THA 083: What Separates the Outstanding Technicians

What Separates the Outstanding Technician

Outstanding shops attract outstanding technicians. Outstanding technicians want to work for outstanding shops.

Listen in on a great dialogue that covers qualities and attributes like Passion, Precision, Pride, Perseverance, and Humility. This episode is not about being an A, B or C tech it is about all other traits that make for an outstanding technician. The discussion relates to just about any other job in a professional service center today.

With Carm Capriotto for this Academy is Matt Fanslow, Shop Manager, Diagnostician, and Trainer, at Riverside Automotive, Red Wing, MN, Wayne ‘Jerry’ Bishop, PTS Instructor, Standard Motor Products and Kevin Eckler, Shop Owner, Foreign Car Specialists, Poughkeepsie, NY.

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RR 351: Paul Danner – Educator, Diagnostician and You-tuber ‘ScannerDanner’

Paul Danner. Educator, Diagnostician and Youtuber ‘ScannerDanner’

Paul Danner is an ASE L1 Certified Master Technician with Twenty-Four years of field experience in electronics, electrical and drivability diagnostics. For eighteen years he has been employed as an instructor at Rosedale Technical College where he has taught Engine Performance Diagnostics and Basic Electrical Systems. Eleven years ago, he opened his own mobile diagnostic business which performs electrical and electronic diagnostic services for over Twenty Garages in the South Hills of Pittsburgh.

He fell into mobile diagnostics and case studies by stopping in and helping his friends on the way home from work. He called it diaper money to help pay the bills. He is thankful that God has graced him with the ability to troubleshoot.

He is wired for variables and loves ‘What Ifs’. Paul stresses that your learning curve comes from the ‘good parts’ drawer and from the mistakes you make. You have to be in a shop that gives you a steady diet of diagnostic work to become good at diagnostics.

He teaches his student’s field diagnostics and has written a field manual about it and his youtube channel is a very popular place to learn.

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RR 346: Matt Fanslow of Riverside Automotive – Improving the level of professionalism within the aftermarket industry

Improving The Level Of Professionalism Within The Aftermarket Industry

Matt Fanslow is an expert Diagnostic Technician and Shop Manager at Riverside Automotive, Redwing, Minnesota. He specializes in diagnosing automotive failures and is very well versed in using diagnostic equipment and is a PICO trainer.

Since he took his first job out of college, he has dedicated his efforts and training towards improving his abilities to efficiently and accurately diagnose automotive driveability, electrical and electrical failures.

It is his goal to improve the overall level of professionalism within the automotive industry and light truck repair trade while raising its public image level which can boost more professional tech to get into the industry.

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RR 344: Technician Roundtable – Brin Kline, Tanner Brandt, Pedro De La Torre

Technician or Diagnostician, What’s the difference?

Technician Roundtable episode with Brin Kline, Tanner Brandt, and Pedro De La Torre share their passion for their craft and talk scheduling and selling diagnostics. We get into apprenticeship/mentorship to younger techs, and what training and education are necessary to be top diagnostic tech. This episode will benefit technicians and diagnosticians in a lot of ways.

They share their views on constant improvements that build the strength of a team and creates satisfied customers. Areas like IT, Quality Control, Business Education and top training for techs. This episode tackles the differences between techs and how to improve their skill through training. It is important to show a pathway of continuing education for the industries young techs to emulate and follow. The industry will benefit in the long run.

Listen to a diagnostician’s point of view only here at your premiere aftermarket podcast.

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RR 342: Brandon Steckler – Diagnostician, Trainer, Writer

Diagnostician, Trainer and Writer. Learn What Inspires Brandon Steckler to Be the Best.

Brandon Steckler is a working diagnostician, writer and trainer. He loves to help maintain and improve the level of professionalism among today’s diagnosticians. His first article for Motorage is still his favorite piece. Brandon shares his take on daytime training, who he counts as his mentor and who is the respected and admired industry trainer he aspires to be like as he continues to earn his own stripes.

His lessons resonate even outside the confines of his class. It reaches out to each and every one of us that sharing knowledge will always result in discovering and learning new innovative things. Never be afraid to ask because careers are made with each choice we make.

Brandon is a trainer for CTI/WTI and has a personal mission to maintain and improve the level of professionalism amongst today’s diagnosticians and to help grow the number of competent diagnosticians of tomorrow.

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RR 338: Technician Round Table – Part 5 – Heipp – Landry – Fanslow

A Wide-Open Discussion from Three Aftermarket Technicians on Mentoring, Fundamentals Training and Mentoring Under a Master Technician

This technician roundtable brings back Matt Fanslow, Bob Heipp, and Peter Landry in our fifth roundtable interview. It is freewheeling, smart and evident that these three are very passionate about their career and industry.

