Also known as “AI,” the technology that enables computers to learn and respond for themselves and accomplish tasks without human guidance has made tremendous strides in recent years and is now poised to have a significant impact on all aspects of society, including the automotive repair industry.
Running a small business is simultaneously one of the most frustrating and rewarding journeys a person can embark upon. Even more so when that small business is an auto repair shop. The highs and lows can both be extreme – one minute, you’re on top of the world and everything is going great. The next minute, the sky is falling and nothing seems to be going right.
It took Terry Keller many years of trial and error to realize one of the most important aspects of running a repair shop: the only way to fix problems, capture profits and grow sales consistently is by measuring daily, tracking daily and holding others accountable daily.
Over the last 15 years, since we started helping shop owners in 1999, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen every pay plan known to man. I’m also pretty sure that I’ve heard every possible variation of the same question: “How can I pay my team in a way that motivates them without eating all of my profits?”
How many hours have service writers everywhere lost because of a missing wheel lock? How many frustrating hours have been wasted on getting the wrong parts because of incorrect VIN numbers? Little stuff like this really adds up!
Once upon a time, my accountant had to prepare 102 W2s in a single year for my shop. We had so much turnover, dealt with so much chaos and were putting out so many fires that it was impossible for me to contemplate working “on” my business instead of “in” it. So what’s the way out? How can we break the cycle? I’ll come at this problem from two directions, but, truthfully, it comes back to a single principle: we have to focus on results instead of activity.
Choosing shop management and point-of-sale software is a bit like buying a vehicle. The sheer number of makes and models available can be intimidating for a shop looking to get started or change to a new system. So, how do you choose
