Ratchet+Wrench - September 2019

09.19

STRATEGIES & INSPIRATION FOR AUTO CARE SUCCESS

S T OK E S :

WHY EVERY LEADER NEEDS A MENTOR PAG E 7 4

Customer Connection A genuine interest in customers and the community has allowed customer and social media manager Megan Dineff to build Ervine’s Auto Repair’s reputation.

THE SECRET TO UNLOCK MOTIVATION PAG E 5 6

M A RC ON I :

TAKE MORE TIME OFF

PAG E 3 4

AWARDS THE 2019

ISSUE

Recognizing five of the industry's finest PAG E 3 6

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09.19 VO L . 07 N O. 0 9

S E P T E M B E R Forming Bonds Kathleen Jarosik credits her mentors to helping her become the shop owner she is today.

F E AT U R E

C A S E

36

60

68

The five individuals recognized as this year’s Ratchet+Wrench All-Star Awards winners.

After taking over Garry’s Automotive, two fledgling shop owners had to determine their own leadership styles.

B Y M A R AYA K I N G A N D A B B Y

B Y A L AY N A B A G G E N S T O S S

After stepping into the shop owner role with little experience, Kathleen Jarosik has carved out a place for herself in the shop and the industry at large.

DIFFERENCE MAKERS

S T U DY

THE NEXT GENERATION

CHEYENNE ALFORD

PAT T E R S O N

PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. COPYRIGHT ©2019 BY 10 MISSIONS MEDIA LLC. All rights reserved. Ratchet+Wrench (ISSN 2167-0056) is published monthly by 10 Missions Media, LLC, 571 Snelling Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55104. Ratchet+Wrench content may not be photocopied, reproduced or redistributed without the consent of the publisher. Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, MN, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTERS Send address changes to: Ratchet+Wrench, 571 Snelling Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55104.

R E PA I R

L I F E

TRAIL BLAZER

BY NOR A JOHNSON

ON THE COVER: MEGAN DINEFF PHOTOGRAPHED BY AMANDA MONTGOMERY

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TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

J U M P

S TA R T

10 ONLINE

22 BREAKDOWN

14 NUMBERS

25 VIEWPOINT

Become a marketing master

The new Right to Repair Coalition Inside the Auto Care Caucus

Better work-life balance

16 AWARDS INSIGHT

28 SPEED READ

Build better relationships

Update on vehicle emissions rules

18 EDITOR’S LETTER

32 SHOP VIEW

Honor the Industry's Best

Hunt Automotive in Fort Myers, Fla.

34 STRAIGHT TALK

How to take more time off

34

JOE MARCONI

READ WHAT THE PROS READ. “I like Ratchet+Wrench because the articles are about current topics and really focus on owners and running a business. The topics are new, interesting and thoughtprovoking, and I always take away something.”

