Keith Williamson is the owner of Williamson’s Repair and Tire in Bondurant, IA for over 20 years. He is a member of MWACA where he leads the Shop Owner Support Group (an amazing group of shops) in Iowa. He and his team focus on the customer experience, as well as Hybrid, Electric and emerging vehicle technologies. He recently added a solar array to his building and uses a Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt as shuttle vehicles and plans to add more hybrid and electric vehicles as they continually update their loaner fleet. He is a member of RLO Training’s Bottom Line Impact Group for 4 years. Listen to Keith’s previous episodes HERE.

John Long started to gain more interest in vehicles and just after his 21^stbirthday he accepted a position working at National Tire & Battery as a service advisor. He knew nothing about tires or vehicle systems and how they worked, but he learned as much as he could.

In 2005, John and his wife decided it was time for a move. He arrived in San Antonio late on a Friday night after driving 24 hours straight and interviewed with Mark Roberts on Saturday morning. Mark hired John, and for the next several years he helped grow the new mechanical repair shop business. Listen to John’s previous episodes HERE.

Tyler Hubbard is the owner, I-70 Auto Service, Kansas City, MO. Listen to Tyler’s previous episodes HERE.

Key Talking Points:

• One of the best ways to grow your technicians is to pay for their training
• Consider incentives for the number of hours. See this episode with Bill Hill: FTR 075: Bill Hill – Yearly Bonus is All About a Commitment to Training
• Promote to your customer that you are closed for trainingLet them know of your commitment to stay on the cutting edge
• Use your invoices, signs and social media to promote your training commitment
• The best networking happens at the breaks and in social events during any conference, especially at Vision
• When back at work hold lunch and learns and share what each other learned and what resources are available.When you teach you learn
• Hold deep discussions on what each learned. Do this over a few weeks so you can spend some quality time on each lesson
• Team bonding is at an all-time high when you bring your team to a training conference.
• Some techs will leave shops when they will not pay for their training
• Be sure that your techs all go to different classes
• Lunch and learn where your techs share new ideas that they discovered or learned. Make this a part of your meetings
• How do we test if the training worked
• You need to want to see your people be successful
• Track comebacks to find weaknesses in training
• Training saves your tech time. Time is money
• If you are going to provide the best customer service, not training your techs hurts that commitment
• You gain a competitive advantage with your commitment to training
• You need to fix yourself and then you’ll find better ways to build a better business
• Investment in training as a percent of sales needs to be budgeted
• John Long spent $90,000 on training. It was 3% of his business
• Techs want to be trained. If they don’t it is time for them to find another shop
• Every position in the company needs to be trained: CEO, Service Advisor, Technicians and back office
• Hire a business coach to help you run a better business and hold you accountable
• Training hours per year required and reviewed each quarter. Many owners pay an incentive to hit their training goals
• Careful. Not all training is good training. Don’t stop training if you have a bad experience, but learn about trainers, venues and content
• How to:Put monies away for training: Scrap iron can be used to fund training
• Supplier rebate’s (debit cards used to pay for training)Parts suppliers and dealers have rebates.
• Suppliers have great training. Partner with your suppliers to bring in the training you need
• Local and regional training comes to your city. You do not have to always go to national events
• Gather your local shop owners and bring in a national trainer
• In house training with a top diagnostician to teach your B and C techs
• Build training into your labor rate. No customer will notice 
•  If you pay for training you can go on better vacations

Resources:

• A special thanks to Keith Williamson, John Long, and Tyler Hubbard for their contribution to the aftermarket.
• Books Page HERE
• Listen to all Remarkable Results Radio, For The Record and Town Hall Academy episodes.

