Photo by Kenny Eliason On Unsplash

The auto repair industry has seen big shifts over the past few decades. Technology evolves, as customers become more tech savvy. The online marketplace dominates. The strategies needed for marketing your auto repair shop have also had to adapt. How do you get the wheels turning to effectively market in this combative landscape?

At You Net Results, we have coached and guided auto repair shop owners just like you to success. This blog will shed light on some effective marketing strategies. These will work for  your auto shop, so read on.

1. Marketing Your Auto Repair Shop – Understand Your Target Audience

Before you jump in and try any marketing strategy, you first need to understand who your customers are. Are they millennials who are looking for quick fixes? Or are they families needing regular repairs? When you know who your target audience is, then you can create a message that speaks directly to them.

2. Strengthen Your Online Presence

This is the digital era. For any business, having a robust online presence is no longer just optional. Marketing on the Internet always involves a two pronged strategy:

• Website Optimization: Ensure that your website is both user friendly and optimized for mobile devices. Pack your site with valuable auto repair tips. Use industry specific keywords naturally in order to improve your search engine ranking.
• Social Media Engagement: You need to create pages for your shop on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter). Post regularly about your services and promotions, as well as customer testimonials. Engaging visual content can work wonders for you here.

3. Offer Promotions and Loyalty Programs

Promotions work great for attracting new customers. Loyalty programs, on the other hand, retain existing ones. Offer customers discounts for referrals. Setting up a points based system where your loyal customers can earn rewards is also a great idea.

4. Seek Reviews and Testimonials

Positive reviews on platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, and even your own website can really boost your credibility. Remind your satisfied customers to leave you a review online. Just make sure you always address negative feedback both promptly and professionally.

5. Marketing Your Auto Repair Shop by Hosting Workshops or Webinars on Zoom

Knowledge is a powerful marketing tool, so why not invite your valued clients to in person workshops or online webinars via Zoom? Share your expertise about basic car maintenance, understanding car parts, and safe driving tips. This will position your auto shop as a thought leader in the industry. You can educate your audience, all the while also building trust with them.

6. Local Advertising and Community Involvement

Never, ever count out the timeless power of local ads! Posting billboards, recording local radio ads, or sponsoring a community event can reinforce your presence in your area. The act of growing goodwill in your community is never a bad thing!

7. Network with Related Businesses

Why not forge partnerships with businesses similar to yours? When you work together with car dealers, car washes, or even gas stations, the cross promotional opportunities can be huge. There is likely a local business owners group in your area you can join, if you don’t already have strong bonds with other owners.

8. Set Up A Referral Program

Word of mouth is still one of the most potent forms of marketing going. You must give your current customers a reason to refer their family and friends. A simple discount or a free service can be tempting to anyone you offer it to.

9. Stay Updated with Industry Trends

The auto repair industry evolves, just like all others. Staying on top of trends, tools, and technology positions your shop as both innovative and up to date. Plus, adopting the latest techniques in your services can serve as a unique selling point.

10. Measure, Analyze, Repeat – Marketing Your Auto Repair Shop

Lastly, you should always track how effective your marketing strategies are. Use free tools such as Google Analytics to understand website traffic. Meta Insights gauge your shop’s social media engagement on Facebook and Instagram. When you carefully study that data, you can then tweak your strategies in order to get better results.

Marketing Your Auto Repair Shop – What’s Next? 

Marketing your auto repair shop effectively is not just about drawing in a crowd. It is also about building trust and displaying your skills. Most importantly, though, it means more repeat business for your shop. As the old the saying goes, it is not just about working hard. It is also about working smart. Effectively marketing your auto repair shop requires mixing both traditional and modern strategies. It is all about knowing your audience, while positioning your shop’s brand. Only then can you provide your customers a genuine value.

Have you ever found yourself at a fork in the road? Perhaps you were not sure how to market for your auto repair shop? Just remember that our expert help is just a click away. We are here to guide you every step of the way.

You Net Results Is Here For You!

Contact You Net Results today, so we can help you start the process. Book a free consultation. Brian Gillis and his team will help you create the best marketing strategy for your auto repair business. When you build up trust and showcase your skills, you will ensure repeat calls. Let’s work together and make this the absolute best month of your business life!

As business coaches for auto repair shop owners, we have seen so many shops ignore one crucial aspect. That is measuring their processes. Precision helps shop owners find issues and reduce costs. The bottom line is that measuring systems improves your efficiency. This article stresses gauging your auto repair systems, so let’s dive in!

