Town Hall Academy - Archive

By Carm Capriotto, AAPBusiness

Town Hall Academy - Archive episodes

December 06, 2017THA 044: The Importance of Back Office Operations – Part 1

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.
Watch like a DOCUMENTARY … Learn like a SEMINAR.
In Part Two we discussed Human Resource and Marketing. Listen HERE.
The Academy Panel:
Amy Mattinat is the owner and manager of Auto Craftsmen in Montpelier, VT. Her shop is an ASE Blue Seal Shop, AAA approved and she is a member of ASA, SBN & WiAC. Along with running her independent repair shop, she is able to combine her three passions: teaching small business owners how to run a successful business, teaching car care and safety to the general public and educating young people about the many career opportunities available in the auto care industry.
Amy was awarded the 2012 Top Female Shop Owner of the Year by the Car Care Council Women’s Board, Honored as a 2014 Professional Woman of the Year by the National Association of Professional Women, Awarded the 2015 U.S. Small Business Administration’s Vermont Women-Owned Business of the Year, Awarded the 2016 AAA Business of the Year in Vermont and served as President of Women in Auto Care 2014 through 2016. Listen to Amy’s previous episodes HERE.
Kim Auernheimer, AAM is the Co-Owner & Business Manager of CS Automotive in Brentwood, Tennessee. CS Automotive was opened in October of 2006 in the back of a warehouse and now they call a 6,400 square foot, 10-bay shop home. Prior to joining her husband Rob in the business on a full-time basis, Kim had a career in Commercial Real Estate and Property Management. In July of 2011, she stepped out from the background of the business and joined her husband in the venture of creating an industry-leading standout.
Kim continuously seeks out training for her and her entire team and put the teachings to use. Her belief in industry education has been a large influence on how much success and growth they have had over last few years. She has a passion to improve the reputation of the Automotive Repair industry working alongside other shop owners and industry leaders to improve the overall experience of the customer from the moment they make that first call to the shop until they drive their car off the lot instilling transparency and developing trust during the entire process.
In 2017, she obtained her Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation. This is a result of 120-credit hours of coursework in several core competencies including leadership, marketing, customer relations, accounting, and several other areas of automotive repair business management. Listen to Kim’s Episodes HERE.
Maryann Croce of Croce Transmissions in Norwalk, CT was opened 1999. Maryann was a banker turned business owner. Tony was technician turned shop owner. A big transition on their parts and that extensive wisdom makes Maryann the perfect guest on the Academy series.
Their 4 bays, 4 techs, and one service advisor shop is successful because as husband and wife Maryanne and Tony work at their roles and have abundant trust in each other.
Maryann is also a member of Women in Auto Care and owns smallbizvantage.com. Hear Maryann in her previous episodes HERE.
Jacquie Walter Hower is the Director of Operations and 3rd generation at her family’s business, Zimmerman’s Automotive, in Mechanicsburg, PA.
During high school and college, Jacquie worked part time for the company working in the Quick Lube department as a technician changing oil and maintaining customer vehicles. After her sophomore year of college, she was given the chance to become a manager for a new Quick Lube location for the company.
Since then Jacquie’s love for the industry grew into a passion. As director of operations, she handles a number of different jobs such as customer service, service auditing, daily accounting, training, and community involvement/events.
In the summer of 2016, Jacquie began the Aftermarket Management program at Northwood University where she hopes to complete her bachelor’s degree in two years. Jacquie is involved with the Car Care Women’s Board and sits on the board of directors at the Mechanicsburg Chamber of Commerce. She resides in Mechanicsburg, PA with her husband, Dan, and their two young boys, Brantley (4) and Mason (2). Hear Jacquie in her previous episode HERE.
Talking Points:
Controls
Accountability to the cash in the business
This is a task that should not be delegated

Who has authority to sign checks or use credit cards.
All receipts accounted for.
Open Mail and Pay the bills. If owner OK. It should never be an employee that does both tasks.
If owner delegates check writing, they should sign every check with every receipt attached for review.
Systems and process hold people accountable.
Look at the credit card statement and bank transitions daily.

Stages of business will impact all areas of the business.
Bootstrap- Doing it all yourself Focus on Sales and Marketing
Many techs have turned business owner.

Growth-Work and Sales coming in are causing overwhelm – Focus Team with Systems and Processes.
Scale-Work is there, systems are working – Focus on Leadership.
Your team runs your business.

Operations
You get consistency and improve communications, so the ball doesn’t get dropped.
We get our bad reputation when communications fall down.

The bigger you get the more important good systems are. So good systems can help you grow.
You need to have a bulletproof system. Done the same way every single time.
This is your staff’s way of being accountable which makes communication strong with each other. Customer included.
Your Bible.

Systems include Policies, Processes and Procedures:
Policies contain statements of intent, rules to abide by, and standards that are expected.
Processes put the tasks needed to satisfy the Policies in order and defines who will do the tasks and when they are to be done.
Procedures define how each individual task is done, and essential information to be able to complete the task without assistance.”

Systems and processes sound complicated but one step at a time is how you eat the elephant.
The work put in pays off.

When all systems and processes are followed, when a problem arrives, it is easy to go back and find if there was any break in the system.
How to get there:
Get the techs to buy in.
We get better organized and improve production
Create a win-win.

Created as a team. The person doing the job can help write exactly what they do and when they do it.
Easy to create the system/process off of that as a start.

You get a level of professionalism in your shop.
They will be seen as professionals as an outcome of your great systems/processes.

Hire part-timer. Delegate some of your job to that person. Get them to document the job and processes, then create the system.
Create your own system as a start. Give it to your team to improve it. The buy-in is so important.

Accounting and Finance
Kim survived an IRS audit for one reason.
Run your business as if you are being audited.

Quick Books is used by the entire Academy panel.
Some SMS systems integrate with Quick Books.

Keeping good records and being organized is a pillar of a well-run business.
Example of an IRS audio went from 3 days to 3 hours because of the quality of the recordkeeping.
Run your business as if you were being audited.

