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Joe Marconi

Management
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Everything posted by Joe Marconi

  1. Joe Marconi
    I am sure of that.
  2. Joe Marconi
    Agree. Unless technicians are trained in the art of sales and customer experience, they should only have a simple conversation with a customer. Leave the sales and technical questions out of it. Years ago, I had a tech road test a car with a customer for a noise on turns. On the road test, the tech said, "Oh, I hear it, it's the left from wheel bearing, I have done tons of them. Should take under an hour to replace. And those bearings are cheap too." I learned a valuable lesson that day!
  3. Joe Marconi
    Got to keep the guys comfortable! Those fans will do it!
  4. Joe Marconi
    Wow, a blast from the past. Terry Greenhut was from my area in NY. I attended his seminars way back.
  5. Joe Marconi
    You bring up excellent points. And I agree. While it's fine to consider family time and cherish life itself, there needs to be a balance in life and we must not forget about our responsibility to who we are and our purpose of existing on this planet. Another thing I was taught by my father was to prioritize things in your life and put yourself last. Take care of family, the people around you, and yourself. Leaders eat last. This culture of a weak work ethic will become our demise, if not corrected soon. Your worries are founded in reality.
  6. Joe Marconi
    Interesting. How many days per week are you open?
  7. Joe Marconi
    Great tips!
  8. Joe Marconi
    Years back I used price as a filter too. If the customer said yes, and if the job was priced right...all good. Today, my fear is that even if you price the job high, and the customer says yes, the job may still be a pain in the neck to complete, and you stand a chance of not being as profitable as you thought. Great story about the Porsche. And this is right to my point. Some jobs are just too complex to even give a price on until you tear it apart. And then the shop is committed. Great conversation!
  9. Joe Marconi
    Is it possible to be proficient in all makes and models these days?
  10. Joe Marconi
    Did you have any type of training for the techs with regard to speaking to customers? Or protocol?
  11. Joe Marconi
    Wow, I can empathize and sympathize with you! I grew up in the gas station business, and we worked every day, rain or shine. We had to be there. I tip my hat to you for putting things in perspective and having the guts to make changes that affect you and your employees' lives. AND I CAN RELATE TO YOUR STATEMENT, "I still worry about being closed for repairs on Saturdays..." When I went into business, my father told me, "You will feel guilty when you take a Saturday off." Funny how so many shop owners think and feel alike!
  12. Joe Marconi
    All great points, I know all too well that feeling at the end of the day when spending 8 to 10 hours working in the heat. Great job for providing a comfortable workplace.
  13. Joe Marconi
    Wow, thanks for sharing that! Could you expand on what is important to you in the workplace? It would great to get your perspective.
  14. Joe Marconi
    Great points and I tend to agree with you. You also bring up a great point about the consumer. And Culture is King.
  15. Joe Marconi
    I agree with all, but especially like the fact you mentioned, "Great working conditions" as number 1.
  16. Joe Marconi
    I may be old fashion, but aren't we in a service-oriented business? Are employees today really interested in a 4 day work week? With that said, I think years back, most of us worked too hard, too many hours, and did not take enough time off. To me, time with family is perhaps a major consideration. Is there a balance? Work hard / Family time?
  17. Joe Marconi
    There's a lot of talk these days about a 4-day work week. Some discussions include the entire shop only being opened for 4 days, other discussions talk about rotating employees to work only four days, while the shop remains open for 5 or 6 days. I am on the fence about this. I do see the benefits, but it's not as easy as some may think. Thoughts, Comments?
  18. Joe Marconi
    This past summer set record heat in many parts of the country. As a former tech, I know what it's like to work 8 to 10 ten hours in 90-plus degree temperatures with unbearable humidity. Does air conditioning help with morale and productivity? Is the investment worth the benefits?
  19. Joe Marconi
    As shop owners, we are constantly finding ways to motivate our employees, and often we think it's money. Money does factor into motivation, but don't employees want other things? If we knew what motivated our employees, we stand a better chance of keeping them and improving morale and production. So, how do we find out? Do we ask them? Would they tell us?
  20. Joe Marconi
    Great perspective! Our current administration should contact people like you! The economics involved to invest in the future of a typical gas station, especially to replace underground tanks, is overwhelming to many. Even with this big push for EVs, there are so many hurdles to overcome. The blacksmith analogy is something I agree with. However, many smart blacksmiths became our first auto technicians and repair shops.
  21. Joe Marconi
    You bring up a great point! Way back, it was easier to tool up for most makes and models, the training was available, and the technical information was also pretty much available. Fast forward to today: the amount of specialized training, tools, equipment, and information needed is mind-blowing, compared to what it was.
  22. Joe Marconi
    Very innovative! Also shows the employee that you are thinking of him.
  23. Joe Marconi
    I think in the short term, the internal combustion engine is not going anywhere soon. But what about the long term? If the electric vehicle is to become the dominant vehicle model in the future, how does that change the traditional gas station business? I think it would be interesting to hear from our fellow gas station shop owners, and how they view their future.
  24. Joe Marconi
    Let's face it, we all need a certain income in order to pay bills and take care of our families. But when it comes to paying bonuses and incentives, money is not the only way to reward performance. Other than money, what non-monetary bonuses or rewards do you give to your employees?
  25. Joe Marconi
    There is so much talk these days about pay raises for employees, raising prices, inflation, cost of living, and labor rate increases. But when was the last time you gave yourself a raise? Or have taken corporate distributions?


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