You searched for constantin - Remarkable Results Radio https://remarkableresults.biz/ Automotive Repair Business Success Stories Fri, 25 Apr 2025 04:36:35 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://remarkableresults.biz/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/cropped-site_icon-32x32.jpg You searched for constantin - Remarkable Results Radio https://remarkableresults.biz/ 32 32 Mitch Schneider and Shop Tour with John Constantin [AW 071] https://remarkableresults.biz/remarkable-results-radio-podcast/aw071/ Sat, 18 Sep 2021 05:15:00 +0000 https://remarkableresults.biz/?post_type=captivate_podcast&p=36861

 

 

  • Guest host, Mitch Schneider, Mitch’s World and “Misfire the Book”
    • Mitch will speak to the 5 levels of knowledge and concentrates on the 5th; “You Don’t Want to Know What You Don’t Know”. Mitch’s previous episodes HERE
  • Virtual shop tour with John Constantin, Bison Fleet Specialists, Buffalo, NY. John’s previous episodes HERE
  • Weekly episode updates

 

Dorman gives people greater freedom to fix vehicles by constantly developing new repair solutions that put owners and technicians first. By always innovating, Dorman has led the way in growing the aftermarket. Here you will see a few examples of a Dorman OE Fix. An OE FIX is a Dorman repair solution you can’t get from the original equipment manufacturer. It means they found a situation where they believe the OEM wasn’t giving repair professionals what they wanted, so we fixed it. Everything Dorman does is centered around providing customer value, both in the quality of products, and the creativity of solutions. Our engineers and designers go out of their way to save repair technicians time and save vehicle owners money. Want to really go under the hood? Take the Dorman Virtual Tour at www.DormanProducts.com/Tour

]]> RR 343: Shop Talk: John Constantin, Mike Shultz, and Jim Fleischman https://remarkableresults.biz/remarkable-results-radio-podcast/e343/ Tue, 10 Jul 2018 08:10:00 +0000 https://remarkableresults.biz/?p=16646

Panel:

  • John Constantin from Bison Fleet Specialists in Buffalo, NY
  • Jim Fleischman from Automotive Alley in Arcade, NY
  • Mike Schultz from Schultz Auto and Truck Repair, Hamburg, NY

John Constantin from Bison Fleet Specialists in Buffalo, NY, has strived to bring quality service and superior workmanship to the vehicle repair industry in Western New York. When John first started out as a technician, he was determined to identify with his customers, making sure every effort was made to maintain the integrity of Bison Fleet Specialists workmanship, and establish a long-term “care” relationship with each person who passed through their service center. John’s personal goal was to inform each customer of basic maintenance steps they could perform to keep their RVs, Trucks, Trailers, Buses, Campers & Cars running at optimum performance levels, achieved by following a few simple guidelines.  Listen to John’s previous episodes HERE.

Jim Fleischman and his wife Shelly own Automotive Alley in Arcade, NY. Jim attended Alfred State College for Automotive Tech. He went to work for a Ford Dealership as a shop foreman. Jim’s racing and organizational experience came by being part of a race team that ran Busch and NASCAR. He was recruited from his alma mater, Alfred State College, and became an instructor. Jim always wanted to teach and it was fate. He spent fourteen years as an instructor. He loved building relationships with his students.

He was balancing his teaching job and owning a shop while Shelly ran the business for him. Jim ultimately left his teaching job and went to work full-time in the business. Shelly’s background was accounting which was good for the business overall.

Jim believes in a strong process driven company. He is all about improving efficiency. Saving steps for productivity gains. Anyone can study their inefficiencies and make changes to improve productivity. He templated his systems against NASCAR. Immaculate, organized and tools quickly reached and found. Jim perpetually works on streamlining to increase his productivity.

Automotive Alley also specialized in street rod, hot rods, upgrades, and restorations. For Jim, the word “can’t” is not in his vocabulary. Listen to Jim’s previous episodes HERE.

Mike Schultz

Mike Schultz started out in his dad’s garage, went to vocational school and got a job at a Mobil station when he was 16. After the Mobil station, he worked at a Chrysler dealer until he went to college.