Introduction: Insights Into Efficiency

Running an auto repair shop comes with its own set of unique challenges. From handling customer expectations to making complex repairs, there is a lot on a shop owner’s plate. However, many shop owners do not know the power of gauging the steps they must take for each and every repair. You can gain many big insights into what you do when you do so. Then, you can make crucial data driven choices by tracking and studying your key metrics.

The Importance of Measuring Your Auto Repair Processes

Listing Your Shop’s Own Issues

When you measure your auto repair systems, it will shine a light on shortfalls that cost your shop both time and money. Pinpoint the areas of improvement by tracking metrics such as cycle time and first-time fix rate. Do certain repair jobs always take longer than expected? That may show a need for either more training or a better workflow.

Reducing Your Costs

Cost control is a top priority for any business owner. This is true, regardless of what industry they happen to work in. Auto repair shops are no exception to this rule. When you measure out your automotive repair processes, it will help you to identify the ways you can save money. Analyze such metrics as your technician yield and your parts usage. Those could uncover many expenses you need to reduce, all without losing quality. This can then lead your shop to big time savings over the long haul.

Improving Efficiency

Efficiency is a vital component to running a successful auto repair shop. Measuring each process will help you identify your holdups and simplify your day to day operations. By tracking the metrics related to workflow and resource usage, you can adjust them in order to optimize your efficiency. This will lead you to both faster turnaround times and increased customer satisfaction. Not to mention you will see higher profits!

Implementing a Measurement System to Increase Efficiency

When you install a measurement system for your auto repair processes, it will require both careful planning and precise execution. Follow the four steps below:

Define What Your Goals Are

Start by clearly stating what your auto shop’s business goals are. What specific outcomes do you want to achieve in the future? Some examples could include reducing your cycle time by 20%, or perhaps increasing the first-time fix rate to 90%. Be sure that you define clear, specific goals so you can guide your measurement efforts.

Select Appropriate Metrics

Choose the metrics that will both align with your goals and provide the right insights. Consider critical metrics such as cycle time, first time fix rate, mechanic output, and customer happiness. Tailor each of the metrics to your shop’s unique needs and goals.

Collecting and Analyzing Data

Establish a way in which you can both collect and analyze your chosen metrics’ data. You may need to use a niche software, but old fashioned manual tracking methods could work just as well. Ensure that the data collection process is accurate and consistent, as well as reliable.

Taking Action

Collecting data is only valuable if you take action based on it. Regularly review the data and note any problem areas you observe. Work with your team to write action plans and make the needed changes. This will help you address shortfalls and improve every aspect of your business.

Benefits of Measuring Auto Repair Processes

There are so many perks that result from gauging your auto repair processes. Here are just a few of the rewards you can expect:

Identifying What’s Blocking Your Efficiency

When you measure your repair actions, you can identify any of the bottlenecks that might hinder your workflow. Does a specific repair task take way too long? Do you have far too few resources in house? Then, you need to address these shortfalls for the highest efficiency.

Streamlining Your Daily Operations

Measure your auto repair methods in order to simplify tasks. This eliminates steps that are both needless and redundant. Optimizing workflow, resources, and communication helps your shop’s efficiency. This will reduce both errors and delays.

Enhancing Your Customers’ Experiences

An efficient repair process creates a better customer experience. Exceed your customers’ trust and foster loyalty by reducing their repair times. Increasing first-time fix rates and offering the best service also help your reputation. Satisfied customers are more likely to both return and recommend your shop to others.

Conclusion: Gauging Processes For Efficiency

Measuring your auto repair processes can both reduce your costs and improve your efficiency. When you track key metrics, find problem areas, and make data driven changes, you can streamline tasks and provide a better customer service experience. Do not count out the impact measurement can have on your overall success.

You Net Results

Contact You Net Results today, so we can begin the process. Book your own free consultation. Brian Gillis and our team will help you to start your shop’s leadership foundation. Our vast network of auto repair shops all work together to build up the industry. Let’s make this month the best month of your whole business life!

By Paradee

The Benefits of an Auto Repair SOP

As an auto repair shop owner, you know a streamlined, efficient process is the best way to succeed. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) are key to meeting this goal. SOPs help standardize processes, reduce overhead, and improve service. All the while, you establish a more positive, predictable outcome for customers. Let’s look at why SOPs are so important in auto repair shops. 

Reducing Costs & Overhead with SOPs 

Each auto repair SOP reduces costs and overhead. You will streamline your processes, thus saving time and money. SOPs also make it easier to train new employees, since they won’t have to learn everything from scratch. Staff just need to follow the established protocols. This can also help reduce mistakes as everyone follows the same process each time. 

