Up Your Business is an exclusive GEARS Magazine feature where I share stories, insights, and reflections about business and life. This article is a fitting way to end 2021 and turn the page on the calendar to 2022. I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting lately. The other day, I was thinking about one of my “Business Law” professors from college. He started every class by writing a madeup word on the chalkboard – that’s right, it was a chalkboard. The word formed a commonly used phrase. For example, “Jeetyet?” was an amalgamation of the phrase, “Did you eat yet?”
In memory of my professor, I couldn’t help myself from making one up for this article, “Jyever?” is an amalgamation of, “Did you ever?”
Jyever think you’d experience what we’ve gone through in the last two years? To say it was turbulent would be an understatement. The turbulence was so significant that it’s shaken what I call my “unshakeable beliefs.” Some people call them “sacred cows” or “proven principles.” These are things that, supposedly, are not subject to change. To that idea, I say, “Oh yeah?”
Jyever think we’d see our country surrender to a terrorist upstart nation and leave our citizens and allies behind?
Jyever consider that we’d see the day when our foundational freedoms of religion, speech, medical choice, and privacy would be jeopardized by government overreach with mandates and executive actions beyond the scope of the Constitution? And that they’d be bolstered by the unbridled power of social media?
Jyever imagine that you’d see our borders compromised and overrun by foreign nationals from countries, many of which aren’t even our allies? And then once they’ve crossed into our country, we’d confer benefits and privileges to the invaders that are equal to and better than those we give to our own citizens?
Jyever think that in our great country, you’d see food, oil, and commodity shortages (whether real or perceived) driving all prices up across the board?
Jyever think that families and friendships would be torn apart over “vaxxed” versus “unvaxxed,” or masks versus no masks. While some are resisting, jyever think you’d see so many people being so passively compliant?
Jyever think you’d see parents discouraged or even barred from active involvement in their children’s education? I remember the schools putting on recruiting drives for parents to join the PTA (later changed to PTO) and to get involved in school activities.
We’re witnessing how the power of the pen in the hands of power-hungry people can affect sweeping chaos in our country and the financial markets, even turning our nation from being energy independent to energy-dependent in a matter of months.
As Yaakov Smirnoff, a comedian of the 1980s, famously said, “What a country!” While intending humor, he spoke those words from the perspective of a defector from the Soviet Union. He was a favorite of President Ronald Reagan and even helped write comedic lines for the President’s speeches. For example, Smirnoff wrote this joke for Reagan, “In Russia when you say, ‘Take my wife – please,’ when you come home, she’s gone.”
While “What a country!” might have been a good title and topic for this article, I want to talk about Unshakeable Beliefs. What are some of the principles we thought would never change in our businesses, but they have? What are some principles that we thought would never change, but it looks like they’re going to? Are there any that aren’t subject to change? And finally, what can we do to prepare for the near and far future?
We’ve faced parts shortages from time to time in the past. But parts are suddenly a bigger problem than getting qualified employees. For over a decade, we’ve universally bemoaned the fact that we can’t seem to find qualified help. Just as it seemed like we, as an industry, we’re beginning to get a handle on that problem, now we can’t get the parts to complete the jobs.
Nobody wants to work. While that’s not universally the case, our government has made not working more lucrative for some people than working. I read an article the other day that detailed a strategy by which an unmarried couple with two children can have free housing in a private home that they’re purchasing and make about an additional $75,000 annually – tax-free! So, we need to figure out how to make work more appealing to attract quality employees.
As a result of the parts problem and the employee shortage, most shops have more work than they can get done. Many are booked out weeks in advance.
Due to the lack of new cars, used car demand has exploded they’re selling for more money than ever. A friend of mine recently totaled his 3-year-old, low-mileage Honda Odyssey. He had replacement-cost coverage, and the insurance company paid him more than he originally paid for it.
Furthermore, because of all the above factors, shops tell me that when customers call, price is not as much of an issue as in the past. The most frequently asked questions they hear are, “Can you fix it? and “How soon can you do it?”
Many of us old-timers spent most our careers operating in the high-touch, show-and-tell, relationship-building, service sales era. It’s difficult for us to accept that we often never meet the customer face-to-face in today’s sales environment. That trend was significantly accelerated by COVID.
It looks like cryptocurrency is here to stay. The fact that the government is making moves to regulate and tax it is proof that it’s time to start making plans to accept it as a payment alternative. In fact, I recently sold three of my classic cars and advertised that I’d accept Bitcoin.
I would do about anything to return to “normal.” Maybe we’re as close as we’re ever going to get to the “normal” we grew up with. Even what President Obama referred to as “the new normal” seems like it’s in the distant past.
Is it time to start planning a new “green” product line to complement your current slate of products and services? For example, with the new restrictions on gas-powered lawn mowers and trimmers coming to California, other states are sure to follow. If someone can develop a way to convert them from gas to electric, they’ll make a fortune.
The greater the challenge, the greater the opportunities. With the “Infrastructure Bill” and the “Build Back Better Bill” passing, it looks like hybrid and electric cars are sure to follow in a big way. This is the time to start rethinking what your strategy will be in that regard. Will you gear up to handle the services and repairs associated with the new breed of cars or trust that there will always be internal combustion vehicles, utilizing some form of combustible fuel?
I’m clinging to one “unshakeable belief.” If nothing else, history tells us that our industry is tenacious, resourceful, and resilient. I’m confident that you and your fellow automotive professionals will not only survive, but you’ll thrive as the rest of the story plays out.
As Nelson Mandela said, “May your choices reflect your hopes – not your fears.”
About the Author
Thom Tschetter has served our industry for nearly four decades as a management and sales educator. He owned a chain of award-winning transmission centers in Washington State for over 25 years.
He calls on over 30 years of experience as a speaker, writer, business consultant, and certified arbitrator for topics for this feature column.
Thom is always eager to help you improve your business and your life. You can contact him by phone at (480) 773-3131 or e-mail to coachthom@gmail.com.
