Transcript
Aniz Lavji: All right, welcome everyone to another episode of the Shop and Tread Talk podcast. As usual, we've got Frank with us today. Frank, how you doing man?
Frank Wiebe: Hey, I am doing okay right now had a bit of a hectic day and a hectic evening but it's all taken care of
Aniz Lavji: That's okay.
Frank Wiebe: We're ready to sit here and have a good chat with you guys
Aniz Lavji: I think this is ah a little bit of a record. We're recording two nights in a row. i mean All the stars are aligning.
Frank Wiebe: Right. I think it's working out for us. Maybe a third one if we get real lucky.
Aniz Lavji: Let's see how it goes. ah Frank, why don't you introduce our guest today, man?
Frank Wiebe: Well... I don't know what I can say about Doug that he isn't going to say about himself because I think he's going to tell us who he is. Doug? We met at... In Minneapolis.
Frank Wiebe: And ah you know what? I think Doug's a great guy. Runs a auto shop in, I think you say Grand Prairie, Alberta. So.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: yeah Doug, just introduce yourself a little bit. Tell us who you are. you know a little bit about your shop and we'll just get right into it
Doug Deller: Okay. All right, yeah Doug? ah My last name is Deller, so my shop is Deller Automotive. and that's been in operation since 2016.
Doug Deller: I've been a mechanic since 1997. got my ticket in 2001, 2002. I can't remember something like that.
Doug Deller: And yeah, then I. decided to Won't say. I was done done working for other people and fired up my own shop. and and it's been It's been pretty pretty good.
Aniz Lavji: Nice. sir So how many...
Frank Wiebe: So when did you say when did you say you started your shop?
Doug Deller: I started my shop in 2016.
Frank Wiebe: 16, okay.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: So that's just now 10 years ago.
Doug Deller: Yeah, literally just on June 6th was my 10 year.
Frank Wiebe: Okay. Yeah. So you're just a few years ahead of me. Anise has been in business for a way longer. I've been, I've been out just six, just over six and a half years. March was six years.
Aniz Lavji: I'm about 20 years in right now.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah.
Doug Deller: Fantastic.
Aniz Lavji: um Actually, Doug, I was going to ask you. So you've been in it. you've said Oh, my gosh. I can't even talk. Look at that. Two nights in a row.
Doug Deller: okay
Aniz Lavji: where I can't even speak anymore, Frank.
Frank Wiebe: You need to go have a nap.
Doug Deller: ah Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: No problem.
Doug Deller: It's late for you guys.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: Yep.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: um So what I was going to ask you, Doug, is you've been at it for just about 10 years. Now, have you been in the same location or have you expanded into... another place or how's that been?
Doug Deller: Yeah, I've been in the same location And it's ah it's an it's a nice little shop I've been renting. the The landlord is... pretty good to me i've known him i actually knew him before getting into this shop And.
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Doug Deller: uh it's he's he's pretty good to me so i'm staying there for now i would like to eventually get into uh uh owning my own my own space but But for right now, rent is rent is reasonable and it just doesn't make sense to move.
Aniz Lavji: For sure.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: I feel you there. I'm i'm the exact same way.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: if If I had to buy... it If I had to buy a property right now. I... Would be a lot tougher than it is because my my rent is reasonable my landlord's amazing And I just I got no complaints about that other than I just don't have enough room. Like we run three bays.
Frank Wiebe: And some days that just isn't and enough, right? hummet How big is your shop, Doug?
Doug Deller: Yeah. Yeah, it's it's essentially three bays. It's it's two bays. big truck bays side by side.
Frank Wiebe: Oh. Okay.
Doug Deller: And so so i can I can actually. fit. four vehicles in.
Frank Wiebe: Yep.
Doug Deller: But but the the way I have it arranged is is one side is basically too deep.
Aniz Lavji: Nice. Okay.
Doug Deller: And then the other the other side is only is only one right at the right at the end. And so if I bring a fourth vehicle in, it kind of blocks the two front bays.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah. That's pretty much exactly how I have it Frank you've seen mine
Doug Deller: Bye.
Frank Wiebe: Okay.
Aniz Lavji: so i
Frank Wiebe: i couldn't I couldn't operate the way you do. It would drive me nuts.
Aniz Lavji: I got, so I have a five bay shop. but uh
Doug Deller: Mm -hmm.
Aniz Lavji: The far left bay. is uh completely Tire machines and balancers.
Doug Deller: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: And then the next two bays... I've got... four hoist in those two bays so one in the front one in the back one in the front one in the back
Doug Deller: Right?
Aniz Lavji: And then... The next day over, I've got an alignment rack.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: And then. the fifth bay i've got one hoist in there so We've. Packed in five hoist and an alignment rack and a five... 5b sharp
Doug Deller: Wow Okay.
Aniz Lavji: And it's, trust me, it is so handy in the wintertime because i can I can do five cars at once, plus I can do six cars at once with one on the alignment rack. so
Frank Wiebe: And and the the shuffle must be crazy having to be like, okay, well. Now all of a sudden you're waiting for parts on the car in the back, but the front car is ready to go. What do you do about that? Lower it, lift one up.
Frank Wiebe: light it on underneath
Aniz Lavji: Nope. nope nope nope it's all see I am a conductor. And this is my orchestra.
Frank Wiebe: ah
Aniz Lavji: Okay. so
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: the Front to hoist. are the front two plus the one that's alone on the far right.
Frank Wiebe: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: those hoists are Repairs are only allowed. on those Front. three hoist if we find repair work on the back to hoist
Frank Wiebe: Okay.
Aniz Lavji: The techs are not allowed. to do repair work on those in the winter time it's off limits it's not happening Now it's different if we got cars dropped off like like now.
Frank Wiebe: Okay.
Aniz Lavji: I don't care if I've got five cars getting repaired. It doesn't matter because everyone's dropping them off. But in the wintertime, when we're you know we're pushing 20, 25 cars a day. like those front three hoists can be on repairs And then the back two hoists will just keep pumping out tires, pumping out tires.
Aniz Lavji: When one repair car finishes and if there's not another repair car, then we fill that with a tire job. So.
Frank Wiebe: Okay.
Aniz Lavji: That's it.
Frank Wiebe: I mean, that makes sense. That's a good thats good way to do that for sure.
Doug Deller: yeah
Aniz Lavji: oh it's it's not it's not easy and i don't think like i like i was just telling frank i hired uh I served my first service advisor today. so That's going to be something I'll have to train, but it's not easy to kind of manipulate the way the shop goes. but when you've done it for so many years and kind of have that flow you you know yeah I make it work.
Aniz Lavji: So.
Doug Deller: right
Aniz Lavji: Out of those, like in November, like we pushed out 450 cars in a month. And the only only way to do that is...
Doug Deller: That's alright.
Aniz Lavji: well for one to be absolutely crazy to do that uh you know Not too much manpower, but... have to be extremely organized.
Aniz Lavji: Otherwise, you start getting upset customers because their car is stuck up front, like Frank was saying, getting... you know, tires done, then you've got a brake job behind. Then you're screwed. You're done. But I like your idea how you've got...
Aniz Lavji: you know two hoist in one and then One on the other.
Doug Deller: Mm hmm.
Aniz Lavji: If I had, you said yours is a two or three bay.
Doug Deller: That's two side -by -side. Yeah, so I've got three hoists in there
Aniz Lavji: Yeah. that's That's perfect. The way you're doing it for the space that you have is fantastic because you can at least bring a car in on that other side.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: if you want to do some work on it and then as long as you're not blocking the other one that's that's ideal
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: set up for what you have right now. That's great.
Doug Deller: Yeah, and that's exactly what we do is that if there is something that can be like something we can work on that can still be moved out we don't not nothing nothing gets disabled
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Doug Deller: in the back corner Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: that's So you're sometimes playing a little bit of... Tetris like I am.
Frank Wiebe: Russian roulette. Oh.
