RR 428: Tech Talk – ADAS | Support Vendors That Support Training | Fundamental Training

Technical Talk – ADAS | Support Vendors That Support Training | Fundamental Training

Tech talk with Kevin Fitzpatrick, Vice President Autologic; Steven Zack, Automotive Technical Instructor for Bosch; and Matt Fanslow, Shop Manager/Diagnostician of Riverside Auto Repair. Our episode reiterates the importance of training, we get into ADAS Calibration, adapting to tech changes, and the amount of good training available among others.

Trainings and Big Events are available for technicians whether it is in the classroom or online. Our guests elaborate and advise on the challenges and the steps to advancement. They say there is no shortage of good training.

RR 419: Bringing Technician Proficiency to the Next Level Through Mentoring Programs

Bringing Technical Proficiency to the Next Level Through Tech Mentoring Programs

What is technician mentoring? It is a training program focused on technical proficiency. Helping our techs not just technical but also on effective communication, effective teamwork, positive shop culture and a higher bottom line for everyone. Encouraging a team aspect that benefits everyone involved and getting techs better at their jobs.

Ensuring our industry’s growth is our Vision 2019 power panel are veteran educators and trainers with years of expertise within the industry; Scott Shotton owner of the Driveability Guys, Eric Ziegler owner of E-Z Diagnostic Solutions and Trainer, Dave Denmon of Dave’s Car Care and Gerson Carcache Master Tech at Dave’s Car Care.

The episode is driving the discussion of technician mentoring and the need for assisting shops in developing their technicians. Not only keeping a seasoned technician current but in developing bench talent.

RR 418: AIST – The Future of Automotive Education

AIST – The Future of Automotive Education

This episode recorded at Vision 2019 in KC brings you into the loop on Automotive Institute of Science and Technology (AIST) in Colorado Springs, CO. This new ‘non-traditional’ public charter school that will use the P-TECH model (Pathways in Technology Early College High School), designed to provide students the foundation they need to be successful in the automotive aftermarket industry when they graduate.

Students will be able to enroll in a 4- or 6-year program, starting their freshman year of high school through their second year of college and all publicly funded. AIST will offer students three pathways: Automotive Technology, Business, or Engineering (mechanical and electrical) and will be project based.

With me is Anthony Williams, Special Projects Manager with Advance Auto Parts who had the seed of the idea for AIST and speaks to his dream becoming a reality. And Chris Chesney Sr. Director, Customer Training Carquest Technical Institute.

THA 112: Aftermarket Training in the Age of Rapid Tech Changes. How To Navigate Your Training Needs.

Aftermarket Training in the Age of Rapid Tech Changes – How To Navigate Your Training Needs

The commitment to training must come from both the technicians and shop owners. We keep hearing that we are in a hi-tech industry. The stats are out there to prove that. You’ve seen so many new ADAS equipped vehicles. Have you thought about being equipped to repair them? From both the equipment and intellectual assets you need.

These three professionals have seen it all and are faced with many of the same challenges. Ryan Kooiman, Director of Training, Standard Motor Products, Bob Pattengale, Is the National Training Manager for Bosch and Jon Forro, shop owner of AST and an automotive Instructor.

We talk the importance of pre and post training assessments, stopping the participation trophy and seeing the same faces in class. From their perspective, they are concerned that if the aftermarket doesn’t make a stronger commitment to training the dealers will take their business.

RR 417: Rob Rowsell – Achieving Success on a Curved Road

Rob Rowsell – Achieving Success on Life’s Curved Road

Rob Rowsell is a shop owner and author who is an inspiration to the automotive aftermarket. His story of the transition from a homeless individual to a recognized success is a story fit for the ages. He owns Family Auto Service in La Mesa, CA. His 4 shops employed 50 plus employees and 2 of those shops have revenues of $2 Million annually. His success is an inspiration to the automotive industry and built on resilience.

Rob authored the book “Addicted to Life: How I Went from Homeless to Extraordinary Success and Happiness in a Short Period of Time”. It is an easy read with chapters mean to relate to the ordinary person. It is a guideline of building blocks on how to improve your leadership along the way. Addiction effect at least ⅓ of our population. If you don’t know a thing about addiction or you need to learn how to deal with a peer, loved one or yourself, this interview is for you.

A very candid and authentic story of challenges and overcoming obstacles, this episode will not disappoint.

RR 408: Scott Shotton – Straight Talk on Entry Level Technicians, Tips on Becoming an Aftermarket Trainer and Post-Secondary Automotive Education

Scott Shotton: Straight Talk on Entry Level Technicians, Tips on Becoming an Aftermarket Trainer and Post-Secondary Automotive Education

Scott and I dig into automotive education at the college level. We talk about the knowledge level and experience that our automotive graduates have and what their expected career path can be. Any seasoned technician knows where he started and what it took to get where he/she is today. That hasn’t changed, however, we may have higher expectations of our new grads and that is why each needs to have a career path set for them that includes an ongoing training program

Scott gives accolades to our top aftermarket trainers and gives advice to aspiring trainers.

We also get into the grow your own technician issue, the A,B,C technician designation, and mobile as a career path.