- Troy Minske, Owner | Rum River Automotive, Princeton, MN

TO SUBSCRIBE OR RENEW FOR FREE TODAY, VISIT

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T O O L B OX

67 THE BOTTOM LINE

55 SHOP ADVICE

A simple pathway to success

How to build genuine customer connections

MITCH SCHNEIDER

56 LEADERSHIP

74 THE FIXER

Easy steps to push yourself—and your staff

Why you need a mentor

59 INDUSTRY INSIDER

A ARON STOKES

The best way to ask for help RISSY SUTHERL AND

64 HUMAN RESOURCES

Four ways to benefit from an outside HR service

55

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EDITORIAL VICE PRESIDENT, CONTENT AND EVENTS Bryce Evans EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Anna Zeck ASSOCIATE EDITOR Tess Collins STAFF WRITER Abby Patterson SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR Jordan Wiklund SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR Nora Johnson CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Joe Marconi, Mitch Schneider, Alayna Baggenstoss, Aaron Stokes, Rissy Sutherland, Maraya King PRODUCTION ART DIRECTOR Zach Pate GRAPHIC DESIGNER Lily Risken GRAPHIC DESIGNER Nicole Olson PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Lauren Coleman SALES VICE PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Chris Messer 651.846.9462 / cmesser@10missions.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Andrew Johnson 651.846.9459 / ajohnson@10missions.com MARKETING STRATEGIST Matt Walz 651.846.9463 / mwalz@10missions.com ASSOCIATE MARKETING STRATEGIST Tyler Casey 651.846.9454 / tcasey@10missions.com SALES MANAGER Nathan Smock 651.846.9452 / nsmock@10missions.com CUSTOMER SUCCESS REPRESENTATIVE Shayna Smith 651.846.9460 / ssmith@10missions.com CLIENT SERVICE SPECIALIST Jen George 651.846.9465 / jgeorge@10missions.com 10 MISSIONS MEDIA PRESIDENT Jay DeWitt GENERAL MANAGER AND PRODUCTION MANAGER Mariah Straub BOOKKEEPER AND CLIENT SERVICE SPECIALIST Meghann Moore EVENT COORDINATOR Katie Cornet SENIOR DIGITAL MEDIA STRATEGIST Tiffany Fowler MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST Kasey Lanenberg INTEGRATED MARKETING DESIGNER Dylan Novacek ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Amanda Nicklaus EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Leigh Anne Best, Mighty Auto Pro Andy Bizub, Midwest Performance Cars Greg Bunch, Aspen Auto Clinic Ryan Clo, Dubwerx Ron Haugen, Westside Auto Pros David Toole, Toole's Garage HOW TO REACH US 10 MISSIONS MEDIA 571 Snelling Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55104 tel 651.224.6207 fax 651.224.6212 web 10missions.com The annual subscription rate is $72 (U.S.A. only) for companies not qualified to receive complimentary copies of Ratchet+Wrench.

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Opinions expressed in Ratchet+Wrench are not necessarily those of 10 Missions Media, and 10 Missions Media does not accept responsibility for advertising content.

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ONLINE COLUMN:

5 STEPS TO REPRIMANDING AN EMPLOYEE —

Bob Cooper, president of Elite, discusses how to handle the uncomfortable situation of confronting an employee with an issue. After all, you can only manage manageable people.

“If you’ve hired the right people, they’ll likely know when they’ve behaved undesirably and eventually take responsibility for their actions,” Cooper says.

In his online column, Cooper shares the five steps for going about this the right way. The full column can be found at ratchetandwrench.com/reprimandingemployees.

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BECOMING A MARKETING MASTER

—

Servando Orozco, CEO and owner of Orozco’s Auto Service in Long Beach, Calif., details how he’s been able to become a marketing guru within the industry.

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2019

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AARON STOKES

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ANDY MASSOLL

BILL HILL

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BRIAN WEEKS

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GERRY FRANK

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JOE MARCONI

JUDI HAGLIN

LAURA FRANK

LEIGH ANNE BEST

MIKE BENNETT

MIKE BREWSTER

MITCH SCHNEIDER

RISSY SUTHERLAND

RON HAUGEN

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NUMBERS THE

TOPICS,

TRENDS,

THE IMPORTANCE OF TIME AWAY — The goal of any owner should be to work fewer hours, take more vacation, and still produce top-tier numbers.

But how many days of vacation is necessary for a decent work-life balance? And do those vacation days hurt or help an owner’s business?

According the 2019 Ratchet+Wrench Industry Survey, the more vacation days the better—it gives owners time to refresh and bring their top leadership skills to the team.

AND

METRICS

DRIVING

HOW MANY VACATION DAYS DO YOU TAKE PER YEAR?

YOUR

OPER ATION

7%

30%

None

16+ days

21%

22%

20%

1-5 days

6-10 days

11-15 days

COMPARING THE KPIS

THOSE WHO TAKE 16+ DAYS OF VACATION

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

THOSE WHO NEVER TAKE VACATION

Revenue over $1 million

Net profit above 10%

Average repair order above $400 Effective labor rate above $90 Technician efficiency over 100% Technician productivity over 90%

GETTY

Beyond the Stats For a look at an owner who has mastered his work-life balance, check out the Ratchet+Wrench article “How I Work: Rob Choisser.”

— ratchetandwrench.com/rob

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LEIGH ANNE BEST | Mighty Auto Pro Medina, OH | TechNet Member since 2001

TechNet Professional is a network of more than 10,000 elite, locally-owned, professionally operated repair shops and a proud supporter of Brakes for Breasts.

Learn more at TechNetProfessional.com/RW FOLLOW US @TECHNETpros 0 9 .19 / R + W / 15

AWA R D S I N S I G H T

Open Customer Communication

BY NORA JOHNSON

KIM TAYLOR — OWNER TITAN AUTO & TIRE TWO LOCATIONS IN VIRGINIA

FACILITATE DIRECT CONTACT. Just this past year, Titan Auto & Tire began a new form of customer communication.

