You have asked a question that faces even the small shops. We counter your expensive, with BETTER service. We charge a minimum of $100.oo for an Oil service. The Oil service includes the usual inspection and airing the tires. Where we differ is our communication with the customer after the service. What we found and when it should be replaced or repaired. We don't charge most of the time for light bulb changes. We charge just for the bulb when we do change a bulb, not the time. The time is included in the service.

Yon may want to TRAIN your service advisers about cars. ASE has a C1 certification for the service adviser. You have certifications for your technicians , your service adviser needs to be trained too. I have gotten into arguments with service advisers who knew nothing about the technology that is in their own product. You will see your sales numbers go WAY UP when the people do the selling actually know what they are talking about.

The MAIN thing you should be selling is that YOU are the expert on these cars. You ONLY use factory approved or factory parts for their repair.

Don't compete on PRICE, compete on EXPERTISE, SERVICE, and DONE RIGHT. Then DELIVER on the product!

You also need your service adviser to double check the recommendations of the technician. There has been many times service work has been recommended on a vehicle and the service has already been done at another service facility. As a Service Manager for Firestone Stores, I have personally saved customers who came back upset. We sent them to the dealer to fix a problem we could not resolve. They made a recommendation for a service that we had already performed. I had the customer follow me out to their vehicle watch me open up their vehicle engine compartment and put a test strip in the fluid in question. I had him hold the test strip and the bottle showing what the test strip says. By the end of this he was very upset at the Dealer. Will he be coming back? Double check your technicians recommendations on normal service work.

I just stole a customer from the local dealer when they brought the car in for mouse removal service. The dealer didn't solve the customer's problem and wanted to charge thousands to fix what we fixed in a couple of hours. We also found the problem not in the area that they wanted to go to.

We charge $130/hr. I think maybe 5 to 10 dollars cheaper than the dealer hourly. That's not going to change where or how a person comes to you. Solving your customers problem at a reasonable cost is what generates business.

You DON'T WANT the customer that is shopping on PRICE, they tend to give you the most problems. Let them go to the shop that wants to deal with them and their headaches.