Doug Deller: Sometimes, yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Sometimes.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah, we get that all the time too, even just with. Three hoists. easily accessible but it's it's like sometimes If you've got to wait for parts. I don't know. Today was one of those frustrating days. it like i have like five cars i had to diagnose but Just need to wait for those parts, and they're only like...
Frank Wiebe: They're only like 10 minutes away, bud, and that 10 minutes I could have. Check this other car.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: Like, oh, my then what do you do?
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: So then I wish I had another base so he could...
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: Okay, now I could sit there with three guys. And I had another day I could work out of.
Aniz Lavji: mm -hmm
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: so
Doug Deller: I've been really trying to, I can't remember what the method is called, but what they what they teach. uh what rick teaches is you know do all the testing and diagnosing in the morning.
Doug Deller: get the authorization to have a pile of parts and then bring the vehicles in in the afternoon to do all the repairs.
Aniz Lavji: Yep. No.
Doug Deller: and i mean sometimes we end up waiting on parts but that's that's a big part of what i'm really trying to
Aniz Lavji: Hmm.
Doug Deller: to minimize that bottleneck of making sure we have correct parts to before getting started.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah, we've been.
Aniz Lavji: Well, you guys have...
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: we've adopted that a lot and it works really good to an extent like this morning.
Aniz Lavji: Good night.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah. I, pounded through and diagnosed a bunch of things but then it was like okay by noon this this especially this one customer we knew that Okay, she was... at 12 o 'clock or 1145.
Frank Wiebe: was her lunch time. So we wanted it diagnosed, quoted, and everything out by that time so that she could have time to review it. Get the authorization and go. We did get the authorization to like.
Frank Wiebe: 245.
Doug Deller: Right.
Aniz Lavji: Oh, gee.
Frank Wiebe: And I'm like... Oh crap. And it put us right at the end of the day to do a press in wheel bearing and a exhaust flex pipe.
Aniz Lavji: No.
Frank Wiebe: And it's like. It was like... damn that none try to finish it up right near the end of the day I was almost at the point where it was like, hey, we can't do it today. It's too late. But it did work out. It's just.
Frank Wiebe: That's frustrating when it's like you're counting on that.
Doug Deller: mm -hmm
Frank Wiebe: To be like... to finish it that day but you want to have it but it it works great like doug when you get into it and and you start figuring that out
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: It makes a big difference. And then like. I think the last time they I heard them talk about that, it's like, you know, sometimes you have leftover repairs. You do them. first first thing in the morning or you do your diagnosis first thing then finish yesterday's repairs, then do the new stuff like that.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: Bye. Once you can start doing that. And and once you have once you have more help, it makes it easier. you can You can be like, hey, i'm I'm diagnosing, you're already starting the repairs or you're starting finishing up yesterday's repairs.
Frank Wiebe: it is a good system and it does work well. most of the time right of course there's always situations where that's not going to work. Bye.
Aniz Lavji: Definitely.
Doug Deller: mm -hmm
Aniz Lavji: you guys have the You guys have the right coach, that's for sure. Rick is awesome.
Doug Deller: Yeah, he really is.
Aniz Lavji: i've I've met him a handful of times. I've taken his classes. Alright. I took his class at ASTA. and I think I took it out of vision as well. is Great, really, really great guy.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: And he spends time, which is really cool. like you know you may I'm not even a client of his, but you know whenever whenever I see him, like he see spends some time and yeah chats with you. and
Doug Deller: Mm hmm.
Aniz Lavji: and really wants to know how you're doing, not just like, oh, hey, oh you're not... part of my crew. Okay, whatever. a Really nice guy.
Frank Wiebe: you know He don't. He does like to talk. I'll give him that.
Aniz Lavji: Boy, oh yeah, oh yeah.
Doug Deller: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: Um,
Aniz Lavji: Doug, what's the... um What's the dynamic at your shop like? So what's your what's your staffing like there, Doug?
Doug Deller: Well, staffing's been a bit of a problem, but yeah so I...
Aniz Lavji: You mean there's not like 75 text to choose from all over all over the area?
Doug Deller: Yeah, they're basically just like beating down my door and waiting in line.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah, yeah
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Please, choose me, choose me!
Doug Deller: Yeah, you're right. No, ah it's it's been difficult. that's That's really like the only thing i I find difficult at all about anything in this industry.
Doug Deller: Everything else is like... Nope, I can do this, but... yeah But yeah, trying to trying to find new texts. So I'm actually back down to... just myself.
Aniz Lavji: Oh wow.
Doug Deller: running running the shop again. I was up to, I had three technicians. and just situations happen. and and I start the process of looking for new techs and didn Didn't get new tech any new techs in time before I finally had to let go of the other ones. and Just the quality wasn't there.
Doug Deller: um And then for a service advisor.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Doug Deller: For a long time I've been thinking about getting a service advisor. And and so then last September. I brought my daughter on as a service advisor because she was not really sure what she wanted to do so I was like okay well come try this and I've never had a service advisor so Sounds like ah a good way to learn how to...
Doug Deller: learn how to be a boss to a service advisor.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Doug Deller: And so it actually worked really good and it made me realize that that I actually do want to have a service advisor. There's a lot of value there for me.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Doug Deller: um But... I'm really happy for her. She's figured out what what she wants to to do in life, and so she's going to be starting school. Starting college, yeah.
Doug Deller: Friday will be her last day. She's starting college on.
Frank Wiebe: oh
Doug Deller: next week and so I'll be without a service advisor. and i mean i was thinking of uh putting out the ad to hire on another service advisor but i'm more concentrated on finding more techs right now and with just me in the shop it doesn't really make sense to to pay a service advisor so
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Doug Deller: I'm done. Just about back down to being a completely solo operation again.
Aniz Lavji: A little difficult to our run with.
Frank Wiebe: And i would I would disagree with you there. when When I started the shop, the very first thing I did is I hired someone for the front office. I'm like the last thing that I want is i'm in the middle of a diagnosing or in the middle of a repair and the phone rings right and
Aniz Lavji: That's what I was just gonna say.
Frank Wiebe: So so i've I've never operated the shop without... front counter support. And I think that's been that's been phenomenal.
Doug Deller: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: and And I wish you could find a good service advisor. Aniz has finally found someone now. He's been looking for a long time.
Aniz Lavji: for This year, I've been...
Frank Wiebe: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: looking basically.
Frank Wiebe: And and ah really I really hope you can.
Doug Deller: Mm.
Frank Wiebe: like it's It's one of two things. Either you can find the text and you become the service advisor. Or if you're still wanting to do the wrench and you find a service advisor and stay on the floor, right?
Frank Wiebe: me Me, like I say, i've got I've got my service advisors in place. ah We've actually got two. Um... and plus my wife in the office right so
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: So... we We're front office staff. We're good. they I mean, they've got they've got stuff to learn.
Doug Deller: yeah
Frank Wiebe: Everyone's got lots to learn. And right now... with the amount of work we have. the the back off back Backshot. front office backdrop.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Doug Deller: yeah
Frank Wiebe: Yeah, we've We've got we've got there too, but um but but I would never try to have my shop. Like even if I didn't have any text in there, I would still always have someone in the office.
Frank Wiebe: And it just. Yep. my My opinion is that it gives you that. opportunity. better opportunity to stay focused on your work.
Aniz Lavji: yeah
Frank Wiebe: and not get distracted so easy. i always teach I always teach everybody that when you're when you're in the middle of a job, if you get called away from it,
Aniz Lavji: I'll get old.
Frank Wiebe: You always have to make a mental note of what you've done, right? Or you have to teach yourself that.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: my ratchet is laying in this position. And if I walk away from it and it's not in this position, that job isn't done, right?
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: like So.
Aniz Lavji: Also, there's only least there's only so much you can do, right, Doug?
Frank Wiebe: Yeah, hopefully hopefully you can.
Aniz Lavji: i mean being being a one -man show, and do you do you have...
Doug Deller: Yeah, that's right.
Aniz Lavji: Oh, God. like a long wait to get into your shop or are you booking out far?
