Joe Marconi

I say the same thing. There is something I want to bring up. There may be reasons why a tech comes to work with issues (for example, a bad marriage). It's hard for the tech to shut off his/her emotions. And I think we all know the difference. NOW, with that said, I think the the current generation is vastly different from the past generations, for a number of reasons. And I think it's tough for us old dogs understand that difference.

Hey guys, Mark has recommended a book titled, "Customers for Life". It is written by Carl Sewell. I have read this book a few times. I patterned a lot of my marketing stradegy based on this book. When you get a chance, pick up a copy and read it. It is an easy read and a page turner. I know I am getting off topic but I thought it was important enough to mention.

Gonzo, it appears we share many of the same qualities (for better or worse). But one thing I know we all have in common: We all want to do the right thing for the customer and do the best job possible.

Jeff, you are not off track. This is what ASO is all about. I fully understand how you feel. I don't think too many people will object to your plan, I think many shop owners fear that it may be "perceived" by the consumer as bait and switch. We have also adopted a "scan and advise" approach for some customers, particularly first time customer. But, we are very careful and explain the entire process before we start. I think this is the difference. Even In the worst economy, I am not going to give away the farm just to get people into the bays. But I will offer a marketing plan that the consumer sees value in. After all, the only true purpose of business is to create a customer (The great Peter Drucker coined that phrase).

If a tech makes up a phony excuse to leave early because he can't complete a job, he is in the wrong business. No one can know everything...you ask for help. Even after 38 years in the business, I know enough to understand my limitations.

Do you sell an alignment with every strut job?

Part of your advertising and marketing program needs to incorporate community involvement, whether it’s with local business groups, church functions, the local chamber of commerce or other local organizations. The community needs to know who you are what you offer. Make it a point to network with business people to help promote local business and show that your support the people in your local area. Remember, people like to know who they are doing business with, knowing who you are will help drive people to your door.

How do you feel about the shock and strut business? We do a lot of steering work and alignments, but the shock and strut business is a tough one. A set of struts with an alignment is not cheap. Don't get me wrong, we always inspect and advise the customer, but many times other priorities come into play

This is an important subject. How we communicate and speak with our customers can make a huge difference with closing sales. If we do not do a great job at explaining the "why" we need to perform a certain test or service, the customer may not see the value in what you are selling. This can lead to buyer’s remorse or lost sales. We work hard at making sure that the customer is part of the sales process and understands the value. It’s one thing to say,” Mrs. Jones,it looks like you car is due for a tire rotation, may we go ahead and perform that service for you today”? But it’s more effective to say, “Mrs. Jones, it looks like your car is due for a tire rotation. By rotating tires and checking the balance we can extend the life of your tires and save you money in the long run. May we perform that service for you today”?

Great article, all should read and keep as a reference. I have become religious about calculating, measuring and monitoring break-even among other key numbers. But I don’t settle for break-even and think this is an issue with a lot of shop owners and business people in general. Many shop owners I speak with know their breakeven, but fall short with respect with income. Why? Just paying your bills and covering your expenses can never be your goal. After we calculated our break even we need to add to that number what we want to see as our return on investment. We need to set our goals and work toward them. Break-even must be viewed as our starting point. Once achieved, we need to push that number up.

Welcome aboard, ROBK. I'm happy you found us. It seems like you started your shop the way a lot of us have. Our goal is to help grow your business, so keep the questions comming and read through the forums. There is a wealth of inforamtion.

Xrac, I want to make "Takin Back Our Country" our national athem. You are remarkable what you bring to ASO! A million thanks!!

