Technology Archives

RR 354: Geek Talk 2.0 Part Two – Tech Talk From Aftermarket Professionals

Geek Talk 2.0 Part 2 – Who owns your data.

Join Greg Buckley CEO, Buckley’s Personalized Auto Care, Wilmington, DE, Chris Cloutier, Golden Rule Auto Care, Dallas TX and CEO of Autotex.me, Bill Nalu, President of Interstate Auto Care, Madison Heights, MI, Karim Morsil, Winkler Automotive, Gaithersburg, MD, and author and trainer Tracy Martin.

This is the second part of this episodic series covering important ‘tech’ topics that the automotive aftermarket, especially the service professional needs to pay attention to.

We discussed ownership of car generated data, the influence of the dealer network, the explosive growth of cellular networks in cars and trucks. The fact that new generations have no brand loyalty and what are we doing as shop owners to prepare ourselves to survive and thrive if we are not embracing IT.

RR 349: Tracy Martin – Our Vehicles are Becoming Smartphones on Wheels

Smartphone on Wheels.

Tracy Martin has authored six Motorbooks Workshop Series and writes articles for industry and trade magazines. His articles of late are focused on the connected car.

Our cars today are becoming if not already became smartphone on wheels. If this is the case, then all threats that are threatening our computers at home and our mobile device could potentially harm our cars as well. There are instances of factory system hacking and car software hacking that heightens our concern.

We talk cybersecurity concerns, the evolution of techs needed to fix the vehicles of the not too distant future and a better encryption protocol. Tracy says that you must be aware of the risks that can and will be present as the future unfolds.

FTR 003: Chris Cloutier on Taking Ownership | Training | Technology

For The Record. Chris Cloutier: Take Ownership As A Leader, Set The Standard For Training In Your Business And Embrace Tech Because It Isn’t Going Away.

RR 339: Geek Talk 2.0 Part One – Tech Talk From Aftermarket Professionals

Geek Talk 2.0 Part 1 – Cloud-Based Systems, RansomWare and More

This episodic series will cover important ‘tech’ topics that the automotive aftermarket, especially the service professional needs to pay attention to.

We also speak to ADAS and why your involvement in your state’s laws regarding autonomy and who controls the data.

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.

THA 065: Your SMS Data – Who Controls It?

Do You Have Control of Your Business Intelligence Data?

Data is king. It is ok to share your data if you know who you are sharing it with? If and when you share your customer database with vendors; what do you want them to do with it and how should you expect them to treat it thereafter?

These topics and many more are covered in the lively and wide-ranging discussion and debate over data and what happens to your data once you sign an End Users License Agreement (EULA).

Guests include Karim Morsli, Winkler Automotive Service Center, Bill Nalu, Interstate Auto Care in Madison Heights, MI, Chris Cloutier, owner of Golden Rule Auto Care in Dallas, TX and president of Autotext.me and Greg Buckley, Buckley’s Personalized Auto Care in Wilmington, DE.

RR 319: ASA Northwest – Jobst, Smith, Kelley

Ask for help. Offer help. Reaching out to help your peers.

Become the fly on the wall at ASA Northwest’s training event, ATE, and listen to an enlightening panel discussion with Butch Jobst, the ASA Northwest Chairman of the Board from B & B Automotive in Aberdeen, WA, Brian Smith the ASA Northwest Immediate Past Chairman of the Board form Gig Harbor Automotive Service in Gig Harbor, WA and Bryan Kelley the ASA Northwest Chairman-Elect from Valley Automotive Electric in Covington, WA.

The panel was very transparent on their own business career’s and they offered up their wisdom on coaching, the E-Myth, the power of networking and the invisible hand of ASA Northwest, the opportunities for growth with the aging vehicle car parc and embracing advanced technology.

There is a strong message to young shop owners that cannot be missed.

RR 309: The Shop of the Future – Are You Prepared? Vision 2018 Town Hall

The Shop of the Future: Are You Prepared?

Have you thought about how you will do business in the future? Well the mission of this panel was to stretch the boundaries and serve up plenty of thoughts, concepts and changes coming that you need to be fundamentally be prepared for.

So happy to be able to present this audio recording from Vision 2018. With me are shop owners, Summer Gurerro from Affinity Automotive Services, Inc in Wichita, KS, Keith Williamson owner of Williamson’s Repair and Tire in Bondurant, IA, Trainer and Mobile Technician Eric Ziegler form EZ Diagnostics, Chris Chesney the Senior Director, Customer Training at the Carquest Technical Institute and Donny Seyfer the Executive Officer of NASTF, the National Automotive Service Task Force and co-owner of Seyfer Automotive in Wheatridge, CO.

Many great thoughts that will help shape your future. There are many important action steps discussed that need your support and engagement. Listen carefully for those cues.

RR 305: Derek Kaufman – Joran Thompson – Living in a APP World

Chicago. No Car. No Problem.

Joran Thompson lives in Chicago and hasn’t owned a car for years. She does fine commuting to work, buying fresh groceries and dry goods. Her dry cleaning gets done, perfectly and on-time, and her latest IKEA purchase gets constructed. When she needs medicine, pizza or to wait in a line for a restaurant on a Saturday Night she just uses her smartphone. There’s an APP for all of her needs.

