In order to build a successful auto repair shop, there are a number of things you will have to do. You will need to have clearly defined goals, a plan, and you will need to surround yourself with successful people. You will need gifted techs and advisers, a great support staff, the help of marketing professionals and business coaches, and a great accountant as well. Unfortunately, most shop owners don’t understand how to find the really great accountants, they don’t know what to expect from them, and they don’t know how to utilize their services.
We all know that the recruiting process for a small business can be overwhelming and time consuming, not to mention how expensive it can be if the wrong person is hired and they aren’t a good fit for the company or the position. So, what can be done to help make the process more efficient and effective to avoid the risk of a bad hire? In one word: Preparation.
Substance abuse can be a tricky subject for a business to navigate. Add the fact that many states have now, for instance, legalized marijuana for medical purposes, and you may find yourself scratching your head over what to do if you encounter an issue with an employee.
As business owners, our best teachers will always be our employees and our customers. They understand many components of our businesses, and, in most cases, they really do care about our success. Learning from our employees is relatively simple. All we need to do is pay attention to their passing comments and engage them during our employee meetings and reviews. Learning from our customers, on the other hand, may take some extra effort.
We hear time and time again from our readers that in today’s ultra-competitive market, every edge is necessary to beat the competition. Fine-tuning your shop’s customer service and perfecting shop operations are the first – and most obvious – steps. Beyond that, successful owners are working hard to deliver even more to their customers.
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!
The first step to increasing productivity in many shops is the introduction of Digital Inspections and Shop Workflow Worksheets on tablet devices that help to eliminate or minimize the use of paper in the shop.
Far too many shop owners will set an annual sales goal, and then simply divide that number by 12 to set their monthly goals. However, since this approach does not take the number of work days in each month into account, it is not the way that you should be setting your monthly goals, especially if your service advisers receive a bonus for hitting and/or surpassing monthly goals.
At Elite we know that once someone comes into your shop, you’ll do everything you can to generate a happy customer, and make a fair profit. Unfortunately, some customers will put you to the test when it comes to the prices you charge. They’ll tell you they can’t afford the recommended services, they’ll tell you they can get the same service done down the street for less, or they’ll just need you to knock a few bucks off of the price.
You’re providing the highest quality repairs and top-notch customer service so that your shop’s car count continues to increase, customers return time and time again, and profits continue to grow. All the while, you’re on the lookout for ideas to improve sales, cut costs, increase productivity, boost customer service and build your brand, which all contribute to taking your shop to the next level.
