Brad Pellman first started working in the automotive industry at the age of 15 and over his career has held a wide variety of jobs at both dealerships and independent repair shops. In 1995 this dream of owning his own shop became a reality when he opened up Pellman’s Automotive in Boulder, CO with his wife, Lisa.

Brad is ASE master certified and AAM designated as well. He is currently on the Board of Directors for ASE and ASA Colorado, with past board involvement with CCPN and the TECHNET Automotive Council. He has had the added privilege of being designated as one of the Motor Age Top shops in the country. And hopes to continue to raise the awareness and importance of Independent automotive repair across the country. Brad’s previous episodes HERE.

Peter Foreman from Integra Tire, Second Generation Shop Owner, 39 Years old from Langley, BC. Peter literally grew up in the shop. As a baby, there was a cot in the office while his mom Cheryl did the books! Taking his Dad Dave’s beliefs and expanding on them, Peter went out and made a career on his own in the auto parts industry before deciding to come back and help his family bring the shop into the next age of auto service and repair in 2005. Peter is happily married with two children. His children love to visit the shop as well. Maybe there will be a third-generation one day! Learn of Peter’s Previous episodes HERE.

Paul Marquardt Started in this business in 1979 as a pump jockey and lube tech. Paul attended various training over the years, some of it daytime training 4 hours of travel time. He bought the business Northwoods Auto Techs, Rhinelander, WI, in 1990 and in 1995 expanded from 2 bays to 5 bays and became a NAPA Autocare center at the same time. He was the NAPA Stevens Point NAPA ASE Tech of the Year from 1999 through 2008 and was the National NAPA ASE Tech of the Year for 2010. Paul Joined the NAPA Autotech training team around 2011 as a contract trainer and have been doing that as well as keeping the business going. Learn of Paul’s Previous episodes HERE.

Key Talking Points: 

• Big reality is that there is enough business for everyone.
• You cannot work on all the cars that drive by your shop
• Problem is not the shop across the street or down the road
• Many shop owners have learned from their peers
• Smart shop owners are in a network and talk weekly
• There is no reason to create from scratch. Get ideas from colleagues, tweak to make them yours and implement. It is called R & D. Ripoff and Duplicate
• It is better to have friends than enemiesCall for support from a local team or network can help you solve a problem
• If you get along they can be there to help you
• You see strong comradery at events like Vision. Why can’t that get down to the very local level?
• You solve problems by having resources. Friends in your market can help you
• In Peter’s group, they used to have a Google sheet that listed all their tools so they knew what they could borrow
• If you borrow a tool twice you should own it
• You can also share business challenges and marketing ideasSome have even helped with a tech
• If you share marketing ideas use different companies to keep your identities separate
• Visit every new shop in your area. Just stop in.Ask for their opinion on things. Tools, training, etc
• Encourage the shop down the road to visit aftermarket events including social events and training
• No secret sauce exists. Don’t worry about someone taking ideas. That is the point. Make it your own and grow your business
• Don’t ever talk negatively about another shop. It does not make you look good. It makes you look small
• Always defend shops in your town
• You may discover a customer who is never happyFriends share that information
• We are all in the business for the same thing and we cannot work on every carWorking together insures your own success
• Fighting one another never grows a great industry
• “You’re the average of the five people you spend most of your time with.” Jim Rohn
• Friends help you. Make your competitor your friend. It is not a bad thing. It will help you grow your business
• Help each other with tools and similar software systems. 
• Small Shops … Big Egos. It is real not to share and have your Ego get in front of important decisions.
• You’ll never get better if your ego rules
• If your customer ends up at the shop up the street. Then you screwed up.
• Friendships enable your success

Resources:

• A special thanks to Brad Pellman, Paul Marquardt, and Peter Foreman for their contribution to the aftermarket.
• Books Page HERE
• Listen to all Remarkable Results Radio, For The Record and Town Hall Academy episodes.

Facebook   Twitter   Linked In   Email

Mobile Listening APP’s HERE

Join the Ecosystem – Subscribe to the INSIDER NEWSLETTER HERE.

