Top 5 Qualities of a Genuine Service Advisor [RR 1106]
Now playing — Remarkable Results Radio
About this episode
Thanks to our Partners, NAPA Auto Care and NAPA TRACS Watch Full Video Episode What makes a good service advisor great? Levi Linseman, performance coach…
Key takeaways
- —Genuineness is a core quality for effective service advisors.
- —Eye contact and warmth are crucial for establishing trust with customers.
- —Coachable individuals are essential for adapting to industry changes.
- —Proactive communication can enhance customer experience and loyalty.
- —Building long-term relationships with clients is key to success in the automotive service industry.
Frequently asked
- What are the top traits of a genuine service advisor?
- The top traits include eye contact, warmth, and humility. These qualities help build trust and rapport with customers.
- How can service advisors improve their communication skills?
- Service advisors can improve by actively listening to customers, maintaining eye contact, and showing genuine empathy for their concerns.
- What role does coaching play in the development of service advisors?
- Coaching helps service advisors refine their skills, adapt to new technologies, and improve their overall performance in customer interactions.
▸Full transcript
This is the Automotive Repair Podcast Network. Hey, how you doing, man? Good to see you or hear you, or have you listened to me? It's Carm Capriato, Remarkable Results Radio. I have Levi Linesman with me, performance coach at autoflow.com. We are going to talk about the genuine service advisor. There has never been more articles, podcasts done on the key value of that most critical job.
And we're gonna call it a genuine service advisor in this thing. Hey, I wanna let you know, we've got this fabulous app that's out there. It's arpn.app. It's for your smartphone. It's the ultimate professional automotive repair playlist. And I wanna tell you something, there's a new version coming out real soon. And I hope by the time this episode hits the airwaves, the new version's out.
We have done some phenomenal things with this app that you are going to fall in love with. All right, great, great partners here on the podcast, NAPA Autocare and NAPA Trax. Are you looking to take your shop to the next level? With NAPA Autocare, you can deliver unbeatable customer confidence through the Peace of Mind Warranty. Learn how to upgrade your service and grow your business.
Connect with your local Napa rep today. Hey, for over 30 years, Napa Tracks has made selecting the right shop management system easy by offering the best, most comprehensive SMS in the industry. We'll prove to you that Tracks is the single best shop management system in the business. Find Napa Tracks on the web at napatracs.com. Hey, welcome! It's Levi Linsman, performance coach at AutoFlow.com.
Hello, Levi. Hi, Carm. How you doing today? I'm good, man. You're in our Remarkable Results Toastmasters group. I am. Yeah. I've been a Toastmaster with the group for about a year now, about a year and a month. And it's been really helpful in building my confidence. It really has. When I first came in and I was like, oh, I got to speak publicly for people.
I've been in the industry for a long time, but To be in front of a group and have people looking at you is a lot different, but it's been very helpful. Now remember, please listen intently to what Levi and I are gonna speak about being a genuine service advisor. Write down something, take, have a major takeaway, and then please implement it. It's just been our quote here.
Listen to learn just one thing and implement it. I wanna know about what performance coaching means inside of AutoFlow. And what I know about Levi is he's the guy who helps people listen, Tab A, Slot B, hit the Enter key. And I'm being a little facetious here. However, so much software today is so heavy, so encumbered with features. There's more switches and yeses and nos and buttons you got to push left or right if you want this stuff to work.
And to have somebody like you be involved with a new client so that the software starts working at optimum is fantastic. It is great to be a part of this team with AutoFlow. Yeah, they sign up for a subscription and it's a monthly service, but we throw in the training absolutely free on top of that. So it's the training, the processes, every shop has a different process of how they operate and I get to work closely with the administrators, the service advisors, and the technicians who understand that, and then coach and work side by side to help the software build transparency and trust.
It is the show and sell every time by sending a digital vehicle inspection to the client without having them in the shop. I love it. Were you born to do this? I don't know. That's a good question. I've grown a lot. Let's just say that in my career in the auto industry, I've grown personally and professionally and auto industry's helped me in a lot of ways.
