The 3 stages of becoming an auto mechanic

[fastfredracing]

You can probably tell from some of my recent posts, I'm a little stressed with my job lately .
Have a great weekend fellows ! I am glad its a long one

[masraum]

I think those stages apply to pretty much any job that deals with providing a product or service to the general public. People suck, and there's no better way to learn that than to try to help them or sell them something that they want or need.

[fastfredracing]

Thank you for putting that into perspective, and I agree. And some people are simply great, and easy to deal with . It all comes out in the wash, I guess.
Im starting to dream of retirement, and how to make the last leg of my working life a little more peaceful .
My shop could be a dream job if it were part time
This ain't no recital, you only get one go around .

[GH85Carrera]

Fred, raise your prices across the board, and refuse the crappy jobs. You will reduce the work load, and make more money.

When your spidey sense tingles that the client might be a pain in the butt, fire them, don't take on their project. Try to specialize in the upper end foreign cars, or whatever is the stuff you like to do.

[911 Rod]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Fred, raise your prices across the board, and refuse the crappy jobs. You will reduce the work load, and make more money.

When your spidey sense tingles that the client might be a pain in the butt, fire them, don't take on their project. Try to specialize in the upper end foreign cars, or whatever is the stuff you like to do.

I attended a sales course once were they recommended getting rid of the bottom 10% of your clients once a year. You make the list by profit margins and if they are a PITA.

[oldE]

Part of the problem for mechanics and IT folks is their work is logical, they are drawn to it because that is the way their minds work. Some customers are not logical beings. A tech tries to listen to them and the first reaction is:WTF?
The inevitable consequence is frustration. Or sometimes homicide, but usually frustration.

Best
Les

[Superman]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Fred, raise your prices across the board, and refuse the crappy jobs.

I would consider this if I were Fred, particularly if he is looking at retirement sometime soon anyway, and would enjoy wrenching part time.

John Walker gets to work only on the car projects he loves, and his customers' air-cooled 911s. His shop is about thirty steps from his front porch. I reckon he is one of the smartest people I know.

[Superman]

Originally Posted by oldE

... mechanics and IT folks ...are drawn to it because that is the way their minds work.

Show me a good mechanic and I will show you someone whose brain is an impressive combination of logic and creativity. Some of the strategies they adopt are beautiful in their simplicity and effectiveness.

[fastfredracing]

I could live that same life JW is , if I proceed carefully . That is kind of the framework of my partial retirement dream job . I was thinking about just trying to get to where my building is paid off, and then fk it . Easy street from there out . That should be about 6-8 more years .
I have been turning away Porsche work , because Im so freaking busy with the daily grind of the shop . I have to stay nights, and weekend to do the cool stuff, and I have a young family . That time, I will never get back , so I have pulled back on the project stuff a bit . Its been good to us though. Cannot believe I have made it this far .

[LWJ]

Fred,

I heard this advice from someone who is much more successful than I. And I have not been able to make it work for my business. Perhaps you can.

Become a niche provider. Do one very narrow-focused thing. Do it better than others. Charge a premium for it.

If Porsche work is your thing and your geography supports this, do it. Screw the subarus.

Or perhaps you have a concierge focus. Meaning, you pick up and deliver vehicles. You keep them running. You charge a flat fee monthly. Their car breaks? You have a back up. All at one cost.

There are other iterations that can work. Don't be like me. Be smart. Don't work so hard.

[oldE]

Originally Posted by Superman

Show me a good mechanic and I will show you someone whose brain is an impressive combination of logic and creativity. Some of the strategies they adopt are beautiful in their simplicity and effectiveness.

I would certainly agree with that. However the creativity part doesn't seem to work with folks with scattered thinking.

Best
Les

[Arizona_928]

I've talked to guys that owned resturants... Once you build up the clientele it's very hard to close and reopen successfully. These guys are in the food truck/catering business now. Work when they want to, or obtain the contracts.


I have an uncle that does the mobile mechanic bit after owning a brick and motar shop. Old u-haul filled with tool boxes, and just comes to your house. Has made a comfortable living at his own pace, and really never stresses about jobs... All word of mouth referrals. Does not advertise.

[mattdavis11]

You could simply it so far as to say, all I'm doing is mobile air conditioning. Weed them out if you want. All you need is electricity, assuming you have the other stuff, which I bet you do.

I did mobile a/c out of the 944 in college and half year after. Compressor to flush, an extension cord, and an outlet on site. You might not have the climate for that though. Pick a good paying repair, work it?

[Baz]

Yo Fred.......that cartoon you posted is FREAKING HILARIOUS!

If I ever win the lotto I will take care of all your financials and you'll have more options. How's that my brother?

I'm serious too.

Love you and please keep the threads coming - they are good for the soul!

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by masraum

I think those stages apply to pretty much any job that deals with providing a product or service to the general public. People suck, and there's no better way to learn that than to try to help them or sell them something that they want or need.

For sure. Think of construction contracting, especially the residential remodeling sector.

Originally Posted by LWJ

Fred,

I heard this advice from someone who is much more successful than I. And I have not been able to make it work for my business. Perhaps you can.

Become a niche provider. Do one very narrow-focused thing. Do it better than others. Charge a premium for it.

If Porsche work is your thing and your geography supports this, do it. Screw the subarus.

Or perhaps you have a concierge focus. Meaning, you pick up and deliver vehicles. You keep them running. You charge a flat fee monthly. Their car breaks? You have a back up. All at one cost.

There are other iterations that can work. Don't be like me. Be smart. Don't work so hard.

There is s lot of wisdom to this. Specialize. My dad sounded me on that and he was never anywhere near being a contractor. He was in the advertising business. (He was the model for Don Draper in Mad Men whether the writers knew it or not.) He knew you couldn't be spread all over the board pretty much in any business.

His advantage was he got a close look at scores of businesses when working as the agency for their advertising. He had to know the inner workings to build a successful campaign.

A lot of shops around here do specialize by brand or country of origin.

Originally Posted by Arizona_928

I've talked to guys that owned resturants... Once you build up the clientele it's very hard to close and reopen successfully. These guys are in the food truck/catering business now. Work when they want to, or obtain the contracts.

And there is a lot of wisdom in this as well. Kinda hard to switch horses in the middle of a stream. Better to close up, paint the place a new color and hang a new sign indicating the new 'specialty'. Invest in some specialty equipment and advertise that you have such and such and that you're the closest and best choice for miles around.

Don't even wear the same work uniform. Reinvent. Find the niche or problem that needs to be solved and be the best.

AFA Porsches are concerned, it seems that most Porsche specific shops are just that. And I think Porsche owners are reluctant to drop their car off at a shop that does any Euro car brand or a shop that also does domestic DD's.

That's just not a good image.

[Dan J]

Fred, The business is very tough right now it's not just you
Totally agree on charging more andfiring the shcitbags they're not worth your time
Don't let them steal your time with your family