Carrie Lynn Rodenberg and Kim Walker on Social Media [RR 530]
Carrie-Lynn Rodenberg, the owner of Turnkey Marketing, founded her boutique marketing firm after moving from New York where she was in charge of the direct response marketing for a 10 BILLION dollar company (Emblem Health). She went on to be the Director of Marketing and won the 2nd place Infusionsoft Ultimate Marketer Of The Year Award. Carrie-Lynn graduated…
Listen and view episode notesOpen Forum: Ask the Shop Owner – Part 2 [THA 160]
Andy Bizub from Midwest Performance Cars in Chicago is also a native of Chicago. His first career was 25 years as a commodity trader. He entered the professional auto industry in 2014 by acquiring a failing shop in downtown Chicago that he was a customer of and started a turnaround. Andy now has two locations. He…
Listen and view episode notesRR 484: Jim Silverman – Attracting, Leading, and Growing Our Young Talent
RR 484 – Jim Silverman – Attracting, Leading, and Growing Our Young Talent
There are a lot of ways to engage our young generation in our beloved aftermarket and keep them. We can create a more team-oriented environment and have creative pay bonuses and rewards to match their desire and work ethic.
My Guest, Jim Silverman, the Director of National Accounts for ATI Automotive Training Institute, brings his years of ‘been there and done that’ wisdom and delivers an enlightening discussion that includes building a reverse pyramid in your org chart, and challenges you to think about replacing yourself. Are you interviewing for your replacement? Think about it, It may take years to do this, but you need to start now. Jim Silverman explains.
We discussed the innovative things to entice our younger generation to work with us. Designing creative pay and bonuses, bolstering teamwork, supporting employees, and devising an awesome succession plan! It’s time to reverse the cycle and adapt to the new age as we embrace our younger generation to take the mantle from us!
Listen and view episode notesRR 478: ASTE Panel Discussion – Technician Pay – Retention – and Benefits
ASTE: Technician Pay, Retention, and Benefits
This episode is packed with great gems of wisdom and gives you a bird’s eye view not only on some great benefits and pay ideas, but as we all must understand it starts with having an enduring business culture. All the pay in the world doesn’t trump an acidic culture.
I’m with Lucas Underwood an Automotive diagnostic specialist, he owns L & N Performance Auto Repair, Erick Bock owner of Bock Auto, and Rick White, President and Lead Coach for 180BIZ, an auto repair shop training and business coaching company.
Building a business focuses on the team you have and how to treat it like a family! We also tackled the creative benefits that entice and motivate employees more. And learn what are the most important tactics to attract and keep technicians?
Listen and view episode notesTHA 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.
Listen and view episode notesRR 451: Dan Gilley – Attracting the Right Talent with the Right Stuff
Dan Gilley – Attracting the Right Talent with the Right Stuff
Every new and young technician today have a lot more shops to choose from. Let’s face it, there is a lingering issue of the technician shortage. If you are a business owner, what do you need to do to attract and/or retain talented individuals that possess the ‘right stuff’.
If you are a business owner, how would you attract an employee? What are the things you would do to improve your shop and make it as attractive and organized as it could be? Dan Gilley will bring light to decisions addressing the best interests of the would be future candidates/employee of a shop. Dan Gilley is the President and CEO of RLO Training.
In this episode, you will understand the utmost priorities needed by shop owners to address the how to attract the right kind of employees and what are the necessary tactics in order to keep them. As Dan would say, it’s either you attract them or repel them. Is it just for the paycheck or the team?
Listen and view episode notesFTR 053: Judi Haglin – Do You Know The Exact Source of Your Marketing Efforts?
Do You Know The Exact Source of Your Marketing Efforts?
Judi Haglin from Haglin Automotive has a passion for numbers and marketing. She has a chance to set up why you need to track your marketing efforts and determine which give you the greatest return. She has a few great ideas on how to do it and why tracking and the numbers has helped her marketing investment pay dividends for her.
Listen and view episode notesFTR 052: Build Your Bench – Kyle Holt and Jay Goninen
Build Your Bench – and Be a Proactive Recruiter.
Kyle Holt President of SP/2 and Jay Goninen from ‘Find a Wrench’ speak to their expertise as supporters and recruiters of technician talent. They have the depth of experience and are speaking to you from their heart about your need to recruit talent when you don’t need the help. They will tell you why.
Listen and view episode notesTHA 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.
Listen and view episode notesRR 437: Recruiters Round Table with Kyle Holt & Jay Goninen
Recruiters Round Table with Kyle Holt & Jay Goninen
Ever have the need for a new team member? Trying to hire a technician. Concerned about losing a top performer? You are not alone and in fact, this is one of the toughest challenges service professionals face. We’ve done many podcasts on this theme and when I can get two experts on who has their finger on the pulse of this issue, you benefit.
