First question: Of what?
My response: Great question, especially as we welcome the New Year. Like you, I spend a lot of time thinking about industry challenges and potential disruptions. I’m also, without question, overly optimistic. The glass is always, without a doubt, half full.
Industry challenges are always surfacing. Current business conditions and the economic climate, finding and hiring techs, investing in the tools to fix emerging technology on vehicles, employee training, tax season, and the list goes on and on.
My advice, from a glass half full type, is to approach these items one day at a time.
Put customers first is an old, but true, adage and you need to stay in front of them at all times. Proactively communicating to your customers with marketing and promotional programs can always help. Have a website? If not, consider it immediately. Are you active on social media? No, and have no idea where to begin, then call me. I can provide some direction.
Finding and hiring techs is never easy. Consider an apprenticeship program. Staying in front of instructors at local vocational schools will connect you to home-grown talent. Need some help identifying what an apprenticeship program looks like? Call me, I’ll direct you to the closest school and instructor in your city.
Is employee training on your mind? Once again, staying in front of emerging technology requires a commitment to training for you and your techs. Your parts suppliers can provide multiple sources of technical training, and, at your fingertips, of course, is the monthly issue of ImportCar delivering relevant and helpful technical information tackling today’s most complex repair challenges. Are you receiving our ImportCar e-newsletter? If not, sign up by visiting our website at import-car.com. Watch for webinars and podcasts, too.
The point? Staying in front of your daily challenges isn’t easy and can be distracting at times, but there are solutions within an arm’s reach. Call me if I can be of some help (330-670-1234 ext. 280). I do answer the phone.