Providing Better Service with SOPs 

Using SOPs in your auto repair shop helps you provide better customer service. Having known protocols makes sure that all repairs are done efficiently. When customers know their cars are being fixed by a pro, it eases their minds. Also, if a repair job goes wrong, clear SOPs help resolve issues quickly.

Establishing Predictability with SOPs 

Finally, SOPs establish predictability. SOPs clear up expectations for both employees and customers. This creates a sense of order and consistency. Thus, everyone feels more at ease.

Using SOPs critically reduces costs and overhead. This provides better service and predictability for both employees and customers alike!

These systems are a must in today’s market! Clear, concise rules make training new employees much easier. All the while, you still provide excellent customer service. In order to stay ahead, invest in comprehensive SOPs for your business!

You Net Results Will Help You Start Your Auto Repair SOP Journey

Contact You Net Results today. We’ll guide you in building critical SOPs! Book a free call. Brian Gillis and team will help build your foundation. Plug into a vast network of auto repair shops who work together to strengthen the industry! Let’s make February the best month of your business life!

By Adobe Photo Stock

Lack of employee motivation, poor inventory strategies, and accounting snafus might not seem like they have much in common. However, they can all be silent thieves in your auto repair shop. By that, we mean that they can all lead to big problems when they’re not managed properly.

In this blog post, we’ll show you how to recover from these three silent thieves in your auto repair shop so that you can keep your business running smoothly.

Thieves Identified #1: Lack of Employee Motivation

One of the most common silent thieves in auto repair shops is employee motivation. When employees aren’t motivated, it can lead to all sorts of problems. Poor performance, low morale, and high turnover are all examples.

If you want to recover from this silent thief, there are a few things you can do:

First, try to get to the root of the problem. Why aren’t your employees motivated? Perhaps you have not challenged them enough. Is it because they don’t feel like their work is meaningful, or is it something else entirely? Once you know the problem, then you can start addressing it.

Second, try to create a more motivating workplace environment. This might mean providing more employee training and development opportunities, or offering incentives for meeting certain goals. Whatever you do, make sure you’re proactive about addressing employee motivation; otherwise, it will continue to be a silent thief in your shop.

Thief #2: Poor Inventory Strategies

Another common silent thief in auto repair shops is loss due to poor inventory strategies. You may have a bad handle on your inventory. If you’re overstocking certain items, or understocking others, it can eventually lead to big financial losses.

Start your recovery by closely examining your inventory strategies. Are there any areas where you could improve? Are there any changes you could make to reduce losses? Once you’ve identified some potential improvements, implement them as soon as possible.

#3: Simple Accounting Issues

The third and final silent thief we’ll discuss is simple accounting issues. Believe it or not, even a small error in your monthly financial statements can lead to big problems for your business.

To recover from this thief, review your financial statements carefully each month and correct any errors immediately. You should also consider automation tools that can help reduce errors and save time (and money) in the long run. 

These are just a few of the most common silent thieves in auto repair shops, but they’re certainly not the only ones out there. To protect your business from these thieves (and many others), it’s important to be aware of them and take steps to prevent them from causing damage.

You Net Results Can Help!

Contact You Net Results and we will guide you through the process of identifying, itemizing, and neutralizing your silent thieves today! Book a complimentary consultation. Brian Gillis & team will help you build your leadership foundation and plug you into a vast network of auto repair shops, working together to strengthen the industry! Let’s make January the best month of your business life!

Why Celebrating Your Business Wins is Important

As an auto repair shop owner, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and forget to take time to celebrate your successes. But it’s important to take time to reflect on and celebrate your wins, both big and small. Here’s why celebrating business wins is important.

4 Reasons To Highlight Your Wins

1. It keeps you motivated. When you constantly see the results of your hard work, it’ll help motivate you to keep working hard, striving for even more success. The little business wins deserve celebration, because it helps build a head of momentum. It will protect you against the little losses over time.
2. It helps you attract and retain top talent. If your employees feel like their successes are being recognized and celebrated, they’re more likely to stick around. Furthermore, high-quality applicants will see your business wins on social media. Then, they will look to you as the type of shop they would want to work for. Let people see what you do so well, and let them come to check it out for themselves.
3. It makes your customers happy. When your customers see that you’re celebrating your business wins, they’ll be happy for you. They’ll also be more likely to continue doing business with you. Furthermore, customers want to know their money goes to the best of the best. Showing your wins is a great way to signal that.
4. It strengthens your brand identity. By taking the time to celebrate your successes, you’re reinforcing what your brand stands for. This will help it to become even more recognizable and iconic.

