Show Notes

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• Market to the Sweet Spot: 2008-2014 Car Owners
• Survey on Significant Issues: Car Count – Ron Ipach
• The Power of the Cloud – What’s Next
• Keeping it Clean – Part of the New Normal
• Shop Tour – Matt’s Automotive, North Moorhead, MN
• Trivia – Most Stolen Car

Link that Matt Lachowitzer mentioned on managing his assets: www.reftab.com

Ron Ipach, co-founder or Repair Shop Coach, has helped over 5536 auto repair shop owners to get and keep all the top-quality customers they can handle.

Marketing auto repair services are all he does. He lives, eats, and breathes it every day. He has seen, heard, and tested practically every kind of marketing there is out there today. He’s examined the results. He’s tweaked and tested dozens of strategies over and over in order to maximize their results.

Because Ron has personally worked with so many shop owners over the years, he has the distinction of being the only person in the world that knows exactly what marketing works, and what doesn’t work for auto repair shops in today’s economy. He finds passion in amplifying time & freedom for his clients while helping them take back control of their businesses. Find Ron’s other episodes HERE.

Maylan Newton from ESI – Educational Seminars Institute is a business coach, trainer and industry speaker. Maylan is no stranger to the podcast having paid it forward many times. He is a much sought our speaker at industry events in the US. Find Maylan’s previous episodes HERE.

Chris Cotton utilizes the Profit First method of cash management. He is trained and certified by the Profit First Professionals organization to guide business owners and entrepreneurs in maximizing their profits.

AutoFix is the first and currently the ONLY auto repair shop specific coaching company, nationwide, that has achieved certification in Profit First.

Chris Cotton has been in the customer service industry for over 40 years and has been in the auto repair industry for over 25 years. He is a former shop owner that has dedicated his life to helping YOU to get your business where you want it to be and helping you FOCUS on the things that matter to you. Find Chris’ other episodes HERE.

Talking Points:

• Coaches are asking to rely on them for guidance more than ever
• Coaches are talking to shop owners who may not even be their clients to help them
• Coaches are feeling fearful. It is time to be optimistic
• Some coaches wisdom is not coming true for many clients
• Closing even for a week does not save you on fixed costs
• Time to be lean and meanTighten up your spendingReview your spending habits or disciplines
• Do you need every expense item
• If you spend it should help make you money
• Cash is KingFour to six months of costs saved to sustain your business
• We are in a ‘recession-proof’ industryWe must weather cash flow issues
• Market AlwaysSpend wisely on marketing in good times or bad
• There are many tactics but few strategies. We sometimes try new things so often that we lose track of the overall strategy of growing and keeping customers.
• Your current database should be locked into you. Caged!
•  Be nimble and make decisions and learn from what works and what doesn’t
• The fear factor and emotional factor are real and logic and facts must rule
• Don’t lower your price or discount or lower your labor rate. These are emotional, not logical decisionsThe fear of the what if’s may build a defeatist attitude
• You believe you need to do these things but look carefully at your demographic, your market and your business
• Don’t do something because one person said something
• What if there is free diagnostics but the customer cannot afford the diagnosis
• Help people out if you have the ‘Cash’ to do it. If you don’t it is tough to give what you don’t have
• There is alternative financing available
• There will be a slowdown in car count, but you may see an increase in average ticket because you have more time to look at the vehicle
• Don’t:Cut back on your marketing budget
• Buy the latest piece of equipment
• Hold cashing your own paycheck
• Do:Review your expenses
• Review your team. Look at loyalty. Tough decisions to make, but tough times require tough decisions
• Call customers that have not had work done on their previous visit. Write a script 
• Reach out to your community and offer your services to keep food and deliveries on the road
• Look at your work/income vs your work schedule. Don’t sacrifice the entire business for full employment.
• Talk to your people ask for their help and ideas
• Start to segment your cash in the strategy of ‘Profit First’
• Profit First Episode with Mike Michalowicz HERE.
• In the case of Covid-19, you need to consider your options. There are two currentlySBA (a loan)
• CARE Act (apply for the grant)
• Money from the government is not a reason to keep doing business as usual. It is time to change and learn stronger business acumen, hire a coach, read books, listen to RRR podcasts, join a peer group among others
• A client of Maylan’s went to her bank to apply for SBA loan and was told that because she had a credit line and some cash reserves she would probably not qualify for an SBA. (We are not experts, this is the repeat of a single situation)
• Your business is your best investment.
• Every shop today can be super successful
• You must maintain a positive attitude. No negative thoughts are spoken to your team
• Try something. If it doesn’t work tweak and try something else
• Don’t go through this crisis alone. Once over there will be additional crisis/challenges that you will face, prepare for this
• If you want to see your current situation, look in the past. If you want to see your future look at what you are doing right now

