Skip to main content
EVENT TRACKER
Keep track of rescheduled, canceled industry events with our COVID-affected event tracker - Powered by Snap Finance
Close
Sister Publication Links
  • Rubber & Plastics News
  • European Rubber Journal
tb-logo
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • OPINION
    • CORONAVIRUS
    • AUTO INDUSTRY
    • BUSINESS/FINANCIAL
    • COMMERCIAL TIRE
    • FACTORY FIXES
    • GOVERNMENT & LAW
    • INTERNATIONAL
    • MOTOR SPORTS
    • NEW PRODUCTS
    • RETAIL TIRES
    • SERVICE ZONE
    • SEMA/AAPEX
    • SMALL BUSINESS
    • TIRE MAKERS
    • SPONSORED CONTENT
    • New round of Paycheck Protection Program funding opens
      Vaccine may usher sense of normalcy
      Cover-up: More retailers requiring face masks to curb COVID
      USW alleges COVID-19 violations at Kumho plant
    • Stengel promoted to president of NAPA parent Genuine Parts Co.
      Former auto exec Tyrone Jordan joins Cooper board of directors
      Bridgestone crafts virtual city to showcase sustainable-mobility initiatives
      Ford, Hyundai earn 2021 top North American vehicle honors
    • New round of Paycheck Protection Program funding opens
      H&H broadens precure OTR business with Continuum mold acquisition
      Apollo to raise prices of Vredestein brand, effective March 1
      Taiwan tire makers propose settlement of import duties case
    • Gary Price to head Love's Truck Care operations
      TA opens 6th Oregon location, bringing 50 jobs to area
      Love's opens Speedco shops in Ariz., Calif., Ga.
      TIA adds more Spanish language training
    • New round of Paycheck Protection Program funding opens
      Taiwan tire makers propose settlement of import duties case
      Wireless auto data debate continues
      World rubber demand in 2021 to recover to 2019 levels — IRSG
    • Point S Canada adds 61 stores to network in 2020
      New round of Paycheck Protection Program funding opens
      Ferentino Tyre opens Sri Lanka plant; eyes exports to U.S., Europe
      Sailun to expand Vietnam plant capacity over three years
    • TGI secures Cosmo-brand naming rights at Fla. race track
      Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg postponed until April
      MotoGP extends Dunlop race tire contract through 2023
      Revived Yokohama Drivers Cup to feature Ferrari, Porsche models
    • Kumho launches commercial LT, performance tire lines
      The new One: Nokian unveils all-season passenger tire
      Ford, Hyundai earn 2021 top North American vehicle honors
      BKT expanding its ATV/UTV lineup with Sierra Max Pro radials
    • Point S Canada adds 61 stores to network in 2020
      J.D. Power survey: Quick greeting key to customer satisfaction
      Apollo to raise prices of Vredestein brand, effective March 1
      Marko Ibrahim promoted to president, Bridgestone Retail Operations
    • Point S Canada adds 61 stores to network in 2020
      J.D. Power survey: Quick greeting key to customer satisfaction
      ASE opens registration for upcoming certification testing
      Bolt On, Global Payments aim for easier text payments for auto repairs
    • Denver's Brian Sump named AAPEX Shop Owner of the Year
      DUB, TIS Wheels founder Myles Kovacs is SEMA Person of the Year
      AAPEX: Using social media to promote your business
      AAPEX: Road trips trending, commuting on the wane
    • Vaccine may usher sense of normalcy
      2020 Review: PPP loans give boost to small businesses
      Latest COVID relief bill includes $325B in small-business support
      AAPEX: Do more cars in the shop mean more profit?
    • Apollo to raise prices of Vredestein brand, effective March 1
      Taiwan tire makers propose settlement of import duties case
      Kumho launches commercial LT, performance tire lines
      Michelin completes rigid dump-truck tire lineup
    • Sponsored By Yokohama Tire Company
      7 questions to ask consumers when they need tires for a crossover SUV
      Sponsored By Yokohama Tire Company
      Stocking Tires for Crossover SUVs
  • SHOP FLOOR
    • BALANCING
    • DEMOUNTING
    • SAFETY
    • TIRE REPAIR
    • TPMS
    • TRAINING
    • VEHICLE LIFTING
    • WHEEL TORQUE
    • Video: Balancing Tire
      Choosing the right balancing equipment
      Safety tips for wheel balancing
      An introduction to wheel balancing
    • Video: Demounting
      Demounting Equipment
      Making rims ready for a tight seal
      Tire changer types, tips and trends
    • Video: Safety
      Making friends with OSHA
      Ergonomics on the shop floor
      Customers
    • Video: Tire Repair
      Tire repair: Shining a light on visual inspections
      Staying safe when repairing a tire
      Essential tools, materials and equipment for tire repair
    • Video: TMPS Service
      Decoding sensor data for TPMS diagnosis
      Replacement TPMS sensor overview
      The life-saving work of TPMS
    • Video: Training
      Advantages of apprentice program partnerships
      Options and resources for CE tech training
      Internship ideas to attract tech talent
    • Video:Vehicle Lifting
      All types of lifts for all types of work
      Tips and recommendations for lifting safety
      The gravity of proper lift points
    • Video: Wheel Torque
      Using torque sticks to speed service times
      The danger of too much, too little torque
      The importance of torque specifications
  • Multimedia
    • VIDEOS
    • PHOTOS
    • PODCASTS
  • Events
    • ASK THE EXPERT
    • LIVESTREAMS
    • WEBINARS
    • SEMA LIVESTREAMS
  • Data
    • DATA STORE
  • Resources
    • DIRECTORY
    • CLASSIFIEDS
  • ADVERTISE
  • DIGITAL EDITION
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Service Zone
December 22, 2015 01:00 AM

SHOP FORUM: Should I be offering weekend hours?

