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Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?
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By Joe Marconi in Joe's BlogI recently spoke with a friend of mine who owns a large general repair shop in the Midwest. His father founded the business in 1975. He was telling me that although he’s busy, he’s also very frustrated. When I probed him more about his frustrations, he said that it’s hard to find qualified technicians. My friend employs four technicians and is looking to hire two more. I then asked him, “How long does a technician last working for you.” He looked puzzled and replied, “I never really thought about that, but I can tell that except for one tech, most technicians don’t last working for me longer than a few years.”
Judging from personal experience as a shop owner and from what I know about the auto repair industry, I can tell you that other than a few exceptions, the turnover rate for technicians in our industry is too high. This makes me think, do we have a technician shortage or a retention problem? Have we done the best we can over the decades to provide great pay plans, benefits packages, great work environments, and the right culture to ensure that the techs we have stay with us?
Finding and hiring qualified automotive technicians is not a new phenomenon. This problem has been around for as long as I can remember. While we do need to attract people to our industry and provide the necessary training and mentorship, we also need to focus on retention. Having a revolving door and needing to hire techs every few years or so costs your company money. Big money! And that revolving door may be a sign of an even bigger issue: poor leadership, and poor employee management skills.
Here’s one more thing to consider, for the most part, technicians don’t leave one job to start a new career, they leave one shop as a technician to become a technician at another shop. The reasons why they leave can be debated, but there is one fact that we cannot deny, people don’t quit the company they work for, they usually leave because of the boss or manager they work for.
Put yourselves in the shoes of your employees. Do you have a workplace that communicates, “We appreciate you and want you to stay!”
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By carmcapriotto
Thanks to our Partners, AAPEX, NAPA TRACS, and Automotive Management Network Recorded at the 21st annual TST Big Event, Sherwood Cooke shares his journey of running his business for 28 years, his success with social media, especially TikTok, under the moniker 'The Professor,' and the impact of digital content on attracting a wide customer base even from hours away. Discover the evolution of Cooke's business practices, the significance of ethical service, community engagement and how to build a team culture through understanding and investment in people's lives. Sherwood Cooke, Royalty Auto Service, St Marys, GA. Show Notes
Living in Saint Mary's (00:00:35) Discussion about the location of Saint Mary's, Georgia. Sherwood's experience with social media (00:00:57) Sherwood's success on TikTok and YouTube. Deathtrap of the month (00:03:43) Discussion about a series featuring problematic cars. Client vs. customer (00:04:44) Sherwood's business philosophy on treating customers as clients. Challenges and benefits of social media (00:08:21) The time-consuming nature of social media and its impact on business. Starting a business with limited resources (00:10:23) Sherwood's humble beginnings and journey to success. Evolution of business model (00:13:25) Transitioning to a more sophisticated and higher-priced service model. Business principles and pricing strategy (00:14:08) The impact of pricing and service offerings on client base. Business Acquisition (00:17:23) Sherwood's experience of seizing a business opportunity and the importance of proactivity in business growth. Future Store Plans (00:19:13) Discussion about the potential opening of a third store in Florida and the patience required in business expansion. Family Involvement (00:22:14) Sherwood's family involvement in his business. Junior Technician Program (00:24:22) Sherwood's initiative to involve children in learning about automotive repair through hands-on experience. Ice Hockey Coaching (00:26:07) Sherwood's experience coaching ice hockey and the impact on his life and his son's involvement in the sport. Participation Trophies (00:28:16) Discussion on participation trophies and the impact on children's motivation and memories. Stay Out of the Rabbit