THA 144: Drug Testing in the New Age of Legalized Cannabis
THA 144 Drug Testing in the New Age of Legalized Cannabis
We are talking about Drug Testing in the New Age of Legalized Cannabis. You’ve got to pay attention to your HR policies and procedures as states continue to rule on medicinal cannabis, recreational Marijuana and the decriminalization of pot.
As drug testing is something shop owners do, what are the guidelines now with states legalizing Cannabis. What about an accident on a test drive. What type of tests are required? Have you talked to your liability insurance or workman’s comp carriers?
The panel does their best to sort this out and provide you with plenty to consider. I’m with Judy Zimmerman Walter, attorney Noah Frank, and Frank Scandura.
THA 143: myASE Renewal APP – There’s an APP for That!
THA 143 My ASE Renewal APP – There’s an APP for That!
You are going to get an interesting behind the scene understanding of the myASE Renewal APP. It is in Beta, however, you can get on board.
This a perfect evolution from ASE to embrace and engage every certified technician into keeping their certs current through this very intuitive app.
The panel: John Tisdale and Kevin Lekas from ASE, Technician Rudy Mestaz and app developer Ron Meyer.
Based on technicians’ requests, you can find out when you get an answer wrong and what the correct answer is. You’ll hear the logistics behind how to get started and how you get questions sent to you each month based on the number of certifications you have. As an example, a master technician would get eight questions a month sent to your app. You can answer at your convenience. No need to register for a test center, take time off work or drive miles to sit for the exams.
You may just find this new tool from ASE an important part of your credential process and you may even dust off those expired credentials and get on board and renew them.
THA 142: Business Coaches Lab – Building an Enduring Business Culture – Part 2
THA 142 Business Coaches Lab – Building an Enduring Business Culture – Part 2
One of the hottest topics on the mouths and minds of leaders these days is organizational culture. The longer organizations look for competitive advantage and a sustainable way to grow their organizations, the more important culture becomes. If you are a leader looking to create, improve, or nurture your organizational culture, you have come to the right place.
It must have been an exceptional Friday because these coaches were on their game. They nailed finding your hidden strengths, the power of having standards, what does talent got to do with it, tasks vs outcomes, that culture happens … you’ve got one … good or bad … you’ve got one. We talk assessments, behavior, the accountability mirror, learning from failures, and that culture is not a hard concept.
The panel in this Part 2 of Building an Enduring Business Culture is Rick White from 180 Biz, Cecil Bullard, The Institute for Automotive Business Excellence and Bob Greenwood, Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Center
THA 141: Selling Your Business – Valuation Strategies
THA 141 Town Hall Academy on Selling your Business – Valuation Strategies
This episode on ‘Selling your Business – Valuation Strategies’ will provide a great lesson on tactics to obtain a great value for your business. The caveat is that you need to have a successful business and we do discuss some strategies on how to make that happen.
I’m delighted to have Greg Bunch, owner of Aspen Auto Clinic a five-store operation in Colorado Spring, CO and the President of Transformers Institute that provides proven strategies to transform your business, Bob Ward from Wardden, LLC believes that a Perpetual Business is profitable and sustainable without you as you prepare for sale or succession and Joel Zaleski a partner at Cardinal Brokers.
This panel will inform you as we continue an important industry discussion on succession and business valuation. There are many misnomers about what can I sell my business for. If you’ve never done the research you’ll find out it is much different than what you may want for your business. You’ve got to have something to sell to a potential buyer. If your only real asset if location, you could do well, however you need much more than that if you want to sell and retire after years of hard work.
THA 140: Interview Tactics for a Cultural Fit
THA 140 Interview Tactics for a Cultural Fit
How many interviews have you done? How many have sparked a great hire? We are here to talk about that.
Welcome Kirk Richardson, South Street Auto Care, Rochester, MI, Jim Hayes, Shop General Manager at Pacific Motor Service in Monterey, CA 2 Shops and Dan Taylor, Coach at Transformers Institute.