Having an outside accountant is important. Also, they help with tax issues and to help verify the integrity of your numbers.
Watch for estimated tax issues.

A Profit & Loss statement ( P & L) is a steering wheel for your business.
The balance sheet shows you where your assets and liabilities
KPIs get created from your numbers and are critical to measures of success.
Do not mix personal with business.
If you own the property and it is a separate entity. Keep the cash and expenses separate.
The value of budgeting can help you through lean sales months and spending options.
Putting your cash away for the lean times makes budgeting an important tactic in the business.
Lean times vs good times.
If no layoffs you need cash to pay the bills during slow times.
Your staff should know you are sitting on your cash to support the business in the lean months.

Keeping great records allows you to go back to find trends and confirm your cycles so you can staff properly and control your spend.
Can also create marketing opportunities because you know the future trend.

You pay bills with margin dollars, not margin percent.
Blind spots:
Your 1040 says you made money. Where is the cash?
Your cash could be in capital improvements or equipment purchases, accounts receivable, missing cash because of poor cash management, or inventory loss. There are more factors that challenge your cash position.

Planning ahead to know your capital expenditures will be long term.
Projecting your goals with your business.
Add to staff requires past performance and where you are going.

Get over the fear of the numbers. Learn them and embrace them.
Make changes to your systems and watch the effect it has on your financial statements.
Charging for shop supplies or technical fees.
Amy adds $4 tech fee to every ticket.
Charge for shipping when you need to pay for a special order.

Stay with your core. What is your most profitable job. Stick with that and promote it Example Brakes.

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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
55 min
November 29, 2017THA 043: Book Club – Favorite Books That Have Made Me A Better Leader/CEO

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.
Watch like a DOCUMENTARY … Learn like a SEMINAR.
The Academy Panel:
Jude Larson is the president, owner and lead consultant for JML Real Solutions. He is a frequent speaker and trainer at industry events. Jude has vast business experience including being a highly successful service advisor, the owner and operator of a hybrid online and print marketing company, a top performer in the financial industry, and a record-setting career in retail management. Jude uses his rich experience and business success as he consults, trains and coaches results-focused solutions with clients. Jude is also a shop owner. Listen to Jude’s Episodes 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.
Joe Valind is from Auto Safety Center in West Bend, Wisconsin. As a high school senior Joe got his first automotive mechanic job in September 1995 through his high school co-op program. As the Lord’s providence would have it, the placement was with Roger Berth at the Auto Safety Center. (The shop he owns today)
Joe’s shop has 9 bays, 5 lifts, 3 technicians and specializes in Honda/Acura, Toyota/Lexus, however, services most makes and models. Listen to Joe’s Episodes HERE.
BOOKS DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE
Jude Larson
The Power of Vulnerability by Brene Brown
If How Too’s Were Enough We Would All Be Skinny, Rich And Happy by Brian Klemmer
Leadership and Self Deception – The Arbinger Institute

Joe Valind
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell
Entreleadership by Dave Ramsey
Extreme Ownership How US Navy Seals Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

Joe Hanson
The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
Personality Plus – How to Understand Others by Understanding Yourself by Florence Littauer
The Greatest Miracle in the World – YOU! By OG Mandino

Bonus books not discussed in the episode from Jude Larson
80/20 Sales and Marketing – Perry Marshall
Emotional Intellegence 2.0 – Travis Bradberry
The Flip Side – Flip Flippen
Getting Things Done – David Allen
Work the System – Sam Carpenter

Resources:
Link to ‘Books Page’ to see the books mentioned or discussed on the podcast.
Be socially involved and in touch with the show:
Facebook Twitter Linked InEmail
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
58 min
November 22, 2017THA 042: Impacting a Difference For Those Struggling For Success
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.
Watch like a DOCUMENTARY … Learn like a SEMINAR.
The Academy Panel:
Frank Luetz from Desert Car Care in Chandler, AZ
Frank is an industry leader in ASA Nationally and through his local chapter. Frank is spreading the value story of the industry through his weekly radio ‘call-in show’ called ‘Wrench Nation’. In Frank’s marketing strategy he also does email marketing, TV, radio and billboards. He also does a video feature called ‘Inside the Garage’ where he discusses vehicle failures and cures. Desert Car Care has been recognized as the 2016 Small Business of the Year from the Chandler Chamber along with these other honors:
2015 2016 Ranking Arizona Top 10 Auto Repair
2012 2013 Angies List Super Service Award
2013 BBB Ethics Award Nominee
2012 Phoenix Business Journal Best Places To Work Winner

