Here are the two most recent episodes
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
Transforming Your Repair Shop to Professional Auto Service Center [THA 412]
The transition from a traditional repair shop to a professional auto service center requires a commitment to professionalism, continuous education, and a people first approach.
Join industry business coaches Cecil Bullard, Vic Tarasik, and Dave Schedin as they break down how to transform your auto repair shop into a professional service center that stands out and delivers exceptional value to your employees and clients.
remarkableresults.biz/a412
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RR 256: Rachael Wacha from City Auto Repair
Joined the Family business and doubled sales within a year.
Thirty one-year-old Rachael Wacha from City Auto Repair realized she was more like her dad than she thought. She also didn’t realize how important she was to the business.
You’ll be moved by her story and very open discussion of her very personal journey as she walked through life’s challenges and overcame them all. She has the tenacity to achieve every goal she sets for herself.
Having completed a succession plan to own the business, Rachael has joined a coaching and mastermind group. She is the president of the local ASA chapter and Is investing her time in vocational training and engaging with students.
THA 031: Twelve Tips on Holding GREAT Team Meetings
Communications is the driving foundation of what meetings are about.
Many superior take-a-ways in this Academy lesson. If you are contemplating holding meetings or are holding them and you want to check in on other strategies, this is the perfect seminar.
Your team must know how important their presence is in a meeting. Meetings can help you innovate and stay in touch with the needs of your people and you can share the needs of the company.
Also, innovation requires you need to stick stuff up on the wall and meetings is a great place to make that happen. Always remember to never hog the meeting. Share the wealth. Everyone talks. Many different styles from a casual to formal agendas. Always remember the meeting is for your people.
RR 255: David Milne from ATMC and ASE
Important Study Shows the Graying of Our Technicians Poses a Big Challenge in the Very Near Future.
Dave Milne serves as the President of the Automotive Training Managers Council (ATMC), a division of the ASE Industry Education Alliance. Dave is also the Executive Director of Special Test Programs for ASE.
Dave shares the mission and value of ATMC, their most recent survey data that he says will have a big impact on the industry. We talk about education and recruiting our future technicians. You’ll also hear Dave speak to our industry training needs and trends, pay structure and how ATMC and ASE is working with the industry to bring awareness to our trade.
RR 254: Rod Stephens from The Stephens Law Firm
Employment Law. Keep an HR Advisor or Attorney On Your Team to Prevent You From Becoming a Defendant.
Rod Stephens from The Stephens Law Firm has worked with the ASA Northwest group for some time. He knows our aftermarket business.
We chat about handbooks, disability, terminations, cell phones, wage and hour, and the depth of legal knowledge you need to know as your obligations are not only federal law but your state and city laws too.
THA 030: Nine Reasons Why Labor Rates Need To Increase
Is Your Labor Rate Keeping Up with Inflation and Your Cost Doing Business?
A tough subject to discuss, however many great ideas shared on the mechanics of setting a labor rate, but most importantly being valued and getting paid for all that you know and do for your customer.
The correct labor is a big factor in profitability among other critical measures in a service business. Learn from the discussion.
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 252: Eric Carlson from Ervine’s Auto Repair & Grand Rapids Hybrid
Michigan Shop Owner Makes Hybrids His Specialty Niche
Eric Carlson from Ervine’s Auto Repair and Grand Rapids Hybrids has found that his specialty in Hybrids has been a welcome addition to his business and his market is responding. With hybrids as loaners, his hybrid business is growing at an unexpected rate.
Eric shares his story that includes the purchase, 24 years ago, of a business that was on its last leg. His supplier gave him a heads up on the opportunity. Eric has been recognized multiple times as the NAPA Technician of the Year, in the Grand Rapids region. He also tells about his commitment to ASE and the time he was as a subject matter expert. He helped work on the Hybrid tests.
THA 029: Are We Too Dependent on Being Independent?
Individuality and entrepreneurialism is commanding but being inter-dependency can become a powerful positive force.
Independence is a strength, however being Interdependent on each other can benefit the entire industry.
Being independent seems to breed us not working together to lift our image, improve labor rates, access to information, grow our people, share knowledge, tools and equipment.
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 250: Dave Hobbs – Lead Technical Trainer- Delphi
Renowned Industry Trainer Says Our Technology is The Carrot at The End of The Stick To Entice Recruitment Into the Industry and to Keep Our A Techs.
Dave Hobbs, Lead Technical Trainer and Program Developer at Delphi Product & Service Solutions, has been in the aftermarket for over 30 years living his passion teaching technicians about repairing new technology.
