Their emergency shouldn’t be yours unless they pay a premium to fix it.
I’ll gladly pay an independent shop more for a rush repair, and I’m not alone
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What do techs recommend for a “car crate?”
Many drivers on the road have what I call “car crates” or “car boxes”: the milk crate or cardboard box you keep in your car for auto needs. As a rather non-mechanically inclined individual, I have one in my car, which is primarily made up of things I use fairly...
Ew, gross: are there cars you won’t service?
“Just blow into the tube and it will start right up.” The owner’s car was fitted with an ignition interlock, a machine that would analyze one’s breath for alcohol prior to allowing the vehicle to start. It was a common court order for DUI offenders in that state....
Can the flat rate system work better for a team?
If you’ve been working in an automotive shop for longer than about fifteen minutes, you know what the flat-rate system is and how it works. The system promotes some behaviors and disincentivizes some others—for better or for worse. Over the years, I have become pretty...
Boomerang business cards: a quick sales tip
My first job writing service was at a now-defunct Goodyear/Kelly-Springfield tire dealer. The way my commission was structured, I didn’t make very much money unless I sold a lot of tires. But when I sold a lot of tires, money came pouring in—my per-tire cut went up,...
Take it from a moron like me: giving customers advance notice of preventive maintenance works!
My colleague Lemmy recently talked about breaking down ROs into three easy boxes. Now I’d like to focus on “Box Two” from his list from a customer perspective. I’m the type of person who doesn’t read my vehicle owner’s manual from cover to cover. I...