Building a Winning Scoreboard For Your Auto Repair Shop [RR 1098]
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About this episode
Thanks to our Partners, NAPA Auto Care and NAPA TRACS Watch Full Video EpisodeWhat if your shop operated like a championship team, where everyone knew…
Key takeaways
- —Gamification can boost employee engagement and performance in automotive shops.
- —Identifying the root cause of business problems is crucial before implementing solutions.
- —Visible scoreboards can motivate staff and track performance effectively.
- —Encouraging team involvement in goal-setting fosters a collaborative culture.
- —Regularly reviewing performance metrics helps identify areas for improvement.
Frequently asked
- What is gamification and how can it benefit my shop?
- Gamification involves applying game-like elements to business processes to enhance engagement and motivation. It can lead to improved performance and a more enjoyable work environment.
- How do I identify the real problems affecting my shop's performance?
- Start by analyzing key metrics and observing daily operations. Engage with your team to gather insights and ensure you're addressing the actual issues rather than assumptions.
- What should I include on a performance scoreboard?
- Include metrics like car count, average repair order, and technician hours. Make sure these are visible to everyone and allow team members to record their results.
▸Full transcript
This is the Automotive Repair Podcast Network. Hey everybody, Carm Capriato, Remarkable Results Radio. Good to see you as always on a weekly basis with the Remarkable Results Podcast. And of course, each and every Friday afternoon, we, we do the Town Hall Academy with me and a multiple bunch of guests, and we actually broadcast that out at 2:00 PM on social media every Friday.
And Of course, you'll find it on our wonderful listening app. Anybody know about that? I hope you do. My God, it's the coolest everything in one place for your smartphone. The ultimate professional automotive playlist that I love to call it. We got this really neat new URL. How about this? arpn.app. What's ARPN stand for? The Automotive Repair Podcast Network. Please put that app on your phone and have fun with it, just like I do.
We have a really cool episode picked out for you that my friend Jerry Frank is going to be with us. We're going to talk about gamification. We've done episodes on this before, and I think you've heard a lot about it. Jerry's got this really unique way to look at it. And since Jerry is a coach, I'll introduce him in a sec. This is Coffee with Carm and a Coach.
Take your NAPA Autocare Center to the next level with the NAPA Autocare Gold Certified Program. Gold Certified Shops Well, they stand out, build trust, and enjoy exclusive benefits designed to drive business growth. Contact your NAPA representative today to get started with Gold Certified. Hey, did you know that NAPA TRAX has onsite training plus 6 days a week support? It all starts when a local representative meets with you to learn about your business and how you run it.
After all, it's your shop, so it's your choice. Let us prove to you that TRAX is the single best shop management system in the business. Find NAPA TRAX on the web. At napatracs.com. Let me introduce Jerry Frank to you. Hello, Jerry. Hi, Carm. Thanks for having me. Oh, I'm glad you're here. He's from serviceadvisortraining.com and also maverickshopowners.com, and we sure appreciate Maverick and Service Advisor.
Maverick sponsors— is a partner with Hunt, and you're a partner with Craig O'Neill on our network. We appreciate that. And before we even get going, let me give just high fives and kudos to your wife, Laura Frank, and of course, Leanne Best, who created Breaks for Breast. And I know that the amount of money over the years is $2.4 million to the Cleveland Clinic.
We were there just about a month ago. I missed you. You were busy doing stuff. Yeah, I, I had a ball joint, I called it, actually my hip replaced not that long ago. So. Uh, yeah, I was kind of in, in a little pain back then. You didn't wanna hold us up. I get it. Okay. Well, anyway, Jerry's here with us to talk about gamifying your business for maximum results and profit.
So anyway, before we get into that, what's on your mind? What's going on with shop owners today, Jerry? Yeah. You know, there's, there's a lot of different things. You know, there's this thing called AI that can be a good thing or a bad thing, and that's out there. So, you know, I see a lot of that. You know, sometimes people want to delegate everything to AI, like answering their phones.
I'm not a big fan of that because we lose the relationship in some of that stuff. I think that that's super important. But, you know, shops are doing great, shops are doing well. Our members are really crushing it. And, you know, after— Carmen, I've been doing this for 35 years. You know, we have a wonderful industry that we're in. It's recession-proof. Good economy, bad economy, low gas prices, high gas prices.
We always tend to thrive. So what a wonderful industry. Yeah, we have our ups and downs, no doubt. But the people that pay attention deeply to their business, I mean, they're engaged with it. They're in the, you know, deep end of the pool with their business. They see the trends, but they're never as deep as some other people. Actually, their highs are pretty high when they get there.
I know that for sure. Oh, you sold your shop, what, about a year ago? It's been 3 years just recently. 3 years in March. Yeah, it seems like only yesterday, you know, but yeah, after, uh, 35 years. I missed counting on that. Well, look, let's jump in. You were telling me about a great story about a bowling night you had. Yeah, so, you know, I guess that's where the light bulb kind of went off with me.
At the time, we had 2 shops. And, you know, we always like to do some fun things with the staff and the employees. So maybe 4 or 5 times a year, we've done all kinds of things from, you know, go-karts and ball games. But we had a lot of bowlers. I like to bowl. So sometimes when the boss likes to bowl, that's where we're going, right?
We're going to go to the bowling alley and we're going to have some fun one evening. And we did that. And what really struck me was, you know, we had maybe 15 folks there from our 2 shops and the competitiveness, just kind of the light bulb went off. I mean, with every strike, they're high-fiving, you know, the guys, the gals, everybody was really into it.