He is on the cutting edge with ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) and discussed the challenges with calibrating repaired systems. This interview covers his start in the industry, what it takes to create a training seminar and that he sees great opportunities for A techs even if they want to move to a new city, to find the right situation, and work for a top shop.
THA 028: Twenty-One TIPS to Get an Edge on the Competition – Part 1
Do you need a quick new idea that will give you an edge on your competition?
In this Academy lesson get 21 TIPS that have been implemented before 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 249: Brenda & Brent O’Neal from Repair One Automotive
Is Your Customer Retention All About Your Integrity and Building a Trusting Relationship?
Dynamic husband and wife team, Brenda and Brent O’Neal, lead their team to ensure “The customer experience is the best it can be.” All roles must do their job to perfection. The team knows that they are not fixing cars and that their customer is the most important part of the business.
They believe that living in the same community as their business brings great value and recognition.
Brenda and Brent, who do not have a background in the automotive field, share where they get their new ideas, how to grow your own techs, their marketing strategy, and the extreme value they’ve received from hiring a business coach.
RR 248: Tom Lambert from Shadetree Automotive
Do You Expect Your Customers to be ‘Customers For Life?’
Tom Lambert from Shadetree Automotive in Layton, UT has a goal to keep customers for life. Everything done in the business and through marketing efforts works toward that goal.
Lambert can say this because he has built a company with a strong culture of caring from a highly motivated, yet laid back team that loves to have fun.
The key to his success was hiring a business coach to bring the guidance he needed to see things from a different perspective. His organization is experiencing 10% growth each year and will top out at $2.5 M in revenue this year.
THA 022: Hiring for Team Dynamics
What would you do differently if you knew you could never fire anyone?
Hiring the right team member continues the culture and team dynamic in your business. Hiring the wrong person can crash your culture and create friction in your team.
You need to hire slow and fire fast and hire for attitude, not aptitude; because we usually fire for attitude.
This team of aftermarket professionals brings their experience along with great advice on how to hire smart and for the long term.
THA 027: Performance Reviews – Best Practices
Are your Performance Reviews Creating the Best Behaviors from Your Team?
Performance reviews for many business owners never get done. There are many reasons why not and this episode tackles them head on and the best way to get them done.
There is great wisdom from the Academy panel like the review starts at the interview, that reviews need to be used to create personal performance goals, reviews is a formal way to be sure accountability sticks, and your core values are the key points to apply all behavior against.
There are over 20 key talking points that will help you in your process or get you started on the right path. The panel agrees that becoming a better leader will be key to using performance reviews to grow your business culture with performance reviews
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.
THA 021: Getting Things Done: A Discussion on the Challenges of Time Management
Are You Getting Things Done? Do You Find it a Challenge to Finish Tasks?
Listen to three of your industry peers as they discuss their perspective on what it takes to accomplish their tasks and goals. You’ll hear about creating a theme day, tactics to get more done, time wasters, and a suggestion that if you try to do too many things you don’t do any of them well.
We all struggle with this in this time challenged, too much to do world. This episode will help you find methods and ideas to make you more productive.
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 026: Succession Planning – The Next Generation Entrepreneurs
Are Your Succession Plans Solid? Are You Ready To Leave Your Business To The Next Generation?
Bob Ward from Wardden LLC and former shop owner Russel Andrew bring a few building blocks of succession to the Academy. The message is strong: you need to start NOW to plan on getting your business to succeed without you.
Seventy percent of business owners in the next 20 years will depart their business in many different ways if there is no planning. They must nurture and retain their key leaders and motivate them.
Owners struggle emotionally about leaving their business; because they started with nothing and there is a big attachment to their successes over the years. Owners must think about the joy of leaving their business and seeing their legacy to continue.
RR 245: Kate Jonasee from K-Tech in Sebastopol, CA
Do you remember when you started in business? What humble beginning did you have?
Kate Jonasee from K-Tech and Pauline’s Auto worked her way across the country after graduating from automotive technology college in upstate New York. She persisted through every opportunity to own two shops in Sebastopol, CA.
Kate says she learned something along the way from every shop she worked at and always had the goal to own her own shop, let alone two and possibly more.
Listen to the smart choices she made along the way, what her personal motivations were and how she is working to improve herself and her business.
THA 020: How To Sell 250K Mile Maintenance & Save Your Customers Thousands
Customers need to see and understand the data on how they can save enormous money if they kept their car for 12 years.
We keep our largest investment for many years so why not our cars. This panel had a great discussion on the pros of helping your customer extend the life of their vehicles. The numbers are key and when you can show the ROI or savings to your customer they start to understand.
