DUFRESNES

I just received a call from a Federal GSA Schedule Representative asking us if we would be interested. Anybody know anything about this? I do know you have to sign a 5 year contract.

Need some good info on which scanner is best for scanning and testing for Volvos. We have an auto enginenuity, Gennesis 2 different one, Interro, Vag and a Bosch for different modules. Having problems especially with Volvos. Please share and thank you.

Before we went with RO Writer, did a study. This is what I found out for my circumstances. Pace is the best if you have multiple shops and ROW if you have only 1 shop. Both of these are expensive. After 2 years, with ROW have most of it down. They have training sessions all the time on the internet. If you are interested in talking about the schedule give me a call at 503-646-2940. When you make the estimate, if you have the tech on it and the work it will put it on the schedule with a color for that tech and the amount of time needed. Not sure what al you need on it. It seems to flow good if people do their job and post it correctly.

I don't know if it is right or not. Our Techs have their radios going all the time. They don't talk to customers, usually. If we have to take a customer back to see something on their car, the techs are really good about turning down or off their radios. If it makes them happy and work better, I don't care. The cell phones, texting, craigs list, facebook etc do drive me crazy. We try to control it, but I don't see how you can control it 100%.

I think you have done a great job with the auto shop forum. It iis the best one I have seen or been a part of. Most forums have very little knowledge or participation. Great Job Guys!!!

We had been open for years on Saturday. Then someone said we should close and you will make as much money as if you were open. Wrong. Twice we have tried being closed on Saturday. 1st the customers complained bitterly. Then we opened again. Then we weren't doing much, so we closed again. I kept saying Saturdays used to be profitable. So back to the drawing board. I think we have the solution now. We had 4 tech 1 Service writer, 1 marketer, i girl friday (we also have a drive thru espresso) and my self. This is how we are doing it now and it has become very profitable and also jobs sold on Saturday can be finished on Monday. One of our techs wanted to be a Service writer and tech. So he is a helper, tech and SW on Saturdays only. Then we hired a part time master tech to work Sat and Monday. He fills in for vacations etc. I didn't think we would get any applicants for part time, but you would be surprised. We had several really good applicants. FYI we pay 1/2 hour for an oil change with a 70 point inspection, wash window and vac. We don't have the complaints from the techs now on doing oil changes. If they pull the work from the inspection, they get the job when sold. IT has taken a lot of on and off to get it to work smoothly. As a owner, I don't work Saturdays. You need to be with your family especially if you have small kids. Mine are all grown, now I want this time for me. Hire great people, pay good and it will work.

We also use ROW with Smartecap and smartejob. We had it configured with our suppliers. We order and export it right to the work order. It works really well. It also keeps tracks invoices. When it is time to pay your invoices and you are missing some, you can go to the supplier, print the invoice and check it for the purchase order. It saves a lot of time. Instead of calling the supplier and asking for the missing invoice, to pay your bills etc. I think it is how well it is set up for your individual needs. For us it saves a ton to time compared to our old program.

We don't sell a lot of tires. We sold $24,000 plus last year. Just wondering how everybody else is handling wheel weights and the tape ones. We charge a mount and balance additional.

Thanks Joe, I agree. Car count was up, very few slower days. We were up 12%. I thought we were up more, until I did the figures. Balancing the car count just right is a real art. If someone ever figures it out, we will all be rich. LOL.

I agree 110%. We send a nice letter with 2 movie tickets to them for referring other customers to us. As a new customer, they already trust you because of their friend who told them about us. This seems to work really well. Our average work order is over $1000 per referral. We also send rebate checks to our best clients. We divide it into 3 groups, so it lasts for several months.

I talked to several people in our office, maybe different in Oregon; but they all agreed so far. They wouldn't be happy. As long as you ask them 1st, it would be ok. People take their cars very serious.

We use RO Writer (ROW). It does everything from all the estimates, work orders, marketing, letters, A/R, A/P, many reports. It then transfers by the way of accounting link to Quick Books. So you have your P&L, Balance Sheet and payroll. It is a complete package.