And I guess they don't like to lose, they like to win. But driving home that night when I saw that, I asked myself, you know, how do I bring this to the shop? I can see how competitive they are. How do I bring a little bit of that back into the shop and kind of make a game out of some of it, have some fun too?
What you did is something that I talk about a lot, and that is from my mentor years ago, always told me every time he saw me, beginning of the conversation and the end of the conversation, "Karm, pay attention." And I think it helped fine-tune my intuition, Jerry. And what you're telling me about this is you saw something, you felt something, and you said, how can I make this a part of our culture?
And how can I bring that competitive nature to the shop? And I think if more of us concentrated on paying attention to the things around us, the same kind of things will happen to them for sure. Yeah. So keep your eyes open, you know. And sometimes I think some of the problems with— at least it was for me as a shop owner— sometimes you're, you know, knee-deep in it and you don't see what's happening around you.
So before we get into gamification, we really need to stop and figure out what's the real problem. Yeah. And I think that's— a mentor of mine told me once, you know, often we want the prescription, right? Imagine just walking into the doctor's office and, you know, they've got a garbage can full of pills and say, here, take one of these, that's going to work.
It doesn't work that way. I love Mike Michalowicz, the author Mike Michalowicz. I've had him on the show, you know. Yes, I remember. But in one of his books, he said the biggest problem most business owners face is they don't know what their biggest problem is. Man, that always stuck with me. You can't give a prescription to a problem you haven't identified.
I want our listeners to think about that sometimes because, you know, often we jump to the problem. Yeah, I know what it is. But we haven't really thought about it to really kind of dig deep into it. So wait a minute. Are you telling me that 2 aspirins, call me in the morning doesn't work? It doesn't work. No. All right. I love it.
So obviously a lot of the problems that people may have, low car count, maybe billable hours, you know, an ARO issue, you gotta stop and look at that. Yeah. All of that. You know, I can give you just a, just a few examples, you know, low car count. Right? I mean, as soon as we have, you know, a shop struggles with car count, right away they jump to conclusions.
Again, not diagnosing the problem. Right away they think maybe it's the economics, bad economy, I got a, you know, bad location, you know, I need to spend more in marketing. And the problem could be right in front of them. You know, have you been listening to your phone calls? I know for me, a quick story, we were spending money trying to get the car count up in the shops.
And one day, my CSR called off sick. And my lovely wife, Laura, went in and answered the phones in the shop. And guess what? For that week, we didn't have a car count problem. You know, plenty of cars. Lo and behold, I found my service advisor was kind of throttling the car count, right? We're too busy, don't take anything in. And here I am as the shop owner, Spending money trying to get the car count up.
So that's a great example of what I mean. You gotta really try to diagnose the problem before you offer the prescription. Too bad there wasn't some kind of device, you know, like a PicoScope you can put on the business. Yeah. Don't we wish there are, but that's maybe for another episode. There's some things I really watch closely. Wait, wait, love Jerry be your PicoScope.
I get it. I get it. Yeah. You know, another great example is low billable hours, right? Everybody tells me, I hear it as a coach, you know, I got to get my hours up, you know, and they tend to want to blame it on the technician. You know, I've got a lazy tech. This guy's just unmotivated. And often it's not that at all.
Again, not being able to really kind of dig in there and diagnose the problem. The question I always think, or I kind of chuckle about, you know, Maybe they are always hiring techs, right? And they've got these techs that are stuck in that 30 to 35 hour a week, billable hours a week mode, you know. And I say, doesn't it seem like you keep hiring and firing the same guy?
Maybe it's not the tech, you know. Maybe there's something else going on in the shop. Totally get it. And, uh, you know, how do you deal with a person who doesn't have any net profit? Oh boy. Yeah, well, again, I'm a numbers guy, and you know that, Carm. So I like to kind of look back at numbers and really kind of get a look at what's going on.
Great example, I can remember years ago I'd get my P&L in the mail. Back then email wasn't around, or not so much. My accountant would actually email or mail me, you know, the financial statement. Mine would deliver it to me. Oh, that's nice. That's better yet. You know, right away we jump to the bottom line. Hey, what's on the bottom? Net profit.
You know, we went there and it's like I either made money or I didn't make money. Well, you should know that long before your P&L ever comes. The real answer is way above the line. You know, what's going on in your business? How are the margins? You know, the car count, the average repair order, all of that. There's a lot that goes into net profit.
And sometimes it's not doing more. You know, usually we try to fix it by doing more, more cars, you know, more techs, more bays. And sometimes the answer isn't that, it's just kind of focusing maybe on that profitability side. Imagine having an efficient, well-running, high-speed horsepower engine. I actually mean shop. Wow. All cylinders, good gas, wide open carburetor. I'm aging myself. And on both sides of that equation, you know, I mean, I can remember years ago working, you know, 60 hours a week and barely eking out a living at this business.
And then, you know, you fast forward a little bit as you start to, you know, figure things out and kind of really understand what's happening in business, you know, to working, you know, I don't wanna say very little, but working on more building the business, you know, than working in it. All right. So once we know we figured out what the problem is, then how do you build a game around that?
When I think about any game. A game needs a good scoreboard. I'm a football fan. I know you're a Buffalo Bills fan. I'm that Cleveland Browns fan, kind of stuck in limbo all the time. Oh, but stop, Jerry, for one moment. Currently, at this moment right now, I'm a Buffalo Sabres fan. We're in round 2 as we record this, but go ahead.