Celebrate Win-After-Win With Business Coaching Through You Net Results

So go ahead and take the time to celebrate your next business wins. You deserve it! Not only will it make you feel good, but it’ll also help keep you motivated, attract and retain top talent, and make your customers happy. All the while, it will strengthen your brand identity. All of these are good things that will help take your business to the next level!

Book a complimentary consultation today! Brian Gillis and team will help build your leadership foundation and plug you into a vast network of auto repair shops. We’re here working together to strengthen the industry! Let’s make December the best month of your business life!

By Adobe Photo Stock

Investing in yourself is the best investment you can make. If you’re like most auto repair shop owners, then you’re always seeking ways to improve your business. The key to success is happy customers who keep coming back, so you’re always working to find new ways to increase customer satisfaction. But did you know that one of the best ways to improve your business is to invest in business coaching?

Business coaching is an umbrella term that can encompass a variety of different services. However, at its core, business coaching is about helping you identify areas of improvement in your business, while providing advice and guidance on how to overcome challenges. A good business coach will use their years of industry experience to give you valuable insights that you may not have considered on your own. 

Why Should I Invest In Business Coaching For My Auto Repair Shop?

But why should you invest in business coaching? Here are three reasons why business coaching can be a powerful tool for improving your auto repair shop. 

1. A coach will help you take an objective look at your business. 

As the owner of your business, it can be difficult to take a step back and look at your company objectively. You might be too close to the day-to-day operations in order to see where you need to make improvements. A business coach can help you take a step back and look at your company with fresh eyes, identify areas that need improvement, and develop a plan for how to address those issues. 

2. A coach will hold you accountable. 

It’s one thing to make plans and set goals for your business, but it’s another thing entirely to follow through on those plans and achieve them. A coach can help you stay accountable by regularly checking in with you and ensuring you’re on track. They’ll also provide support and motivation when things get tough. 

3. A coach will help you maximize your potential. 

A good business coach will want to see you succeed as much as you do. They’ll challenge you to think outside the box, while pushing you out of your comfort zone. This will help you tap into your full potential as a business owner. With their help, you might be surprised at what you’re capable of achieving. 

You Net Results Brings You To The Next Level

You Net Results coaches a group of business owners sharing one goal: to reach their business dreams. We bring the auto repair community together and actively share what makes us all successful. We believe in an abundance mentality and a sophisticated network of process improvements to your daily operations.

If you’re serious about taking your auto repair shop to the next level, then investing in business coaching is a wise decision. A good coach can provide valuable insights, hold you accountable, and help maximize your potential as a business owner. Ready to get started? Then contact You Net Results today!

Book a complimentary consultation today! Brian Gillis and his team will help you build your leadership foundation and plug you into a vast network of auto repair shops. Everyone is  working together to strengthen the industry! Let’s make November the best month of your business life!

Old Sayings; New Beginnings

We’ve all heard the old adage, “you can’t change what you don’t measure.” Ok, that much is relatively obvious. But where do you start? What do you measure, and how do you measure it? Who do you ask for help? Those are the real questions that we want to address when we talk about a KPI!

Asking the right questions in the right way is the key. We are identifying what the underlying items are, which move that vehicle towards the finish line. We all have “distal” goals (long distance goals we want to reach in the future), but we can’t reach them without first setting “proximal goals” (small, easily attainable goals which stack to build a foundation).

What are KPIs?

“KPI” stands for “Key Performance Indicator.” Your KPIs are the steps you list out that you have to meet in order to reach a greater goal. Consider your KPIs your proximal goals, and “double my revenue this year” your distal goal (ultimate future goal).

Identifying the right KPIs can help you break down a monumental task into tiny little bite-sized pieces which you can then easily take action on.

Let’s use “Getting Buff” as a fun example!

Let’s build some KPI for your Auto Repair Shop

So, you want to get ripped, shredded, built, and buff for the summer season?! Ok, easier said than done; that’s the definition of a distal goal, right there! Here is what we really need to do. We need a list of KPIs; smaller proximal goals we can use to get us there!

KPIs for the summer season:

• Establish a budget for a gym membership
• Identify five gyms I like
• Call all five gyms and get price quotes
• Select my preferred gym and sign up for a monthly membership
• Set aside time to go to the gym
• Research workout routines
• Spend my first day in the gym

Now, this is a silly example, of course. But do you see how we broke the bigger goal into tiny little victories that we can check off? Doing this allows us to measure our progress towards our bigger goal. After that, we can produce easily digestible data.