Listen to Frank in these podcast episodes HERE.
William J. DeBoer (Bill Jr.) is Co-owner and Vice President of DeBoer’s Auto Sales & Service. Bill has been responsible for bringing innovations in daily operations to the full-service, high-tech auto repair facility for 20+ years. Bill was able to fuse his passions for technology and cars with a Certificate in Automotive Technology, followed by a B.S. in Business Management from Penn State.
He joined his family business, founded by his father three decades ago, shortly after. Today, Bill runs business development, sales, customer services, process improvement, human resources, and technician education programs.
Bill is an Accredited Automotive Manager from the Automotive Management Institute as well as a CERTIFIED MASTER DEALER® from the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association. His National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) credentials includes: Master Technician, L1 Advanced Engine Performance, P2 Parts Specialist, and X1 Undercar Specialist. Listen to Bill’s podcast episodes HERE.
Scott Waddle opened Precision Auto Service in Langley, British Columbia in 1997 and it wasn’t long until he realized that running a business, was nothing like fixing cars. He started taking business management courses at a regular pace and the rest is history. Their tagline is: “Where we worry about your car, so you don’t have to!®” They believe it is their responsibility to keep their clients safe and reliable on the road. Scott is building a brand-new facility. Listen to Scott’s podcast episodes HERE.
Talking points:
We are getting more from each other through golden nuggets as we meet one-on-one.
If you have a blister you need to find a solution and align yourself for help.
Find help with this podcast, reading and in social networking groups.
How does one become the CEO of their business when you need to know HR, Finance, Operations, Accounting, Technology, Culture, and Leadership among others. You are not built for expertise in every area of responsibility. It is OK to get help.
Business coaches, twenty groups, local business groups are all places to find answers and improve your success.
Local peer to peer networks are important.
Ego can be part of the solution. You must ask for help. Most everyone has gone through the challenge of building a successful business.
At the street level, we can do a better job of supporting each other.
We must do a better job of listening first. We tend to want to help by talking. You must first start with the end in mind.
Be careful of the sizzle. Be sure you are moving forward with your challenges and not just feeling good because you are listening to solutions. Doing is the big part. Being held accountable is critical.
If you help a peer you’ve got to have the time, let your family know you are going to help someone. ‘You Are Going In’. It takes a time commitment.
Groups like the local business chambers may help you from an outsiders perspective. Well-rounded business acumen is always helpful.
It is rare that other shop owners will call you for help. Reach out. Have coffee.
Strong areas around the country usually have great local association chapters and shop owners that work together to bring in training.
Get involved with a local supplier business management group.
AMi is a very strong option WEBSITE
Find out what you don’t know. Do wide eye research. Keep an open mind. Stop living in the past.
Share your marketing calendar. Get ideas on programs that could be a spark in your business. What you’ve been doing for years may not be working. Get out of your rut.
Frank is willing to share his marketing calendar. Ask for it @: [email protected]

Seek new ideas in all areas of your business. Rip Off and Duplicate. R & D. Best way to find and implement new ideas.
Scott Waddle is in a local self-directed group. He has a template on how to start a localized group of shop owners to help grow their business. If you have an interest, contact me and I’ll connect you with Scott:. [email protected]
You have to want to be a part of the group, if not it is just social and you will not receive any benefit.
You get voted in if there is a two-way learning opportunity.

Get help before you bury yourself in loans to sustain your business.
Downgrade the ego to uplift the spirit.
You may need to get back to basics and find your start-up energy and spirit.
Some owners carry the weight of business sustaining debt and they lose their focus.

Find training events at remarkableresults.biz/events.
It takes courage. We all want to help.
Too much technology coming a well-run business can deal with all types of opportunities and challenges.
The collective mind is so powerful. Use it.
Get your suppliers to help spread the caring network.
Courage will help you get what you need to be more successful.
Let’s look out for each other.

Be socially involved and in touch with the show:
FacebookTwitterLinked InEmail
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
43 min
November 15, 2017THA 041: The Value of Knowing Your Customers Observable Behavior (DISC) | AMi Credit
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:
Kim Auernheimer, AAM is the Co-Owner & Business Manager of CS Automotive in Brentwood, Tennessee. CS Automotive was opened in October of 2006 in the back of a warehouse and now they call a 6,400 square foot, 10-bay shop home. Prior to joining her husband Rob in the business on a full-time basis, Kim had a career in Commercial Real Estate and Property Management. In July of 2011, she stepped out from the background of the business and joined her husband in the venture of creating an industry-leading standout.
Kim continuously seeks out training for her and her entire team and put the teachings to use. Her belief in industry education has been a large influence on how much success and growth they have had over last few years. She has a passion to improve the reputation of the Automotive Repair industry working alongside other shop owners and industry leaders to improve the overall experience of the customer from the moment they make that first call to the shop until they drive their car off the lot instilling transparency and developing trust during the entire process.
In 2017, she obtained her Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation. This is a result of 120-credit hours of course work in several core competencies including leadership, marketing, customer relations, accounting, and several other areas of automotive repair business management.Kim and Rob are proud parents of two amazing young-adult children. Their son Jacob recently graduated from The University of Tennessee in Knoxville with a degree in Accounting and just two months ago, he married his beautiful high school sweetheart Nicole. Their daughter Ema is a Political Science and Pre-law student at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. Listen to Kim’s Episodes HERE.
Shari Pheasant is “The Queen of Horse Power” is a DISC Certified Master Behavior Analyst, Entrepreneur, Speaker, Business Innovator, and Coach. She recently returned from a book tour for her book “25 Car Care Tips For Women” that made it to Amazon’s International Best Seller List June 2017! She is a member of Women in Auto Care and owns a service shop with her husband Jeff. Shari is the recipient of the Business Innovator Award at the Business Expert Forum at Harvard in July 2017. She is the creator of Driven from Within, Horse Powered, and Barn Boot Camp; three programs that develop human capital potential for business teams and individuals. Listen to Shari’s Episodes HERE.
Jeremy O’Neal President and lead sales trainer for Advisorfix, began his career as a Service Advisor and moved into Service Management at the dealership level for VW, Audi, and Porsche. He consistently placed in the top 3% of Service Advisors across the nation. With a passion for helping others, Jeremy started coaching Service Advisors in 2007. Jeremy also owns an independent auto repair shop, Freedom Automotive in Hesperia, CA. Jeremy is a DISC Certified Master Behavioral Analyst. You can hear Jeremy’s Episodes HERE.
Episode Talking Points:
NOTICE: Do not get hung up on the Acronyms, Lingo or Labels discussed here. Understanding observable behaviors will make you a better salesperson, leader, spouse, and friend.
DISC is a universal language of observable human behavior.
There are four basic behavior styles.
We all have at least a small portion of each – usually.
One style is our go-to or prominent style.
You can have a blend of styles with cross-influence.

DISC is a segmented:
D characterize’s Dominant traits (Commander, Director).
I characterize’s an Influencer trait (Expresser, Socializer).
S characterize’s a person who is Steady. (A Relator, Reflector).
C characterize’s Conformity (An Achiever a Thinker).

Know your own DISC style.
DISC is a tool for today’s marketplace.
You need to have your customers conversation with then not yours.
Communicate with others the way they want to be communicated with.
Know their DISC profile.
Easy to do with observable behaviors.