But, you know, you look at a football team and, you know, the players are there on the field and all of them look up and they can see everything they need to see in that scoreboard. Are we winning or losing the game? You know, what do we have to do? In a hockey game, you know, they can pull the goalie. There's things they can do to try to change the odds.
So you need a scoreboard. It's got to be visible to everybody. I think there's some key pieces in that. But, you know, the first part is you got to have the scoreboard and put it where they can see it. The second part, you know, a lot of times when I think about a scoreboard, is can the players influence the score? Can they do something about it?
You want to improve cart count? Well, that's maybe not something a technician can do. She doesn't have control over that number. So the player's got to be able to influence the score. And then lastly, I think, and it's a big one, have the players record their results. Right? So many times I see a business owner keeping score. That defeats the purpose. Have your service advisor write down the score.
Have your technicians write down the score for what they're responsible. Something magical happens when they write it down. Because they're hunting for a number or a level of proficiency or something that they are supposed to do in order to get the score to work. Shop manager can manage that. I don't want to jump too far ahead, but right now, if they— I'm thinking that they need to know their role in this scoreboard.
In a game, if I'm a defenseman, if I'm on offense, whatever my role is, the kicker, the goalie, I've got to solidly know my role. Now, in sports, paying— they're getting paid all kinds of money. They're rehearsing and practicing every single day. Now, in a shop, What is your role in this gamification piece? Or actually, what is your role in the shop and how do we take that to a new level?
Because we're going to actually pull numbers for it. They got to know the role. Yeah, for sure. And you know, the other thing I think about, like when my team goes home, when that technician goes home at the end of the day, did he win? Does he even know? Often that's not the case. Is there a level of satisfaction that they could feel You know, entering that vehicle, driving home, God, I had a great day.
We met our goals. We didn't meet 'em 100%, but we're on our way. You know, we've had a couple of stumbles today. Tomorrow will be better. I mean, those are positive attitudes to have. Yeah, for sure. You know, I think sometimes when you talk about the roles, right, you can't be that jack of all trades, right? Sometimes we want to do that, but who's responsible for what?
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That's N-A-P-A-T-R-A-C-S dot com. Let's go back to the shop again. You guys were very instrumental in Breaks for Breasts, and it was always that October month. Did you ever publish the Breaks for Breasts goals or how many brake jobs you did that were counting toward that? Breaks for Breasts is a great example because it's so much deeper than just an activity at the shop or sales in the shop.
I think it's personal. Just so many people. But we would have a giant thermometer in our shop. We wanted to do 100 brake jobs. So at the top, you know, we would have 100. That was the goal. And then, you know, along the left side, we would have the dates. How many weeks are we going to do it? You know, the whole month of October.
And then every day we would write down when we got a brake job, right? We would write it down and ring the bell. Everybody in the shop heard the bell ring. We hit the brake job. You know, we sold the brake job. And then we recorded it. We had one of those giant fathead posters, I think is what it's called, right on our office door.
You know, it really gamified everything. Everybody could get behind it. And then of course, there was something in it for everybody if we hit our goals. So— No kidding. Well, that's kind of cool to hear that. I like that. Did the clients see the scoreboard? The clients didn't in that particular example. It was more for the team. But often what the clients might see is, you know, we would have them fill out a little paper represent all over the office.
Yeah, yeah, all over the office. Yeah, I've seen them. And the really cool thing about breaksforbreasts.com is that all this marketing material is available there, and they— zero money is taken. Zero money. I don't mean to belabor and do a, an advertisement for Breaks for Breasts because I'm so honored to be at the Cleveland Clinic to, for the check presentation, but zero, 100% goes to the Cleveland Clinic.
And there are trials. First trials are, are over with very, very successful positivity. They've gotten ready. They're going for the phase 2 of the trials. This thing is on fire. And if you guys hadn't found this wonderful laboratory inside the Cleveland Clinic 11, 12 years ago, Wow. Gets me emotional to think about it. Got nothing to do with me. It's all of the, the— I know it's the girls, ladies that, that got it all going.
So just walk me through specific numbers that you would put on a scoreboard as an example. For my service advisor, we would put various numbers on there, big whiteboard. We would have things like car count, margins, what the goal was, you know, car count. Margins, average repair order. I'm gonna talk a little bit about something with average repair order in just a moment because I think it's, it's huge.
But again, if we hit the number, we wrote it down for every day. What were the results every day? Service advisor would write it down. If we hit the number, we'd use a green, you know, right on a dry erase board, a green marker. If we didn't, we would use a red. So it was very obvious. But so many times what we would uncover is maybe the advisor would say, man, we had a slow week.
You know, we'll define slow. You know, we took a look at it. Maybe it wasn't a car count problem. What maybe it was an average repair order problem. So, you know, some things that we might want to do with that for the technician, I had the technician record their hours every day. When they were done every day, they knew kind of what was expected of them and they would record their hours.
We would even have a top dog trophy at the end of the month. Whatever tech, you know, same trophy, we just moved it from toolbox to toolbox, you know, but it was a little bit of a bragging right. So there's a lot of different things to track, but one of the things I always feel like you have to kind of start with is stories.
I think stories around everything, that's the why in a business. And a quick example, if I might, use a quick story that I've used this with the shop owners that I coach and all of that, but the light bulb goes off for folks. So billable hours, I mentioned billable hours. How the heck do we get our billable hours up? And one of the stories I use in the shop to start this whole thing, maybe tracking technician hours, I take a nice little Amazon box, 4 sides, just a plain old box.
