Auto Service World

Features

Jobber_News   Feature Eye SpyNews Oddities

Eye Spy: More adventures with animals
September 23, 2020 by Allan Janssen

  Midas technician Moe LeBlanc in Moncton, N.B., found this picture-perfect bird’s nest under the hood of a 2006 Dodge Ram that came in with a coolant leak. The customer, who drives the truck every day, couldn’t believe it hadn’t…
CARS_Magazine   Feature Business ManagementService Advisor and Selling

Straw poll: What I learned during Covid
September 22, 2020 by Allan Janssen

    By Peter Bulmer We conducted a straw poll recently to find out what lessons people are taking away from the extraordinary circumstances we’re all facing this year.   I’ve learned…   …to maintain a wide array of services…
CARS_Magazine   Feature Business Management

Covid-19: Just the latest challenge
September 16, 2020 by Allan Janssen

By Bob Greenwood Everyone is aware that vehicle technology and business trends are moving forward at a constant pace. Things are changing so fast, in fact, that many automotive repair shops have had to devise strategies to help them keep…
CARS_Magazine   Feature Market Research & Statistics

By the Numbers: Aging technicians
September 15, 2020 by Allan Janssen

  11.8 years Average age of U.S. cars and light trucks on the road in 2019. IHS Markit   9.71 years Average age of Canadian cars and light trucks on the road in 2017 (most recent data). AIA Outlook Study…
CARS_Magazine   Feature Service Advisor and Selling

New study offers tips for attracting tomorrow’s buyers
September 14, 2020 by Allan Janssen

Automotive retailers that are not tied to dealerships have a built-in advantage when it comes to attracting younger customers. Repeated surveys have shown that millennials – those born between 1981 and 2000 – are less suspicious of smaller shops than…
CARS_Magazine   Feature Business Management

Greenwood: How do you measure success?
September 1, 2020 by Allan Janssen

Here’s a useful exercise. If you normally refer to our industry as a “trade,” try replacing that word with “profession.” Not once in a while… but every time. It will be difficult at first, but soon it will become natural.…
Jobber_News   Feature Business ManagementJobbers & WDs

Why all the fuss about tiered labour rates?
August 26, 2020 by Allan Janssen

By Bob Greenwood, AMAM A lot of repair shops still use a single catch-all labour rate. Jobbers who are watching the industry closely know these shops. If you’re selling parts to shops that stick to a single labour rate, it’s…
Jobber_News   Feature Business ManagementJobbers & WDs

Off the Shelf: It’s All in the Detailing
August 26, 2020 by Allan Janssen

Off the Shelf By Susan Hitchon Spending a few days a month with manufacturers’ sales representatives is a time commitment, but it can pay real dividends to learn about the latest automotive products and taking them around to visit your…
Jobber_News   Feature Market Research & Statistics

By the Numbers: Why increased customer retention is such a good thing
August 19, 2020 by Allan Janssen

    5% The percentage increase in customer retention rate that will yield a 25%-100% increase in profits. Frederick F. Reichheld, The Loyalty Effect   49 Average age of technician in the United States. Automotive Training Managers Council annual survey…
CARS_Magazine   Feature New Products

Category Focus: Diagnostic Tools
August 18, 2020 by Allan Janssen

Recently released products in the Diagnostic Tool space include the Autodiagnos Pro Automotive Diagnostic System from Continental; two new diagnostic oscilloscopes from Pico Technology; wifi capabilities for the VT56 from Ateq; a new integration for the ADS 625 from Bosch; and the Topdon ArtiPad…
Jobber_News   Feature Eye SpyLead StoryNews Oddities

Working with… animals?
August 12, 2020 by Allan Janssen

Cam Young of Cam’s Auto Service in Toronto said a 1999 Malibu that limped into the shop had suddenly started shifting hard and the engine light came on. When a technician popped the hood, he found three squirrels alive and…
CARS_Magazine   Feature Lead StoryVehicle Technology

GF-6 designed to protect modern engines
August 11, 2020 by Allan Janssen

  By Allan Janssen A new oil specification that offers better protection for modern engines bring new opportunities for shops to build trust with conscientious vehicle owners. GF-6 oils offer particular benefits to consumers who are determined to preserve the…