MAKING IT WORK
Changing Your Image…
munity. The object was to prove to potential customers that they can trust your shop; that you were the shop to call when they had transmission troubles. In the last issue of GEARS we
discussed the question of finding better technicians. Our premise was that the most profitable shops rarely need to look for help because their employees tend to stick with them over the long haul.
What’s striking about these two
issues is that they’re actually two sides of the same coin. One of our 5 recur- ring traits for the most successful shops has been to surround yourself with the best people. But as we saw in the last issue, if your shop isn’t inviting, those top technicians will quickly head down the road. And, just like running a success-
ful shop, attracting — and keeping — those top performers may require examining and altering your attitudes. I once worked for a company that produced automotive training and mar-
38
as an Employer O
ver the last few years we’ve looked at ways to improve your image within the com-
“The good news is that, generally
speaking, many of those changes are fairly easy and not very expensive.”
keting programs. We had a great reputa- tion and a terrific following. But when a potential customer came in for a “show-and-tell” to see what we had to offer, the brass would talk about the equipment and the facilities. The employees were viewed as an extension of their keyboards instead of the key to our success. I probably don’t have to tell you
that it wasn’t long before we all headed elsewhere. One by one we left for greener pastures. Today that compa- ny is just a memory: They sold off their inventory and equipment, and the building that once hummed with activ- ity is now rented for office space.
by Steve Bodofsky
members.atra.com www.atra.com
In the January/February 2012
GEARS, I wrote an article called Respect: The Other Paycheck. The premise was that employees rarely leave a job over pay; they leave — or stay — because of respect. If you don’t show your employees respect, they won’t hang around long, no matter how well you pay them. The thing about respect is, you
can’t fake it. Either you feel it or you don’t. If you respect your employees, it’ll be obvious by how you treat them, the way you talk to them, and the con- ditions you provide for them. If you don’t respect them, all the bogus smiles and phony platitudes won’t hide it; it’ll be there for all to see. Of course, there are some changes
you may need to make to your shop and your management style that’ll help reinforce that new attitude. The good news is that, generally speaking, many of those changes are fairly easy and not very expensive. So let’s take a look at a few things you can do to redefine your shop from your employees’ perspec- tives.
1. Clean Up; Fix Up — Last time we talked about having a look around
GEARS August 2012
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68