And on one side I write $150, right? Talking about this in the meeting, here's this box, $150. And I said, let's say this box represented a $150 part that's gone missing, right? Core, alternator, you know, whatever it is, right? It got delivered, I'm reviewing the invoices and it's gone. I know We would be what I call dumpster diving for it, right? What happened to it?
We'd be looking for it. And I get everybody to agree. Now I turn the box around and guess what's on the other side? It says 1 hour, pretty much the same dollar amount, right? $150. Maybe your average labor rate's $150. I'm just using that for an example. Why don't we look for that? Yeah. You also lost the cost of the part plus maybe the, the hour that it took to put it on.
Right. Is that what you're saying? Yeah. Yeah. But, uh, you know, I, I think the why is always important. So absolutely. We try to do that. In fact, the why, that 3-letter word in my mind, you know, after I've read Simon Sinek and we've done shows on why, and so many coaches come on and talk about why every time I look at an issue or talk to people, I always think of why.
So why? And if you keep drilling down into the why, you will find something that will finally be relatable to the individual who may not get and understand, because there's always a why behind things. And another comment that I have, and I'd like to know from you, if in these scoreboards that say there's one for back of shop, one for front of shop, I believe that the back of shop people that know what the goals or the scoreboard is for front of shop and front to back makes them more engaged in creating a total comprehensive business.
Yeah, most definitely. We reviewed all of that on a weekly meeting. And, you know, weekly meetings are very, very important. Often we would have even a team member lead the weekly meeting, but that's what we would go over, the results. What else is— I don't want to say what else is there, maybe that's not the right statement, but think about a sports team.
We talked about gamifying this business, right? What happens? Your football team, your hockey team, they're watching tape. They're reviewing their performance. What did we do well? What do we need to do better? And your shop should be no different. Absolutely agreed. And a lot of our people that are in back of shop may not necessarily know why the goals are set for front of shop.
And maybe some of our newer people on our counters don't really understand what the hell we're trying to do in the back of shop. One of the things that I think about a lot is in these scoreboards, and it's public to everyone, there's— does there end up being some competition that isn't healthy? Well, I like healthy competition. I think that that is good.
But of course there is. And, you know, when I say unhealthy, you can't always expect— everybody has to have different goals. So if we're going to use those technician hours as a goal, I may not be able to expect my entry-level tech. I know, Karma, I've got to go to your RISE document to find the proper name for that, right? Every time I hear you say the word technician, I think of the word specialist in my mind.
Yes, yes, specialist. I know. Yes, I know. I gotta wash my mouth out with soap. I forgive you, my friend. But I can't expect the same for every tech. You know, an entry-level specialist isn't going to be the same as a high-level, you know, technician. You know, absolutely. And in those meetings, you can handle That overview. Listen, Bob, you did great this week.
I know you're, you know, you're just a couple of years in this business. You've got, you know, a great career path in front of you. And don't be upset that Charlie, who's been in this for 20 years, is the lead, the board leader. You're going to get there. Yep. Nope. Absolutely. And again, diagnosing where the problem is, it may not be an underperforming technician.
Sometimes I feel so many of those technician productivity problems are a shop problem, a shop efficiency problem. Well, that technician may be there, you know, 40 hours a week, but I only got him underneath the hood of the car 32 hours a week, you know, 8 hours he's missing in action. So you got any stories to tell about— now you've done the Scoreboard and you go back in your mind or talk about a client that you have that they start seeing a behavior change?
Yeah, that's it exactly. You use the word behavior change is really important. I'm going to give you an example for average repair orders. You know, in my opinion, the most important thing if you're going to increase an average repair order is to focus on a couple of areas. Hours presented, in other words, how many hours are we finding per vehicle? Before I reveal what I feel are the good numbers in that area, let's take a look at the cars coming in our shop today.
The average vehicle in the US is approaching 13 years old, 12.8, 12.6, something like that. You know, how many average miles per year are driven? You know, call it 10, 12, 15, but, you know, 100,000 miles or more. You know, we often find what the vehicle brought it in for and maybe the safety issues, but how many of those cars are running around with batteries that are 4 or 5 years old, original spark plugs, all of that.
So we always preach, tell the customer the whole picture, tell them everything. So back to those hours presented, a lot of shops are finding 8 hours or more per vehicle. That measures the quality of the inspection. So if I focus on 8 hours presented per vehicle. I'm going to present all of that to the customer with good photos, good images, that the DVI tells the story.
We've seen average ROEs, you know, go from $400, $500, $600 to doubling that, approaching $1,000 and more, focusing on behaviors. So is that something you want to create a scorecard for? You bet. Okay. So let me go down another lane here. I'm gonna make a right on you. Okay. Gonna make a right. You've got this incredible digital vehicle inspection, this thorough comprehensive vehicle review, which I, I like to call it.
And you are listening to phone calls as an owner or as a coach, and you're seeing where the missed opportunities are. When you do this, or you're working with a, an owner that's listening and, and looking for lost opportunities. How do you turn that around into a positive for a client advisor? Years ago, I can remember going to listen to some motivational speakers when they were doing those tours.
I listened to Lou Holtz, a famous football coach, championships with Notre Dame. I think he just recently passed not that long He did. And I've read a book of his. Yes. Yeah. But man, one of the things he said that stuck out with me is when you're trying to change behavior results, criticize the performance, never the performer. And think about how powerful that statement is, right?
When we're looking at numbers, we're not looking at the person saying, you know, why didn't you hit the numbers? We're looking at The performance, the score on the board, how can we change that? So when you have somebody, you know, maybe underperforming a little bit, the first thing that goes through my mind is let's get it diagnosed, right? Diagnose the problem. And how can I help?
