seen many of these backyard, under the table shops. They don't stay around for long and the ones that do are never, ever profitable.