FTR 033: Kirk Richardson On Technician Pay Plans

Kirk Richardson is a young and successful entrepreneur. Born into a blue-collar, hard-working family, he was a below average student in high school and college. At the age of 22, he left school and started his first business. He bought his first three bay shop at the age of 24. Seven years later he bought his…

FTR 032: Pierre Respaut – Has Seen a Technical Revolution in His Lifetime

Pierre Respaut has a steep history as an automotive shop owner, dealership mechanic/technician, and trainer. He is in the aftermarket for fifty years. Pierre worked at BMW and Ferrari dealerships and owned “Ultimate Cars”, a BMW specialty repair shop for 30 years. After he closed the shop he was recruited to help improve a VW…

RR 404. Rodney Pierini. A Grant That Supports Automotive Education – First Of Its Kind

A Grant that Ensures The Future of the Aftermarket.

CAWA receives a $25K grant from the University of the Aftermarket. The program would consider financial assistance, accreditation support, access to automotive products for classroom use and access to industry training for the teachers. This grant will allow CAWA the resources to establish the program and serve as a model for others to implement because we believe it’s a first in the country to provide this type of support for our high school automotive teachers.

Our guest Rodney Pierini is the President and CEO of CAWA – California Automotive Wholesaler’s Association. Mr. Pierini has served on many auto care industry committees and groups including serving as the Chair of the Alliance of State Automotive Aftermarket Associations, the Auto Care Association Board of Directors and Chair of the Auto Care Association Government Affairs Committee, to name a few. He is also a recipient of Northwood University’s Automotive Aftermarket Management Education Award.

THA 105: Catering to the Millennial Customer

Catering to the Millennial Customer

We are talking with three millennial aftermarket successors, they are each involved in the family service business. The panel: Lauren Anderson, Victory Auto Service & Glass Minneapolis, MN, Jacquie Hower, from Zimmerman’s Automotive, Mechanicsburg, PA and Carley Paiva, Elite Auto Repair in Warwick, RI

The ladies talk social media, transparency, that millennials have no patience, ‘they should know’, their view on video marketing, and where Instagram fits among other topics.

RR 402: Generation Z – Understanding Our Newest Employees and Customers

Generation Z – Understanding Our Newest Employees and Customers

Generation Z our newest generation born from 1990 until 1995 that are ready for the workforce and will become your customer. They are on their way to make a difference in our society and taking up leadership roles and making a difference. But how big a difference would they bring to the aftermarket industry?

Our guest Sara Fraser from Haas Performance Consulting LLC. Sara will give us the skinny on our Generation Z. One of the most interesting characteristics is they have tendencies like Baby Boomers. Here is a generation that literally grew up with technology as a given in their lives. Sara says they are independent and want a work-life-blend. She will tell you how they like to be marketed to and that you’ll need to be authentic if you want them to work for you or become a customer.

RR 399: Service Talk 1 – The Service Adviser | Center of the Hub – Customer – Technician – Owner

Service Talk Part 1 – The Center of the Hub: Customer – Technician – Owner

Service advisors are the liaisons between the customer, technicians and the owners. Their job is one of the most important in the aftermarket service industry.
Trust and Communications are the keys to building a relationship with your customer. Trusting your tech is also critical to building a strong relationship.

We talk female service advisors, curb appeal, the disadvantage of being a former technician and how to get the owner to make the SA the point person, among other topics.

I’m so glad to welcome Racheal Barraclough, Service Manager at Amton Auto & Truck, Chris Johnson, Service Manager at Total Automotive, and Nick Herberger, Service Manager at Scruggs Automotive.

RR 398: Shop Talk 9 – Hitting The Brick Wall – Business and Leadership Transformation

Shop Talk 9 – Business and Leadership Transformation

I’m so glad to welcome Chris Machado from JCircle M Truck Repair, Inc. in Bakersfield, Ca and Corey Evaldi from Olmstead Auto Care, North Ridgeville, Ohio. Two leaders with contrasting style but unified in their quest for shop success.

Chris leads his life with no excuses while using his energy to help people. He values generosity, kindness and willingness to listen as part of his strong leadership traits. Corey loves perfection and is addicted to winning. He holds meetings with his people where their input is critical to the running of the business. There are a lot of things covered to help you grow your leadership and business acumen only here.

A bright vision of success and a hope for more businesses. Don’t miss this.

THA 102: Second Chance – Working with and Supporting Addiction

Second Chance – Working with and Supporting Addiction

We cover a lot of ground in this episode that will open your eyes to addiction including the way out, living life without, the law of exposure, the reward system, opioids, alcohol, and other addictions and the signs of relapse.

The panel: Matt Fanslow, Eric Ziegler, Rob Rowsell, and Tanner Brandt.

Here is a myth: People who struggle with addition come from a bad or broken home and have no support. And here is some truth: Until an addict says ‘Done’ no one can help them. Your heart may say you are done but your actions must demonstrate it.

At least one-third of you have an experience with addiction or have a close friend, family or significant other who is struggling. Use this episode to help in your desire to help yourself or someone you love with addiction.

