Making a Difference
Just as your vote had an impact on election results, your involvement in industry initiatives can have a positive effect on your shop’s bottom line and on the vitality of the marketplace where your goal to build a business took hold. Those of you who have reached out to the industry to offer assistance or
Shops that Evolve are Shops that Succeed
There’s plenty to be said about not being complacent. After all, complacency breeds mediocrity. And in today’s competitive service environment, where the name of the game is standing out amidst your competition – being at the forefront in your line of work will bring increased visibility and more customers to your shop. In striving for
Peak Performance
As craftsmen dedicated to the profession of diagnosing, troubleshooting and repairing import vehicles, you know that it’s not so much what you do, but how well you do it, that elevates your shop to the top ranks of your field. Your high professional standards cultivate a loyal customer base, among which you’ve earned trust and
Don’t Underestimate Your Most Proactive Customers
Within our industry, there’s been much discussion and activity lately related to the value of vehicle preventive maintenance, the benefits of car care awareness and the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act (HR 2735) – all of which have a direct impact on the profitability and viability of your business. The latest topic to
Editor’s Notebook: Wanted! All Skilled, Expert Technicians
Newly released numbers from the National Car Care Month inspection campaign paint a vivid image of the maintenance landscape of this nation’s vehicle fleet. And, it’s not a pretty picture. Inspection lanes conducted throughout the country this past April revealed an 87% failure rate among vehicles that were inspected. Concurrently, the number of miles driven
Preventive Maintenance Pays Multiple Dividends
Oftentimes, the difference between winning or losing and succeeding or failing is in the details. If you apply this principle to your shop, you’ll find that you won’t have to search far for ways to grow your business. Take preventive vehicle maintenance, for example. Every vehicle that enters your bays represents an opportunity to better
ImportCar’s 2004 Import Repair Specialist Study
m in peak-operating condition. ImportCar recipients, who represent the repair network dedicated to servicing this specialized vehicle population, are reaping the benefits of the proliferating import marketplace through their dedication to professional, high-quality repairs. Their business data and shop status reports prove it. Featuring the results of a recent random survey of ImportCar recipients, this
Editor’s Notebook
With the month of June comes graduation ceremonies and commencement speeches that are filled with emotion and congratulatory remarks, words of encouragement, and challenges to graduates to fulfill their dreams, make their mark on society and change the world to make it a better place. These “dreams foster goals, and achievement brings success” messages should
Performance Market Hits on All Cylinders
The sport compact modification trend is in high gear, and continues to accelerate by all growth indicators. The latest report from SEMA indicates that sales of accessories, handling and suspension parts, and performance and racing products for compact performance vehicles topped $3 billion in 2003 – a 35% increase over the prior year. Other SEMA
Boosting Your Shop’s Competitive Edge
What are the building blocks of your shop’s success? Lately, have you thought about what factors are directly linked to your shop’s profitability? Such an evaluation will provide direction for new initiatives and put the spotlight on areas where improvements are needed. In a recent survey of ImportCar readers, we asked, “What changes will you
Turn Repair Accountability into Service Profitability
Want to inject some new enthusiasm into your business? Showcase your technicians’ diagnostic skills and repair ability? Boost your shop’s bottom line? Set your shop apart from the competition? Elevate your image within the community? Increase your customer service levels? If you said yes to one or more of these questions, then listen up. With
Focus on Professionalism as the ‘Common’ Thread of Your Business
You’d probably agree that with all of the opportunities and challenges on the service front these days, there may be little time left in the day to work “on your business.” But now, more than ever, working on all of those business fundamentals necessary to run a profitable shop must be brought to the forefront