Repair Shop Advice

Archive for December, 2020

Weirton Tire & Auto Center will keep you on the road!

December 22nd, 2020

Whether you’re stuck on the side of the road with a flat or are just low on tread, Weirton Tire & Auto Center is the place to go for  tires in Weirton, WV. From winter tire sets, to all season tires, to individual flat tire replacements, they will get you rolling! They offer a great selection of tires and brands. Additionally their experienced team will help you make the right choice for your vehicle. Weirton Tire & Auto Center also offers a variety of tire and auto repair services and more! Call the shop at 304-723-1500 to schedule your appointment today or stop by their location at 2408 Pennsylvania Ave.

Carl’s Haddonfield Service is the Haddonfield’s neighborhood favorite for auto repair!

December 22nd, 2020

Carl’s Haddonfield Service in Haddonfield NJ is the place to go to get your car up and running in top condition. Their team has a passion for cars and will treat you and your vehicle with respect. Some of their services include transmissions, engine maintenance and repair, oil changes, and brake servicing just to name a few. Stop by the shop at 515 N Haddon Ave or call 856-428-4222 to schedule an appointment.

Be Wary of Evergreen, Auto-Renewing Website Contracts

December 21st, 2020


Most companies make their money the right way – by making their customers happy.  But there are always a few that find a way to make money off of angry customers.  One famous example was a sunglasses company owner who determined in 2010 that negative reviews led to higher search rankings, and routinely threatened to hurt customers.  (Google fixed the problem shortly after the story became public.)

Here’s another example.  Lately, we’ve been talking more and more with extremely angry shop owners who are caught in “evergreen” website contracts – multi-year contracts that auto-renew forever, with only a short window before the auto-renewal period to cancel.  Some owners never even signed the auto-renewal contract paperwork.  When they asked for physical proof of the contract, they were emailed a document with a forgery of their signature.  Others are given different auto-renewal dates on different phone calls.

The most shocking part of this scam is that these providers are multi-million dollar companies.  Some of the shop owners caught in the scam have found success by contacting their state Attorney General’s office who has gotten back to them to let them know that the contract won’t hold weight in their state.  But for good reason, many shop owners don’t want to fight against these giant companies that could drown a small shop in legal bills, or they just don’t have the time to take on one more thing. So for now the shop owners are resigned to paying to be held hostage by the shady website provider.

What Can You Do?

If you are currently looking for a website provider, or will be soon – ask every provider you talk to if they have an evergreen contract. If they say they do, you should think twice about doing business with them. If you want to proceed, make sure you have a copy of the contract and understand the details of when and how it renews, including if you will be subject to price increases. You may also want to put a reminder on your calendar 45 days before the contract will automatically renew to review how happy you are with your website provider so that you ensure you give yourself a chance to make a change in the window in which you can tell them that you aren’t renewing.

If you are uncertain if you are locked in a contract with your current website provider – contact them to ask. You may be as happy as can be right now, but it’s going to be to your benefit to understand the specific provisions of the contract and when your mandatory annual renewal date is. If you decide you want to review your happiness level with their service before your next renewal, you will now know when your window will be for doing so. Don’t be surprised if they stonewall you or take a while to reply to your requests for the contract. We’ve seen that happen especially when the renewal date is closing in.

If you are a hostage in an evergreen contract with an expiration date a long ways out – you do have options. We certainly can’t give legal advice, but as we mentioned above we’ve heard from shop owners who have been successful by sharing the contract with their state’s Attorney General’s office. If you have a lawyer friend, ask them to take a look at it. Some states have laws against evergreen contracts in certain industries or require the provider to notify the customer when the contract is set for renewal. Some shop owners have just stood up against the bullying of the larger company and told them they were done and moved on without paying another cent. And remember, with things like Google Reviews, Yelp, the Better Business Bureau, Facebook, etc. you have a forum to voice your displeasure. By using those opportunities, you can build leverage to get the result you are looking for.

In the website business, it takes time for customers to become profitable.  But we can’t imagine forcing unhappy customers to stay with us.  It’s not good for business, and it’s certainly not good for employee morale. Just imagine what these companies’ customer “service” teams have to deal with each day.  We bill in 90-day increments, and we don’t do long-term contracts.  You can call to cancel anytime. 

Stay safe – and be careful who you do business with!

To learn how Repair Shop Websites can help you get more customers to your shop, without a contract, call us at 866-665-1605 or email us at Team_RSW@RepairShopWebsites.com.

Tom’s Alignment Center is Bozeman’s Go-To Repair Shop

December 16th, 2020

Although the name will tell you what they’re known for, Tom’s Alignment Center in Bozeman can do it all when it comes to car repair – they’re Bozeman’s one-stop shop for everything from brakes, to electrical to tires and yes alignments. They’ve been a part of the Bozeman community for decades and are experts at all things car repair. Stop by the shop today at 116 N Black Ave or call 406-587-1011 to schedule an appointment.

 

Leo Jacks Automotive LLC provides the best auto care in Oakland Park FL

December 16th, 2020

The experts at Leo Jacks Automotive LLC know that your car is important to you. From tune-ups and regular maintenance to major repairs, they are the premiere shop in Oakland Park FL for all your car repair needs. Additionally Leo Jacks Automotive LLC’s highly trained technicians can perform scheduled services and complete repairs using factory level diagnostic equipment. Call 954-493-9508 to schedule your appointment or visit them at 4421 NE 6th Terrace today. 