We know the benefits so it is your job to engage and show the customer how you can help extend the life of their vehicle and engage them in a disciplined maintenance program at your shop.
RR 244: Brian Sump from Avalon Motorsports
Industry outsider used his business acumen and detailed, process-based, management philosophy to grow his business.
Brian Sump is not your typical shop owner. A former professional athlete, Sump had never turned a wrench in a shop before starting Denver-based Avalon Motorsports in 2007.
Recognized with multiple industry and business awards, Brian Sump is an entrepreneur who runs six different organizations and he explains why you need to network-up and network-down.
This industry awarded shop owner brings his wisdom to the premier aftermarket podcast.
THA 025: Disaster Planning and Preparedness
Are you prepared for a disaster?
Business interrupters come in many forms. Natural, environment, death of owner, spouse or partner, surgery, accident, illness or even loss of a key employee.
This Academy lesson discusses: why you should plan, do you need a formalized approach, do you have plans for a normal business operation that can be followed and who makes the decisions.
It is said that business interrupters will happen (Not if but when). Will you be prepared?
RR 243: Giuliano Zuccato – Chrysler Crossfire & Horse of Destiny Foundation
The Mustang Man talks about his work on the Chrysler Crossfire Project, his 85th Birthday Celebration, and his new foundation “The Horse of Destiny Foundation” to help people in need.
Sharp as a tack at 85 years young, Giuliano Zuccato shares more behind the scenes look at his passion for automotive design and sculpting.
He explains a new concept of creating a full-size wind tunnel model of the Chrysler Crossfire. There is a video version of the podcast where you can see the slides of the Crossfire project that Giuliano is narrating. Find the video here.
Because he feels he wants to leave an even stronger legacy he started the “Horse Of Destiny Foundation” to help people in need.
After his bout with TB of the bone, when he was 19 years old, he sees his Glioblastoma as just another challenge to overcome. Listen to a ‘car guy’ legend; a truly remarkable man.
THA 019: Where Will We Find Our Future Automotive Instructors?
Where Will We Find Our Future Automotive Instructors?
This all-star panel tackled this problem head on. Where will the experience at the educator level come from when you need certain certifications. Will working technicians consider this as a career move and invest in the time and money to meet the teaching certification standards.
We may drive experienced and knowledgeable people away because of the needed certifications, pay and admin requirements. This topic is as important to discuss as the technician shortage.
Please have this discussion, with administrators, at the local college and high school level.
RR 242: Rick White from 180BIZ
Is the Transparency of The Internet Forcing The Service Professional To Change How Business Is Done?
Rick White is President and Lead Coach for 180BIZ, an auto repair shop training and business coaching company. He is an AMi approved trainer, an ASA committee member and an established industry writer for many top magazines.
Rick brings an enlightening view of leadership, communication, the sales process and shares the four responsibilities of a shop owner.
Rick also talks about the transparency of the internet and challenges a new way to do business because of the universal availability of information. He says we must bring insights to our customer because they are in need of our expertise. He also shares his view on where parts gross margins need to go in the age of the transparent internet.
THA 024: Quality Controls – Why it Matters for Retention & Reputation
Why Great Quality Controls Matters for Customer Retention and Shop Reputation.
A top lesson from three aftermarket colleagues who understand the value and need for a great quality control process. They leave no doubt why you need to adopt and improve your quality controls.
Tough love discussion that covers the importance of measuring your QC to help reduce mistakes (we are human we all make them) and how QC brings accountability to your overall processes. Investing in your QC program is as good as getting a five start on-line review. If you don’t you may be wiping up a two-star review.
Most shops do a great job fixing cars. That is not good enough anymore. Many more great take-a-ways that will fill up a yellow pad.
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 241: Jorge Menchu – AES Wave and Instructor
Are You Learning Up To Your Maximum Potential?
Industry trainer and entrepreneur Jorge Menchu, President of AES Wave is enthusiastic about teaching our industries technicians. He is more passionate on how technicians learn. He says that the basic problem of learning is to understand the mechanics of learning.
Jorge shares his Four Levels of Learning and says if you are in control of your learning process you will learn more. He says everyone knows how to learn. If you are not struggling to learn; then you are in control of the process of learning.
THA 017: What Happens When The Phone Rings
What Happens When The Phone Rings?
Are you prepared with a clear mind and a clear and confident message? A big moment of truth with your customers is that interaction with the phone call.
Set yourself up to make a strong impact with every phone call. Focus, don’t multi-task, and practice your script and prepare to solve your customers’ problem.
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