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…
Listen and view episode notesRR 401: Family Succession Part 1 – Our Future Female Shop Owners
Family Succession Part 1 – Our Future Female Shop Owners
We are talking to three millennial ladies who are geared for the succession of the family business. Many of our aftermarkets family businesses want to retire knowing that the business they have built is in safe hands, is moving forward and continues to succeed. Grooming a family member to become the CEO is a big decision and challenging journey.
Our guests are young and energetic female successors; Carly Paiva from Elite Auto Repair, in Warwick, RI, Jacquie Hower from Zimmerman’s Automotive in Mechanicsburg, PA, and Lauren Anderson from Victory Auto Service and Glass in Minneapolis. They understood very well the stakes and the responsibilities. They are not shying away and have shown maturity above their young age.
Carly Paiva has been actively participating in service advisory classes to better herself, Jacqui Hower recently graduated from Northwood and Lauren Anderson is finding ways and solutions to better equip her staff for success. The energy and passion of these three must make their parents proud.
Listen and view episode notesRR 395: Shop Talk 8 – Second Shop Challenge | The Power of Blacktop | Industry Image
Shop Talk 8 – Second Shop Challenge – The Power of Blacktop – Industry Image
I’m so glad to welcome John Eppstein from John’s Automotive Care in San Diego, CA, Scott Pelava from Lonsdale Auto Works in Lonsdale, MN, and former shop owner Scott ‘Gonzo’ Weaver, Scott has added trainer to his resume and continues to be a recognized writer in our industry, I’m sure you know of Gonzo’s Tool Box.
John tells us about his recent new location and a few challenges he didn’t anticipate, Scott Pelava has an idea to add a service to his shop that many would not agree with and Gonzo shares his wisdom of the ages. We also get into our industry image. A lot to chew on.
A bright and interesting moment is the talk about blacktop. Don’t miss this.
Listen and view episode notesTHA 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…
Listen and view episode notesTHA 097: Service Professional Loyalty: A Supplier Perspective
Service Professional Loyalty: A Supplier Perspective
On the panel is Brad Hartline, from Hyde Villa Auto Parts President and Pottsville Auto Parts in the Reading PA markets and Trevor Martin, President, Vaca Valley Auto Parts, Fairfield, CA and Mark Stabelfeldt, from Fairfax Auto Parts.
If you are a service professional you have a supplier or three and most likely have a great relationship with your number one call because they are a supply partner with and for you. A lot of your success comes from your supplier providing you the parts and service you need to keep your customers happy and coming back.
Listen and view episode notesRR 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.
Listen and view episode notesRR 385: AAPEX 2018 – Driving the Aftermarket to be Ahead of the Curve
AAPEX 2018 – Driving the Aftermarket to be Ahead of the Curve
The Auto Care Association and the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) are valued partners working together to meet the needs of the industry and stay ahead of the curve. They co-own AAPEX where the global automotive aftermarket gathers to learn and find the next opportunity in this $740B industry.
Mark Bogdansky and Chris Gardner and their teams under the leadership of Bill Hanvey from Auto Care and Bill Long from AASA bring educational sessions, networking events and live demonstrations to help you grow your aftermarket business.
Mark Bogdansky, is the Senior Director of Meetings and Events at Auto Care Association, and Chris Gardner, MAAP, is the Vice President of the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association.
Listen and view episode notesFTR 022: Scott Brown – Don’t Ignore ADAS. Know it. Learn it.
Scott Brown: Don’t Ignore ADAS. Know it. Learn it. Take A Hard Look at ADAS Technology.
Listen and view episode notesFTR 019: Kevin McClain Wants to Know Where Are You?
FTR 019 Kevin McClain Wants to Know Where Are You? Never Miss Another Training Venue.
Listen and view episode notesTHA 091: Workshop – Service Adviser Roleplay – Part 2
Service Adviser Role Play Part 2
Again this team digs deep to help aftermarket professionals learn more about the service advisor position. This is one of the most important and challenging jobs in the industry. The service adviser is the face of the business and is faced with building trust and strong relationships while generating profitable revenue.
Enjoy four different role plays and the ensuing discussion. Critique each role play yourself and enjoy the comments from this team. With me is Barry Barrett, Director of Training at RLO, Clint White, shop manager at Coopers Auto Repair Specialists in Tacoma, WA and John Vasquez, Service Adviser at Los Gators Auto Service Campbell, CA.
Listen and view episode notesRR 373: Shop Talk 5 – Retired and Still Helping the Industry
Shop Talk 5 – Retired and Still Helping the Industry
The Roundtable consists of Gary Summerfield, Don Griffin, and Tommy Kendall.
Gary and Don are retired shop owners, who are now landlords and Tommy is still contributing to the industry as a part-timer. They share wisdom of the ages.
Learn how their collective mindset helped transform the shops that they have operated throughout the years. We talk about training, technician pay and paying it forward.
Listen and view episode notesRR 372: Edwin Hazzard – Training is the Responsibility of the Technician
Did You Know That Training is the Responsibility of the Technician?
A hard-hitting interview on technician training with trainer, writer, and mobile diagnostic tech Edwin Hazzard, Owner of Southeast Mobile Tech who has a lot to say about the responsibility of training in the aftermarket.
Edwin Hazzard owns a mobile diagnostic company in South Carolina. He contributes articles to Motor Age and has instructed in many different capacities over the years. Edwin has been a dealership technician and taught at the high school level.