Can also be used for hiring practices to integrate an individual into the team that has the tendencies for the growth of the team.
Service advisors will value understanding how DISC integrates with their relationship building.
There are styles that are more suited to be at the front desk, in the shop and at the parts counter.

The cars they drive tell a lot about the customer.
If it is another family members vehicle, listen to them; are they complaining/apologizing for it being a mess? Are they frustrated that the vehicle isn’t maintained properly?
These are all clues to their strongest behavioral style.

DISC is the beginning of the five behavioral sciences.
Driving Forces (Why you do what you do).
EQ (Emotional Quotient).
Competencies (Superior Trait Make-Up of an Individual).
Acumen (How you see the world & how you see yourself in the world).

Communication is 80% of misunderstanding and misdirected teams at work.
You must learn to communicate in the way your client, direct report or peer will hear it.
How we communicate has to do with the meaning of words.
Know your perceptions. We see ourselves a certain way and others see us differently.
Others don’t know us like we do.

Look to yourself first. Understand yourself first. Then understand others.
It is so important to know who you are so with every interaction you understand how you receive the information and how you need to communicate.
We all have traits of the behavior spectrum. So are more prominent than others.

Jeremy O’Neal’s Site HERE. Listen to the episode to understand his offer.
Download for Carm Capriotto’s Chart on How To Communicate With the Four Basic Types HERE.
Download of Shari Pheasant Handout HERE.
Tony Robins Site Mentioned HERE.

Be socially involved and in touch with the show:
Facebook Twitter Linked In Email
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
48 min
November 08, 2017THA 040: The Extreme Value in Doing a SWOT On Your Business
Helping automotive aftermarket professionals improve; one lesson at a time.
Academy Panel:
Learn from your industry peers in a round-table forum. Get new ideas, perspectives, trends, insights, best-practices and expertise from aftermarket professionals.
Watch like a DOCUMENTARY … Learn like a SEMINAR.
The Academy Panel:
Greg Bunch is the owner of Aspen Auto Clinic, a five-location automotive and service business in Colorado. Greg started his passion for cars at 15 when he began rebuilding a 1966 Volkswagen Bug.  Greg has moved from a Volkswagen mechanic to ASE Master Technician, to Management, to starting his shop 18 years ago in his garage, to an award-winning multi-location business.
Greg is currently a board member for the STEM-based charter school call “Automotive Institute of Science & Technology” and on the Advisory board of Ratchet and Wrench Magazine. Greg is also a board member of the Autocare organization and a certified instructor for the  Worldpac Training Institute and Carquest Technical Institute.  Greg’s unwavering passion for the industry has also led him to form a company called Transformers Institute, a coaching and training company dedicated to transforming the automotive industry. Listen to Greg’s previous episodes HERE.
Aspen Auto Clinic
Transformers Mastermind

Maryann Croce of Croce Transmissions in Norwalk, CT was opened 1999. Maryann was a banker turned business owner. Tony was technician turned shop owner.  A big transition on their parts and that extensive wisdom makes Maryann the perfect guest on the Academy series.
Their 4 bays, 4 techs, and one service advisor shop is successful because as husband and wife Maryanne and Tony work at their roles and have abundant trust in each other.
Maryann is also a member of Women in Auto Care and owns smallbizvantage.com. Hear Maryann in her previous episodes HERE. A link to a SWOT resource mentioned by Maryann HERE.

During high school and college Murray Voth, owner of Freedom Consulting and Training, learned to service and repair both motorcycles and airplanes while he finished his commercial pilot’s license. After college, Murray’s research skills were honed while doing a community research project; as a result, he was hired by a firm doing research and development in the service station industry. That led him to own and operate service stations for the next 20 years.
After receiving extensive training from a major oil company in Canada, Murray worked in service station dealer development. His experience in training and development led to an interest in how people function. He began to think about what holds them back from learning and implementing new practices in their businesses. What causes people to change?
Murray has done extensive research into human potential and has the ability to synthesize this material and make it practical to apply. His favorite moment is when a client says, “I get it!” or “I did it!” He is known as an implementation coach. For the last 10 years, he has been the senior trainer, coach, and facilitator for a major automotive training company in Canada, and worked part-time in the USA as his schedule allows. Murray has worked with hundreds of shops and shop owners helping them to be more profitable and reduce their stress levels. Listen to Murray’s episodes HERE.
Freedom Consulting and Training

DOWNLOAD SWOT GRAPHIC HERE.
Talking points:
Be honest and real.
Be constructive while truth-telling.
Put your feet in someone else’s shoes.
Be open-minded and think outside the box.
Learn to control the things you can control and not worry about the ones you can’t
The owner should not lead a company SWOT with his team. Find a facilitator, independent of your business. (A business coach)
Attempt to get an independent facilitator to pull the best thoughts from your people.

A SWOT is an analysis tool.
SWOT sounds complicated but is easy and FUN to do.
If the owner does a SWOT by themselves, it is only their perspective only their version.
Buy in from the team gets them to support any action plan that comes from the exercise.
The owner must be ready to react to the results of the SWOT.
Strengths:
What do we do well?
What advantages do we have?
What are our resources and assets?
What do others acknowledge as strengths of our organization?

Weaknesses:
What could we do better?
Where are we at risk?

Opportunities:
What do we know about but have not been able to try?
Are there any new frontiers that we can explore?
You can see trends in the industry so you can become proactive.

Threats:
Are any of our weaknesses likely to make us vulnerable?
What outside issues beyond our control or within, block our progress?
Are other like organizations doing anything different?
Are there any big changes in our demographics or industry?

A SWOT can show you where you position is in the marketplace.
Ego starts out as Pride. Leadership training is a must.
John Maxwell books:
Developing the Leader Within You
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership

Your business is only going to grow based on your ability to lead it.
You must improve your skills as a leader?

The most successful have help. They get an outside perspective.
Leaders must be in the crow’s nest watching where the business is going.
You don’t just find leaders in the CEO position, you find them at all levels and areas of the business.

