Hard Shop Life

In this episode, Coach J and the GMan take the five things you can do today to have the biggest improvement on your Service Departments performance. These strategies are used by your hosts in dealerships all over the country and they found them to be the most impactful. Listen in to learn what they are … Continue reading #080: 5 Things to Improve Service Department Performance

In this episode, Coach J and the GMan explore what happens when your top performer becomes your boss! When you have a team member that you believe you can’t live without, you run the risk of that person becoming entitled. That entitlement can turn a good employee into a bully and eventually into the person … Continue reading #009: HSL Best of Episode: Who’s in Charge

In this episode, Coach J and G-Man discuss the differences between being strategic vs tactical in business. They discuss the separation between the two ways of thinking/executing and how both are used together. They emphasize the importance of thinking strategically and systemically to achieve desired goals. Listen in, you may be using tactics and not … Continue reading #079: Strategic vs Tactical

In this episode, Coach J and the GMan discuss the importance of respect and leadership in managing people. They explore the difference between being liked and being respected, and how focusing on respect first can lead to better results. The key components of a good leader are providing clear expectations, clear directives, and . They … Continue reading #008: HSL Best of Episode: Leaders – Like vs Respected

In this episode, Coach J and the GMan take on the age old debate of Open Drive vs Closed Drive. The hosts discuss the pros and cons of both systems, with one host leaning towards the open drive and the other towards the assigned appointment drive. There are many benefits and negatives to either option. … Continue reading #078: The Age Old Debate – Open Drive vs Closed Drive

If you don’t have a scoreboard consider this… Would you set off on a long road trip without a map? Could athletes compete without knowing the score of the game, and would anyone even watch? There are many essential aspects to building and running a successful service department, but the Scoreboard sits #1 on the … Continue reading #007: HSL Best of Episode: Do You Have a Scoreboard?

In this episode of Hard Shop Life, Coach J and GMan discuss the issue of customer entitlement in the automotive industry. They share personal experiences and insights on how to handle entitled customers and provide tools and resources for service advisors to navigate these situations. When handling emotional customers the importance of empathy, communication, and … Continue reading #077: Customer Entitlement

In this conversation, Gary and Coach Jay discuss the importance of a good leader in a business organization. They emphasize the need for managers and leaders to pay attention to their people and understand what is most important to them. They also highlight the importance of observing and mirroring the leader’s decision-making process and behavior. … Continue reading #006: HSL Best of Episode: Follow the Leader

In this episode, Coach J and the GMan discuss the concept of starting a new month and going from “hero to zero”. They explore the impact of this mindset on individuals and provide strategies to overcome it. They emphasize the importance of staying in the hero mode and maintaining momentum throughout the month. They also … Continue reading #076: Hero to Zero

In this episode, Coach J and GMan shares his story to glory at a store that was rejecting his serious efforts to redevelop the culture of a broken department.  Coach J and GMan examine how a mindset to improve people’s lives can outweigh and break through the “comfort culture” of mediocrity that stifles high performance.