Dave Miecznikowski
Forum Replies Created
- Posts
Good to hear Ding. I think you know best where to use that money. One thing I’ve found with newspapers much like the yellow pages is that the ads have become stale and people don’t look at them. I have had success with detail promo’s, but thats not really the bussiness most guys are after. However, after a hail storm or other mass damage causing situation they can bring in bussiness but you have to jump on it right away. It’s a good idea to have the add ready for these types of situations so you can call and have it run that day, if you wait you often have to work with there graphics department, find logo’s or information for them and miss the boat, and your probably already busy at this time from walk ins and don’t have the time to deal with it. Like with most things plan to work and work your plan. Best of luck.
jimmo, I’m suprised you guys don’t have a shop listing for states and providences. This might be something you might think about doing. Another thing to think about with a company website is search engine marketing. This will bring your website to the top of the search engine, but only if it’s maintained. If you think about doing this check with the company about referalls from current users. There are alot of companies offering this and I’ve seen companies at the top of the list for a week and then gone. Once they figure out what keywords work maintanence is minimal. They should still keep on it because competion has been known to use another compaines name example “Jimmo body shop” and “bills body shop” is at the top of the list because they pay for the hit on the competitions name. This can cause lawsuits and many problems. I guess what I’m trying to say is make sure you deal with reputable companies that know what there doing.
Yellow pages and the whole phone book is dead or almost dead. Most people will go online to find a personal phone# and almost always for a comercial phone#. There are much better ways to spend that advertising dollar. There are many sites that list shops for referals and most are free unless you pay for a premiere listing. Case in point, my father is 70y/o and reads his paper online and I don’t think he has touched a phone book in 10 years. If a person his age is doing this what do you think younger people are doing. If you are using a customer info sheet when someone comes in for an estimate make sure you ask the simple ? why did you come to our shop. The important part of that question is to keep that info and find out how you can increases that source or if it’s maxed find another place to drive traffic to your door. I know from previus posts from JIm he is doing this correctly. Hell for $9k you could take everyone of your customers out for lunch during the year and increase word of mouth, I’m not suggesting that but I think it’d be more effective than the yellow page add. Godd Luck.
I can understand the boss’s “kid” not doing it because he knows he isn’t going to get fired, but your regular painter? Does he figure he is on his way out? I think I’d have a talk with him, he might not care if he’s looking for a new job because of the kid. I have no jealousy of your situation, at least in the one I was in the owner knew his kid was hopeless and just wanted to support him. He was always whinning because he wanted to do more important work than clean up and errands but when you’d let him he failed. He at least was trying. When you have someone that doesn’t care and doesn’t get that they don’t know everything is a very different situation. I think you are right in not treating the kid any different from anyone else, I did the same thing in my situation. Funny story that follows with that point. I came back from lunch, they sent the kid to pick up a table with the new truck. I walk in and see the table through the back glass and say what happened. He said “Dad said it wasn’t my fault, I slid it into the bed and through the glass.” my response “How the hell isn’t it your fault the glass is gone, who’s fault is it?” I had elevated my voice alot. The response back “Well, I guess your right I’m sorry I’ll try to be more careful.” Don’t get me wrong he was a good kid and after that he did alot better. He just needed someone to make him responsible, I don’t think he was ever yelled at before. He is still in the field and doing quite well from what I hear. Hang in there Miracles can happen.
I’d let him come in late, hoefully about 10 min. before he leaves for his 2, hopefully 3hr, lunch and see if the leash is set free and don’t say anything he’ll leave a couple hours early. Maybe he’ll only be around the shop an hour total.:lol: Best of luck. I had that same deal but the bosses kid had some learning problems and was partially deaf. He was always messing stuff up but I think it was cheaper for the owner than paying all his bills, even with all the redo’s. He went to school for truck driving and hit a stoplight making a turn. Someone called the cops and he had 15 cars following him with lights on and sirens, he drove for about 10 miles before he was at another stop and the cops grabbed him out of the truck. I guess with those types of school bills and police fines it’s cheaper to screw your bussiness up.
I think jimmo was saying the $ he got for the scrap inside the van, he stated later in that post that he bought the van for $300 and could probably scrap that and make a profit.
I did a ’71 914, 2.0, and still have it. I also did a 944 turbo but my neighbor drives it now. thought about buying it back but have to many toys right now and not enough room. I was told last week no more till I get a garage I can store everything in. So not till after the summer. Been paying for 5 storage units for a year now. If you need help finding parts let me know I have a few connections where I used to get stuff fron door handles, interiors and motor parts.