This episode is packed with Human Resource wisdom and we get into interviewing tactics, form and format that will help you build your bench and make quality cultural hires that fit into your business like a glove.
THA 139: Trending – Close the Shop and Take My Entire Team to Training
THA 139: Trending – Close the Shop and Take My Team to Training
How many excuses can you come up with for not closing your shop and take your team to a weekend training conference? About 10? They are not acceptable to my guests as we serve up exactly why you should close and take your team to training.
I was surprised when I asked the audience of 500+ shop owners and technicians at ASTE 2019 how many were there because the shop closed and the team is at training. Many hands went up, I would say about 40. This trend is getting stronger and you need to heed this. In this episode, you’ll hear no excuses only reasons why it works and pays dividends.
With me is Greg Ritter, Ritter’s Auto Repair in Kinmundy IL, Tristan Ramer, Locke Performance Nappanee, Ind and James Perry from Perry’s Diesel Performance in Elizabeth City, NC
This panel nailed it and if you don’t get why a weekend team conference is good for your shop then you must be ready to close or sell. If you are in for the long haul you need to hear this episode and do something with the knowledge you will gain.
THA 138: The Business Side of ADAS – Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
THA 138 The Business Side of ADAS – Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
If you’ve ever thought about getting into the ADAS calibration business, this episode will give you information to help in formulating your decision.
With me is David Friend owner of Mobile Tech and Wilmington Hybrids, from Wilmington, NC David has two Locations a ADAS Calibration shop and teaches ADAS calibration in his dedicated training center. Scott Brown, from Connie and Dicks Service, Claremont, CA and founder of diag.net and Mike Reynolds, owner of Mobile Automotive Service Solutions in Charleston, and an automotive instructor at Trident Technical College who has a big investment in the equipment, targets, OE scan tools and subscriptions to perform ADAS calibration.
This episode will help you determine if you and your market can support an ADAS calibration center, we talk about how long will we need ADAS calibration centers as the future will hold the smarts to do dynamic calibrations someday.
The panel will answer these questions: Should you consider putting up an ADAS calibration center? Do I need training, even if I will not do calibrations?
Does ADAS save lives? What about liability? Are there Standards? Is there any benefit if you get in early?
THA 137: The Language of Welcome
THA 137 The Language of Welcome
We are talking about communicating and building relationships with a diverse and changing customer demographic.
Now enjoy a fresh dialogue with Bill Nalu from Interstate Auto Care Madison Heights, MI, we actually broadcast live from Bill’s shop, also Frank Leutz Desert Car Care, Chandler, AZ and Wrench Nation and Brian Glowski, South Street Auto Care, Rochester, MI
Our topic is ‘The Language of Welcome. We are talking about communicating and building relationships with a diverse and changing customer demographic. The panel has experience in serving many different cultures and offer ideas on the language and customs gap, having patience and taboo’s you need to learn and understand.
You can find the talking points, for this episode and my guests bio’s and links to their previous episodes at remarkableresults.biz/a137
THA 136: Branch Growth Strategy
THA 136 Branch Growth Strategy
Here are two voices that have grown branch stores and they tell a story you need to hear. Find out if they were successful right out of the gate. What they learned as they continued to grow. The importance of people, processes, finances and how to they like to grow. Is it a brownfield, scratch startup or through acquisition.
Listen to Austin Miller from Tire Star with 3 stores who is only 29 years old and to aftermarket veteran Jeff Moore from Moore Tires with 5 stores. Jeff and Austin will tell you what they believe is the most important thing you need to do well before you decide to grow. They also get into the people factor and the importance and strength of your profitability before you ever decide to grow. Don’t make the same mistakes they did.
Growth in stores is an exciting strategy. It can be rewarding for all the right reasons and it could be the most costly and hardest thing you’ve ever done. My panel shares their reality for growth. Between them, they have eight stores.
