Author’s Note about this series: Operating a shop in today’s world is a challenging opportunity for independent shop owners as well as for the managers of franchise or enterprise level locations. They not only have to deal with an increasingly complex and sophisticated vehicles but also manage through evolving customer expectations. While some are just trying to survive – at ShopPros™ - we want to help you and your business thrive! Success is a journey and along that pathway it is important to a have a few meaningful partnerships to guide your team’s efforts. To learn more about the business planning and performance improvement tools offered by ShopPros™ visit www.shoppros.com.
Running a shop can be an “all encompassing” occupation. It involves marketing your business, ensuring you have the right staff – both on the front counter as well as in the bays, balancing customer expectations, having the right equipment, training, parts supplier, and the list goes on and on. Many times, you can feel overwhelmed and frustrated with any part of these challenges much less all of them combined. The stress of running a dynamic business can definitely take its toll on you personally as well as your family at home – because as an owner of a business - we all know that work doesn’t stop when the key is turned in the door at night. Unfortunately, it gets carried home with us at night. This typically leads to added stress and the feeling of – do I really own a business or does the business own me?
So let me ask you a few questions: How much of your week is spent working in the business versus working on it? Does your shop operate the same when you are not there as it does when you are? On the occasion where you must be away from the business for a day or even several hours do you have to check in regularly or take frequent calls to resolve issues? When is the last time you took an extended vacation away from the business?
Work / Life balance is important in any person’s life, but I would argue that it is even more important in our line of work. Owning a business shouldn’t be a burden that one carries but should be a rewarding experience that creates a great since of pride in the service you are providing to your community. The good news is that you are not in this alone. You have a great team in your shop that you can develop, train and empower to make good decisions. You have access to tools that creates consistency of purpose and allows you to spend quality time working ON the business. ShopPros™ helps you create a roadmap for your business through a robust planning and performance improvement engine that not only puts you in the driver’s seat but allows you to involve everyone in your business in the effort. If you are experience the feeling of being “owned” by your business, come join the hundreds of shop owners that have found new freedom and improved quality of life through our application. It only takes a few minutes to determine if this is right next step for your business. Visit us at www.shoppros.com today!
About the Author:
Al Wheeler is the CEO of ShopPros™, Inc. He has spent more than 35 years as part of the automotive industry serving shops – from independent, single locations to large, multi-national enterprise groups. Throughout his career he has served on the Board and Executive Committee of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) as well as Chairman of the Board for the Automotive Maintenance and Repair Association (AMRA) and the Motorist Assurance Program (MAP). Before joining ShopPros™ in 2020, Al had previously served for 2.5 years as the CEO of AMRA/MAP. Al recently commented, “I have the utmost respect for the men and women that keep motorist moving throughout North America and it is our privilege at ShopPros™ to come alongside their businesses as an inspired partner.”