RR 378: John Passante – You Can’t Handle The Truth – The Power of Performance Reviews

Dr. John Passante – You Can’t Handle The Truth – The Power of Performance Reviews.

John Passante is a legacy automotive aftermarket Human Resource professional and the President and CEO of The Organizational Development Group. He’s worked with and for some of the biggest names in our industry including Monroe/Tenneco, Delphi, Moog and Car Quest.

In this episode, he illuminates how performance reviews can become part of the culture of all businesses. He covers high grounds on the importance of leadership, understanding personal goals, culture, strategy, and values in the performance review process.

John also shows us tips within the episode on the right way to write your own review.

THA 092: The Extreme Value of Shop Tours

The Extreme Value of Shop Tours

Recorded live at Franks European in Las Vegas, NV, listen to Frank Scandura, Vinnie Lucido, Andy Bizub, Deb Van Batenburg, Greg Bunch, Jimmy Lea, Bill Nalu, Shari Pheasant, and Vic Tarasik all providing their wisdom and insights on shop tours. We had fun and you’ll learn about what these professionals value by taking and giving shop tours.

You not only need to get a shop tour but also give them and ask for feedback. Sometimes you do not see things that your peers will see. Take their ideas and give your feedback constructively.

This team believes that shop tours are a very important tool in your perpetual improvement strategy. Growing your business comes from the ideas of others. As Frank Scandura says do R & D …. Rip off and Duplicate. Learn from your network and from shop tours.

RR 377: Gary Smith – The Knowledge Of Electricity Is The Basis Of Every Solution To A Diagnostics Problem

The Knowledge Of Electricity Is The Basis Of Every Solution To A Diagnostics Problem

Gary Smith has been fascinated with electricity his whole life and understands that the more you know of electricity’s core fundamentals, the better diagnostician you’ll be.

He says many technicians have never been to a basic electric class so how will survival in today’s repair environment keep pace with the ever enhancing tech, circuits, and modules. Gary like so many other trainers I’ve interviewed can’t say it enough. You must continually train, invest in yourself and get to a basic automotive electrical class every three years.
Ham radio enthusiast, Gary Smith, tells the story of Edward Weston who invented a tool in circa 1893 that you still use today.

Thanks, Gary, for the reminder that you must be curious if you want to solve diagnostic challenges today. He reminds technicians that after a training class, they must go back to educate the rest of the team. When you teach you learn.

RR 376: The Undeniable Rise of Digital Vehicle Inspection (DVI)

The Indisputable Rise of Digital Vehicle Inspections (DVI)

The members of this roundtable are Chris Cloutier of Golden Rule Auto Care and Autotext.me, John Burkhauser of Bolt On Technology, and Pete Rudloff of Pete’s Garage and Flex Check Auto

The episode talks about the rise of Digital Vehicle Inspection and its importance like a smartphone to everyone. DVI is not yet the norm today but the future will require the service professional to have this tool. Since more customers want to be in control, DVI will increase the transparency with what is going on with their vehicle. DVI brings the vehicle in the bay to their home or office.

Learn how DVI will shape how business gets done.

THA 091: Workshop – Service Adviser Roleplay – Part 2

Service Adviser Role Play Part 2

Again this team digs deep to help aftermarket professionals learn more about the service advisor position. This is one of the most important and challenging jobs in the industry. The service adviser is the face of the business and is faced with building trust and strong relationships while generating profitable revenue.

Enjoy four different role plays and the ensuing discussion. Critique each role play yourself and enjoy the comments from this team. With me is Barry Barrett, Director of Training at RLO, Clint White, shop manager at Coopers Auto Repair Specialists in Tacoma, WA and John Vasquez, Service Adviser at Los Gators Auto Service Campbell, CA.

RR 375: Trained By Techs – Creating a Training Commitment Inside All Shops

Trained By Techs – Creating a Training Commitment Inside All Shop

Recorded at ASA-PA’s the panel is Keith Perkins, Richard Falco, Tomi Oliva and Mario Rojas. We discuss the loss of our talent, that being a lead diagnostician can be profitable, that techs do side work because they are not being compensated properly, and how to get a training commitment started in a shop that doesn’t. And finally, do our shop owners really know what is going on in training classes? Think that one through.

In such a short time the Trained By Techs group has made some incredible strides. They appear at a lot of events, by spending their own money to get the word out. Their enthusiasm and dedication is exactly what our industry needs and this talented group of volunteers is sharing their passion for education in the automotive training industry.