The story for aftermarket professionals is that all the miles Joran is not driving are being done by the services she contracts. Transportation as a Service will rack up the miles to support all the Joran Thompson’s who don’t own vehicles. Someone will need to maintain and repair those vehicles. It’s time to make those connections.

RR 296: The Digital Shop – A Discussion | Sevart | Connor | Kleinschmidt

The Digital Shop: A Discussion.

If you are contemplating the future and know you’ll need to get there maybe sooner rather than later this roundtable discussion has a lot of information for you. Panelists are Joe Sevart from I70 Auto Service from Kansas City, MO, Bill Connor the General Manager form Craig’s’ Car Care in Allen, TX and AutoVitals CEO Uwe Kleinschmidt.

There are many important info points here to help you and guide you in this inevitable change to your business that will be as important as having lifts in the bays. You may not be ready to implement a totally digital inspection, CRM, and workflow system, however, you’ll want to invest the time in this episode, to you keep your learning curve high and hear from shop owners who have done it and are so happy they did.

The digital strategy is to have the service advisor to do more advising and less busy work. Digital also allows the customer to be anywhere and still see the problems via still pictures and videos.

THA 049: How to Sell Diagnostics

How To Sell Diagnostics at a Profit?

This is not an easy question to answer. Service professionals must be paid for their expertise because the cost of doing diagnostics is the most expensive service you have in your building.

It is time to move from diagnostics to testing and analyzing. Every shop needs to build a premium product around testing and analyzing. You need to be known as the ‘we can fix anything right the first time shop’. Your motto: “We have the best technicians.” Your shops testing and analyzing skills is the premium product you sell and are known for in your marketplace. No need to go anywhere else. We do the research, test, analyze and discover what is wrong. We present the solution then you decide.

Marketing this premium product requires a strong testing/analyzing process that both the service advisor and technician are totally in agreement with. The benefits allow the SA to confidently sell testing and analyzing.

The diagnostician knows that the SA will sell the value and benefits to the customer because the process dictates the work to be done. A very strong discussion and powerful take-a-ways that will arrest the black hole in your business of profitable diagnostic time.

RR 290: Al Haberstroh and Robert Cannon

Marketing To the Ultimate Customer. The Power of Video and the Zero Moment of Truth.

Al Haberstroh, a partner and Chief Strategy Officer at MontAd Media, a data marketing company serving the auto aftermarket and Robert Cannon, Chairman and CEO of AutoNetTV. Discuss building confidence and awareness in your consumer’s relationship.

These two companies have formed a strategic partnership to provide innovative content and marketing services to the aftermarket. They believe, “Macro trends like price transparency and more educated consumers are compelling smart manufacturers to connect with repair shops and consumers in creative ways.”

This conversation is going to light you up if you are into branding, marketing and the buying moment of truth. Al and Robert have a handle on the ‘e’ buying experience and look to work with the aftermarket to nurture a knowledgeable and brand conscious customer for the service professional.

RR 288: Jorge Antico from eAutoClub.com

Customer Transaction Data is a Powerful Resource for Organic Growth

With a business and computer science education, Jorge Antico identified the aftermarkets need for transactional service-data aggregation. In essence, a family-owned vehicle fleet service management system.

The data that sits on your server contains a treasure of information that can be served up in just the right way. With the right AI software for natural language predictive CRM, you can do a lot with your information. Antico shares the power of growing your business using the data you already own.

This episode will provide much insight, from a tech perspective. There are many strong thinking moments here that will energize your systems and marketing talents and inspire you to grow your business.

RR 278: Emerging Technology – How Will the Aftermarket Prepare – Service EDU @ AAPEX17

Trends, Current Issues and Outlooks On the Future of the Service Sector

Shop owner Ryan Clo, Trainer Dave Hobbs and Diagnostician Matt Fanslow share their perspectives on the opportunities and challenges that make up the dynamic and changing aftermarket.

Don’t miss the discussion on training, business models, technician pay, business culture, specialization, and the changing role of the shop owner.

RR 269: ASA-Pennsylvania ‘Super Saturday’ – Training Event

Business Management and Technical Training Converge at ASA-PA Super Saturday Event.

This single day event in Warminster, PA featured a technician and business owner training track for east coast aftermarket professionals. Modeled after the TST Big Event and Vision Kansas City, you’ll get a behind the scenes feel with the Chairman and co-chairmen as they talk about the need and value of continuous training.

On top of this formative interview catch, all the names that are dropped and see the show notes to find interviews from the trainers, vendors and shop owners that have their own interview on the podcast.

RR 253: Scott Buckley & Steve Bullins

The Future of Our Industry Speaks Out on Tech, Technology, Millennials, DVI and Customer Service.

Scott Buckley and Steve Bullins from Buckley’s Personalized Driver Care bring a refreshing look at our industry. You’ll be happy to hear this duo speak on so many topics.

All the while you are listening, consider these guys are the shop owners of the future and will help guide and steer our industry for many years to come. We’re in good hands.

