shop owner, july/august 2013

July/August 2013

Marketing to Women Beating Time Stealers Why Shops Fail

Building CustomerConfidence Through

Consistency

GlenwayAuto Center

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Case Study: Buying/Selling AnAutomotive Service Center

Beating Shop Time Stealers

Shop Profile: Glenway Auto Center

48

Shop Profile: Top Shop Automotive

Features

24 Glenway Auto Center,Cincinnati, OH

42 Top Shop Automotive, Santa Barbara, CA

18 Marketing To Women:-Actions Speak Louder Than Words!

32 Case Study:-Buying/Selling An Automotive Service Business

48 Shop Management:-Beating Top Time Stealers

Sponsored by

Shop Profiles

July/August 2013

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02-04 Contents SO_July 7/31/13 9:51 AM Page 2

03 Denso Wipers SO 7/31/13 9:59 AM Page 3

Departments

6 Technology: Paperless Vehicle Inspections, Part 2

14 Executive Interview: Rusty Bishop, Federated Auto Parts Distributors

38 Shop Operations: Business Success

Shop Owner Staff

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02-04 Contents SO_July 7/31/13 9:51 AM Page 4

05 Federated 400 SO 7/31/13 10:08 AM Page 5

|Technology|

Let’s take a closer look at someof these features. Many are obvious, while others take youinto a world of best practicesfor your shop in ways youwould not expect. If youhaven’t looked into paperlessinspection, please check out thelast article in the May/June2013 issue of Shop Ownermagazine. I’d also like to inviteyou to collaborate with me onwww.AutoVitals.com/EIS. Theseresources explain how the

prospect of paperless inspectioncan significantly improve yourshop’s productivity.

Electronic Beats PaperThe obvious benefits of turninga fixed-size paper documentinto a flexible electronic inspec-tion sheet include:● Significant relief for techni-

cians and service advisors. Thetechnician no longer needs towrite, and the service advisordoesn’t need to attempt to inter-pret the scribbling. This tediousprocess is replaced by the tech-nician tapping the condition oraction on the tablet, followedby the service advisor copy-and-pasting a link into the ShopManagement software. Done!● More complex problems

can be described by utilizingthe speech-to-text feature oreven simply being voice-record-ed by the technician. Employ-ees running back and forth be-tween the back shop and front


How Paperless InspectionMight Change The Way You Run Your Shop

I’m happy to report that since the last article, I’ve received feedbackexpressing that newly implemented features have significantlyimproved the benefits for shop owners, technicians, service writersand, last but certainly not least, motorists.

by Uwe Kleinschmidt, CEO, AutoVitals

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07 Mudlick SO 7/31/13 10:08 AM Page 7

office or yelling across the shop floorwill be a thing of the past.● Because an unlimited number of

inspection templates can be created,the arduous process of attempting tomake template changes, and thenprint them, are over. In fact, our soft-ware allows you to print a paper ver-sion of the sheet in the event that notablet is around. With this enhancedflexibility, technicians and service advisors will inevitably improve pro-ductivity.● As the motorist looks at a profes-

sional leaflet of inspection results, in-cluding OEM service recommenda-tions and recent recalls, they not onlyclearly see the results, but also get

educated. Images of problem areashelp them to understand why the rec-ommended action is important andwhat would happen if it were ignored.● The technician selects OEM-

recommended services and recent recalls as well as TSBs right on thetablet (see image 1 at right). The serv-ice advisor will then confirm them orchange the recommendations and inform the motorist.● All inspection topics can be audit-

ed and changed by the service advi-sor. They can even be re-assigned tothe technician for completion so thatno item gets overlooked.● It’s been proven that using an

electronic inspection sheet saves

8 |Shop Owner|July|August 2013


anywhere between 10 and 15 minutesper vehicle.

Creating A Baseline For YourShopLet’s take a look at some of the bene-fits facilitated by paperless inspection,which have the potential to make aprofound improvement in technicianand service advisor productivity, aswell as shop effectiveness. Shop effec-tiveness is the measurement we use todescribe how well technicians andservice advisors work together, andhow a shop owner can identify whatpractices are best to implement. Thepurpose of this assessment is toachieve higher shop profitability andmaintain a high CSI (customer satis-faction index).

Technician And ServiceEffectivenessToday, technicians identify aproblem based on the inspec-tion sheet topics on paper andwrite down recommended ac-tions. The service advisor looksthem over and selects the ap-propriate canned jobs for theestimate. Why not present the

canned jobs to thetechnicians rightaway? This wouldnot only simplify theservice advisor’swork, but it wouldalso set a baselinefor any type of action.

In addition, withour integration intoyour shop manage-ment software, the

job history for the list of canned jobsfor the given inspection topic can bemined in the database and presentedto the technician. Thus, the techni-cian can look at the inspection histo-ry on the tablet to see whether or notthe job had been sold in the past. Ayoung, inexperienced technician canlearn from a highly experienced tech-nician by checking out the job histo-ry for the same vehicle type as thevehicle in question.

What if the technician needs to addmore time than the job history shows?Just tap the labor increment and sub-mit the inspection results to the serv-ice advisor. The advisor will be able toorder the same part number and create the estimate in a heartbeat.Check out image 2 for an example.

www.ShopOwnerMag.com July|August 2013 |Shop Owner|9

Image 1

Image 2


Going Full CircleSetting the standard by using thecanned jobs as a baseline opens awhole set of very important metrics:● Is the technician under- or over-

recommending jobs compared withother technicians in the shop, or inthe network of shops that specialize inthe type vehicle?● What percentage of recommend-

ed actions by the technician appearon the estimate? How often does theservice advisor omit well-intentionedrecommendations by the technician?● What is the technicians’ value to

the shop and how much of their recommendations will be purchasedby customers?● What is the rate of motorist satis-

faction and how often do they returnas a repeat customer?

If they are well defined and used effectively across the shop, you canimagine how valuable canned jobscan become for running your shop.Image 3 shows a typical report for

shop effec-tiveness.

Using tabletand other mobile tech-nologies notonly initiatesthe road to apaperlessshop, but theyalso enablethe ability tomeasure shopeffectivenessand holdtechniciansand service advisors

accountable to each other. What is your experience with

mobile devices in your shop? Do you want to try the AutoVitals

Electronic Inspection Sheet and shopreports? Just scan the QR code belowwith your Android or iOS-based

tablet and testthe first 15 inspections forfree! SO


Uwe Kleinschmidt is the CEOand founder of AutoVitals inSanta Barbara, CA. The com-pany’s Web-based servicesfocus on the independentautomotive repair industry.AutoVitals’ products facilitate highly effectiveConcierge Auto Repair services, covering all aspectsof the service advisor’s interaction with prospectiveand existing customers. Highly effective and optimized websites, workflow support in the shop,as well as customer retention and social media services are just a few ingredients. He can bereached by visiting www.autovitals.com or calling1-866-949-2848.

