Management: Employee Uniforms Increase Consumer Confidence
First impressions matter in every industry, and the automotive service aftermarket has its own set of challenges and needs. Your employees define who you are and what your company stands for; the appearance of your facilities and team are a reflection of the services you provide. What impression are you making on your customers?
Tech Tip: Engine Analyzers Can Diagnose a Wide Variety of Engine Performance Problems
An emissions analyzer is one of the most useful pieces of diagnostic equipment you can own. By revealing the exact composition of the exhaust gases that are coming out of the engine, you can see if the fuel mixture is running rich or lean, and if a misfire is ignition, compression or fuel related.
Mitchell 1 Holds Shop Management System Training Workshop in Seattle
Mitchell 1 will hold this year’s third Shop Management System Training Workshop in Seattle, WA, on August 9-11, 2007. The training workshop, designed for those who have been using their shop management system for six months or more, will guide users through advanced functionality in the OnDemand5 Manager system.
AutoZone Reaches Milestone, Opens 4,000th Store
AutoZone recently announced a new milestone. The company has opened its 4,000th store, located in Houston, TX. AutoZone opened its first store in Forrest City, AR, on July 4, 1979. Now, 28 years later, the company has stores in all 48 contiguous states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Mexico.
Viewpoint: The Future of Brakes
How stability and traction control systems will change the industry as we know it. I hear all of the moaning and groaning out there about how new cars are better made, require less maintenance and break down less often. But, they still need to stop and this means they will always need brakes. Brake pads
Publisher’s Perspectives: Lessons from the Dentist
Do you ever envy the business of your dentist? In many ways, dentistry is similar to your auto service business. Nearly every mouth needs some dental care just like every car on the road needs service. The dental hygienist is doing the cleaning and the flossing like the tech who’s in the oil change bay
Diagnosing & Servicing Automatic Transmissions
To prevent having any service from being over sold or under sold, it is important to not only know that a particular service should be performed, but also why it should be performed. That knowledge can also help you spot when to recommend that service, and when not to. When speaking about transmission fluid, the
Ride Control Repairs: Keeping Your Customers’ Tires Glued to the Road
Confused about modern ride control technology? Sometimes looking back into automotive history can put such technology into a more usable framework. A good illustration is how ride control technology evolved from the simple, early-century friction shock absorber to the electronic variable-rate shocks and MacPherson struts currently being installed on late-model imports. When early automobile manufacturers
The Long-Lasting Brake Job: Can Your Brake Job Go 12, 000 Miles Without a Problem?
All shops what to see a customer again, but not for a brake comeback. What is the magic number of miles that can separate a comeback from a service situation? In my opinion, the minimum is 12,000-miles. Even installing new friction, rotors and calipers will not ensure a long-lasting brake job. The long-lasting brake job
Shop Management: What is a Shop Foreman?
A few years ago, it seemed that nearly every shop had a foreman. However, over the years I’ve noticed that the foreman position has been dissolved. Little by little, shops have gotten away from having a foreman and simply have a manager with direct control over the technicians. Why? Is it to “downsize” and save