THA 135: Implementing Profit First – Shop Owners Thrilled With Results
Implementing Profit First – Shop Owners Thrilled With Results
This episode will change your thinking as it relates to a new profit discipline and cash management. I know you know that cash is king in any business, so start being a better manager of it.
Listen in on Danielle Bohlmann, owner with husband Brett in Highway 7 Service Center, Newell, IA, Kenny Wedow from Fine Tuned Auto, Broomfield, CO and Chris Cotton, Certified Profit First Professional from AutoFix SOS coaching company and a former shop owner.
They nailed the benefits of a strong and disciplined cash management system. Both these shop owners say they are in a better place because of implementing Profit First. Danielle and her husband Brett always plowed all their money back in their business. Now hear what they are doing and are better for it.
THA 134: Market Changes and What I’m Doing About Them
THA 134 – Market Changes and What I’m Doing About Them
We are dropping topics on Hybrid repair and marketing, building technician, avoiding a viral social goof, customer ADAS training, and communication tactics among others.
With me in this episode are three shop owners who really enjoyed sharing their battle scars of success, for that matter they continue to earn their scars as we all do. From Xpertech Auto Repair is Kathleen Jarsik, from Englewood, FL, Kurt Valvis, Co-Owner, Guys Foreign Car Repair, Metairie, La and Brent Robinson, Co-owner with his brother Brian in Snellville Auto Center, Snellville, GA and Loganville Auto Center, in Loganville, GA.
THA 133: Why Soft or Life Skills Training Matters for Business Success
THA 133 The Value of Soft Skills Training
The panel says that soft skills training helps build a stronger, flexible and harmonious organization. Leadership training is not just for the leader today. Everyone can benefit from being a better listener, which is the #1 soft skills or life skills training we all need to have.
Join Judi Haglin owner with her husband Dana in Haglin Automotive, Boulder, CO, Kyle Holt, President of SP/2 andJeff Peevy, AMAM, President | Automotive Management Institute.
Change your attitude Soft (Life) Skills Training. It must include everyone in your business. Training in communication, critical thinking, finding and keeping a positive attitude, teamwork and work ethic, to name a few. Everyone benefits including family life.
In support of your work to build an enduring business culture one of the best tactics you can implement is soft skills or life skills training. Consider the message in this episode as an important component to building your enduring business culture.
THA 132: Business Coaches Lab: Building an Enduring Business Culture
THA 132 Business Coaches Lab – Building an Enduring Business Culture
Culture is one of the most important business strategies you need to work on. Building a strong and vibrant business culture is required today. Learn how to get started and start to build your business culture.
The panel Murray Voth, RPM Training, Rick White 180 Biz, Cecil Bullard, The Institute for Automotive Business Excellence and Bob Greenwood, Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Center.
Top aftermarket shops have a strong culture in place and are always tweaking and improving it. It is the foundation and ground zero for hiring and keeping the right people. And also in attracting and providing a great customer experience.
THA 131: Preparing Your Shop For the Next Five and Ten Years
THA 131 The Future – Preparing Your Shop For the Next Five to Ten Years
What is your future? Have you planned it? What are you doing to ensure your success in the next 5, 10 or 15 years? If you do nothing you get what you currently have and that may not sustain you to far into the future.
Your panel: Kelli Weatherby, co-owner, with husband Lee, in Accurate Automotive, Inc. in Mesa, AZ., Bill Nalu, owner of Interstate Auto Care, Madison Heights, MI and AJ Nealey, Nealey Auto Service, Edgewater MD. This diverse group has some similar yet some different strategies for their future. It is so refreshing to hear the dialogue and then compare their tactics to your current or long term plans.
We are in a dynamic industry that is in a heightened change curve. Keeping up at all levels will bring you spoils. And keeping your eye on your business with the future in sight is an important responsibility you have to your employees and your family.
We talk BHAG’s, Debt, Branches, Succession, Training, refinancing, and SWOT among others.