Makes all kinds of sense. Any owner who's listening to this, we've all been in a situation where, good God, you get criticized and you really get down for it on a personal basis. You can do better. I know you, you're not having a great month here, Bob. I saw you do this and you know, the performance wasn't quite up to the specifications that we've always expected from you and that you have inside of you.
That's a completely different way. Yeah. Help me help you to walk away and say, I can be better. You turn the I that you were told to the I can be better. You know, you, you, you instead of I, I, I, and Anyway, that is such a profound statement, and I think we as leaders of our industry need to figure out how is it that I'm going to lift people.
I have to lift them in a positive way, not in a negative way. That's your point? Yep, that's for sure. That's for sure. Yes. And you know, you're always there just like a parent trying to help your child, you know, get better and better. All right, got any great challenges for the shop owners that are listening here? Yeah, I would say pick something, you know, pick one thing.
So you got to start somewhere. We mentioned a few things like make sure that you've got a scoreboard that's visible. Make sure that the player is the one who's actually recording the score. I mentioned stories. I think you got to have a story with everything. Make it interesting. That's how you got to gamify it. You know, so, you know, pick one, start somewhere, and start to create that game into your shop.
No doubt you can lift your culture. You can make this almost segregated individualistic thing into a much better whole. Yeah, involve them in the solution. We started off with that. I mentioned— yeah, and I was just thinking, I don't want anyone to stop and think since the scoreboard is up and it's an individualistic thing, I think, and again, to your point, if everybody is listed and there may be a little competition, it's still part of the whole success of the business and the contributions that they make for that.
Absolutely. Look at any sports, you know, they're not one person. It takes a team. It takes a team. Everyone knows their role. Everybody works to their highest level of competition and they win for the team. Wow. All right. Hey, uh, this was great. Thank you. I think this was a, just a wonderful episode. I think there's a lot of stuff that are going to make our listeners think deep, long, and hard about how to bring gamification in, into their business.
And, uh, and you told us a lot of great stories. Wow. Say hello to Laura Jerry Frank from MaverickShopOwners.com and ServiceAdvisorTraining.com, former shop owner for how many years were you in the shop? Longer than I can count, you know, 35+ years. Yeah. Long time. Another Coffee with Carmen, a Coach episode. Thanks, Jerry. Thanks, Carm, for having me. Appreciate it. Thanks for being on board to listen and learn from the premier automotive repair business podcast, Remarkable Results Radio.
Get your episodic education on the ARPN listing app at automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com. Also enjoy the podcast podcast on our Carm Capriato YouTube channel. Carm is all for advancing the professional automotive service industry. Until next time.
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Watch Full Video Episode *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id="request-WEB:8e59eec7-a235-4fa3-a072-956fea3fe478-7" data-testid="conversation-turn-4" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn="assistant"> *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id="request-WEB:49a777bf-d263-4496-bf0b-2eb3a46ac96a-11" data-testid="conversation-turn-24" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn="assistant"> What does it take to work alongside someone you love, thrive through the pressures of business ownership, and ultimately build a company that can succeed without you? Amy Castro and Kit Lindsay share a story that goes far beyond the challenges of working together as a couple. It’s about communication, boundaries, complementary strengths, succession, and building a business valuable enough to eventually pass into someone else’s hands. What You’ll Learn How couples and family members can successfully work together in businessWhy complementary strengths can become a competitive advantageHow clear boundaries help separate business conversations from personal relationshipsWhy assumptions can become one of the biggest communication problemsHow Kit identified and developed an internal successorThe importance of Kit’s “3 A’s”: Attitude, Aptitude, and AmbitionWhy succession requires owners to mentor future leaders and give them room to leadHow letting go of ego becomes part of a successful transitionWhy building a business that can continue without you creates options for your future Kit operated Lindsay Transmissions for 37 years before selling it to Cody, an employee who originally joined the shop at age 16 sweeping floors. After Cody expressed interest in ownership, they created a plan to develop his business skills and prepare him for the transition. Kit ultimately carried the note, and Cody paid off the business in four years. A successful family business isn't simply about working together. It's about learning how to thrive together while building something that can eventually succeed without you. Amy and Kit show how communication, boundaries, complementary strengths, mentorship, and the willingness to let go can help turn a family business into something worth passing on. Thanks to our Partners: NAPA TRACS, Today's Class, KUKUI, and Pit Crew Loyalty NAPA TRACS will move your shop into the SMS fast lane with onsite training, six days a week of support, and local representation. http://napatracs.com/ Optimize training with Today's Class: In just 5 minutes daily, boost knowledge retention and improve team performance. https://www.todaysclass.com/ Stop juggling multiple marketing tools. KUKUI’s integrated platform delivers 4x better website conversions, automated follow-up, and real-time ROI tracking. https://www.kukui.com/ You’re probably tired of chasing new customers who never return. Pit Crew Loyalty ends the one-and-done cycle, turning first visits into lasting, reliable revenue at https://www.pitcrewloyalty.com/ Connect with the Podcast: Download and Listen on Our Mobile App: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/app/Visit the Website:https://remarkableresults.biz/Subscribe on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/carmcapriottoFollow on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/RemarkableResultsRadioPodcast/Follow on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmcapriotto/Follow on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/remarkableresultsradiopodcast/Join Our Virtual Toastmasters Club:https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersJoin Our Private Facebook Community:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1734687266778976Join our Insider List:https://remarkableresults.biz/insiderAll books mentioned on our podcasts:https://remarkableresults.biz/booksOur Classroom page for personal or team learning:https://remarkableresults.biz/classroomBuy Me a Coffee:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/carmSpecial episode collections:https://remarkableresults.biz/collections The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/ Remarkable Results Radio Podcastwith Carm Capriotto:https://remarkableresults.biz/Automotive Field Theorywith Matt Fanslow https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/<a...
