Joe Marconi

I was speaking with a few shop owners last week at the Elite Fly with the Eagles conference. They were telling me that they are down a technician, and while the other techs are pitching in and doing a great job at getting the work done, one of their fears is tech burnout. I guess being busy is a blessing, but at what cost? What are you seeing at your shops? Is tech burnout a real issue?

This is fascinating information. What types of patterns do you see in terms of repairs and services on Teslas?

Training is becoming more and more crucial, mainly because technology is changing at light speed. Do you have a training budget? How do decide how much money should be allocated to a budget, and what areas of training?

An amazing review on business management systems! Thank you. Choosing a business system these days is daunting. I urge ASO members to read this!

The Right to Repair act affects independent auto repair shops. Below is an excerpt from The Auto Care Association: To show your support, go to this link: https://www.autocareadvocacy.org/take-action-tell-congress-support-right-to-repair/ The Issue: From the Auto Care Association Direct access to vehicle data is under threat by vehicle manufacturers. Historically, OBD-2 ports have granted vehicle owners and technicians access to vehicle data to assist with maintenance and repair. However, in the digital age of the modern car, vehicle data is now transmitted wirelessly and sent directly only to vehicle manufacturers. In 2021, 50% of cars have these connected capabilities and by 2030, about 95% of new vehicles sold globally will have this connectivity (McKinsey). Wireless transmission of data, also known as telematics, allows vehicles to be diagnosed and in some cases, repaired without ever going to a shop. While access to this data could provide many benefits to car owners, currently the data is sent only to the vehicle manufacturer who then serves as gatekeeper for the data, determining who can have access and at what cost. This is a detriment to consumers, which could result in: Increased cost to the consumer Limited consumer choice in where they take their vehicle for maintenance and repair Impact to consumer safety and security with unstandardized data Lack of privacy: drivers unwittingly generate new revenue streams for vehicle manufacturers every time they get behind the wheel. For the aftermarket, this can result in: Loss of innovation Lack of competition Reduced collaboration TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS TOPIC:

Not to get political, but we need to move from a mentality of entitlement to a mindset of accountability. That is not to say that if people need help, we should help them, but moving forward we need to define clearly what the government should do, and not do.

You bring a whole different perspective to the mobile service business. I guess with your talents and your positive mindset, along with the fact that you really enjoy what you do, it works. Keep us updated, it's a great topic for future posts.

You should work for the government as an advisor. I get it, and you make sense. People need to go back to old fashion values and be accountable for their actions. Not looking for a bailout.

You bring up a great point. How did they get into this situation to begin with? What would they do if there were no bail out? All good points.

First, thank you for posting! Your perspective as a mobile technician is very informative. It is obvious you have great technical skills, as described by the work you perform. And I see that you do advise customers that some jobs are beyond the scope of what you do. A few questions: How do you bill your jobs? Would you mind sharing your labor rate, and part pricing? And what does Your future look like? Do you have plans on opening up your own brick-and-mortar shop?

Frank, that's what happened in my market area after the 2008/09 recession. People held back from buying new cars, but then a flood of people purchased new cars, and we saw the dip in business. Build now while business is still good, in order to ride the slower times. We have been through this before, we are no strangers to the economic roller coaster.

I feel the same way. I urge everyone to attend the next R+W conference and others like this. Hands down, you will walk away a little smarter, a little better, and with renewed energy and passion. That I can guarantee!

I agree, Brian. The level of professionalism from other shop owners and other industry people was amazing to see. Great meeting you too in person.

Wow, thanks for sharing that! I hope everyone reads this post!

Great tip! Quick Books has a great payroll service.

From what I am hearing from my fellow shop owner friends, the shops in my area, Northeast (New York), auto repair shops are busy and steady. However, there is a feeling from many shop owners to be cautious about the future. Things that give shop owners concern: Inflation, the cost of living affecting the consumer's ability to afford auto repairs, dissatisfaction with the current administration, and possible recession. Your thoughts?

As a former auto shop owner, one of the things that kept me up at night was not knowing enough about all the labor laws and human resource regulations. How do you keep up with all the changes to the labor laws and human resource regulations in your state?

Perfectly stated, Jonathan. And I agree with you 100%! Keep posting!

We are almost into the 4th quarter of 2022, which means that you need to consider your 2022 tax return. Many shops are having a very good year, which means there may be more taxable income at your bottom line. What do you do to plan for and minimize paying taxes, while still maintaining a cash reserve?

I was honored to be the keynote speaker at the Ratchet and Wrench conference this past week. It was an amazing event, with so many great shop owners and industry people. The networking with so many great people was priceless, along with the great training. And, I was thrilled to meet fellow Auto Shop Owner member, Craig, known to us as bantar.

You made great points. When I started in the 1970s, what we did was mostly mechanical. In the typical repair shop, mechanics had to be skilled in rebuilding components, from alternators, generators, starters, master cylinders, engines, steering boxes, engines, etc. The auto industry has evolved so much in the past 4 decades. Today, the hi-tech things we do has earned a different terminology. With all that, the consumers still say, "My Mechanic" Great post Jonathan!

There is a lot of horsepower through networking. And it appears you have harnessed that horsepower. Do you ever meet on a formal basis, or just casual? The reason I asked is that years back, a group of TechNet shops would meet periodically at a CARQUEST warehouse in Westchester county NY. These meetings were great. The shop owners shared a lot of great information, and I felt that this form of networking was so valuable.

Great perspective!

Great news, Brian! It's going to be a great conference! See you there!