Bob Cooper

Far too many shop owners hire service advisors who they feel are good at what they do, and then prefer to “get out of their way and let them do their thing.” Unfortunately, that’s a mistake. Here are some tips that you can use as a guide to help you turn your service advisors into superstars.

We all can agree that competition among employees is good, but there is a right way, and there’s a wrong way. The wrong way is to tell your techs that you’re going to post the hours they each flag, and at the end of the pay period the winner will receive a reward. Although that sounds good, you’ll inevitably end up with one winner, and no matter how you cut it, the rest of your techs are going to be losers.

One of the most common questions our coaches are asked is, “How do I find the superstar technicians and service advisors?” Interestingly, what most shop owners do is wait until they need a tech or advisor before they start their search. Unfortunately, when they use this technique they inevitably end up hiring the best of whomever happens to be available at the time, rather than the best of the best.

We all know that there are many things you can do when it comes to customer retention. The list includes follow-up calls, sending out service reminder notices, ongoing advertising campaigns that keep your name at the top of the customer’s mind and scheduling the next visit at the time of car delivery, to name a few.

With today’s uncertainty, and with all the restraints that lenders have put into place, this still may be the best time for you to expand your business. It’s during these times that many of your competitors will struggle, hunt for a way out, and find that there are no buyers.

Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with many of the top shop owners in America. I have met thousands of owners who simply go about business as usual and then, unfortunately, and unexpectedly, fail. I have made quite a few discoveries along the way, so I would like to use this article to share what I feel to be the top 7 reasons most shops fail.

We all know about the rage that is going on with the Groupon-type services, and with many businesses, I see where it can be a really good fit. Examples would be in the fast food industry, and with companies that sell commodities like soap or shoes. Yet, when it comes to the auto repair business, with just two exceptions, I feel that this type of marketing is a bad fit. Here’s why …

Here’s a tip that’s particularly effective during the hot summer months! Tell your techs that when they go for a test drive, they should stick a thermometer in the A/C outlet. If it’s not as cool as it should be, all that they need to do is write the recorded temperature down on the repair order.

Over the last 22 years, I’ve been amazed to discover just how many shop owners are lost when it comes to knowing and understanding “the numbers.” In order to build a successful auto repair shop, you are going to need to know two sets of numbers: your “financial” benchmarks, and your “operational” benchmarks.

If you want to ensure that 2013 is your shop’s best year yet, there are a number of things you need to consider. Vehicles are being built better, and service intervals are constantly being extended. Accordingly, you will be seeing your customers less frequently.

Running a business is expensive and the capital that you’ve poured into your company can disappear in an instant if a major weather event damages your offices, or if someone in your shop gets injured while on the job.

In the world of auto repair and service, one thing is certain: You are going to lose customers. They will move, no longer have a need for their vehicle, turn to one of your competitors, or buy a new vehicle and then take it to the dealer for service.