Image 3


11 ACDelco_Strut SO 7/31/13 10:07 AM Page 11


Corporate|Spotlight|

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12 Spotlight_Denso 7/31/13 9:53 AM Page 12

13 Denso CAF SO 7/31/13 10:07 AM Page 13

One major industry trend isthat most Americans are hold-ing onto their vehicles longer.As a parts supplier, what prod-uct categories do you see ben-efiting most from this trend?

At Federated,we follow industry trends inan effort to betterunderstand andanticipate changesin the market-place. It’s true thatconsumers havebeen keepingtheir cars longerand that trend hasresulted in an in-crease in vehiclemaintenance thathelps move prod-

ucts like filters and wiperblades, but it also has createdmore demand for replacementparts.

In fact, over the past few yearswe have seen growth in replace-ment parts as a percentage oftotal aftermarket spending. Thisis due directly to an increase inthe average vehicle age and thesoft economy. Product categorieslike brakes, shocks and struts,axles, bearings, timing parts, etc.all benefit from the extendedmileage of vehicles kept longerby car owners.

With this focus on replacement parts, we are see-ing growth in the professionalservice sector and a decline indo-it-yourself repairs.


Executive|Interview|

Rusty BishopCEO, Federated Auto Parts Distributors

Rusty Bishop began his career in the automotive aftermarket morethan 40 years ago when he joined Fisher Auto Parts where he held anumber of positions in warehouse and jobber store managementand also served as a director of the company. In 1985, Bishop co-founded Federated Auto Parts Distributors, a program marketinggroup for major warehouse distributors headquartered in Staunton,VA. Through the years, Bishop’s leadership allowed Federated togrow to become one of the leading program groups in the industry.Bishop’s long history of service in the automotive aftermarketincludes: Board of Directors of ASIA 1991-1993; AWDA Membershipand Marketing Committee Chairman 1999-2002; AWDA Board ofGovernors 2000–2003 and 2005-present. He also served severalyears on AWDA’s Annual Business Conference Task Force. Bishopcurrently serves as Chairman of the University of the AftermarketFoundation Board of Trustees.

14-16 Exec Interview_Federated 7/31/13 9:53 AM Page 14

What steps is Federated taking toimprove parts fulfillment, informationsystems, reduce costs and so on?

Many distributors today carry in ex-cess of 200,000 different parts. Withthe average age of vehicles at historichighs plus the proliferation of name-plates and models, it is very difficultto always have every single part instock. We are dedicated to providingcomplete coverage in all categories tohelp our professional service providers exceed their customer expectations.

Federated distributors are investingin systems and processes to improveavailability. There is a focus on speedand accuracy in everything we dofrom delivery service, information andresponses to integrated systems thatprovide data seamlessly at the lowestpossible cost. Our members are in-vesting in new facilities designed forfaster order processing, better stockingcapabilities and bar code equipmentthat allows for paperless processing.We are integrating with our suppliersand collaborating with our customers

to deliver useful, timely and morecomplete information.

Federated works to help our cus-tomers and suppliers reduce cost. Thisis done through enhanced processes,information and execution methods.For example, communicating a cata-log discrepancy, identifying a highwarranty item, forecasting the need fora new item, or providing a servicebulletin or technical information canall provide value and cost reductionthat may be difficult to measure. That’swhy we offer a shop profitabilityanalysis and training designed to helpquantify and measure improvementopportunities and potential. In short,day in and day out, we do everythingwe can to improve everything we do.

Other than parts for maintainingand repairing cars and light trucks,does Federated offer niche lines andother specialized products?

We are always looking to supplycustomers with new products when-ever possible, and this can mean



adding a niche line to complement aproduct offering. The Federated Co-Man warehouse is extremely effectiveat creating complete categories bypartnering with multiple suppliers focused on doing what they do best.The Co-Man operation also allows usto consider emerging categories andmake them available to members be-fore market demand is mature. Withsome of the new technology and diagnostic-driven products, we areseeing once-emerging product cate-gories mature and grow, allowing fornew categories to come to the fore-front. We areworking closelywith suppliers todevelop more cov-erage for special-ized markets likemarine, farm andfleet, industrialand so on, and wesupport Opticat’sefforts to expandcatalog listings in many of these areas.

What issues keep you up at night? We worry about the amount of in-

ventory that exists in the distributionnetwork today and how new technol-ogy will impact our business and thatof our customers. We know that ve-hicle manufacturers want a biggershare of the service market and aretrying to “lock out” independent repair shops. That’s why we are soappreciative of all those who arefighting for the Right to Repair legis-lation that is critical to not only ourindustry, but the motoring public.

Also, because we are concernedabout a thriving future for the motorvehicle aftermarket, we support a variety of education initiatives to help

attract and train talented individualsthat make an industry strong.

What’s your gut feeling about theoutlook for the remainder of 2013and 2014?

In the coming years, Federatedmembers will continue to sell parts,shops will continue to repair vehiclesand consumers will continue to gettremendous value from the aftermar-ket. I believe that there is an opportu-nity for sustained growth in the after-market with an older vehiclepopulation, slow new car sales recov-

ery, an improvingeconomy and agrowing vehiclepopulation. Takingadvantage of theopportunitiesahead requirescollaboration withour customers anda renewed focuson consumers.

Federated offers many valuable toolsto customers, including the best mar-keting and support program in the in-dustry, the Federated Car Care Centerprogram. Because service providershave limited time to spend with theircustomers, Federated has developedtraining programs to help shopsstrengthen customer connection andretention levels, attract new patrons,increase vehicle count and the aver-age cost of repair orders, and enhanceand grow their bottom line.

While things may not get easier inthe coming years, this is a businessthat rewards hard work and honesty.When I look at our membership, serv-ice provider customers and supplierpartners, I feel very optimistic aboutthe future. SO



17 Federated More SO 7/31/13 10:06 AM Page 17

This helps explain why mostwomen, if asked, will tell youthey dread going to a servicecenter. In fact, my own experience as a young womanwas bad enough that I pursuedtraining as an auto technicianjust so that I never had to bringmy car to a shop again!

Even when women are notbeing taken advantage of, theyfeel that they are. Women havetraditionally been alienated byand left out of the automotiveconversation, but their buyingpower is on the rise. Considerthe following:

• Women account for some85% of all automotive sales inU.S. households.

• 50-65% of customers atservice centers are women(and the number continues togo up considering that manymale customers leave financial decisions to their wives).

• For the first time in history,half of all U.S. workers arewomen.

These new insights bringabout a huge opportunity. Fromvehicle manufacturers and toolcompanies to parts suppliersand repair shops, many in theautomotive industry have beenrecognizing this disconnect andare scrambling to capitalize onit and market their productsand services specifically towomen. Yet, despite the best efforts of many of these compa-nies, 74% of women report thatthey feel misunderstood by automotive marketing.