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This episode is brought to you by Shop-Ware Shop Management. It’s time to run your business at its fullest potential with the industry’s leading technology. Shop-Ware Shop Management will increase your efficiency with lightning-fast workflows, help your staff capture more sales every day, and create very happy customers who promote your business. Shops running Shop-Ware have More Time and generate More Profit—join them! Schedule a free live demonstration and find out how 30 minutes can transform your shop at shop-ware.com



The Panel:

John Eppstein is the owner of John’s Automotive Care in San Diego, CA. He is the incoming ASCCA President. One thing he credits for his success is making his customer his main focus. John was honored as the 2016 NAPA ASE Technician of the year.  Hear John in our one on one interview in episode 119, 200 and Academy 003 on the Top Qualities of a Service Advisor. Look for John’s other episodes HERE.

Judi Haglin and husband Dana own Haglin Automotive Inc., a full-service auto repair shop in Boulder, CO, and they’ve been leaders in the Boulder auto repair industry since 1981.

Judi and Dana have a super working relationship and they pay attention to details, share a core value; ‘Everyone Speaks’ that is part of their strong business culture.

They received Motor Age’s Top Shop honor in 2015. Key to their success is they know their roles and together make a strong business owner. They say, “Fixing cars is secondary, we are primarily solving our customer’s problems”. Look for Judi’s previous episodes HERE.

Keith Williamson is the owner of Williamson’s Repair and Tire in Bondurant, IA for over 20 years. He is a member of MWACA where he leads the Shop Owner Support Group (an amazing group of shops) in Iowa. He and his team focus on the customer experience, as well as Hybrid, Electric and emerging vehicle technologies. He recently added a solar array to his building and uses a Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt as shuttle vehicles and plans to add more hybrid and electric vehicles as they continually update their loaner fleet. He is a member of RLO Training’s Bottom Line Impact Group for 4 years. Listen to Keith’s previous episodes HERE.

Lisa Eckler is an executive assistant by trade, and a native upstate New Yorker – and somehow managed to marry a Red Sox fan!  Lisa’s background in office management and marketing brought a new facet to the business. When she left her position three years ago, Lisa became the business and marketing manager for Foreign Car Specialists.  In her new position, she has increased customer awareness for the business, increased the shop’s search engine optimization (SEO) and has brought the business to the first page of Google’s organic rankings for search engine results.

Lisa has two boys who are grown and gone and a daughter still at home.  Kevin’s teenage daughter and son live with them full time and rounding out the family are four cats, a perfect dog and 11 chickens who provide breakfast and entertainment daily. Find Lisa’s other episodes HERE.

Key Talking Points:

• You need to be in a good place in your business where you need help or a bad place and you need help, twenty groups are for you. You must be willing to commit to the process and responsibility
• You don’t know what you don’t know and discover that in a big way by joining a twenty group
• Learn quickly what basics you need to start fixing
• You’ll learn to give a higher level of customer service and give exceptional service
• Judi is experiencing an explosion in your business since she is focused in another area with ATI to support its 20-Group program. Without Judi, the business is flourishing.
• Besides national groups, there are regional twenty groups
• Find close friends that are all willing to help you with your success and even take your call then things are not going well. Lean on each other.
• There are local groups such as NAPA’s BDG (Business Development Group). Jasper has some groups like this. But they are not exactly like twenty groups, but they are there to help.
• Travel in twenty groups can be limited to twice or three times a year and ZOOM meetings monthly supplement
• Google Drive is supplementing the ease to share your numbers and even ads used to hire
• One of the biggest values from twenty groups is accountability
  • It is not easy to accept accountability from your peers especially if you are not strong enough to hold yourself accountable
  • It is OK if you are struggling and being held accountable will help you and your business to blossom
  • You are looking too closely at your business. Backing up and getting a bigger picture will help you see what is wrong
• Many who going twenty groups find themselves at the bottom of the metrics. The goal is to grow your success by measuring your success
• You’ll find members in your group that have special strengths to pull from. They are for you to use
• Some twenty-groups use this time for social, to get to know each other and some for philanthropic purposes
• Grow as a leader and become a reader (readers are leaders). Books on Tape and podcasts are great resources for learning
• Other networking opportunities like BNI are places you can get help
• Great ideas on what to do beyond the shop: Mentoring
• Many did not enjoy going to work until they joined a twenty group
• Twenty-groups help you find and pull the levers of change
• Twenty-groups do shop tours:
  • You get a chance to have your peers review you. All details.
  • Accept what you learn and start your transformation
    • Can be difficult to do
  • You’ll discover things you already knew you had to do (why not do them?)
  • You’ll learn things you did not know you needed to change
  • Judi has done a virtual tour for her group and learned a lot and learned a lot more when there was an actual shop visit from her twenty-group peers.
  • A marketing survey ‘Do you own your own neighborhood’ Survey of local businesses by your twenty-group members
• Financial measures and goals are one of the first things you’ll start to learn in a twenty-group
• You learn a lot about the soft skills that make you a better leader
• Most owners are car people and not business people. Hence the value of a twenty-group
• The panel believes they get an ROI on the costs they spend on going to their twenty-group meeting