It's been pretty remarkable, to be honest. Remarkable results. Wow. Interesting. Yeah. I wanted to use that. Oh my God. All right. I'll send you $10. All right. Here's the deal. When I heard what you just said, about the genuinity of you wanting to help people be at the, the top of their craft and use this piece of software that they're paying for, they got, they committed to, to help them run a better business.
Your background is so interesting because this man was a tire specialist for 10 years. Wow. I'm sorry. Uh, that was a long, long time. It was a long time and I didn't know where I wanted to go with my career and That was okay. I learned a lot in the tire bays and we did general service work and I ran a crew there for a while, for many years really in the back.
And then the opportunity to become a service advisor opened up at the shop that I was working at. This is a shop that's been open for 50 years in a small town in Michigan here. And I wanted to be a part of that. And I knew right away when the opportunity came, yeah, money's nice. And I wanted the money. There was a significant pay increase.
But also I wanted to prove to myself that I'm not scared of dealing with the public. And even though I felt very nervous in the beginning, I mean, for probably longer than I can admit, but that's okay. How long were you a service advisor? I've been a service advisor formally for 15 years. Here's how it started. So Levi, service advisor, what's a top trait?
And when he told me the top trait, I just said, can you come on the podcast and talk about it? Because I'm not necessarily sure 100% of the people get this whole genuinity, which you say is the core quality. And I don't know if genuinity is an innate trait that you were born with, or is it something you can learn? I think you can learn anything that you put your mind to with proper training and a hard drive.
I feel like you can master anything. You gotta have confidence. You gotta have communication skills. You have to have empathy. You gotta be able to look someone in the eye and feel their pain and want to help solve it. Does that build trust and relationship? Absolutely. I mean, as soon as a customer comes in, they can sense the presence. At least that's what I feel of, are you having a bad day?
What does your tone sound like when you greet them? Did you look them in the eye? Did you smile at them? Did you shake their hand? Some of these basic human elements of when you meet somebody new, not just sitting behind the desk with your head down like, why are you here to bother me? I can't stand when I walk in and I see that, and I have to deal with that personally now when I go to a shop because I no longer work in the shop.
Those are basic things. Just tell me that you care about my problem and we will get through this together. Every situation is different. Every financial situation, everybody's got a different story to tell. And I feel like we as advisors can listen maybe just a little bit better. You're going to get some really great words coming out of this episode with Levi. We started to talk about genuineness or genuineness is a core quality, core value.
But I love some of these other words. We had a pre-call before we started because I really wanted to get what was in Levi's heart. And one of the words you said, I'm big into words. Everyone knows I'm on this major language shift in the industry to help sophisticated professionalism in our industry. But you said the word pureness. God, that just reeled me.
Yeah. I mean, if you're pure in, let's see if I can put this to thought here properly, but if you generally want to help somebody, The money's always gonna be there. I think that's what we were talking about was something along those lines. And people that are pure, you can almost see that they have a very large heart. They want to take care of people.
They're, you know what I'm saying? Yep, exactly. And their ethics are big and they want you to trust them. And ultimately they're gonna do everything for you to earn that trust. And that's what it is too. This is a trust-based relationships and you're not just dealing with the mom or the dad or the daughter. You're dealing with the whole family. There's always an opportunity to grow that client into a whole family.
Recommendations. This is still a word-of-mouth industry. No matter how many Google reviews are out there, there's still people relying on the trust that you establish with them. You know, when I think about the challenges that are going on inside of our counters, we've recently done an episode on AI answering the phones. There's so much going on with technology. With setting appointments with AI phone and AI phone answering is getting so sophisticated today.
I mean, it's sensing your mood, your feeling, your tone of voice, and it's responding back almost into the situation. I've been playing with some of this software and I'm really impressed with it. But the big challenge that I have, and we're talking about the genuinity of a service advisor, Can we find genuinity in an AI voice? Maybe we can, and maybe they can work toward that.