This means you have a


Marketing to|Women|

It’s More AboutWhat You DoThan What You Say

Let’s be honest: our industry has a less-than-stellar reputation,especially among women. It’s understandable, considering that lessthan 1% of ASE-certified technicians and only 7% of service advisorsare female. This is still predominantly a man’s world; and let’s bereal, most men just don’t get women.

by Bogi Lateiner, owner, 180 Degrees Automotive

Car-care clinic for women at 180 Degrees Automotive.

18-23 Marketing To Women_2 7/31/13 9:53 AM Page 18

19 Raybestos SO 7/31/13 10:06 AM Page 19

tremendous opportunity to set yourshop apart if you can successfullymarket to women. Here are somethings you can start doing today togrow your business with women leapsand bounds ahead of the competition.

Stop Marketing To WomenYou heard me right. Stop marketingto women, at least in the traditionalsense of the word, and start attractingpeople to your shop because of whoyou are and what your businessstands for. Posting a picture ofa woman on your website orusing the term “female-friend-ly” in your copy can be insult-ing, unless it’s backed up byan organization that trulycaters to women and makes allcustomers feel comfortable andat ease.

Appealing to women is notjust about having “women’s”magazines mixed in with thehot rod magazines. Instead,focus your energy on getting toknow your customers as indi-viduals. Find out what theywant from their repair experi-ence and then do everything inyour power to provide it.

You Are In TheRelationship Business,Not The Car BusinessWomen are relationship-orient-ed. People do business withpeople, not with businesses; andthis is especially true forwomen. Get out of the shopand be an active participant inyour community, not simply toself-promote, but because you

genuinely want to be a part of yourneighborhood. You’ll find that manypeople will respond positively andwant to support you and your business.

Put it into action!• Join your neighborhood associa-

tion, the chamber of commerce andlocal networking or communitygroups, and regularly attend meetings.

• Volunteer for community or chari-ty events.

• Support other local businesses,both personally and professionally.

20 |Shop Owner|July|August 2013 Bogi Lateiner, owner, 180 Degrees Automotive


Don’t Just Fix Cars — CreateAn ExperienceThe less it feels like auto repair, thebetter. Fixing cars correctly the firsttime and having a meaningful warran-ty that you stand behind is crucial.However, given our industry’s reputa-tion, it is not enough.

We need to go above and beyondto earn the trust of our customers;we need to create “an experience.”From the moment a customer walksin the door, to the follow-up callthey receive days after their visit,focus on providing a service that isjust as much about them as it isabout their car.

Put it into action!• Convert your “waiting room” into

an inviting “living room.” You’ve got itright when it no longer looks like anauto repair shop.

• Welcome people warmly byname. Introduce yourself with a hand-shake if they are new customers.

• Remember to make eye contactwhen talking to customers.

• Have coffee and snacks for yourcustomers. Offer their dog a treat ortheir child a toy.

• Consider hiring a customer serv-ice representative whose sole respon-sibility is to make each of your cus-tomers feel individually cared for.

It’s All In The DetailsWomen are generally more observantand detail-oriented than men. Take alook at your shop from a fresh per-spective. Clutter, dirty counters, slop-pily dressed employees, worn furni-ture or neglected plants can reflectpoorly on your business. People willequate what they see with how well

you take care of their car. If you already have a clean and updatedcustomer waiting area, take it up anotch and focus on the little details tomake your shop really stand out.

Put it into action!• Clean bathrooms are a must! To

really impress your female customers,add a hook to hang a purse, scentedlotion, and maybe even a stash oftampons and diapers for emergencies.

• Make sure customers aren’t listen-ing to impact guns and technicianstalking while they wait. Play quietmusic and enforce a strict “front ofhouse” conduct code with your staff.

• Never send a car home dirty. Agreasy steering wheel or handprint ona window can negate even the bestrepair experience and may be theonly thing a customer will remember.

Make It Easy To Do BusinessWith Your ShopHaving a broken car is a huge incon-venience. So, your customers will feelrespected and cared for if you offer avariety of ways for people to conve-niently do business with you and geton with their busy lives. Help yourcustomers keep track of upcomingservice needs. Minimize the stress ofcar repair by having a system in placeto remind them about recommendedwork or services that are due.

Put it into action!• Offer a shuttle service to get them

to work or home.• Provide free loaner cars so they

can get on with their busy day.• Provide Wi-Fi and a quiet place

for them to work or relax in your“living room.”



• Create a kids area so children areentertained while Mom (or Dad) waitsfor the car.

• Find out how each customerlikes to communicate and utilizephone, e-mail, text or standard mailto stay in touch.

An Educated Customer Is ALoyal CustomerWomen (and non-car-savvy guys)often feel that because they don’t un-derstand cars they will be sold thingsthey don’t need. Service advisorsshould be doing just what their job


Convert your“waiting room”into an inviting

“living room.”You’ve got itright when it

no longer lookslike an auto repair shop.

Customer waiting area at 180 Degrees Automotive


title suggests: advising. Educate yourcustomers whenever possible. Helpthem understand repairs by showingthem what you’re doing, and explain-ing why each repair is necessary.

Women are more likely to trust you(and therefore buy from you!) if theysee that you are willing to be transpar-ent and educate them. Not only will itbuild the relationship and your cus-tomer’s trust in your shop, but the repairs will sell themselves.

Put it into action!• Bring people into the shop to see

what you are talking about if they’rewaiting on-site, or e-mail them photosif they’re waiting elsewhere.

• Don’t assume they don’t knowanything or don’t want things explained to them.

• In order to build relationshipswith your current customers and to attract new ones, offer regular freecar-care clinics for women.

• Share car care tips on your Face-book page or website. (You do have aFacebook page and website, right?)

Give ’Em Something To TalkAbout

Women like to talk. On an averageday, we say a whole lot more thanmost men do. Women are also morelikely to write reviews online and usesocial media to talk about their experi-ence at your shop. Make sure you’regiving these women something goodto say about you! Other people talkingabout how great you are is far morevaluable than any amount of paid advertising. So, spend your energy(and advertising budget) giving peoplegreat reasons to talk about you.

Put it into action:• Leave a small gift in every car

after repairs are completed.• Surprise your customer with a

cupcake on their birthday or a rose onValentine’s Day.

• Wash every car you service.• Have a customer appreciation

party.• Send hand-written thank-you

cards for referrals.

The Bottom LineStop thinking about marketing towomen and start thinking about improving your relationship withwomen customers, your communityand your customers in general. Giveyour business a makeover so that yougenuinely appeal to the 50-65% ofyour customers who are women.You’ll be surprised to find that theother 35-50% of your customers willnotice and appreciate it as well.

