Things you learn whilst conferring with the other Wizards…

First, switch everything on in fifteen minute increments based upon electrical demand. That means moderate the way you “wake” the shop up. Why? Because there really is such a thing as a “Demand Penalty.” At least, there is in Ohio which means it would be prudent to check and see if there is one here. If there is, you are penalized when your usage spikes over a certain point in the demand curve: penalized as in a dollar-based penalty!

Who knew!

I’m going to check and if there is such a thing here in the Land of Fruits & Nuts, and if there is you can bet the computers will come on first. Then, the lights fifteen minutes after, and then the compressors fifteen minutes after that. One of the other Wizards, one with three stores, managed to save $10 per day per store! That’s almost a thousand dollars… Not bad for exercising a little self-restraint, especially when you are there forty-five minutes before the first employee shows up anyway!

There were lots of other tricks and tips: ways to save money and ways to make it work for you – and, I mean you as a motorist – more effectively.

I’ll be looking at most of them over the next few weeks, so don’t be surprised if you find them here. I’d like your opinion if you’d be willing to share because most of the changes we are going to make are designed to make your experience here more tolerable if not more pleasant.

On another note, Oz was wonderful, albeit too damned cold and the balloon ride back to Simi was relatively smooth, although too long. But, more about that another time.

I’m sitting here staring at the screen wondering what, if anything, I should write about.

It isn’t that there isn’t anything to write about. There is… Too much, in fact. Especially, today. And, therein lies the problem. It’s the what, not the if!

It’s not a matter of sharing what happened at the shop or within the automotive service industry as it is a matter of how far I am willing to let you in. How much is it reasonable to share? After all, are we sure you are really interested in what’s going on behind the curtain on the other side of the service counter, or is it just a matter of making polite conversation?

For instance, today was President’s Day and we started the day with a full schedule. This is a ‘good‘ thing, something we work hard to ensure. Holidays like President’s Day allow our educators and government workers and anyone else who has the day off to get their vehicles in while they are off and we are working. In essence, a perfect plan if the work involved matches the time allotted.

But, too often, God laughs when man plans, and if today was any indication: God was hysterical!

The phones were ringing and people were coming in even as we were unlocking the doors. There were messages on the answering machine requesting call-backs for additional appointments and people waiting in the waiting room. Everything was as it should be… Or, was it?

I had already received a call from one of our technicians who was stuck out of town – Yes, car trouble!

Seems somehow poetic, doesn’t it? A professional technician stuck on the road with a broken car!

Now, our three-technician shop is a two-technician shop, at least until one o’clock in the afternoon when Javier is due to return.

In the meantime, we’re writing service, documenting client concerns, ordering parts and trying to figure out how we are going to complete twenty-four hours worth of work (3 technicians X 8 working hours = 24 tech hours) with sixteen-hours worth of technicians (2 technicians X 8 working hours = 16 tech hours).

That was before I looked up, realized it was 8:30 in the morning and Bob hadn’t come in yet. I should preface the fact that I had this revelation recognizing that just about everyone here was surviving various levels of the latest flu that was going around. Well, Bob didn’t escape it either.

Twenty-four hours worth of work: one technician: eight hours… Well, maybe, ten… Or, twelve… Or…

That’s when, as a leader, you reach for the Bosun’s Whistle and call: All Hands on Deck!

The great joy, the incredible confidence that comes from surrounding yourself with great people cannot be over emphasized. We: Bob, Frank, Javier, Steve (And, me…) have been together forever… The ‘New Guy’ has been here for over six years. That means that we know each other and know each other well. Even the porters are extremely well-trained. That kind of experience and discipline is the backbone of our shop and when trouble comes; even when it comes in buckets, we don’t panic! At least, not a lot!

We take a deep breathe, figure out what we can reasonably expect to accomplish and then get to business of getting it done. Everyone pitches in. Everyone helps out. Everyone does whatever they can do to get it done.

Sure, there is stress – It’s always stressful when you have to call a client with disappointing news: “I’m sorry. No one came in today and as a result, your car or truck won’t be ready when promised. We hope it won’t be too inconvenient. And, if it is, is there anything we can do to mitigate that inconvenience.”