Resources:

• A special thanks to Ron Ipach, Chris Cotton and Maylan Newton 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

For 20 years, Ron Ipach, co-founder or Repair Shop Coach, has helped over 5536 auto repair shop owners to get and keep all the top-quality customers they can handle.

Marketing auto repair services is all he does. He lives, eats, and breathes it every day. He has seen, heard, and tested practically every kind of marketing there is out there today. He’s examined the results. He’s tweaked and tested dozens of strategies over and over in order to maximize their results.

Because Ron has personally worked with so many shop owners over the years, he has the distinction of being the only person in the world that knows exactly what marketing works, and what doesn’t work for auto repair shops in today’s economy. He finds passion in amplifying time & freedom for his clients while helping them take back control of their businesses.

Ron Ipach’s Previous Episodes HERE.

Key Talking Points

• Many technicians turned into shop owners struggle with their business
• When technicians they were making more than now as shop owners
• Some are not cut-out to be shop owners
• They are having too many sleepless nights and they aren’t spending enough time with spouse, family
• There is no shame in closing your shop if you are not making enough money and undeserving your family
• The industry needs talented technicians

• A special thanks to Ron Ipach for his contribution to the aftermarket.
• 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:
Facebook   Twitter   Linked In   Email    Events   Instagram   Speaking

Subscribe to a free mobile listening app HERE.

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. 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.

• Ron says he is back. He never left but he is going to change his approach to his old style. Worth the watch!
• He wrote a long rant on Facebook that caught my attention
• He says there is nothing wrong with empathy, but singing ‘Kumbaya’ around the campfire is not going to cut it
• I reckon Ron’s realization is that there will be no more ‘participation trophies’ given out by him



Your Learning Curve Never Sounded So Good

Ron Ipach, co-founder or Repair Shop Coach, has helped over 5536 auto repair shop owners to get and keep all the top-quality customers they can handle.

Marketing auto repair services are all he does. He lives, eats, and breathes it every day. He has seen, heard, and tested practically every kind of marketing there is out there today. He’s examined the results. He’s tweaked and tested dozens of strategies over and over in order to maximize their results.

Because Ron has personally worked with so many shop owners over the years, he has the distinction of being the only person in the world that knows exactly what marketing works, and what doesn’t work for auto repair shops in today’s economy. He finds passion in amplifying time & freedom for his clients while helping them take back control of their businesses. Find other episodes that feature Ron HERE.

Joe Hanson owns Gordie’s Garage. Joe has attended Management Success, NAPA training, Lawrence Tech University and most recently he is a member of the RLO 20 Group 13. He has earned his ASE C1: Automobile Service Consultant Certification.  Under his father’s leadership, he has seen what it really takes to make a business like this work. Listen to Joe’s Episodes HERE.