Even if you just focus on one ofthese areas at a time, it won’t be longbefore all of your customers, regardlessof gender, are happily spreading thegood word about your business. SO


Bogi is an ASE MasterTechnician and owner of180 Degrees Automotivein Phoenix, AZ, an award-winning full-service repairshop that specializes ineducating customers andcreating a positive auto-motive repair experience.She is passionate aboutchanging the way peoplethink about the automotive industry. Bogi teaches basiccar-care classes for women at her shop, as well as forindependent shops and dealers across the country. Sheis an automotive expert on AskPatty.com, a member ofthe Automotive Women’s Speakers Bureau, and co-hostof All Girls Garage on Velocity Channel. Learn moreabout Bogi and her shop at www.180auto.com.


Co-owners Phil Purkiser andMark Ackerman have never for-gotten the business’s dealershiproots, taking the best of thatworld and putting a fresh spinon it to become one of the larg-er independent repair facilitiesin the greater Cincinnati area,and an ACDelco ProfessionalService Center (PSC) to boot.

“We have a dedicated cus-

tomer drive-in lane, where customers drive inside instead ofparking their car outside andwalking in,” Purkiser says. “Sincewe used to be a dealer, a lot ofour current facility has been setup how we used to operate.”

Rather than reinvent thewheel, Purkiser and Ackermandecided to spruce up an already nice building by takingoff old doors and replacingthem with glass ones.

“It wasn’t so much improve-ment, as it was opening it up,”Purkiser says, adding that it’s

Shop|Profile|

Glenway Auto CenterBuilding Customer Confidence Through Consistency

Having been a car dealership for 90 years has its benefits.Glenway Auto Center in Cincinnati, OH, opened in 1919 and servicedChevy vehicles until the doors were shuttered in 2009, in the wakeof dealership closings across the country. But, as the saying goes,when one door closes, another often opens — and, in this case, itwas as an independent repair facility and body shop less than a yearlater in June 2010.

by Debbie Briggs, contributing writer


24-30 Profile_Glenway 7/31/13 9:54 AM Page 24

25 ACDelco_Strut SO 7/31/13 10:05 AM Page 25

made for a “bright atmosphere” thatcustomers notice — often. “At leastonce a day, customers will commentabout how clean the facility is andmake comments about the waitingarea, bathroom and drive-up area.”

Do What You KnowThe shop still specializes in the repairof GM vehicles, however, the switchto independent has allowed the facili-ty’s eight techs — six flat rate and twoquick lube — to work on all makesand models. Given that expansion, allthe technicians are paid to attendtraining throughout the year.

“All six of my flat-rate techniciansare ASE-certified, and we have otherGeneral Motors’ certifications aswell,” Purkiser says. “I have a coupleof guys who are SP2 haz mat certi-

fied. And then we just have on-goingtraining by the ton — training as far asHyundai, Kia, Honda and Toyota. Wejust continuously train on those(nameplates), over a dozen classes ayear, at least.”

Reps from suppliers such as ACDelco, NAPA, CARQUEST andDenso will teach classes at the shopon common issues such as driveabili-

ty. Techs will also take advantage ofACDelco’s interactive distance learn-ing classes. Purkiser is quick to pointout that employees are paid to learn.

“They are paid for that training,” hesays. “I know I’ve talked to a lot oftechnicians from other shops, and theydon’t get paid for that. I want them tobe enthusiastic about taking classes.”

That and a number of other factorshelp explain why the shop experi-ences very little turnover.

“We have a great work atmosphereand a very clean facility,” Purkiserpoints out. “The average number ofyears our employees have been work-ing for us is 13 years. They go from28 years down to two.”

How Can We Help You?Glenway prides itself on catering to

long-time and new cus-tomers alike, and don’t justtake Purkiser’s word for it— Google it. Purkiser saystheir reliance on CRMprovider Demandforce hashelped them build an impressive customer service rating.

“Demandforce follows upthe day after we close a re-pair order, asking that cus-tomer via e-mail how theirservice was and to please

rate us,” he explains. “If you Google us,you’ll see a five-star rating (out of five)from more than 800 reviews.”

With the proliferation of smart-phones, Purkiser says they decided toforgo “snail mail” in favor of e-mail andare very aggressive in getting a cus-tomer’s e-mail address for all communi-cation. And if you think that approachkeeps the shop from having a person-



27 ACDelco_Every Fix SO 7/31/13 10:04 AM Page 27

“If you’re not putting out the best product,then you probably shouldn’t be doingwhat you’re doing. With our associationwith ACDelco, we feel very strongly aboutthe services that we provide.-Phil Purkiser


able reputation, think again. Purkisersays Ackerman routinely visits business-es in the area, live and in person.

“My business partner will actuallygo from building to building talking topeople,” he says. “They all know hisface, and they ask for oil changecoupons when he comes in. So we’vecreated an atmosphere where we’rekeeping in touch with peo-ple, and we want to makesure they’re keeping in touchwith us. We’ve found a lot ofnew customers that way.”

Staying CurrentVehicle technology isn’t theonly area in which a suc-cessful shop needs to staycurrent. Purkiser says he and Ackerman, along with theirfour service writers, have allattended seminars throughthe Automotive Training Insti-tute on how to boost profitin business.

“As we’ve attended some ofthose, we’ve tweaked some ofour procedures, as they relateto shop supplies, labor rates,places where we weren’t in theball game,” he says. “It’s madea substantial increase — proba-bly a three- or four-point in-crease as far as gross profitgoes. It doesn’t matter if you’rethe owner or the car jockey;you have to be trained to keepup with today’s business.”

Purkiser said the shop wasalso laid out slightly differentduring the transition from deal-ership to independent in orderto maximize the shop’s 17work bays.

“We’ve dedicated just two stalls todoing the quick lubes, which keeps allthat fast-moving traffic out of the flat-rate technicians’ stalls,” he says. “Thatincreases our productivity quite a bitby not having the flat-rate techniciansworking on the oil changes.”

Another change to their 10,000-sq.-ft. building during the transition was



the switch from old incandescent light-ing fixtures to T5 florescent lightingwhich uses a quarter of the power ofthe old bulbs, significantly increasingenergy efficiency.

“We also put in oil-burning furnaces, so we don’t have to sendour oil offsite and it doesn’t cost us anything to burn it,” he says.

Consistency Is KeyWhen asked about the shop’s contin-ued success, Purkiser is quick to pointout the relationships the shop has developed with ACDelco and the Better Business Bureau.

“It shows that we’re serious aboutour business,” he says. “We have ahigh-profile business here, and we expect to keep it that way.”

In addition to those affiliations,Purkiser says consistency has gone a

long way in building customer confidence in the shop.

“One of the key factors here is consistency,” he says. “We feel we’revery good with that. We have the samefaces here, the same procedures forevery customer who comes in. Cus-tomers can expect the same thing everytime they come in here — clean wait-ing room, clean bathroom and free cof-fee. The technicians can expect a cleanplace to change their clothes, cleanstalls to work in and cars to work on.”

Of course, quality repairs are also alarge part of the equation, and that’ssomething you can count on at Glenway Auto Center.

“If you’re not putting out the bestproduct,” Purkiser concludes, “thenyou probably shouldn’t be doing whatyou’re doing. With our associationwith ACDelco, we feel very stronglyabout the services that we provide.”

