Joe Marconi

Gonzo...I think machines already have the upper hand.

I know, I agree. But, I think those guys are pretty resourceful. It will be fun to see.

A really enjoyable article. I'm with you, there are some things that I rather see off limits to technology. The other day, a customer came by to show me his 1970 Chevelle SS. The sound of the cam, the smell of the exhaust. It's hard to imagine a world without that experience.

Ok, fair enough. There are times when words do not get translated correctly and tempers get in the way of a healthy discussion. I too was trying to bring some humor into the conversation, but obviously failed. For the benefit of the forums and all the other members, let us shake on this and get back to the discussions. This is a great topic, and one that many people having strong opinions on.

First, I think you meant "moron.", not "maroon". Second, to stimulate conversation, I sometimes post things TO BE controversial, It's the purpose of the forums. Do you think I really fall on one side in this debate? Just look at the amazing posts that were made. Proves my point. So, am I really a maroon....sorry....moron?

I knew this would push some buttons. Thanks for the reply. Let's here from other shops...

Source: Giving Prices over the phone is the same as a diagnosis

A woman called her dentist the other day and asked how much would a root canal cost. Her dentist replied, “Sure, hold on, let me look that up. Ok, that’ll be around $1400 for that job. Would you like to come in and have that root canal done?” Ridiculous scenario, you’re thinking? I agree! A dentist would never give a price over the phone without first examining the patient. Why do some shops continue to give prices over the phone? Even something as simple as a wheel alignment price can lead the customer and you in the wrong direction. Do you really know the car needs an alignment? Pricing over the phone is the same as giving them a diagnosis. When a customer calls for a price on a water pump and you give a price, you are saying to them, “Yes, it IS the water pump and here’s the price. And then you get the car in the bay and it needs hoses, a thermostat, and the radiator is leaking, not the pump. Giving prices over the phone also tells the caller to please judge you on price alone; a road I refuse to go down. I know this is going to push a lot of buttons today, but my tip today is to resist giving prices over the phone. Get the car into you bay, perform the inspection and/or the proper testing and then when you know what the problem is, sell the job. We are professionals, no different than the Dentist. Your thoughts?

Thank you for you input!

I have been through so many similar scenarios! Sometimes I want to be Jack Web from the old Dragnet TV series, "Just the facts mam, just the facts."

As I walked in the customer waiting room, I witnessed a customer yelling at one of my service advisors. Being a professional, she kept silent and let the man vent. He was complaining that the brakes we just installed were squealing and that this was unacceptable and wanted an answer to WHY this happened. I stood back for a minute and usually do not get into the middle. It is better to let the advisor handle the situation. But this was different. As is voice increased in volume, my patience diminished. Finally, I stepped in, and with my voice raised a few decibels, said, "Sir, why do you feel the need to yell. We are talking about a brake squeal. This is not a problem. A problem is when you are laying in a hospital bed with tubes down your throat and hooked up to life support. Put things into perspective. Just let me know when I can look at the brakes." His entire mood changed. He said, "Yes, I guess you are right. I will check my schedule and get back to you." I don't know if he will come back or not. But, in this situation, it was more important to let my service advisor feel that I had her back.

I remember watching my son’s little league game, some years ago. A ball was hit into the outfield. The 10 year old centerfielder catches the ball on two bounces and attempts to throw the runner out that was heading home from third base. In the stands a father is screaming at the kid, “Second base! Second Base!” Well, the runner was safe, the kid who hit the ball ended up on second base. The father unloaded a series of rants at the young ball player. The coach, being a smart man, walked over to the father and said, “Sir, the kid made a mistake, he’s young. He thought he was doing the right thing. He doesn’t yet know to throw it to second base to stop the runner from advancing.” Essentially, when people are young and in training, they will make mistakes. And, they really cannot be responsible for things that they do not know. Making a mistake does not always mean someone is wrong. Be patient with young employees. They will make mistakes. The way to minimize the mistakes is training. Lots of training. The company has the obligation to provide continuous training for all employees, especially entry level. Your thoughts?

Source: Will we ever solve the technician shortage problem?

There’s no denying it, we have technician shortage problem. In fact, we have a shortage in the country in all the skilled trades. And unless we solve this issue, we will find it very difficult to conduct business. We can blame this problem on many things, but the time to assign blame is long gone and serves no useful purpose. The only issue remaining is what to do about it. Here are few thoughts. Please read them and please think about your own shop and your own personal obligation to the industry. And of course, let us engage in an open discussion on this issue. 1. Do all you can to become profitable. Yes, profit, that’s one of your responsibilities as a business owner. The other reasons for profit: to be able to pay yourself and your employees the income you and your employees deserve. Also, the more profitable you become, the more you can offer benefits. Let’s limit the discounting and charge accordingly. Also, we need to attract qualified people to our industry. That means, we need to offer a competitive wage with the opportunity to advance. 2. Shop owners, think of yourselves as professionals and conduct yourself in that manner. 3. Create a work environment where people enjoy their work and help to attract quality young people 4. Reach out to your local high schools and give career presentations 5. Reach out to all the trade schools and community colleges that offer automotive programs. Let them know that the independent shops need their graduates. Also, check into returning military veterans and retiring veterans. 6. Create an internship program that allows young people in your community to shadow your seasoned technicians. Mentor these young people 7. Create an apprentice program for entry level techs. Many shops are already doing this. An apprentice spends time in shop for a pre-determined length of time. He or she is then offered a position in your shop or is helped to find employment elsewhere 8. Become active in your community career fairs and career days at high schools 9. Lastly – Please reread bullet point number 1 There’s my list, please let me know your thoughts and what would you add to this list. Let’s act today, so we can secure our future!