We discussed technician pay and the need for shop owners to improve their profits, so the industry can pay better. We talked about technicians that take their education and skill set seriously and are constantly pushing to expand on them. They also tossed around the answer to this question: ‘What is a True Master Technician?’ We also talked fundamentals, and specialization and a whole lot more.

Agree or disagree with these three diagnosticians they’ve got opinions. You be the judge.

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RR 328: Trained By Techs – Martino, Kline, Culotta, Miller, Brandt

Trained By Techs. There To Help.

Recorded at Vision 2018 Studio this tight group of technicians are part of a large community effort called ‘Trained By Techs’. Tanner Brandt, Brin Kline, Chris Martino, Justin Miller and Brian Culotta share their stories.

These guys are committed to helping technicians excel at their craft; to make a difference personally and professionally for the industry. The group was started to help bridge the gap between basic and advanced training. They are producing short tutorial training video’s that can be viewed without a major time commitment. Like a lunch break.

Hear their story, their dreams, their thoughts on training. We talk about the training hours necessary to keep pace with technology, and what to do to get the most from training at events like Vision. There is a special storyline in the interview regarding the winner of the 2018 Ed Schaeffer Memorial Management Scholarship. Also, hear this teams’ opinion of Day Time Training.

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RR 292: Technician Round Table – Part 4 – Heipp – Landry – Fanslow – Meyers

Wide Open Discussion from Three Aftermarket Technicians and One Who Left the Industry.

As usual, these guys brought their opinionated selves to the interview, yet spoke from the heart about topics they are passionate about. Some no holds barred discussion points. There are times where there is no sugar coating and that is good to embrace all sides of an issue.

Matt Fanslow, Bob Heipp, Peter Landry and Tom Myers openly discuss some very hot and touchy subjects that affect all aftermarketer’s.

Just a few of the topics we discussed, shops charging for diagnostic time, opinions on social media, a discussion on augmented reality. They discuss that techs need to help the business owner make money, and therefore owners should share in the wealth. We talk about shop owners training their top and best-vested technicians and talk pay and benefits.

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RR 273: Technician Round Table Part 3 -Heipp – Landry -Fanslow

Wide Open Discussion from Three Aftermarket Technicians on Technician Pay, Benefits, Training and MORE!

Matt Fanslow, Bob Heipp and Peter Landry openly discuss some very hot and touchy subjects that effects all aftermarketer’s.

Besides technician pay and benefits, other talking points cover the commitment to forever training, getting paid for diagnostic time, ADAS, mandatory technician certification, their view of the technician shortage, and is there enough GOOD training available.

This discussion is not without its very strong perspectives that will challenge thinking and maybe convert an outlier.

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RR 230: Technician Round Table Part 2 -Heipp – Landry -Fanslow

What do Three Diagnosticians think about Silver Bullets, Critical Thinking and the Future of Diagnostics.

Bob Heipp, Peter Landry and Matt Fanslow, bring a big dose of their passion to the second technician round-table. This discussion generated talk on important and trending topics, that for these working techs, are important.

In this episode Bob, Peter and Matt expressed their feeling on technician pay, computer skills, augmented reality, and flat rate among others. There are over 20 key talking points. Invest in understanding how these three professional technicians and trainers look at the industry, especially the commitment to perpetual training and for creating a better and sustaining aftermarket.

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RR 206: Technician Round Table Part 1 -Heipp – Landry -Fanslow

Illuminating Discussion with Technician Round-Table

Join this recorded session from Vision 2017 with Bob Heipp, Peter Landry and Matt Fanslow, (above) as we tackle the value of training and why networking is so critical at these events. These guys were straight up and expressed their feeling on engaging with your peers and instructors, developing relationships from around the country, and the sheer admiration that they have for technicians that continue to learn and grow within the industry.

Invest in understanding how these three professional technicians look at the industry, especially the commitment to perpetual training and for creating a better and sustaining aftermarket.

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RR 196: Gary Sharits – Repair Pal/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year 2016

Gary Sharits, Service Manager of Christian Brothers in Land O Lakes, FL is the winner of the 2016 Repair Pal / ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year.

Gary has kept up his ASE credentials as Service Manager and credits his technician experience as a sound reason he can lead relationships with his technicians and customers. He shares his humble beginning from a mechanics helper at a Chevrolet dealer’s used car department, to where he is today as a service manager.

Sharits brings great insight to technicians and service managers and has a great message to youth wanting to join the industry.

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RR 194: Bob Olson – Chrysler/ASE Technician of the Year 2016

ASE Chrysler/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year 2016

Thirty six year Chrysler technician, Bob Olson from Milbank, SD is honored with the ASE recognition. Bob tells the story when he started right up to how he sees technology at work in the industry.