Jay Goninen is president of Find A Wrench, which is a recruiting service used by shops around the country to assist them in finding Technicians. Jay’s company purchased a popular niche job board called FindAMechanic.com. Jay has a passion for promoting the industry and the many talented people we work with, and to be a voice for the ‘tech’those who don’t like to promote themselves.
Together Kyle and Jay will give you some recruiting tips, talk about recruitment, the biggest competitors for talent and growing your own.
Listen and view episode notesTHA 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.
Listen and view episode notesTHA 119: Improving Employee Loyalty
Improving Employee Loyalty
Fuel your engine today with our discussion on Improving Employee Loyalty with my shop owner panel Donnie Hudson from Troy Auto Care in Troy, MI, Roy Foster from Roy Foster’s Automotive in Reno, NV and Steve Finzel from Finzel’s Master Tech in Terre Haute, IN They’ve built a family culture in their shops and you can too.
You’ll hear how they did it and understand why they created the programs that build loyalty and retention from their people. I know you’ve heard this adage before: “Take care of your people and they will take care of your customer.” This episode will give you a great idea on how to do that.
Prepare for many strong ideas coming at you so. Pick a few and start to implement them in your business. The panel admits, it did not happen overnight but was nurtured for years. So you need to start. Keep in mind that it is imperative you seize onto a new idea, own it, implement it and watch it transform your business.
Listen and view episode notesTHA 118 Recruiting Students to Discover a Career in Automotive
THA 118 Recruiting Students to Discover a Career in Automotive
Enjoy some great new ideas and real-world issues as I welcome Seth Thorson, shop owner, Eurotech, Brighton, MN. Seth created a $25,000 endowment for automotive careers. We discussed in episode 340, David Macholz, Academic Chair of Suffolk County College – Automotive Technology and Aaron Dalton, Coordinator- School to Career Programming at the North Kansas City Schools.
On the podcast, we’ve not shied away from big issues in the industry. The only way our investment in this great dialogue actually gets traction is if you do your part. I can relate the discussion we are having today with a thought on philanthropy. Hats off to what you do for your community. Honorable. However, the future of our industry is dependent on recruiting, training and retaining technicians. Call it an investment in your own personal philanthropy.
Getting involved in local education at all levels to share our hi-tech industry with administration and to support the educators that are teaching young students on the automotive is a very important role you have. Especially as an independent. If you don’t then who? You will have less to give to your community if you don’t invest in your future.
Listen and view episode notesRR 416: Preparing Your Shop For Tomorrows Technicians – How To Attract and Retain Your Team
Preparing Your Shop For Tomorrow’s Technician: How To Attract And Retain Your Team
We know as a united industry that retaining and attracting talent into our bays is our number one concern. Sure keeping pace with technology advancements is up there, but if you don’t have the talent inside your shop to repair our high tech cars, tech becomes less a challenge.
This power panel from Vision KC 2019 and brought to you by the Midwest Auto Care Alliance, tackles this tough subject that we need to face head-on. With me is Tyler Hubbard from I-70 Auto Service, Aaron Stokes – from Eurofix and Shop Fix Academy, Chris Chesney – Sr. Director Customer Training at CARQUEST Technical Institute, Brian Bates – Eagle Automotive Service and Greg Buckley – Buckley Personalized Auto Care.
You’ll hear discussion on why our industry needs to stop eating our young, setting career paths for your technicians, why orientation and not onboarding is the way to integrate new technicians into your business, buying tools for our technicians, and building the right culture and operating principles and so much more. We even had time at the end for Q & A from the audience.
Listen and view episode notesTHA 108: The Value of a Professional HR Support Company
The Value of a Professional HR Support Company
OK Let’s Talk HR and Professional Employer Organizations (PEO). The Academy team includes Kevin & Lisa Eckler, Foreign Car Specialists, Poughkeepsie, and PEO specialists; Jim Belliveau, from Acadia HR and Greg Bauer, from ESC Employer Services
Shop owners Kevin and Lisa Eckler brought me this topic because it has made a huge difference in their business. As Kevin says he wants control and trusts no-one. The sheer fact that he brought on a PEO company to be his HR department is a testament to the fact that he is still in control and has a ton of trust.
As Kevin says, they started on his handbook, it needs to work legally because if there is a problem the policy will be carefully scrutinized. Benefits are another huge option in a PEO. So many in the industry have told me that this is the year they are going to expand their team benefits so they can have a competitive advantage and also to become a retention tool. A PEO can help with your benefits program.
Listen and view episode notesTHA 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
Listen and view episode notesRR 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
Listen and view episode notesTHA 084: Buying Technician Tools: Create Your Program!