The SWOT boxes can be mirror images of each other.
You cannot plan results you can only plan actions.
SOAR
Situation
Outcome you will want. Realistic.
Actions that you need to do.
Results. Measures.

You cannot reach results without the proper behavior.
Celebrate your wins.

Be socially involved and in touch with the show:
Facebook Twitter Linked In Email
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
50 min
November 01, 2017THA 039: Eight Ways To Recruit and Build Your Team | AMi Credit
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:
Kevin Vaught is an Elite Worldwide Business Development Coach.
After starting his work in the industry at age 15, Kevin opened his own shop by the time he was 22! His shop, AutoTire Car Care Center, was an immediate success and Kevin was able to open up 4 locations over the next 15 years.
One of the reasons Kevin was a success as a shop owner was because he understood the importance of his people and his processes. He believed that he couldn’t provide great external customer service without first providing great internal customer service (to his employees) and that hiring the right people, giving them the tools, systems, and procedures that they needed, and then getting out of their way would be a huge key to his success. This business philosophy certainly paid off, as Kevin’s business has been featured in several trade publications over the years.
Kevin received ASE certification, as well as an AS degree in Business Administration while he was running his shops.
He served on several Supplier Dealer and Advisory Councils. He has 43 years of industry experience and was a highly profitable multiple location owner-operator for over 30 years. He sold his company so he could focus on another one of his passions; helping other shop owners build more profitable businesses.
Ryan Blair is owner of Blair Automotive and BMP Tuning in Dallas Texas. Blair Automotive is a 20,000 square foot, state of the art, Audi and VW service and performance facility. BMP Tuning is a leading nationwide European aftermarket parts distribution business and E-commerce platform. Ryan has 10 years of dealership experience as a Master Guild Audi Technician. Ryan won the Audi Twin Cup National Technician challenge.
Ryan has taken the amenities, employees, and equipment from the dealership and made them available in an independent environment.
Robert Sexton is the General Manager of First Tire and Automotive, a chain of four automotive repair shops located in the greater Houston region. He has worked in the aftermarket automotive industry since 1983 when he first started as an attendant in a full-service gas station. Robert has held positions as general service, service advisor, service manager, manager, and business manager during his automotive career. He has succeeded through the evolution of the automotive industry and its many challenges. As a member of the Elite Automotive consulting group, he has learned from the best in the industry how to thrive in today’s complicated retail market. Robert attended the University of Houston for Business Administration. He is married with two children attending Texas A&M University.
Talking points:
Recruiting is an ongoing active responsibility. Everyday. Building your pipeline of quality and qualified candidates is an ongoing job.
Recruiting takes goals and a plan.
What is important to your recruit.
Your opportunity.
Growing their career.
Stability, benefits.

Your own people will tell you what they appreciate about your business including your benefits program. It is important that you tell your recruit about what your team values about your business. Morale, Culture, Training, Team. Etc.
Host training seminars at your facility. This will bring in potential recruits to see your business.
They will be curious because they hear a lot of good about your business.

Never ask people if they know someone looking for a job. You must tell people you are looking for superstars.
Segment your interviews via a grading system. (Could be A, B, C)
Some B techs that you interviewed a few years ago may be an A tech today.
As your recruit is grooming at another shop they are growing and grooming.

Recruiting is the long game as you wait for the right person and right opportunity
Your superstars take pride in what they do and want to work for a shop that has a high reputation.
You must network with other shops in your market.
Never bad mouth other shops.
Work with them in your market to help each other to improve the image and quality of our work in the industry.

Using Facebook to recruit and now Instagram helps you connect with your friends, your clients and your potential recruits.
Ryan Blair likes people to follow his business page and his personal page.
It helps customers and recruits to see what kind of person you are.
You can learn about them so you have conversation starters.
A great platform to interact with. It brings transparency to the relationship.

You must know your WHY, because your younger recruits will want to know it. They want to know about the business and your purpose.
You’ve got to invest time into recruiting; sometimes money (time is money). You may need to buy lunches, dinners and even a bounty program. Resources need to be allocated.
You may need to spend some money on Facebook to recruit through an ad.

In direct mail, include a starburst that you are looking for superstars.
Great people in the right spot makes the difference in a high culture business that is profitable and well run.
Recruiting for talent is no different than marketing for customers. Your payoff may pay off down the road. If you get no initial results it doesn’t mean it did not work.

Go to technician seminars and pass out cards.
Recruiting is a perpetual duty.
How bad do you want to fill your pipeline?

Speak at automotive technology colleges.
Speak to parent’s groups about the automotive
Look for all opportunities to grow potential relationships.
Talk to the top 1% of the students at these institutes. Get to know them.
Bring young people under your wing with a mentor program.

Kevin says that at Elite Worldwide they always look for attitude, aptitude, and ethics in hiring people and building a team.
Recruitment is a long game.
Recruiting through dealership parts counters works. They know their best people.
Don’t think you can’t recruit from dealerships. Some dealership people may see earning a little less but getting a better work-life balance is very important to them. Never assume it is all about the money.
Share your business plan not only with your people but with a potential recruit. Show them how they fit in it.
They can learn how they fit and see the culture.
This is the transparency that recruits want to see.

Some of your best team members can be recruited by your best team members.
Superstars recruit superstars.

