Recorded Live at Vision 2023, Al Wright and Travis Troy discuss the benefits of joining MWACA’s S.O.S. (Shop Owner’s Support) Group. When we can support and learn from other shop owners, we continue Advancing the Aftermarket and raising the bar for the industry. Travis also gives us an overview of Vision’s newest class for general service technicians.

Al Wright, John’s Automotive, Cedar Rapids, IA. Al’s previous episodes HERE

Travis Troy, Honest Wrenches, Akeny and Des Moines, IA. Listen to Travis’ other episodes HERE

Show Notes

• Travis Troy- 21 team members attending Vision 2023
• MWACA SOS Shop Owner’s Support- What is an S.O.S. Group? Think of it as your advisory board. Our S.O.S. Groups consist of no more than 10 shops that meet on a monthly basis. Meetings are similar to “twenty groups” without the intense financial focus or expensive monthly commitment. Groups meet monthly at a participating shop to discuss relevant issues, set and review goals, and evaluate the hosting shop.   
• Be vulnerable, and be transparent, not as a business owner but as a friend. We are not each other’s competition. 
• Learning from others, raising the bar for the Automotive industry 
• FTI- failure to implement, the number one failure for shop owners. Debrief after the SOS meeting with a list of items to work on and change. 
• Elevate before you grow.
• GSTA General Service Technician Academy – 2-day course. This program benefits the technician and the shop with increased efficiency, knowledge, and safety, as well as cost-savings by helping prevent beginning mistakes. Certifications will come from Tire Industry Association (TIA), Automotive Lift Institute (ALI), and Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS). 
• GTSA will cover- Tire Safety – hands-on mounting and dismounting, repair procedures and balancing, Tire pressure monitoring basics, Lift safety – Including Information access for proper lift placement, OSHA and shop safety training, Alignment basics, Intro to Air Conditioning, Electricity Fundamentals, Introduction to Digital Vehicle Inspections – a systematic approach to test drives, inspections, photos and videos and the benefits to the tech and to the shop of performing the DVI.
• Surviving a Health Scare [THA 316]

Thanks to our Partners, AAPEX and NAPA TRACS.

Set your sights on Las Vegas in 2023. Mark your calendar now … October 31 – Nov 2, 2023, AAPEX – Now more than ever. And don’t miss the next free AAPEX webinar. Register now at AAPEXSHOW.COM

NAPA TRACS will move your shop into the SMS fast lane with onsite training and six days a week of support and local representation. Find NAPA TRACS on the Web at NAPATRACS.com

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Watch Episode HERE

Eric Henley, owner of H-Teck Auto Care in Gray, TN. Listen to Eric’s previous episodes HERE 

Matt Wagg, Accelerated Diagnostics and Automotive, Bennington, NE, Matt’s previous episodes HERE

Al Wright, John’s Automotive, Cedar Rapids, IA. Al’s previous episodes HERE

Show Notes:

• You must have the right people in the right places for your business at all times.
• Let your people lead, trust them and empower them.
• Stress- leave your work at work.
• Have a contingency plan, who will do what if something happens and how will they do it. Empower your people to make calls and decisions in your absence. Train them on what and how to do things. Make sure they understand the mission and goals of the business and how it relates to each and every one of them. 
• Listen to your body
• A lot of people wait until they have health issues before going to the doctor. We should maintain our bodies like we teach our customers to maintain their vehicles. Regular annual checkups are a great way of catching things before it is too late. Take care of your health and deal with stress in a positive, helpful way.

Thanks to our Partners Shop-Ware and Delphi Technologies

Shop-Ware: More Time. More Profit. Shop-Ware Shop Management getshopware.com

Delphi Technologies: Keeping current on the latest vehicle systems and how to repair them is a must for today’s technicians. DelphiAftermarket.com

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Important Books

Support our partners:

“Forget the Past: Focus on the Future”…sometimes easier said than done. The past is familiar and comfortable. We can also get hung up on our past mistakes, which hinders us from moving forward. Listen to 3 shop owners share their perspectives on the past and the future of the automotive industry.

Watch Episode HERE

Frank Scandura, Frank’s European Service, Las Vegas, NV. Frank’s previous episodes HERE.

Al Wright, John’s Automotive, Cedar Rapids, IA. Al’s previous episodes HERE

Jimmy Alauria, 3A Automotive and Diesel Repair, Phoenix, AZ. Jimmy’s previous episodes HERE

Show Notes:

• Don’t be afraid of change, what we did in the past or how we did it may not work today.
• Take care of yourself and let go of old habits. Be healthy and reset!
• Service advisor is now 4 different jobs: customer service rep, parts manager, service manager
• What is your break even point? It’s not the ‘cost’ of the service advisor position, the biggest expense is what you are currently doing and what you could and should be doing.
• Everyone hates change, but the only constant in life is change- lean into change.
• Hiring top talent vs. Creating top talent- Are “A” technicians made?
• Have grace when someone makes a mistake
• Don’t get analysis paralysis. Don’t let past mistakes stop needed changes for the future.
• Doing something is better than doing nothing.

Connect with the Podcast

Aftermarket Radio Network

Subscribe on YouTube

Visit us on the Web

Follow on Facebook

Become an Insider

Buy me a coffee

Important Books

Check out today’s partners:

Shop-Ware: More Time. More Profit. Shop-Ware Shop Management getshopware.com

Delphi Technologies: Keeping current on the latest vehicle systems and how to repair them is a must for today’s technicians. DelphiAftermarket.com

Honesty is always the best policy, but sometimes is it better to omit certain information to a customer? What if you make a mistake but make it right and eat the cost? Are there situations where you don’t divulge all that information to a customer? Let’s have an open discussion on ethics and your shop’s reputation.

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Matt Fanslow, lead diagnostician and shop manager, Riverside Automotive, Red Wing, MN. Matt’s previous episodes HERE

Matt Fanslow Podcast: Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z

Al Wright, John’s Automotive, Cedar Rapids, IA

Key Talking Points

•  There are times when being completely open is endearing, but other times where it simply hurts the shop’s reputation, and the client learning about it changes nothing. They aren’t paying more for the service, they aren’t leaving with an improperly repaired vehicle.  The issue/mistake/mishap can be kept in-house and learned from.
• It’s not uncommon for us to “lie” by omission, namely when mistakes are made.  We don’t call out the specific tech that erred.  That is to be frowned upon.  Unfortunately, we also seem to lie by omission by not calling out the specific tech when there’s a victory or a job well done.
• Another situation MAY be just thinking out loud, which may not always be a good thing, or misdiagnosing a vehicle.
• What is the best way to fire a customer without damaging the shop’s reputation?   In a small community, you have to be careful in your explanation to the customer to prevent the ripple effect. 
• Comebacks – every shop has them, and it’s the first interaction when they return that makes all the difference in defusing a bad situation. Let the customers speak first. 
• Reputation isn’t just a business transaction, reputation is just as important as community involvement.
• Shop culture can also affect your reputation. It’s your employee for 40 hours of the week; what do they say about you and their peers the 80 hours a week?

Connect with the Podcast

Aftermarket Radio Network

Subscribe on YouTube

Visit us on the Web

Follow on Facebook

Become an Insider

Buy me a coffee

Important Books

Check out today’s partners:

Shop-Ware: More Time. More Profit. Shop-Ware Shop Management getshopware.com

Delphi Technologies: Keeping current on the latest vehicle systems and how to repair them is a must for today’s technicians. DelphiAftermarket.com