They are diagnosing cars every day and are LEARNING new things. Watch their videos and the conversation and start your learning from there.

RR 374: Shop Talk 6 – Change or Be Changed – Dean Bailey and Doug Rogers.

Shop Talk 6: Change or Be Changed – Doug Rogers and Dean Bailey

The Roundtable has Dean Bailey, from King’s Auto Service and Hybrid Kings and Doug Rogers, Owner of Autohaus Import both from Raleigh, NC. Recorded at ASTE 2018.

They share their expert take on micromanaging, becoming a stronger leader, building a business culture, autonomous cars, setting the pace in the shop, and finding that niche that will propel you to the future!

THA 090: Business Coaches Lab: Five Dysfunctions of a CEO

The Business Coaches LAB: The Five Dysfunctions of a CEO. Becoming a Better Leader.

Learn about these Dysfunctions: the Absence of Trust, the Fear of Conflict, the Lack of Commitment, the Avoidance of Accountability and the Inattention to Results.

In the LAB is Bob Greenwood from the Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Center, Cecil Bullard, with the Institute for Automotive Business Excellence, Jude Larson from the ACT Group, Rick White from 180 Biz and Murray Voth, from RPM Training.

There is a large amount of bonus material and links to their firms and their previous episodes on the show notes page at remarkableresults.biz/a090.

RR 373: Shop Talk 5 – Retired and Still Helping the Industry

Shop Talk 5 – Retired and Still Helping the Industry

The Roundtable consists of Gary Summerfield, Don Griffin, and Tommy Kendall.

Gary and Don are retired shop owners, who are now landlords and Tommy is still contributing to the industry as a part-timer. They share wisdom of the ages.

Learn how their collective mindset helped transform the shops that they have operated throughout the years. We talk about training, technician pay and paying it forward.

RR 372: Edwin Hazzard – Training is the Responsibility of the Technician

Did You Know That Training is the Responsibility of the Technician?

A hard-hitting interview on technician training with trainer, writer, and mobile diagnostic tech Edwin Hazzard, Owner of Southeast Mobile Tech who has a lot to say about the responsibility of training in the aftermarket.

Edwin Hazzard owns a mobile diagnostic company in South Carolina. He contributes articles to Motor Age and has instructed in many different capacities over the years. Edwin has been a dealership technician and taught at the high school level.

He enjoys what he does for a living and sees diverse age group in classes. He says investing in training is important just to be relevant and up to date with the recent technology. If you don’t update, you evaporate.

THA 089: Open Four, Five or Six Days a Week. You Decide.

Open Four, Five, Six Days a Week. Listen to the Debate.

The panel includes Tom Piippo Tri-County Motors, Rudyard, MI, Bill Nalu, Interstate Auto Care Madison Heights, MI, and Alan ‘Ollie’ Gelfand, from German Car Depot, Hollywood, FL.

Learn how each defines or defends their days open and outlines the challenges each has in hiring, serving and making money.

Tom is a four day a week shop, however, Bill and Alan have their thoughts on how to create a four day work week for their team and still be there to serve their customer’s busy lives. Each day of the week takes on a different personality such as Saturday’s helps feed Monday and Tuesday. And Saturday’s can be a big maintenance day.

RR 371: Technician Round Table at ASTE – Griffin-Reynolds-Steele

Technician Talk: Retention, Aftermarket Training vs. Dealership Training And How To Handle And Fix Mistakes In The Shop.

The panel consists of Mike Reynolds, Mobile Automotive Service Solutions in Charleston, SC, Shane Steele, Hoover Dodge located in Summerville, South Carolina, and Robert Griffin, Owner and technician at Griffin Transmissions, North Charleston, SC.

RR 370: Darren Garlock Treating Company Culture and Customer Retention Alike!

Treating Company Culture and Customer Retention Alike!

Darren Garlock along with his brother Dan are the owners of Silver Lake Auto & Tire Center a multi-shop organization headquartered in Oconomowoc, WI. Like so many Darren started his career in the shop pushing brooms, pumping gas and washing cars.

An early adopter of DVI, Darren explains how he and Dan split their responsibilities and how family, values, culture, and customer all intercede to form a cohesive unit that exemplifies their success. It’s a win-win strategy that needs to be applied to all aftermarket shops.

Learn how they are investing in their people, customers and giving back to their community.