Resources:

• A special thanks to John Eppstein, Judi Haglin, Kieth Williamson and Lisa Eckler for their contribution to the aftermarket.
• Books Page HERE
• Leave me an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one of them.

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Subscribe to a mobile listening app HERE.

Town Hall Academy Sponsored by:

This episode is brought to you by Shop-Ware Shop Management. It’s time to run your business at its fullest potential with the industry’s leading technology. Shop-Ware Shop Management will increase your efficiency with lightning-fast workflows, help your staff capture more sales every day, and create very happy customers who promote your business. Shops running Shop-Ware have More Time and generate More Profit—join them! Schedule a free live demonstration and find out how 30 minutes can transform your shop at shop-ware.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 re-manufactured drive-train 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

Keith Williamson is the owner of Williamson’s Repair and Tire in Bondurant, IA for over 20 years. He is a member of Midwest Auto Care Alliance (MWACA) where he leads the Shop Owner Support Group (an amazing group of shops) in Iowa. He and his team focus on the customer experience, as well as Hybrid, Electric and emerging vehicle Technologies. He recently added a solar array to his building and uses a Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt as shuttle vehicles and plans to add more hybrid and electric vehicles as they continually update their loaner fleet. He is a member of RLO Training’s Bottom Line Impact Group for 4 years. Listen to Keith’s previous episodes HERE.

Key Talking Points

• Don’t resist change
• Always be learning
• He decided to get into Hybrids and it was a great decision for him
• Continual training
• Adapting to technology
• Charging what you are worth
• Take management classes
• The technician shortages goes away if you compensate them based on their knowledge
  • You need to become more profitable
  • Learn how to do that
• Remove the downers that are bringing your culture and team down
• Implement what you learn

• A special thanks to Keith Williamson for sharing his passion – For The Record.
• Books mentioned in the content library HERE
• Leave me an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one of them.
• Email Carm HERE.

Be socially involved and in touch with the show:
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This episode is brought to you by FlexCheck Auto Digital Vehicle Inspection Software.

Savvy shop owners use vehicle inspections to find additional work on a vehicle that the vehicle owner may not know is needed. The most successful shop owners fully inspect every car, every time. It benefits the vehicle owner more than the shop because most vehicle owners want their autos to be reliable.

FlexCheck Auto takes the power of a shop’s inspection process and puts it in the palm of your technician’s hand so that pictures, video and vehicle specific notes about a vehicle’s condition can be shared quickly with vehicle owners. This simple, fully customizable system is designed to operate on any Android device. It improves technician efficiency in the bays, service writer efficiency at the counter, increases average repair order and builds trust with vehicle owners.

Today’s vehicle owners want to receive their vehicles health status electronically, this makes FlexCheck Auto the most transparent way to do sell auto repair. Try it for free for 30 days! Go to FlexCheckAuto.com to learn more.