RR 251: Craig O’Neill form O’Neill’s Transmission Service

Third Generation Millennial Whose Dad Has Complete Confidence in His Decision Making is Looking for an Actionable Succession Plan.

Craig O’Neill from O’Neill’s Transmissions and Service has taken some bold moves in the business and implemented a DVI system and hired a business consultant.

He sees great opportunities in emerging technologies and values the power of a strong business culture.

Regarding the technician shortage, he shares their apprentice program that has helped not only his business but the vocational school he works with.

RR 247: Derek Kaufman – Partner at Schwartz Advisers – What Does the Future with Autonomous Cars Look Like?

What does the future with Autonomous Cars Look Like?

Derek Kaufman a Managing Partner at Schwartz Advisors is thinking large about the future of the auto care industry and the acceptance of TaaS (Transportation as a Service) with ride sharing and ultimately vehicle ownership.

Vehicle ownership will have a big impact on our industry and it will have a big impact on the miles driven with the remaining vehicles in the car parc.

Derek is challenging a report that says there will be only 44 million vehicles that will handle the 6 trillion Vehicle Miles Traveled in 2030 in the car parc vs 270 million we have today. He is accepting the technical evolution with AV’s, however, he is questioning the numbers from the report and applied some of his own math to figure out what our future may look like. Will these vehicles be able to handle the miles we drive today for work and pleasure? What about convenience. What about our work trucks? Listen to his view on our future.

RR 246: Scott Brown from iATN

Is iATN A Staple In Your Shop? Listen to Scott Brown Tell the Story of the Humble beginnings and Future Plans Of iATN.

Scott Brown president of iATN and co-owner, with his wife, of Connie & Dick’s Service Center, keeps his finger on the pulse of the industry by staying engaged at the shop. The interview takes you back to the day before the internet when bulletin boards were a way to communicate with your peers.

iATN is keeping pace and is working on exciting plans to continue to bring value to shop owners, technicians and educators of the auto care industry.

Scott gives an insider look at the iATN mobile APP, the new ‘Review’ space and the new iATN 2.0 and much more.

THA 018: ASA Connected CARS Detroit May 2017

What is Your Knowledge Quotient on the Connected Car?

ASA held an important industry event in May 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. Is was the ASA Connected CARS program. Presentations from Delphi, ETI, GM, Mahle, and Bosch highlighted the event as the future of ADAS and Autonomous Vehicles (AV) was discussed.

The Academy panel includes event organizer Donny Seyfer, shop owners Peter Rudloff, Craig O’Neill and technician Dave Wagner. Listen to your colleagues perspective on their take-a-ways from Connected CARS Detroit and how they see the opportunities shaping up the future of the aftermarket.

RR 239: John Burkhauser – Director of Educational Programs – Bolt On Technology

What You Can Learn from Your Dentist on Setting Appointments.

John Burkhauser, the Director of Educational Programs at Bolt-On Technology has a storied career as an automotive technician and as a post-secondary automotive educator. He is finding his career path has set him up for this current job.

John says the service process really hasn’t changed in 30 years. For many shops, it is still a day of putting out fires and trying to keep one’s head above water. He has his opinions on finding techs in post-secondary schools, the importance of best practices, and insights on digital vehicles inspections.

THA 012: What Keeps You Up at Night?

What Keeps You Up At Night? Is a metaphor on what we are concerned with as the world changes at unprecedented speeds.

You need to get out ahead of change and set the vision for your company. Paying attention to every business opportunity and challenge along with technology, business culture and finding and keeping good people helps you sleep well. The occasional 2 AM get up ‘thought’ just may signal an important strategy to pay attention to.

RR 226: Connected CARS Detroit May 2017 – An Overview

The Future is Now. Are You Preparing for the Future of Automotive Repair?

Held in Detroit on May 18th & 19th, 2017 and presented by ASA, Automotive Service Association, Connected CARS (Congress of Automotive Repair & Service) and organized by Donny Seyfer. This training conference brought industry trainers, automotive engineers and service professionals from all parts of North America to learn about rapidly advancing vehicle technology. Participants got an important glimpse into the world of the connected car with in-depth and detailed looks at ADAS, Next Gen Vehicle Networks and the future of diagnostics.

Listen to a compilation of seventeen of your industry peers as they discuss their reaction to this top industry event. There is no time like now to best understand the speed and gravity of technology. This conference helped serve up the enormous opportunities that lie ahead for the ‘connected’ service professional.

RR 215: Derek Kaufman from Schwartz Advisors – Business Model Transformation

Prepare for coming trends, emerging technology and business disrupters as the aftermarket prepares for the future.

Derek Kaufman, Managing Partner at Schwartz Advisors is focusing his future lens on today’s trends that will have a big impact on how the aftermarket does business tomorrow.

Will you be prepared to change your business model because car sharing, autonomous cars, augmented reality, an increasing hybrid share, multi-party leasing, among others will force you to do business differently as the future unfolds.

Aftermarket players are innovative and responsive to turn these realities into a business advantage by offering service alternative that are fully competitive with the OE shops.