First of all you have to believe in your techs and the value of a correct diagnosis. It also depends if it is your own customer or a new one. We tell them anybody can read a code, but not everybody can diagnosis what it means. If the customer has been to a parts house and has the code. We tell them this is a system code that has many tests underneath the code. I even draw a circle as the code and then a tree off of it with 4 branches. These are the tests then it should come down to a correct diagnosis. We have had people go to the parts house, they read the code and say it is an EGR Valve. The customer then buys the EGR and puts it in. Guess what it didn't fix it and then they have to come to us. We explain this is a system and we would have to diagnose. We charge $49.99 for 1st step. This includes a test drive, a visual, pull codes, check TSB and any other computer program that might relate to his particular problem. We then, most of the time, have to go to our pin point test. This test is an additional $139.99. If it is a regular customer we quote immediately $49.99-$189.99. If a new customer, we only quote $49.99 and tell them it may have to have additional testing, but we will call them 1st for their ok. You have to believe in your self and the value of this service or you CAN NOT sell diagnosis. It is all in how it is presented. We lose very few, because of the value presented.

Don't laugh! We have a customer with a Suburban that came in to the shop saying after we had the vehicle, now his drivers window is pitted or dirty. He brought it in to the Service Writer and he tried to take a razor blade, but the etchings are still there. What could do this? I haven't seen it yet. The only thing I can think of is we sublet it out for a rebuild transmission work. They may have had a bead blaster or welder, we do not. I have to see it 1st. If it was a welder, it should have done something to the door paint also. There is always a first for everything.

I agree with you on e-mail. We have over 900+ emails. We have done giveaways and etc to collect e-mails. We looked at the schedule for Friday and it was slow. Immediately we sent out an e-mail with a special. It will fill up the schedule before all the e-mails are sent. It costs a little time, but no money. It is absolutely necessary in today's market. Another thought; we had an attorney put horrible reviews on every website. He was without cause, but because he could, he did. We have been running a contest for a 32" flat screen TV for putting nice reviews on all the websites. It has worked great. Not only has it made new customers, we have received calls from Groupon, Angie's list and several other organizations offering us other deals.

I agree and all of us know what should be done, but that doesn't mean it is done correctly. We have an European Tech that has a photgraphic mind and is really good and very fast. Yes, he is always late, doesn't follow rules and always has some hurt. Yes, I know what should be done. We pay much better than most shops, but finding a good European tech is really hard. Just so you know, I put an ad in today.

We have been using Facebook for about 1 years. We use it for quizes fun stuff, coupons and information. Does it make money? I think it is the way of the future. We now have new people using our on line appointments more and more. We have over half of our data base current e-mails. We even have people now asking us to text them about their vehicle, because they will be in meetings all day. I think we have to stay up with the times or lose out. Incompatible Browser | Facebook Not sure why it says incompatible, but if you click on it, it will take you to our facebook. You could also go on facebook and type dufresnes auto service

I agree with you totally about e-mail. Every few months, we run a promotion to collect e-mails. This last time, we gave away a 8gb pocket video. We had a box for them to put their filled out forms and the pocket video on the wall. We run about 2 times a month a special just to our e-mail customers. If we should be slow 1 day, we can get out an e-mail and fill up the bays by 9:00 AM. Our work order program through ROW has the capabilities to send estimates to the customer by the way of e-mail. More and more customers want this. It is easy to get their e-mail at the write up desk by saying would you like your estimate by e-mail and or phone call. Most will give it to you right there. Yesterday a customer was going to be in meetings all day and wanted questions texted to him.

You are right, people are using the internet for pricing and because of economic times. We try never to use their parts. We explain that we can't warranty the part and they would pay twice for the repair. Years ago, we did use a customer's starter. We ended doing it three times. She had purchased a really cheap inferior part. I can't say we never use customer parts, but usually only bulbs or wipers. Another instance, yesterday a customer came in and had a problem that another shop had done. As usual, we tell the customer to take it back to the shop that did the repair. He said I can't they are out of business. He was not happy that we were going to charge him $100. for diag. Service Writer explained that shops that don't charge for diag and markup on parts, can't stay in business. Shops have to make a profit on parts and labor and to take care of the customer's problem, then with a good warranty. Another instance customer with a BMW brought it in for a check engine light. We read the code and did the 1st step of diag. Tech said it could be several different items, we needed to go to additional testing, pin point testing. Customer refused. He went online and said he could get the parts for a 1/3 of our cost. We told him without further testing, we couldn't be sure which parts were absolutely necessary. He took the car and said he would do it himself. He ordered the parts and did the repair; it did not fix the problem. He called back complaining that we had diag the car wrong. Service Writer explained that is why we needed more money for diag time, which he had refused. He said now I have to package the parts back up and pay shipping and my car is still not fixed. These are just a couple of stories. After many years, one learns that there are some jobs you don't want. You can't win. You are in business to solve the customer's problem. Shop owners must pay for the overhead, employees, equipment, schooling, all the rest and still make a profit for the owner.