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Old 11-02-2012, 12:19 PM   #1
Maxwell Power
Former Vendor
 
Member#: 190729
Join Date: Oct 2008
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Marysville, WA
Default Maxwell Power's Growing Pains: Internal Restructuring for 2013

Hello all,
First I would like to thank every one of our customers. You guys have helped make us great. Most of you have been extremely patient and supportive and I appreciate it very much.
We have been having a hard time getting some projects out in a reasonable amount of time. There have been many causes and I would like to share them with everyone so that it is understood and I would like to share the fixes that we are going to implement.

Currently our scheduling is done as far in advance as people want. This has turned out to be VERY bad. Let me explain:

We have a certain number of slots (hours) every day for work. We take appointments Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Thursday was reserved for cars that are already at the shop, administration, shipments etc. Thursday has proven not to be enough on it's own. When a customer's car shows up with more problems than he/she knew existed and it takes longer than scheduled OR has to stay at the shop for a previously unscheduled amount of time this creates a serious issue. The issue is that every slot for every available work hour has already been scheduled for a month. That type of scheduling snafu gives us no time to work on the car until a spot opens up.
Because of this error we have accumulated a few customer cars. It sucks, it's very stressful and creates a lot of tension at the shop. Sometimes we snap at each other or at a customer on the phone. It isn't right and we are very sorry to anyone who has experienced my wrath. We WANT to get our customers' cars back to them as fast as possible without sacrificing work quality. We want the experience to be a pleasant one and we want all our customers happy with their new found power, drive ability and or reliability.

Effective immediately:
1.We will not be taking appointments past 2 weeks. On Tuesday of each week we will open the schedule for the week that starts 14 days later. Appointments will be given on a first come/call first serve basis. The 14 day rule only has exceptions to those who have to travel a long way or are doing full builds/projects. Regular tunes and installs will not be granted exception. This guarantees a handful of spots open for "problem cars" two weeks away. Two weeks is still quite long and so that isn't sufficient for us.

At this very moment we are scheduled until Mid December. I will have the hard job of calling people and cancelling their appointments. We currently have 13 cars at the shop. 6 of them should have been completed long ago. If I am going to have these cars finished before December, I have to cancel the appointments on the schedule. This is a VERY hard decision to make. However, if we are going to take care of our current customers, our future customers are going to have to be understanding.

To the people on the schedule currently, I'm sorry! I hope that this post helps you see what we are doing to ensure everyone gets great service and you do not get angry with us. Please be understanding.

To the people who have been waiting for your car: Thank you for being patient. I apologize publicly for the wait.

So back to the two week thing. In order to keep cars from sitting for two weeks for a spot to open up, we have limited the amount of tunes that I perform during the week. Instead of two per day, we will be scheduling one per day. The second tune slot will become available IF we have no project or problem cars sitting waiting for work. This gives us the opportunity to work on those cars much sooner than two weeks.

The next big thing that we are doing is FINALLY bringing on another tech. This will help us in more than just floor work. By bringing on the additional floor tech, WE are giving Dave a promotion. He will be absorbing some of my daily tasks so that I am available more often for customer support, admin and performing work. He will be doing more Estimates, scheduling, billing and tech support in addition to being the floor manager.

These major changes in addition to a handful of minor ones should help get us faster and more efficient. We have only been at the new shop for 19 months and have had our business increase very rapidly. We are having to learn to handle much more than we did three years ago. Taking on more than twice the work without any changes in how we do things just doesn't work.

So to recap:
We've been slow at getting some things done.
We're sorry.
We are changing how we schedule appointments
We are hiring more help

I'm looking forward to 2013. By the new year I believe our new system will be running more efficiently and the MPS experience will be much better.

Help us through these growing pains.

