Competition continues to heat up in this industry. New car dealer operations continue to close, franchise operations are consolidating, and sadly some independent shops are going away. What can you […]
From the summer of 1973, the year I graduated high school, until 1980, my goal was to become a world-class mechanic. On October 1, 1980, I put the key in […]
This quick video tip from Elite Director of Customer Relations Doris Barnes explains how your expectations will play a huge role in the success of your auto repair shop’s employees.
Most shop owners provide their service advisors with some flexibility in pricing. The objective is to give them the ability to adjust prices in order to ensure customer satisfaction, close […]
A good customer called me the other day to let me know that he has concerns regarding the quality of our work. Last week we installed an exhaust system on […]
According to a study on consumer behavior commissioned by Influence Central, there are 3 key determinants for trust in an online review: 1.) How much the person sounds like me […]
Elite Director of Customer Relations Doris Barnes shares why it’s so important to be deliberate about catching your shop’s employees doing things right, and giving them the appropriate praise. For […]
Years back, when I was looking to hire a technician, my first criteria would be the person’s skill level. In fact, I mainly based my decision on the tech’s skill, […]
Comebacks are a hot topic today, particularly with the frustration over poor-quality parts. You need to track all comebacks, determine the reason (Tech error, part error, training issue, other), and […]
If you want to ensure a successful future for your auto repair business, there are a number of things you need to consider. Vehicles are being built better, and service […]
There is no easy answer to this question, but here at Elite we can give you some points that you need to consider. We realize that you are paying rent, […]
If you haven’t heard from a customer for a longer than usual period of time, pick up the phone and give them a call. Years ago I developed a really […]
Paying attention to your margins, and proper pricing is critical to your success, yet far too many shop owners are so determined to make a certain percentage of gross profit […]
A few months back a customer came in with a broken seat frame on her Honda Pilot. The car had over 150,000 miles on it and the seat frame broke […]
According to a recent survey conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, fewer than 20% of independent shop customers tried to negotiate the price of repairs. Of those that […]
If you’ve been a shop owner for any length of time, you’ve more than likely been exposed to, or employed, a prima donna. According to the Google dictionary, a prima […]
I received a distressing email the other day from a fellow shop owner. The shop owner stated in his email that he was scheduled for surgery the next day, and […]
Although there is no simple or conclusive way of determining whether someone you are interviewing is an ethical person, one question I always ask an applicant is, “Can you tell […]
If you are in business long enough the time will come when you’ll need to let someone go, so my goal with this article is to help you through the […]