Here are the two most recent episodes
ASE Test Prep Explained [RR 1019]
Carl Borsani, the owner of ASETestPrep.com, discusses acquiring an ASE testing company in 2012 and transforming it into a comprehensive educational tool for technicians. Learn about the innovative approaches Carl has implemented to enhance ASE test preparation and automotive education, including the development of AutomotiveStudentTesting.com. He discusses the challenges technicians face in test preparation and highlights ASE Test Prep’s role in enhancing their skills and knowledge through innovative educational resources.
remarkableresults.biz/e1019
The Legacy of Standard Motor Products: A Journey Through Automotive Innovation [RR 1018]
Explore the rich legacy of Standard Motor Products, a family-owned business established in 1919, and its ongoing commitment to innovation in the automotive industry. Eric Sills, President of Standard Motor Products, shares insights into the company’s dedication to quality, technology, and education, as well as their latest acquisition of Nissens and vision for future global advancements.
remarkableresults.biz/e1018
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RR 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.
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 051: First Moves When Opening a New Shop
Find A Blue Print Outlined For Finding Success If You Are Going To Open An Automotive Aftermarket Service Repair Shop.
There is some secret Sause shared here including a few preferred methods on how to start, setting up your spending plan, how important location is and the need to know the demographics of that local community. Is the income level such that money can be spent on vehicle service and maintenance?
We talk financial, (knowing your numbers) debt, cash flow. All very important parts of a CEO’s responsibility. May great technicians, who are unemployable, strive to start their own business because they want to do things their way. Most find out it is not an easy task. There are responsibilities beyond financial and cash flow like, marketing, the tax man, HR laws and that is just the tip of the iceberg.
This panel does a great job of explaining the challenges you’ll need to deal with, so you can find your successes sooner rather than later. It is a slow process, but success shouldn’t take years to achieve.
RR 295: David Eschbach from Spirit One Group on the Service Advisor
The Four Cornerstone Approach to Service Counter Success
David Eschbach shares his method for improving the relationship and experience with the service advisor and customer.
Here is an in-depth discussion on improving your service counter. It is no secret, we have great people on our service counters and a regiment of training brings fresh ideas and helps tighten your customer relationship.
David shares his Four Cornerstone approach to service counter success. It is a simple process as we look to your customer and discover: What is Broke, Why is it Broke, and then give them a Statement of Benefit and Recommendation and finally Explain How are we Going to do the Repair. Of course, money is a byproduct of a great service experience.
RR 294: Jeff Buckley & Jeff Matt on Social Media
Social Media: A contrast of Two Strategies to Engage your Customer
This is a contrast in social media strategies. Jeff Buckley has his style and methods and Jeff Matt is the opposite. Both great companies, both strategies work.
Jeff Buckley from My Fathers Shop in Midlothian, TX and Jeff Matt from Victory Auto Service a five-branch operation in Minneapolis. MN, share their different approach.
Each of their methods work and they both feel their ROI is worth it. Listen to find out which is your best approach.
THA 050: Finding The Right Business Coach
Finding The Right Business Coach.
A strong group of successful service professionals credits a business coach or consultant for their success. This Academy panel is in agreement on the steps you must weigh when considering hiring a business coach or consultant.
Be prepared to put your pride on the shelf and learn how to grow your business to new heights. Let the coach Identify your problems with profit, productivity, training, marketing, pricing labor and parts among others.
Your coach will teach you how to identify your problems and show you ways to fix it yourself. Business coaches/consultants help business owners develop skills to become reliant on their own. You will also be held accountable for your goals and production.
RR 293: Brin Kline, AAM form Assured Auto Works
Shop Owner Stays on the Cutting Edge of Automotive Technology
Brin Kline owns Assured Auto Works in Melbourne, FL but never misses a technical training class presented by a top industry trainer. He can’t take the technician out of his business owners mindset.
Brin has set his goals to be a technical instructor at Vision KC some day. He works very hard on learning the technical side of the automotive. A proponent of day-time training and a member of many industry advisory councils like iATN and CTI.
Brin believes that every technician should take a business course to understand how business operates.
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.
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 291: Bambi Crozier from Car Clinic and ASOG
Changing the Image of the Industry; One Customer at a Time.
Bambi Crozier and her husband Neil own Car Clinic in Lowell, AR. They are dedicated to lifelong customer relationships and are working to change their customer’s image of the industry to that of a profession and not just a trade.