Thanks again!
Dominic Acia
Maxwell Power Services

Last edited by Maxwell Power; 11-08-2012 at 03:41 PM.
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Old 11-02-2012, 03:28 PM   #2
teiva-boy
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Seattle, WA
Default

This is great news! I know I've been frustrated having to schedule more than a month out for work, and I drive from Seattle to you guys, as you've been the best so far to work with.

This I think could be a great thing for me and my car getting serviced quicker
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Old 11-04-2012, 10:14 PM   #3
BlackEyeII
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Member#: 65140
Join Date: Jun 2004
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Seattle, WA
Vehicle:
2007 STI Limited#213
05 STI (rip) 03 WRX (rip)

Default .....

Quote:
Originally Posted by teiva-boy View Post
This is great news! I know I've been frustrated having to schedule more than a month out for work, and I drive from Seattle to you guys, as you've been the best so far to work with.

This I think could be a great thing for me and my car getting serviced quicker
+ 1

Nothin but love for MPS here...

Very happy with my stroker...
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Old 11-04-2012, 11:47 PM   #4
Fade2black02
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Location: Arlington, WA
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2010 STI
Blick

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by teiva-boy View Post
This is great news! I know I've been frustrated having to schedule more than a month out for work, and I drive from Seattle to you guys, as you've been the best so far to work with.

This I think could be a great thing for me and my car getting serviced quicker

Small world, I drive from Arlington to Seattle to get work done on *mine*.

It's opposite day!
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Old 11-02-2012, 04:32 PM   #5
eNx
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Chapter/Region: NWIC
Default

Thanks Dom and MPS crew! Keep up the great work!

~Jess del Mundo

P.S. Sorry for being the annoying "Is it done yet?" dude.
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Old 11-05-2012, 01:24 AM   #6
BREWPUBEAVER
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Member#: 84547
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Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: PDX S-SE
Vehicle:
06, Lafawnduh
Fender rolling king

Default

It is insanely stressfull being the boss. Sending good vibes your way
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Old 11-05-2012, 03:18 PM   #7
binjoau
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Member#: 259948
Join Date: Oct 2010
Chapter/Region: W. Canada
Location: Regina, Canada
Vehicle:
MPS 510 whp GTX35R
Long Rod Motor

Default

To continue from what I said on Facebook, MPS will always have my business and I couldn't be happier with my motor. This change to give more time to service customers better is fantastic and I wish you all the best

Alex
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Old 11-05-2012, 04:43 PM   #8
kpet3
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Location: Washington, Sea
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Its worth the wait, because they do great work. Not one problem with my car after they were done with it, will be going back MPS if I need any more work on my car.
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Old 11-06-2012, 10:36 AM   #9
Maxwell Power
Former Vendor
 
Member#: 190729
Join Date: Oct 2008
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Marysville, WA
Default

Thanks for the positive feedback and kind words.
Hopefully by the spring I'll have an apprentice tuner too. Only time will tell.
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Old 11-06-2012, 03:22 PM   #10
binjoau
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Member#: 259948
Join Date: Oct 2010
Chapter/Region: W. Canada
Location: Regina, Canada
Vehicle:
MPS 510 whp GTX35R
Long Rod Motor

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Maxwell Power
Thanks for the positive feedback and kind words.
Hopefully by the spring I'll have an apprentice tuner too. Only time will tell.
I still said il come be the receptionist and I was serious!
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Old 11-06-2012, 07:16 PM   #11
NW2TONE
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Location: marysville,WA
Vehicle:
unde your hood makin
your **** go faster

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We won't let canadians work here!!!
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Old 11-06-2012, 07:20 PM   #12
Maxwell Power
Former Vendor
 
Member#: 190729
Join Date: Oct 2008
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Marysville, WA
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by NW2TONE View Post
We won't let canadians work here!!!

dumb ass. Get back to work!
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Old 11-06-2012, 09:36 PM   #13
binjoau
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Member#: 259948
Join Date: Oct 2010
Chapter/Region: W. Canada
Location: Regina, Canada
Vehicle:
MPS 510 whp GTX35R
Long Rod Motor

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by NW2TONE
We won't let canadians work here!!!
I'm English you muppet!