Mark, I have intentionally waited to participate in this forum to see how others would respond. As the co-founder of AutoShopOwner.com I did not want my comments in any way dictate the direction of the conversation. Rather, I wanted the members of ASO to openly express their feelings on this touchy subject. Initially the term you used, “lurking”, seemed a bit offensive and I wanted to be sure I understood what you thoughts and opinions are before jumping into the forum. I am a 38 year veteran of the aftermarket “independent” and spent the last 30 years in my own business. I don’t know your background, but I will tell you mine. Guys like me came from the streets. We were fixing cars while still in high school and did it because we loved everything about mechanics. We were the best of the best in terms of repairing cars so we naturally started our own shops. It was not long after we were in business that we realized that the skills of mechanics have little to do with the skills of running a business. We had no formal business training prior to starting our companies. But changing one’s mind set is difficult for many independents. I guess I was lucky and did change. I changed from the “man in business” to the “businessman”. The more I learning about business the more my company grew. Last year I build a second location and I need to tell you I researched all business models from quick lubes, tire stores, dealerships and other franchises in creating my own business plan. I have grown steadily through the years and continue to grow in a time where most other businesses are having a tough time and many are failing. The oil change issue can be debated to death, and I can appreciate both sides. I have adopted a lost leader approach with respect to oil changes because I too believe that a healthy car counts promotes opportunity and opportunity increases sales. We can also debate the “Free Scan and Advise” issue to death also. I see both sides and fully understand the marketing approach you speak of. The thing to remember is that we are all in this game together. We need to learn from each other and work to be the best we can be. But people have the right to choose how they run their business and we must be tolerant of others and not judgmental. Yes, I have to admit, that like you the business decisions I have made resulted in a tremendous growth spurt in the last two years, primarily for all the reasons you speak of Mark. However, I can’t impose my beliefs on others and I hold all my fellow ASO colleagues in the highest esteem. Maybe I am a dreamer, but collectively we can make a difference. That’s why I have dedicated a great portion of my time to my website, AutoShopOwner.com. Through the open exchange and sharing of ideas, great things can happen. The truth is Mark, we NEED to hear from business people like yourself and I for one welcome you aboard. Please don’t “Lurk”. Please participate; we can all learn from each other. Joe Marconi

Everyone has their strengths and we need to know those strengths. We try our best to make sure all techs get the same training and same opportunity but when the shop is slamming busy, the work gets dispatched in order that can do the job the quickest.

I don’t remember lateness being problem years ago. Maybe I’m getting old, but I remember a more responsible work force. Sure, you always had the expectation, but the majority of people knew there were a set of rules and they stuck to them. I think this lateness is at epidemic levels and part of the reason may be the enormous amount of obligations people have with their lives today. But regardless of what the reason is, lateness kills productivity, costs this industry valuable dollars and should not be tolerated.

I don't believe in having different rules for different people. The same thing happened in my shop; A tech wanted to start at 9:00 because he said he could not get up early. I explained to him that he knew the start time when he was hired and it should not be an issue. I also told him that it would affect morale if I allowed him to come it late. After battling with a few months, I let him go. He was a good tech, but when I look back, I made the right decesion.

You know, that works with our generation fine, but people today are sensitive and emotional. I tell my people to look past personalities and just get along with your fellow workers. It's a challenge and sometimes I feel I am running a nursery school for kids, instead of a company with adults.

Wow, your situation is a lot worse than I was speaking of. But, you are right, sometimes to minmize the negative impact or if the issues cannot be resolved, someone has to go. This situation is about petty things, little things. It's hard for me to think that I would have to do something that drastic. What I fear is hurting shop morale, that will hurt business. I have sat them down already, it was ok for a while, but I can see the war clouds forming again.

That's excalty what we do, glad to see we are on the same page. BTW, I am going to use that term from now on; flat rape

Was that a typo (flat rape)? if not, I like that term! The reason I ask is that I have a few youger techs that I think need to move up the ladder. If I continue to give the check engine lights and other diag work to my top techs, if will keep the youger techs back from learning. I happen to charge a premium for diag work, so the techs are ok with that type of work. As far as those gravy/suckers are concerned, YOU are right! I will not tolerate that t my shop, I cured that problem years ago.

Most of my junk I give to the scrap man, I'm glad just to get rid of it. I do get paid for catalytic converters, alternators and oxygen sensors.

In an effort to maximize productivity, my service advisors will dispatch the work to those techs that are proficient in a particular are. So, a tech that is great with check engine lights will get the majority of check engine lights. Most shops probably do the same thing. But, he’s my dilemma; I understand the different techs have different strengths but doesn’t this practice make techs better and better in one area while not giving other techs the opportunity to learn new skills?

Have you ever had two techs that can’t stand each other? This can be serious and spread through your shop like a deadly virus. Other techs naturally will take sides and before you know you could a feud like the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s. How would handle a situation like this?

The local Chamber of Commerce will host a business expo in my area next week. This will be the third year I will be involved. Local business can purchase a booth a showcase their business. The expo has proven to be a valuable source of new customer contacts and gives me a chance to talk with existing customers in a more relaxed setting. My table is filled with brochures and information on my company plus we raffle off oil changes throughout the day. It’s an enjoyable day and rewarding. Being involved with the community in any fashion is a great way to promote your business.