Jim Bell launches Mechanics Beyond Borders and needs your help Our Focus on Fixed columnist Jim Bell is spearheading a major new initiative called Mechanics Beyond Borders. We caught up with Jim and asked him what it was about, why …
The more things change, the more attitudes stay the same I still have my father’s apprenticeship papers dated 1922 which are quite interesting to read. My grandfather had to pay the dealership for his training! My father put my name …
Jim Bell’s 5 “must-have” worksheets Our best practices worksheets are a hot item. Here’s a recap of five of them you can download from the Canadian auto dealer website and why you need them. Both James and I started our …
These are a series of aids developed by Jim Bell, of Global Automotive Consultants, which will provide you with the tools to assess your operation of your service department. Their ease-of-use format was designed specifically for dealers and should, if …
When I started on the bench as an apprentice back in 1959, my favourite vehicle to work on was a Jaguar XK 150 with a D type head and three SU carburetors. Its top speed was about 135 miles per …
Do some simple math and figure out how well you are performing This is the sixth in a series of aids developed by Jim Bell, of Global Automotive Consultants, which we provide periodically to help you assess the operation of …
As salaries diminish keeping good staff has become challenging Some dealerships still have a good market share and strong bottom lines, but they appear to be getting fewer in number and there are others that could be running in the …
So it’s important that you are perceived to be honest with your staff Trying to quantify how much money it costs your business when the staff feel like they are being cheated is hard to calculate and even tougher to …
Setting the bar and how to get there We know that 2010 has been a tough year for many service managers, but we’re somewhat concerned to find service departments that either forecasted a zero-percent increase for 2011 or worse, decided …
At a time when vehicle sales are less than robust, dealers with vision are looking beyond just their core operations to optimize opportunities in the wider area of fixed operations. Some elements, like the quick lube facility add directly to …
Are you? Recently I filled out a form that asked for my occupation. I wrote: thief, crook and occasional con-man! It took some time before the person reading the form looked at me and said: “This is not really what …
Five steps to increased efficiency and profitability Manufacturers have been pushing dealers to get into the quick-service business for years but have failed to provide them with a business plan that works for all parties involved. Many stores have resisted …