Inside the Role of a Performance and Accountability Team Leader [RR 1110]
Watch Full Video Episode What does a Performance and Accountability Team Leader actually do inside a high-performing auto repair shop? Nate McDonald of Empower Automotive gives us an inside look at a unique leadership position that connects inspections, client experience, team development, performance, and accountability. As Sales Manager, Inspection Team Lead, and Performance & Accountability Lead, Nate isn't managing from behind a desk. He's working alongside his team, performing inspections, shooting videos, checking vehicles, answering questions, coaching younger team members, and looking for opportunities to improve the process. Nate believes accountability becomes easier when you're present. Working side by side with the team creates opportunities for quick conversations, immediate coaching, and reinforcing standards before small issues become bigger ones. What You'll Learn What a Performance and Accountability Team Leader does inside an auto repair shop.Why Nate views his sales responsibility more as hospitality than traditional selling.How working "in the trenches" creates natural coaching opportunities.What Nate has learned from mentoring Gen Z team members.Why mistakes and questions are valuable opportunities for development.How Empower Automotive's daily "Take Five" aligns the entire team before the day begins.How inspections connect the back of the shop with service advisors and the client experience.Why performance numbers are openly discussed with the team.How quick one-on-one conversations reinforce standards and accountability.Why team members should have a voice in improving processes and efficiency. A Performance and Accountability Team Leader doesn't just measure performance. They help create it. Nate's role demonstrates the value of having someone close enough to the work to see what's happening, coach in the moment, reinforce expectations, listen to ideas, and keep the team connected to the purpose behind the process. It's not about waiting for the annual performance review or calling someone into the office every time something goes wrong. Sometimes leadership is a quick conversation behind a vehicle. Sometimes it's answering a question during an inspection. And sometimes it's simply being willing to work alongside your people. Performance and accountability become part of the culture when leadership is present every day. Nate McDonald, Inspection Team Lead and Performance & Accountability Lead, Empower Automotive, Traverse City, Michigan Thanks to our Partners, NAPA Auto Care and NAPA TRACS Learn more about the benefits of being part of the NAPA family by visiting https://www.napaonline.com/en/auto-care NAPA TRACS will move your shop into the SMS fast lane with on-site training and six days a week of support: http://napatracs.com/ Connect with the Podcast: Download Our Mobile App:https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/app/Website:https://remarkableresults.biz/YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/carmcapriottoFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/RemarkableResultsRadioPodcast/LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmcapriotto/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/remarkableresultsradiopodcast/Join Our Virtual Toastmasters Club:https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersJoin Our Private Facebook Community:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1734687266778976Join our Insider List:https://remarkableresults.biz/insiderBooks Page:https://remarkableresults.biz/booksOur Classroom Page:https://remarkableresults.biz/classroomEpisode Collections:https://remarkableresults.biz/collectionsBuy Me a Coffee:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/carm The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/ Remarkable Results Radio Podcastwith Carm Capriotto:https://remarkableresults.biz/Automotive Field TheorywithMatt Fanslow:https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/Business by the NumberswithHunt Demarest: https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/The Auto Repair Marketing Podcastwith Brian and Kim Walker: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/The Weekly Blitzwith Chris Cotton: https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/Speak Up! Effective Communicationwith Craig O'Neill: https://craigoneill.captivate.fm
How to Develop a General Manager for Your Auto Repair Shop [THA 503]
Thanks to our Partners: NAPA TRACS, Today's Class, KUKUI, and Pit Crew Loyalty Watch Full Video Episode *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id="request-WEB:8e59eec7-a235-4fa3-a072-956fea3fe478-7" data-testid="conversation-turn-4" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn="assistant"> *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id="request-WEB:49a777bf-d263-4496-bf0b-2eb3a46ac96a-11" data-testid="conversation-turn-24" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn="assistant"> How does a shop owner find, develop, and trust the right person to become their number two? Shawn Gilfillan, owner and CEO of Automotive Magic, and Will Barkiewicz, General Manager and Integrator, share the evolution of a leadership partnership that started when Will applied for a technician position. Shawn quickly recognized something beyond Will's technical abilities. Their values around family, trust, service, and taking care of people aligned. Will eventually moved from running the maintenance center to becoming General Manager over both locations and the Integrator Shawn had been looking for. Their story demonstrates that developing a number two isn't about finding another version of the owner. It's about finding someone with complementary strengths, then building the trust that allows both leaders to grow into their roles. What You'll Learn Why core values can matter more than someone's original job title.How the Visionary-Integrator relationship works within EOS.Why owners shouldn't look for "another me."How responsibility and trust are earned over time.Why a strong General Manager needs the freedom to push back on the owner.How DISC profiles can improve communication and self-awareness.Why standardized protocols create consistency as leadership responsibilities expand.How a "Reboot" mindset turns mistakes into opportunities to improve the business. Finding your number two isn't about finding another you. It's about finding the person who complements you. For Shawn, that meant learning to hand over responsibility and allowing Will to "dance his own dance." For Will, it meant earning trust through