-
Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?
-
.thumb.jpg.2b345efc275b9df0af2bbb306a10a78a.jpg)
By Joe Marconi in Joe's Blog5 commentsI recently spoke with a friend of mine who owns a large general repair shop in the Midwest. His father founded the business in 1975. He was telling me that although he’s busy, he’s also very frustrated. When I probed him more about his frustrations, he said that it’s hard to find qualified technicians. My friend employs four technicians and is looking to hire two more. I then asked him, “How long does a technician last working for you.” He looked puzzled and replied, “I never really thought about that, but I can tell that except for one tech, most technicians don’t last working for me longer than a few years.”
Judging from personal experience as a shop owner and from what I know about the auto repair industry, I can tell you that other than a few exceptions, the turnover rate for technicians in our industry is too high. This makes me think, do we have a technician shortage or a retention problem? Have we done the best we can over the decades to provide great pay plans, benefits packages, great work environments, and the right culture to ensure that the techs we have stay with us?
Finding and hiring qualified automotive technicians is not a new phenomenon. This problem has been around for as long as I can remember. While we do need to attract people to our industry and provide the necessary training and mentorship, we also need to focus on retention. Having a revolving door and needing to hire techs every few years or so costs your company money. Big money! And that revolving door may be a sign of an even bigger issue: poor leadership, and poor employee management skills.
Here’s one more thing to consider, for the most part, technicians don’t leave one job to start a new career, they leave one shop as a technician to become a technician at another shop. The reasons why they leave can be debated, but there is one fact that we cannot deny, people don’t quit the company they work for, they usually leave because of the boss or manager they work for.
Put yourselves in the shoes of your employees. Do you have a workplace that communicates, “We appreciate you and want you to stay!”
-
-
Similar Topics
-
By carmcapriotto
At VISION 2024, Kim taught a class on customer loyalty. It was incredibly well received and we’ve decided to bring a conversation here in podcast form where she touches on a critical piece of business: creating loyal customers. Listen in for tips, strategies, and just real-talk!
Thank you to our friends at RepairPal for providing you this episode. RepairPal will help you grow your auto business and you can learn more at RepairPal.com/shops.
Show Notes with Timestamps
Loyalty: strong feeling of support or allegiance What that means to me. Companies I am loyal to: Bear Mountain Bakery, Holtz Leather, The Basketry, Smallwoods Simon Sinek’s Ted Talk “Start with Why”: Your purpose, Your cause, Your beliefs We are lonelier & more apart than ever before Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Our Core Values We have an intense desire to feel a sense of belonging - even more with digital communication. Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara - Episode 89: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/episode/089 Create Loyalty by: Being thoughtful and intentional with all you do. Understanding the difference between service + hospitality. Service is black and white. Hospitality is full color. Having authentic connection: Southwest Airlines - the heart, Ciro - my Italian driver, 1st Phorm, Eleven Madison Park Restaurant’s hot dog story, Bear Mountain Bakery, The Basketry, Holtz Leather, Smallwoods. Knowing your clients, understanding them, being present, listening, and being considerate and generous (read the book: Gift*ology). Being a trusted resource. VISION’s speaker: Scott Stratten, said, “If you want to worry about the bottom line, you’ve got to focus on the front line.” (To obsess about how your customers feel, you must obsess about how your employees feel. Customer loyalty comes after employee loyalty How are you taking care of your team? Daily Stand-Up (gratitude and top priority) + a checkin/awareness for me.Team Outings. Letters/notes/recognitions. Mentoring. Schedule emails/slack messages/texts Too many companies leave the human behind. We live in a world where we have an opportunity - responsibility - to make magic in a world that is desperate for it. When you make magic you add to the layers of loyalty being created. Make this part of how you do business. A process. A time, place, a procedure/reminder.
How To Get In Touch
Group - Auto Repair Marketing Mastermind
Website - shopmarketingpros.com
Facebook - facebook.com/shopmarketingpros
Get the Book - shopmarketingpros.com/book
Instagram - @shopmarketingpros
Questions/Ideas - [email protected]
Lagniappe (Books, Links, Other Podcasts, etc)
Canva - Mood Boards
Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio
-
By Changing The Industry
Today is the last day for registration - Send us a message on HOW to register for this show.
-
By carmcapriotto
Thanks to our partners, NAPA TRACS and Promotive
Did you know that NAPA TRACS has onsite training plus six days a week support?
It all starts when a local representative meets with you to learn about your business and how you run it. After all, it's your shop, so it's your choice.
