Have You Seen The Light?

Have You Seen The Light?

By

Eric Twiggs

You’ll Never Change Your Life Until You Change Something You Do Daily" John Maxwell

"Eric, my tire is defective.  It just went flat on me!"  These words were spoken by my wife after the right rear tire on our Toyota went flat.   I could see the wear around the sidewall, indicating that the tire had been low on air for a period of time. 

I asked her if she had seen any warning lights on the dashboard.  Her response was classic:  "Nothing out of the ordinary except for a light with the letters TPMS. But it’s only been on for the past three weeks."

This got me thinking about my experience in the tire business. 80% of the tires that came back damaged, were the result of a slow leak, and not a sudden impact.  The customer would ignore the small amount of air leaking out over time. 

Your shop is like a tire.   Ignoring the small losses leads to large failures.

Have you been ignoring the small losses?   Since the TPMS light is a signal for low air pressure, I will share some strategies to address the most common "lows” I see shop's struggle with. 

 Low Car Count

The failure to exit schedule is a like a slow leak.  Going one day without scheduling the next service for your customers is a small loss.  Over 90 days it becomes a large failure. This week, I surveyed of some of the most successful shops in the ATI program as it relates to stable car count. 

They attribute a minimum of 25% of their weekly car count to appointments scheduled from prior visits. 25% of 40 is 10, so A location with a 40 car count capacity could be missing out on as many as 10 cars per week by deciding not to exit schedule. 

Low Staffing

The failure to recruit because you are fully staffed is the slow leak.  Each week that goes by without posting an ad is a small loss.  When your best technician leaves without notice, it becomes a large failure. 

Losing a key person and not having a qualified replacement ready, is the #1 killer of momentum in the automotive industry.  It's like taking a road trip, getting a flat tire, and not having a spare in the trunk.  When the tow truck driver arrives, you wouldn't tell him:  "I didn't bring a spare because I already had tires on my car!"

Summary

You may be feeling the pressure, from low car count or staffing, but I have good news.

ATI is your TPMS light!   We make you aware of the small losses before they become large failures. Coming to class, being present for the coaching, and updating the portal will keep your wallet from going flat.   

My wife is living proof that ignoring your TPMS light can keep you off the road to your destination. 

Have you seen the light?

PS.  If you would like information on how to join the ATI program, call 301 575 9120 or visit  http://www.autotraining.net/