I don't know. But that's a challenge for the industry. That's where I can't even imagine that AI would replace a service advisor at our counter. I can't even imagine because ultimately you've gotta come in and someone's gotta dig deep, write up the ticket, talk to you, look you in the eye, put their arm around you, if you will. In an emotional way to help you through the crisis that you're going through if there's a problem with the vehicle.
True. And there's mistakes that happen and all the time people need that human in the loop. As Craig O'Neill would talk about, that human in the loop is gonna be very, it's vital for the service industry, no matter what service industry we're in, but we're talking about automotive right now. And I feel like a good service representative is always gonna be wanted.
No matter how good AI gets, because no matter how you feel about it, you're still talking to a robot that might not know, or a language model that might not know your situation and not have that genuine empathy or care that a human can provide. Human in the loop. Yep. Human in the loop. We talk about that every week and human in the loop is an awesome term.
That is just so powerful. Well, you're replacing me, boss, with an AI phone thing. No, I'm sorry. You are the human in the loop. And there's going to be a lot of good use of AI. Let's not lie about this and let's embrace the AI. It is going to be helpful, but it's another tool that we have in our toolbox to help with the process of writing the customer, getting the customer out of the shop, and have that vehicle safe and reliable.
Does an individual at our counter have to have the ability to be coached? A lot of times we hire people for personality. We're going to teach them the skills that it matters. How do we find a person who is coachable? Yeah. I think everybody should be coachable. I feel like life is a learning process. If we act like we know everything, then what do we have to learn?
I mean, that we talk about that a lot and And it doesn't have to be that every day, but if I come in with that mindset, then I have something to learn and I can tweak what I'm doing just a little bit better. Everybody needs training. Everybody can benefit from it. When you think about you moving from being a tire specialist up to 15 years on the counter, when you looked at other people that have worked with you in the past, do you have any hiring strategies for what to look for?
Mm, that's a good question. Hiring strategies. It's some of the hiring I did was more for the tire bays, I guess, but not at the counter or anything. But we can train for certain skills, but that whole genuineness, how do we look for genuineness? Do you think you can notice it right away when you're talking to somebody, if they're looking you in the eye or?
Yeah. I mean, isn't eye contact, isn't A certain level of truth and confidence you're hearing in an interview, the way that you present yourself. You know, people always say today, you know, in your first interview, hire 'em 'cause they may ghost you or they may have other offers. And to me, a second interview even, or a third interview for me was always important because I'm a thinker.
I would take a situation and an individual in front of me, and I'd listen to that individual. I'd take a lot of notes back in the day. That we weren't recording an episode and having somebody do a transcript for me if they're allowing you to record it. And a lot of times for me, you got to make a good pot of sauce and it needs to sit on the stove for a while and you need to think through what this discussion was like.
You know, my God, I remember their body posture and how they were looking at me and how are they going to look at my customers? There's so many dynamics. It almost lends me to believe that I need to get to one of these HR professionals and ask them, tell me what we're really looking for in depth to hire a top service advisor, even if they don't know the automotive.
Well, yeah. And a good point here is let's say we have interview number 1 and you ask them, are you coachable? And they're like, I've done this for 15 years. I have nothing to learn. How would that make you feel as a hiring coach? Not really. Well, it gets me to think this, Levi. I have nothing to learn. Well, what they don't understand is we're changing some new software in the next 3 weeks and we're all going to have to learn what that is.
And when you're closed-minded to change, not things to learn, but change is learning curves. Yep. And for me personally, I'll never pretend like I know everything. Even when I'm with the client that's been on with us for a long, let's say, 10, since the beginning, I'll always act. If I don't know the question or the answer to the question, I'll find it and I'll tell them.
And that's a genuine thing. And people love that. And don't BS them about it. Just say, I don't know, and get the answer and move on. People love that. Teach me, show me. And if your intuition is strong like mine is, there's this little patch in the back left part of my brain that's observing all the time. It's not for a negative reason.