Buying Technician Tools: Create Your Program
We are talking ‘Buying Technicians Tools; The How’ and with me is Keith Williamson, owner of Williamson’s Repair and Tire in Bondurant, IA, Andy Bizub Shop Owner of Porsche Specialist Midwest Performance Cars LLC, and Seth Thorson, Shop Owner, Eurotech, New Brighton, MN, a Euro Specialist and owner of the BMW tech support company LMV Bavarian.
Among the discussion; Is making employees supply tools an outdated tradition? Is buying technicians tools a recruiting and retention tool for your business?
The team says owners don’t want to see their techs in debt and you’ll hear ideas and solutions to create your own program to transition into supporting tools as a benefit and retention tool.
Listen and view episode notesTHA 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.
Listen and view episode notesRR 355: Andrew Emery from Antero Automotive has The Best Job in the World
The Best Job in The World!
Andrew Emery is the owner and operator of Antero Automotive in Greenwood Village, Colorado. He believes if you take care of your employees, they will take care of your customers.
This episode tackles relationships with customers and employees on how it can be your secret sauce to success. Every customer receives a free car wash.
After 22 years in the industry and 10 years as a business owner, Andrew still loves what he does every day. He gets to turn a wrench when needed and he gets to serve others. Andrew started this business to change the way people look at automotive repair shops.
Listen and view episode notesRR 353: Kyle Holt from S/P2 – Helping Entry-Level Technicians Enter and Stay in the Industry
Kyle Holt. Helping Entry-level Technicians Enter And Stay In Industry.
Kyle Holt is the Co-Founder and President of S/P2. S/P2 serves businesses and career tech schools in the automotive service, collision repair, heavy-duty/diesel, welding, among others.
They are not just building careers, they are nurturing! Offering an innovative mentor training program which has its own Mobile website in which Mentors can log in, comment and grade a student based on the ASE task list. This would be good at retaining students within the industry.
Kyle is very passionate about providing businesses and schools the ability to utilize the technology that they have created to help improve the lives of the people they serve.
Listen and view episode notesTHA 058: How to Become the Employer of Choice
How to Become the Employer of Choice.
Join Ryan Clo from Dubwerx in Cincinnati, Dwayne Myers from Dynamic Automotive in Frederick, MD and the Director of Training at RLO, Barry Barrett.
You have an opportunity to listen to three of your aftermarket colleagues who will share their perspective on becoming the employer of choice. We opened up some great thinking pathways to help you create and improve your position in the marketplace when it come to attacking and keeping great talent.
We talk the extreme importance of creating and having a great business culture, career ladders, putting your people front and center in your business, pay, reputation and so much more.
Listen and view episode notesRR 297: Jay Goninen from Find A Wrench & Find A Mechanic.com
Finding and Recruiting Technician Talent for Your Shop
Jay Goninen from Find a Wrench and Find a Mechanic.com brings his experience as an industry veteran and recruiter to the Remarkable Results tribe. We have a wide-open discussion on recruiting, job descriptions, why people leave and the value of a good work environment.
Among other discussion points that help you keep your people or help your recruiting effort is offering a path for growth, more responsibility, more money, and benefits. Jay feels that your shop needs to have a unique differentiator to attract top talent.
From a technician’s perspective, they usually don’t promote themselves so creating a good resume and posting it on a job board is something he helps techs with.
He says you should always be recruiting. It is like a 5-star football recruit for your college sports program. You will look at every resume and do every interview.
Listen and view episode notesRR 287: Bill Haas – Millennials – How to Lead and Engage This Generation
Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Hiring and Leading Millennials
Every twenty years or so a new generation of workers arrives. For many of us, we raised today’s Millennials or Generation Y. They are made up of the 22-40-year-old’s who number 79 million in the workforce; the largest segment.
If we are to seed our industry with youth and grow our own, we must look at the Millennial Generation. We must understand how to integrate them and nurture them into our workforce.
Each generation has its quirks. Gen Y is no different. Once you learn what moves and motivates them you’ll find it so much easier to accept and keep millennials motivated in your business culture. The lessons here works for all team members, but you’ll learn what really makes the Millennial tick and why they behave like they do.
Listen and view episode notesRR 280: Eric Svedberg and Rex Cate from Automotive Specialists
Shop Owner Shares His ‘Grow Your Own’ Technician Training Program
Eric Svedberg from Automotive Specialists in Virginia Beach, VA is in the AAPEX 17 studio with his millennial technician Rex Cate. The conversation gets deep into the recruitment of Rex (he worked at Panara), his training program, his annual review, and how Eric is integrating Rex into his business.
Now four years into the training program there are no regrets on either side. Rex says that there are many millennials like him out there looking for a chance.
Listen and view episode notes