At any given point in time economic circumstances will impact business profitability. At the time there are several significant factors that present challenges to the automotive repair industry. Government policy, inflationary pressures and the United Auto Workers Union Strike together create a difficult environment for auto repair shops:
A well configured accounting system is essential to success in any business and automotive repair is no exception. A business owner doesn’t need to understand the details and nuances of accounting but a basic understanding can help to understand how to take advantage of what an accounting system can provide. The double entry system, balance …
Offering specials in automotive repair can be an effective way to increase sales or market share. There are a number of ways that specials can be offered but the common theme is that they encourage customers to purchase services. Specials can be thought of as an offer of an incentive to buy. Following are examples …
An ongoing challenge in automotive repair management is that of attracting new business with a limited budget. In today’s Internet based marketplace there are several low or zero cost options that can be used. They require some time for setup and maintenance but zero or low out of pocket cost. Following is simple but effective …
Three Low or Zero Cost Options for Automotive Repair Marketing Read More »
The only constant in life is change (Heraclitus – Greek Philosopher). And change in our world continues to accelerate. In addition to the evolution of the business environment in which we operate there are sometimes significant unforeseen events that impact the way we operate. In order to succeed we must continue to adapt and adjust …
The Changing Automotive Repair Business Environment Read More »
Inflation refers to a general increase in prices resulting in a decrease in the purchasing value of money. Economists like to say it results from “too many dollars chasing too few goods”. This writing is intended to be a look at how inflation is measured and the major contributing factors – supply and demand: Price …
Establishing controls in automotive repair shop processes can be a significant factor in business success. Any business has the potential for losses to be incurred where there are openings in established practices. Making controls an integral part of business process design will have a significant impact on avoiding this kind of problem. Following are areas …
The old scientific adage “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction” applies in business as well. In automotive repair marketing, sales and operations – actions taken will elicit results. Marketing actions can result in more business opportunities, sales related actions can increase business volume and operational actions can improve productivity thus stimulating …
People respond to incentives and avoid consequences. In the automotive repair business these two concepts can be employed effectively in dealings with customers as well as personnel. Important factors driving customers when it comes to vehicle ownership are safety and cost of ownership. When marketing and sales efforts incorporate incentives and consequences positive results can …
Utilizing Incentives and Consequences in Automotive Repair Read More »
Making the most of the automotive repair sales process can increase revenue and help to build long term relationships with customers. Auto repair shop owners and service advisors are very good at presenting service and repair requirements to customers and over time they develop and refine their skill set in this area. Reviewing and thinking …