Doug Deller: Usually booking about... four or five days.
Aniz Lavji: Okay. So if you're booking.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: That's that's pretty decent. Yep
Aniz Lavji: You're booking close to a week out, right? No. Just again, just... throwing it out there. I don't know your business completely, but. If you had somebody...
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: uh like you right now your daughter is she still there
Doug Deller: For now, yeah, until the end of this week.
Aniz Lavji: So let's Let's say... Until the end of this week. So now next week, yeah are you still booking? about five days out.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: So now you're gonna be booking five days out, but you'll be alone
Doug Deller: Right.
Aniz Lavji: So, so what is the the customer turnaround going to look like when it's just you And then you have to answer the phone And then you get a walk in and then you're coming away from your job again, right?
Doug Deller: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: So. Again. I completely understand your situation. and And I'm very picky when it comes to having somebody in the front talking to my customers.
Aniz Lavji: because it's not easy to gain those customers but extremely, extremely easy to lose them.
Doug Deller: ye
Doug Deller: Oh yeah. Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: right so i can appreciate the fact like you don't want to just hire anybody But...
Doug Deller: Right.
Aniz Lavji: Obviously you've got family with you right now. So it's a complete different, that's like a golden situation right now.
Doug Deller: It is, yeah.
Aniz Lavji: but But just keep in mind that when she's not there, she's going to college and everything, and you're trying to keep that same... workflow going it's gonna push you out another few days at least and then that may That may change the way that your customers are viewing the shop, right?
Frank Wiebe: Doug's just going to end up working. 12 hour days. Because you know that's coming.
Doug Deller: ah
Frank Wiebe: Especially.
Doug Deller: Already there.
Frank Wiebe: especially especially winter winter season, entire season coming.
Doug Deller: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah, I can I can guarantee you that's gonna be what
Doug Deller: Yeah, that's how it is.
Aniz Lavji: Frank, went my dog's barking. I got to go grab him.
Frank Wiebe: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: Jesus.
Frank Wiebe: so So in that being said, if anyone's out there listening.
Doug Deller: yeah
Frank Wiebe: Doug is looking for... a superstar technician so if you're an a technician and you've been dying to move to Grand Prairie, Alberta.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: Here's your opportunity So look up Delaware Automotive.
Doug Deller: it's a beautiful place to live
Frank Wiebe: Yep.
Doug Deller: okay
Frank Wiebe: So I've never visited. I've never been. Furthest north in Alberta I've been is to Calgary. I've never even been to Edmonton.
Doug Deller: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: so They say I should go, but we'll see. one day. Bye.
Doug Deller: Mm hmm.
Frank Wiebe: I'll definitely, you know what, maybe I'd make the trek just to come see Doug. And and go. Make that. now how far north is that anyway let's start with that because I'm kind of afraid of the cold.
Frank Wiebe: So it might have to be some of them.
Doug Deller: No. Yeah, come come in the summer like today was 27 degrees so you know we we do have nice weather too But yeah yeah, we are. ah Well, I mean, if you've been to Calgary.
Doug Deller: then then we are about, what is it, 700 kilometres north of Calgary.
Frank Wiebe: Okay.
Doug Deller: So.
Frank Wiebe: For you Americans, that's a long distance.
Doug Deller: Right.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: Wow. Yeah, so so a day's drive.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: depending on traffic.
Doug Deller: Was that for Calgary to? to Grand Prairie. No, it's ah it's about a seven -hour drive. Like, we we get out. Like, um that's the thing. Like, we don't we don't have near the traffic you guys have. So, I mean, we can get out on the highway and just give her.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah, if we if we say 700 kilometers out here
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: We're talking a day and a half, especially if it's through the GTA area or something like that.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Doug Deller: Right, right.
Aniz Lavji: Well, Greg, it takes me.
Frank Wiebe: It's crazy.
Aniz Lavji: for the past week and a half. It's taking me an average of an hour and 10 minutes. to get from my store home to Milton, which is a 40 minute drive.
Doug Deller: Oh wow.
Aniz Lavji: So I'm in minimum half an hour traffic. each way right now So.
Doug Deller: Wow.
Aniz Lavji: So, I mean, yeah, I agree with you, Frank, like for us.
Frank Wiebe: Love my things.
Aniz Lavji: you know, 700 kilometers. you know going through the kind of traffic that we have to deal with here. Yeah, you're right. It's like a day and a half.
Doug Deller: Yeah, that is So, yeah. Another plug, if anyone wants to come here, traffic is not an issue. We don't we don't have near we don't have near that kind of traffic, and yet we still have tons of vehicles to work on.
Aniz Lavji: It doesn't exist.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: Yep.
Doug Deller: so
Frank Wiebe: the The last time I was in Calgary and visiting my brother -in -law there. He's like, oh, we got to go early to go to the airport just in case of traffic, right? I'm like, okay. like I already know the traffic's not there.
Frank Wiebe: So we're going.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: We're driving up to the To the airport. And he's like. I told you there'd be traffic and I'm looking around. I'm like.
Aniz Lavji: Where is it?
Frank Wiebe: I see 20 cars within a... I'm like Where's the traffic, dude? Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: chip
Doug Deller: ah You know.
Aniz Lavji: That's basically your're you're your you lot. The 21st.
Doug Deller: Right.
Frank Wiebe: Boy, I got 20 cruises in my lot.
Aniz Lavji: hey y 'all
Frank Wiebe: but
Doug Deller: All righty.
Aniz Lavji: That's the whole. That's a whole lot of oil coolers.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah, well... Do one every day. you get pretty good at it.
Aniz Lavji: so
Doug Deller: Yeah, that's right.
Frank Wiebe: Wait, wait We did so many of them, my my apprentice. he could he could have that he could have that turbo ripped off in like an hour
Doug Deller: That's pretty good.
Aniz Lavji: Oh jeez. Doug, do you guys have a ah specialty that you work on? or
Doug Deller: Not specifically, no.
Aniz Lavji: This is general repair.
Doug Deller: No, we have ah judge just general. general repairs. I don't really get much into diesel. there's ah There's a couple of shops around here that that specialize in diesel, and so I just leave it to them.
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Doug Deller: But... yeah Yeah, just all the all the general repairs.
Aniz Lavji: You get into Euro and BMWs and Audis and all that.
Frank Wiebe: Later, bro.
Doug Deller: Cheers. Go, Danny.
Frank Wiebe: Yes.
Doug Deller: No, actually, we don't really get much into Euros. I'll do Volkswagens, and that's about it for for Euro. I've got a couple of customers with... ah with Mercedes and one guy with a Porsche that I'll do a little bit on them.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: I don't blame you.
Doug Deller: but uh But yeah, I really don't don't touch European much at all. um And one of the biggest reasons too is we don't have that much European here.
Aniz Lavji: hu
Doug Deller: and and so there's a couple of shops that kind of specialize in it and so let them have it.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense.
Doug Deller: Amen.
Aniz Lavji: That's that's pretty smart.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Sometimes, like I say on the podcast all the time, stay in your lane.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: and don't try to Don't try to exit the toll road if you don't have to.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: Oh man, i'm I'm almost to the point where I'm not going to touch anything that's European.
Doug Deller: No.
Frank Wiebe: Like... Like, i'll I'll do some of the German stuff. But like you said.
Doug Deller: Mm hmm.
Frank Wiebe: maybe some of the volkswagens but
Doug Deller: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: Anything BMW or... or Stuff like that. It just. it's too it's too complicated wow not too complicated, but it just, everything always takes more time.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Doug Deller: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: And it takes more parts and it's. some of the parts are harder to find is like
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: When you're when you're gonna be busy Like you said, for yourself, you're already booking five days out and you're going to be busy.
Doug Deller: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: then Then why stress yourself with something like that? like I said the other day, why would I stress myself with... a a timing chain job on is some kind of stupid Audi.
Doug Deller: Mm -hmm.