communication, accountability, and a willingness to take ownership when things didn't go perfectly. The transformation happens on both sides. The General Manager learns to lead, execute, and protect the vision. The owner learns to let go, become the guide, and gradually move responsibilities off their plate. You don't hand someone the keys to the business overnight. You give them responsibility, build trust, and develop the leadership partnership one step at a time. Shawn Gilfillan, and Will Barkiewicz, Automotive Magic, Kenvil and Lake Hopatcong, NJ. Shawn’s previous episodes HERE NAPA TRACS will move your shop into the SMS fast lane with onsite training, six days a week of support, and local representation. http://napatracs.com/ Optimize training with Today's Class: In just 5 minutes daily, boost knowledge retention and improve team performance. https://www.todaysclass.com/ Stop juggling multiple marketing tools. KUKUI’s integrated platform delivers 4x better website conversions, automated follow-up, and real-time ROI tracking. https://www.kukui.com/ You’re probably tired of chasing new customers who never return. Pit Crew Loyalty ends the one-and-done cycle, turning first visits into lasting, reliable revenue at https://www.pitcrewloyalty.com/ Connect with the Podcast: Download and Listen on Our Mobile App: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/app/Visit the Website:https://remarkableresults.biz/Subscribe on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/carmcapriottoFollow on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/RemarkableResultsRadioPodcast/Follow on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmcapriotto/Follow on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/remarkableresultsradiopodcast/Join Our Virtual Toastmasters Club:https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersJoin Our Private Facebook Community:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1734687266778976Join our Insider List:https://remarkableresults.biz/insiderAll books mentioned on our podcasts:https://remarkableresults.biz/booksOur Classroom page for personal or team learning:https://remarkableresults.biz/classroomBuy Me a Coffee:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/carmSpecial episode collections:https://remarkableresults.biz/collections The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/ Remarkable Results Radio Podcastwith Carm Capriotto:https://remarkableresults.biz/<a...
From Daily Profit to Long-Term Business Value [RR 1109]
Thanks to our Partners, NAPA Auto Care and NAPA TRACS Watch Full Video Episode What is your auto repair business really worth, and are you building it to become more valuable every year? Coach Chris Cotton, podcast host on the Automotive Repair Podcast Network, challenges shop owners to look beyond today's sales and profits and start thinking about the long-term value of the business they're building. Many owners spend years on the operational hamster wheel, focused on car count, payroll, production, and this month's bottom line. But when it's time to sell, transition the business to the next generation, or simply step away from daily operations, buyers and banks look much deeper. Chris explains why clean financials, documented systems, owner independence, and intentional succession planning can transform a shop from a business that provides the owner a job into an enterprise with significant transferable value. What You'll Learn Why profitability and business valuation aren't the same thing.What buyers and banks want to see before financing an acquisition.Why removing the owner from daily operations can increase business value.How documented systems and protocols make a shop more transferable.Why clean financial statements and tax records are critical to valuation.Chris Cotton's five stages of shop ownership, from daily survival to eventual exit.How increasing capacity can grow value without necessarily adding locations.Why succession and exit planning should begin years before you're ready to leave. Don't just build a profitable shop. Build a valuable business. Create strong systems. Develop leaders. Clean up the financials. Build capacity. Reduce owner dependence. And understand what your business is worth long before you're ready to sell it. Coaching to Valuation [E269]: https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/episode/cc269 The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix – Auto Shop Coaching. https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/ Learn more about the benefits of being part of the NAPA family by visiting https://www.napaonline.com/en/auto-care NAPA TRACS will move your shop into the SMS fast lane with on-site training and six days a week of support: http://napatracs.com/ Connect with the Podcast: Download Our Mobile App:https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/app/Website:https://remarkableresults.biz/YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/carmcapriottoFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/RemarkableResultsRadioPodcast/LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmcapriotto/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/remarkableresultsradiopodcast/Join Our Virtual Toastmasters Club:https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersJoin Our Private Facebook Community:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1734687266778976Join our Insider List:https://remarkableresults.biz/insiderBooks Page:https://remarkableresults.biz/booksOur Classroom Page:https://remarkableresults.biz/classroomEpisode Collections:https://remarkableresults.biz/collectionsBuy Me a Coffee:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/carm The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/ Remarkable Results Radio Podcastwith Carm Capriotto:https://remarkableresults.biz/Automotive Field TheorywithMatt Fanslow:https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/Business by the NumberswithHunt Demarest: https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/The Auto Repair Marketing Podcastwith Brian and Kim Walker: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/The Weekly Blitzwith Chris Cotton: https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/Speak Up! Effective Communicationwith Craig O'Neill: https://craigoneill.captivate.fm
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RSR Feeling Stressed Pod
Owning a repair shop can look pretty damn good from the outside. The cars are moving. The team is working. The bills are getting paid. Maybe there is even money sitting in the bank. So why does it still feel like everything could fall apart...
