Tune Ups July/August 2016
“I Love People, and I Help People. That’s What I Do.” Bob Wills did a lot more than fix a tire recently. He actually helped save the life and spirit of a discouraged Vietnam veteran. Wills, owner of Wills Auto…
Columns
The Two Roads to Success
As shop owners and managers, the busier we are, the better the business. But do you ever feel that something is happening, and you’re too busy to pay attention? You really need to pay attention. At the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers…
FTC Examines Auto Distribution and Warranties
Panelists question why repairs limited to dealers only. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently held a one-day public workshop to explore competition and related issues in the context of state regulation of motor vehicle distribution and to promote more informed…
What about Bob?
He’s a talented but belligerent tech, and he’s ruining the morale in the shop. What you can do to make peace. I was finally able to hire a tech that I had been chasing for a few years. His knowledge…
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…
Power Outage: 3000GT
A multipronged diagnostic attack to resolve a rare problem led us to find out if we had a fuel-flow issue or a fuel-pressure issue. Relative compression is a fast way to ascertain if an engine has…
After a customer gets low-ball estimates from other shops, he wants his long-term shop to refund the ‘overcharge’ …
...What would you do? The following story comes from a shop in Southern California. The shop says: “We have a longtime client who has brought four cars to us over the years. We recently quoted a job, and he found…
Who Does What?
If you don’t know, find out. Let workflow management work for you. Last time, we focused on creating a learning plan for your team and the position of Learning Manager to develop and drive this plan. Now, I want to…
Tuneups May/June 2016
Registration is now open for the Car Care Council Women’s Board 2016 Summer Leadership Conference. The day-and-a-half education and networking conference will be held July 27-28, 2016, at the Westin in Indianapolis, Ind. “The Women’s Board Leadership Conference is uniquely…
Never Relax Your Standards
I had a customer walk into the shop the day I began writing this column. He owned an older car, with lots of miles on it. He wasn’t one of our regular customers, but…
Supplier vs. Partner?
When your buddy and his buddies want a ‘favor,’ say no. I didn’t go to a four-year college and come home with a degree like most of my six siblings. It wasn’t my style. I knew from the time I…
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…
Low Blow Suburban
Chasing down the cause of an underperforming blower motor sheds light on a solution that saves time and money. Using a wire diagram is better than just looking at the fuse panel. With a diagram, you…
Customer was quoted a price for three jobs, but afterward claimed she had only authorized one of them…
... What would you do? The following story came from an ASA member with multiple stores. A customer dropped off her late-model Volkswagen Bug, claiming it needed a heater core. On inspection, it was determined that it did need one.…
Michigan Legislature Has a Mandate on Its Mind
Insurance committee considers ASA position on parts procurement bill. The Michigan legislature is back in session and has insurer-mandated parts procurement legislation on its agenda. Michigan State Sen. Joe Hune, R-22, chairman of the…
Serviceability Report: Honda CR-V
Which model year is easier to service: the 2011 or the 2016? I started my career as a motorcycle mechanic in the late 1960s. The local Honda shop needed a helper. After a day, I was hooked. I worked for…
Calling the Role
If everyone’s playing the right part, your shop can be a great place to work. In a previous installment of Ready, Set Service! we discussed the creation of a service-ready training model that provided insight into the topic areas to…
Tuneups March/April 2016
Book Your Hotel Now for NACE | CARS Have you heard the expression, “Get a room!” That’s what the planners of NACE | CARS 2016 are advising you to do – the sooner the better. This year’s edition of the…