Frank Wiebe: We're there. Oh, no, it wasn't even an Audi. It was ah a Ford. timing chains was on the back of the engine pull the engine out to do timing chains
Doug Deller: Must have been a four liter.
Frank Wiebe: Exactly what it was and I said I'm not interested oh and then then the customer wanted to pull the engine out bring the engine to me
Doug Deller: Yeah. Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: I changed the timing chains and then he was going to take it home and put it back in.
Doug Deller: a
Aniz Lavji: That sounds like liability that you don't want to mess with.
Frank Wiebe: And...
Doug Deller: No.
Frank Wiebe: Yep. Exactly.
Doug Deller: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: No, I mean...
Doug Deller: Yeah, it's interesting. As I get busier and busier. liability. it's It's easier to to say no thank you to to anything that... that might be a liability sort of thing. and anything that I can see that now I think this job might go sideways no thank you
Aniz Lavji: Yep. If you see that something maybe... maybe Maybe opening a can of worms. In fact, Doug, in your case, I mean, since you are somewhat solo right now.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: for For you, I would just say, look.
Doug Deller: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: i'm just a one -man show right now and
Doug Deller: okay
Aniz Lavji: This is just not something that i I can take on because I want to make sure that the quality work is there. and With this big job, I just don't have the time for it.
Frank Wiebe: What about um what about like ah customer supply parts? I know that's a big no -no in a lot of the industries, right? yeah
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: we We have
Doug Deller: Yeah, and that's Yeah, go ahead.
Frank Wiebe: i say We have to keep telling customers that. we have to warranty everything we do and the customer today again Right. A K &N. filter And... Whatever will.
Aniz Lavji: Hmm.
Frank Wiebe: And I just said, like... You came in is a good brand. Everything is good, but We have to. We have to warranty everything we touch. Then he wanted to buy all these aftermarket parts that he wanted to bolt on, cold air intake and high flow exhaust and all that stuff.
Doug Deller: Mm -hmm
Aniz Lavji: Oh yeah.
Frank Wiebe: And I just say, you know what?
Aniz Lavji: My insurance doesn't allow it.
Doug Deller: hey
Aniz Lavji: That's all I say.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah. yeah Yeah, it's a good line.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: I use it i into the line i use a line of like, hey, we have to warranty everything we do.
Aniz Lavji: My insurance doesn't allow it.
Doug Deller: Come here.
Frank Wiebe: And if we put it on aftermarket parts. Um, that aren't OE or up to factory specs. we don't know what it's going to do and if it That was something that we... Don't expect.
Frank Wiebe: we can't We can't stand behind our work, and we want to stand behind our work.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: He was real good.
Doug Deller: Well.
Frank Wiebe: He understood, right? so
Doug Deller: for For a long time, i I would do customer supplied parts, but... But I would tell the person, yeah, no warranty. And I'm actually going to charge more labor to do it.
Frank Wiebe: Yep.
Doug Deller: uh And it seemed like it was working not bad. But then after... you know, ah ah being in 180 and and just learning more and more about how what margins i need to make um then i made the decision that nope i'm not going to do customer supplied parts anymore but then not long ago i actually bent my rule for a guy that I have known for many, many years long before I even had my shop.
Aniz Lavji: Mm -hmm.
Doug Deller: and he brings everything to me. And he has always had the habit of getting his own parts off Rock Auto and bringing them to me. and And so I had made this rule that I'm not going to do this anymore. And so when he brought it to me, he's like, yeah, I have these struts to throw in. a patriot, I think it was. And I was like, okay, just so you know.
Doug Deller: This will be the last time I'll do it for you this time. but moving forward i'm not going to let you provide parts anymore okay you know i explained it to him and he's like all right fair enough So.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Doug Deller: I did it. and and then not long later he called me back and he really wasn't happy with these struts. that they that they just had an awful ride to them.
Doug Deller: i was like well i'm sorry this is what you provided for me to put in It was it was a bit of a, like he he's over it now, but he was pretty frustrated with me.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Doug Deller: for having put these struts in.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Doug Deller: That you know I should have known because I'm the mechanic and I should know that these parts aren't going to be good
Aniz Lavji: Oh yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Well, you constructed the struts before you put them in, right?
Doug Deller: And.
Frank Wiebe: dre
Aniz Lavji: so
Doug Deller: Right.
Aniz Lavji: okay
Doug Deller: And so so I was like, okay, now this.
Frank Wiebe: It's a lot of nerve.
Doug Deller: This, this, this solidifies it for me now. Like I absolutely will not. I'm sorry. I don't care who you are.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Doug Deller: This is... How it is.
Frank Wiebe: Well, and we had we had a similar situation, and the guy... Bought the studs and all that. kind well if it wasn't that one of the struts was boxed wrong i mean that can happen anywhere but
Aniz Lavji: Yes. Cheers.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: What are you going to do now? like
Doug Deller: yeah
Frank Wiebe: Rock Auto has good quality parts on some of them, right? But. try to return something and try to get a replacement for something. And it's like, rolling teeth, man.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: It's like...
Aniz Lavji: No. I mean, if we put a strut in a vehicle and it's boxed wrong.
Frank Wiebe: So.
Aniz Lavji: I don't care if I have to order another strut from another supplier and it costs me.
Doug Deller: here
Frank Wiebe: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: a hundred bucks more i don't care i'll pay the hundred bucks and just
Frank Wiebe: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: eat it if i have to but i'll make sure that i got Another strut coming.
Frank Wiebe: to get the job done.
Frank Wiebe: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: get that car taken care of and get the customer taken care of. but
Frank Wiebe: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: you know what What are you supposed to do? The guy brings you front struts and mounts and you got the whole car apart and then... you know He's got two right struts. and then what now your hoist is all tied up and you can't make any decisions because the guy's at work not on break yet he's still flipping burgers or whatever it is and now you got a voice that's disabled.
Doug Deller: Yep.
Doug Deller: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: See, and that's what a lot of customers, they they can't understand. They can't understand that part of it. Like for us.
Doug Deller: Okay.
Frank Wiebe: for us it's very simple it's like hey man that part is wrong The car is tore apart.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: what are we gonna do like Look, we need to do something. well just
Doug Deller: yeah
Frank Wiebe: ordered or just wait for the other parts well it's no
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: Because then I'm like, okay, I actually told the guy one time, I said, if If we do that. Are you going to pay for every single hour that car is sitting on the hoist while you go and get...
Frank Wiebe: Because he was like, oh, I'm going to go get other parts. I'm like. now this car is sitting on the hoist so that was the same thing dog that's one of the reasons why it's like you know, don't install customer supply parts.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: And it was like, What are we going to do now? Um, we had the The last one that I did. was I forget what kind of car it was. He he had supplied his own rear.
Frank Wiebe: rotors and pads. And they weren't the right rotors because there was two different sizes of rotors, right? Or the pads and everything too.
Aniz Lavji: Of course.
Doug Deller: Mm hmm.
Frank Wiebe: And I just said to the service, right? I... i i made a mistake on that one i should have just put it back together and and run the car out But I was a little hot -headed and frustrated that day because, you know, we all get that way sometimes. And I'm like, order me the right parts. I'm going to throw them on there.
Frank Wiebe: And we're going to teach him a lesson. I shouldn't have done it that way but I did. And. I thought I had lost that customer for life. But surprisingly, they came back.
Frank Wiebe: And.
Doug Deller: a
Frank Wiebe: yeah I mean, that that was me being hot -headed. But in reality, it's like. Hey, your parts didn't fit. I got you the parts that do fit. Now your car's back on the road. There's your other parts. You can throw them in.
Frank Wiebe: Go get your money back.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Doug Deller: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: Bye. Yeah, that that right there. is a very, very good reason why You know what you may have the right parts What?
Frank Wiebe: I don't know that And now I'm taking that risk.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: Opening up my shop.
Doug Deller: yeahp
Frank Wiebe: Taking up that space. for the possibility that those are the right parts and we can put them on, right?
Aniz Lavji: Yeah. It limits your decision -making.
Doug Deller: And the reality is that I just need to make a certain amount of profit.
