Joe Marconi

No, it's everyone and everywhere. It's amazing what we have to deal with at times. Thankfully there are still a lot of quality customers too.

I have not heard of any training with Mudlick. As far as the effectiveness, I have heard different success stories. I guess it depends on different factors: the branding message, consistency and the target customer.

Is the auto repair and service industry getting so complicated that we should consider different level technicians and specialization? In Europe you have tire techs, transmission techs, electrical techs, etc. Let’s face it; with what a tech has to learn these days, it’s hard to have a tech bounce from a complicated air bag problem on a Mercedes to an intermittent fuel injection problem on an Audi and then to an alignment on a Ford Pickup. Would different level techs or specialization in different areas be a better approach? Or am I way off base here?

Keeping track of tech's hours is crucial to understand labor profit. We use Mitchell Manager, and the techs hours are entered in to the system. If a tech works 40 hours and he bills 40 plus hours, that's good. But if he is billing lower hours than he is working, you need to find out why. Is there enough work? Is there too much down time between jobs? Is the tech waiting too long for parts? Is the tech waiting too long to get authorization for a job? Or is the tech too slow due to lack of training or experience? All these are factors that must be analyzed. I can tell you that low billable hours vs. what a tech's potential hours is a big problem in terms of profit. One more thing, efficiency and productivity are different. A tech can finish a T belt in 3 hours, but the book time is 4. That means the tech was efficient on that job. But if he has to wait an hour and half before he starts his next job, his productivity just went south. That's where a time clock can help you with understanding efficiency and productivity. Hope this helps?

One thing I see different with young techs today from years back is the lack of hands-on experience. In my era, mechanics got their start pumping gas, working with their father on the family car and helping friends. By the time you landed a job in a garage, you had the basics under your belt. I am firm believer in hiring entry level techs, always have been. I contact the trade schools; Lincoln Technical, Universal Technical Institute, etc. I have to tell you, the last few years have been a bit discouraging. When I look at their resumes I am shocked that they never worked in a repair shop. Oh, they have worked as a camp counselor, at the local deli, at Rite Aid and Apple Bees. But no hands on mechanical work? Some of them never worked on car other than what was required at school. These schools are pumping out techs by the thousands. Are they all like this, and where are they too? Our future is dependent on a strong entry level workforce. I think we need to rethink the process. I also think that trade schools should adopt a concept similar to the medical field. Nurses and doctors must go thru mandatory work at hospitals while still in school and then go thru internship programs. You would never put a doctor in an operating room, fresh out of Med School with no hands-on experience. Would you?

Through the years in business I have hired a lot of techs. While I never encourage the joke playing on the new guy, I am fascinated by what the veterans come up with. I remember once when the other techs stuffed a pair of uniform pants with dirty shirts and rags and put the bottom of the pant legs in pair of work boots. Then they laid the pants behind the right rear wheels as the new guy was backing a car out of the bay. They started screaming as the car was moving, and in the rear view mirror he saw the uniform pants and boots and thought he ran over a fellow mechanic. Funny? Well thank God the newbie had a sense of humor and strong heart.

Not yet, we are working on a 150K program and need to come up with a slogan for the frame. I want something different that will stand out. Like: 150,000 MILES, STILL GOING. THANKS OSCEOLA GARAGE!

I think you make a great point. Money is not the only motivator. Great working conditions, benefits, have confidence in the industry and in their future, are just some of things people look in a job. It often boils down to leadership, starting at the top. This is tough industry, the more we understand the workforce of today, the better we can plan for the future.

I have bought my share of lifts in the past 34 years in business. My opinion Rotary and Mohawk, would be my two choices.

Smith Corona, a global typewriter company, was founded in the 1886. In 1991, CEO Lee Thompson made a statement that Smith Corona would never abandon it core product: The Typewriter. Four years later Smith Corona was bankrupt. What went wrong? Smith Corona viewed itself as a typewriter company, not a company that offered solutions and products to businesses. By the time Smith Corona tried to get into the word processing market, it was too late. Technology had passed them by. So, the question for all of us is; “What business are we in?” We will see big changes in our industry in the next few years. It’s how we adapt to change, embrace technology and truly define who we are that will make the difference in our survival. Your thoughts?

The chips people have on their shoulders is bad enough. Sometimes, other shops go out of their to prove they are right and the other shop is wrong. They half-listen to the customer, prejudge and want to make themselves look good at the expense of the other shop. Great topic and very relevant to real world experiences.

Wow, what history in your family! Thanks for sharing!

Man, this can go on forever. Never thought about, but there's a lot more behind a name than I realized. A little off topic, but it still deals with car names. When I worked for Ford in the 1970s, we had a customer who bought a Ford Granada. He picked it up and returned the next morning to show the salesman something. On the driver's side of the car was the name Granada, and the passenger side had Monarch (Mercury's version of the same car). We never did find out if this was a joke from a factory worker or just a mistake. When asked if he wanted the Monarch name removed and the Granada nameplate installed, he said "No, are you kidding? This is priceless. This will be the talk of the town." After all, it's in the name, right?