Key Talking Points:

• No panelists are experts on exercise. This discussion is meant to provide their point of view on the value they receive from exercise. Consult with your doctor before you ever start an exercise regiment. Consult with a professional coach or trainer before you ever start an exercise regiment.
• According to the World Health Organization — 80% of premature heart disease, stroke, and diabetes is self-inflicted. 40% of cancer is self-inflicted (Only 10% is hereditary and the rest is environmental)
• Many health issues can be prevented
• Exercise can become a way of life. Involve a community to motivate you.
• Exercise can become a habit if you have the desire to get it done.
• Cardo is healthy for your inside. Another benefit for exercising is the external benefit like losing weight and fitting in your clothes.
• When you lift weights you are burying fat for days as your muscles work to retain their training.
• There can be a big benefit to the energy you have at work and at home.
• You can find a competitive nature while you are working out with friends, family or a team.
• If you know your WHY you’ll have more success committing to exercise.
• Think of your hereditary makeup.
• Find a new lifestyle to be healthy.
• Having a coach or trainer to keep you accountable is important. You can also use a friend at the gym or a workout buddy to keep you going and doing.
• Know your goals.
• Get up early. For Joe going to the gym is like an energy drink!
• As of this recording, Ron Ipach has been to the gym for 453 days in a row.
  • If Ron skips a day he has to start his counter at 1.
• Staying healthy is an example to your family. You are who you hang out with.
• You only have one chance to take care of yourself.
• We are busy, so find a slow easy way to build your regiment.
• You can exercise during commercials of your favorite TV show. Do push ups! Let it become an exercise break.
• The act of getting of the coach if personal motivation.
• Taking a walk or hiking can be included in your exercise regiment.
• There are many opportunities to be healthy today. We fall into society’s acceptance by eating fast food every day.
• Ron loves having had worked out not working out. He loves the results.
• Never overdo your workout so you are not hurting too long and lose your motivation to go.
• You didn’t get unhealthy overnight so your regiment must be long term also.
• Set short term and long term goals. Reward yourself for getting there.
• Set goals in your twenty group. Joe did it.
• Eat from smaller plates. You’ll eat less.
• Resist the temptation to stop at the donut box.
• A trainer helped Ron get started.
• First step from Joe Hanson
  • You aren’t doing it for anyone else but you.
  • Get an accountability partner. Not your spouse.
    • An accountability partner should be male if you are male. Female if you are a female
  • Set reasonable goals of two to three days a week.
  • Have fun
• First step from Ron Ipach
  • A compounding effect
    • Give me one start decision a day on your food choices and your exercises.
    • Take the stairs not the elevator. Take a walk
    • Start timing your self.
    • Do better than the day before.
  • A walk may be your best first choice depending on so many factors in your life.

Resources:

• A special thanks to  Ron Ipach and Joe Hanson 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.

Subscribe to a mobile listening app HERE.

The Panel:

Ron Ipach, co-founder or Repair Shop Coach, has helped over 5536 auto repair shop owners to get and keep all the top-quality customers they can handle.

Marketing auto repair services are all he does. He lives, eats, and breathes it every day. He has seen, heard, and tested practically every kind of marketing there is out there today. He’s examined the results. He’s tweaked and tested dozens of strategies over and over in order to maximize their results.

Because Ron has personally worked with so many shop owners over the years, he has the distinction of being the only person in the world that knows exactly what marketing works, and what doesn’t work for auto repair shops in today’s economy. He finds passion in amplifying time & freedom for his clients while helping them take back control of their businesses. Find other episodes that feature Ron HERE.

Shari Pheasant, the Queen of Horsepower, believes in building people first and uses her own brand of horsepower to drive people from the inside out.  She is a dynamic speaker, multi-award-winning business innovator and president of the Reno-Sparks NAPA Elite Business Development Group. Shari owns A Master Mechanic, with her husband Jeff, and transitioned to an “out of the shop owner” in 2014.

As a successful business coach, Shari’s uses a scientific approach to transform the connections between executives and teams. Shari shares her ideas; “Employee happiness is the strongest profit driver in every business. Today’s Workforce’s demands cultural change. There is a war on talent.  We have to level up our ability to connect with and understand the people around us in order to stay in business.”

Shari’s passion as a 5 Sciences of Self Professional Certified Behavior Analyst and accredited Growth Strategist assist her with globally proven tools that get to the root of people and business quickly and accurately. Her approach allows clients to predict rather than resolve problems, improving performance.