Or is this the continuing I'm a Canadian joke from that weekend?! Haha
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Old 11-06-2012, 10:04 PM   #14
BlackEyeII
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Member#: 65140
Join Date: Jun 2004
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Seattle, WA
Vehicle:
2007 STI Limited#213
05 STI (rip) 03 WRX (rip)

Default No please

Quote:
Originally Posted by binjoau View Post
I'm English you muppet!

Or is this the continuing I'm a Canadian joke from that weekend?! Haha
English doesn't make you cute or female and I like both in a receptionist.
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Old 11-07-2012, 08:46 AM   #15
Stretchvelcroy
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Member#: 299169
Join Date: Oct 2011
Chapter/Region: W. Canada
Location: Nelson bc. For Now Duncan, BC
Vehicle:
2002 Wrx/JDM STi v.7
Dirrrty

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Maxwell Power
Thanks for the positive feedback and kind words.
Hopefully by the spring I'll have an apprentice tuner too. Only time will tell.
Are you taking applications?


In my loveliest dreams lol
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Old 11-07-2012, 12:14 AM   #16
NW2TONE
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Member#: 212509
Join Date: May 2009
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: marysville,WA
Vehicle:
unde your hood makin
your **** go faster

Default

You live in Canada!!! That makes you Canadian in my rules!!! Lol
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Old 11-07-2012, 01:38 AM   #17
binjoau
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Member#: 259948
Join Date: Oct 2010
Chapter/Region: W. Canada
Location: Regina, Canada
Vehicle:
MPS 510 whp GTX35R
Long Rod Motor

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by NW2TONE
You live in Canada!!! That makes you Canadian in my rules!!! Lol
Immigration you fool! Haha
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Old 11-07-2012, 06:11 PM   #18
Maxwell Power
Former Vendor
 
Member#: 190729
Join Date: Oct 2008
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Marysville, WA
Default

I have one guy picked out already. The next position will be available around Feb/March time frame. That person would likely be a tuning apprentice or a secretary (spoken sexatary)
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Old 11-13-2012, 01:40 AM   #19
weps
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Member#: 183495
Join Date: Jun 2008
Vehicle:
2002 WRX
Silver

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I'll whore myself out as a tuning apprentice; sounds like I'll be out of a job by then anyways
But then maybe one day *I'll* be the Master!
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Old 11-15-2012, 11:19 AM   #20
Maxwell Power
Former Vendor
 
Member#: 190729
Join Date: Oct 2008
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Marysville, WA
Default

Got an email from a kid asking for a job:
Quote:
Hi I was wondering if you guys need another 2 hands around the shop? I'm 17 I've been around cars and installed aftermarket parts on and off, took trannys off, I don't know everything but I want to learn! Please let me know if you guys are interested In a helper! Thx!

Sent from my iPhone
So I had to send a response that might help him out a bit in the future
Quote:
*****,
Thanks for the email, but we are good for now.

You should know that many adults don't take people seriously that contact them via email for job opportunities. Nothing beats face to face communication and introductions. Second to that is a phone call. Then ACTUAL mail with letter and lastly, email. Email is very impersonal and doesn't take any effort. Business owners want to see people who are motivated and actually put out effort. Sitting in front of your computer or in your case doing it from your iphone is effortless and lazy. Not to say that you are lazy, but that's the message you put out when it says "Sent from my iPhone" at the bottom of an email that you didn't even finish off with a "regards" "thanks" "sincerely" or anything with your name at the bottom. Email is only acceptable if it includes a full resume and the company was actually looking for someone or had an add out for employment.

Don't worry though, I get lots of these.

Just figured I'd pass on a little wisdom to help you nail the next job.