Today is July 4th, the birthday of our nation. July 4, 1776 is when we declared our independence from England. As we take time to celebrate, we need to also reflect back on our nation's beginnings and all that we, as the greatest country in world, as accomplished. I want to wish everyone a happy July 4th holiday weekend! Joe

Many people are hurting financially. It's no wonder that so many people are trying to save money. But the fact is, when they try to save a few bucks, they end up wasting more. I don't know where we are headed with this situation. But I do agree with you Gonzo, shops need to make a profit in order to remain in business. As an industry, we are too often under paid, and go above and beyond the call of duty to try to educate and consumer base that is not willing to learn.

With school ending, the focus will be on summer, and that means vacations. Meet with your techs and advisors and strategize on ways to insure that your customer’s cars are prepared for summer driving and for road trips. Create and promote a “Summer Vacation Road Trip Package”. Emphasize to your customers the need to insure that their cars are road-ready for the summer fun. Areas of concentration: Air conditioner Coolant Tires Wipers Oil Change Air and cabin filter Lights Fluid levels Belts and hoses Etc. Be proactive today. Your customers and your bottom line will thank you.

We are headed down the road of no return if we continue to let people dictate to us how to do business. Can anyone walk into Starbucks and say, "Hey bud, that cup of coffee is way too high, the deli up the block sells a cup for 59cents. Can't you do better?" Now, before you tell me that it's not the same, it is. And until we realize that it's the same, we are all going to suffer. We put too much emphasis on WHAT we do, instead of WHO we are. You can get a water pump or an alignment anywhere, right? Just like you can get milk or eggs anywhere. And that's the problem, if the consumer sees little difference from shop to shop, price becomes the issue. Now, I ask you, Can you get a Starbucks anywhere? No, because Starbucks does not sell coffee, they sell, "the experience of going to a Starbucks" Have an open mind here. Position your shop differently and get the clientele you want and appreciates you. Don't sell water pumps or alignments....sell quality, community focused, world class service, great warranties, the experience,etc. My thoughts, agree or disagree?

The comments made in this forum are right on target! Great posts! When Goodyear came to me to become a G3X dealer, my first worry was to become branded as a tire dealer. That, I did not want. Because of this, I did not change the look of my shop, and I do not fly the Goodyear Logos anywhere (Except on certain marketing material and business cards) I always sold a lot of tires. I did not need Goodyear to help me. And, I DO NOT want to change my brand image. What G3X gets me is better pricing, marketing promos and the advantage of using the Goodyear credit card ( 0% percent financing, up to one year on all repairs and service, not just tires). I price my tires to make a profit, not to be competitive with the three Tire Dealers in my town. But, I need to emphasize, my shop looks no different than it did before becoming a G3X dealer. Our shop's success is in who we are, not what Goodyear is.

Finding quality techs has always been an issue. Let's face it, the best techs already have jobs and the industry does not attract enough quality people. It's amazing when you think about the thousands of techs that graduate each year from tech schools...but where are they? And the ones we see are not ready for prime time. Mentoring a young tech can be done, I have done it. BUT, you need to find the right person. Look for people with talent, a great attitude and has the ethics to work hard. If he or she has the talent and the drive, all the other skills can be taught. Great post!

A little different for you, but as usual, right on point. There are so many businesses, not just repair shops, that run their business like it's 1980. Everything living thing has to evolve. And a business is a living entity. If we don't embrace change and refine our strategy, we fall victim to complacency. As you pointed out, we need to stay at the forefront of mechanical technology, but also with regard to business and marketing. Be more proactive is both challenging and intimidating, but it will put you headed in the right direction.

Well said! Your father has found the key ingredient to success.

Setting up a bonus plan need to be thought out. I would suggest paying bonus for anyone involved with production: mechanics, service advisors, managers, etc. But, the key thing is you need to know your numbers, when you are profitable, and you must set goals. You must also set min levels of expected performance which they must hit on a consistent basis. Perhaps the toughest part is the what amount to be paid. That's why you need to know the numbers. Many shops get into trouble when they base it on sales only. You can have the same sales week two weeks in a row, but with different gross profit amounts. When you say twice a year, do you mean the bonus will be based on a six month goal to hit? The reason I ask is this; if you make the goal to hit weekly it keeps people energized, too long a period and people loose interest. One more thing, the goal to hit for bonus must be something to work toward and not too easily achieved. For techs you need to look at hours of production and for service people the plan must be based on sales. I hope I did not complicate matters.

Life can sometimes throw us a curve ball. All of us have a something or someone in our lives that presents a challenge for us. You are probably stronger because of your experience. Thanks, and happy Father's Day!

Wow, you nailed it again Gonzo. We see this sort of stuff all too often. We had a Jeep sent to us for a brake problem. The other shop correctly diagnosed the master cylinder, but could not get dash light to go off. The brake fluid low level switch in the new master was defective. Not brain surgery. I don't understand the thought process of some of these techs. Maybe it's the shop culture? Maybe there isn't enough training or any operating procedures. Whatever it is I agree with you, go the distance.