Frank Wiebe: Yep.
Doug Deller: to keep the doors open and and i mean profit on parts is is calculated into that so
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah.
Doug Deller: It's... Like it's exact same story that I've heard many, many times over. Would you take your own steak to a restaurant?
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah, and we all and we all do this job because we want to make money, not because we just love getting our hands dirty and busted up and all that kind of stuff.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: You know, we're we're all here to turn a profit. A profit's not a dirty word. And, you know, and.
Doug Deller: Mm hmm.
Aniz Lavji: some of the biggest profit that Us as shop owners and, you know. We make it on parts. depending on what you know percentage you're marking your parts up i mean You know, some places will. Hi, Margarita.
Aniz Lavji: and
Frank Wiebe: Margarita you said hi.
Aniz Lavji: I couldn't help myself.
Doug Deller: Doug says hi too.
Aniz Lavji: Um... Some places will mark up their parts anywhere anywhere from 35 % to 65%, right? but you know, that, that percentage there. And that's what you're, that's what you're using to.
Aniz Lavji: pay your hydro bill. and
Doug Deller: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: pay your insurance and sometimes pay yourself, which is nice, right? so
Doug Deller: okay
Frank Wiebe: and And our Ontario taxes that we have to pay.
Aniz Lavji: No. mean
Frank Wiebe: I know that Alberta doesn't pay that, but.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah. Amen. and you know taking customer supplied parts. you know You're doing a disservice to yourself. Right. So out of respect for yourself and your shop.
Aniz Lavji: Just sell the parts and if they don't want your parts and say look you You're here because... our so you know our service is uh good and you know you trust us to fix your car so let us fix your car with the correct parts
Doug Deller: That's right.
Aniz Lavji: Right.
Frank Wiebe: And, you know, my argument. ah My argument on this has been a little bit. on the customer side of it, because i what what I see is how going to happen. With as much...
Frank Wiebe: online. retail as there is. I really think that our... Brick and mortar parts stores are going to be suffering in another five years. maybe 10 years.
Frank Wiebe: Right? they They're going to have to fight. to keep the doors open. with all of these online retailers.
Aniz Lavji: I don't think so, Frank, because if you know if if we're...
Frank Wiebe: But
Aniz Lavji: like We're all shop owners and we want to... you know get our parts and everything within.
Frank Wiebe: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: 20 minutes to an hour. So all these auto shops, they're not going to be ordering online and it says, okay, expected delivery tomorrow. I got a freaking car on the hoist right now. Like I need these parts.
Frank Wiebe: Well, and that's And that's the only thing that's going to keep it is if every shop owner everywhere.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: It says, No to the customer's supplied parts.
Aniz Lavji: Yes.
Frank Wiebe: No to no to two outside parts. We only install these parts
Aniz Lavji: Mm hmm.
Frank Wiebe: That's the only way that that system is going to work. But then it would also have to go to the part side of it. that they don't and so they don't sell. certain parts they like steering suspension and brake parts.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: to somebody walking in the door you can sell them in their oil and filter and do whatever light bulbs and stuff like that
Aniz Lavji: the public.
Doug Deller: yeah
Aniz Lavji: Yeah. Sure.
Frank Wiebe: But anything like that. should be Almost. Hate me if you want. illegal to sell to somebody that doesn't have a a license to install them.
Aniz Lavji: like why Why do you have to go to go through school, get your license, get your ticket and, ah you know, to install brakes on a customer's vehicle? But, you know, Billy Bob can jack up his car in his driveway.
Aniz Lavji: and you know, get. six rotors and hopefully two of them fit, throw them all together. and ah you know take his little household wrench and... you know, put try and put the bolts on and hopefully everything stays together. That's okay.
Aniz Lavji: but But...
Frank Wiebe: Try it. Try to hold it. Try. Try going and buying a... You're lagging again today. What the heck?
Aniz Lavji: All right. That's all your fault. It's all your fault, Frank. I was good for like the past. 35 minutes. What'd you do?
Frank Wiebe: and So what I was going to say is is go try go try buying a... furnace. a gas -fired furnace or a hot water heater And... ah and go and install it yourself Like they won't even sell it to you.
Frank Wiebe: most of the time.
Frank Wiebe: But the automotive it's no big deal
Aniz Lavji: I think things are going to have to change. I mean, you shouldn't be able to be... you shouldn't be able to buy you know brake pads on amazon and stuff like that like ah it makes no sense
Doug Deller: But. That's what happens when we're in the land of the free.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: which land Which land is that? You're not in America.
Doug Deller: No, I'm not in America, but we're still we're we still we still enjoy a lot of the same freedoms.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah.
Doug Deller: And that' that's just one of them. is uh People are free to to do hack jobs if they want.
Aniz Lavji: the The amount of times that people have done these hack jobs in the driveway and then we get a call like a week later or the car shows up on a tow truck and we're like, hey, what happened? oh you know i was just trying to save some money and do my breaks and uh yeah it didn't really work out so Well...
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Now you need calipers.
Doug Deller: One of the things that that we have a lot of here. uh being a lot more of an industrial industrial city. So. like we do have I have a lot of customers who are actually quite capable themselves. so so You know, I...
Doug Deller: I have a lot of guys who will do their own breaks, do a lot of their own... simple stuff and they bring it to me for the more complicated things and and it works out all right because the same thing like I do a ton of my own home repairs.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Doug Deller: and you know I'm not certified in any of those other other areas but But I've got I've got. plumber friends and I've got electrician friends that'll give me a little advice here and there on how to do it myself. and and And those are the same guys that can do a lot of the simple things on their own vehicles. And I don't mind kind of helping them out. and And it all it all works the same. and uh i mean they're it's, it's different.
Doug Deller: Like I, I don't have people like, no, some guy I don't even know phoning me up and being like, Hey, how do I do this? I'm like, sorry, man.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Doug Deller: Like I'm not gonna, but you know, there's, there's certain people that, that we have a good relationship and I don't mind giving them a little advice.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah, exactly.
Doug Deller: Cause they're right there when i need a little advice on something in my home so it it all
Aniz Lavji: Yep. so
Frank Wiebe: Bye.
Doug Deller: Round.
Frank Wiebe: i think I think that it's just in a mechanic's blood to... want to be able to fix everything yourself like Like you said, home repairs.
Doug Deller: Mm -hmm.
Frank Wiebe: It's it's. Man, I have such a hard time. I had my my cousin's son. does carpentry and i had him come and do some trim in the house last week And I was like, oh, man. Bye. could do it myself.
Frank Wiebe: But eventually I just. I never got to it. And I'm like, I just need to get it done. But. I have a hard time. letting someone else do the work that I know I could do myself.
Aniz Lavji: Mm hmm.
Doug Deller: here
Frank Wiebe: you're Even working on my own cars. Like right now, like I said, Margarita's car is in the shop getting the torque converter replaced. And.
Aniz Lavji: Is it really finally?
Frank Wiebe: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: The mini's in the shop?
Frank Wiebe: Yep. No no no not not The mini actually we did get worked on on last weekend.
Aniz Lavji: Oh yeah.
Frank Wiebe: while we were away. but uh
Aniz Lavji: oh
Frank Wiebe: ah No, the buick the Buick's getting torque converter put in finally.
Aniz Lavji: Oh, geez.
Frank Wiebe: that's that's only been That's only been like a year in the making. She says two years.
Aniz Lavji: the The mini's gotta to get in the shop so she can at least drive it before the weather changes.
Frank Wiebe: but
Frank Wiebe: Working on it. Dang it. i
Aniz Lavji: Those wheels trip did you try the wheels at least?
Frank Wiebe: can only do too much.
Frank Wiebe: No.
Aniz Lavji: Oh my God.
Frank Wiebe: They work. they they worked They worked on it when we weren't there. on the They put brakes put brakes on it. and
Aniz Lavji: Oh yeah.
Frank Wiebe: forget what what they did but So, yeah.
