Out of the Crisis.Org

[Birdsell]

So i'm about to seal the deal at the shop i have worked at for 21 years, owner retiring.The operation makes money i mean a small profit each year.
We have at present 2 techs 1 emission tester , 1 detailer and 3 office personal the owner being one of them.I'd like to know your thoughts on the best way to take this operation into the next 10 years of auto repair.
We have 5 lifts about 1 flat bay and emission test bay.we are on a very busy street have ample parking and fenced in compound, there is enormous potential if direction is taken.

I'm the lead tech and the main earner in the bays, so do i hire a manager?continue to work in the bays? Or hire another writer and i do some work in the bays and manage people.Or lastly hire a replacement for myself and move into manager/writer role.

I'd like any advice good and bad for this life changing experience .

_________________
Scott Birdsell
Technician
Dunsdon Auto Pros
Brantford, ON, Canada

[Louis Altazan]

Hi Scott,

This is a question I have been asked dozens of times and never felt totally comfortable answering. I have also many times tried to put down a written post on the topic, to little avail. To an uninvolved person, this may seem to an easy choice. The outside view is that all owners would prefer to be a manager and continue to grow. Remembering when I had to make the decision, it was anything but easy. A mass of confusing thoughts tend to complicate the choice. There may be as many reasons as there are owners. The following are three I have found common when people wish to remain as a tech.

1.) I cannot afford to pay anyone for what I can do myself

2.) No one can fix vehicles as well as I can

3.) It’s easier to do it myself than to try to teach someone

I used all three at one time or another. I think all infer one main concern; The fear of, “Can I really manage others?” If you make the choice to be an owner, I feel, you will need to become a manager. I can’t see any other route working over time.

Managing is NOT a talent a person is born with. It is skills that a person learns. Just as a good technician can disassemble and repair things that other people would be scared to touch. The greater the technical knowledge and skill, the more self confidence. It was not always that way, the confidence came with knowledge. It is the same with the skills of management.

This is not to imply a person should just jump in and start trying things. The cost and risk would be very high. The technician first needs to learn hydraulic principles, electronic principles and so on. A manager needs to learn a proven management system. Best is to learn a system that is all encompassing, one that can be applied to all aspects of the business.

Technician to manager is not a step, it is a journey. Between the two, are skills to master, principles to learn and different ways of thinking to accept. Be aware also, there are a multitude of shysters, promising all sorts of things and posing as management trainers. There is nothing more harmful than a hack. They not only take your money, they can put you decades behind with bad practices.

Rather, there is a great deal of good information available. Reading and learning management theory is an excellent place to start. Being TOTALLY honest with your staff is another. Explain that you are learning, will do your level best, but need their help and input.

Be careful where you seek advice. Conflicting theories can really do a lot of harm. Seek advice only from people who have accomplished what you wish to accomplish, long-term. The condition long-term cannot be over emphasized. It is fairly easy to make money for a short while, by selling out the future.

Sorry for being so long winded, and I will end with a final piece of advice. The absolutely best thing that ever happen to me in my career was learning the Deming Philosophy. It took nearly twenty years to get where I am today, but I would not trade a minute of it. If interested, please start with the recommended reading list. Also following the post in this forum is an excellent way to progress. My hope is that others will also post their thoughts. Congratulations and best wishes.

_________________
Louis Altazan
Owner/Manager AGCO Automotive Corporation
Baton Rouge, LA

[Birdsell]

thank you for the insight , i appreciate your thoughts.
If i can get off on the right foot i'm away to the races.
Best advice i've had so far, i'm still scared as hell though.

You my friend are 1 in a million , but you did not get there overnight, i feel very empowered by my decision to run a repair facility now i just have to pass that on to my team.

Thank You Sir

_________________
Scott Birdsell
Technician
Dunsdon Auto Pros
Brantford, ON, Canada

[Dave]

Scott,

You need to get some management training and learn how to be a leader. Be careful whom you get training from. In too many cases it seems those that could not do it, are training others.

Communicate with your people what you expect and how you want it done. Give them what they need to do the job, then get out of the way and let them do it.

Decide what type of a shop that you want to be, then do all you can to be that. I would encourage you to have a top notch place. Cleaning up the building, putting on a fresh coat of paint, and adding more light will improve most shops.

Set your rates based on the cost of doing business rather that surveying the other shops in the area to find out their labor rates. Educate your clients as to what you are doing and why. Give them the information they need to make good choices.

Fear is a good thing. It keeps us on our toes and paying attention.

Louis has given you some great advice. If you have not already done so spend some time reading the entire site.

Feel free to ask questions. We may not have all the answers but sometimes it helps to know others have been in similar situations.

Good luck,

_________________
David Wittmayer
Owner / Manager
Hansen Enterprises Fleet Repair, LLC
Camp Verde, AZ
www.hefrshop.com

[Dave]

I reread your post and am not sure that I answered your questions. In my opinion you should hire a replacement for yourself and move into being the manager. I feel you will have too many things to do as a manager to spend much time working in the business. Your job is to work more on the business than in it.

As for what the next ten years will bring, you need to provide the direction. I think that quality always pays, so do the best repair jobs that you can using top quality parts. If you do not have one, find a good shop management program that does what you need it to and use it. Develop systems and procedures to maximize efficiency. Figure out pricing structures so the shop is profitable. I am not saying that you need to do these yourself, get your people involved in helping you, but they are your responsibility to make happen.

_________________
David Wittmayer
Owner / Manager
Hansen Enterprises Fleet Repair, LLC
Camp Verde, AZ
www.hefrshop.com

[Tom Ham]

[Brianbree]

Hi Scott,
I too am in the same position you are in. Ther are days I want to hire a tech to take my place to free me up for management duties however I always seem to put it off. I have found that in my particular situation it is important for me to be back in the bays busting my butt along with my employees. having gone from tech to owner I feel i need to keep getting my hands dirty instead of sitting back so to speak. I feel this keeps my guys motivated. I am fortunate to have good people on hand to help with daily operations like answering phones and scheduling but still seem to be strung out at times. I would take a look at projected cash flows assuming what kind of draw you would like to take and make sure you can afford to add another tech and then i would emphisize team work and delegate responsibilities to key people if you were to stay the main tech. I hope this makes sense I was rather rushed with this.

_________________
Brain Bruesewitz
Manager
Bree's Tire Service
Osage, IA, USA

[Bud]

[Birdsell]

we need three up front at times because of the traffic in the emission testing bay sometimes 25 cars a day plus techs work and some detail work and in the fall we do rust proofing ,getting rid of that after this year, makes a mess and is too seasonal.What i need to do is slow the operation down at times jumping over too many dollars to make a dime. I've hired another tech but the other tech i have now i don't know if he is going to work out unless he changes his ways, too many bad habits for my liking.I'll give him a chance but i need to build a team that wants to succeed as i do.
I won't be able to work much in the bays so i'm better off just to direct these guys and make sure quality control is taken care of as well as above avg, service. Lots to consider this is a huge step for me but i'm ready to dive in head first just hope theres water in the pool.

Thanks Gentlemen

_________________
Scott Birdsell
Technician
Dunsdon Auto Pros
Brantford, ON, Canada