Amazing! What more can I say?

Thanks for the tip. I hope this starts a discussion on finding techs. From what I see around the country, it is getting harder and harder to find techs.

Imagine two boys playing one-on-one basketball. They’re throwing the ball up, dribbling the ball, making moves, but not keeping score. Then one decides, “Hey let’s keep score.” What happens? We all know what happens. Both boys now play a lot harder; they pay more attention to their shots, they guard the other player with more intensity. They play with a goal in mind…the goal to win. Your shop is no different. We all need to know how we are doing; what’s our score. If your employees don't know how they are doing, there is no incentive to win. And, it's not their fault. They don't know the score. People are more productive when they receive feedback on how they are doing. Point out their accomplishments. Point out their progress. And most important, give everyone positive reinforcement. One thing, don’t make everything about the numbers. If you work on the person and bring out their strengths, the rest will fall into place. Show your employees their accomplishments, let them know their progress, and watch them win.

First, I love that song by Johnny Cash, One Piece at a time. Like you, I have been shaking my head for years. Why designers do what they will always be a mystery. And the truth is, they will never listen to us, the people who actually have to fix what they design. But, I agree, to remove a front bumper to replace a $2.00 side marker seems just a bit extreme. And, we are left we having to explain to the customer, the labor charge. Perhaps the amazing thing about all this is how talented most mechanics are at repairing cars in spite of how they are built. Great insight Gonzo, great topic.

The days of cars breaking down and lining up in front of your bays on a daily basis are long gone. Today, we need to be proactive. Now I know many of you are having a great summer in terms of sales, but don't rely on this to keep you going the rest of the year. Here's a tip to keep in mind: Every car in your shop today will need a future service and/or repair in the future. The question is, "Will the customer go back to you?" Here's what you do: Make it a practice that you inform all customers in for service today of their next service and/or any future repair they may need. Let them know you will add their vehicle to your calendar and send them a card/email as a reminder. But here's the deal-sealer. Let them know you will call them also when the vehicle is due. Afraid that customers might see this as too pushy? Don't be. If done properly and if you convey that what you are recommending is in their best interest, they will listen. Will every customer return? No. But how many will if you leave it to chance?

This past week, we had a customer that needed a steering rack. After giving the customer a price, and authorizing the repair, she suddenly remembered she had an extended warranty. My service advisor explained to her that many extended warranty companies do not always pay the price we need for the job, and that they try to make deals. Let's fast forward: after the warranty company authorized the repair, the claims rep told my service advisory that they we send us the rack ( common thing these days, right?). My service advisor tried to refuse, but the claims rep threatened they would take the car to another shop. In fact, he said, "There are shops in your area, willing and ready to do the job." At this point I got involved, I told the rep, "First this is my customer, not yours. We diagnosed the rack, we have authorization from the customer to repair the car and do not threaten me again!" The rep backed down and offered to pay the suggested list on a reman rack. I then called the customer, expanded to her in detail about what HER warranty company was trying to do. I also let her know that she would have to make up any shortfall in the price, which amounted to about $65.00. It's tough out there, and too many of us are not getting the much needed dollars we need to survive. We need to stand together on this. If we cave to an extended warranty company, we will all go down in flames.

I love the way you weave humor into real life situations. It's also amazing how each of us go thru the same things! After all these decades, perhaps the one thing that really gets me going is when a customer says, "But I thought you had that machine that TELLS you what's wrong with the car." Thanks Gonzo, took a break from burgers and beer, now back to the Beer.

I appreciate your opinion. Great post. One of the other key take-away's is that everyone looks at things thru their own set of eyes. Your perceptive is your reality. So, we need to each other's view point in consideration. Also, keep the lines of communications open and promo-to the culture of,"We are all in this together."

I think this is a great post. We need to give our techs the opportunity to earn a decent wage. And I am glad to see that shops take this into consideration. I just want to add something that is not mentioned often; there are many pay plans out there, and while no one pay plan fits all, it still has to comply with all Federal and State regulations. Thru my work with other shops around the country I have seen some issues with proper documentation, overtime wages, salary vs. Hourly issues, and issues with other how a tech's payroll is calculated. My recommendation is to have your pay plan reviewed by an attorney who understands all the Wage & Hour laws.