Download the Remarkable Results Radio listening APP for your smart device:

• What was your best take-a-way from Vision
• Did you get your Vision shirt that supports scholarships
• Thanks:
• • Thanks to Sheri Hamilton, Jerry Holcom, Joe Severt and Ron Haugen for such a great event and for having me lead the Power Panel.
  • Look for an upcoming episode with
    • Tyler Hubbard, Chris Cheney, Greg Buckley, Aaron Stokes and Brian Bates
• Many great interviews were done at Vision along with recording some For The Record Rants
  • Let me drop a few names on you:
    • Rob Morrell
    • Mark Warren
    • Rob Rowsell
    • Anthony Williams
    • Chris Chesney
    • Jorge Menchu
    • Scott Brown
    • Matt Fanslow
    • Justin Morgan
    • Scott Shotton
    • Dave Denman
    • Eric Ziegler
    • Brian Bates
    • Tyler Hubbard
    • Aaron Stokes
    • Greg Buckley
    • Jennifer Filzen
    • Keith Williamson
    • Kim Walker
• So we can keep the energy up, I need you to share the podcast with your peers. Don’t hold it back. Rising tide lift all ships. We are in a renaissance to improve our industry like never before. Networking, business coaches, twenty groups and the RRR podcasts are important tools for business and personal improvement.
• Always looking to hear from you about topics, interview, your opinions or maybe it is your time to be on the podcast …. carm@remarkableresults.biz

Your Learning Curve Never Sounded So Good

The Panel:

Keith Williamson is the owner of Williamson’s Repair and Tire in Bondurant, IA for over 20 years. He is a member of ASA Midwest where he leads the Shop Owner Support Group (an amazing group of shops) in Iowa. He and his team focus on the customer experience, as well as Hybrid, Electric and emerging vehicle Technologies. He recently added a solar array to his building and uses a Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt as shuttle vehicles and plans to add more hybrid and electric vehicles as they continually update their loaner fleet. He is a member of RLO Training’s Bottom Line Impact Group for 4 years. Listen to Keith’s previous episodes HERE.

Andy Bizub is a native of Chicago. His first career was 25 years as a commodity trader. He entered the professional auto industry in 2014 by acquiring a failing shop in downtown Chicago that he was a customer of, and starting a turnaround. At bought his first car at age 19, a 1972 Triumph Spitfire, which was the start of his gas, oil, and automobile obsession. Listen to Andy’s previous episodes HERE.

Seth Thorson has specialized in the service of European automobiles since 1999. First, in Michigan and now at his current location in New Brighton, MN.

Seth was educated at a UTI in Chicago where he was at the top of his class. He then went to BMW Step to finish the master’s program. Thorson was hired in at a BMW dealership in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.  From there he moved to an independent shop in Waterford Michigan and learned VW Audi. Seth’s passion remained with BMW and he was offered a chance to buy an existing shop in New Brighton, Minnesota near where he grew up.

He is the owner of Eurotech which specializes in BMW, Mercedes and Audi cars.  He is a firm believer in using factory tools to ensure proper repairs and coding. His team of highly trained and certified technicians are able to diagnose today’s complex vehicle systems! His second location, Green Garage, works on all makes and models.

Seth also owns and runs a BMW tech support company called LMV Bavarian that provides support and programming to a growing network of over 200 shops via remote diagnostics.  He also teaches national seminars on BMW diagnostics. Seth has also partnered with SSF auto parts in their unique ‘hands-on’ training program.

Seth belongs to AASP in MN, BIMRS as well as NASTEF.  He is also a member of Cecil Bullards (Institute for Automotive Business Excellence) 20 group. He believes idea sharing and networking with other shop owners has helped grow his business. Listen to Seth’s previous episodes HERE.