With her background in customer service, she and Neil set out on a mission of change. She started by asking her customer’s a lot of questions about their vehicle. She discovered that her customers wanted the down and dirty truth about their vehicle needs.
Listen to her story of startup and transformation. She knows that the rapid change in technology and the way tech is affecting how business is done today will require a smarter, wiser business owner. She believes in the power of the statement: ‘You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know.’
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.
THA 048: Grow Your Fleet Business | AMi Credit
Growth Strategy: Fleets
Fleet business can sustain your revenue during the up and down times of the year. Get started and be willing to change and adjust as you move along. These three experts agree that it may be time for you to ‘Get out of your comfort zone’ and jump into the fleet business.
Learn from Tom Palermo from Preferred Automotive Specialists in Jenkintown, PA, John Constantin from Bison Fleet Service in Buffalo, NY and Bill Nalu from Interstate Auto Care in Madison Heights, MI.
We talk how to recruit fleet customer, obvious reasons to get into fleet business, the how and the challenges of implementing and growing fleet revenue.
RR 289: Tony Adams from Weavers Auto Center
The Leadership Challenge
Tony Adams, Vice President of Operations at Weavers Auto Center in Shawnee, KS, has an inspiring story about change and leadership. Listening to stories like Tony’s, who have achieved success while toughing through challenges and learning from mistakes, can build strength in all who listen.
Tony admits to what all good leaders know; admit your mistakes, learn from them and move forward. It builds strong leadership. He shares his very transparent story. You’ll either relate to it or learn from it.
We all will experience a story like Tony’s at least once in our lives. Never stop learning and build a fire under your team to serve the customer.
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.
THA 047: Twenty-One TIPS to Get an Edge on the Competition – Part 2
Do you need a quick new idea to implement that will give you an edge?
In this Academy lesson get 21 TIPS (Part 2) to help give you an edge over the competition. These are some very simple ideas that have been collected from successful service professionals in the industry.
Implementation will be the big payoff. If you listen to learn just one thing and do not implement you will not benefit from this listen.
RR 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.
RR 286: Robert ‘Dutch’ Silverstein from A & M Auto Service
A Formula for Improving Reputation and Customer Trust
Robert ‘Dutch’ Silverstein has owned A & M for 19 years and is passionate about building customers for life. This episode has a strong continuing message of trust and integrity. If you have customers for life, Dutch’s story will solidify your strategy, if you don’t have customers for life, Dutch’s passion will help you understand how you can build a consumer into a customer and then into a client.
This episode showcases many powerful strategies, like customer education, the elimination of technician commissions, the important need to lift our industries image and reputation and that integrity and honesty is the only rule, if not he says, ‘Don’t Operate At All’.
THA 046: Revving Up Your Business Culture | AMi Credit
Building a strong business culture can be one of the hardest things a business owner can do yet the most rewarding.
It is one of the key principles in the business that you cannot touch. It’s the soft stuff. For many, it is tough to get your hands around it. This academy panel does a great job explaining culture and shows you many ways to implement and lead it.
The power of a strong business culture can be one of your biggest differentiators as a business and a strong reason you attract top talent.
RR 285: Ryan Blair – Blair Automotive
Super Growth rate of 40% Has Its Challenges to Expense Control and Cash Flow.
Ryan Blair of Blair Automotive is a highly honored Audi technician and worked at an Audi dealership for eight years before deciding to start his own Audi/VW specialty shop.
As an independent, he has brought a high level of differentiation and a better than dealer experience to his customer. His new location was a perfect ground zero for his increased sales.
We find Ryan with big growing pains and a huge scale up when he moved into his new 12 bay facility. He has no regrets to get the shop where it is and admits he stretched and has personally guaranteed his expansion. Ryan has the perfect outlook and is building a strong business long into the future.
RR 284: Women In Auto Care Honorees
Women In Auto Care Honor Their Own.
The 2017 Honors for Auto Care Woman of the Year Laura Soave, Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Federal-Mogul Motorparts, Female Shop Owner of the Year, Carolyn Coquillette, owner of Luscious Garage in downtown San Francisco and Auto Care Woman of Excellence, Jill Trotta, the Director of Automotive Group at Repair Pal.
The WIAC connect, empower and mentor women in our auto care industry. In 2017 they provided educational scholarships worth $65,000. More on that inside this fun and inspiring episode.
THA 045: Installing Customers Parts – A Discussion | AMi Credit
This panel’s perspective is meant to excite a dialogue, to present ideas and concepts to support your decision or to inspire you to take a stand; one way or the other.
