Shop Ratings – Are you an A, B or C?
Where do you think your shop fits in our over-capacity environment? I think A, B & C shops still exist, I don’t think they carry the same meaning as they did a couple of years ago, but the categories are about the same. An “A” shop was top of the line, a “B” shop was middle of the road and a “C” shop was a small place that performed repairs but not much collision work. Look around your shop right now and see how much non-collision repair you are doing. I would say not much at all, where did the repair work we did five and ten years ago go? No where really, it just does not exist anymore. Cars do not need painting every three years and car manufacturers have engineered away most of the rust. So what do the “C” shops do now? With the help of some shop managers in a class I taught the other night we created new names for the shop ratings. “C” will very soon stand for Closed or Closing, to some this will be a reality check, but in our current environment “C” shops will have to grow to a “B” rating at a minimum or close the doors. “B” now stands for Beware, many “C” shop owners are going to fight for their piece of the market and will be growing in your direction. You need to be thinking about doing what is necessary to become an “A” shop. “A” stands for Acclimating, you need to be adjusting to the changing structure below you. You cannot stay at status quo and believe you will always be an “A” shop. There are hungry “B” shop owners that are accepting the challenge and will grow right past you and quite possibly make you a “B” shop right before your eyes.
I did not post this blog to scare you, just want to get you thinking. I have been in several shops lately and they hold a “Not Me” attitude. I must “Yeah You”, nobody is safe right now, everybody needs to look around and see where they stand.
2 Comments to "Blog"
John Shoemaker
April 25, 2011
John Shoemaker
April 27, 2011