Colleen Yarger came from the hotel industry 10 years ago and now owns her own shop today. Colleen’s career has been a whirlwind! She always had a passion for helping others and to become a true customer advocate in whatever job she had. She truly enjoyed being a service manager and thought what better way to continue her path than to become a shop owner.

Colleen enjoys taking time for the little things and traveling, a true old soul stuck in a millennial body. She spends most of her free time with family and loves to garden. Colleen’s episodes HERE.

Key Talking Points:

• Owner of Mark’s Independent Service Owner as of January 4th, 2021. Purchased form Mark Goldsmith
• Buys the shop before owning her own home
• Came from the hotel industry (working front desk at 19 years old)- met Maylan Newton (hosted service writers school at the hotel). After sending him her resume and interview with Ryan Tunison and accepted the job without knowing what it was going to entail 
• The first day of the job was to sell work orders- didn’t have any knowledge about cars but had a customer service experience 
• Spent time learning about cars and taking classes on the weekends
• Moved back home and with the help of her business coach, had an interview with Mark- hired on a trial basis and hired after 3 days 
• Worked for Mark for 3 years and then bought the business at 29 years old 
• Constantly working with technicians on processes and procedures for business – written in tablet form
• Has 4 bays, 1 technician, and 1 apprentice technician- interviewing to gain another technician and apprentice technician 
• Female service advisor- warming and inviting to customers when they first walk-in 
• Values the importance of belonging to associations- networking with other people and gaining insight on their input  
• Succession planDo I really want to do this? Where am I at in my career? Where do I want to go from here?
• Worked with Bob Ward on the succession plan 
• Nerves took over her first day as owner- working on building self-confidence, often overthinks and second-guesses herself  
• Owners often don’t know when they want to retire- if becoming a business owner is your goal communicate that with the owner

Resources:

• Thanks to Colleen Yarger for her contribution to the aftermarket’s premier podcast.
• Link to the ‘BOOKS‘ page highlighting all books discussed in the podcast library HERE. Leaders are readers.
• Find every podcast episode HERE.
• Every episode segmented by Series HERE.
• Key Word Search HERE.

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This episode is brought to you by AAPEX, the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo. AAPEX represents the $740 billion global automotive aftermarket industry and has everything you need to stay ahead of the curve.  The Virtual AAPEX Experience 2020 is in the record books. Virtual AAPEX lived up to presenting leading-technical and business management training from some of the industry’s best and brightest. Now set your sights on the homecoming in Las Vegas in 2021. Mark your calendar now … November 2-4, 2021, AAPEX // Now more than ever.

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Your Learning Curve Never Sounded So Good

Key Talking Points:

1. Make techs a real referral source. – Technicians can really bring in a lot of referrals but they aren’t motivated enough. Do a friendly competition with an extra week off, a fully paid Cancun trip right now is $589.00   (TW)
   1. Walk around marketing. Have your business cards with you (JO)
2. The fortune is in the follow-up!  (JO)
   1. If you promise, you must call.
3. Paperless invoices and estimates. (MG)
   1. Consumers are driving this. They are demanding a different sales process.`
4. Develop the best auto repair technical team you can….in the shortest amount of time. As a shop owner, the largest ROI you can gain right now is developing your technical team. Be the shop that can diagnose and fix the car right the first time.  (JO)
   1. Comeback rate cannot exceed X%. A threshold
5. Increase your labor rate – Set the stage for everyone that you are the best and should be compensated accordingly. (JO)
   1. Know that your labor rate is covering your costs and allowing you to earn the correct dollars to cover all costs associated or margins you need to make.
6. Holiday referrals programs are great – give away Turkeys and Christmas Trees.(TW)
7. A gift drawing basket for the holidays. We did one for Easter where guests picked Easter eggs that had candy and A prize inside like a free oil service, wiper blades,  tire rotations, and air filters. (MG)
8. Utilize the words “Hassle-Free” in your warranty (JO)
   1. Use trigger words, but be sure you back it up. Put the customer first and the dollars will follow.
9. Mark uses what he calls an ‘Accountability Cards’ they’re similar to the courtesy door hangers you see in hotels when you first get into your room to tell you that everything has been checked for quality.  (MG)  DOWNLOAD Picture of the Card
10. Fire the person you know should be fired.  (JO)
    1. Don’t hold on to someone you know is not right for your team.
    2. Open a spot to find the next perfect team member.
11. Watch the local pet shelter and randomly post a pet that needs a home. This will keep folks engaged on facebook (TW)
12. Run a competition on facebook and have your customers post their pets. (TW)
13. Fresh flowers weekly on the front counter.  (MG)
    1. Women are making up the majority of Marks customers.
14. Selfie, Selfie, Selfie – Get involved in your social posts and include all staff members with customers and focus on the market you want to dominate.  (JO)
    1. Get rid of your canned post and find all the real world situations that is going on around you.
15. Meet & Greets. Invite potential guests to the shop (no appointment needed) to meet the guys, see the shop (tour), before they book an appointment for their car. (MG)
16. Give the customer what they want without having to pick up the phone.  (book now appointment, Chat with us, Text us, and pricing info online) (JO)
17. Interactive countertop displays that show how timing belts, transmissions, and brakes work. (MG)
18. Post one type of sports scores on facebook. baseball, Hockey, football. Keep it simple. Just the final score. Make yourself a resource. (TW)
19. Partnerships will be the key to future business. Strategic partnerships that will drive large volumes of business ie: RepairPal Certified Connecting with CarMax, Other strategic partnerships through your vendors. (JO)
20. Partner with 4 shops that are 9 miles to 15 miles apart. Pull your marketing dollars, do large events together. (TW)
21. Join a networking group like BNI and post on facebook about networking like Dave Toole. (TW)  (BNI is the world’s largest referral network)

BONUS

1. Host ‘How to’ classes or car care clinics at your shop on Saturdays. (MG)  Women’s Clinics and Middle School Automotive STEM Classes (CC)
2. Nice employee jackets with your company logos on them. Not the cheap ones either (MG)
3. Rewatch all 3 parts of this show. That’s 63 tips. Make 2019 your best year ever. (TW)

Todd Westerlund’s Challenge:

The first entry into Carm with 60 of the 68 tips discussed in the three parts, documented and authorized by Todd will win the $1,000 challenge.  You will need to document via pictures or screenshots 60 of the tips. List the tip and show it implemented. Send an email of your completed challenge to Carm, HERE.  You may have many of the tips already completed and you’ll just need to document them.