Hole (00:29:44) Sherwood's class on avoiding pitfalls in automotive diagnostics and the importance of self-awareness and common sense. Making People's Lives Easier (00:32:38) Sherwood discusses the importance of making people's lives easier, including clients, team members, and vendors. Creating a Positive Culture (00:34:17) Sherwood emphasizes the significance of building a positive culture within the team and the time it takes to create it. Hiring Process (00:35:50) Sherwood explains his unique five-interview hiring process, including interviews with him, his son, and a team member, as well as meeting with the candidate's family. Weeding Out Unethical Behavior (00:37:05) Sherwood shares a story about weeding out unethical behavior during the hiring process and the importance of integrity in candidates. Learning from Hiring Mistakes (00:41:50) Sherwood and Carm discuss the importance of learning from hiring mistakes and the need to evolve in the hiring process. Thanks to our Partners, AAPEX, NAPA TRACS, and Automotive Management Network Set your sights on Las Vegas in 2024. Mark your calendar now … November 5th-7th, 2024. AAPEX - Now more than ever. And don’t miss the next free AAPEX webinar. Register now at http://AAPEXSHOW.COM/WEBINAR NAPA TRACS will move your shop into the SMS fast lane with onsite training and six days a week of support and local representation. Find NAPA TRACS on the Web at http://napatracs.com/ Get ready to grow your business with the Automotive Management Network: Find on the Web at http://AftermarketManagementNetwork.com for information that can help you move your business ahead and for the free and informative http://LaborRateTracker.com Connect with the Podcast: -Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RemarkableResultsRadioPodcast/ -Join Our Private Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1734687266778976 -Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/carmcapriotto -Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmcapriotto/ -Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/remarkableresultsradiopodcast/ -Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RResultsBiz -Visit the Website: https://remarkableresults.biz/ -Join our Insider List: https://remarkableresults.biz/insider -All books mentioned on our podcasts: https://remarkableresults.biz/books -Our Classroom page for personal or team learning: https://remarkableresults.biz/classroom -Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/carm -The Aftermarket Radio Network: https://aftermarketradionetwork.com -Special episode collections: https://remarkableresults.biz/collections
Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio
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By carmcapriotto
Can Marketing "Even Out" The Workload?
Thank you to RepairPal for sponsoring The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast. Learn more about RepairPal at https://repairpal.com/shops
Show Notes
We often hear people say their marketing should “even out the workload,” but can it do that? There are peaks and valleys throughout the year. That’s just life. It’s hard to market to make a specific time busy Marketing lifts the peaks and the valleys, but it can easily lift the peaks higher and the valleys not quite as much SCHEDULING can even out the workload, or fill in the slow times Scheduling long-time clients for the slow times Scheduling the next visit like a dentist does Can you do time specific campaigns? State fair campaign Back-to-school campaign Pre-trip inspections before summer and the holidays
How To Get In Touch
Group - Auto Repair Marketing Mastermind
Website - shopmarketingpros.com
Facebook - facebook.com/shopmarketingpros
Get the Book - shopmarketingpros.com/book
Instagram - @shopmarketingpros
Questions/Ideas - [email protected]
Lagniappe (Books, Links, Other Podcasts, etc)
Canva - Mood Boards
Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio
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By carmcapriotto
Thanks to our Partner, NAPA TRACS and AutoFix Auto Shop Coaching Dive into the intricate process behind the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification exams. Sharing personal experiences as SMEs for the ASE exams, the panelists discussed the challenges and learning opportunities involved in the process. Matt Fanslow, Riverside Automotive, Red Wing, MN, Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z Podcast Bryan Pollock, Willco Auto Care, Sanborn, NY and Lockport, NY Scot Manna, ACDelco Technician of the Millennium. Scot’s previous episodes HERE.