Episode 284 - Managing Stress and Leading a Young Team in the Automotive Industry With Trey Holley
Don't get to the end of this year wishing you had taken action to change your business and your life.Click here to schedule a free discovery call for your business: https://geni.us/IFORABEDon't miss an upcoming event with The Institute: https://geni.us/InstituteEvents2026Shop-Ware gives you the tools to provide your shop with everything needed to become optimally profitable.Click here to schedule a free demo: https://info.shop-ware.com/profitabilityTransform your shop's marketing with the best in the automotive industry, Shop Marketing Pros!Get a free audit of your shop's current marketing by clicking here: https://geni.us/ShopMarketingProsShop owners, are you ready to simplify your business operations? Meet 360 Payments, your one-stop solution for effortless payment processing.Imagine this—no more juggling receipts, staplers, or endless paperwork. With 360 Payments, you get everything integrated into a single, sleek digital platform.Simplify payments. Streamline operations. Check out 360payments.com today!In this episode, Lucas and David are joined by Trey Holley, a shop owner from Thomaston, Georgia. Trey shares his journey from being a lifelong mechanic to learning the ropes of business ownership, highlighting the unique challenges faced in small Southern towns. The conversation touches on the importance of supporting fellow shop owners rather than viewing them purely as competitors, and Trey offers insight into the work-life balance struggles that led him to prioritize both his health and the building of a strong, supportive team.00:00 Atlanta airport's massive scale03:41 Long walks at airports06:27 Thunder Valley racetrack experience10:30 Southern business challenges with generosity13:29 Overwhelmed by business demands19:09 New guy in town setting up20:59 University town business challenges22:34 Building Industry Relationships26:46 Discussing business challenges with spouse31:14 Discussing labor cost strategy35:32 Quality control and final checks38:55 Balancing work and family time40:33 Dealing with family anxiety44:57 Balancing multiple responsibilities47:21 Discovering the Enneagram for Communication49:12 On choosing the right people
Are You Running Your Shop… Or Is It Running You? | Darin Johnson - Ep 37
Rick White was my VERY FIRST business coach, and trust me when I say he helped me get my shop-owner life together! 😂 Now I’m proud to have 180Biz presenting Downshift, so head to 180Biz.com and book your FREE strategy session with Rick because, honey, you don’t know what you don’t know!Y’all, if you missed the first Tektonic, you missed a GOOD one, but you've got another chance! 😂 Tekmetric is going even BIGGER in Houston, Texas, April 1–3, 2027, so head to Tekmetric.com/Tektonic and get registered because you're NOT missing out twice!Consistency is key - heard that! But, consistency is HARD. That's why I gave up on trying and let the experts handle it. Detect Auto. Let them clean up your estimating process and raise your ARO - like they did for me! CLICK HERE TO BOOK A DEMOYour techs don’t need another YouTube rabbit hole—they need real answers to the problem in front of them. SWAT Training and Diagnostics brings the tech support and hands-on, virtual, and just-in-time training to help them fix today’s car and be ready for the next one - LEARN MORE HERERunning an auto repair shop is one thing—but what happens when the shop starts running you? In this episode, Tonnika Haynes sits down with Darin Johnson, a one-man shop owner from Great Bend, Kansas, who admits he's working seven days a week, struggles to tell customers no, and hasn't taken a real vacation since 2018. They get into the difficult transition from technician to business owner, why coaching and industry connections have changed Darin's approach, and how raising his labor rate didn't create the customer revolt he feared. Tonnika also gets fired up about boundaries, last-minute customers, “free” tire pressure checks, and why serving your community doesn't mean allowing customers to control your schedule. Darin is heading to ASTA with a mission: build his network, learn how to step away from the shop, find help, and finally create a business that gives him a life outside the bays.Timestamps:00:00 Cold open: “It’s gonna be on one more day”00:19 Downshift intro00:38 Darin still has a FLIP PHONE?!02:10 Meet Darin: Running a one-man repair shop in Kansas02:44 How he accidentally became a shop owner04:27 From hot rods to 25 years in automotive05:39 Does Darin really want to stay a one-man operation?07:06 Heading to ASTA for the first time07:40 Why Darin LEFT his first training event early08:39 Coaching struggles: Knowing what to do vs. actually doing it09:55 The real reason Darin is coming to ASTA10:16 Shop ownership can feel like you’re on an island13:08 Working seven days a week & being married to the shop14:20 The people-pleasing problem15:03 Customers asking about cars at dinner and the grocery store16:27 What happens when the shop becomes your only hobby?20:26 Feeling guilty for taking time away20:57 “Schedule your hats”—including downtime22:59 Darin’s five-year plan: Train someone to replace him23:38 His last REAL vacation was in 201824:34 Open-heart surgery changed how Darin viewed the business25:21 Becoming an owner instead of just a technician28:06 Why 15–20 cars are constantly sitting at the shop28:34 The work Darin has finally started saying NO to30:49 Bringing an accountability partner to training32:42 Why a few unhappy customers can ruin your mindset33:58 Should you just FIRE the worst 5% of your customers?38:02 Tonnika gives Darin his official ASTA assignment40:40 Finding your automotive family42:39 Why Tonnika recommends coaching43:57 Coaching’s impact on Darin’s mindset and mental health45:01 “I wish I would’ve done this 10 years ago”46:04 Why shops that don’t train get left behind46:58 Darin now has the highest labor rate in town47:34 Tonnika’s $12 lawnmower tire era 😂49:00 Learning how to say NO without losing customers49:12 Scheduling your different “hats” as an owner51:10 Customers don’t control your schedule51:44 “It’s been on for two weeks? It can wait another day.”53:05 Your six-month-old check engine light isn’t suddenly my emergency53:50 How “real quick” jobs steal HOURS from your day54:52 Why Tonnika refuses to just throw air in a tire55:32 “My air isn’t free!”56:23 The right way to say no: Give customers another option57:45 Darin’s ASTA challenge & what’s coming in Part 2
Are Your Service Advisors Killing Technician Production?
This week on Repair Shop Reckoning, Kevin and Jason dig into a problem happening in shops everywhere: technicians are being blamed for not producing enough hours, but nobody is stopping to ask whether those hours were ever sold in the first place. If...