Becoming a LEAN Technician [RR 520]
Jarrod Alexander from BG Automotive, Fort Collins, CO. Jarrod shares his experience with his first-ever training seminar on becoming a ‘LEAN’ technician. Key Talking Points: Technician to trainer at ASA ColoradoAlways strives to be efficient technician, servicing customers Started to have health issues- forced to slow down and work smarter not harder Owner signed…
Are You Paying for Training? The Right Thing To Do [THA 162]
Keith Williamson is the owner of Williamson’s Repair and Tire in Bondurant, IA for over 20 years. He is a member of MWACA where he leads the Shop Owner Support Group (an amazing group of shops) in Iowa. He and his team focus on the customer experience, as well as Hybrid, Electric and emerging vehicle…
In Search of Silver Bullets – Scott Shotton [RR 513]
Scott Shotton has over 25 years of technical experience in automotive repair shops. As the owner of The Driveability Guys, Scott performs mobile diagnostics and reprogramming for local repair shops in the DeKalb Illinois area as well as industry training around the United States and Canada. He was also one of the four trainers for…
Aftermarket Acumen Part 4 – Technician Pay [RR 510]
Donny Seyfer the executive officer of NASTF (National Automotive Service Task Force) and Partner in Seyfer Automotive in Wheatridge, CO. Listen to Donny’s previous episodes HERE. Jeremy O’Neal President and lead sales trainer for Advisorfix, began his career as a Service Adviser and moved into Service Management at the dealership level for VW, Audi, and Porsche. He consistently…
Flat Rate vs Hourly-Bonus Hybrid Pay Plans [THA 157]
The Panel: Jeff Matt from Victory Auto Service in Minneapolis and St. Petersburg, FLA, was featured in episode 48. Jeff owns six locations with one being in Florida. He has over 40 team members and has grown through acquisition. Jeff opened Victory in 1997 as a one-bay shop and has slow steady growth over the years.…
Jerry Holcom – Banking on Our Future – TTEF Scholarships [FTR 083]
With nearly 50 years’ experience in the automotive field, Jerry Holcom is an ASE Certified Master Auto Technician with the Advanced Engine Performance (L1) certification, a former Certified Master Machinist, and is also an Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) through the Automotive Management Institute. Jerry Holcom owns S & S Service Center in Kansas City, MO, is a co-founder…
RR 492: YouTube – Benefit or Burden Part 2
RR 492: Youtube – Benefit or Burden Part 2
Welcome to the second installment of Youtube: Benefit or Burden Part 2. As you go through this episode you’ll discover the stimulus for this discussion. There are many passionate people on both sides of the value of YouTube as it relates to auto repair.
The episode’s expert guests include: Paul Danner, ‘Scanner Danner’ fame, Brin Kline, shop owner and member of Trained By Techs, Shop owner and Technician Michael Broccolo, from Rochester, NY Sara Fraser from Hass Performance Consulting and Matt Fanslow shop manager and lead diagnostician Riverside Automotive.
You’ll hear some sparks fly as the passion for training and quality diagnosis was front and center. The debate over the words diagnostic vs testing was prominent and the real facts that many shops are not really diagnosing they are retrieving a fault code and using statistical diagnostics therefore shooting the parts cannon and in many cases not doing right by the customer.
Technician Round Table – Part 8 – Loyalty – Heipp – Landry – Fanslow [RR 490]
RR 490: Technician Talk – Part 8 – Loyalty
This outspoken trio ponders on how loyalty is defined, how it can be earned and how it can be supported. M guests for Tech Talk 8 are Bob Heipp, Peter Landry and Matt Fanslow.
Loyalty is not limited to the team, they say, it goes way beyond to the customers, stakeholders, suppliers, and even the community. They give their thoughts on creating loyal customers. They even talk about getting a label of being dis-loyal.
This is a long one but well worth the listen even if it takes you a couple of sessions.
FTR 073: Bob Heipp – Stop Enabling the 80% Who Are Not Committed to Training
RR 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?
RR 475: Dirk Fuchs and Jeff Bly – Will System Training Impact a Technicians Ability to Diagnose and Improve Shops Profits
RR 475: Dirk Fuchs and Jeff Will System Training Impact a Technicians Ability to Diagnose and Improve Shops Profits
Why do we shun training? It is a huge industry problem. Our trainers know that the same people show up time after time. Not many new faces. What does that say about the state of our industry? Why do we ignore the power of training? Do you know that it supports your efficiency?
In this episode, Dirk Fuchs Technical Training Manager at ZF Group and Jeff Bly NAPA Autotech Curriculum Developer say that many young industry techs want and need training. But why aren’t they getting it? Why do Canadians show up for training at greater numbers than in the US? What are regarded as preferred training methods in the US versus European; knowledge-based or solutions based training? All of these questions will be answered in this podcast.
