“I need more customers!” I’ve heard this so many times, from so many different shop owners. If only there were more cars, they say, their problems would fade away. The problem is when you focus so much on car count, you never stop to consider why you always need more cars in your bays.
There’s an old management saying about the carrot or the stick. Carrots incent behavior, and sticks intimidate behavior. Over time, both styles have been tested. My opinion is that long term, the stick becomes ineffective and can lead to burnout and even the loss of good employees.
The term “leadership” is tossed around often in every industry. Everyone is looking for a way to build the better mousetrap and find the miraculous revelation that will propel us to the next level of leadership stardom.
As independent shop owners, it’s important to understand why consolidation is happening and what impact it has on your business. While some shop owners might see the trends and view this as a perfect opportunity to cash out, if you’re in it for the long haul, you’ll need to figure out how to continue growing your business in light of the consolidation.
It’s out with the old, and in with the new, as we recently welcomed 2018. And, while we each have goals and strategies to suit our unique businesses and situations, there are barometers working behind the scenes that provide positive implications for us this year, says Mary DellaValle, editor of Shop Owner magazine.
You took the plunge 20 years ago. You are a business owner/operator. You, my friend, are living the American dream in all its glory. You get all the prestige that comes with being an owner. You get to call all the shots, make the big decisions and take Saturday off. You even have a cool vanity license plate on your new F250. You opened your 4th store two years ago in an effort to make more money and grow your brand. You notice how strange it is that you made more money personally when you only had one store. Yet you keep moving forward, and now with four stores, you’re in deep from a financial point of view.
Experts say there is a direct relationship between keeping employees happy and getting the best out of them, but improving morale in the shop is a deceptively simple goal. Sometimes, in order to raise morale in the shop, you have to get creative. Here are four areas where business owners can lift employee spirits and create a happier, more productive workforce.
Quality is the name of the game today. Your customers expect expert repairs that are done right the first time, restore vehicle performance, and ensure many miles of worry-free driving. But, you won’t get a second chance to showcase your quality work unless you’ve earned your customers’ trust, says Mary DellaValle, editor of Shop Owner magazine.
So what separates a good shop from a great shop? There are many answers to that question. Is it location, training, techs, management? These are just a few, but one thing is certain: If a shop owner doesn’t concentrate on branding, all that other work and planning won’t matter.
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.
Your equipment is the backbone of your shop – giving your technicians the muscle to work more efficiently and effectively. And, when those two things happen, profitability goes up. Mary DellaValle presents three tips to make good equipment buying decisions. Sponsored by Coats.
Here’s a claim you can mull over and consider as you reflect on your own company: “99.99% of all companies have no standards for effective communication inside the business.” Truth is, I’m basing that assertion on the fact that I’ve not run across such a company in the more than 20 years I’ve been working within the auto repair and tire industry.