Be socially involved and in touch with the show:
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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
51 min
October 25, 2017THA 038: Is the Goal to Bring Cars Into the Bay or Clients Into the Business?
Learn from your industry peers in a round-table forum. Get new ideas, perspectives, trends, insights, best-practices and expertise from aftermarket professionals.
Watch like a DOCUMENTARY … Learn like a SEMINAR.
Helping automotive aftermarket professionals improve; one lesson at a time.
Academy Panel:
Greg Buckley is the Owner of Owner of the 50 + year young Buckley Auto Care in Wilmington, DE. He’s a member of ASA, an ATI Coach, a member of the Delaware Automotive Service Professionals, past member of the NAPA advisory board council, is vice-president of NAPA business development group , and is involved as an advisory board member of Kukui, along with AutoVitals. You can hear Greg’s episodes HERE.
Jeremy O’Neal President and lead sales trainer for Advisorfix, began his career as a Service Advisor and moved into Service Management at the dealership level for VW, Audi, and Porsche. He consistently placed in the top 3% of Service Advisors across the nation.With a passion for helping others, Jeremy started coaching Service Advisors in 2007. Jeremy also owns an independent auto repair shop, Freedom Automotive in Hesperia, CA. You can hear Jeremy’s Episodes HERE.
Jason Malo has a great story to tell about how he became an entrepreneur. Jason, vice-president, and his brother Luke own Advanced Automotive Performance in Uxbridge, MA. Jason worked at his uncle’s dealership and had his eye on the GM position; it was out of reach. His brother Luke was working as a technician at a repair shop and Luke wanted to start his own business.Besides general repairs, Advanced Automotive Performance specializes in light-duty trucks diesel trucks, fleets and European vehicles.To get business savvy, Jason and Luke took a class called The Streetwise MBA. They needed to learn about business principles, so they could apply them to their business. Jason highly recommends the class. Tech’s that do not know anything about business and who want to start a business must get business training. This was an important step in their entrepreneurial journey. It is the classic E-Myth story. You can hear Jason’s episode HERE.

Talking Points:
A slump in sales usually precludes a reduction in car count.
The culture of the shop creates the clients.
Need cars to get the clients.
You must transcend your purpose throughout the entire organization.

The shop owner, is the CEO of the business, is responsible for the marketing, for attracting customers to the shop.
Is your shop attractive from curb to counter?
Do you talk their language, not at them?

Windows of opportunities
Social, postcards, community
Facebook is a primary driver for new client acquisition

If the community needs it and can I supply it.
Helps bring in client base.

Have a deep conversation with the customer on their plans for their vehicle.
The shop can help with a great maintenance program to get 250K miles out of your customer’s vehicle.

Move from transaction to relationship
Engagement
How is your customer’s experience?
Will it lead to the relationship?

Does the customer qualify for a relationship?
Does the customer see she is a priority?

Not everyone who comes in the door will become a client.
Everyone who answers the phone has a role in building that relationship

Future technology will minimize the number of calls that come in the shop
All the answers will be on the smartphone as the future unfolds.

“I thought I only had to fix cars to be successful”
Your job is not in the bays but working on the business setting the vision and goals and building a strong team. Among other CEO duties.

Do not see the vehicle without seeing the customer. It must be personal.
The person behind the car is the most important piece of the relationship
Build a story into the repair so the techs best understand the personal aspect of the transaction

We do not utilize our two eyes and two ears enough
Many visual opportunities tell a lot about the client.
Messy car, worn brake pedal as examples can tell a lot about the client and their life.

Many disruptions in the industry.
Many businesses are gone because they didn’t react quick enough or pay attention
Blockbuster, Kodak, Myspace

Other services are going to be important as all-electric and AV’s grow in influence.
Look for other services and opportunities that can build on that relationship.
Professionals are evolving

There are plenty of cars to repair.
You could not handle 10% of your market penetration.
You must work hard to get the customer. Show up every day with your boots on and sift through the rough to find the diamonds.

Maximize your staff’s training and extract their intelligence to move into other markets.
Will specialization help client growth?
Specialization can challenge a relationship where a client has multi-brands in their family unit.
Would a business model that rents out a bay space to a specialist be effective?
Move to the client experience.

Build clients not transactions.
Not enough cars can be the kiss of death but too many cars can be a cultural breakthrough that can help you dominate the market in the future.
Your marketing can bring in a top client.

Be socially involved and in touch with the show:
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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
44 min
October 18, 2017THA 037: Multiple Labor Rates & Matrix Parts Margins in your SMS
Learn from your industry peers in a round-table forum. Get new ideas, perspectives, trends, insights, best-practices and expertise from aftermarket professionals.
Watch like a DOCUMENTARY … Learn like a SEMINAR.
Helping automotive aftermarket professionals improve; one lesson at a time.
Maylan Newton from ESI – Educational Seminars Institute is a business coach and trainer. Maylan is no stranger to the power of the customer as he speaks and trains on Professional Business Development, Service Writers School of America and In Shop Training and Support. He is an approved AMI Trainer.
He is a much sought our speaker at industry events. Maylan is no stranger to the podcast having paid it forward in episodes … 108 and 140 and on Town Hall Academy’s 14 on Customer Retention and in Academy 25 on Disaster Planning and in Academy 30 on Why Labor Rates Need To Increase.
John Francis has over 50 years of industry experience and has owned and operated Francis Automotive Services Inc. in West Chester, PA, for more than 35 years. John’s most important business philosophy as a shop owner is to “be honest, speak from your heart, and always be authentic”, so it’s no mystery why he’s been so successful.
John is a past National Chairman of the Automotive Management Institute. He has served as the Chairman of ASA CARS. John also served on the ASE Board of Directors for 8 years and served as an AMi trustee for many years as well. He’s been featured in AutoInc magazine and is a two-time runner up for NAPA Tech of the Year. John is a recipient of the AMi Alpha Award. Not only is John an extraordinary business professional, but his commitment to the industry and his peers is second to none. Listen to John in Episode 258
William J. DeBoer (Bill Jr.) is Co-owner and Vice President at DeBoer’s Auto Sales & Service.Bill has been responsible for bringing innovations in daily operations to the full-service, high-tech auto repair facility for 20+ years. Bill was able to fuse his passions for technology and cars with a Certificate in Automotive Technology, followed by a B.S. in Business Management from Penn State.
He joined his family business, founded by his father three decades ago, shortly after. Today, Bill runs business development, sales, customer services, process improvement, human resources, and technician education programs.
Bill is an Accredited Automotive Manager from the Automotive Management Institute as well as a CERTIFIED MASTER DEALER® from the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association. His National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) credentials include: Master Technician, L1 Advanced Engine Performance, P2 Parts Specialist, and X1 Undercar Specialist. Listen to Bill in Episode 185.
Talking Points:
These are opinions not rule for setting labor rates or parts margins.
Multiple Labor Rates can make a shop competitive depending on jobs. A base brake job would have a different rate than diag work.
Fleet work can have special rate or discount so SMS manages
Could be based on GVW.