Aniz Lavji: No, but you know... people People that have at least some knowledge of doing some basic repairs like brakes and suspension, I get it, man. You want to save, but... it's it's It's the people that have zero experience that are.
Aniz Lavji: literally like they they're on YouTube watching how to do a great job. and step by step and have zero confidence in what they're doing.
Aniz Lavji: And those are the people that we're driving next to every day. And that's everything the thing.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: I drive with my family in my car and you know you can look over and... that guy's done his own breaks and. Are they going to work? Are they not going to work?
Frank Wiebe: Bye.
Aniz Lavji: Did he tight tighten up those bolts or not?
Doug Deller: yeah
Aniz Lavji: Did he pull up the wheels?
Frank Wiebe: I did a... I did a TikTok video recently about a safety check. And it was exactly on that. It's like, Hey, you know what? this was somebody had done a repair the customer bought the vehicle like this okay so it wasn't The customer that brought it to me, it wasn't them. that Somebody had done the repairs and then sold them the vehicle.
Aniz Lavji: Was that the backward brake pad car?
Frank Wiebe: No, this was the one where the where the caliper bolt, one one bolt in the control arm was completely missing the caliper. or the, um, Yeah, the caliper bolt was loose.
Aniz Lavji: 50 % of the bolts were there, Frank.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Like, come on, don't be so picky.
Frank Wiebe: Yup. Yeah, you're right. Well, the ball joint boat was half in. and And actually was seized half in, you know, and I'm like, you know, the thing is.
Aniz Lavji: man
Frank Wiebe: We drive on the same roads as people who fix cars like that.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: and And that ball joint. could have come right out like it was it was that point
Doug Deller: Mm -hmm.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: And.
Doug Deller: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: It's like. If you're... capable of doing it then do it.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: But if you're not. just Don't do it. Wanna say hi? They want to say hi to you. pick your head and give us a hug
Doug Deller: ah
Frank Wiebe: oh No, she says no.
Doug Deller: Nope.
Aniz Lavji: well frank think about um like i sent you that picture of the volkswagen control arm where like if you know we took it out and then bushing just fell right out of it i mean that's how bad it was
Frank Wiebe: Yep. Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Right?
Frank Wiebe: but and I sent you that picture back of that leaf spring broken in half.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: or the eyelid of the leaf spring. the Customer said it was clunking in the back. I lifted it up. to change the starter and i put it back down i heard the clunk and all of a sudden heard Ding, ding, ding, ding. I'm like.
Frank Wiebe: What the heck is that and I see this Ralph. circling thing laying on the ground and it was the eyelet of the leaf spring
Aniz Lavji: I'm sure you weren't at the casino or something or OLG. Ganyo!
Frank Wiebe: No. Nope, not one of those ding -ding -dings.
Aniz Lavji: oh man
Doug Deller: Nope.
Aniz Lavji: ah You know what? This is a very, very... difficult and tough industry that the the three of us are in. and you know. Say what you want, but... it's a lot of fun But there's ah there's always going to be highs and lows for this. but All we can do is try to ride the highs as as much as possible. and prepare ourselves because, you know, there are going to be some lows, but it all all comes down to how you handle those lows, right?
Frank Wiebe: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: And. i'm sure like you guys have a tribe or something that you can lean on with ah with Rick and everything. so that's that's beautiful that you know you've got You have peers that you can call, you hey, Frank, you know, I'm having this issue. What do you think? Or Bob, I'm having this issue. You know, what would you do? Or have you ever come across this?
Aniz Lavji: If everybody works together like this. I mean... That's how you change the industry, right? If you don't just gatekeep every little thing. You know? it's it's it's free to be kind right i try to say that expression a lot it costs nothing to be kind
Doug Deller: Yeah, it costs nothing to be kind and I mean... there's There's really Plenty of work out there. And so there's no need. to backstab each other or to talk like i i do not
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Doug Deller: talk down about any other shop in town. When a customer comes to me, they're frustrated with the with the last shop they were at and they want to vent on me.
Aniz Lavji: it no
Doug Deller: And I can tell that they want me to join in with them and I won't do it.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Doug Deller: Because, you know, they there's there's no there's no need to put down another shop. and you know. and it' ah there's There's a number of shop owners in in my in Grand Prairie here that I'm actually friends with.
Doug Deller: And. we you know it's friendly competition
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Doug Deller: But there's there's no need to. There's no need to be. be rude about each other.
Aniz Lavji: No, I mean, we generally if we get someone coming inventing like that. I listen and. All I can say is look. Every shop. ah will run their their shops very differently.
Aniz Lavji: and this is how we run ours so i kind of just try to change the subject and and you'll let them vent because they need to get it out but At the end of the day. they run their shop like this and this is what we do here so you know this is what we can do for you
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: And that's the best thing they do like you said if you're if you're gonna run other shops down or other technicians or anything like that down. It only makes you look bad too.
Aniz Lavji: and And...
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: you know guys if you think about it if you get a ah new customer coming in that's literally going off about another shop and Like, do you really want that customer?
Aniz Lavji: Like, are they are they ever going to be satisfied with ah with the break job that, you know, you're quoting them are going to do? Are they going to be that customer that's going to be a, you know, a weekly comeback? I'm hearing this new noise and you fix my brakes and now 96 .7 doesn't show up on the radio anymore. You know, like.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: like it it all It all depends on what the reason was for leaving the other shop, right?
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: Because we've had we've had customers come. from a shop down the road. And. They're like. I brought it in for an oil change and.
Frank Wiebe: All of a sudden there was a $1 ,500 bill.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: And I didn't authorize anything. And now. they expect me to pay this $1 ,500 bill.
Aniz Lavji: oh that's not right yeah yeah
Frank Wiebe: right so so that's that's what we mostly hear and it's like all we can say is
Aniz Lavji: We've still got a little more.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah we've been hearing that.
Aniz Lavji: Mm -hmm.
Frank Wiebe: Unfortunately. That's how that's been going. We don't do that, right? If we if you have a repair. We... Always, always. Except for the one time.
Frank Wiebe: You know? so one customer We assumed. But we we always get, we got to get an okay, right? We got to get the okay. We got to get the authorization, especially now with using TechMetric.
Doug Deller: yeah
Frank Wiebe: man getting that authorization is so easy right and they can
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: Sign it right from their tablet right from their phone and send the authorization back And then it's so much easier to get that.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: Whereas like.
Doug Deller: yeah
Frank Wiebe: And when we're doing it the old school way, then... if if the customer If you couldn't call them or you couldn't talk to them.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: you You had to wait a day. It really slowed the process down. Now you send a quick text Hey, here's your here's your quote. Approve or deny.
Frank Wiebe: Boom, boom, boom.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: Done. I love it. That part's really nice.
Doug Deller: Yeah The only thing I don't like about it is like I always try to to make sure and... and call the customer fairly soon after sending it but sometimes they're a little quick on the on the trigger and you know like they'll They're like. Approve the tie rod.
Doug Deller: but decline the ball joint. and And... and decline the alignment and i'm like well no we kind of need to do ah all of those things and so like i gotta phone them anyways and then and you know
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah.
Doug Deller: take it back out of out of declined and get them to redo it but So I get a bit of that, but.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: All right.
Doug Deller: Otherwise, it i mean it's it's still pretty smooth.
Frank Wiebe: You know, you What you could do with that, Doug, is you could... um You could send him a text ahead of time and say, hey, just an FYI. blah, blah, blah. It needs this and this. We need to do this and this and this in this order.
Frank Wiebe: Here, I'm sending you the quote for authorization.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: All right.
Doug Deller: And I do that. I really do give them a blurb. Send the quote for authorization. Please call me. And there there is a few people that it's like they they didn't they didn't see that first text.
Frank Wiebe: I know.
Doug Deller: They just saw the quote come in.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah.
Doug Deller: I
Aniz Lavji: Depending on the customers, sometimes I'll give them a quick call and be like, hey, sending you this.
