Author: Bob Greenwood

Confidence Building

"They” say new car dealers are feeling aggressive and confident. Car dealerships are also looking at aggressive methods to keep the purchasers of their used cars in their bays. Dealerships want the lucrative aftermarket business, they are going after it,…

Greenwood: The Shop Labor Mix

The advancement of vehicle technology will make a dramatic difference in measuring a typical service shop business, and the aftermarket must relearn its measurements. In previous articles, I’ve written that a typical shop owner will require six to eight days…

Greenwood: The Big Decision

Many complexities of our business are now front-and-center. Consider the following: The independent sector of the automotive service industry is experiencing a crisis of profitability, retailer attitude and public perception. Most shop owners have bought themselves a job, not a…

Are You Losing Focus?

If so, it might be because you’ve forgotten the fact that you’re in the ‘knowledge’ business. Independent shop operators realize their labor rates must move higher to retain competent technicians, and the customer/client must be educated about the realities of…

Are You In Trouble?

To move forward as an independent shop owner in today’s business environment, it’s time to get your attitude in order. Here’s how. With all the daily pressures of running an automotive service or collision repair business, it’s amazing how the…

Supplier vs. Partner?

Don’t work for free! Follow these 5 easy steps to pay yourself for time spent at the front counter. EDITOR’S NOTE: The labor rates mentioned in this article are fictitious and should not be considered industry standards. Successful shop operators…

Minimize Your Staffing Snafus

Join the brave new world of hiring and learn how to retain your top technicians. If you’re having trouble finding, hiring and keeping good technicians, you’re not alone. With today’s shortage of qualified techs, the aftermarket-hiring situation has become a…

Supplier vs. Partner?

Perform this exercise to build your business into muscular financial shape by the end of the year. I’m not trying to be facetious with the title. I want to bring awareness to balance sheet management and its importance to your…

Productive Pay?

Great techs love to produce billed hours, but do you know if you’re getting your money’s worth? Editor’s Note: The labor rates mentioned in this article are fictitious and, therefore, should not be considered industry standards. Many shop owners fall…

Would you work for you?

How to make your shop a success by making it the kind of place where you’d want to work. It’s no secret that we have an extreme shortage of competent people throughout our industry. As an employer, you’ve got to…

Will It Be All Right?

It will, if you focus on the details of your business and not just your problems. Consider committing to this plan for the next 90 days. It will really bring clarity to your position as owner/manager of the business. In…

The Real Math

What does it cost your business when employees don’t do their jobs? You won’t believe it. Many shop owners look at operating expenses and attack that topic as the main cost-reduction plan to increase their bottom line. The fact is,…