Management: 50 Tips to Improve Your Shop in 2008
Andrew Markel, editor of BRAKE & FRONT END magazine, offers 50 pointers that shop managers and technicians can use to improve their service shop in 2008.
Viewpoint: 50 Tips to Improve your Shop in 2008
Increase the labor rate. Chances are your customers will not notice. Send fewer cars to the dealership. Buy better uniforms. Secretly shop the competition. Attend more training. Take down all the old, dirty or out-of-date “push/pull” or “we install” stickers off your front door. Use your shop management system more effectively. Explore all menus and
News Update: Automotive Distribution Network Announces ‘Repair America’ Sweepstakes Winners
Parts Plus has announced the major prize winners of the “Repair America” sweepstakes promotion for professional service dealers. Throughout June and July, when service dealers were given the opportunity to win prizes in this special promotion, more than 62,000 entries were returned to headquarters, with an additional 7,500 entered online through www.partsplus.com. The winner of
Directions: Your Country is Counting on You
There’s an important count underway. It’s the Economic Census — taken every five years — and is now in progress for 2007. This month, more than 4 million American businesses, including 140,000 automotive repair and maintenance businesses like yours, will receive 2007 Economic Census forms. This tally of businesses is important — just like the
Mitch’s World: Hiring Hell
Everyone has their own private hell, a place where monsters hide under the bed or in the dark corners of the closet down the hall, patiently waiting for just the right moment to strike. It may be a different place for each of us, filled with all manner of dark images and demons. But, regardless
Training Program Updates
State-of-the-art automotive technology doesn’t do anybody much good if technicians can’t get the training they need to fix and maintain today’s systems. Unfortunately, in recent years there has been an industry-wide trend to axe training programs. Parts suppliers are under tremendous price pressure these days, and most are looking for ways to cut costs where
Management: We Can’t Fix It
Did you ever tell a customer you couldn’t fix his vehicle? Have you told a customer, "We don’t work on that type of car." Have you ever not recommended service because you don’t have the tools or equipment to do the job? Have you sent a vehicle to another shop or dealership?
Perspectives: ‘We Can’t Fix it.’
Did you ever tell a customer you couldn’t fix his vehicle? Have you told a customer, “We don’t work on that type of car”? Have you ever not recommended service because you don’t have the tools or equipment to do the job? Have you sent a vehicle to another shop or dealership? I would expect
News Update: NAPA Chassis Trains, Certifies Technicians
Participants in a four-day NAPA Chassis training class were provided with tips and techniques from NATEF-certified instructors to identify and solve problems while diagnosing and repairing late-model chassis and suspension systems. Held recently at NAPA’s training center, the clinic taught timesaving repair procedures, giving these techs the ability to be more proficient on newer vehicles.
Tenneco’s Monroe Brand Funds Car Care Professionals Network Scholarships
Tenneco Inc. recently announced a $10,000 donation on behalf of its Monroe brand to fund shop management education and technical training scholarships through the Car Care Professionals Network (CCPN). The donation is the first of its kind to CCPN, which was established in 2007 by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) to represent the interests of automotive service businesses and their employees.