Maylan Newton from ESI – Educational Seminars Institute is a business coach, trainer and industry speaker. Maylan is no stranger to the podcast having paid it forward many times. He is a much sought our speaker at industry events in the US. Find Maylan’s previous episodes HERE.

“He is ‘just a car guy’ with lots of knowledge and is brave enough to talk about it”. Maylan’s purpose is to educate leaders to be a better owner or service writer.

Talking Points:

• Get Away from the Price Driven model of Business and get back to the Quality and Relationship Business
• Stop quoting price over the phone
• If you quote a price, make it the last thing you do not the first
• You don’t have to be cheap to be busy
• Price can be 6th or 7th on a customers list of needs
• When you quote a price over the phone you are setting up to be a more difficult repair process and saleWhat happened to the quote you gave me
• The service write needs skill to not quote a price over the phone
• Vehicles are too complex and sophisticated to quote a price over the phoneIt is not your dad’s Oldsmobile
• We are cannibalizing our industry by quoting a price
• Do you really want the customer who wants the lowest price?
• In today’s climate spend extra effort to tell the customers about your touchless transaction and the sanitizing efforts you are putting forth
• If customers wanted a cheap price there would not be top shops out there not dealing with price first
• We need to show the value of what we do and be proud of our investments in people, training and equipment

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Savvy shop owners use vehicle inspections to find additional work on a vehicle that the vehicle owner may not know is needed. The most successful shop owners fully inspect every car, every time. It benefits the vehicle owner more than the shop because most vehicle owners want their autos to be reliable. FlexCheck Auto takes the power of a shop’s inspection process and puts it in the palm of your technician’s hand so that pictures, video, and vehicle-specific notes about a vehicle’s condition can be shared quickly with vehicle owners. It improves technician efficiency in the bays, service writer efficiency at the counter, increases average repair order and builds trust with vehicle owners. Today’s vehicle owners want to receive their vehicle’s health status electronically, this makes FlexCheck Auto the most transparent way to do sell auto repair. Try it for free for 30 days! Go to FlexCheckAuto.com to learn more.

With me is Maryann Croce from SmallBusinessvantge.com. She and her husband Tony also own Croce Transmission in Norwalk, CT.

As a business owner, she can chalk up many a mistake that has turned into wisdom. She has been there and done that and shares 5 key principles to help a startup business person get ahead of the game. She is speaking to resilience, commitment, getting help, being curious and giving. Learn why messaging, relationships and financials are vital no matter what stage you are and your business is currently in. Don’t believe you need to go it alone.

Maryann was a banker turned business owner. Tony was a technician turned shop owner. She is also a member of Women in Auto Care and owns smallbizvantage.com

Her biggest mistake as a new business owner was thinking she had to do it all. This is one of the reasons why her signature talk “Gain Control by Letting Go” was created.

Maryann is also a member of Women in Auto Care and owns smallbizvantage.com. Hear Maryann in her previous episodes HERE.

Talking points:

• We never taught financial terms and budgeting in our youth
• Budgeting is one of the reasons people struggle with finances
• Do you understand if you pay the minimum on a credit card, how much you pay over time principle and interest?
• If you are struggling financially in your personal life, you will struggle with it in your business life
• The stress is very tough to manage
• Get help with financial management and budgeting
• Tell your school boards and teachers that we need financial education or simple budgeting
• Resources:Dave Ramsey
• Mike Micahlowicz “Profit First” SP Link
• Budgeting helps you stay out of financial trouble and the ups and downs of a business cycle
• It is too easy to swipe a card and lose track of what you are spending
• Don’t spend what you don’t have

Cecil Bullard is President of the Institute for Automotive Business Excellence. He is a trainer and business coach in the automotive aftermarket working closely with service professionals.

Previous episodes featuring or mentioning Cecil, click HERE.

Institute for Automotive Business Excellence website.