Another ASE Rant [E091]: https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/episode/091 ASE Renewal App Rant [E105]: https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/episode/105 The importance of ASE test questions (00:00:01) Discussion about the extensive work and expertise required to create high-quality test questions for ASE certification exams. ASE's role in setting pass rates (00:02:07) Explanation of how ASE organizes workshops to determine pass rates and exam difficulty, with input from industry representatives. Challenges of writing test questions (00:03:30) Discussion on the difficulty of creating distractors and the extensive effort required to write and vet test questions. Role of subject matter experts (00:06:21) Insights into the qualities of a good subject matter expert and their importance in contributing to the test question writing process. Educational opportunities of ASE exams (00:10:46) Explanation of how ASE exams provide educational opportunities for technicians to identify areas for improvement and further training. Qualities of a good subject matter expert (00:15:36) Discussion about the qualities and skills needed for a subject matter expert, including formal education and practical experience. Experience is Key (00:18:44) Importance of real-world experience in writing test questions and the value of subject matter experts. Communication and Mix of Expertise (00:19:47) The importance of communication skills and the mix of engineering and field experience in test writing. Ensuring Fair and Effective Questions (00:22:41) The process of discarding or refining questions to ensure fairness and effectiveness in testing. Creating Plausible Answers (00:23:17) The challenge of creating plausible answers and the goal of not tricking test takers. Different Philosophies in Testing (00:35:19) Contrasting philosophies between the ASE renewal app and traditional exams, focusing on education vs. pass/fail. The process of taking tests (00:36:46) Discussion on the feedback provided after answering test questions and its educational value for technicians. Importance of continuous learning (00:37:42) Emphasizing the value of taking tests as an opportunity for education and the need for continuous learning in the automotive industry. Advancements in automotive technology (00:38:06) Highlighting the rapid advancements in automotive technology and the necessity for technicians to stay updated through education and testing. Responsibilities of subject matter experts (00:40:38) The panel discusses the responsibility and honor of being a subject matter expert and the importance of the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) organization. Challenges in writing test questions (00:41:11) The difficulties and learning experiences involved in writing test questions, including the importance of embracing voluntary certification. The impact of COVID-19 on training workshops (00:52:16) The loss of intimacy and networking opportunities due to the shift from live in-person workshops to online formats, with a plea to bring back in-person workshops.
Thanks to our Partner, NAPA TRACS NAPA TRACS will move your shop into the SMS fast lane with onsite training and six days a week of support and local representation. Find NAPA TRACS on the Web at http://napatracs.com/ Thanks to our Partner, Auto-Fix Auto Shop Coaching Proven Auto Shop Coaching with Results. Over 61 Million in ROI with an Average ROI of 9x. Find Coach Chris Cotton at AutoFix Auto Shop Coaching on the Web at https://autoshopcoaching.com/ Connect with the Podcast: -Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RemarkableResultsRadioPodcast/ -Join Our Private Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1734687266778976 -Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/carmcapriotto -Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmcapriotto/ -Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/remarkableresultsradiopodcast/ -Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RResultsBiz -Visit the Website: https://remarkableresults.biz/ -Join our Insider List: https://remarkableresults.biz/insider -All books mentioned on our podcasts: https://remarkableresults.biz/books -Our Classroom page for personal or team learning: https://remarkableresults.biz/classroom -Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/carm -The Aftermarket Radio Network: https://aftermarketradionetwork.com -Special episode collections: https://remarkableresults.biz/collections
Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio
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By carmcapriotto
Matt Fanslow tackles the misunderstood relationship between profit and greed in business. He references the YouTube Short "Farmer Does the Right Thing on Shark Tank," using the comments section as a springboard to discuss public perceptions of profit.
Show Notes
The association of profit with greed (00:00:11) Matt discusses the perception of profit as a negative concept and its association with greed in business. YouTube short "Farmer Does the Right Thing Shark Tank" (00:01:14) Matt talks about a YouTube short video featuring a farmer's product pitch on Shark Tank. Challenges in justifying pricing to customers (00:03:41) Matt discusses the difficulties businesses face in justifying their prices to customers and the need to educate them about the value provided. Misconceptions about profit and pricing (00:06:21) Matt addresses the misconceptions regarding profit margins, and pricing strategies. Tackling the association of profit with greed (00:14:36) Matt explores strategies for addressing the negative association of profit with greed and the importance of educating customers about business operations.
Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Autotech napaautotech.com
Email Matt: [email protected]
Diagnosing the Aftermarket A - Z YouTube Channel HERE
Aftermarket Radio Network: https://aftermarketradionetwork.com/
Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio
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