Resources:

Mark Goldsmith Accountability Card/Mirror Tag HERE.

Email Carm Capriotto with your challenge results HERE.

Books Page.     Leaders Are Readers

Link to 21 Tips Part One HERE.

Link to 21 Tips Part Two HERE.

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This episode is brought to you by Jasper Engines & Transmissions. When a car’s engine or transmission fails, it’s not the end of the road. A remanufactured drivetrain product from Jasper Engines & Transmissions will give your car a new lease on life. JASPER has over 2000 Associates, three manufacturing facilities, two distribution centers, and 45 branch offices across the country. They’re all working to produce, transport and deliver the perfect product. That’s what they do best… keep customers happy. Visit jasperengines.com

This episode is brought to you by Jasper Engines & Transmissions. When a car’s engine or transmission fails, it’s not the end of the road. A remanufactured drivetrain product from Jasper Engines & Transmissions will give your car a new lease on life. JASPER has over 2000 Associates, three manufacturing facilities, two distribution centers and 45 branch offices across the country. They’re all working to produce, transport and deliver the perfect product. That’s what they do best… keep customers happy. Visit jasperengines.com

This episode is brought to you by Jasper Engines & Transmissions. When a car’s engine or transmission fails, it’s not the end of the road. A remanufactured drivetrain product from Jasper Engines & Transmissions will give your car a new lease on life. JASPER has over 2000 Associates, three manufacturing facilities, two distribution centers and 45 branch offices across the country. They’re all working to produce, transport and deliver the perfect product. That’s what they do best… keep customers happy. Visit jasperengines.com

Be socially involved and in touch with the show:
Facebook   Twitter   Linked In   Email

This episode is brought to you by Jasper Engines & Transmissions. When a car’s engine or transmission fails, it’s not the end of the road. A remanufactured drivetrain product from Jasper Engines & Transmissions will give your car a new lease on life. JASPER has over 2000 Associates, three manufacturing facilities, two distribution centers and 45 branch offices across the country. They’re all working to produce, transport and deliver the perfect product. That’s what they do best… keep customers happy. Visit jasperengines.com

Mark Goldsmith found his passion for cars in 1971 when his first job was with an independent shop. He took all of the ASE required tests and earned his Master Technician Certification.

First Started as chief cook and bottle-washer. In 1988 Mark opened Mark’s Independent Service in Chatsworth, CA. He aspired to be the best owner/technician he could be and constantly pushed himselff to further his knowledge and understanding of the automotive industry.

Specialist. Mark’s Independent Service works exclusively on Volvo, Lexus and Toyota vehicles. Mark and his team have always focused on fair values that put the customer first. He’s worked hard to create the type of auto repair company that has built trust with his customers and like to be known as a dealership alternative!

Associations. He joined ASCCA and quickly became a Chapter Representative and shortly after that he became Chapter Vice President. This opportunity grew his knowledge while surrounded by other shop owners and taking in their perspectives. Mark credits special books that have changed him and increased his business and leadership acumen. Books like ‘Extreme Ownership’ and ‘E-Myth’ are two important book that have made a difference for Mark.

The proof is when Mark’s customers tell him that they are more convenient and affordable than the local dealers.

Special insights into this episode:

• Mark recently hired a female millennial service writer. He says it made a big difference in his company and she and his wife recently fired Mark from the counter. Listen to him tell the story.
• How his friend Mitch Schneider helped convince him to make a tough decision on an employee who was no longer a cultural fit in his company.
• He believes every service professional entrepreneur needs a business coach.
• He admits that he should have listened to his business coach much earlier and made changes in his company that were recommended sooner than later.
• Mark discusses his succession plan that has him, after 3 years, in the shop only 2 days a week.
• He integrated tablets in the bays two years ago and he tells you the status of that change.
• He shares his positive customer service culture. They always do the extra’s.
• Mark holds an ‘open concept’ meeting once a month with this team
• He stopped micromanaging and let his people do what they were hired to do.
• Mark tells the story of his wife Joann who quit her job to help him start the business.

Community and family. Mark learned along the way that staying active in your community plays a major role in how you can bring new business in and maintain a much larger civic bond and a family atmosphere. Mark has two grandkids and stays active in local sports such as football and baseball, which keeps him face to face with new and recurring customers. Along with his wife Jo Ann they stay active with a local boot camp workout group for the past 10 years, along with being a mountain biker, road biker, and runner.

Books mentioned

• E-Myth Revisted by Michael Gerber
• Extreme Ownership

Mark’s Independent Service Website

Mark’s Independent Overview

Be socially involved and in touch with the show:
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This episode is brought to you by Federal-Mogul Motorparts and Garage Gurus. With brands like Moog, Felpro, Wagner Brake, Champion, Sealed Power, FP Diesel and more, they’re the parts techs trust.  For serious technical training and support – online, onsite and on-demand – Garage Gurus is everything you need to know. Find out more at fmmotorparts.com  and fmgaragegurus.com