Talking Points:

• Re-thinking parts margins based on pricing transparency from online parts sellers
• He doesn’t like the strategy that we need to re-think how we
• Consider what your parts and equipment suppliers do for you.Local availability
• Training
• Support of local and regional events
• We need to dictate how we run our business not the other way aroundWe have a lot invested in our shops
• Don’t let the online market to influence how you run your business
• If you buy parts from an online supplier you are helping them and hurting yourself

Important links below:

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Buy Carm a Cup of Coffee 

Savvy shop owners use vehicle inspections to find additional work on a vehicle that the vehicle owner may not know is needed. The most successful shop owners fully inspect every car, every time. It benefits the vehicle owner more than the shop because most vehicle owners want their autos to be reliable. FlexCheck Auto takes the power of a shop’s inspection process and puts it in the palm of your technician’s hand so that pictures, video, and vehicle-specific notes about a vehicle’s condition can be shared quickly with vehicle owners. It improves technician efficiency in the bays, service writer efficiency at the counter, increases average repair order and builds trust with vehicle owners. Today’s vehicle owners want to receive their vehicle’s health status electronically, this makes FlexCheck Auto the most transparent way to do sell auto repair. Try it for free for 30 days! Go to FlexCheckAuto.com to learn more.

Tom Palermo is General Manager of Preferred Automotive Specialties in Jenkintown, PA. Tom is a world class Master Technician and a Certified ASE Advanced Level Technician, is certified from ASE including Master Auto, MasterTruck, Master Truck Equipment, Master School Bus, Master Collision, Master Transit Bus, L1, L2, C1, X1, P2, F1 Besides the 2015 NAPA/ASE Technician of the Year, Tom also earned the 2011 AAIA-ASE World Class Technician Award from the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association, National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, and the Best Tech of the Year award sponsored by WIX Filters. The majority of Tom’s business is fleets. Listen to Tom’s previous episodes HERE.

Key Talking Points:

• Why do shops put other shops down?Possibly they don’t know where the next job is coming from
• They don’t have a value proposition for the customer so negative talk persists
• Bottom feeders will do anything and say anything to capture a sale
• There is no secret sauce to protect. Networking is the rule!
• Observe other companies on how their systems and processes work. Take ideas back to your company
• As independents we are nimble, we can make quick changes vs the big corporate players
• Always be learning and look for the small improvements that over time will have a big impact on your business

Important links below:

Be socially involved and in touch with the show:

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Listen for free on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spreaker, iHeart Radio, Spotify, Podchaser and many more. Mobile Listening APP's HERE

Join the Ecosystem - Subscribe to the INSIDER NEWSLETTER HERE.

Buy Carm a Cup of Coffee 

Savvy shop owners use vehicle inspections to find additional work on a vehicle that the vehicle owner may not know is needed. The most successful shop owners fully inspect every car, every time. It benefits the vehicle owner more than the shop because most vehicle owners want their autos to be reliable. FlexCheck Auto takes the power of a shop’s inspection process and puts it in the palm of your technician’s hand so that pictures, video, and vehicle-specific notes about a vehicle’s condition can be shared quickly with vehicle owners. It improves technician efficiency in the bays, service writer efficiency at the counter, increases average repair order and builds trust with vehicle owners. Today’s vehicle owners want to receive their vehicle’s health status electronically, this makes FlexCheck Auto the most transparent way to do sell auto repair. Try it for free for 30 days! Go to FlexCheckAuto.com to learn more.

Kevin Lekas is the Project Manager for Special Testing Programs at ASE. Kevin's previous episodes HERE.

Key Talking Points:

• myASE renewal app is now branded ASE Renewal APP
• One year in development and testingThere are about 2,000 techs already involved and another 4,000 ready to get on board
• www.aserenewalapp.com
• Certify without going to a testing center
• Automotive certifications only at this time A1 - A9 
•  Participation is you are expired, nearing or currently certified
• The APP will have some new tech questions
• There will be second and third chance questions that will be similar to the one you did not get correct
• Designed for a 12 month cycle
• Certification Without Expiration
• Future:L1 is being looked at. A challenging project that they are considering
• G1

Important links below:

Be socially involved and in touch with the show:

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Listen for free on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spreaker, iHeart Radio, Spotify, Podchaser and many more. Mobile Listening APP's HERE

Join the Ecosystem - Subscribe to the INSIDER NEWSLETTER HERE.

Buy Carm a Cup of Coffee 

Savvy shop owners use vehicle inspections to find additional work on a vehicle that the vehicle owner may not know is needed. The most successful shop owners fully inspect every car, every time. It benefits the vehicle owner more than the shop because most vehicle owners want their autos to be reliable. FlexCheck Auto takes the power of a shop’s inspection process and puts it in the palm of your technician’s hand so that pictures, video, and vehicle-specific notes about a vehicle’s condition can be shared quickly with vehicle owners. It improves technician efficiency in the bays, service writer efficiency at the counter, increases average repair order and builds trust with vehicle owners. Today’s vehicle owners want to receive their vehicle’s health status electronically, this makes FlexCheck Auto the most transparent way to do sell auto repair. Try it for free for 30 days! Go to FlexCheckAuto.com to learn more.