After graduating from Ohio Diesel from their auto course Mike jumped around from job to job for a while. He found a home at an independent repair shop where he took care of a fleet account and ran the shop when the boss was gone,

Mike decided to open his own shop in 2010. The shop was on a dead end street. He realized that he needed more exposure in his town so it was easier for new customers could find the shop. In March 2018 of this year, he moved to into a highly visible location, not to mention cleaner and brighter. Listen to Mike’s Previous episodes HERE.

Key Talking Points:

  • Shop Talk – open microphone with three members of the local Jasper Roundtable Group
  • Buffalo, NY based service professionals sharing issues of the day
  • Time management Need to constantly work on and always changing
  • Systems and technology can help you manage your time
  • Post-It notes at your desk or using digital like phone and apps to keep with you all the time
  • Put systems in place and delegate, then follow up with delegation if tasks were complete. Hold employees accountable.
  • Shop owners have different passion and desire to accomplish tasks. Too often owner starts to delegate tasks and ends up doing it themselves when it doesn’t get done.
  • Employees need to have confidence and drive to make things happen. Let employees take the reins sometimes. No one is ever going to be or do things exactly like shop owner.
  • Project assignmentExpect that the person you assigned work to will add their own touch to it.
  • Your culture and the person’s capabilities/competency will dictate the outcome
  • Taks are based on what the customer expects from you. It is part of the culture of the company.
  • The challenge of working in verses on your business.You want to be in the bays but you can’t. Your business will suffer if someone doesn’t lead it.
  • Digital inspectionCoach the techs with taking proper pictures and videos and explain to them why they do it for customers
  • Customers appreciate the transparency with repairs if they can see it on their own vehicle
  • Take more pictures because once the vehicle is gone you cannot recreate a picture, delete is easy, so take multiple pictures.
  • A quality DVI with videos and pictures will pay dividends long range. 

Links mentioned on the show:

  • Wunderlist Alternatives HERE.
  • Process Street HERE.
  • Trello HERE.

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:

 

]]> THA 048: Grow Your Fleet Business | AMi Credit https://remarkableresults.biz/town-hall-academy/a048/ Wed, 03 Jan 2018 09:00:03 +0000 https://remarkableresults.biz/?p=12447

 
Your Learning Curve Never Sounded So Good!

Helping automotive aftermarket professionals improve; one lesson at a time.

Learn from your industry peers in a round-table forum. Get new ideas, perspectives, trends, insights, best practices and expertise from aftermarket professionals.

The only weekly forum for aftermarket professionals bringing fresh and innovative discussion to inspire and grow individuals and companies.

Watch like a DOCUMENTARY … Learn like a SEMINAR.

The Academy Panel:

  • Tom Palermo is General Manager of Preferred Automotive Specialties in Jenkintown, PA. Tom is a world class Master Technician and a Certified ASE Advanced Level Technician, is certified from ASE including Master Auto, MasterTruck, Master Truck Equipment, Master School Bus, Master Collision, Master Transit Bus, L1, L2, C1, X1, P2, F1 Besides the 2015 NAPA/ASE Technician of the Year, Tom also earned the 2011 AAIA-ASE World Class Technician Award from the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association, National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, and the Best Tech of the Year award sponsored by WIX Filters. The majority of Tom’s business is fleets. Listen to Tom’s previous episodes HERE. 
  • Bill Nalu is President of Interstate Auto Care in Madison Heights, Michigan and has been in business for 30 years.  Bill collaborates with industry professionals, in building today’s “high-tech/old-fashioned” customer service system.Bill has been a big contributor to the podcast and he currently serves on several industry and educational advisory councils including AutoValue/Bumper to Bumper, Dorman Industries, and Cardone. Listen to Bill’s previous episodes HERE. 
  •  John Constantin from Bison Fleet Specialists in Buffalo, NY, has strived to bring quality service and superior workmanship to the vehicle repair industry in Western New York. When John first started out as a technician, he was determined to identify with his customers, making sure every effort was made to maintain the integrity of Bison Fleet Specialists workmanship, and establish a long-term “care” relationship with each person who passed through their service center.John’s personal goal was to inform each customer of basic maintenance steps they could perform to keep their RVs, Trucks, Trailers, Buses, Campers & Cars running at optimum performance levels, achieved by following a few simple guidelines.  
Talking Points:

Recruiting

  • Can’t go on a date if you don’t ask her out. You always need to be asking. Look for every opportunity.
    • Knocking on doors.
    • Watch vehicles drive by your shop and write down all names.
    • Sit at a busy gas station and write down the names of the companies that are fueling there.
  • Existing customer can steer you to a small fleet to start.
    • Do not start too big.
  • Expectations from a fleet customer:
    • Convenience.
    • Done Right.
    • Quickly.
  • You can modify what you do daily to help integrate fleet business.
  • By calling on potential fleet customers, you become an option to them that they never had before. You are now top of mind and can capitalize when a change is coming. Could take a week or a year.
    • Ask when to follow up, Always on their time frame.
  • Always be marketing. Stay in front of people. Find the right mindset to present.
  • Go in with a presentation that you will be a value in their business.
    • Be yourself.
  • Answer this. Why would a fleet customer drive by three other shops to get to you? That is your value proposition. Put yourself in their shoes and come up with talking points to build a conversation instead of a sales pitch.
  • Don’t present yourself as a salesperson.
  • Remember, it may take a year or more to land a new fleet. Never stop working your prospect list.

Reasons

  • Revenue opportunity for the shop.
  • Long-term growth strategy.
  • Parlay your physical plant and people talent with fleet work.
  • Larger ARO.

How to

  • Every fleet has different expectations.
  • You must be pliable.
  • The relationship matters. Establish a relationship. You must value that relationship as the most important part of the transaction. Honesty. Forthcoming. Integrity. Always in the customers’ interest.
  • Think outside the box.
    • Loaner vehicles is a possibility in the service you provide.
  • Ask the fleet manager what their exact requirements are.
  • Do fleets know the level of support you will provide? Lay it out. If you’ll do towing they must know. Details.
  • Understand their requirements and meet them. Most fleets have individual needs.
  • You must be convenient to them.
  • Never say NO. Always say yes. If it has an engine you can fix it.
    • Remote starters, glass, collisions. You do it all. Sublet if necessary.
  • Many fleet managers wear many different hats and you help them fill a special niche.
  • Help the fleet systematize their controls so there are no major surprise breakdowns. Example of checking oil between services.
    • It is 100% avoidable if an engine needs to be replaced because of no oil.
  • Involve the fleet manager in the repair of the vehicle and continue to re-enforce the value of the relationship. The fleet manager is your customer, not the fleet administrator.
  • Offer to have a training session for drivers and for any higher up in the company. Help them understand how the vehicle needs to be taken care of.
  • Make a lifetime customer by helping the fleet manager see your value and help them with their fleet management decisions.
  • TIP:
    • Tom Palermo completely details all new fleet customer vehicles.
  • The shop owner has a say in the safety and quality of repairs.
    • The customer not the fleet administrator and is the most important part of the equation.
  • Fleets will review your website and even secret shop you.
  • Create a fleet management program custom for every fleet.
  • Never compromise your quality and reputation by doing any less quality work for a fleet vs. a regular customer. Your integrity must always rule.

Challenges

  • You can lose a large chunk of your business if you mess up.
  • Dealing with fleet administration companies. (a third party)
  • Be willing to change and get out of your comfort zone.
  • Never do the job of the fleet administrator.
    • Know your place and provide what they are asking for.
    • The bar is raised and there could be political issues inside companies.
      • Companies bought out and things change and will do fleet maintenance on their own.
  • Don’t oversell and talk too much as you are out recruiting.
    • Peak their interest and stop talking and let the fleet prospect talk.
    • Focus on delivering their needs.
    • Every proposal must be unique to that customers.
      • Show how you can help them get better.
    • Don’t give up. You must be constantly marketing and recruiting.

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

 

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

 

  

 

 

 

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