A Champion for Women in The Automotive Industry

Jody DeVere is a champion for women in the automotive industry, and her company AskPatty.com, Inc. serves as an important point of contact for many women who are seeking the very best experience to buy a car and service by visiting Certified Female Friendly® automotive retail locations across the United States and Canada.

In this episode, we will be sharing with you the misconceptions that we have in hiring women in the industry. Jody says that there are only 26% of women working in the automotive industry and that we can and need to do more to grow that number.

Repairing and Diagnosing Tomorrows Tech With Access and Authority Using Secure Vehicle Interface

Joe Register is Vice-President of Merging Technologies at the Auto Care Association.

Joe is on the cutting edge of technology as it affects our industry and to be at the table as it relates to who owns the data and who can have access to it. In this episode, we will be discussing how SVI: Secure Vehicle Interface can have an impact on our future by authorizing and authenticating who can have access to vehicle data.

Although the standards and implementation strategies continue to be developed, you will understand the significance that SVI will have on the aftermarket.

Authorized access to vehicle data will not only help in the vehicle repair, but help users understand the automotive/driver behavior, surroundings, status of the vehicle, entertainment, lifestyle, and everything you can muster in a connected car that brings safety and security for its owners.

Uncopyable. How To Create an Unfair Advantage Over Your Competition

Steve Miller is best known as Kelly’s Dad and The Marketing Gunslinger. He is the best selling author, speaker, and a renowned marketing strategist. He has helped numerous organization stand out and become uncopyable against the stiffest competition available.

In this episode, we will be sharing with you all the main ingredients on how to become uncopyable. We will bring you the strategy you need to gain that advantage that your customer would be coming back to you and to you alone. Discover that unique quality that will help you stand out!

A Banker and a Master Tech Build a BMW Specialty Shop - Down Under

Ken Christie is the Chief Financial Officer of the Australian Bank division of National Australia Bank whose passion for collecting and racing cars decided to find a partner and build a BMW specialty shop. Ken partnered with BMW Mastertech, Mark Higgins and they created BM Performance Centre in Williamstown, Victoria, Australia

In this episode, we will be tackling issues and challenges of running a shop in Australia and surprisingly, it is very similar to the challenges and issues we have with our aftermarket in North America. With wide arrays of topics including customer retention, the Australian technician shortage, and earnings, a tech apprentice program like Europe and the Australian immigration policy. Learn what their BM performance experience is and get a taste of the Australian Aftermarket parts industry.

Enjoy this great study in contrasts and similarities.

Dr. John Passante - You Can’t Handle The Truth - The Power of Performance Reviews.

John Passante is a legacy automotive aftermarket Human Resource professional and the President and CEO of The Organizational Development Group. He’s worked with and for some of the biggest names in our industry including Monroe/Tenneco, Delphi, Moog and Car Quest.

In this episode, he illuminates how performance reviews can become part of the culture of all businesses. He covers high grounds on the importance of leadership, understanding personal goals, culture, strategy, and values in the performance review process.

John also shows us tips within the episode on the right way to write your own review.

The Knowledge Of Electricity Is The Basis Of Every Solution To A Diagnostics Problem

Gary Smith has been fascinated with electricity his whole life and understands that the more you know of electricity's core fundamentals, the better diagnostician you’ll be.

He says many technicians have never been to a basic electric class so how will survival in today's repair environment keep pace with the ever enhancing tech, circuits, and modules. Gary like so many other trainers I’ve interviewed can’t say it enough. You must continually train, invest in yourself and get to a basic automotive electrical class every three years.

Ham radio enthusiast, Gary Smith, tells the story of Edward Weston who invented a tool in circa 1893 that you still use today.

Thanks, Gary, for the reminder that you must be curious if you want to solve diagnostic challenges today. He reminds technicians that after a training class, they must go back to educate the rest of the team. When you teach you learn.

The Indisputable Rise of Digital Vehicle Inspections (DVI)

The members of this roundtable are Chris Cloutier of Golden Rule Auto Care and Autotext.me, John Burkhauser of Bolt On Technology, and Pete Rudloff of Pete’s Garage and Flex Check Auto

The episode talks about the rise of Digital Vehicle Inspection and its importance like a smartphone to everyone. DVI is not yet the norm today but the future will require the service professional to have this tool. Since more customers want to be in control, DVI will increase the transparency with what is going on with their vehicle. DVI brings the vehicle in the bay to their home or office.

Learn how DVI will shape how business gets done.

Trained By Techs - Creating a Training Commitment Inside All Shop

Recorded at ASA-PA’s the panel is Keith Perkins, Richard Falco, Tomi Oliva and Mario Rojas. We discuss the loss of our talent, that being a lead diagnostician can be profitable, that techs do side work because they are not being compensated properly, and how to get a training commitment started in a shop that doesn’t. And finally, do our shop owners really know what is going on in training classes? Think that one through.

In such a short time the Trained By Techs group has made some incredible strides. They appear at a lot of events, by spending their own money to get the word out. Their enthusiasm and dedication is exactly what our industry needs and this talented group of volunteers is sharing their passion for education in the automotive training industry.

They are diagnosing cars every day and are LEARNING new things. Watch their videos and the conversation and start your learning from there.

Shop Talk 6: Change or Be Changed - Doug Rogers and Dean Bailey

The Roundtable has Dean Bailey, from King’s Auto Service and Hybrid Kings and Doug Rogers, Owner of Autohaus Import both from Raleigh, NC. Recorded at ASTE 2018.

They share their expert take on micromanaging, becoming a stronger leader, building a business culture, autonomous cars, setting the pace in the shop, and finding that niche that will propel you to the future!

Shop Talk 5 - Retired and Still Helping the Industry

The Roundtable consists of Gary Summerfield, Don Griffin, and Tommy Kendall.

Gary and Don are retired shop owners, who are now landlords and Tommy is still contributing to the industry as a part-timer. They share wisdom of the ages.

Learn how their collective mindset helped transform the shops that they have operated throughout the years. We talk about training, technician pay and paying it forward.