Key Talking Points:

• Buying technicians tools is a recruiting and retention tool for your business.
• New technician program ideas:
  • Catch them when they start school.
  • Post-secondary student starts as a freshman. Buy a toolkit for them.
  • Work for your shop and get your tuition paid if you stay for four years.
  • Apprentice gets a toolkit. So when they are working for you they have access to tools.
    • Apprentice set is smaller and mobile so as apprentice works with different technicians they have their set with them.
  • Provide built-in tool boxes for every tech.
    • Toolboxes are a big barrier (cost)
    • All tool boxes are uniform. Tech has the key. The owner has a key. No toolbox envy.
    • This is trending especially at higher end euro shops.
    • Offer storage of techs current box while he uses your built in.
    • Some techs will sell their box.
    • Productivity gains when every toolbox is uniform.
  • The shop provides all specialty tools, diagnostic tools and scopes.
  • Tech owns a basic set of tools themselves
  • Every Lexus dealer is creating built-in tool boxes.
• Shop owner helps techs buy tools
  • Shop foreman has a budget for tool purchases.
  • Idea: Andy Bizub: Exchange for labor hours. By mutual agreement, approved by his accountant.
• Owners don’t want to see their techs in debt.
  • Techs must put an amount on their credit cards each week for the tool truck.
  • Less debt to carry
  • Tool truck’s love it because shop owner is paying them every month.
  • Less downtime from techs as they don’t need to spend as much time with tool truck.
  • Techs find something they need; these shop owner will purchase for the shop.
• Current technicians
  • Keith Williams. Weekly stipend if zero comebacks.
    • $50 per week.
    • Not based on parts defects.
  • If techs are not worried about their tool debt they are a better person all around.
  • Yearly bonus can be used for tool purchased and used during the year.
• Getting known at your automotive high-school or college
  • Let them know that you provide intern/apprentice tools
  • You can start getting some of the best graduates if you involve yourself in the school and they know you have a great program to support graduates into our trade.
• Independents must get involved at the post-secondary level. (High School Important also)
  • Work with the department chairs and develop relationships with instructors.
  • Get involved with inspections for  ASE Education Foundation formerly NATEF.  
  • We must work with our young people and help them buy their tools.
  • Get together and help the schools acquire tools and equipment.

• Leave me an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one of them.
• A special thanks to Keith Williamson, Andy Bizub and Seth Thorson for sharing so that all ships rise.

Resources:

• Link to Seth Thorson Interview on Creating a $25,000 Scholarship Endowment HERE
• Link to Academy Episode 36 ‘Ten Reasons For Buying Technician Tools’ 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

The Panel:

Keith Katz is owner of Quality Service Center in York, PA for the last twenty years and an industry veteran of thirty-seven years. His 7 bay shop has 6 lifts and supports 3 technicians with one service advisor. He is involved with the NAPA Advisory Board and supports the Bridge of Hope organization that helps local homeless mothers find employment and housing for their families.

He is a member of AASP in Pennsylvania and engages ATI as a support partner. Listen to Keith Katz’s previous episodes HERE.

In January of 2017, John Long purchased an interest in Total True Automotive dba Schertz Auto Service, Schertz, TX,  for which he worked since July of 2005.

Growing up John was not interested in vehicles even though his father had always fixed their cars.  John’s passion was sports especially hockey.  John played anything and everything growing up.  He is still a huge sports fan and sports numbers junkie.

In his late teens, John started to gain more interest in vehicles and just after his 21^stbirthday he accepted a position working at National Tire & Battery as a service advisor.  He knew nothing about tires or vehicle systems and how they worked, but he learned as much as he could.

In 2005, John and his wife decided it was time for a move. He arrived in San Antonio late on a Friday night after driving 24 hours straight and interviewed with Mark Roberts on Saturday morning.  Mark hired John, and for the next several years he helped grow the new mechanical repair shop business. Listen to John’s previous episodes HERE.

Keith Williamson is the owner of Williamson’s Repair and Tire in Bondurant, IA for over 20 years. He is a member of ASA Midwest where he leads the Shop Owner Support Group (an amazing group of shops) in Iowa. He and his team focus on the customer experience, as well as Hybrid, Electric and emerging vehicle Technologies. He recently added a solar array to his building and uses a Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt as shuttle vehicles and plans to add more hybrid and electric vehicles as they continually update their loaner fleet. He is a member of RLO Training’s Bottom Line Impact Group for 4 years. Listen to Keith’s previous episodes HERE.