THA 130: Service Advisor Role Play #3
THA 130 Service Advisor Role Play
My guests are role-playing these three situations: #1: Brakes- the client knows what is wrong and the car has been inspected somewhere else, $2: Oil change- just looking for a price and #3: The Check Engine Light is on – how much to replace the catalytic converter?
My panel includes Rena Rennebohm CEO of Empowered Advisor, Dave Nelson From Antero’s Automotive, Greenwood Village, Colorado and RJ Milnes from DK Automotive Repair, Antioch, CA
Let features and benefits be the service advisors strong tools and during a call, you are interviewing the customer and they are interviewing you, both looking for a good fit. If cheep is what they want and you can’t deliver you’ve learned.
THA 129: Customer Financing Options
THA 129 Customer Financing Options
What options do you have to help your customers with credit choices. There are many vendor credit options to choose from and they are great. Maybe you don’t use them, maybe you should. No one wants a customer to walk out on a major purchase especially safety related. This session is here to help you capture more of the big-ticket jobs.
You just may hear a financing option idea or two that you’ve never considered. And that is exactly what we do here, push the envelope on strategies and ideas to help you grow as a leader and build your business.
Hear about the acceptance rate of vendor finance programs and a few creative ideas on how to lock in customers with a pre-payment plan. Ever do a comparison of buying new or used vs fixing the vehicle that needs all the work? Have you ever heard of the M & D loan? You are about to.
THA 128: Valuing and Positioning Your Business For Sale
Are you ready to sell your business? Do you know how to prepare? Is it a buyers market or a seller’s market? Do you understand some of the financial principles that drive a transaction? About 50% of you will be impacted by this discussion in the near future.
We cover a large swatch of ground as we talk about the incredible opportunity for sellers as the industry consolidates, getting your financials right, processes, leases, and the all-important EBITDA number.
The panel includes three members of Cardinal Brokers: Norm Gaither, Dennis McCarron, Joel Zaleski and a shop owner who recently sold his business Jeff Pohlman Retired from Jeff Pohlman Tire a 5 Locations operation.
THA 127: Overcoming Owner Burnout
Overcoming Owner Burn Out
Endeavor into some really great smart talk on delegating, recharging and prioritizing. Things you must do so you don’t spin deep into a negative vortex.
This team dishes out solutions to staying fresh and relying on your team to help you accomplish all your goals. Find out what it took Gerry and Jon to leave the business in the hands of their team. Is it easy? Is it easy? Will you need to start slow? How do your people fit into this equation? Are they qualified? Have you prepared them? How do you handle distractions? These and many more questions answered for you right now.
Join Jon Bockman from Bockman’s Auto Care, two locations based out of Sycamore, IL, and the NAPA Auto Care Center of the year 2019, also Gerry Frank, Auto Repair Technology, Brook Park, OH and Partner in Repair Shop Coach and Jim Hayes, General Manager, Pacific Motor Service, Monterey, CA
THA 126: Firing Customers – When is it Right or Wrong?
Bottom line is firing customers is rare, however, it happens and should be for the right reasons.
With me is Joe Hanson, Gordie’s Garage, Roseville, Michigan, Jerry Kezhyaya, The Auto Shop, Plano, TX, and Doug Callaghan, Vic’s Service, Wainright, Alberta, CA
OK, you may not have ever fired a customer or you may have done it just last week. It isn’t a task you do often, however, the job of firing a customer comes with some caveats. Joe, Jerry, and Doug share with you why they would do it and suggest that you do a deep dive inside your business to see if YOU aren’t the problem.
THA 125: Client Loyalty Programs – Do They Work?
Client Loyalty Programs – Do They Work?
We’re going to serve up a strong discussion building client loyalty through loyalty programs. My guests are lo Brian Bates, Eagle Automotive, Columbine Hills, CO, Vinnie Lucio, Co-Auto – Community Conscious Car Care, Reno, NV, and Jeff Rudnick, Pit Crew Marketing.