Have a good one,
Dominic Acia
Maxwell Power Services
I realize that email is the new form of communication, but it's so fake.
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Old 11-15-2012, 06:50 PM   #21
Gaelen
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Member#: 194232
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Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Maxwell Power View Post
I realize that email is the new form of communication, but it's so fake.
How is an email any different than a typed out letter? Minus the wasting of paper, stamp, envelope and ink of course.

A properly written letter shouldn't make a difference in how it's delivered, I can understand you having a preference but ignoring the fact that the rest of the world uses email to communicate and calling it fake is a slight bit ignorant.

you're entitled to your opinion of course, but mine is the opposite of yours. I prefer email to phone calls, mail and people dropping by.

the joy of technology for me is that I can respond when I have time. People aren't constantly interrupting me allowing me more time to complete my tasks at hand. When I have a moment I can respond and collect my thoughts to provide a better answer to a question or have a minute or to to research something. It allows me the flexibility to complete my jobs on time
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Old 11-15-2012, 06:56 PM   #22
Chesh
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Member#: 284935
Join Date: Jun 2011
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Bremerton, WA
Vehicle:
2004 STi Stage __
Aspen White

Default

Hopefully we're not hijacking this thread too far.

The difference lies in the fact that the professional world is built off of common courtesies, expectations, and standards that don't exist between your buddies. You don't care if your friend slouches, won't look you in the eyes, has a weak handshake, is late, or any other cue that employers look at. So what if you're a minute and thirty seconds late to your friend's house? If you're a minute and thirty seconds late to a job interview, you're likely be told "Don't call us, we'll call you." Even if you're not the kind of guy that upholds the standard acceptable practices for job interviewing on a daily basis, the fact that you care for that one day that it really matters means something. If you want to be taken seriously, take the job seriously.
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Old 11-15-2012, 11:57 PM   #23
Fade2black02
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Member#: 309997
Join Date: Feb 2012
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Arlington, WA
Vehicle:
2010 STI
Blick

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gaelen View Post
How is an email any different than a typed out letter? Minus the wasting of paper, stamp, envelope and ink of course.

A properly written letter shouldn't make a difference in how it's delivered, I can understand you having a preference but ignoring the fact that the rest of the world uses email to communicate and calling it fake is a slight bit ignorant.

you're entitled to your opinion of course, but mine is the opposite of yours. I prefer email to phone calls, mail and people dropping by.

the joy of technology for me is that I can respond when I have time. People aren't constantly interrupting me allowing me more time to complete my tasks at hand. When I have a moment I can respond and collect my thoughts to provide a better answer to a question or have a minute or to to research something. It allows me the flexibility to complete my jobs on time
Chesh nailed all the good talking points, but I'll take it just a bit further. I love people like you. Because it means people like me will always have a job. The kids these days that assume social networking is the end all be all, are slapped in the face in the real world when they finally come to realize that the real world requires real personal interaction. Employers want to see who they're talking to, how you act, present yourself, etc. Anything short of walking in to say hi is usually considered to be "non-personal" and you are written off.

I walked into a Jiffy Lube once many years ago, on a day off. I hadn't planned on being dressed up in a sport shirt and tie with slacks and shoes (had a nice lunch I was going to) but I asked for the manager and asked if he was hiring for entry level to learn. He gave me an application and interviewed me on the spot, and explained to me the ONLY reason he gave me a shot was because I took the job seriously by presenting myself in a professional matter, even though the job itself entailed being covered in grease and oil all day.

Didn't get the job (had 2 speeding tickets and for some stupid reason they wanted clean records) but my example is no less relevant.
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Old 11-15-2012, 11:24 AM   #24
12sechatch
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Location: Kent, Wa
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Okie Dokie Fine

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at least it wasn't via facebook
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Old 11-15-2012, 11:44 AM   #25
Maxwell Power
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Member#: 190729
Join Date: Oct 2008
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Marysville, WA
Default

I've had those too.
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