I first spoke with Mike Vasheghani in early 2021 for a story about shops that added mechanical repair services to their menus. I really enjoyed chatting with him about his operation, and his son, Sumun, was also gracious with his time and knowledge. Mike has a way of getting straight to the point and conveying his passion for the business.
For me, a magazine writer, there was plenty to choose from to get great quotations.
Reflecting on my conversation with Mike, it became clear that he was just the kind of operator we like to feature here in NOLN. He has great enthusiasm and pride in his work. He knows what strategies have done well, which ones have not, and he’s happy to share that process. And finally, he doesn’t ever feel like the work of improvement is finished.
I knew we had to have Mike and his family-run operation back for a profile story. More than a year later, this issue contains the result of that effort.
This month, you’ll also see our feature story on warranties and warranty claims, which I hope is a useful tool for operators to get a refresher on an important topic. Thankfully, I had the help of three industry experts to walk me through the different kinds of warranties and the steps operators should take when a customer files a claim. The biggest piece of advice? Have a plan. Don’t leave it up to the split-second reaction of a shop manager when an angry customer calls.
Also in this issue is the first set of data to come from the 2022 NOLN Operator Survey. It has been a big effort to put the larger survey together, and I’m happy to share this snippet about how operators’ gross profits are allocated.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, spring has sprung in my neck of the woods. I’m off to smell the flowers. Thanks for reading!