Bob has been working at Chrysler Dealer, GESSWEIN MOTORS, for 36 years and is very committed to ASE. He’s been certified since 1980-33 years total. He has been a Jeep-Renault-Grand Master Technician -1984 to 1988 a GMC Master Technician-1988 to 2012 and a Chrysler Master Technician since 1989.

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RR 192: Eric Ziegler – E-Z Diagnostic Solutions and Trainer

Mobile Diagnostic Entrepreneur and Industry Trainer Shares the Power of Networking.

Eric Ziegler owner of E-Z Diagnostic Solutions a Mobile Diagnostics and Programing company specializing in collision centers and auto repair facilities. Eric is also an instructor for Automotive Seminars and The Driveability Guys.

Eric shares sage advice on diagnostic challenges, training, networking, labor rates. He also imparts his passion on the need for bigger labor rates, specialization, silver bullets, and his role in the industry as a trainer.

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RR 183: Michele Winn, Diagnostician at Beck Service Center

Lincoln Tech Grad: Only woman in her class is drivability diagnostician at Beck Service Center.

Michele Winn flipped burger at Wendy’s when she got her first job doing payroll at a service center. She got the bug and spent six years at a Goodyear, then on to Linder Technical Service and now at 30 bay operation Beck Service Center in Indianapolis.

Michele graduated from Lincoln tech and spends her day diagnosing drivability and electrical problems. She shares her opinions of training, she lists her personal strengths and feisty is one of them and how she sees the impact of future technology.

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RR 168: Bob Heipp – Mobile Diagnostician

Automotive technician finds his move to mobile diagnostician the perfect fit.

Bob Heipp lead tech and Technician Manager for Mobile Auto Solutions, LLC in Chicago evolved throughout his career as learning became his passion and smart career path.

Bob believes his desire to learn is what opened doors to meeting technicians around the world. He considers

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RR 158: Tom Meyers

NAPA ASE Technician of the year, 2009, in Chicagoland has a career that spans 40 years and still does it all; but loves diagnostics.

In 2009 Tom Meyers was selected as the NAPA/ASE Technician of the Year for the Chicagoland area, a first for a non-owner technician. He is an ASE Master Certified with L1 Certification and works on everything from computer diagnostics and engine performance to engine installations and rebuilding differentials. In the past 40 years he has always focused on repair quality and the latest automotive technology.

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RR 146: Matt Fanslow – Technician Interview

This is the inaugural episode dedicated to one technician’s perspectives on the industry and their role in it. The Remarkable Results Radio Podcast has geared up to include technicians into the interview mix. Meet Matt Fanslow who works at Riverside Automotive in Red Wing, MN. Matt is the diagnostic tech/shop manager. His primary responsibilities are to…

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RR 137: John Anello from Auto Tech On Wheels

John Anello started a Mobile Automotive Diagnostic in 1991 providing technical support & services for automotive Repair & Body shops in Northern New Jersey. These services include diagnostics on Engine Management systems as well as all other on-board control systems. Why Listen? John speaks about the learning curve that needs to be addressed by many…

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RR 134: Todd Erickson from Identifix

Todd Erickson, an Identifix Carline Expert gets to talk shop on the Remarkable Results Radio Podcast. You will learn how Todd got his job, what he loves about it, and how he views the learning curve in the industry.

Among many great stories, Todd goes back 15 years to explain his job interview at Identifix. He illustrates how a trick question, he answered correctly, may have been the deciding factor in him getting the job. This Subaru expert excels in diagnostic reasoning and provides a great behind the scenes view of this industry resource.

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RR 090: Technician Training Round-Table Part 2

In a continuing series on Technician training welcome to part two of a Face To Face Video Podcast. Professional automotive trainers G Jerry Truglia from ATTS, Pete Meier from Motor Age and Pierre Respaut in a great dialogue about technician training. See their bios below. There are two ways to enjoy this round table discussion. You…

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RR 059: Technician Training Best Practices -Roundtable

Watch the replay or listen to the audio only podcast. Podcast is available on iTunes and Stitcher Radio and of course listen below. Welcome to Episode 60 a rebroadcast of a Face To Face Video Podcast using the BLAB platform for Live Video Conversations. We had a lively discussion on technician training best practices with…

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RR 036: Peter Meier from Motor Age

Pete Meier the Director of Training for the UBM Advanstar Automotive Group of publications goes ON-POINT here in episode 36. I’m sure you’ve read Pete in either Motor Age, ABRN, Aftermarket Business World or Dealer News. His primary goal is to bring working technicians the information they need to succeed. Pete is an ASE certified…

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