Shari has over thirty-five years of business management, team building, project management, operational development, marketing/branding and sales experience building scalable, sustainable models. Her strategies strengthen the value of your company brand, improve relations and motivate your team to bring in greater profits naturally, confidently and with ease. She has worked successfully with small businesses and companies to create thriving, sustainable cultures that build profit and wealth through accountable, responsible actions. Find other episodes that feature Shari HERE.

David Roman began his automotive career in 1999, attending an automotive technical school at a local community college. While attending college, he took a part-time job at a large parts retailer, hoping to gain some experience in the field. This part-time job turned into full-time employment, as he was promoted to management, culminating in placement as a store manager in East Central Illinois.

David discovered a passion for helping people and sharing his automotive knowledge. This passion for serving others allowed him the opportunity to successfully manage multi-million dollar operations in Illinois, the St. Louis area, and eventually Kansas City. His approach to customer service garnered him several accolades and awards, something he eventually wanted to bring to automotive repair and service.

In 2012, he opened Done With Care Auto Repair with the goal of bringing exceptional customer service, transparency, and honest work to his clients. The business was started with only some savings, no prior clients, and no history. Over the last six years, David has been able to bring a servant’s mentality to helping his clients with their automotive needs resulting in loyal customers, excellent reviews, and a solid reputation.  Find other episodes that feature David HERE.

Key Talking Points:

• The Customer Retention Myth. You just cannot just fix the car right to keep customers coming back. Average is like everyone else; it is not enough.
• Average return rate from customers is 1.3 times per year. Based on the average age of the vehicle, (11.6 years old) visits should be higher. There are 2.3 vehicles per household.
• You need to be exceptional and unforgettable.
• Reactivating a lost customer:
  • Anything over 8 months is a lost customer.
  • Others are bombarding your customer.
  • You must stay top of mind with your customers.
• Keeping a customer starts at the service counter.
  • You must build report during the transaction.
  • Build the relationship.
  • Explain in detail the value they’ve received.
  • They feel indifferent. Nothing special.
• Invest in your customer in an ongoing way through e-media, texts, direct mail. Jerry Frank says, “Be an invited guest not an annoying pest.”
• You will need to have a crucial conversation with a lost customer.
  • What can we do better?
• David realized he needed to have loaners to provide loaners to increase convenience for his customer.
• If you have your ideal customer, your avatar, created and in mind, what you do and say to provide an exceptional experience starts to build a customer who will stay and be an ambassador of your brand.
• A great google review is all about the experience they had.
• Your culture of caring for your customer needs to be a behavior that extends to all areas of the business.
• Eleanor Roosevelt said, ‘It is not who you are when people are watching, It is who you are when no one is paying attention.”
• Get them back in by reaching out and getting in front of them on a consistent basis. Make the phone call
  • They know that there is a shared interest
    • Could be sports, kids, animals
  • You must share space. Mailers, mugs, etc.
  • You share their concern for their safety and vehicle reliability
• 5 Steps to Winning Back Your Customers (Shari Pheasant)
  • Extending the Olive Branch
  • Call Them
  • Create a “We fixed it campaign”
  • Give them an incentive to come back
  • Get personal – they want connection
    • Identify your customer’s communication style and build your relationship by knowing what style (DISC)  See Academy less on DISC HERE.
• The follow-up call is an amazing tool (Ron Ipach)
• Auto repair to the general public is perceived as a commodity. Our job needs to change this perception. Create an exceptional experience.
• In any relationship, you need three positives to get a win.
• Your culture should be to reach out to find problems or complaints.
  • If you don’t get complaints, that is a warning. Remember 64% of people leave from indifference.
• ‘Customer Forever’ campaign
• Never a lost customer ‘Swing Thought’
• Many people build their business on a one time visit. That is a customer and you are off chasing the next one.
• You need to be looking for clients. We have a relationship. They like us and tell people about us. A percent of them can become an advocate. A client is worth $22,500 in a lifetime. An advocate is worth $100,000 lifetime.
• Mistakes are the path to success. (Shari Pheasant)
• The best customer you have is the one in front of you. They know a ton of people.
• Be vulnerable, raw, real, honest.
• Your culture needs to be on your website and open for the world to see.
• You have to take extreme ownership:
  • Build the right team
  • Make sure the repair gets done right.
  • Ensure a customer’s experience was better than average.   