THA 088: Everything I Did Wrong and What I Learned

Everything I Did Wrong and What I Learned

If you are a person who thinks you can do everything yourself, then you need to listen to this trio explain their knock upside the head ‘V8’ moments when they realized it was the worse thing they could have ever done. Learn about this panels school of hard knocks so you don’t spend too much time in the places they were and accelerate your business because you now have the proof of what to do to prevent your business from being stuck in neutral.

It is not what you don’t know it is also about what your people don’t know. We talk micromanaging, training, business models, KPI’s and empowering your people and yes they will make mistakes just like you did.

With me for this Academy is Bambi Crozier, Car Clinic in Lowell, AR, // Frank Scandura, from Franks European in Las Vegas, NV and Tom Lambert, from Shadetree Automotive, Layton, UT

RR 369: Patrick McHugh. Using a Scoreboard to Manage Shop Performance.

Patrick McHugh. Using a Scoreboard to Manage Shop Performance.

In this episode, Patrick shows us an interesting way of tracking progress and goals in his shop with his new scoreboard. It actually came from a discussion he had with his techs and his disciplines as a former pilot. The board is located in the bays of his shop and has sections for workflow and numbers.

The scoreboard is meant to be in technician speak. It has a grid that flows from top to bottom with customer name/car, incoming work, in diagnosis, ready for work and more. This entire system came from the drive to engage his technicians and ultimately provide stronger earnings for his team.

Patrick says there is a quick way to see hold-ups and to improve communication between the sales counter, office and the back of the shop. He also talks about a feedback loop using the logic of a PID Controller. (Like Cruise control for the shop)

RR 368: Shop Talk 4. Gaining New Customers Through Marketing Automation.

Gaining New Customers Through Marketing Automation

Shop Talk 4 brings Doug Callaghan from Vic’s Service Centre, David Roman Done With Care Auto Repair, and Bill DeBoer Jr, AAM from DeBoer’s Auto Sales and Service together for an open discussion.

The big storyline here is Gaining New Customers Through Marketing Automation. We’re talking lead generation, email automation, sales funnels and creating fresh organic content. And so much more.

These owners are looking to find their new customers before they need their services. is what propels them to be better at service.

THA 087: Automotive Career’s Starts in High School and in the Home!

An Automotive Career Starts in High School and in the Home!l

We, as a collective aftermarket, need to stop talking about the need for quality automotive training and the technician shortage and get involved. It will be our fault for the lack of young people joining our industry.

The schools are there for industry. Superintendents and presidents need to hear from industry. A good advisory board will make a huge difference in the quality of instruction, investment from the school and placement of students.

The panel includes James Halderman, ASE Master Technician, and author of 18 Automotive Textbooks and James Pressly, Trade and Industrial Specialist, Career and Technical Education with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and Shane Hawkins, East Gaston High School in Mount Holly, NC and adjunct instructor for Gaston College. Also an impromptu visit from Kyle Holt of S/P2.

RR 367: Mike Tatich. John Maxwell Leadership Certified.

Mike Tatich. John Maxwell Certified Leadership Coach

Mike Tatich, President of Tatich’s TMT Automotive Inc., Bremen, Indiana made a major decision after reading many of John Maxwell’s Books on Leadership to become a Maxell Certified Leadership Coach.

Mike went through the certification program in Florida and discovered that not one person in the program was from the automotive industry. He says leadership training is one of the most valuable commitments you need to make.

He is very keen on stressing that Leadership makes a huge difference for the owner and service advisor alike. He wants to get rid of the self-limiting and fearful belief of shop owners who think that they can’t move their shop forward.

RR 366: Defend Our Marketplace – Keeping Up With Connected Cars

Defend Our Marketplace – Keeping Up With Connected Cars

Our ASCCA Connected Cars Panel; Carolyn Coquillette of Luscious Garage, San Francisco, CA, Dave Kusa of Autotrend Diagnostic, San Francisco, CA, and Niko Sougias of Charlie’s Foreign Car Service, Encinitas CA help us better understand the impact of the connected car.

The Panel discusses how the committee defends our ability to do business in the automotive aftermarket, current outlook on Connected trends, and Why is ASCCA focused on Connected Cars.

Learning and understanding this episode grants us the wisdom to either adapt or become obsolete. Continuous learning and being prepared for autonomous cars are one of the few things we need to do as we look to stay ahead of the curve.