  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    A forum member writes:

    “I am looking for input regarding weekend hours. I see most chain stores in my area now open full days on Saturday and Sunday. Any thoughts?”

    One forum member responds:

    “I have found — in my experience over the last 16 years of consulting to automotive professionals such as yourself — several things. One school of thought is that if you can't make your numbers Monday through Friday, you're not likely to see much improvement in being open Saturday.

    “Let's face it: Ours is a tough business, and it wears our your resources (your shop and staff). Once you begin opening Saturdays, there is no going back. Your customers will benefit — and should benefit — but you will likely find yourself doing very low ARO tickets.

    “I would recommend instead focusing heavily on achieving your gross sales with a keen eye on your gross profit margins on each and every job throughout the week.”

    Another forum member writes:

    “We have always been open Monday through Saturday. Saturday is our biggest day of the week by far — the most traffic and most dollars. If you're only open five days a week, maybe adding that sixth day will be the difference maker.

    “This year we are running 28-percent higher sales and 27-percent higher car counts on Saturday compared to the average Monday through Friday. Our ticket average for Saturday is right at our overall ticket average.”

    A dealership president from Las Vegas responds:

    “I have heard several schools of thought on this:

    “1. Open Saturdays, because that's what customers demand. Pros: It's another day of production, depending on who is working. More capacity equals more revenue and earlier deliveries to your customers. You capture more business from people who wouldn't come in otherwise during the week. The cons are that it's tougher on your people, and not being open on Saturday can also be a good way to attract top employees away from competitors.

    “2. ‘Half-staffed' weekends, with only one service adviser and a mechanic. The goal here is to simply capture business that would come in so you can work on it during the week. You're answering the phone, doing light diagnostics and selling some work. It's not necessarily a full production day. If you have more than one service adviser, they can switch off Saturdays, as can the techs. This provides the convenience for customers but gives employees a break. This might be the best way to go at first — until you have enough business on Saturday to justify adding techs or service advisers to make it a full day.

    “In general, I think you have to consider your team and whether you can do it in a way that will retain the best people and provide balance for them while maximizing the revenue at your shop.”

    Another member replies:

    “I worked decades at six days a week and missed out on a lot of family time. It's just not worth it. I do not make a habit of being open on Saturdays, nor do any of my competitors around here. I have been known to schedule work during the evening or on Saturday for a customer who really needs it — or if I'm backed up or really slow — but that is the exception and not the rule.

    “The problem with working on the weekends becomes that people will start to expect it, and you will be doing a lot of oil changes and flat tire repairs instead of watching your kids grow up, which happens all too soon.”

    A service manager from Bloomington, Ind., writes:

    “I would say customer loyalty is a big concern as well. You never want to give your customers a reason to go somewhere else. A loyal customer will make you considerably more money than a casual customer.

    “When that customer has to go somewhere else because your operating hours are not convenient for their schedule, you give someone else the opportunity to make them a loyal customers. There are ways to manage scheduling weekends without overworking yours staff by offering flexible scheduling, such as giving time off during the week for employees working weekend hours. In these cases, it isn't about gaining extra work from the employees but convenience for the customer. If you want to gain shop capacity without overworking your employees, you will have to add employees.”

    The questions and responses are posted on the Automotive Management Network website, which is operated by Deb and Tom Ham, owners of Auto Centric (formerly Ham's Automotive) in Grand Rapids, Mich. The comments have been edited for clarity and brevity.

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Do you have an opinion about this story? Do you have some thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? Tire Business would love to hear from you. Email your letter to Editor Don Detore at [email protected].

    SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Newsletter Center

    Staying current is easy with Tire Business delivered straight to your inbox.

    SUBSCRIBE TODAY

    Subscribe to Tire Business

    SUBSCRIBE
    Connect with Us
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • RSS

    Our Mission

    Tire Business is an award-winning publication dedicated to providing the latest news, data and insights into the tire and automotive service industries.

    tb-logo
    Reader Services
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Site Map
    • Industry Sites
    • Order Reprints
    • Customer Service: 877-320-1716
    Partner Sites
    • Rubber & Plastics News
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Automotive News
    • Plastics News
    • Plastics News China
    • Urethanes Technology
    RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    • Terms of Service
    • Media Guide
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Classified Rates
    • List Rental
    • Digital Edition
    • Careers
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • OPINION
      • CORONAVIRUS
      • AUTO INDUSTRY
      • BUSINESS/FINANCIAL
      • COMMERCIAL TIRE
      • FACTORY FIXES
      • GOVERNMENT & LAW
      • INTERNATIONAL
      • MOTOR SPORTS
      • NEW PRODUCTS
      • RETAIL TIRES
      • SERVICE ZONE
      • SEMA/AAPEX
      • SMALL BUSINESS
      • TIRE MAKERS
      • SPONSORED CONTENT
    • SHOP FLOOR
      • BALANCING
      • DEMOUNTING
      • SAFETY
      • TIRE REPAIR
      • TPMS
      • TRAINING
      • VEHICLE LIFTING
      • WHEEL TORQUE
    • Multimedia
      • VIDEOS
      • PHOTOS
      • PODCASTS
    • Events
      • ASK THE EXPERT
      • LIVESTREAMS
      • WEBINARS
      • SEMA LIVESTREAMS
    • Data
      • DATA STORE
    • Resources
      • DIRECTORY
      • CLASSIFIEDS
    • ADVERTISE
    • DIGITAL EDITION