Kim Auernheimer, AAM is the Co-Owner & Business Manager of CS Automotive in Brentwood, Tennessee. CS Automotive was opened in October of 2006 in the back of a warehouse and now they call a 6,400 square foot, 10-bay shop home. Prior to joining her husband Rob in the business on a full-time basis, Kim had a career in Commercial Real Estate and Property Management. In July of 2011, she stepped out from the background of the business and joined her husband in the venture of creating an industry-leading standout

Kim continuously seeks out training for her and her entire team and put the teachings to use. Her belief in industry education has been a large influence on how much success and growth they have had over the last few years. She has a passion to improve the reputation of the Automotive Repair industry working alongside other shop owners and industry leaders to improve the overall experience of the customer from the moment they make that first call to the shop until they drive their car off the lot instilling transparency and developing trust during the entire process.

In 2017, she obtained her Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation. This is a result of 120-credit hours of coursework in several core competencies including leadership, marketing, customer relations, accounting, and several other areas of automotive repair business management. Listen to Kim’s Episodes HERE.

Key Talking Points:

• Gallop poll says 70% of employees are not engaged in the business they work for
• Reflect and identify a disengaged employee. Take note:Quick to complain
• First to see the bad parts of their job
• Complain about their co-workes
• Do the basic/bare minimum in their work duties
• Not willing to cooperate to find solutions
• Fight the needs of the business
• Quick to tell people that they are not happy
• Not friendly to be around
• Don’t show at social events or team building. Loner.
• They quit your business but keep getting a paycheck from you. They stay.
• 12% of happy workers are more productive than those that are not
• The productivity of your business is dependent on happy employees
• The biggest factor is the employee’s relationship with their bossAre you the tripping point of disengaged employees?
• The culture of our business, first and foremost, drives happy employees, customers and owners
• Step back and make sure you (owner) is not the problem
• Speak to your key people and find out why they like to come to work each day
• Fall back in love with your business. Find your pride
• Learn from others

Important links below:

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Listen for free on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spreaker, iHeart Radio, Spotify, Podchaser and many more. Mobile Listening APP's HERE

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Buy Carm a Cup of...

• We are in a knowledge-based business
• Your billed hours are a productivity measurement
• Sales is an activity measure
• Net profit is created by being productive
• What is your productivity level/measure in your shop
• Average needs to be 2.5 hours per RO
• The industry is coming in at 1.4 and 1.7 per RO
• What is your business mix?Commercial / Consumer
• Take the total labor revenue you billed last year divide by your labor rateYou get the number of billed hours you sold
• Take the number of RO and divide by that number (billed hours sold)
• Improved average hours of billed labor will build your net profit.
• Productivity creates net profit
• Activity just keeps you busy

Ben Johnson, Director, Project Management, Mitchell 1

Key Talking Points:

• Some companies challenges is its own success
• Business start with a vision and a why
• Over time we tend to not focus on your why but our what
• If you look at your competition and feel you have to duplicate or mimic what they are ding and it doesn’t fit into your why then don’t do it.
• If you live your WHY then the money will come

Important links below:

Be socially involved and in touch with the show:

Facebook   Twitter   Linked In   Email

Listen for free on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spreaker, iHeart Radio, Spotify, Podchaser and many more. Mobile Listening APP's HERE

Join the Ecosystem - Subscribe to the INSIDER NEWSLETTER HERE.

Buy Carm a Cup of Coffee 

Savvy shop owners use vehicle inspections to find additional work on a vehicle that the vehicle owner may not know is needed. The most successful shop owners fully inspect every car, every time. It benefits the vehicle owner more than the shop because most vehicle owners want their autos to be reliable. FlexCheck Auto takes the power of a shop’s inspection process and puts it in the palm of your technician’s hand so that pictures, video, and vehicle-specific notes about a vehicle’s condition can be shared quickly with vehicle owners. It improves technician efficiency in the bays, service writer efficiency at the counter, increases average repair order and builds trust with vehicle owners. Today’s vehicle owners want to receive their vehicle’s health status electronically, this makes FlexCheck Auto the most transparent way to do sell auto repair. Try it for free for 30 days! Go to FlexCheckAuto.com to learn more.