An over-busy shop creates a ring of problems that is similar to credit card debt. It’s real hard to get caught up when you have not time or resources to do it. And an over-busy shop lacks the time needed to fix mistakes and recheck work as well a possible, including doing a long enough road test after the job is done than rechecking everything all over. Not to mention any adjustments that may be needed.
In my 26 years as a transmission shop owner, being busy is good, over busy is bad. The main reason a shop is over-busy usually surrounds pricing. Meaning that they are the “cheapest” place in town for a rebuilt transmission. This low price issue really creates a bad scenario for a shop that does business that way.
Here is how it works….Quote low prices to get potential customers that show up to drop off their cars.
The first thing that often happens because being busy dictates working to fast and not having enough time to go through proper diagnostic procedures, you often get a bad diagnosis.
The other things that occur are…since the prices are to low the shop does not make money…so if you have a problem with the job and have to return to the shop, the car goes out back and sits until the shop can afford to take the time to get at it again. Usually because the shop does not make a profit, the parts used are #1. -poor quality and #2. maybe not everything that should be replaced was replaced…leaving some questionable parts in it.
When your car returns, it has to sit. The company needs to keep churning out all those cheap jobs fast in order to keep cash flowing. It turns into a nightmare for the customer and owner of the shop.
First off, you never choose a transmission shop because of the price. Transmission work is not fungible. Good transmission work is not cheap. The best transmission shops know their limitations. They structure their time to handle the problems that inevitably occur. Even the best parts and most talented mechanics have issues sometimes. To put it simple, the shop has to charge enough money in the first place to buy the best parts and talent. Second is that you need to have the time to take care of return jobs ASAP.
Being a top notch shop dictates your costs may be higher than the the el-cheapo shop. Naturally that will limit your clientele. There are plenty of people that want good work, so leave the cheapskates to the cheap shops and concentrate on qualified consumers. Soon, you find that the better shops may not be as busy, but the work quality is excellent and trouble free. However, return work is calculated into the equation so if a problem happens they are right on it.
I sure hope this makes sense to you. If not Brian will make me do it again!! Seriously, take some time and paruse our GotTransmissions.com Blog for more helpful transmission information. Enjoy.