You’ll hear a wide-open discussion. Vinnie doesn’t have a specific loyalty card but has programs, Brian does have a loyalty card and Jeff brings his insights from a loyalty card company.
A big take-a-way for you is this: A loyalty program will not fix broken systems, processes and a weak selling system and look for every competitive edge to build a relationship with your client.
THA 124: So You Need an Accountability Coach?
This Town Hall Academy summit will explore the value of an accountability coach. The panel has a harvest of thoughts and insight for you.
These guys brought their A game and really were extremely transparent about their own personal story. The panel’s message resonated and was on point about coaching and accountability. There is a lot of talk in the industry as to the value of an accountability partner or coach. It is a personal decision. It is not for everyone, but this summit will help you resolve some of your very own concerns and help you make a decision.
The panel: Carlo Sabucco from Sils Complete Auto Care Centre, Oakville, Ontario, Kevin Eckler, Foreign Car Specialists, Poughkeepsie, NY and Barry Barrett a Professional EOS Implementer.
THA 123: The Power of the Supplier and Service Professional Relationship.
Supply Partnership – The Strength of the Supplier/Service Professional Relationship – THA 123
We get into some gritty perspectives from your suppliers on trust, delivery, training, and helping the service professional succeed. We also talk pricing, margin and the people factor. It is always refreshing to hear from one of the strongest spokes or partners in the distribution channel.
Your panel: Danny Durbin, from Durbin Auto Parts, Keith West, from Auto Supply Company, Bowdon, GA. and Matt Ward, Director of Governmental Relations and Field Services for AAAS ( Automotive Aftermarket Association of the Southeast).
THA 122: Talent Management – Developing Your Leadership Team
Talent Management: Developing Your Leadership Team
We are talking about Talent Management – Developing Your Leadership Team. This group stretched the bounds of our discussion and you will either confirm your current leadership role or realize you have some areas to work on.
My Academy team includes Judi Haglin, Haglin Automotive, Boulder, CO, Mark Roberts, Schertz Automotive, Schertz, TX and Tom Palermo, Preferred Automotive Specialists, Philadelphia, PA
You will find this episode going places you did not expect. This group brought their A game and shared not only how to develop your people into leaders but their own ongoing treck to be a better leader.
THA 121: APPS That Improve Productivity and Make for a More Efficient You
APPs That Improve Productivity and Make for a More Efficient You
Our desktops and smart devices give us tools to make us more efficient at what we do, they are not for everyone and some are just not right for how you operate. There are thousands of apps that do just about anything. In this episode, you’ll discover what apps work for others and learn about some that may be just the right discipline for a more efficient you.
The panel includes Ryan Clo owner of Dubwerx, in Cincinnati, OH, Edwin Hazzard, mobile diagnostic tech, automotive instructor and currently, a contributing writer for Motor Age magazine and Craig O’Neill with an integrator and trainer for Autotext.me.
THA 120: How Can We Provide Our Technicians a $100K Yearly Pay Package?
How Can We Provide Our Technicians a $100K Yearly Pay Package?
We covered a large swath of reasons to review technician pay and to create a fair and adequate compensation plan based on criteria that is a win, win, win for the tech, the owner and the customer.
Our panel consists of Seth Thorson, shop owner at Eurotech Auto Service New Brighton, MN, Jerry Kezhaya, shop owner at The Auto Shop in Plano, TX, Frank Scandura shop owner at Frank’s European, Las Vegas, NV and Matt Fanslow, Shop Manager/Lead Diagnostician at Riverside Automotive, Red Wing, MN.
You’ve heard of the struggles and have most likely had your own issues with losing and hiring technicians. Our discussion is not the scientific answer however it goes a long way to helping you make decisions to retain, create loyalty and ward off the loss of our smart and talented technicians to other shops and other industries.