I was recently thinking about what makes a baseball player great. I remembered sportscasters talking about the difference between a player with a .250 batting average compared to one batting .300. The typical major leaguer gets 12 at-bats per week. A .250 hitter gets a hit in 3 out of the 12 plate appearances (3…
As I reflect on the lyrics from the song “Already Gone,” I’m reminded of a retired dentist I read about named Jack who started a consulting business in the midwest. His clients blamed their declining sales on external factors like the area’s high unemployment rate and low median income. Jack had a unique business model…
As a shop owner, your focus is on making sure you have plenty of work coming in your doors to keep your technicians productive. If your phones are ringing but the bays are empty, you need to pay attention to what is happening in between. Your first contact with a prospective customer may be your…
If I ask you what’s the most valuable tool in your auto repair shop, would your answer be the telephone? Would the word telephone even come to mind? If not, it should – but for most, it doesn’t. As a shop owner, one of your top priorities is keeping your techs busy and your bays…
“I can get it cheaper from the parts store. You guys are too expensive, cancel everything!” Has anyone ever said this to you? This is what Laura, a first-time customer said to “Chris,” the service writer after he presented her with a $530 estimate for a distributor on her Mitsubishi Eclipse. “Rich,” the shop owner,…
My wife and I were having breakfast at a local chain restaurant. “William,” the waiter, was friendly, the service was timely, and the food was tasty. Towards the end of our visit, William handed me the bill and instructed me to go see “Two Star Mary” to settle up. When I arrived at the cashier counter,…
As a district manager, I hated when my regional manager would visit without notice. One day, I received a call from “Rick,” my regional manager. He said he was in town and wanted to visit shops with me! The bad news was that this was a complete surprise. The good news was that he allowed…
For most auto repair shop owners, the holiday season is challenging. Car count dwindles as customers prioritize shopping and feasting over maintenance and repair services. Travelers tend to be impatient and our service advisor becomes the bearer of bad news when the vehicle they want to drive several hundred miles to visit family is proven…
What’s the secret to attracting millennial customers? As I reflect on this question, I am reminded of my local dry cleaner. They are the most expensive cleaners in my town and I drive past several other locations who provide the same service at a lower price. Thanks to technology, I have the option to use…
I have a confession to make. I’m NOT handy around the house. If you Googled the phrase, “Do It Yourself,” you would NOT find my picture anywhere on the internet! Fortunately, I have a handyman named “Harry” I can call. If I have a landscaping issue, I call Harry. When the bathroom needs to be retiled,…