Jeff Stankard
Publisher’s Perspective: 85% of Vehicles Need You Right Now

If you’ve been in this business for a while, I’m sure you’re aware of National Car Care Month and have probably participated in a vehicle check-up event (where you do free vehicle inspections in a parking lot or fire station). With roughly 150,000 independent shops across the country, how many vehicle check lane events do

Perspective: 85% of Vehicles Need You Right Now

If you’ve been in this business for a while, I’m sure you’re aware of National Car Care Month and have probably participated in a vehicle check-up event (where you do free vehicle inspections in a parking lot or fire station). With roughly 150,000 independent shops across the country, how many vehicle check lane events do

Publisher’s Perspective, Competition for Tomorrow’s Technician Intensifies

Here’s the headline in my local paper, “Construction skills in high demand. Industry intensifies recruiting of high schoolers.” The article goes on to say that many trade groups and employers are actively recruiting high school students to fill the growing need for plumbers, bricklayers, drywallers and other traditional trades. But it should be no surprise

Publisher’s Perspective: Competition for Tomorrow’s Technician Intensifies

Here’s the headline in my local paper, “Construction skills in high demand. Industry intensifies recruiting of high schoolers.” The article goes on to say that many trade groups and employers are actively recruiting high school students to fill the growing need for plumbers, bricklayers, drywallers and other traditional trades. But it should be no surprise

Perspectives: Competition for Tomorrow’s Technician Intensifies

Here’s the headline in my local paper, “Construction skills in high demand. Industry intensifies recruiting of high schoolers.” The article goes on to say that many trade groups and employers are actively recruiting high school students to fill the growing need for plumbers, bricklayers, drywallers and other traditional trades. But it should be no surprise

A New Tool to Keep You Up to Date

Do you have Internet access at your shop? If so, is the computer with Internet access in a location so your techs can easily use it to find technical repair information? I hope the answer to both of these questions is yes, but I know it isn’t. Nonetheless, the computer remains a viable tool in

A Reminder to Improve Customer Communication

Do you send reminder cards to your customers to let them know when it’s time to have regularly scheduled maintenance performed on their vehicles? Do you send them birthday or Valentine’s Day cards? Do you send them a note to remind them that their driver’s license will be expiring? When they are in for service,

Is More Traffic Headed Your Way?

There has been a lot written in the last couple of years in business-to-business OEM and aftermarket magazines about how the car companies and car dealers are looking to increase service business at the dealerships. This focus on increasing activity in the bays is the result of improvements in the quality of vehicles that has

Hansa Motors: Do What You Love, Love What You Do

Is More Traffic Headed Your Way?

How’s Business?…Overall, Business Looks Good

The signs that business will be good in 2005 continue to be apparent from the shop owner level. Optimism among repair shop owners remains as high as it’s ever been during the five years we’ve been tracking this data. Typically the busiest months for most shops are June, July and August and the survey results

Taking the Word ‘Customer’ to a Higher Level

I always remember as a child my mother telling me to keep my room clean or to put the toys away in the family room. The reason for keeping the house extra clean was to make the place look nice because we were having guests come to visit. A couple weeks ago, I was at