This topic is a worthy discussion because of the growth rate of e-commerce part availability, transparency in pricing, and ease of self-diagnosis on the internet.
At risk can be your reputation based on the quality of part being installed. You own the cause of their concern. This panel has not gotten one new great customer from ever installing parts for walk-in customers.
RR 283: Bob Rodriguez – Legacy Industry Trainer
Bob Rodriguez is a legacy aftermarket professional who spent 18 years as a technical training instructor and the training manager at Robert Bosch in Broadview IL. Bob was instrumental in finding better ways to provide training that went beyond the ‘beer and pretzels’ evening offerings by some vendors at the time’.
Bob drops a lot of names and organization he’s worked with and for. He’s worked for a number of well-known Tier 1 and aftermarket companies (including Bosch, Lincoln Technical Institute, ASE, Mopar CAP and others) and has chaired training committees for a wide-ranging group of aftermarket associations.
RR 282: Jennifer Maher from TechForce – Technician Shortage – Solution Update
Moving Forward With a Solution to the Technician Shortage
Jennifer Maher, CEO and Executive Director of Techforce Foundation in her second interview on the podcast brings you the important updates to the Future Tech Success Campaign.
She outlines how you can help and explains the value of the iHUB repository of information, data and resources you will need to help at the grassroots level.
Discover the outcome of the case study done in the Phoenix school system. Learn how due diligence on our education system will make waves for the future technicians that are in the education system now.
All of us who earn our living in the aftermarket must get involved. Find important links to ‘raise your hand’ to help on the show notes page.
THA 044: The Importance of Back Office Operations – Part 1
The Power Center of your Business is in the Back Office.
In this Part One Amy Mattinat, Jacquie Walter Hower, Maryann Croce and Kim Auernheimer discuss controls, operations and accounting/finance.
Highlights: Cash accountability, bank statements, trust and verify. The three stages of a business and the power of communication. With good systems, you can find where any breakdown occurred. Also discussed is team buy-in, QuickBooks, keeping good records, budgeting and cash flow.
RR 281: Auto Care Impact Award- Four For The Future 2017
Impact Award Honoree’s In 2017 Share Their Aftermarket Story.
The Auto Care Association annually honors four aftermarket professionals, age 40 or younger, who have made remarkable contributions to the auto care industry. The Impact Award: Four for the Future, was created in 2010 and is administered by the Auto Care Association Marketing and Communications Committee.
The 2017 award winners are Sarah Shelstrom from Integrated Supply Network, Katina Wall from STP at Spectrum Brands, Kyle Byrne from the Merrill Company and Chris Pacey from National Performance Warehouse.
We talk about the impact of technology, the elephant in the room, insights, recruiting talent into the industry and the trends they see affecting the aftermarket.
RR 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.
THA 043: Book Club – Favorite Books That Have Made Me A Better Leader/CEO
Books That Have Made Me a Better Leader and CEO
Harry Truman said, “Not all readers are leaders but all leaders are readers.” Our Academy panel will share with you the books that have impacted them. They’ll explain their big take-a-ways that have impacted their lives both personal and business.
Many service professionals, that have shared their story on the podcast, credit books as an important resource for building their knowledge on leadership, business culture and personal growth.
RR 279: Wheat Ridge High School STEM Program – Auto Shop on Steroids
Where did high school auto shop class go? Into the STEM program at Wheat Ridge High School.
A college-level program at the high school level is challenging 80 students to learn design, manufacturing, marketing, media, electrical, welding, fabrication with a competitive will to win as a collective team.
An exciting a refreshing look at how just one high school STEM program is making a difference that could one day engage students to join the automotive industry. This group has won the challenge twice in the last three years.
They are also working on a two-person NASA Mars vehicle that must fold up into a 5x5x5 foot space.
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.
THA 042: Impacting a Difference For Those Struggling For Success
The Power of Peer To Peer Help.
When you commit to helping a struggling service professional you help lift all ships. The tough part is starting the engagement. When a shop owner asks for guidance that is the first step to really make change. The teacher arrives only when the student does.
It is very altruistic in nature to help a colleague. These actions help the entire industry. Marginal operations contribute to a negative image problem. A stronger independent service industry brings strength to the industry and compounds success.
Together everyone blossoms and grows as servants to the motoring public. This episode shares a few examples and starts to write the action items you need to take to build a stronger aftermarket.
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