The amazing thing is that between all of us pitching in we got a good chunk of those twenty-four hours done… and, done right, I might add!

But, I’m not sure I’m ready to share just exactly how we managed to do that! It’s one of those: To write… Or, not to write! issues: a Trade Secret of sorts.

Or, at the very least: a Schneider’s Automotive secret!

I actually wrote and posted this to my other blog site earlier today, but felt it was really appropriate to this site as well. So, here it is…

I just got off the phone following a twenty minute interview conducted by a Vice President at one of the nation’s (The “world’s,” actually…) largest and most respected public relations companies. The interview was focused on our experience with TMPS – I know, it sounds like the interview was all about really ‘cranky’ tires. But, it was really about what you know about these highly sophisticated Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems and how what you know impacts what we do in the field: “We” being the repair community.

To tell you the truth, while interesting from a philosophical or theoretical point of view, or on the basis of the marketing program it will ultimately generate – there was nothing all that extraordinary about the interview with one small exception, and that exception was a sliver of insight I was able to garner, a glimpse of what success in our relationship should really be all about… from your perspective: the only perspective that matters.

If my experience has taught me nothing else, it has taught me that the only way you can make anything automotive ‘relevant’ to a vehicle owner is to demonstrate that it is ‘meaningful.’ The interview I just completed helped me clarify that; perhaps, even quantify it more than anything I’ve ever done: especially, when it comes to anything even remotely ‘technical.’

It’s really all a matter of three questions, maybe four. The first question should be the most obvious: What does ‘it,’ whatever ‘it‘ might be, mean? And, that should translate to: What does it mean… to me! How will it impact me: economically, from the standpoint of safety, as a matter of inconvenience, et al.

If this is relating to a warning lamp, noise or a potential  mechanical problem, the second question is or should be: How will I know? That question is really all about how to tell if there is something going wrong before it actually fails and really goes wrong.

The third question is really a two part question: What do I do about ‘it:’ whatever ‘it‘ might be? And/or, what do I do to avoid ‘it‘ altogether.

The fourth questionis, if there really is a fourth question, is: How will all or any of this impact me (meaning you)?

I’ll be exploring these and other questions over the next month or so if for no other reason than to help me find better, more appropriate, more meaningful, more relevant ways to help you.

If you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to let me know. Like the computer in your car or truck, this will work better if the communication is bi-directional. But, we can talk about that later!

Unlike the other writing I am involved with, this blog is attached to my website which means that most of the people exposed to it will be motorists (civilians) like you, and not a part of the service industry like me.

Realistically, I’m not sure how many “civilians” know or really understand the lengths to which their independent automotive repair shop owner is willing to go on their behalf. Frankly, half the time I’m not sure anyone really cares. Nor, am I sure you really want to know.  But, the thought just occurred to me that this forum could be used to help expand that understanding for anyone interested in seeing what the wonderful world of broken cars looks like from the other side of the service counter.

This offers a unique opportunity to share a glimpse of my world with you; a world you rarely get to see. After forty-four years, I know it is a world the majority of you are unfamiliar, if not totally uncomfortable with: and, I’m not sure I blame you.

Automotive service and repair has become increasingly more and more sophisticated over the years beginning with the introduction of electronics in the early 70’s. Electronics were followed by computer controls (beginning in 1978 & 1979), and the rest as they say is history. The end result is a passenger fleet of cars and trucks that run longer, cleaner and more efficiently than anyone could ever imagined possible just thirty short years ago today.

The drawback?

Vehicle service, maintenance and repair are all more important… and, more expensive than anyone could have imagined either. This, coupled with the fact that for most of us – any automotive service is almost always unbudgeted, and you have the recipe for an almost perfect anxiety and frustration soufflé’!

Since most people are unprepared when they venture into our world: the Wonderful World of Broken Cars and Broken People – we’ll talk more about the ‘Broken People’ part another time – a little insight into what happens on my side of the service counter after you leave your car for service and repair might help ease the pain at least a little.

If nothing else, at least I’ll know I tried…

So, here’s the “deal.”

I’ll write about the things I think you need to know in order to have a successful automotive service experience from time to time, if from time to time you write and let me know what you want to know.

Think it will work? I say, let’s find out…