Doug Deller: Yeah. Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: estimate you know your ah tires about to fall off your tie rod you need it your ball joint you need it and an alignment. So yeah you'll get the estimate here shortly. Otherwise, yeah, I've had customers that you know they they need uh new struts but they only want to do one And.
Doug Deller: right
Aniz Lavji: The other side is hanging off and they only approve one. It's like. I mean, are you only gonna... Lean on the left or? Like, how are you are you driving?
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: so
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah, I mean, it a little little extra communication, nothing wrong with it.
Doug Deller: Well, i mean Yeah, it's it's not a big deal because I was going to make the phone call to them anyways. and So it just it's just kind of funny to me sometimes how some people work like that.
Frank Wiebe: Mm hmm.
Aniz Lavji: oh yeah
Frank Wiebe: Well, and they don't they don't know unless we train them, right? The customers don't know unless we teach them that.
Doug Deller: yeah
Frank Wiebe: Like this and this and this. works together.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: So i'll i I'll always, when I'm when i'm doing my... DVI. I always be like, this is number one priority.
Doug Deller: Yep.
Doug Deller: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: But one one and two and three all have to be done together. Right?
Doug Deller: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: So, or one one priority is, like you said, thyroid bulge and alignment. That's number one. And then number two, if you can bring it down like that, then give them that. Bye.
Doug Deller: Exactly.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah, you're right. If the decline one is like, ah actually, no, we have to do this and we're going to do it.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: up
Aniz Lavji: yeah
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: Then it'd be nice if it just, like... I have some customers We'll just. Bring the car Hand the keys and say, call me when it's fixed.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: No, no.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: Don't call me when it's when you figure it out. Don't call me. with it Just call me when it's fixed.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Doug Deller: You know what?
Frank Wiebe: Good.
Doug Deller: I get people like that too, but I still tell them, I know that's what you want, but I am going to... Um, still send you the estimate. Even if like, even if you don't want to look at it, I'm still going to send it to you because
Frank Wiebe: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: Yep.
Doug Deller: For me. I need to do that. because I have a lot of anxiety. just surprising someone with a bill.
Aniz Lavji: Mm -hmm.
Doug Deller: But if they know ahead of time what the bill is, I have no anxiety about it. And so for me. I need to send them the estimate.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: You know, um what I've started doing now, Doug, is I've had the same thing like Frank was saying.
Frank Wiebe: ah
Aniz Lavji: You'll get customers. they I call them key throwers. They throw the key. Fix my car.
Doug Deller: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: I'll be up be back later. So what I've started to say now, again, just to CYA, right, cover your. And. What I tell them is like, you know what? I know.
Aniz Lavji: that we're going to be able to fix the vehicle and you know that we're going to fix it reasonably. But the problem is my system is so freaking high tech. that the damn thing won't even order the parts without the authorization.
Aniz Lavji: And because you're an MVP customer, I have to send it to you. Open it up, take a look. uh you know sign click the green button And we're all set. you know unfortunately we got too much technology here and the only way it'll order all the parts on time is for you to just authorize it so just take a minute Take care of it.
Aniz Lavji: That works every time.
Frank Wiebe: That's accurate. that's That's a great way to say it. I like that.
Aniz Lavji: It's like we're we're just too technologically advanced. where we're not too We're not old school enough. And sometimes it's great, but... we We just want to provide you the best service and I want those parts to come damn quick.
Aniz Lavji: So just open it really quick, click the button and we're all set.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah, what I like to do. like i don't work front counter anymore but when i ever talked to him i was like of what What kind of money amount can we authorize? if they're like oh you can authorize you know call me if it's over a thousand dollars right
Aniz Lavji: Or have them text you, say, you know.
Frank Wiebe: if
Aniz Lavji: we We're good up to a grand.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah, yeah.
Aniz Lavji: or something like that, you know.
Frank Wiebe: yeah Something like that. um
Doug Deller: yeah yeah and that's different yeah
Frank Wiebe: That was a real one. Yep.
Aniz Lavji: Hmm.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: no But I think, you know. With. with the way that technology and everything is going. A lot of customers are very used to used to the inspections now.
Aniz Lavji: at least At least if they've come to you at least a few times. The first time might be a bit of a shock, like, oh, wow, okay, I can literally see the DNA of my brake pad from your pictures. but you know they get used to it and then if for some reason let's say they're out of town and something happens and they go to a shop and they don't get that they're like oh man like you know i don't I don't have a picture of my ball joint or that they're talking about. or how How do I even...
Doug Deller: Video. Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah, so they you know I've had customers. that have been out of town and something's happened and you know they run over a nail or something And they'll call me he's like, yeah, but you know. where What do I do? They didn't send me a picture.
Aniz Lavji: And because they get so seasoned with. having the evidence and having that, you know, transparency, right? And it makes you think like now when they come in, you're sending them pictures and videos. It really makes a difference for these customers.
Aniz Lavji: that you know it it builds a confidence in your shop that you are not just out to get them. You're showing them legitimate repairs. You really want to take care of them and serve the customer.
Aniz Lavji: honestly and professionally.
Doug Deller: yeah
Aniz Lavji: So you know we're in the world of DVI now. so
Doug Deller: mean
Aniz Lavji: it It went from, ah hey, you need breaks. It'll be 600 bucks to. Click, click, click, send, approve, order parts. Let's get the job done.
Doug Deller: I had a customer that he'd been bringing me this vehicle for a couple of years and they have a nice family vehicle and his beater work wagon.
Aniz Lavji: that
Doug Deller: And his work vehicle, i I had quoted him on struts a long time ago and let him know every time he came in for something little, hey, these struts are pretty bad. And he's like, ah, whatever.
Doug Deller: This is just my. computer to get to work. And then I got VVI.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Doug Deller: And.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Doug Deller: Send him, he saw pictures of it.
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Doug Deller: It was like, oh. Better take care of that.
Frank Wiebe: ah
Doug Deller: ah
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: All of us. All of a sudden the problem is real and they can see it.
Doug Deller: Yeah, it made a difference.
Aniz Lavji: Well, I had...
Frank Wiebe: There you go.
Aniz Lavji: I had a lady that was in a few months ago. It it was a Corolla. I needed control arms a few months ago. She came in today for an oil change, and she and she remembered. She's like, I know I need to get those control arms done. So while it's up, can you take another look? so We took another look and. I was like, look, I'm not going to take another video of it. Let me just show you because you're right here.
Aniz Lavji: it's It's literally sitting on the frame, so I'm like... It's up to you what you want to do. and she's like okay yep you know don't send me that video we'll just book it in for tuesday
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: So, but In their mind, they remember. that that video and the commentary from it right
Doug Deller: Mm -hmm. Yep.
Aniz Lavji: So it stays with them without you even saying anything. It's in the back of their mind. but If it's just something that you're mentioning on the fly, it's not going to stick in their mind. It's not going to resonate. but When you've got these pictures and videos and the... nice display in the presentation. it sticks with them and they remember it. And now you know she came in for an oil change and she's booked in for next week.
Aniz Lavji: And, you know, there's a... you know, X amount of dollar job ready to go.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah, we've had that we've had that too where customers have declined jobs and they know they've declined jobs.
Doug Deller: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: sir
Doug Deller: Mm -hmm.
Frank Wiebe: And it comes in for something similar. And we're like, well. We've already been through this song and dance and they're like. Oh, yeah. don't forget I'm trying to remember the vehicle, but it happened yesterday. Like, oh, yeah, you're right. You did tell me about that already.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah, okay, just go ahead and fix it now. like
Aniz Lavji: You know, Frank, what I've started doing now. is um when i When I bring up their work order and they've got declined work. I tell them, yeah, you know, we told you about your front brakes.
Frank Wiebe: Mm hmm.
Aniz Lavji: Oh, I don't remember that. I was like, Oh no, we told you, uh, June 22nd at 4 52 PM. Hmm. What do you mean?