Key Talking Points:

• Quality parts support your reputation and will minimize comebacks.
  • O/E aftermarket parts from OE suppliers
• If a part fails they go to their supplier for support.
  • The good relationship with your supplier supports a new product and the possibility of labor.
  • Communicate with your supplier if you find a rash of bad units.
• Supplier relationships are key
  • Visit with his sales rep for John Long is not that important
    • Will have lunch monthly with his supplier owner
  • Keith Katz wants to see his first call supplier on a weekly basis. That is where he builds his relationship.
    • He likes to see new products
  • Keith Williamson wants to see training.
    • Been on a cruise with his supplier owner
  • Beating them up for price may get you out of favor with a supplier
  • This panel likes to see improvements happen from suggestions offered.
• Service. What is good service?
  • Having the part there when you need it. What is the expectation:
    • Keith Williamson is getting a part in 18-20 minutes
    • He doesn’t need it rush all the time. We’ll tell them if we have time.
  • Keith Katz
    • If they don’t put on the e-comm ticket their time frame his supplier will call them to ask their time frame.
    • It is not a perfect science especially when a part needs to come from another store, the time frame goes up. But we know.
    • Sometimes he orders parts based on the fact that he will sell the job.
  • John Long
    • Time frames not met put a crunch on his workflow.
• Availability
  • Suppliers tell their service professional how large their inventory is.
  • Suppliers are carrying more inventory than ever.
  • They want it when they want it.
• Labor Claims
  • For the most part, they are happy.
  • Salesperson takes care of the claims
  • They will have a person inside the shop track the claim and the credit.
• Warranty
  • They would like to see a longer warranty because the shops are offering a longer warranty to their customers.
  • Many suppliers are supporting
• Non-traditional supplier (like Amazon)
  • This panel is not tempted to buy them.
  • Who are you going to call if something happens?
  • They have looked at pricing and wonder how it can be done versus their local suppliers. It is not hard to understand why the local need to get more money.
• Cash Discounts Volume Rebate
  • Paying with a credit card
• Premium and second lines
  • If their experience with a second line product is good they will include the second line part in their mix.
  • Keith Williamson will offer two different quotes, at times, for customers but offer different customers.
  • Keith Katz prefers to sell top quality but he does offer an option. Most customers will pick the premium product.
    • Some customers are tight on money and they will work with them on product choice.
• Credit Assurance/Returns
  • Critical is to have a process/system.
    • The process must be managed
  • Keith Katz gets his credits the majority of the time in 24 hours.
    • He has confidence in this system. A person inside the shop manages the process.
  • Suppliers do not like to have too many returns.
    • You want your supplier to have a good relationship with you and having a smart or low return rate is important.  
• Price
  • Keith W will not be the lowest in his market and will not beat up his supplier for every nickel and dime.
  • Keith Katz doesn’t want his customer nit-picking his quotes. Relationship with his customer and supplier make his customer work.
    • When the occasional need arises they are willing to help
  • Are e-com portals or other vendors have the same brand and quality when comparing price.
    • My supplier is giving me value in service, warranty, returns, availability I’ll pay a premium
  • Time is money when it comes to comparing price.
  • They will tell their supplier when they are not competitive. They want to buy from their 1st call and gives them a chance to help dial them in. But not beat them up on every transaction. It is an overall program they want.

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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

[Pictured above Eric Ziegler, Chris Chesney, Donny Seyfer, Keith Williamson, Summer Guerrero, Carm Capriotto. Photo courtesy of Howard Pitkow]

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

The team:

Summer Guerrero, and her husband Mark have been together since they were 16 yrs old, and opening a shop was Mark’s dream as a teenager. Summer was a female firefighter. On her days off she would attend small business classes to prepare for opening a shop. As a female firefighter, Summer worked with public and media throughout her 15 year career and saw the passion and gift Mark had to give to their community and his dream quickly became hers.  Summer is responsible for the Marketing, Management, and Public relations of the company. Their goal is be a leader in the industry for their customers, and other independent shop owners to help raise the standards of professionalism in the automotive industry. Their shop Affinity Automotive Services is in Wichita, KS. Listen to Summer’s previous episodes HERE.