It’s a tried and true plan for successthat has worked since 1919 and willsurely carry the shop through the next90 years. SO



31 Affinia SO 7/31/13 10:04 AM Page 31

It’s All About Creating AStep-by-Step PlanMy dad was an avid wood-working craftsman and Mr. Fix-it. He would eagerly await theSears Craftsman tool catalog toarrive each month, and almosteverything he purchased is stillin use decades later for myown home projects. My fondestmemories as a kid were spentwith dad planning and buildingone home improvement or repair project after another.

To facilitate the process ofdeep thought, some peopledoodle, others jog or meditateor pray, or do a thousand otherthings that make us human andseek answers to life’s ongoingproblems. My father, a method-ical accountant by trade, foundhis escape as a jack-of-all-trades builder and tinkerer.

His systematic approach and

Case Study: Buying & Sellingan Auto Service BusinessA Look At The Perspectives of Both Buyer & Seller As the Process of a Memphis, TN, Auto Service Center Changing Hands Unfolds

“Buying a business is like working on a MBA the hard way…a realtrial-by-fire. A good business broker can smooth that arduousprocess…”

…Bill Brickhill, Buyer

Buying & Selling|An Aftermarket Business by Art Blumenthal, MBA CBI


32-36 Buying_Selling_Art Blumenthal 7/31/13 9:55 AM Page 32

painstaking attention to detail were evident in both his work and his hob-bies. Each project would be carefullyplanned and organized. I admired hiscalm approach when an unforeseenproblem occurred, a deliberate pausefollowed by an orderly adjustment tothe plan.

As a kid, sometimes if I saw theworkshop light on late at night, Iwould sneak in and offer my help, always eager to learn how to use anew tool, especially one with a motorin it. Those were bonding momentsthat I clearly remember.

Once I was an adult and chose anautomotive aftermarket career, I carried

with me the concept that every chal-lenge can be approached by patientlyputting together a plan and strategy,with the flexibility to calmly react andfind a solution when things go wrong.

Automotive service is really allabout step-by-step procedures,whether the problem is simple orcomplex. As business owners knowall too well, having a shop run in anorderly fashion is an everyday chal-lenge…whether diagnosing an inter-mittent starting problem on a cus-tomer’s vehicle, or ensuring the rightparts are available for each job, orclosing the books at month end, orthe myriad of other challenges.

During the years that I was an ownerof multiple Midas shops and then as

an auto service software developer andnow as a business broker specializingin the aftermarket, I’ve applied theprinciples learned from my dad to mywork — create a step-by-step plan,own the right tools to do the job right,maintain focus on how the final out-come should look, work patiently anddiligently to achieve the right result,adapt and react to the roller-coaster ofunforeseen circumstances, and gainsatisfaction from a positive result.

I’ve found that every new listing islike a fresh new project. Although theperfect outcome is always a Win:Winsituation for both buyer and seller, thebackgrounds and experiences of the

people involved and the steps to get-ting there are always different.

For example, although many busi-ness sales involve a retiring, olderowner selling to a younger buyer,here’s one that was just the opposite…

Seller’s Background &Motivation To SellC.J. Passmore II worked for 10 years inthe auto service business owned by hisfamily for 26 years, purchasing thebusiness in 2008. At age 29, with awife and expecting a new baby, C.J.decided to get a fresh start and movein a different career direction. Althoughhe had been approached in the pastwith offers for his successful franchise,


Automotive service is really all about step-by-step procedures, whether the

problem is simple or complex.



the timing didn’t seem right until now.

Buyer’s Background &Motivation To BuyBill Brickhill is a U.S. Navy veteran,having served his country since 1981,for 20 years of active service, fol-lowed by seven years in the reserves.

He was initially an enlisted man,trained as a Machinist’s Mate, butthen later received his commission asan officer. So he has experience work-ing at every level and on all size Navyships. He spent years getting hishands dirty, as well as supervisingthose who do.

When asked what attracted him tothe automotive aftermarket, Bill admit-ted that it had been a long journey,commencing about six years ago, ayear before his retirement from theNavy. While working as a civilianconsultant, he started looking at differ-ent career options.

“I really wanted to own my ownbusiness, but wasn’t sure which indus-try would be the right fit. Once bothof my kids got to high school age andmy family and I decided to make ourpermanent home in Memphis, I ex-plored various possibilities, from con-venience stores to gas stations, liquorstores, even at one time coming closeto buying a sports bar, but thenchanging my mind,” said Bill.

He continued, “I really wanted abusiness which matched my profes-sional values in which I could make apositive impact.”

An Overview Of The BusinessThe Memphis, TN, auto service centeris an established, profitable turnkeyoperation with equipment, inventory,

and experienced employees in place. This well-maintained, seven-bay,

fully-equipped shop was staffed withthe owner/manager, two full-time andtwo part-time quality technicians in abuilding of approximately 4,000square feet.

The Memphis metropolitan area hasa population of 1.2 million residents,including 680,000 in the city of Mem-phis. The business is located on a busyintersection with Poplar Avenue, a hightraffic commercial strip which runseast/west between downtown Memphisand a nearby Interstate 240 exchange.The area includes several strip retailcenters, including the Eastgate Shop-ping Center directly across the street.

The shop provides comprehensivevehicle repair and maintenance serv-ices, offering total car care includingbrakes, oil changes, exhaust, sched-uled maintenance, tires, and steeringand suspension services.

Bill Brickhill, buyer


Seller & Buyer Connect WithThe Business BrokerC.J. said, “A couple of years ago, thebusiness broker Art Blumenthallearned that someone was interestedin my business. But when he calledme about it, the timing wasn’t right forme. So at the time, he told me that if Iever want to sell, to give him a call.So when I was ready, I just called Art.”

Bill said, “By chance I found theMemphis shop listing posted by ArtBlumenthal on-line and then checkedout his website and did some researchand contacted him.”

Art arranged for a face-to-face meet-ing in February and flew to Memphisto join them. “Long story short…” saidBill, “…it was a good fit.”

What’s The Business Worth?“I already knew what I wanted to sellit for,” noted C.J. “Art looked at every-thing and said that would be a fairprice.” Establishing a sales price included taking into consideration avariety of factors:

• Past and current sales trends;• Strong discretionary cash flow;• Pre-approved for 85% Wells

Fargo Bank financing, with a SBAguarantee; and

• Excellent demographics in the immediate area.

Scope And Timeline Of SalesProcessC.J. said, “I contacted Art in Decem-ber, we listed it in the beginning ofJanuary and he found a buyer by themiddle of February. Art had put to-gether a very comprehensive presenta-tion for potential buyers…I was veryimpressed with it…and the rapid

response was exciting.“Art took the reins of the sales

process…he even flew to Memphisfor the first introduction and walk-through by the potential buyer, BillBrickhill. Once it was established thatBill was a serious buyer, we both relied on Art to walk us through themany issues that crop up…especiallywith the involvement of the attorneysand the bank. But I’ve got to say thatArt was always on top of it and wasvery good in communications withmy attorney and the buyer’s attorneyand the banks and coordinating every-thing. I was very pleased with whathe was able to do. It was handled in avery professional way. Then we closedon May 8th, again with Art present tooversee all the details.”