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For 20 years, Ron Ipach, co-founder of Repair Shop Coach, has helped over 5536 auto repair shop owners to get and keep all the top-quality customers they can handle.

Marketing auto repair services is all he does. He lives, eats, and breathes it every day. He has seen, heard, and tested practically every kind of marketing there is out there today. He’s examined the results. He’s tweaked and tested dozens of strategies over and over in order to maximize their results.

Because Ron has personally worked with so many shop owners over the years, he has the distinction of being the only person in the world that knows exactly what marketing works, and what doesn’t work for auto repair shops in today’s economy. He finds passion in amplifying time & freedom for his clients while helping them take back control of their businesses.

Ron Ipach Previous Episodes HERE.   

Talking Points:

• Email is ruining your business.
• It is convenient but not necessarily the best method.
• Email marketing may only cover 10-25% of your customer email base.
• The accuracy of your mail address is a concern.
• The average person changes their email address twice a year because of spam.
• People give out a ‘fake’ email address that they never look at.
• The average person gets 121 emails per day if it manages to get by the spam filter.
• Your open rate may not necessarily be accurate.
• Email is low cost, fast and easy to do but you need to do more in your marketing strategy.
• A solid marketing strategy should include texting, direct mail and email.

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The views and opinions expressed are those of my guest and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the author, sponsors, associates or affiliates of LSTN MEDIA LLC

For 20 years, Ron Ipach, co-founder of Repair Shop Coach, has helped over 5536 auto repair shop owners to get and keep all the top-quality customers they can handle.

Marketing auto repair services is all he does. He lives, eats, and breathes it every day. He has seen, heard, and tested practically every kind of marketing there is out there today. He’s examined the results. He’s tweaked and tested dozens of strategies over and over in order to maximize their results.

Because Ron has personally worked with so many shop owners over the years, he has the distinction of being the only person in the world that knows exactly what marketing works, and what doesn’t work for auto repair shops in today’s economy. He finds passion in amplifying time & freedom for his clients while helping them take back control of their businesses.

Talking points:

• Without a customer you have no business.
• Some people have a self-defeating attitude because they’ve tried something in the past that did not work.
  • Some people are close to a big breakthrough. It may take more than one or two tries.
• We were told that we couldn’t do certain things and we got defeated especially when it comes to marketing.
• Many factors make it harder than ever to get your message out.
  • The people who you want to market to are getting bombarded with messages.
  • People see between four and ten thousand messages a day.
  • Average person gets 121 emails a day.
• Break through the clutter by picking your target.
  • Find the person who wants to pay attention to you.
  • The most important sound to anyone is their name.
  • Send a message to someone who is pre-disposed with you and who knows and trusts you.
• The average return rate from a client is 1.2 times per year. They should visit your shop on an average 3 times per vehicle.
• Never consider the customers in your data base are actually your customer. Some are yours, many are other shop’s customers.
  • We do a poor job of building relationships and spend too much effort looking for the next customer.
  • Consider the size of your data base they are not all active customers. Market to the active customers first.
• Stay in contact with your clients with let’s say a newsletter. This is marketing to people who already know you.
• Look at the data you already have and market to the people who have been at your shop within the last year. That is your bread and butter. Just market to them and you could double your car count.
• Pay more attention to the number of people you’ve done business with in the last year. Get them to move to a more experience relationship with you than a transactional one. Invite them back in with an offer to get them back.
  • You already know them. They know you.
  • Market to the people you want and not to the ones you don’t want back.
• Important thoughts to use in your marketing strategy is family, safety and familiarity.
• It is not what you do but what else you do that defines your differentiation.
• A great analogy to Disney from Ron that should be your purpose in creating a great experience with your clients.
• Pay attention to your own customers first. They know love and trust you.

Link to Repair Shop Coach Here.

Link to Car Count Daily Here.

Be socially involved and in touch with the show:
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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

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