Bob Cooper

Over the years I have met hundreds, if not thousands, of shop owners who are suffering from burnout. They either tell me they have it, or it clearly shows in their behavior. Ironically, dealing with burnout is no different than fixing cars, in that in order to accurately solve the problem, we have to first identify the cause.

With gas prices so high, your customers are very conscious of how much money comes out of their pockets every time they are at the pumps. Interestingly, most of your customers feel helpless because they believe that there is nothing they can do to alleviate this issue, other than cut back on their driving. The good news for them, and for you, is that you can help!

There was a time in our industry when shop owners were the only ones who knew the cost of their parts. Additionally, the amount they charged for their repairs and services was typically not public knowledge. If customers wanted to know how much it would cost to perform a specific repair, they had limited options; they would have to either call for an estimate, or visit a repair facility.

The holiday season is right around the corner, so do what your competition will never think to do. Identify the top 3 percent of your active customers, as well as the individuals who have referred the most people to you over the past year. Then set aside time to call them during the middle of December.

So your business is going to be closed on Christmas day, and you’ll be at home with your family. Lucky you. Unfortunately, this is not the case with many who work in your local police department, fire department, emergency rooms and animal rescue services.

How much in monthly sales should you be able to generate per square foot of your auto repair shop? We’ve found that a good rule of thumb is 25% of your labor rate.

When it comes to setting your long-term goals, the best advice I can give you is to make sure that they all align with your core beliefs and that they are challenging enough to inspire you. As the leader of your company, you are not only responsible for setting the goals, but it’s your job to inspire your entire team as well. I am sure you will agree that you can’t inspire others if you are not inspired yourself.

Henry Ford once said, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” Clearly, one of the keys to success in building an auto repair shop is having your entire staff working together as a team. The question is, how do you create an environment that fosters team spirit?

Here’s where a lot of shops get into trouble. They’ll tell themselves that their businesses are doing well, and all they want to do is “fine-tune” their operations rather than grow.

For decades, shop owners have had the luxury of being able to rely on a short list of traditional media to bring in new customers. They’ve primarily utilized directory ads, print media, radio and TV, and, to some extent, local grassroots marketing programs.

Not long ago, I had the opportunity to interview Hal Janke. He is recognized by the top business brokers in America as an auto industry expert, he has owned and operated auto repair businesses, he has spoken at many conventions, and in selling over two hundred shops; he has sold more auto repair facilities than any other broker in the country.

Most service advisors fall into one of three traps with first-time customers: they’ll either avoid recommending a complete inspection; they’ll try to bundle the inspection into a service; or they’ll just inspect the vehicle without the owner’s permission. Unfortunately, all of these approaches can jeopardize the customer experience, and reflect poorly on your shop. Let’s take a look at each one …