Google
 
Web AtlasDataSystems.com

 

   

   

   
   
   

   


 

 

 

 

GarageAdministratortm Platinum - Ray's Keys To Success

 

Key No. 1: Specialize - Faster, Better, Cheaper

There are certain types of work that each shop is most competent at. Specializing in that type of work helps you get it done faster, better, and cheaper than your competitors. The work gets done faster because the technicians only focus on that type of work and therefore know where all the hangups are. If you look at a labor guide you'll notice that for each job operation there is a factory warranty time that is much lower than the regular time. The reason is that dealership technicians focus on servicing only a few models of vehicles to the point that they become more proficient at it than non-factory service technicians. Thus, they can perform the work much more quickly. The work is better because the technicians know from experience of doing the same type of work so frequently what can go wrong during the repair. While a non-specialist may end up with a comeback, a specialist will know how to avoid the potential problem. If you do work faster and better, it is also cheaper in the end. This means you do not have to pay a technician for doing the same job a second time because that person did not do it right the first time. Imagine the cost savings over a year's time if you could reduce the number of comebacks that occur. GarageAdministrator Platinum helps you track your performance so that you can specialize in the things you are most competent and most profitable in.

 

Key No. 2: Create A Price Menu

If you look at how franchise auto repair establishments operate, you will notice that they have set prices, or a price menu, for the work that they do instead of using a labor guide to estimate each job individually. This is a real time saver since the service writer does not have to spend time looking up quotes from a labor guide. Since the labor guide is just that, a guide, you should also be in the process of setting a price menu for the jobs you perform. Far too many shops quote strictly from the labor guide and end up either overpricing the job which causes them to lose the job to a competitor or quote a price that is too low and end up losing money on the job. Don't let this happen to you. GarageAdministrator Platinum comes complete with a service menu that you can customize to fit your shop.

 

Key No. 3: Upsell Your Customers

It costs money to get a customer into your shop. Do not let that customer get away without selling all of the services that the vehicle requires. Not all vehicles require repairs, however, all vehicles require maintenance. Until the day comes that they manufacture maintenance-free vehicles, you should be trying to get that type of work. GarageAdministrator Platinum has a vehicle inspection form to let your technicians check for required maintenance.

 

Key No. 4: Always Charge For Your Work

How many times has a vehicle come in to your shop and while you were doing the work that the customer requested you noticed a loose or hanging wire in another area of the vehicle? You figure that it is a quick fix so you grab a tie-strap and move it out of harms way. Your rationale for not charging is that it was a quick and easy fix. What you may not know, however, is that if something goes wrong with that wire after you tie it back, you are liable for the repair work that you did even if you did not charge for it. What that means is that if the wire shorts out on the frame, you could be liable for the repairs. Do not risk a future lawsuit and let your customers know that a repair is required - no matter how simple or cheap it is. You are in business to make money and in order to make money you need to charge for your work. GarageAdministrator Platinum includes a vehicle inspection form to allow technicians to check the vehicle for needed repairs.

 

Key No. 5: Contact Your Customers With Marketing Materials

Sending your customers a thank you postcard or letter is a good way of keeping customers as well as improving your relationship with them. GarageAdministrator Platinum helps you generate customer contact mailing labels, postcards, and letters.

 

Key No. 6: Assign Employees To Service Bays

One of the biggest inefficiencies in any shop is having technicians go from one service bay to another, dragging their tools along with them. Keeping a technician with a particular service bay makes it easier to schedule work and stops technicians from wasting time chasing down tools from one service bay to another. GarageAdministrator Platinum allows you to assign your employees to specific service bays.

 

Key No. 7: Schedule Your Work

How many times has a customer pulled up for an appointment that you thought you had scheduled but forgot? It has happened to the best of us. Usually the problem lies in the management system being used. GarageAdministrator Platinum comes with an appointment calendar that allows you to link the customer and repair estimate directly to it. When the customer shows up, you simply click the time slot on the grid where the customer is scheduled and then click the a button which brings up the estimate. It couldn't be any simpler.

 

Key No. 8: Track Your Employees' Performance

In this day and age of computers and databases, there is no excuse for not tracking your technicians performance. How are you to know if your technicians are up to par if you do not track their performance? Think of yourself as a coach on a football team. The coach can help his players become better but only if he tracks the players performance. Maybe a player is fumbling the ball because he is not holding it correctly. So the coach shows him the right way to carry the ball. Problem solved. You, too, can help your technicians become better players by tracking their performance. Look for what areas or jobs are giving the technicians problems and then look for solutions. Tracking employee performance is not for punitive reasons, it is to help them become better workers. GarageAdministrator Platinum has employee performance tracking and reporting abilities to help you be a better manager.

 

Key No. 9: Manage Your Inventory

Maintaining a proper inventory is crucial to any business. Carrying what sells and avoiding items that just sit on your shelves is very important. Knowing what is in stock and what is about to run out is also critical. GarageAdministrator Platinum helps you manage your inventory as efficiently as possible.

 

Key No. 10: Take Supplier Discounts When Available

Suppliers will sometimes offer discounts for early payment. For example, a discount that appears on the invoice as 2/10 net 30 means you can take a two percent discount if payment is made in full within ten days of the invoice date. If the invoice was for $200, you could save $2. While that might not seem like much, it adds up over the course of the year. If you purchase $100,000 per year of items from a supplier that offers such discounts, that means a savings of $2000 per year. Imagine what you could do with an extra couple of grand each year. GarageAdministrator Platinum helps you track available discounts as well as those you have missed.

 

Key No. 11: Think Like A Business Person, Not Like A Mechanic

If you are like many in the auto repair industry, you probably started out as an automotive technician. Being a technician and being a business person are two completely different things. As a technician, you must look to do the best possible repair job. As a business owner, you must not only be concerned with doing good work, but you must also be aware of doing the work in a profitable manner. You can be the best mechanic on the planet but if you can not run a business profitably, you will not be in business for long. Becoming involved in your community, sponsoring a local sports team, and joining the chamber of commerce are just a few of the ways that you can increase the visibility of your business and at the same time let you know what is on the horizon. While a technician's work ends at 5:00pm, your work, as a business manager, has only begun.

 

Key No. 12: Manage Your Business With Good Software

Having a good business management system in place starts with having good management software. GarageAdministrator Platinum is a great way of managing your business without spending hundreds of thousands of dollars for custom-built systems. Use the tools that GarageAdministrator Platinum gives you and you will be on the path to success. Remember that the road to success starts with GarageAdministrator Platinum. Good luck in your venture!

 

The keys to success shown above are not meant as business advice. Your success will depend on your own business acumen. Keys to success are based on the personal experiences of Ray Valentim, former auto shop owner and current president of Atlas Data Systems.

 

 

GarageAdministrator - the right software for your business.


 

About Us    |    Contact    |    Home    |    Privacy Policy

 

Copyright © 2004 Atlas Data Systems. All rights reserved.