It's all for what can I learn from this experience that I'm going through? And this individual who is teaching me, are they at the top of their craft or are they just taught me the little that they know and now I've got to go deeper? True. Yep. Do you see a lot of your clients taking their service advisors to coaching, to call reviews, to seminars?
I see it about 50/50. There is a, in my opinion, the industry at a whole needs a lot of training and that's a good thing. I mean, that's, we can identify that and then we can get through it. I did a training with SalesFix. After 10 years of service advising, and it was really nice to go in there and do that and learn something new.
I see it a lot where a lot of people can benefit from it. As a NAPA Autocare, you already know that your reputation is built on trust, reliability, and service. That's why every member automatically provides customers with the 24-month, 24,000-mile Peace of Mind Nationwide Warranty. Now that's coverage your customer counts on and a competitive edge you can't afford to overlook. Want to deliver even more value?
Well, you can upgrade to the 36-month, 36,000-mile warranty program. Even better, that extended coverage is also available when your customers use their NAPA credit card for qualifying repairs and service. With quality NAPA replacement parts built to meet or exceed OEM standards, you're not just offering competitive pricing and reliability, you're standing behind your work with the best warranty in the industry. Give your customers peace of mind wherever the road takes them and give your business the advantage it deserves.
To get started, connect with your local NAPA representative today. Hey, stay ahead of the curve with NAPA Autocare's newest auto tech initiatives: Fast Track Assessments, Accelerator Immersive Training, and Tech Assist Smart Support. The future of technician training is here. Connect with your local NAPA representative for more information. Hey, when customers choose a NAPA Autocare Center, they get more than a repair. They get trust, savings, and peace of mind.
Want your shop to stand out? Connect with your local NAPA representative and get the conversation started to become a NAPA Autocare Center. Hey, you know the technician shortage is real, but NAPA Autocare has a solution at no cost to members. The NAPA Autocare Apprentice Program builds tomorrow's technicians through a 2-year, 9-stage curriculum. Learn more at member.napaautocare.com or talk your NAPA representative today.
Let's face it, your shop management system is the single most important tool in your shop, period. NAPAtrax was built from the ground up to make your business more profitable and efficient. We provide an extensive set of tools to increase and track profitability in real time. NAPAtrax offers the industry's best post-sale support, hands down, and we train your people on-site— yep, on-site— And we offer remote refresher training 10 times a week, and customer support is open 6 days a week.
Give us a call, visit the website, or join our Facebook community today to learn more. We'll prove to you that Tracks is the single best shop management system in the business. NAPA Tracks is always customized and tailored for you, whether you're a one-man shop or a large multi-bay or multi-location company. After all, It's your shop, so it's your choice. Visit us on the web at napatracks.com.
That's napatracks.com. There are a lot of guys like you in different positions in the industry that spend time in shops. And I don't want to put you on the spot here, man, but you're there, you're on the counter, you're— there's— it's a busy place going on. You're watching to see if they've learned what you taught them yesterday and Watching the software work and you're in a fingers on the chalkboard moment when you see something not good happen in a relationship, the genuineness that's necessary, the relationship build.
Do you see that a little bit and what does it do to you? Yeah, in the shops is one thing, but I went to a shop last year and the manager was kind of hunched over his chair on a cell phone. Not engaged in what was going on. And I'm out in the shop and there is, it's dirty. There's parts everywhere. There's a guy sitting on a chair in the middle of the shop.
And I'm like, oh, if you got time to lean, you got time to clean. That's just something like I, that I grew up hearing back when I first started working. And if you got a job to do, do it. And those are all things that have been ingrained in me. And I, when I was seeing that, it was hard to witness and not try to interject because they're on a friendly relationship and it can be a challenge.
But then I go to other shops and everybody's so dialed in and it's a complete opposite. And to see that, it just makes me feel so good to know that good training works. So you sent me the top 5 genuine qualities of a top service advisor first one was eye contact. Yeah. When I come into a place, I would like somebody to, if they're sitting down, I would like them to get up and look me directly in the eye and ask questions.