Discounts can have a discount based on specific customer
Diagnostic rate. Your most expensive technician using the most expensive tools with the most training.

Knowing your effective labor rate lends your true labor rate.
Jobs creates in SMS can reflect different labor charges by job

Once size pricing may not work anymore.
Key to understanding your current margins is you must have your actual cost of labor and parts reflected accurately in your Shop Management System.
You set you hourly rate on your cost of doing business. Never set it based on your competitor.
If the industry stopped quoting over the phone and quoting labor hour price we would be better off. You never ask your cardiologist what his labor rate is.
Every car is different. Some have rust. We should consider the condition of the car. Every vehicle should be charged what time is invested in it. Yet the Flat Rate labor program is the standard bearer. You must add a cushion when you are dealing with a northern vehicle that has rust.
Panel believes that on third of shop owners are using their SMS to its fullest capabilities.
If an average shop 0owner billed a 1/1oth of an hour it would bring a big number to the company. Use your SMS correctly, estimating properly and mark-up book time. Many ways to improve.
Bill DeBoer is quoting a complete job.
It is easy to set up parts matrixes.
Find article from Bill Haas from Ratchet and Wrench to explain the proper use of the parts matrixes.

Power of SMS are not being valued because information and training is not strong enough. This is not saying the entire industry or companies, but it is a problem why SMS’s are not being utilized in a more comprehensive way.
Parts Matrix’s can vary depending on where you acquire the part. Ideas can be:
WD/Jobber
Dealer
First Call

A big fear in our industry is we fear someone questioning our price. We need to be proud of why and what we do.
Become the CEO of your company and you’ll start to see the differences in your sales, costs and profits when you pay attention to what the CEO must do for the company.
Parts margins may change in the future.
We may have to lower our margins on parts and increase on labor because of the changing business models and transparency of pricing.

Total ticket margin is important because of the market changes.
You must know your effective labor rate. Know your numbers
Your SMS is a huge partner in your margins and profit of your company.
Implement what you learn so you can move your business forward.
We must understand the value we do for our customer.
Transparent pricing can be a pushback because it so easy to find the cost of the part that was installed on a vehicle.
Never seen a shop go out of business if his labor price was too high. A quote from Cecil Bullard.
The foundation of our businesses must be on relationships and trust.
We must be paid for the knowledge we have.
Many in our industry are underpaid for what we do. Everyone.

We must add value to every transaction and relationship.
Get paid for what you know and what you do.

Link to Go Fund Me Page for Shop Owners Who Lost Their Business in the California Fires in October 2017
Be socially involved and in touch with the show:
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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
48 min
October 09, 2017THA 036: Ten Reasons For Buying Technician Tools
Learn from your industry peers in a round-table forum. Get new ideas, perspectives, trends, insights, best-practices and expertise from aftermarket professionals.
Watch like a DOCUMENTARY … Learn like a SEMINAR.
Pete Rudloff is a national automotive instructor/advisor, nationally published technical writer and owner of Pete’s Garage Inc. in Newark, DE. Pete has a passion for training and created the Delaware training Group to bring technicians together in an environment that fosters learning. Pete’s Garage has a reputation as friend to the general auto repair shops with local shops calling themselves customers. Pete’s Garage is known for fixing difficult to fix cars and has grown more into a diagnostic destination than a maintenance shop. Pete had been featured in episode 123, 226 and Academy 018.
John Bridgwater and his wife own Wright’s Automotive Service in San Leandro, CA. John started to earn his ASE certifications early on and began networking with other technicians and shop owners. John was honored among eleven others as an Auto Care/ASE World Technician in 2015. In order to be considered for this award, you must hold at least 22 ASE certifications. John currently has 49 certifications and he is working on the 50th.John Bridgwater has a very interesting story on his rise to shop ownership. He started in 1987 and became a shop owner in January 2015. John actually was recruited by a shop in the bay area that he and his wife eventually purchased. He waited a long time for the right opportunity. Listen to John’s episode 117 and the Academy #35 on Supplier Loyalty- The Service Professional Perspective.
Matthew Skundrich Started working at a shop 11 years ago to help pay his way thru college. After finishing his degree in Biblical Studies, he never left the automotive world. Matthew started Mobile Advanced Diagnostics & Programming 2.5 years ago. As a diagnostician, he often tells people that he is a professional button pusher.

Helping automotive aftermarket professionals improve; one lesson at a time.
Talking Points:
Making employees supply tools is an outdated tradition, based on poor understanding of economics and is commonplace for all the wrong reasons.
FACT: Shop owners are already paying for their employee tools, and at a super inflated premium with a ton of interest to boot.
Pete does buy his technicians tools.
In California, you are required to pay double the minimum wage if the tech provides his own tools. For John Bridgwater when the minimum goes to $15/hour, $30/hour will be a challenge for a start-up tech.
There is a lot of ideas on how to approach this. A few hybrid ideas discussed.
In Pete’s shop, not everyone has a GM water pump socket or a Honda balancer pulley holder. These are tools that are not needed every day.
They have extra sets
For the right tech, he would make an exception. If the fit was right.

John Bridgwater would not have a problem dropping $10,000 in a small box for a tech.
Widens the pool of available candidates; including allowing auto shops to pull talent from other trades as well as drawing young sharp greenhorns into the trade. There are some very intelligent folks in other trades that could be repurposed as auto technicians with very little training. A major factor blocking this talent from flowing into our trade is the investment of tooling to get started.
If you work on aircraft, forklifts, big generators you can fix cars.
Having tools for your tech expands the overall search spectrum to find special talent.