We have seven KPIs listed. If we complete the first three, we can tell our significant others that we are 42% of the way there. So, it works the same for your auto repair business. If you have a goal to “double my revenue this year,” what are the exact steps you need to take to start moving the needle?

KPI and Business Coaching with You Net Results

Building KPIs can be daunting, and we understand that the process can be frustrating. How to start, where to start, and why to start? These are all great questions!

That is where we come in at You Net Results! We make that process easier than you ever imagined. We will help you navigate the complicated world of KPIs in order to get you to your next revenue goals.

Please contact You Net Results today for a complimentary consultation. Brian Gillis and our team will help you build your KPIs, and plug you into a vast network of auto repair shops. We work together so we can make the auto repair shop industry stronger! Let’s make June the best month of your business life!

Photo by Cytonn Photography on Unsplash

Have you ever heard the phrase “Don’t burn your bridges”?

In business, nothing is more important than the relationships we foster. We are all familiar with networking and how critical it can be to success. On the other hand, negative networking can be even more critical. Like any school locker room, hair salon, or restaurant, nothing gets around faster than bad news!

In a worst-case scenario, one soured relationship could lead to an entire network of soured relationships. Your best bet is to treat everyone with equal respect. Good news gets around too, and before you know it, people will be recommending you as the go-to person for mentorship, advice, and service.

Which business relationships matter the most?

This is a trick question; they all matter! Why, you might ask? Because you can never predict or influence how one thing might affect another. We previously mentioned that with the phrase “burning your bridges.” If you outwardly show that you value one person or one relationship differently than another, you risk the chance of affecting things down the line. We highly suggest that you set a minimum standard for how you treat people. That means showing everyone respect. Go out of your way to ask them about their lives and interests, and request their help when you need it.

How do I build important business relationships?

That is an excellent question. It comes naturally for some people, but for others, it is a learned skill. We would like to urge you to look at this sector of your business development like you would any skill. Pour time, attention, and intention into it.

So, what does that mean? That means going out of your way to let people know how much you appreciate them. Reach out to them, ask if they need help, or request their help. Begin making emotional deposits with the individuals in your life; build up that bank account!

Business coaching with You Net Results

You Net Results can help you practice these skills and then plug you into a vast network of like-minded auto repair center owners. Our supportive and collaborative network of shops works together to build relationships and become the best version of ourselves. We do it for the industry because we know a stronger industry means more success for everyone!

Please contact You Net Results today for a complimentary consultation. Brian Gillis and his  team will help you build your business bridges and come out stronger on the other end, bringing you one step closer to your revenue dreams! Let’s make this summer the greatest summer of your business life!

Photo courtesy Ben White on Unsplash

Have you ever played the game “Telephone”? You start by lining up a group. Then, you whisper a sentence into the first person’s ear. They then whisper the message to the next person. The game continues until the message gets to the final person in line, who announces out loud what sentence they heard. It is often much different from the original sentence. Quite the exercise in communication!

At You Net Results, we know this game shows what happens when messages, systems, and processes are undocumented. Just like in the game of “Telephone,” something can get lost in the telling. When you don’t write down instructions, client comments, or repair orders, this is inevitable.

Communication breakdown

In auto repair businesses, it happens like this:

The Customer tells the Service Advisor something. Time is short. The Service Advisor doesn’t write it down, but they repeat it verbally to the Technician. The Technician may also skip documenting it, so they present the Service Advisor with new information.

The Service Advisor then reports to the Customer via phone. More back and forth happens, and then the Customer picks up their vehicle. Later, the Service Advisor is surprised to read the Customer’s one-star review. Why? Communication was not clear. They lost something in the telling.

How can you avoid losing something in the telling?

Do you see how simply repeating verbal information can lose accuracy? It is obvious how the customer felt wronged. How can your team reduce miscommunication? How can they improve clarity?

The answer? Use transparent systems and processes to document all communication. Enter repair issues through DVI reports, notes in your CRM, text messages, recorded phone calls, and other exchanges. When you do, you will reduce your chance of poor reviews.

Perfect your shop’s communication chain!

At You Net Results, we dedicate hours of training to communication. Our coaching sessions help prevent mistakes and lost details. To learn more, contact us for a free consultation. Brian Gillis will discuss your business strategies and ways to improve revenue and company culture.