I experienced this at a shop where the guy was sitting behind the counter, hunched over, kind of looking at me like I was bothering him. And I had a genuine problem with my vehicle and I've been in the industry in a shop for 25 years. I've never had to go outside of it to get a car repaired in those 25 years. So when I walked in and he could barely look at me, I should have turned around and walked out of there right away, but I didn't because I was like, eh, everybody has bad days and I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Well, I should have trusted my judgment, but eye contact is important. No matter what we do and no matter what we're dealing with as advisors, And eye contact and smile go a long way. Eye contact and smile. I do know that I was at the Disney Institute a bunch of years ago when I worked for corporate America as we were working on some really cool value sets, purposes, vision, mission, values.
And Disney people got up and says, we'll tell you what our customer service creed is, everyone. And they explained that they spent 3 days in a room locked in, doing more 3M big Post-it notes on the wall for 3 days. And they came away with, look them in the eye and smile. And that is exactly how every person in Disney should treat one of their— what do they call— they're not clients.
Maybe they're clients, customers. Eye contact and smile are your top 2. Your 3rd is warmth. I love that. Yeah, my 3rd is warmth. And that comes from genuine. I feel like that goes hand in hand. Warmth. Let them know that you actually care, which is on my list too. Uh, that warmth and just that you are a friend here. And that's what was good about working for my company.
It was called Tire Warehouse in Lake Orion, Michigan. What was good about them is we had, it wasn't customers. They were friendships that were built and established from decades. And when I came in, I was like, I want to do that. I want to shake their hands and I want to like, not schmooze them, but like I watched the guys, they would talk to them like they were the best friends.
And then all their family would come in. They throw their keys at you. Just tell me when it's done. That's how it was there. We had hundreds and hundreds of clients like that. I mean, it was incredible to be a part of. Key tossers are so cool, aren't they? They really are. Yeah. When I left there and I went to a different place, I didn't realize how important that was because it was 10 years of relationships that I walked away from at that point.
And that's a long time when you're dealing with all of those clients, 10 years. We put the hard work in to establish that trust, to get those keys tossed. And then when you go somewhere else, you have to redo that all over again, almost. And your 5th and final, what you would call genuine qualities of a service advisor is humility. To admit you made a mistake.
Wow. Yeah, I think that's good. I mean, people can sense the BS and there are times where we make mistakes and, oh, I know it's mechanics never make mistakes, right? It happens and it's a human element. This is a hard profession and I'm not discounting the mistake. Like I'm not discounting that it is hard, especially in an independent shop where you're working on 20 different makes and models in a given week or a day, for instance, it's hard to know every system.
You're not going to be right all the time. I'm not going to be right with things. Maybe I chose a wrong part from a vendor that was inferior to what should have been put on there. But if I can admit to them I made a mistake and we're going to make it right, win a customer for life that way. Yeah. You know, service advisor has so much to do with the ultimate client experience from minute 1 to minute 10 when the car's finally delivered.
And there can be promised time issues, lots of stuff that goes on. And the clarity of, oh, I dropped my car off right now and you didn't start working on it immediately. People have to understand that you bring it in, we have to do an assessment, we have to get it in the proper order with the proper individual to solve the issue with the vehicles.
And I think to your point about having warmth and caring, we gotta explain it the best we can. Now, if something falls off the rails during that time, almost be proactive and say, hey, we made a goof here. We wanna let you know, Mrs. Smith, we told you 2 o'clock, but it's gonna be 4. We're really sorry about that. Is there anything we could do?
Do we have to get you an Uber? What do we have to do here? And in many cases, when you're that proactive and you're at this empathetic, caring mode, hey, don't worry about it, Levi. No problem. Piece of cake. I don't know how many times we've gone through that. You've exactly what you just talked about. We told you to be done at 2, or we told you to be done.
Yeah, it's important to follow through with them and tell them that you care about their time. Don't just leave them hanging out there and then call them at 4. Give them a call. Admit. That mistake, or maybe it's not a mistake. It could be a broken bolt or a part didn't get delivered. There's so many things that we deal with as advisors, so many stresses.