Frank Wiebe: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: And I was like. I never was like, no, you did. And your IP address is this. And they're like, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, yeah, let's go ahead and just do that. Yeah, and I'm kind of remembering now.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah. yeah and and i really like i really like how they like if they do decline This car that we're working on today, they've declined the brakes.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: This is the second time that we've mentioned the brakes and they've declined in place now already. And. driving it and the brakes feel like garbage right but I like that it shows it on there. Hey, the customer declined to rake repair.
Frank Wiebe: even though we have in the DVI, we have the brakes, we have it all written out.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: so it's nice to be able to keep track of that and like you say then if you ever come up
Doug Deller: well And it covers you, too.
Frank Wiebe: and
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Doug Deller: Because that way like if the customer is declining it and then they're driving down the street and their brakes fail and they get into an accident and Hey, it was just at the shop and... you didn't get and they didn't fix your brakes they didn't let you know actually i did let you know
Frank Wiebe: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Twice.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: 100%.
Aniz Lavji: oh and
Doug Deller: But I mean, I've never had a situation like that, but. I could see it happening.
Frank Wiebe: Well, we had one kind of close. We had a ah car that had been in for service. It was a it was a. Thursday, I think, or Wednesday it was in for service.
Frank Wiebe: And. I think we did a wheel bearing a rear wheel bearing On that Saturday. Car driving. Something happened, caught fire in the engine compartment.
Aniz Lavji: Hmm. Jeez.
Frank Wiebe: And we did a full DVI on it. And I remember telling the guys, I said, this is the last time that we're going to. Give the customer or... or take pictures of the rotten like ah rocker panels.
Frank Wiebe: Because they've already been told. They know that it's rotten. We're not going to do it again. The next time it comes in, we're not going to take pictures of it because we're just wasting our time. They're not going to do anything about it. So we did a full inspection on it. Everything was good.
Frank Wiebe: And something happened to that thing and it burned. the car completely to the ground And then I keep thinking, like what the heck did we miss? like like It was just in the shop on Wednesday.
Frank Wiebe: We went through everything. What did we miss? What happened to this thing? Why did it catch fire? Why did it burn out? i mean you don't know right could have blown a tranny cooler line or a fuel line or Freaking anything. like but for whatever reason so anyways we don't have to do dvi on that one anymore because it's
Aniz Lavji: yeah
Frank Wiebe: crushed somewhere.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: Bye.
Doug Deller: a
Aniz Lavji: some
Frank Wiebe: it's It's definitely one of those things. And then then when I was talking with them after, when when the car was gone, I said, yeah, it's... I mean, it's a blessing in disguise. I know you have to get another car, but that thing was getting pretty rotten. They're like, really? It wasn't like.
Frank Wiebe: Yeah, we put it in the DVI a couple times already. Oh I don't think I noticed that. Okay, well. It's there.
Aniz Lavji: All we can do is present.
Frank Wiebe: Present.
Aniz Lavji: and have a conversation.
Frank Wiebe: Yep. Yep, yep.
Aniz Lavji: Right.
Frank Wiebe: Try to sell what we can and and the rest we... Have to leave up to the next time
Aniz Lavji: Doug, are you planning on coming to any of these events coming up like in the States, like ASTA, anything like that?
Doug Deller: yeah
Doug Deller: No.
Aniz Lavji: Have you been before?
Doug Deller: No. No, I've never been. the The only thing I've ever been to was that Rick Live that I met Frank at.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Doug Deller: I'm... I don't know. None of them have ever really appealed to me. I i mean, maybe maybe they'd be good, but... yeah Yeah, I don't know.
Doug Deller: none of them none of them have really caught my attention
Aniz Lavji: Yeah. Frank and I are going North Carolina next month. I mean, if if it does somehow work out for you, it'll be some really good training there. for tax managers, everything.
Doug Deller: And... i i think um i I've never been to one, so maybe they would be good, but I've always felt like like how I prefer training. is is a little bit over a long period of time.
Doug Deller: versus one big weekend session or whatever.
Aniz Lavji: Hmm?
Doug Deller: And I mean, there's there's lots of stuff to take in on a weekend session, but... But for me, I do a lot better. by like I every Tuesday morning.
Frank Wiebe: one
Doug Deller: I do a half hour of training.
Aniz Lavji: isn it
Doug Deller: And I kind of prefer that.
Frank Wiebe: i I get where you're saying, because when I went. to Pennsylvania when I went to tools. And that was just a three -day weekend. I'm telling you. My brain was overloaded with. the information that was there.
Frank Wiebe: And I know I didn't retain all of it. so i'm gonna see what asta is it's it's an extra day it's four days
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: and And if it's... As overwhelming as I think it's going to be, then I'll... i'll be like you doug i'll be like uh you know what i can learn i can learn more at a slower pace.
Frank Wiebe: you know and and uh be able to absorb things better that way. But everyone learns differently, right?
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: so Bye.
Doug Deller: Mm -hmm.
Frank Wiebe: One other thing, too, is you can you can go there for the weekend and take – three classes and just
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Frank Wiebe: you know
Aniz Lavji: You don't have to register for all the days.
Frank Wiebe: take the really important.
Aniz Lavji: You could just register for. you know, the Friday and Saturday classes or.
Frank Wiebe: i'm I'm always that dude. if i'm If I'm there three days, I'm doing three days of classes. Like I'm not, you know.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: That's exactly what I'm doing.
Doug Deller: Bye.
Frank Wiebe: yeah I paid for this.
Doug Deller: I got it.
Frank Wiebe: I'm going to be here. I'm going to learn everything I can, even though half of it is going to. out the other ear and not stick at all.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: right
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Doug Deller: Well, and and that's the thing too. I mean the... like being being in in northern Yeah. Canada, the the expense of of going. to places like that like it's you know Even if the event was free to get into, it's still quite a cost to me to go.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Frank Wiebe: it was it is a hefty cost i'll give you that yeah
Aniz Lavji: It is a fever. Yeah.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: No.
Frank Wiebe: So I'm really hoping that it's going to pay for itself.
Aniz Lavji: and
Frank Wiebe: like the The community itself, the community itself is great. um As you found out with Rick Live, right that's it's it's a great community. But... if the training isn't there then Is it worth it, right? Maybe.
Frank Wiebe: but if the training
Aniz Lavji: Half the training is in the hallways and at the bar. you know in the evening with the amount of people you're going to meet
Frank Wiebe: Yep. Yep. but yeah
Aniz Lavji: and
Frank Wiebe: Yeah.
Doug Deller: yep
Aniz Lavji: the conversations you have. that That's how it was for me. I mean, I was in the... the after I call it the after -party room. And, you know, that went on until 12, 1 o 'clock in the morning. and conversations you have there i mean it's like another training session but very laid back.
Frank Wiebe: you um I'm going to be a falling asleep before 1 o 'clock in the morning.
Aniz Lavji: Nope. Nope, Frank, you better take some Red Bull or something. Give me up, buddy. um Doug, i think I think we'll probably call it for tonight, man. It's getting a bit late.
Doug Deller: All right.
Aniz Lavji: But, man, I really appreciate you coming on the podcast tonight.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: And you know this was a lot of fun.
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Let's definitely keep in touch. Maybe we'll have you back on again at another point. Um,
Doug Deller: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: if If you end up getting a a service advisor, a man, reach out. I'd love to know. how that is and
Doug Deller: Okay.
Aniz Lavji: what kind of difference ah it's made having. that extra person's again, starting next week or whatever.
Doug Deller: Right.
Aniz Lavji: um But yeah, man, it's really nice meeting you. And Frank, as always, thanks for finding these great guests.
Frank Wiebe: It was a pleasure. It was great.
Doug Deller: yeah
Frank Wiebe: Thank you. Thanks for coming out, Doug.
Doug Deller: Yeah, thanks for having me on.
Aniz Lavji: Thank you.
Doug Deller: it's been pretty fun.
Aniz Lavji: Just hang hang on the line here for a second, but thanks everyone for listening to Shop and Tread Talk podcast. You can find us on Facebook and YouTube. Please like, share, and follow. Appreciate it.
