Victims of Ourselves

I received this e-mail from a shop owner who has kept in touch over the years. He has given me permission to share this without his identification, which is totally understandable. I took out any reference to his city, his name etc. I thank him for sharing his story with me and allowing me to share it with you. I would only hope the rest of the Aftermarket industry pays attention to his message......this is the real world people...there is no sugar coating or warm fuzzy feeling in the real world that our sector loves to put out there....it is blunt and to the point!!

Hi Bob,

I guess I've emailed you often enough that you might find my name familiar....I called you just as you were preparing to head out to Abbotsford to handle your training contract in Alberta, etc. so it was not possible to sit down and discuss an idea for a service training program that I've been nurturing for some five years now. Of course, I've continued to follow your blog with considerable interest and strong agreement with the messages you've been promoting to the Automotive Aftermarket community at large.

In the meantime, I've just completed a 2-12 month "vacation" (I wish!) in the Hospital in (some town Ontario) as a result of a bout with "Guillain-Barre Syndrome". I was discharged earlier this week and have a period of recuperation (physio therapy) of unknown length ahead of me in an effort to regain the full use of my legs and arms...which is where GBS has hit me the hardest. Fortunately, it seems my case was not as severe as some and by taking a very proactive approach to my therapy sessions in the hospital, I've progressed towards recovery at a very good rate...so they tell me, anyway.

This "vacation" gave me a lot of time for "deep thinking" and re-evaluation of our circumstances from the point of view of health and my significant lack of financial preparedness for the costs of retirement. Basically, I was too involved in the day-to-day operations of my shop (a very "busy" 8 bay, 5-6 person operation) making sure that our service was, arguably, the most technically competent and integrity based in Ontario. Of course, my big mistake was being so "close" to the day to day service operations that I couldn't see the forest for the trees...and in not taking advantage of the type of business training you were conducting for those smart enough to listen! I blame no-one but myself for this stupidity...thus the subject of this email "Victims of Ourselves".

The long and the short of it is, that just when I was (finally) realizing that I should be charging significantly more for the outstanding services we were providing, I had a heart attack and was, essentially, forced to take an earlier retirement than planned. I have to wonder how many other Retail Service Providers and Jobbers are operating under similar short-sighted circumstances. I believe the answer is, "a lot more than 50% "!

The fact that training such as you have been providing for years was available to me ....and I was just too "blind and foolish" to recognize the necessity of a better "Total Management" approach, is almost incomprehensible. And as I contemplate retirement without sufficient financial resources to maintain the standard of living we have become accustomed to, I can only shake my head in disgust"!

If these "revelations" are of interest, you have my permission to quote them in a blog, if you wish, without identifying the source, of course. As a "Professional Service Provider" (with the emphasis on "Professional", as I'm an Engineer as well as a Certified Mechanic)I've done everything possible to promote professionalism among all the Technicians and Shop Owners with whom I've come in contact over my 35 year involvement in the Aftermarket. But, as I suspect you've found, too few are willing to take the time to listen to the "voice of reason" and just carry on until it's too late. Ironically, I didn't fully listen to myself! To be sure, it's a sad indictment of a great bunch of people and a dynamic segment of the Aftermarket Industry.

I suspect your "Western training experiences" are a refreshing change from the "Eastern" attitudes you were immersed in for years. Others I know have found it a refreshing breath of fresh air to deal with the folks west of Ontario.

Cheers,