We get hit from so many angles. And, but it's about that follow-through, just like you said. Yeah. I mean, it is, if we could pick them up or get an Uber for them, it is fine. And that it's fine about 90% of the time. There hasn't been too many situations that I've had to that I couldn't get out of. Let's just say that.
Well, Levi, that's why I come here. You're always straight and upfront with me. Exactly. That's the way it is. I mean, and that proper training of the customer right from the start, right from the time that they drop their keys off, let them know that this, you're going to be looking at it at this time or throughout the day, maybe not even set up a timeline for them because you might only have one technician that's qualified to look at the car.
If we can still look at it on the day they dropped off, it doesn't feel like a waste of time to the client at that point because they did set up an appointment. Setting the times is so hard in this industry because things change. And we all know this, they change rapidly throughout the day. You know that I've been hearing so much about some really great quality tactics, been in the shops, watched this happen where they're basically explaining in detail to a brand new customer where they should park.
You're looking at the building. There's a spot on the left. You'll see, you know, that there's an orange thing over here. They feel so much more comfortable not pulling up saying, where do I park? Where do I go? Do I go on the street? And right away there's a warmth in— you haven't even been in the building as a new client before.
You found us online for all the right reasons. You called, we've got an appointment. You're taking so much unknown pressure off of me just by getting me in the door. Yeah, that's a good point. And those setting those appointments up are so critical. And that is, they're almost interviewing us at that stage of the process. I feel like we're always being with new clients that we're always being interviewed the whole step.
How did they take the appointment? Were they on time? Did they follow through with what they were going to say? Was there a warmth there? Did they care? I mean, that is what I feel. That was successful for me. Look, I think my friend Chris Cloutier picked a good person to be their performance coach because you've been there and done that. Yeah, I really like working for Chris and Craig.
Those guys are awesome. They're just really good people and it's good to be a part of and to sit here at this stage of my career and still every day it's like I have something new to learn and that is exactly why I wanted to join with this team was to push and to, to grow. Well, I'm so glad you were here, Levi Linsman, the genuine service advisor with his 15 years of experience and where he came from, the bays and, and upfront and all that you've learned.
And now you're out there implementing software, your software for clients that will make them even better at what they do as service advisors. Yeah, our software is awesome. I've used it at the shops for 7 years before I started working for AutoFlow. And we get a chance to do the show and sell every time without having that client there. I think I've mentioned that before and I'll mention it again.
It is a direct report. And when people get that from a small shop in the middle of Michigan or wherever, they are super impressed with the technology that comes over. They're like, they just don't expect it. Well, thanks for being here. And I'm going to leave the audience with 2 words. This is just been flowing out of my mouth in the last couple of weeks, Levi.
Sophisticated professionalism. I really like that. I know, me too. I mean, I've been heavy on professionalism, but adding the word sophisticated in front is not a cocky attitude. It's sharp on all the edges that you can be. Be sophisticated and be bigger and more than you currently are because I believe the client wants that from you. Absolutely. They do. Hey, it was fun.
I learned a lot. Hopefully the audience did. Remember, listen to learn just one thing, take something away, implement it. Thanks, Levi. 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 listening app at automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com. Also enjoy the podcast on our Carm Capriato YouTube channel. CARM is all for advancing the professional automotive service industry.
Until next time!
