Ratchet+Wrench Radio

In this episode of Ratchet+Wrench Radio, Glenn Piccolo, managing partner at Adams Automotive in Houston, Texas, breaks down the customer service framework behind Adams Automotive's seven-day service model. It's a philosophy they refer to as "auto hospitality." It takes concepts that make retail successful and implements them into the shop's workflow for greater customer satisfaction and retention.

In this episode, a sneak preview of his lunchtime keynote for the 2025 Ratchet+Wrench Management Conference, Rob Pietrowski, VP Research at IMR/Endeavor Business Intelligence, reveals shocking inflation data that's reshaping the automotive aftermarket: vehicle costs are up 57% since 2019, annual maintenance and repair spending has jumped 50%, and the ripple effects are hitting every level of the industry, based on 500 consumer surveys monthly and another 500 to 1,000 for custom research projects. Pietrowski's data also shows shop owners' priorities have shifted dramatically from focusing on new technology and EV training to fundamental survival tactics like keeping prices down and traffic flowing. He discusses how rising costs are being passed through the supply chain, the changing perceptions of trade careers as four-year college costs skyrocket, and why shops must adapt to constant rapid change spanning everything from COVID protocols to new administrative policies and tariffs.

For anyone who has ever uttered the words, "failure isn't an option," Mike Jones, president and master trainer at Discover Leadership Training, has a message you should consider. Jones talks about leadership and failure in this special episode of Aftermarket All-Access. He's joined by Chris Messer, executive vice president of the transportation group at Endeavor Business Media—Ratchet+Wrench's parent company. Jones helps leaders reframe failure and change their approach.

In this episode, Dave Johnson, president and CEO of Automotive Service Excellence, discusses the recent ASE Instructor Training Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, in July and the valuable benefits ASE certification provides to automotive instructors, including industry-wide credibility, access to cutting-edge curriculum resources, and professional development opportunities. 

Johnson also addresses how ASE is proactively evolving to keep pace with rapidly changing automotive technology and outlines ASE's commitment to future-proofing its certification programs through strategic partnerships, ensuring technicians remain equipped to handle next-generation automotive innovations while maintaining ASE's reputation as the industry's gold standard.

When something’s off in your shop—profit’s down, productivity’s lagging, or margins are shrinking—it’s easy to blame the numbers. But what if the real problem isn’t the numbers themselves… but how we interpret them?

Today on Ratchet+Wrench Radio, we’re joined by Hunt Demarest, a partner at Paar Melis & Associates, leading financial expert in the auto repair industry, and host of the Business by the Numbers podcast. Hunt works closely with shop owners to dig into the data behind the decisions. Today, he's here to challenge some assumptions and walk us through the common traps shop owners fall into when reading their financials.

Charlie Zlatkos, owner of Pleasant Care Car, immigrated to the U.S. at 17. He talks about growing his vocabulary from four English words to opening and running a multi-million-dollar a year shop.

Zlatkos also talks about being mentored by Todd Hyes of Auto Shop Answers and how his perspective on entrepreneurship was changed. 

Lastly, he tells the story of a 13-year-old boy on a bicycle who stopped by his shop, and how that encounter changed both of their lives.

In this episode of Ratchet+Wrench Radio, Group Editorial Director Chris Jones discusses a situation that every shop owner needs to understand—how to handle a customer fallout before it goes viral.

Synergy Auto Care in Wilson, North Carolina, made national headlines on June 19 after a Black customer walked out over employees' dismissive comments about Juneteenth.

We're going to break down exactly what happened and give you five concrete lessons that could save your shop from a similar crisis. Because in today's connected world, one bad moment can undo years of reputation building.

In this episode, Lisa Foshee, senior vice president of Government Affairs and General Counsel at Auto Care Association, breaks down the right to repair battle affecting independent auto repair shops. As automakers fight to restrict access to diagnostic data, independent auto repair shops and their customers face an existential threat. Foshee covers Massachusetts' leading legislation, Maine's efforts, federal bill status, and the legislative process. She explains the economic stakes and provides practical advocacy steps for shop owners and their customers.

Join us on Ratchet+Wrench Radio as Mike Jones from Discover Leadership Training shares powerful insights on elevating your leadership game.

In this episode, Mike explores the critical distinctions between leadership and management, reveals how discipline fuels personal and professional growth, explains why traditional motivation falls short and what drives lasting change, and identifies common communication pitfalls that derail leaders, plus proven strategies to overcome them.

This episode originally aired on Aftermarket All-Access.

We're living through uncertain and changing times. In this episode, Josh Parnell of Limitless Leadership talks about how to lead without wavering.