Scope and Timeline OfPurchase ProcessBill noted, “Buying a business is likeworking on a MBA the hard way…areal trial-by-fire. A good business bro-ker can smooth that arduous process.For a first time buyer, having some-one involved who knows the ropes isdefinitely a plus. There’s an amazingamount of paperwork and negotia-tions to get the deal done.”

Post-Sale Activities AndObservationsA few weeks after the closing, C.J.said, “I am quite pleased with what’shappened…the successful conclu-sion…and I believe Bill feels thesame way.”

The sales contract provided that theseller would provide a minimum oftwo weeks training after the closing.

C.J. said, “For a few weeks until the



end of the month, I was there everyday. I’ve trained a lot of people on theoperation of the business in the past 10years and Bill is picking up on it prettyquickly. He has a mechanical engineer-ing background. Customers and em-ployees seem to really like him. I wanthim to be as successful as he can be,and I’ll do anything I can to help him.”

Bill has welcomed the opportunityto “Be Your Own Boss” and has beenable to take a look at the businessfrom a fresh perspective.

Win/Win OutcomeInterestingly enough, when Bill wasinterviewed for this case study, it occurred at closing time for the shopand proved his acumen as a multi-tasker…a key character trait of a successful shop owner.

A broken door lock had resulted inhis need to await the arrival of a lock-

smith, while the tele-phone kept ringingwith customers andvendors calling afterbusiness hours. Sincehe was there, Bill patiently and politelytook all the calls whilethe interview proceed-ed, simultaneouslyturning off work lightsand equipment. He isassured and comfort-able in his role and themaster of his domain.

He commented, “It’snot that owning a shopis so difficult. It’s justthat there are so manythings to think aboutand take care of.”

C.J. has been relieved of the stressful day-to-day responsibilities of the business andcan now enjoy more time with hisgrowing family and exploring otheroptions and interests.

In Conclusion And as for me, now it’s time to moveon to the next proj-ect…and I’m look-ing forward to it.SO


Leveraging more than 30years of experience as bothan aftermarket businessowner and aftermarket technology executive, Art Blumenthal LLC provides business intermediary and advisory services to both buyers and sellers of industry businesses of all sizes. Art is a member of IBBA (International Business Brokers Association, Inc.). For more information, or to initiate a no-obligation confidentialconsultation, visit www.art-blumenthal.com.

Seller C.J. Passmore II (left) passes the business keys to newowner Bill Brickhill.


37 Denso rewards SO 7/31/13 10:03 AM Page 37

I have made quite a few discoveries along the way, so Iwould like to use this article toshare what I feel to be the top7 reasons most shops fail.

1. Pride. There is no ques-tion that pride plays an impor-tant role in a shop owner’s success. It motivates them totake extra steps to ensure aclean shop, properly repairedvehicles and satisfied cus-

tomers. Certainly there is aplace for pride, and all success-ful shop owners have it, butthey also know when to put itin check.

They do so by admitting totheir mistakes, complimentingtheir employees for a job welldone, and as Henry Ford exemplified, they accept thefact that they can’t build a successful business on theirown. The shop owners who are

unwilling to set theirpride aside when it’sappropriate to do soare the owners who inevitably will fail.

2. Fear. As withpride, fear also playsan important role ina shop owner’s suc-cess. The fear of notdoing a good enoughjob for their cus-tomers, the fear of anew competitormoving into townand the fear that ac-companies investing


Shop|Operations|

The Top 7 ReasonsMost Shops Fail

Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with many of thetop shop owners in America. I have met thousands of owners whosimply go about business as usual and then, unfortunately, andunexpectedly, fail.

by Bob Cooper, president, Elite Worldwide, Inc.

38-40 Shop Operations, Business Success 7/31/13 9:56 AM Page 38

in themselves and their employees areall shared by the top shop owners inAmerica. What separates them fromthose who fail is that they face theirfears head-on and take the proper ac-tion to ensure their success.

In contrast, the shop owners whofail are paralyzed by fears, take no ac-tion and wake up to find their worstnightmares come true. They lose keyemployees, their car counts drop andtheir profits disappear.

3. Not realizing whattheir jobs are. Successful shopowners know that the best way forthem to build their business and helptheir customers is by doing what theyshould be doing as business owners: setting company goals, developingthe plan, hiring the superstars, bring-ing out the best in employees andensuring their shop’s success. Thosewho own failed shops typically havebig hearts and can be found underthe hoods of vehicles, chasing parts

and sweeping their parking lots, in-stead of doing what they should bedoing as owners. These are all thingsthat need to be done, but by otherpeople, not by the owners.

4. Not knowing when andhow to invest. Most shop own-ers are quick to invest in equipment,inventory and, in most cases, market-ing programs. These are all invest-ments that certainly need to be made.However, beyond these types of in-vestments the top shop owners con-stantly invest in their most importantassets: themselves and their employ-ees. Whenever I look at the financialstatements of a struggling or failedauto repair shop, one thing is almostalways consistent: there is a glaringabsence of any investment in theirown education or in the training oftheir staff.

5. The absence of systems.Successful shop owners have clearly



defined procedures for answeringevery phone call, writing up their cus-tomers, inspecting vehicles, recom-mending and selling services, perform-ing services, car delivery and customerfollow-up. The shops that fail rarelyhave systems in place. I have foundthat their employees typically havetheir own ways of doing things, whichis a guaranteed recipe for failure.

6. Trying to be everythingto everybody. Most shop ownerstry to please everyone, and, for themost part, that’s good. But the topshop owners realize that bringing inthe wrong customers will drive downtheir profitability, erode morale andwipe out their profits. They know ex-actly who their ideal customers are,and, in turn, target them with all oftheir advertising programs.

The shops that fail are more interest-ed in filling up their service bays, thanbringing in the right people. On theother hand, the top shop owners areconcentrating instead on securing theright people and the right vehicles.

7. The absence of goals.By having clearly defined goals, thetop shop owners are passionateabout their mission, make better de-cisions, do a far better job of hiringgood people, have happier customers and put more money ontheir bottom line. The shop ownerswho fail typically operate their shopsfrom week to week, run up debt andget burned out, ultimately resulting

in closeddoors.

In closing, ifyou want tobuild a moreprofitable, suc-cessful business,you alreadyknow that thereare no guaran-tees of success.The one prom-ise I can makeis that business,as with life, isall about choic-es. If you set

your goals and put fear and prideaside, you can successfully build anauto repair shop that is second tonone. Others have, so I know youcan, too. SO


Since 1990, Bob Cooper hasbeen the president of EliteWorldwide Inc.,www.EliteWorldwideStore.com,an ethics-based company thathelps both struggling and suc-cessful shop owners take theirbusinesses to new levels through one-on-one coachingfrom the industry’s top experts. The company also offersshop owners sales, marketing, and management seminars,along with service advisor training. You can contact Bob [email protected], or at 800-204-3548.


