Share this…If you follow the podcast, on a recent Town Hall Academy on the Supply Chain from a Manufacturers’s perspective, you heard about their challenges. I believe it helped put things into perspective for the industry to understand availability issues. My panel really helped me understand the problems they are having with shipping, costs and…

Share this… Do you have a great place to work? Do your people believe you have a great place to work? Are you looking for staff? Are you including in your social media posts that your shop is a great place to work?  Does your community and clients know you are a great place to…

Share this… What to pay. How to recruit. I was filling up the car with petro. Hanging from the hose was an ad for a job for a local grocery store. It was red and designed to fit perfectly over the hose. The tag told me that the company ‘wanted me.’ It gave me a…

Share this… Each year AAPEX, rightfully so, honors many in the distribution and supplier segment of our industry. Two years ago, AAPEX decided to focus on the service professional’s own space at AAPEX called Repair Shop HQ. A great idea. You know, the service professional is the most important part of the auto care industry.…

Share this… Two car shows this week. It’s summer, and the classic cars are eye candy.  I’m on the hunt to see a nicely restored car that was my first. Ever regret keeping your first car? Some of you were smart to keep your first car. Like me, many wish it never got away; I…

Share this… August is a great month to start setting your sights on Fall. Conferences, marketing, training, strategies for new business, and the like. It is also a perfect month to plan for October awareness month. I would be hard-pressed to find someone who does not know that October is a pink month; breast cancer…

Share this… Reaching the pinnacle in customer relationships is when they drop their keys and say I’ll be back at the end of the day; do what it needs. As we’ve spoken on the shows before that trust can never be broken. That doesn’t mean you do not communicate with the customer. It means if…

Share this… A few years ago when AAPEX announced Repair Shop HQ as a stand-alone entity at AAPEX, I got all excited. It was time to bring a special focus on the service professional. Think about 90% of the booths at AAPEX who would not be there if it wasn’t for the independent service professional.…

Share this… We have amazingly smart people in our industry. If anyone would ever say that the independent automotive aftermarket is made up of car fix hobbyists who just want to fix cars, you and I know better. The proof is the comradery of the members of your network or twenty groups. The proof is…

Share this… Ever ask your customer why they come to your shop? Why they are loyal to your shop? What is their greatest customer experience with your shop? What else can we do to provide a great customer experience? Sit with your entire team and ask them to start a campaign on learning why your…