Mickey Mouse threw me a curveball! It happened last week while visiting Disney’s “Magic Kingdom” theme park. On a normal day, the park closes at 10pm. However, on this fateful day, they closed at 6pm. When I asked the Disney “cast member” why they closed so early, she responded with both good and bad news. The…
Empty bays are not what an automotive repair shop owner wants to see. To keep great automotive technicians, your shop needs to stay busy and profitable. Here are 5 strategies you can put in place immediately to drive car count higher and get those bays productive again: 1. Schedule Future Services Do you schedule your…
Hard work doesn’t pay off. I know Shop Owners who work around the clock but still have low car count. They arrive early, stay late, but have a low retention rate. They work hard to fill their racks, but their customers don’t come back. These examples lead me to believe that hard work doesn’t pay off. Now,…
As an automotive repair shop owner, you know how important it is to keep your technicians busy. Having insufficient cars coming in the door can break the bank quickly. Often, marketing is the weak point that causes this problem. If you feel overwhelmed at the idea of marketing your auto repair shop, here are the…
Even the best shop inevitably has a dry spell once or twice a year. Or perhaps you have a shop that struggles all year long to keep your technicians busy. No matter the situation, we tend to make all the classic excuses. My market is different, claim count is down, the shop down the street…
How do they do it? I asked this question several years ago, as a new member of my local Toastmasters International club. The meetings were held every Tuesday, and the room was always packed with aspiring speakers. At the district conventions, the leaders of the other clubs complained about member count being down in the…
It’s late in the evening and you’re out of town, driving without your GPS device. You don’t know where you are, you don’t know where you’re going, but you do know that you’re hungry! Up ahead, you see the next exit has fast food options so you turn off and go down that road. You…
In my last blog, I shared the Top 5 Reasons You’re Losing the War to find (and keep) talented automotive technicians. This week we will look at how to get top talent walking in your shop doors and asking to work for you. As we discussed last week, the automotive technician shortage in the U.S….
In his book Essentialism, The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, Greg McKeon tells the story of Larry Gelwix, one of the most successful high school rugby coaches in history. In thirty-five years, his Highland High School Rugby Team compiled a record of 419 wins, 10 losses, and 20 national championships! If you played for coach Gelwix,…
Imagine that you’re a customer getting your car serviced at your shop. What are the first words that come to mind when you pull up to the curb? What’s the first impression you get as you walk up to the counter? How do you feel after interacting with your service advisor? Be brutally honest. If…