41 Federated Logo SO 7/31/13 10:03 AM Page 41

Owners (left to right): Mark Zaunius, Pat Roell and Willie Contreras

“Together, Willie, Pat andMark have created a greatworking environment.”

–Tess McKenzie, Top Shop’s Administrative and Marketing Advisor

42-47 Profile_Top Shop 7/31/13 9:56 AM Page 42

What do you get when three guys who also happen to be technicians become friends? A highly successful Santa Barbara,

CA-based repair shop.

And, here’s how the story goes...In August of 1986, Willie

Contreras established Top ShopAutomotive in Isla Vita, CA, spe-cializing in Volkswagen repair.After three years of working onhis own, Willie brought onMark Zaunius. With Mark’s ex-pertise in Volkswagen repair, theshop was able to expand andfill two out of the three bays atthe shop on a fairly consistentbasis. Pat Roell, a master techon European and Asian cars,rented one of the bays andopened up his own business,Strictly Foreign. It turned out tobe a “win-win situation,” ac-cording to both Pat and Willie.They sent each other work on aconsistent basis: all VW workwent to Top Shop and all Euro-pean, Asian and German carswere referred to Strictly Foreign.

In 2004, Hans Loesch hadreached out to Willie to let himknow that he was retiring asowner of his shop, Loesch’s Automotive Repair, and offeredWillie his location in Santa Bar-bara. Willie was beyond elated.Hans was his mentor, as he start-

ed out with him when he was ajunior in high school. They arevery close to this day. “It was mydream, as a teenager, to be ableto go back to Loesch’s as theowner since it was the nicestshop in town,” says Willie.

But, it was time to take thenext step: bring Top Shop Automotive and Strictly Foreignout of Isla Vista and move intohis mentor’s shop under oneagreed upon name: Top ShopAutomotive.

According to Willie, it wasthen that these three friendswould become business partnersas well. With their growing cus-tomer base, Pat’s certification asan ASE Master Technician,Mark’s expertise in everythingVolkswagen and Willie’s drive tosucceed, in August of 2004 TopShop Automotive established itself at 177 S. Patterson Ave,Santa Barbara, CA, as an “Honest and Dependable” shop.

Do What You Know,Know What You DoThanks to Willie’s love for all

Shop|Profile|

Top Shop AutomotiveThree Talented Guys And A Successful Automotive Repair Shop


by Debbie Briggs, contributing writer


things Volkswagen —he has a vintage 1966VW 21 Window Microbus — more than50% of the shop’s busi-ness is VW. Pat andMark serve as the shop’shead techs, and they supervise and guidethree additional techs,who have been with thebusiness since 2006,shortly after Top Shopexpanded to its current location. Allfive are ASE certified.

“Together, Willie, Pat and Markhave created a great working environ-ment,” says Tess McKenzie, Top Shop’snew Administrative and Marketing Advisor. “We encourage and sponsortraining, and we hire only upbeat,cheerful and amazing people. Wethen give them the tools and structurethey need to succeed.”

That structure in-cludes maintaining acalendar of local automotive trainingclasses sponsored byTop Shop, as well asworking with consult-ing company, Manage-ment Success.

“They offer onlinetraining and much morethrough a valuable toolcalled Visual Manage-

ment Technology,” McKenzie explains.“It includes real-time video camerasplaced in strategic locations, visualtraining aids for all shop personnel,web-based graphical productivityanalysis and much more.”

More Than Word Of MouthAccording to McKenzie, owners Willie,Pat and Mark know that running a suc-


Back Row: Techs, Martin, Oscar and Jerry;Service Writer, Lou; Second Row: Owners,Mark, Pat and Willie; Front: Administrative& Marketing Advisor, Tess


45 AutoProJobs SO 7/31/13 10:02 AM Page 45

cessful business takes more than justword-of-mouth referrals — especially ifyou want to keep growing.

“When the shop started, back in theday, the only form of advertisement wasword of mouth, and that worked sincethe shop was small and it was justthree guys!” she says. “And the shopstill gets its fair share of new word-of-mouth business through maintaininghealthy relationships with our amazingcustomers, tow truck drivers and otherlocal business owners.” Willie adds that“being a AAA certified shop has alsohad a positive impact on the shop.”

In a world where tweeting and texting seem more commonplace thanface-to-face interaction, businessesneed to adjust to the times — and TopShop has done just that. The shop’swebsite has been updated and is evenmore user friendly, maintaining highvisibility on search engines. The shopalso makes its presence on Facebook,Twitter and WordPress a priority.

But in the end, all the promotion inthe world won’t matter if a shop can’tproduce quality work and meet cus-tomers’ expectations.

“Any shop can promote themselvesin several ways: in person, throughmedia, their customers, etc.,” McKen-zie says. “However, if we’re not per-forming quality work from start to finish, we cannot attract or retaincustomers.” This is very apparent asthe owners all put their heart intotheir work every day they walk intotheir shop. Willie adds, “We hireservice writers who are naturally up-beat in mannerism, with strong com-munication and listening skills andwho are absolutely solution driven.And we couldn’t do what we dowithout knowledgeable, trustworthyand skilled technicians.”

Appearance MattersOperating a facility that’s clean andinviting cannot be underestimated.The front office area at Top Shop fulfills those things and more — whodoesn’t like chocolate?

“Our front office area is clean,smells good and is bright in color anddécor,” McKenzie says. “We offer sev-eral waiting room tokens of our appreciation: current magazines, a K-Cup coffee machine, Hershey’s Kiss-es, cold bottles of water and lemon-ade or ice tea on hot days. Most newcustomers actually comment on usoffering them cold bottled water andhow the shop doesn’t ‘smell likean auto repair shop.’

“I always laugh at that one,”she adds. “Being a new additionto the shop and female has defi-nitely brought a different perspec-tive, especially since 65% of theshop’s customers are women!”

McKenzie says they also staffthe office with the right people— a smile can go a long way inbuilding a customer relationshipthat will last a lifetime.

“The office staff is very much a partof the shop’s appearance,” she says.“Walking into a business staffed withsmiling faces who acknowledge yourpresence is critical.”

And it’s the little things that also helpbuild those client relationships: some-thing as simple as a putting a “thankyou” card with a lollipop inside eachvehicle upon completion or taking thetime to call customers to make surethey were satisfied with their repair.

“It’s all about maintaining healthy relationships: building trust and providing solutions,” Willie explains.“How we manage our customers defi-nitely sets us apart from other shops in



the area. We do thisby being honest anddependable and notoverwhelming cus-tomers by over-selling jobs.”