He enjoys what he does for a living and sees diverse age group in classes. He says investing in training is important just to be relevant and up to date with the recent technology. If you don’t update, you evaporate.
Listen and view episode notesRR 361: Scott and Michael Waddle. Owner and Prodigy. Father and Son.
Father and Son / Owner and Prodigy
Scott and Michael Waddle of Precision Auto Service, Langley, British Columbia. Shows us that a tandem of father and son can unlock different creative and innovative skill sets applicable to the modern shop of today.
Listen to how Scott is nurturing his son’s gifts and transforming them into assets their shop can use. Michael’s innovative work on automotive electrical and lighting systems is phenomenal considering that he is 15 years old this year. Even though Michael still can’t do the heavy lifting within the shop, this doesn’t stop him from his creative thinking. He is creating apps for the business. Learn about them.
Scott continues to provide training and enrollment plans for his son’s future providing an inspiration to every family owned shop and maybe a succession strategy too.
Listen and view episode notesRR 358: John Gustafson – ATC: Synchronizing the Automotive Trades
ATC: Synchronizing the Automotive Trades
John Gustafson is the president of Gustafson Brothers Automotive Repair, Huntington Beach, CA and the founder of the Auto Talent Co-Op (ATC). ATC is an independent non-profit organization whose vision is to effectively unite resources within the automotive industry, and establish clear career path standards for its users.
ATC’s Mission is to build a synchronized and accessible platform, able to unite the automotive industry. To help refill the talent pool for all automotive job-related positions. To fulfill the technician shortage, and improve technician retention and to streamline career paths, bridge technician skills gap and improve recruitment.
Your support is needed. Find links on the show notes page.
Listen and view episode notesTHA 081: Niche. Should We Find Specialties and Create a New Business Model or Services?
Niche. Finding Specialties to Create New Business Services.
A very interesting summit, a lesson for the forever student of the aftermarket. We’re talking Niche or Finding Specialties to Create New Business Services. A vibrant discussion to challenge the use of your talent and facility and to listen to your customers and find out exactly what they want and need from you.
The panel warns you to keep your eyes open. The shift is coming. Toss out those unprofitable jobs. Clean out your closet. Review your current business model. We will not survive doing what we always have done.
The panel will help you understand How to consider a specialty, product based niche vs. service based niche; but an overlying theme is to be sure the basics are being done right. You cannot add a new service if you don’t aren’t fixing your customers’ problem right the first time. Get your house in order before adding.
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 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.
Listen and view episode notesFTR 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.
Listen and view episode notesRR 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.
Listen and view episode notesFTR 001: G Jerry Truglia on Training, Labor Rates, Tech Shortage & Standards
Find out what does J Gerry Truglia thinks about Training, Standards and Labor Rates.
Listen and view episode notesRR 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.
Listen and view episode notesTHA 072: Technician Training Strategies & Rewards
Training Technicians is an Investment That Must Be Made and Funded.
Shop owners must create a learning culture in the business. This allows the entire team to understand the value of training. It doesn’t end at 5 PM. The shop owner must generate the profits necessary to invest in a comprehensive training program for the entire company.
All roles in the business including CEO, service advisor and technicians must be included in the strategy. Owners must lead the way by attending business management training. Training is a retention tool.
Listen on how to work with your suppliers to get the type of training on their local/regional training schedules. Listen for ideas on rewards and that associations are a great source for training.
Listen and view episode notesRR 334: Deb and Craig Van Batenburg from ACDC – Part 2
Looking Thirty Years Into the Future
The evolution of electric, hybrids, hybrid/electric and the internal combustion engine and how we will do business in the future. Deb and Craig Van Batenburg share their view of the pace of tech changes and evolving business models.
Craig believes in zero emissions and that climate change is real. He feels that students at high school and college level must learn to work on hybrid and electric cars and that the transition from the internal combustion engine will happen faster than anyone knows. The driver for a rapid change will be the cost of a barrel of oil.
Deb and Craig are sought after speakers and trainers for OE, aftermarket and through worldwide clients. Their training company, Auto Career Development Center (ACDC) is all hands on and only accepts nine students per class.
Listen and view episode notesTHA 069: Workshop – Service Advisor Roleplay – Part 1
Listen In On Four Different Roleplays of Service Advisor and Customer.
In this new Academy workshop format, learn as four different themed role plays are, played out for you. In each role play there is a customer, service advisor and an observer/coach who sums up in their own words what was great about the role play. The observer also suggests ways to improve.
The ‘actors’ are Lauren Giver, Service Advisor at Los Gatos Auto Service Campbell, CA, Barry Barrett, Director of Training at RLO and Clint White Shop Manager at Coopers Auto Repair Specialists in Tacoma, WA.
Access your own skills as a service advisor with this roleplay workshop. Owners, consider roleplays as a teaching strategy. Find the key takeaways from each role play at remarkableresults.biz/a069
Listen and view episode notesRR 326: Sherri Stock from InMotion Auto Care
Five Years A Shop Owner and a Succession Plan in Place.
The secret to success, according to Sherri Stock is doing the right thing for the right reasons. No matter for your team members or your customers she is passionate to always treat people well.
Sherri Stock from InMotion Auto Care in Lincoln, NE has worked at dealerships for over 25 years and had the opportunity of a lifetime to go into business for herself. She shares some early strategies that has set up her succession plan.
We talk with the Sherri Stock, the ASA Midwest Service Facility of the Year 2017, about the power of a strong business culture, technician pay, business coaches, vendor partners and her commitment to technician training.
Listen and view episode notes