This episode will open your eyes to possibilities for you and your future in the industry.
RR 464: YouTube – Benefit or Burden Part 1
RR 463: YouTube – Benefit or Burden
As you go through this episode you’ll discover the stimulus for this discussion. There are many passionate people on both sides on the value of YouTube as it relates to auto repair.
My panel is Paul Danner, ‘Scanner Danner’ fame, Brin Kline, shop owner and member of Trained By Techs, Shop owner and Technician Michael Broccolo, owner with his dad in Broccolo Automotive & Collision and 2006 SkillsUSA 1st place winner for NYS (in collision repair) and attended the national competition. Listen when Michael heaps a load of compliments on Scanner Danner and also Shop Manager and Diagnostician at Riverside Riverside Automotive, Redwing, MN, Matt Fanslow.
I believe the panel surmised a single theme. Don’t trash the professional. I know you’ve used YouTube to help you understand a home project. I have, and never has the presenter ever based a professional plumber, carpenter, electrician, etc. you get the drift that they were ripping me off. No doubt there is a lot of great information available on the internet, especially YouTube. It will not go away, however, this team did a very objective job of bringing a professional discussion on the Benefit or Burden of YouTube.
FTR 058: Tomi Oliva – Would You Work For You?
RR 444: Technician Round Table – Part 7 – Professionalism and More – Heipp – Landry – Fanslow:
Technician Talk 7 – Professionalism and More
This outspoken trio wonders how professionalism is bred, how it starts and how it can be compartmentalized. Everyone must step up and set the bar high for others to emulate and follow.
My guests for Tech Talk 7 are Bob Heipp, Peter Landry and Matt Fanslow. These guys also wonder why shops that are not equipped to service certain vehicles advertised that they can. Some shops lack professionalism. Let’s face it, some shops advertise what they can do even if they are ill-equipped to do it.
They say that Shops need to get OE level service information to best understand how to repair the most common brands that they see in their bays.
RR 434: Training Talk – Daytime vs. Night Time Training | ASE Certification | Instructors and Students
Training Talk – Daytime vs. Night Time Training | ASE Certification | Instructors and Students
Experience the insights of a Tech and Automotive Instructors talking about the difference between Day and Night training along with ASE certifications and Training from Schools on how to keep students engaged through balanced lectures and hands-on experience with a few visuals!
Our Tech Talk Panel guests include Marty Depowski is an Automotive Instructor of Wayne County Community College, Michigan; David Myers is an Automotive Instructor, Southwestern Community College, North Carolina; and Dwayne McCarty is a Technician of Martins Garage, Ft. Myers, FL.
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.
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 426: Supporting Technician Training with Technology and Partnerships – Paul Louwers – AVI On Demand
Supporting Technician Training with Technology and Partnerships – Paul Louwers – AVI On-Demand
Paul Louwers, CEO and CO-founder of the Automotive Video Innovations and the driving force behind the concept and execution of AVI. He has been in the training business for over 25 years.
Paul explains that on-demand training is just one tool for a shop owner and technician in their training arsenal. Because of the online learning management system, and I can’t stress that enough, when you add in leader-led training, and hands-on, the power of networking; the learning is compounded. Find your learning combination.
AVI is a technology company that excels at creating training for the automotive industry. They are producing relevant content for, Service and Repair Centers, Parts Manufacturers, Parts Distributors, and Automotive Schools.
THA 116: Business Coaches Lab – Improving Shop Efficiency
THA 116 Business Coaches Lab – Improving Shop Efficiency
Look forward to tactics like knowing your techs gifts or strengths, remove obstacles, make process improvement a rule, minimize interruptions, if your techs aren’t efficient find out why. There are so many factors and our coaches do a great job of exposing some key components for improving efficiency in your bays.
The Academy panel includes Murray Voth, RPM Training, Rick White 180 Biz, Jude Larson ACT Group, Cecil Bullard, The Institute for Automotive Business Excellence and Bob Greenwood, Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Center.
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.
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 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.
RR 414: Elevating Our Industry’s Definition of Mechanic/Technician
Elevating our Industries’ Definition of a Mechanic/Technician
The mechanic/technician is more than just the person who repairs and maintains machinery. He is an automotive professional.
As we discuss bringing a new definition to the automotive mechanic, we are not trying to build a pecking order but to define the outcome of the investment in training and knowledge of technology necessary to work on today’s vehicles. Is today’s mechanic an ‘expert’, a ‘diagnostician’, or an Automotive Scientific Investigator? Does it matter?
I am joined with AES President, and Trainer Jorge Menchu, Scott Brown from Diag.net, Shop Manager and Diagnostician Matt Fanslow and LMV Bavarian Support Specialist Support and Tech Ambassador, Justin Morgan.
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…