More from Remarkable Results Radio
Work Together, Thrive Together, Build a Business You Can Sell [THA 504]
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
Related across the catalog
Ep 176: How a Near-Crash Paved the Way for His Leadership with Brad Coleman
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
99.08% Diagnostic Accuracy: Inside a Master Tech’s Playbook
Joe Adams interviews Adams Automotive Master Technician Josh Gerbrecht about his journey from technician to top diagnostician, sharing the systems that drove his 99.08% diagnostic accuracy and the big takeaways from a Key-to-Key-to-Callbacks weekend. They discuss the front-office/back-office symbiosis, the Rack Attack inspection process, recruiting and paying technicians their worth, shop tours and hospitality, and how AI could streamline diagnostics and incentivize accuracy over just speed. AutoshopAnswers.com Auto-Shop-Media.com
Shop Owners: Maybe YOU'RE the Problem | Tristin Sweeney - 38
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 DEMOAt 29 years old, Tristin Sweeney is running an auto repair shop, building automotive technology, and questioning some of the industry's favorite excuses. In this episode, Tonnika Haynes talks with Tristin about his unconventional path from the startup world into automotive, acquiring Honest Automotive, building Shift, and why owning a shop became the ultimate testing ground for solving real industry problems. But things get spicy when they tackle the supposed technician shortage, outdated hiring practices, shop owners blaming younger generations, and why good employees may be leaving shops that refuse to change. They also dig into AI, technician training, communication, leadership, burnout, and why new technology should solve problems instead of creating more work. If you're a shop owner who keeps saying, “Nobody wants to work anymore,” this conversation might make you look in the mirror.Timestamps:00:00 Why automotive has become unattractive to work in00:23 Downshift intro00:42 Meet Tristin Sweeney: 29, busy, and obsessed with automotive01:23 Audi, Volkswagens, and where the car obsession started03:15 Can you be a great service advisor without knowing cars?04:40 There are more automotive careers than turning wrenches06:26 From tech startups to the automotive industry07:17 Getting laid off, joining ShopGenie, and finding his industry09:17 Running TWO automotive businesses at 2910:11 How Tristin bought Honest Automotive after finding it on Facebook14:01 Has shop ownership given him gray hair yet?14:32 Building a shop around passion and customer experience16:21 Honest Automotive is also Tristin’s “laboratory”16:48 How Shift Automotive was born18:19 Building software from the problems that drive shop owners crazy19:10 Technology problem or people problem?20:17 How does someone working 60–70 hours a week avoid burnout?22:55 Success isn’t worth burning yourself out by 3023:19 Tonnika gets VERY personal about Tristin having kids 😂25:32 Why Tristin is committed to automotive for the long haul28:53 Shift grows to more than 150 shops30:02 Why simply SHOWING UP can change your career31:21 The “Gen Z stare” and learning how to communicate33:34 Get in rooms where you’re uncomfortable37:04 What will automotive look like 10 years from now?41:11 Shop owners who ignore AI WILL get left behind42:43 How should shops prepare technicians for new technology?43:27 Does every tech need to understand the newest cars right now?45:48 Why the next generation matters more than ever47:58 What does a technician actually need to “look like”?48:48 Is the technician shortage actually a hiring problem?49:48 How many great technicians are shops overlooking?50:48 “I hire people. I don’t hire jobs.”52:00 Why automotive can be an unattractive place to work54:18 Great shops generally aren’t struggling to find applicants54:51 The talent is out there—and some of them want to leave their current shop55:55 If recruiters can steal your technicians, that’s a YOU problem56:04 Most shop problems start with the owner57:30 Accepting criticism from your employees—even your own son58:03 Old-school leadership vs. the way Tonnika leads today59:33 The macaroni-and-cheese recipe for evolving a family business1:01:47 Is treating every employee differently “coddling”?1:03:50 Why one universal pay plan doesn’t work for everyone1:04:39 Flexible schedules, flat rate, salary, and what actually motivates people1:07:08 Shop owners who refuse to compromise may lose great technicians1:07:56 Bad bosses create the next generation of bad bosses1:08:21 Why leadership and communication have to be learned1:13:00 Stop micromanaging every detail of your shop1:14:22 “Granddad did it that way” isn’t a good enough reason anymore1:15:28 The Carfax data debate gets spicy 😂1:16:24 What Carfax actually gets from your shop1:17:47 Tonnika’s grandfather discovers OnStar and thinks “they’re coming for him”1:19:03 Technology fear usually comes from misunderstanding1:19:45 Tristin’s legacy: Leave automotive better than he found it1:20:00 Where to find Honest Automotive and Shift Automotive1:21:22 Closing, AI hot takes, and what’s next