Let us prove to you that Tracs is the single best shop management system in the business. Find NAPA TRACS on the Web at NAPATRACS.com
It’s time to hire a superstar for your business; what a grind you have in front of you. Great news, you don’t have to go it alone. Introducing Promotive, a full-service staffing solution for your shop. Promotive has over 40 years of recruiting and automotive experience. If you need qualified technicians and service advisors and want to offload the heavy lifting, visit www.gopromotive.com.
Paar Melis and Associates – Accountants Specializing in Automotive Repair
Visit us Online: www.paarmelis.com
Email Hunt: [email protected]
Get a copy of my Book: Download Here
Aftermarket Radio Network
Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio
-
By Transmission Repair
Premium Member Content
This content is hidden to guests, one of the benefits of a paid membership. Please login or register to view this content.
-
By carmcapriotto
Recorded Live at MACS (Mobile Air Climate Systems) 2024 Training Event & Trade Show, Adam Kimmel discusses the refrigerant and thermal management industry. He highlights the significance of air conditioning technology in vehicles, the essential use of fluorine in refrigerants, and the evolution of refrigerants for environmental safety. Adam Kimmel, Koura, [email protected] Show Notes
The importance of air conditioning (00:00:01) Discussing the significance of air conditioning in vehicles and homes and the commitment of industry professionals. Understanding fluorine in refrigerants (00:01:53) Evolution of refrigerants (00:05:16) Future challenges and developments (00:10:19) Regulations and alternatives (00:14:18) Safety and handling precautions (00:16:10) Engineer training and transparency (00:17:11) Understanding refrigerant nomenclature (00:19:47) Efficiency and GWP (00:25:38) Thanks to our Partners, AAPEX and NAPA TRACS Set your sights on Las Vegas in 2024. Mark your calendar now … November 5th-7th, 2024. AAPEX - Now more than ever. And don’t miss the next free AAPEX webinar. Register now at http://AAPEXSHOW.COM/WEBINAR NAPA TRACS will move your shop into the SMS fast lane with onsite training and six days a week of support and local representation. Find NAPA TRACS on the Web at http://napatracs.com/ Connect with the Podcast: -Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RemarkableResultsRadioPodcast/ -Join Our Private Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1734687266778976 -Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/carmcapriotto -Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmcapriotto/ -Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/remarkableresultsradiopodcast/ -Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RResultsBiz -Visit the Website: https://remarkableresults.biz/ -Join our Insider List: https://remarkableresults.biz/insider -All books mentioned on our podcasts: https://remarkableresults.biz/books -Our Classroom page for personal or team learning: https://remarkableresults.biz/classroom -Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/carm -The Aftermarket Radio Network: https://aftermarketradionetwork.com -Special episode collections: https://remarkableresults.biz/collections
Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio
-
-
-
Our Sponsors
Recommended Posts
JustTheBest
alfredauto,
I used to solve this problem with a simple question. "Do you go to McDonald's and bring your own burger patty?"
I know it sounds smart - but nothing is worse than dealing with the "noise" you get. Besides, you're never, ever, ever going to with one of those - so I learnt that (as much as it pains you to walk away from the job) there ain't no job to begin with.
Hope this helps!
Matthew Lee
"The Car Count Fixer"
Get "The Official Guide to Auto Service Marketing"
Got an hour? Join me on this Training Webinar
Get on the Early Bird List for my new book!
Link to comment
Share on other sites
AndersonAuto
This is why recorded phone calls are fantastic. In KS I don't have to get their permission or notify them that they're being recorded. Then if this situation comes up, I simply offer to attach a recording of their phone call to my response to the bad review. Or they can take it down. I would never actually attach the phone call, but it's a pretty good bluff.
I've also used it to head off a bad review before it happened. When the wife comes unglued because "it's doing the exact same thing" (mercedes that wouldn't come out of park, now dies going down the road apparently is exactly the same thing) I simply emailed her the recorded phone calls where her husband never mentioned anything about a dying problem, and apologized for our confusion.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
J.P. GLENN
Make sure that you respond/reply to all of those negative reviews. It really does minimize their impact to future customers more than you would expect. Our only negative review is FALSE, and just by responding to it and asking them to contact us so that we can make it right has actually helped us attract new customers. New customers comment on seeing that review all the time and how it made them feel MORE comfortable to bring their car in. Keep it short and try not to be negative in the reply.
100% agree. Words to live by for any S/A
Link to comment
Share on other sites