Being Open ToChange

After the shop moved to its current location, the owners then looked intoManagement Success (mentioned earli-er) for help. The impact on the businesswas nothing short of amazing. Willierecalls the days before then when theyall would be busy working on cars, andthen the phone would ring, so they’dstop and look at each other until one ofthem would answer it! Of course theirwork would always be interrupted, butsomehow they managed to get it done.

With Management Success, the keystep was to assign each of them “ahat.” Willie has the absolute gift ofcharm and chit chat, and was assigned to be the service writer; Pat

and Mark love to puttheir thinking capson and troubleshootany repair issue, so,of course, they weregiven the head techhat to wear. Whenpeople have a cleardirection, they areable to build theconfidence and abili-ty to be amazing.And they really are.

While successfulin their new loca-tion, the ownerswanted to take theshop to the nextlevel — and that’swhere Management

Success came in. “Learning how to successfully

implement management, sales, mar-keting and production processes haveput the owners more in control of thebusiness,” McKenzie says. “One ofthe key changes made was to beginmanaging the business on a daily andweekly basis, rather than waiting untilthe end of the month to see whetheror not the shop made money. Now,adjustments can be made to opera-tions immediately to meet profitabilitygoals. Proactive versus reactive busi-ness management: It works!"

While profitability is always crucial,delivering solutions in the form ofquality repairs is the ultimate goal atTop Shop Automotive.

“We deliver solutions to our cus-tomers,” McKenzie concludes. “Wespeak to them with respect and integrity, deliver a great product andare always striving to be the bestchoice for auto repair services forSanta Barbara County.” SO



And yet, what is commonlyoverlooked, is something morevaluable; so valuable that onceit’s lost, you have no hope ofever recovering it. We all havethe exact same amount of iteach day, and tomorrow westart off with a fresh batch of it.Some of us use it much betterthan others and make the verybest of it. What I’m talkingabout is time.

While we don’t know when“our time” will ultimately end,we do know that each daywe are given 24 hours or1,440 minutes. It’s up tous to make the most ofthat precious time anddo everything in ourpower to protect ourselves from non-productive use of it.

Time StealersEach day, we are con-fronted with a myriad ofchoices as to what to do withour time. Furthermore, each

day we have a vast number oftime stealers that are unmerci-fully ready to take what wedon’t protect. Much like steamrising from the top of a boilingpot of your favorite pasta, oncetime is gone, it’s gone forever.

Identify ThemLike any security flaw, it’s nec-essary to first identify the weak-


Shop|Management|

Time StealersIdentifying And Averting Barriers To Productive Use OfYour Precious Time

Whether it’s silver, gold, platinum, diamonds, rubies or even cold,hard cash, we take numerous measures each day to protect ourvaluable items, some more drastic than others. We use locks, banks,safes and alarms to ensure their safe protection. We lock our homes,cars and businesses in order to safeguard our personal possessionsand the things that are important to us.

by Vic Tarasik, owner, Vic’s Precision Automotive

48-51 Shop Mgmt, Time Stealers 7/31/13 9:58 AM Page 48

ness before putting measures in placeto better protect one’s valuable items.

So, let’s look at some time stealersand see if you can relate to a few.

Lack Of Planning This is when you show up at theshop and the day takes on a life of itsown. You find yourself surfing fromone challenge to another and reallynot getting anything accomplisheduntil after you have put out most ofthe fires.

Suggestion: The best way to combata potential lack of planning is to startoff each day with a list of items youwant to accomplish and consider thatlist your road map for the day. Likeany journey, you may have side trips,but by the end of your day you’recloser to your destination. Starting outyour day in this way will help keepyou on track.

E-mail, Internet And SmartPhonesWow, these can be the “black hole” oftime stealers! According to The HarrisInteractive Poll, the average personspends 13 hours a week on the Internetvia their computer and smart phone.Another recent study by Nokia says thatwe check our smart phone once every6 ½ minutes, which amounts to 150times in a 16-hour day!

Suggestions: Check the Internet andanswer e-mails during down periods.Remember that keeping up withthings on the Internet won’t changetheir outcome.

Also, a ringing phone doesn’t alwaysneed to be answered; let it go to voice-mail and tend to it when you can dedi-cate time to the person who called.

InterruptionsHave you ever found yourself workingon a project and someone stops in



Just because a phone rings,doesn’t mean you have to pick it up.

❉❉


with a “quick question”? Well, itnever really is quick and it can takeyou 15 minutes to get back on trackonce you wrap things up with the per-son who just dropped in.

Suggestion: Have a method in placeto communicate to your staff whetheryou are available or not. At Vic’s, Ihave a sliding sign on my doorway thatshows my availability. If the sign indi-cates that I’m on “Green Time,” I’mavailable for any need. Whereas, “RedTime” signifies that it’s not a good timeunless there’s an emergency. This worksout really well for us and I have sharedit with others who have effectively putthis practice into place.

Phone Calls As an owner, you are most likely offthe counter and your service advisor isordering parts online, right? If not, theyshould be, as it boosts their productivi-ty. As an owner, your phone rings fordifferent reasons. Just because it ringsdoesn’t mean you have to pick it up,as mentioned earlier. Let it roll intovoicemail and get to it when you havethe time. Also, if you want to be reallyfocused, set your phone on “do notdisturb” and you won’t be tempted topick up the ringing phone.

MeetingsWhether it’s with a customer, vendoror employee, professionals spend 5.6hours a week in meetings, accordingto the Microsoft Office Personal Productivity Challenge (PPC) study.

Suggestion: Plan your meeting objec-tives well in advance and set time lim-its for each specific area of discussion.Planning is applicable mainly to yourvendor and employee relationships.

Know How To Say ‘No’As a general rule, if people, customers or employees, can dumptheir issue at your feet, they will. Wehad a customer who needed her90,000-mile vehicle service done intwo hours because she and her familywere leaving for their vacation that afternoon and she had forgotten tocome in earlier. While my answerwas “Yes, I can get you in and per-form the service,” we completed it onour schedule, which was later thanshe wanted. Our customer did not getto leave when she wanted, but herlack of planning was not going to bean emergency on our part.

Because we are in the service business, it’s in our nature to want toplease our customers, whether they’reinternal customers (employees and staff)or external customers. Learning whento say no can be beneficial not only financially, but also when it comes tobeing more productive time-wise.

The Bottom LineIf you don’t guard your time, no onewill. So take inventory of the areas thatneed to be addressed and you willgive yourself more time to do whatpleases you, and take charge of yourday. The end result will be a happieryou and a more profitable shop!

Want to share yourtime-stealing tips?Drop me a line [email protected]. SO


Vic Tarasik is the owner of Vic’sPrecision Automotive, TheWoodlands, TX, a 30-year industry veteran and long-time20 Group member. His 10-bay, 7,000 sq.-ft. shop spe-cializes in customer service, in addition to expert vehiclerepairs. Vic can be reached at [email protected].


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