Buy Carm a Cup of Coffee 

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

Your Learning Curve Never Sounded This Good.

The Panel:

Jonathan Ortiz is the son of Foreign Affairs Auto’s founders Frank and Gloria Ortiz. He has an MBA from Northeastern Boston and is currently the general manager of the shop. He is the brother of the two-time Olympic soccer player, Melissa Ortiz and she works in the marketing department. His passion is customer service and he got this passion to serve from his family. His family created the culture of giving what you can. He is joined by a talented team of managers, technicians, and service staff. Learn of Jonathan’s previous episodes HERE.

Carlo Sabucco started in 1994 after attending several years at Ryerson University for business. Thereafter graduated Mohawk college Automotive Tech Program.  Carlo has devoted a great amount of time surrounding himself with some of the greatest shop owners in the market. Over the years, Carlo attended training from Bob Greenwood to Cecil Bullard, Dave Schedin, Elite and group process with Jim Murphy, thru to Kelly Bennett, now he is with ShopPros. Today Carlo operates Sils Complete Auto Care Centre, a successful 8 bay facility, approx 7,000 square feet on the east side of Oakville, Ontario. Learn of Carlo’s Previous episodes HERE.

Peter Foreman from Integra Tire, Second Generation Shop Owner, 39 Years old from Langley, BC. Peter literally grew up in the shop. As a baby, there was a cot in the office while his mom Cheryl did the books! Taking his Dad Dave’s beliefs and expanding on them, Peter went out and made a career on his own in the auto parts industry before deciding to come back and help his family bring the shop into the next age of auto service and repair in 2005. Peter is happily married with two children. His children love to visit the shop as well. Maybe there will be a third generation one day! Learn of Peter’s Previous episodes HERE.

Key Talking Points:

• Ghosting happens with all age brackets but seems most prevalent between 22-36 ages.
• You are always wondering what you did wrong.
  • There are fixes you can make and all areas of the recruitment process must be available.
  • Do you have a broken process?
    • Stronger ads. A consistent message that flows right through the interview process and into your culture.
    • The interview process is more a social process.
    • The process of how we tour the shop when you go to the office, do not sit behind the desk should be all choreographed.
  • You can lose people within the first day or week because how you explained the culture of the business is the exact opposite. They were oversold.
  • Your team needs to know how important they are in onboarding.
  • Peter actually had a group interview (roundtable) for a service adviser job.
  • Jonathan likes to do a working interview with a technician candidate.
    • He says he has a high paced rockin’ roll environment.
    • Looking for the candidate to spend one day at the shop. Looking for multitasking even though he will be shadowing another tech.
• Jonathan is recruiting for top technician talent and his candidate base already have jobs.
  • We’ve got to get them over their fears to change
  • At the end stages of the timeline to arrive is where he had lost a new hire.
  • Look to hire faster than the typical two weeks. See if the candidate can start within a week.
• Some new hires that have ghosted Carlo were never to be heard of again.
• Suggested to track down a no-show and keep them on your bench. Things change. Don’t give up on who you felt would be a rock star.
• Red Carpet:
  • Build up to the excitement. Set up their space in your place.
  • Talk about joining the family.
  • Create an emotional connection
  • Build enthusiasm for them coming on-board.
  • You are offering a rare opportunity. People don’t leave our company. Show them stability
  • You’ve got the tools to get the job done.
• Show a path to different roles in your business. Maybe a tech would someday consider being a service advisor.
• Warning signs:
  • The candidate needs to think about the job offer.
  • Lack of communication. Not getting fast responses.
• You can also lose people within the first 30-90 days,
  • You can lose people during lunch hour or just not show after a few weeks or months on the job.
  • The reality is just to walk away from a job or a relationship. The way it is with a certain age demographic.
• If your candidate is willing to leave right away and come with you, they will do it to you.
  • Carlo says you need to hold fast and give a two-week notice. Teach them the ‘right’ way. If you lose the candidate that may have prevented a walkout someday.
• You need to put out a consistent brand message and culture from the moment of the ad.
  • Your team is as responsible for retaining a new hire.
• Candidates or employees ghost on us and go to the dealer because the deale HR departments are selling the brand. They also have a big opportunity and they buy into that.
  • We need to up our hiring skills and our interviewing skills if we are going to compete with the professionals.
• You need a strong brand and culture to have relevance for the best candidates.
• Possibly consider hiring an HR specialty company to help in your recruiting and compliance.
  • Keep in mind you need legal ob descriptions, hiring processes and a handbook.
• Be involved with other local shop owners. Create a strong tight-knit community. Learn from each other. They aren’t your competition. There is enough work for everyone.
• Keep your message clear during the entire process, stay in tight communication during the process, always be hiring. You are not the only one this is happening to.