Keith Williamson is the owner of Williamson’s Repair and Tire in Bondurant, IA for over 20 years. He is a member of ASA Midwest where he leads the Shop Owner Support Group (an amazing group of shops) in Iowa. He and his team focus on the customer experience, as well as Hybrid, Electric and emerging vehicle Technologies. He recently added a solar array to his building and uses a Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt as shuttle vehicles and plans to add more hybrid and electric vehicles as they continually update their loaner fleet. He is a member of RLO Training’s Bottom line impact group for 4 years. Listen to Keith’s previous episodes HERE.

Eric Ziegler owns and operates EZ Diagnostic Solutions Inc in Peoria, IL. Eric specializes in module programming, drivability, electrical and network systems diagnostics. Eric has over 30 years of experience as a technician with an extensive diagnostics background. Eric is an accomplished automotive trainer working for Automotive Seminars and the Drivability Guy. Eric Ziegler is an ASE Certified Master Tech • L1 Advanced Level Diagnostic Specialist • L2 Electronic Diesel Engine Diagnostic Specialist • L3 Light Duty Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Specialist • ASE Certified Medium Duty Truck Technician. Listen to Eric’s previous episodes HERE.

Donny Seyfer, AMAM,  is co-owner of Seyfer Automotive, in Wheat Ridge, CO and the Executive Officer of the National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF). Donny Seyfer, a 3rd generation owner, has over 30 years of automotive experience as a technician, manager and service consultant. His Dad started in 1961 and his grandfather was building race cars before that. Seyfer Automotive provides general repair, and maintenance with a special focus on diagnostic. Donny is past chairman of ASA and serves on many industry boards and committees. Listen to Donny’s previous episodes HERE.

Chris Chesney is the Senior Director, Customer Training at the CARQUEST Technical Institute. Chris has held every position from tire buster to master technician, from service adviser to shop owner. He has been training technicians and shop owners for 30 years. Chris started his training business, DTEC, in Denver in 1994 where he trained over a thousand techs in the art of transient emissions diagnostics.

Chris believes what all successful technicians and shop owners know …. that you must be committed to be a lifelong learner …. If not … you’re in the wrong profession. Chris was honored at Vision 2018 with the President’s award. Listen to Chris’s previous episodes HERE.

Talking points:

• Are work mix changes important considerations as we look to the future?
• When the self driving car pulls into your shop, someday in the future, will you know what to do?
• Will shops become specialists or excell in certain disciplines?
• How will shops communicate with their customers in the future?
• What type of training will techs need to have:  Leader led vs online or other?
• Are we doing enough to develop our people who will probably leave us?
• How will changing business models have an impact on the Shop of the Future?
• How do we extend to our customer the opportunity to service vehicles while it is not ‘in-duty’? Stats show that vehicles are ‘in-service’ only five percent of the time. Can you engage with the other 95%?
• Will digital inspections impact the industry?
• How should shop owners start to grow their own A techs?
• You’ve got to pay to retain and hire top technicians because they are going to be network specialist that will diagnose machines that will have 100 million lines of code that run them.
• Getting involved with high-school and college advisory councils will help the industry and your business.
• There is a technician defection rate of college graduates out of the industry. The number is 65% within two years. We need to get involved with the young people and show them a great lifelong career and pay them well and provide the benefits that set up a quality career. Technicians need to make a six-figure salary. Shops need to run a profitable shop, so they can pay top talent.
• NASTF is working to create a career path framework so we can provide a direction and career path to our youth.
  1. You need to give them challenging work.
  2. Our youth need to see a career path and see an opportunity to own their own shop someday. Help them, partner with them. Show the opportunity for a bright future.
• We will be learning about cars you may decide to not work on.

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