RR 396: Education – Inside the Automotive Business School of Canada

Education – Inside the Automotive Business School of Canada

Listen to the story of how one Automotive Business College prepares students for an Automotive Career.

Bob Greenwood, CEO of Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Centre Ltd and Professor John Jackson from Automotive Business School of Canada.

This episode will motivate you to continue your strong message to the educators who are working hard to prepare students for a career in the aftermarket. There are great ideas in this episode to drive your inspiration to keep you or get you involved in aftermarket education.

We cover a lot of ground and I believe you’ll be impressed with what the Automotive Business School of Canada is doing to educate, intern and place students into the aftermarket.

THA 101: Ghosting – Minimizing New Hire No Shows

Ghosting: Minimizing New Hire No Shows.

When ghosting happens, you are always wondering what you did wrong. For many, you are always improving your HR recruitment processes. We talk red carpet, culture, branding, and clear and tight communication. I guarantee you’ll be overwhelmed with the discussion.

The panel: Jonathan Ortiz from Foreign Affairs Auto, West Palm Beach, FL, Carlo Sabucco from Sils Complete Auto Care Centre, Oakville, Ontario and Peter Foreman from Integra Tire, Langley, BC

RR 394: What Quality Employees Really Want – Results From a Technician Survey

What Quality Employees Really Want – Results From a Technician Survey

Join Tom Ham from Auto Centric and Automotive Management Network (AMN)as we talk about the results of a few surveys from AMN that deal with the technicians perspective on their satisfaction and needs of their job and employer.

We dive into technician related surveys about common reasons for techs to be fired, what quality employees really want, why technicians quit and why would techs change jobs and finally technician complaints.

FTR 026: Derek Kaufman on Start-Stop Technology

Derek Kaufman has an intriguing thought on the growth of start/stop systems and what they are really doing for vehicle owners. He is also thinking out loud on what shop owners can do to take advantage of the technology changes entering the market to address some of the battery issues start/stop systems are causing.

THA 098: Daytime Training vs Night Time Training – A Discussion of Ideas

  Your Learning Curve Never Sounded So Good   Chris Chesney is the Senior Director of Customer Training, CARQUEST Technical Institute, and a NASTF board member and a member of the ‘Road To Great Technician’ project.  Listen to Chris’s previous episodes HERE. Lucas Underwood is an Automotive diagnostic specialist, shop owner, and foreman. He owns L & N…

RR 387: In Praise of Our Trainers

In Praise of Our Trainers

Our Guests: Bob Greenwood, AMAM, is the President and CEO of Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Centre Ltd and has over 40 years’ experience working with Independent shops developing their business to maximize business net income.

Eric Ziegler owns and operates EZ Diagnostic Solutions Inc and is an accomplished automotive trainer working for Automotive Seminars and the Driveability Guys training technicians in the latest diagnostic techniques and technologies throughout the Midwest and US.
This is some straight up podcasting with hard-hitting talk about our industry trainers. Do we appreciate them the way we should? Are they paid enough? Do we look at training as an expense or an investment?

Bob and Eric seem like an odd couple to talk about this, but you’ll positively love the honest, transparent and frank talk that we had. Bob wrote an article titled. ‘In Praise of Trainers in the magazine Auto Service World and, I believe you’ll appreciate the way he and Eric bridge this topic.

THA 096: Engaging Kids in the Automotive

Engage our Kids in the Automotive

This episode is a call to action to step up and get involved in your high school or college advisory boards and your community. Stop by a school and offer your help to the instructors or department chair or speak to your local rotary, PTA or career day. I guarantee they’ll welcome you with open arms.

The panel: Frank Leutz from Desert Car Care in Chandler, AZ., and host of the top-rated Wrench Nation radio show and podcast. Patrick McHugh from Bimmer Rescue in Richmond, VA who has created a middle school STEM class he offers at his shop. And John Gustafson the president and CEO of Gustafson Brothers Huntington Beach, California Who holds three student Boot Camps each year and Steve Ford an auto industry veteran and award-winning broadcast journalist and educator. You’ll find Steve doing volunteer work, as he contributes to skilled trades and youth, career outreach programs.

See the show notes page to find important resources and downloads mentioned on the broadcast. This episode will give you many ideas on how and what to do / from volunteering // to creating your own personal initiative in your business and community.

If we don’t reach out, we fail because we didn’t take the steps necessary to engage and help our education system and enlighten the students to the high tech and awesome careers in the automotive. They will only know about it from you.

RR 383: AAPEXedu 2018 The Road To Great Technicians – Roundtable

AAPEX EDU 2018 The Road To Great Technicians

A fundamentally valuable discussion as we get ready to deal with the tsunami of seeding our industry with our future technicians that will have the competencies necessary to perform mechanical and diag work and the need to develop career paths for every level of technician.

We need apprentice and mentoring programs that are universal to the industry, along with an industry moving in the same training direction so we can create competent technicians to work on the tech and safety issues of our future vehicles. We do not need our government involved in directing competencies, we need to do it ourselves.

This discussion is one you’ll need to hear time and time again. You will need to be involved and help move this initiative forward. Don’t wait to get involved. A first step is to become a member of NASTF. It is Free. Go to NAFTF.org