Recruiting Auto Repair Techs? It Helps to Have Family.

December 16th, 2020

If you’re looking to hire an automotive technician, you’ve got a hard job.   And unfortunately, it’s not projected to get better any time soon.  There has been a shortage of new technicians entering the field since at least 2012, ensuring a tight market for years to come.

The best shop owners and managers are doing more than just taking advantage of any hiring opportunities they get – they’re also doing what they can to keep their current employees at the shop as long as possible.  Fortunately, you can do both if everyone knows that your team operates like a family.

Last year, Harvard Business School did in-depth research on the best places to work in America, trying to figure out how great employers see things so differently from other companies.

Some of the biggest differences they found between average companies and great employers were things that you’d expect from a company that views its employees as family members.  Putting people first when it really matters.  Giving employees time to pursue their interests in the course of their job.  Encouraging employees to be themselves, and to be comfortable at work.  Encouraging employees to care about co-workers beyond their job duties.

These aren’t things that franchises or chain dealerships can do easily.  Most corporations pursue quarterly profits above all – that’s what the company’s shareholders expect.  They want employees to work only on tasks that fit their job description, so they can hire a replacement to do the exact same thing when someone leaves.  They often don’t encourage employees to care about each other beyond work – people come and go so quickly that it’s not always worth the effort to invest in each other.

The traits that make a great place to work are the cornerstones of independent shops, where shop owners and managers are focused on their relationships with customers, employees and suppliers.  But they’re just afterthoughts once your company gets so big that individual location managers are focused on hitting the numbers handed down by operations, finance and HR.

Growing a Family

So, if you want hiring to be less of a problem going forward, don’t worry about having the best benefits package or highest salaries. Those things might get employees to take a new job, but they won’t keep them there if they aren’t happy.  Instead, make sure your employees know that when they come into work they’re with family.  Here are a few examples of how to do that.

  • When you know an employee is facing a personal hardship, don’t just offer schedule flexibility, help them get what they need to make it through to the other side.
  • Figure out how each of your employees wants to grow professionally.  Make sure to dedicate some time and money to training them to grow in that area. Then find ways to use those skills to grow your shop or offer new services.
  • Hire positive people who want to make others happy and encourage them to do that by being themselves.  It’s easy to tell when employees are happy and comfortable where they work. It’s even easier to tell when an employee is “grinding the day away” until they can get back home, especially for customers.
  • Encourage your employees to learn about each other, spend time together and care enough about co-workers to help them succeed.  Try to avoid hiring loners or overly self-interested staff members, even if they’re great at what they do.
  • Make sure that each of your employees knows of at least a few times that you invested in them and their happiness or success even when there wasn’t an obvious financial reason for the business to do it.

These things are what keep employees where they are.  When that sky-high salary offer inevitably makes its way to your best employee, they might really want to take it.  But if they feel at home in your shop, they probably won’t.  Because it’s hard to leave family behind.

We recently featured a shop owner on our podcast who has had a great deal of success in recruiting and hiring technicians by taking a very modern approach. Please listen to Recruiting and Hiring Technicians with a Successful Shop Owner.

To learn how Repair Shop Websites can help your auto repair shop earn more customers, call us at 855-294-6397 or email us at Team_RSW@RepairShopWebsites.com.

Come to Accurate Automotive & Mechanical for all you car needs

December 15th, 2020

Fort Collins CO area Accurate Automotive & Mechanical is the place to go for all of your car repair needs. All repairs are carried out by their certified, expert technicians, and they have years of experience. They do everything from oil changes to a complete engine overhauls. For instance, they use high-tech diagnostic equipment to guarantee your vehicle is repaired. Additionally, they only use the highest quality replacement parts, filters, oils, and components. Call the shop at 970-221-1415 for an appointment. You can also visit them at 108 Racquette Dr. Suite 2B today.

Fletcher Car Care is Your One-Stop Shop in Fletcher NC

December 11th, 2020

Fletcher Car Care is the place to go to get your car up and running in top condition if you’re south of Asheville. Owner Dane has a passion for cars and will treat you and your vehicle with respect. Some of their services include transmissions, engine maintenance and repair, oil changes, and brake servicing just to name a few. Stop by the shop at 38 Heritage Park Drive or call 828-650-0974 to schedule an appointment.

Premier Auto Service is Erie’s Friendly Auto Repair Expert

December 9th, 2020

Premier Auto Service is a full-service auto repair company located in downtown Erie, Pennsylvania. Locally owned and operated for over 52 years, they have been providing the community with comprehensive auto repair services, fair prices and quality workmanship.
At Premier Auto Service, they believe in giving exceptional customer service and ultimate customer satisfaction. They work on all makes and models of vehicles. Locally owned and operated, they make certain your vehicle is in top working condition. Trust their expert technicians for car care services, brake service, transmission service, undercar services, heating/cooling, electrical, engine services, diagnostics and more. Call 814-453-2277 to schedule an appointment or stop by the shop at 410 W 12th Street in Erie today!

S.A. Automotive is Denver’s Friendly Expert Mechanic

December 8th, 2020

Get honest, expert, auto repairs and professional service in Denver Colorado today at S.A. Automotive, Inc. Whether you need your brakes serviced, A/C or heat repairs, oil changed, battery replaced or other auto repairs, S.A. Automotive, Inc. in Denver is there to help. Save time by calling 303-934-3705 to schedule an appointment or just stop by at 6101 East Evans Avenue and drop your vehicle off at our repair shop.