It also ignores easily available solutions that could have been deployed prior to AI

For example, even if it shows a boost of $100,000 per month in revenue. It could likely have been achieved with a shared virtual assistant / receptionist for about $200-1000 per month (depending on exactly call volumes).

So really, the revenue was already lost and going forward you’re just deciding to capture it. You've created a more complicated mouse trap than what was already available to you. The difference is saving a couple hundred dollars of labor less whatever your AI/tech costs are. I’d still go the human route because it’s more future proof and if this is a luxury service, human service is always going to feel more luxurious.

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PunchyHamster 3 hours ago | parent [-]

Given the article states

> He’s under the hood all day. The phone rings, he can’t answer, the customer hangs up and calls someone else

the mechanic is already very busy in the first place so unless he plans on expanding shop the whole thing is a waste of time

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codegeek 3 hours ago | parent | next [-]

This is such an important point. My plumber that we always call is extremely busy and usually doesn't have availability for at least a week. He is a one man shop and prefers it that way. You call his phone, leave a voicemail and he calls you back whenever he is able to. I asked him if he wants to get more business by automating his incoming calls and he said "not really, I am already very busy and have enough business. I don't need these tools".

So we cannot always assume that the business owner (especially the solo mom and pops) wants more business. Good ones are already very busy.

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ryandrake 2 hours ago | parent | next [-]

This seems to be true with every trade shop in my area. HVAC, plumbing, electrical, landscaping, appliance repair, and so on: Nobody picks up the phone, and when you do get someone, they don't seem to be very interested in your job unless it sounds like big money to them. Everyone already apparently has as much work as they want, and if you're a small fish you're out of luck.

	▲	encom 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Electrician here. I had zero unemployment time between my current job and the last. Sent ~5 applications, had two interviews. Current employer called me in the afternoon offering me a job, after interviewing the same morning. Y'all are in the wrong business :D

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chucksmash 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

That's wild. Plumbing especially seems like a field where if you need a plumber you need them right now, not a week from now.

I guess as a plumber having enough of the type of jobs that can wait a week that you can turn away the urgent calls might be one of those feature-not-a-bug type situations.

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dylan604 an hour ago | parent | next [-]

It depends. If you need a faucet changed out with this new fancy one, or if you want to replace a toilet with a new one using less GPF, or any other kind of update/remodel.

Not every job a plumber does is an emergency situation. I used a plumber to help me setup a backyard project to set up a portable propane tankless gas water heater. I took a look at buying at the parts and pieces I would need, but they needed special tools that would only be used once if I were to buy them. Instead, I had the plumber do it for me with all of the necessary parts/pieces on the truck plus the tools to do it. It cost me less than it would have to buy everything. Now, I just need a cold water feed, and I have a portable hot/cold running system.

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tren_hard 2 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

You can break it down by, new construction, planned renovations/improvements, and emergency repairs.

Not everyone works all three or wants to do more than one of these groups. There’s different levels of demand, pay, competition at each.

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aziaziazi an hour ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> you need them right now

You can shut the entire network off, shower/poop at neighbours places or work, laundry at the local self-laundry shop and brush you teeth with a bootle of water. Inconvenient sure, but it would as much problematic to be denied electricity for a long time: lights off, fridge off, no heating, boiler off… there’s alternatives but the usual way for us is to share a long electric cord by an open window… so obligatory work-and-stay-at-home if you’re lucky to have an appropriate activity.

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b112 an hour ago | parent [-]

Emerg. solution.

Get a 5 gallon bucket with lid. Put garbage bag inside. Put toilet seat from broken toilet on it.

Use it, remove refuse if needed, put lid on.

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aziaziazi an hour ago | parent [-]

I love it! My main (and only) device is a dry toilet so a plastic bag shortage would be a bigger problem. I guess we’ll emerge with origami.

https://www.kildwick.com/en/fancyloo-divert

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jermaustin1 25 minutes ago | parent [-]

Now that is an expensive poop bucket!

I love the design of it though, I'd never even though about diverting flow toilets, but this design is so simple and elegant.

	▲	aziaziazi 9 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		My after-thought odour diversion isn’t that simple and elegant though. I recommend the fan-included (cheaper) kit : https://www.kildwick.com/en/easyloo-diy-kit-fan-12v

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tayo42 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

There's emergency plumber companies out there you could call

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conductr an hour ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I think that’s wrong for a couple reasons. I think author doesn’t fully understand the problem or doesn’t explain it well leading to this assumption.

He wouldn’t care to get these extra jobs if he’s full, so why do this to begin with. He could however hire another mechanic if he books more jobs and grow his business to one of shop owner instead of mechanic (no idea if this is his motivation or not).

It’s likely he’s not actually under the hood all day but If phone rings twice a day and it just happens to be he’s under the hood at those times, he misses the call and it’s like he’s under the hood all day. It doesn’t mean he has no capacity, it just means he’s missing some calls throughout the day.

	▲	ithkuil 15 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		Perhaps it's a timing issue? Perhaps he would have time for more work but the calls cluster when he's busy?

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karmakaze 2 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I tried getting some work quotes not long ago and was surprised by how many local shops still don't have: (1) website that takes info and emails/calls back, (2) voicemail, or (3) having one or both of those and didn't call back all week. I suspected they had all the business they can handle. I did get a call back later in the week from one that said as much.

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mystifyingpoi 2 hours ago | parent [-]

Why would a car repair shop need a website for? All I care about is the phone number, with the hope that someone will pick it up. IDK about the world, but in Poland every single mechanic I know has no downtime at all. The better ones have queues measured in weeks or months for simple repairs. They don't care about extra business, the business will find them anyway.

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ozim an hour ago | parent | next [-]

You can use web form to streamline the reservations or fill in drop outs.

It is not always about getting more customers.

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willwashburn 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Why don't the mechanics increase their price?

	▲	ozim 33 minutes ago \| parent \| next [-]
		They do. I paid quite a lot for hauling and fixing alternator. Same with basic house maintenance prices are through the roof.
	▲	conductr an hour ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		That generates more supply (mechanics) not less demand (volume of broken cars). Sometimes having excess demand is ideal to keep the market balanced in your favor.

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willwashburn 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Could he not just increase the price until the number of calls matches the time he has?

I know it's not that simple, but my gut says theres value to at least hearing out the people taking action to call you. Especially if that's automated and low cost to you.