Bob Cooper, Author at Shop Owner Magazine - Page 6 of 11
7 Business Building Tips For The Holiday Season

Now that we are coming into the holiday season, there are a number of things you can do to drive up productivity, sales, customer satisfaction and profits. Each one of the below tips worked wonders for me when I was still in the auto repair business, and they are still effective today for many of our coaching clients, so I know they can work for you as well.

What Every Shop Owner Needs To Know About Accountants

In order to build a successful auto repair shop, there are a number of things you will have to do. You will need to have clearly defined goals, a plan, and you will need to surround yourself with successful people. You will need gifted techs and advisers, a great support staff, the help of marketing professionals and business coaches, and a great accountant as well. Unfortunately, most shop owners don’t understand how to find the really great accountants, they don’t know what to expect from them, and they don’t know how to utilize their services.

A Step-By-Step Guide To Learning From Your Customers

As business owners, our best teachers will always be our employees and our customers. They understand many components of our businesses, and, in most cases, they really do care about our success. Learning from our employees is relatively simple. All we need to do is pay attention to their passing comments and engage them during our employee meetings and reviews. Learning from our customers, on the other hand, may take some extra effort.

Pricing, Ethics And The Reputation Of Your Business

At Elite we know that once someone comes into your shop, you’ll do everything you can to generate a happy customer, and make a fair profit. Unfortunately, some customers will put you to the test when it comes to the prices you charge. They’ll tell you they can’t afford the recommended services, they’ll tell you they can get the same service done down the street for less, or they’ll just need you to knock a few bucks off of the price.

What Every Service Adviser Should Know About Selling

Many years ago, when I was still working on cars, I came to the realization that I would someday own my own shop. I also realized that in order to do so, I would first have to learn how to sell service. At that time, I didn’t know how to sell, and I also had

What Your Auto Shop Can Learn From The Insurance Industry

In order to build a successful auto repair business, most shop owners feel they need to sell more parts and more labor. Although both of those items are a part of your business model, one thing is certain: your customers don’t look forward to buying either of the two, at any price.

How To Sell Auto Repair In 2014

As our industry continues to evolve, there are a number of changes you need to consider. Cars are being built better, so they are lasting longer. With service intervals constantly being extended, you will see your customers less often. Here are some tips that can help you be more successful this year when it comes to driving up your sales and customer satisfaction.

Set Your Shop’s 2014 Goals – And Ensure You Accomplish Them

Most shop owners understand the importance of setting goals, but are lost when it comes to the rationale for setting their goals, how challenging the goals need to be, and the types of goals that need to be set. This article will address each of these considerations to help you get your shop on the right track for 2014 and beyond.

Recognize The People Who Work With You

As we start the new year, make sure that you take a moment to take each of your employees aside and give them your heartfelt thanks for being a part of your team. Nothing is more important to the success of your auto repair business than having the right employees working with you, so be sure to give these stars the recognition that they deserve.

With Holiday Downtime, Be Sure Your Customers Have Emergency Contact Information

If you’re going to be closed for the holidays, or any part of the holiday season, make sure that your customers know about it, and make sure that your after-hours phone message clearly states when you’re going to be closed and who to contact if your customers need any emergency service or repairs.

How Much Is Your Business Worth?

If you speak with most shop owners, they’ll tell you that they think their shop is worth “X” amount of money. Ask them how they came up with that number, and they’ll tell you it’s based on what they heard another shop sold for, or it’s predicated on their annual sales.

Shop Operations: Selling Multiple Repairs – Guidelines For Success

In today’s market, service advisors are faced with a number of challenges. One of the more complex challenges is when a skeptical first-time customer comes in for an LOF service, and the advisor discovers that this customer needs a long list of repairs. This is what most advisors refer to as the proverbial “laundry list.”