Other trades are shopping our trade.
The knowledge base for our trade is electronics, fluid dynamics, and engineering.

Tools can lock a tech in until this concept catches on.
When the debt of the tool truck is lifted you get a better team member.
When the shop provides all the specialty tools you need to have them cataloged so everyone knows where they are located to not waste time finding the special tools.
Number drawers and shelves and reference a list

Specialty tools is a good way to Segway into providing all tools.
Multiple scan tools, a scope, multi-meters are a good start.

Improving shop efficacy, assign each tech a rolling cart with all the basics and then all special tools reside in a master cabinet. Every tech is similarly equipped and no more time wasted on the tool truck
A side-work discussion
Can and will devalue the market.
You are devaluing your knowledge or skill to the market.
We may need the money to pay the tool bill and to have cash.
You need to budget and live within your means.
A lot of side work is to help people who cannot afford. Matt Skundrich like to help single moms with their transportation but disagrees with doing side work every moment a tech is at home.
75% of techs in the industry are doing side work.
They have the skill and the time to do it.
The buddy network is alive and well to help friends.
Work-life balance is important to families today.
Pete used side work to help create his business. It is tough not to.
Being a dad and a husband is now important to him.
As long as your work does not affect my shop.

It takes more than money to retain your team.
Tools and equipment.
Once the rest of the industry catches up this will not be that big of an attraction.

401K, Health Benefits.
Holidays, Lunches.

Tools must be on a personal budget.
The wife needs to be your partner.
Start learning how to pay cash for your tools

What is in the best interest for your shop will guide how you tackle this tactic.

Link to Pete Rudloff’s Article in AutoInc Magazine
Be socially involved and in touch with the show:
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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
42 min
October 04, 2017THA 035: Supplier Loyalty- The Service Professional Perspective
Learn from your industry peers in a round-table forum. Get new ideas, perspectives, trends, insights, best-practices and expertise from aftermarket professionals.
Watch like a DOCUMENTARY … Learn like a SEMINAR.
Helping automotive aftermarket professionals improve; one lesson at a time.
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 in episode 39, 69, 100, 200, 118, and 226. Also hear Bill in Town Hall Academy 29 – Are We Too Dependent on Being Independent?, and Academy #12 What Keeps You Up at Night, and Academy #6 Managing a Negative On-Line Review
John Eppstein is the owner of John’s Automotive Care in San Diego, CA since 1998, admits he was a better tech than a businessman but did something about it. One thing he credits for his success is making his customer his main focus. John was honored as the 2016 NAPA ASE Technician of the year. Hear John in our one on one interview in episode 119, 200 and Academy 003 on the Top Qualities of a Service Advisor.
John Bridgwater and his wife own Wright’s Automotive Service in San Leandro, CA. John started to earn his ASE certifications early on and began networking with other technicians and shop owners. John was honored among eleven others as an Auto Care/ASE World Technician in 2015. In order to be considered for this award, you must hold at least 22 ASE certifications. John currently has 49 certifications and he is working on the 50th.
John Bridgwater has a very interesting story on his rise to shop ownership. He started in 1987 and became a shop owner in January 2015. John actually was recruited by a shop in the bay area that he and his wife eventually purchased. He waited a long time for the right opportunity. Listen to John’s episode 117.
Talking points:
From Simon Sinek:
Loyalty is when people are willing to turn down a better product or a better price to continue doing business with you. Loyal customers often don’t even bother to research the competition or entertain other options.
Bill Nalu, John Bridgwater and John Eppstein have a strong first call relationship.
The service professional wants a strong e-commerce system but still need a good person on the phone for some tough situations.
They do talk to someone when there is a problem with availability or delivery times.

Warranty is important.
John Bridgwater funds his own warranty so the brand and type of parts he uses are important.

We need to get more product features and benefits from our manufactures to give great insights to the customer to let them know why we use certain products.
Reward your suppliers who regard your business by showing you they care every day.
Service professionals are proud to have high labor rates yet know that they are the best price in town because they repair the vehicle right the first time and install top quality parts.
These service professionals are extending their warranties and do appreciate any help they can get for their customer.
What is in the best interest of the customer will dictate if the shop will use a brand or a second line.
Delivery Service. Some suppliers have used an Amazon driver. Uber is an option.
Suppliers should consider hiring on demand for deliveries.
We are in a race for time.
We want to explain the ‘Why Much’ and ‘How Much’ we need for service.

We are in a race to supply as much value to our customer as possible and need the support of the supplier to get this done.

Suppliers see a much larger view of the service professionals needs, therefore should bring solutions.
You’ve got to sit with your supplier and understand their wants and needs. In a good partnership, support travels both ways.
Trust is the genesis of the relationship.
We must embrace the suppliers and manufacturers that are taking care of the service professional.
Suppliers that support the needs and success of their customers will win in the long run.
The service professional needs to support the supplier that care about giving them support beyond product and service.

We need to bring a friend to all supplier training. The top tier continues to learn. The next level must embrace learning and support.
We talked about Amazon.
Could they elevate the industry and bring referrals to shops?
Everyone is chasing price so this may not happen if the consumer feels they know exactly what they need. Who is telling them this?

A business model consideration is to sell parts at cost and make it on labor.
This takes the price transparency out of the equation.

Would you change your supplier?
These relationships are like a marriage. Except that there are always rough spots.
Yes, if they do not respond to issues that never get solved.
Yes, if communication breaks down consistently.
If you have the number of the CEO or any manager level person along with the store manager. You should be able to explain issues and needs.
If they don’t suit your needs. Sometimes you change friends when things change.

Be socially involved and in touch with the show:
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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
53 min

About Town Hall Academy - Archive

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Single-subject Town Hall Format from a panel of aftermarket professionals sharing their knowledge and best practices. The ‘Academy’ is a learning summit for the automotive aftermarket professional.

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