Resources:

• A special thanks to  Jonathan Ortiz, Carlo Sabucco, and Peter Foreman 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.

RepairPal. Many of our industry’s high-quality shops have gone through an evaluation with an independent automotive team to ensure their techs are trained, they use the right tools, and their customers are happy. In fact, over 2,200 repair shops have met these requirements, have become RepairPal Certified and are getting new customers every month.

Why has the number of RepairPal Certified shops grown so much? These shops are proud to have passed the certification and value the new customers they’re getting, both from the 5 million monthly visitors to RepairPal.com and their partnerships with CarMax and USAA. Certified shops can cancel at any time, so RepairPal works hard to produce value for them. Learn more at repairpal.com/shops to learn more.

Subscribe to a mobile listening app HERE.

The Panel:

Peter Foreman from Integra Tire, Second Generation Shop Owner, 39 Years old from Langley, BC. Peter literally grew up in the shop. As a baby there was a cot in the office while his mom Cheryl did the books! Taking his Dad Dave’s beliefs and expanding on them, Peter went out and made a career on his own in the auto parts industry before deciding to come back and help his family bring the shop into the next age of auto service and repair in 2005. Peter is happily married with two children. His children love to visit the shop as well. Maybe there will be a third generation one day!

Cody Olshaski from Gary’s Automotive in White Rock, BC. Gary’s Automotive has been in business for over 30 years in White Rock, BC, with a very simple business plan: Provide every customer with top quality automotive repairs, installations and maintenance services, along with unmatched customer service, and success would surely follow. This simple philosophy has served the company very well. Today Gary’s Automotive enjoys a reputation as a dependable provider of a full range of automotive repair and maintenance services for any vehicle, including carbureted and classic cars. Gary’s Automotive is a designated ICBC Inspection Facility and offers a safe, secure storage facility for all types of oversize or seldom-used vehicles, boats and RVs. The shop has lifts that allow them to service large pickup trucks and any vehicle without airbrakes. They service 1 and 2-ton vans, F550s and Class A motorhomes.

Scott Waddle opened Precision Auto Service in Langley, British Columbia in 1997 and it wasn’t long until he realized that running a business, was nothing like fixing cars. He started taking business management courses at a regular pace and the rest is history. Their tagline is: “Where we worry about your car, so you don’t have to!®”   They believe it is their responsibility to keep their clients safe and reliable on the road. Scott is building a brand-new facility. Listen to Scott’s previous podcast episodes HERE.

Talking points:

• Tech Shortage, grow your own technician.
  • Addressing colleges with guidelines for the pre-apprentice program. Then drawing from that program to mold tech into what your company needs. Tech learns from company culture.
  • Co-Op Program option from select local college, receive a diploma in automotive engineering and automotive business and all technical training.
  • 4-year apprenticeship program: college in classroom training, 1 year in business training, then 4-8 additional weeks of college training, then another 1 year in business.
    • Unfortunately, approximately half drop out.
  • For the apprentice, there is a culture of learning and a process for competency. Much of this starts with a strong mentor.
• Mentor.
  • Needs to be willing to be a mentor, needs to be patient with training.
  • Embrace the education process: growing as a technician.
  • The mentor must be willing and understand their role.
• View competitors as a colleague.
• Invest in business as well as working in business.
  • ATE training.
  • Stay updated on changes in the industry, embrace technology.

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

This episode is brought to you by Federal-MogulMotorparts 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

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