Dennis McCarron is a partner at Cardinal Brokers Inc., one of the leading brokers in the tire and automotive industry (www.cardinalbrokers.com.) To contact McCarron, email him at dennis@cardinalbrokers.com.
I know you’ve heard me grumble about technicians performing poor, improper vehicle inspections - or even skipping the entire inspection process - before. Performing thorough inspections can grow your revenue and when done right, will make customers happy.
First, let me take a moment to congratulate every hard-working mechanic, general service tech, tire tech, alignment specialist, sales advisor, store manager, service manager, owner and anyone whose title I didn’t mention who made it to the last few months of 2020.
Woe be to the small business owner who pores over his or her marketing budget every September, October or November in preparation for the following year.
This column is about consumer finance options. And it may ruffle some feathers. I think that offering options to consumers so they can make the best decision for their vehicle, their budget and their situation is great. What I see as a massive opportunity for our industry is in how we offer that option.
Some days, it may seem like you were busier than all get-out, but you didn’t make any money. Other days seemed slow, but you were stunned at how much cash you generated. Sometimes the retail world doesn’t make any sense, does it?
How many customers visit your location once and never come back? A quarter of them? Half of them? More? It is critical that you know that number and who those people are.
The repair wasn’t done right.” Ever hear this from a customer? About 75% of the time, this statement results in the dreaded service “comeback.” That leaves 25% of your customer base that doesn’t even give you a chance to even make things right.
Modern Tire Dealer columnist Dennis McCarron has some practical tips for dealing with the vampires that rob us of time. One example is the “buddy system” for taking care of “drop-in vampires,” i.e., vendors who show up unannounced.
Most independent tire dealers get into the tire and automotive service business because they enjoy fixing vehicles or selling things. Many probably started working for a larger chain or their father/mother/grandparents and got pretty good at fixing and selling, so they thought, “I’d like to be my own boss doing this.” And they scraped together enough cash, took on enormous debt, and hung their shingle outside.
If you are frustrated with your customer’s price focus or “always wanting a deal” type of mentality, Modern Tire Dealer columnist Dennis McCarron has some shocking news for you: Your prices are too low.
Politics. Religion. Alldata vs. Mitchell 1. Flat rate versus any other pay plan. Yes, I’m going there. I want to address pay plans, but not in a way you’re probably expecting.
Why does it seem that on some days, owners can’t peel themselves away from the counter and the service consultants are nowhere to be found? A tool you can use to keep everyone focused on what’s important is a job description.
Every year, you have a chance to be fair to your customers, your employees, and yourself. Earning 10% net profit year-over-year is your fair share, and it’s your retirement. The "industry norm" of 2% to 3% net profits will not be enough.
Dennis McCarron has a challenge for every manager, owner — every boss. He's even made it a double-dog dare: for one week, only point out the positive things your employees do, and keep the negatives to yourself.
A gross profit benchmark of 60% for a tire store is not a myth. Dennis McCarron explains how to reach it, from setting your shop’s labor rates to getting 50% margins on your parts sales.
To 2019, Dennis McCarron says: Bring it. Low unemployment is likely to continue, and while that makes staffing harder, it means more people are driving to work and putting miles on their cars.
Tire dealers are feeling the heat. The big guys are growing bigger. Finding and keeping reliable technicians is getting more expensive. And technology is requiring more expensive shop upgrades. Doom and gloom? Dennis McCarron says no. "It’s not doom and gloom because this is awesome."
Often, as is the case, a tire and automotive shop will employ a store manager. That is what we call the job, a store manager. But is your store manager really a store manager? Or is he or she a sales manager? Let’s look at the differences.
Due to the boom of the internet, social media, and web 2.0, you are competing for the talents with every single other employer out there regardless of industry. What can be done to make sure a young, energized, and ambitious mechanically inclined young adult ends up working on cars?
What really separates you from the competitor down the street is the people in your building. And it’s not what they know. It’s the things you can’t teach. Do they care? Do they listen? Do they act like they want to make things right?