Taylor says she has always been active in replying to online reviews and reaching out to customers, but the business has recently implemented a text-based CRM program to strengthen the connection between shop and customer.

Three days after the customer’s service, he or she will receive a text from the shop.

The message will thank the customer for coming and ask about how his or her vehicle is performing, as well as an openended question asking for any concerns.

Taylor says this text acts as a way to make sure that her customers feel heard.

When customers respond to the text, they respond directly to Taylor, who says they typically receive positive comments, and sometimes a concern on how the visit went or how something was dealt with.

“We take every complaint and concern very seriously,” she explains.

Taylor says that at Titan Auto & Tire, they take the suggestions from customers and utilize the feedback in order to improve their processes.

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EMPOWER YOUR CUSTOMERS. To further develop strong customer relationships, Titan Auto & Tire puts a strong emphasis on customer education.

“We want our customers to feel like they are empowered to make good decisions,” Taylor says. “We don't want people to think that we are leading them into a decision.”

To help facilitate open communication and education, the shops’ technicians will take pictures of certain inspection points of the vehicle—as a part of their digital inspection process—to then share with the patron. If the customer is waiting in the shop, an employee will take him or her to the back and show the areas of the vehicle that he or she has a concern with, as well as the service recommendations. This way, customers can make informed decisions on prioritizing repairs and maintenance.

“This is great, especially for women,” Taylor says. “[For them] to be able to go in the back and see their vehicle to really understand what is being talked about—to see what’s wrong and why.”

KEEP COMMUNICATION OPEN. Taylor’s biggest tip for strengthening customer relationships, is to provide them with several ways to get in touch with the shop.

Something Taylor has noticed through her open communication policy—specifically from the new text-based communication—is that since the texts are more or less being signed by the owners, it gives the customers a safe space to really give their feedback.

“It’s great to get the positive feedback, but it’s even better to get the negative feedback; you can’t fix what you don't know is broken,” Taylor says. “It’s been amazing what I’ve found that needed to be fixed.”

Having spaces that allow for customers to reach out directly to the shop owners, as well as giving them the resources to know how to get ahold of the shop, has definitely helped strengthen the customer relationships at Titan Auto & Tire, Taylor says. She will even give her personal cell phone number to the customer if the situation needs further communication.

“You just really need to be available to your customers,” she explains.

COURTESY OF KIM TAYLOR

ALL-STAR NOMINEE

The Ratchet+Wrench All-Star Awards nomination for Kim Taylor, owner of two Titan Auto & Tire locations in Virginia, ends with this statement, “Each individual customer that comes through her doors is an opportunity to educate and improve safety on the road. She builds great relationships with her customers and community.”

Taylor owns Titan Auto & Tire with her husband, and says she started in the business around 15 years ago.

In order to build and sustain strong relationships with her customers, Taylor puts a large emphasis on communication and education. Through text messages, reviews, and follow-ups, she encourages her customers to communicate their shop experiences with her.

“Every piece of feedback—even though your employees may not think it’s valid—there’s something to it that can be learned to improve service,” Taylor says.

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EDITOR'S LETTER

The All-Star Awards

SHOWCASING WHAT MAKES THIS INDUSTRY GREAT Choosing my favorite 2019 issue of Ratchet+Wrench is somewhat like picking a favorite amongst my four children. Each is unique

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BRYCE E VA NS, VICE PRESIDENT, CONTENT A ND E VENT S BE VA NS@10MISSIONS.COM

LEAH QUINTO

and different—special even. It’s not that it’s difficult to place one over the others; it’s impossible. And on top of that it just feels wrong. I mean, it is wrong. Very wrong. We put our time, energy, hearts, souls, blood, sweat, tears—all that good stuff—into every single issue. With the context, timeliness and overall industry atmosphere that hovers over the production of each, they come off the printer as individual snowflakes of paper and ink.

How can I possibly single out any one of these over the others?

Actually, on second thought: September is my favorite issue.

Hands-down.

And, I guess, it’s all of that uniqueness and context that makes it that way. This is the seventh year of the Ratchet+Wrench AllStar Awards, and the fourth year we’ve run the features of our winners in the September issue of the magazine. (Previous to 2016, they ran in different months.) The timing corresponds with our annual Ratchet+Wrench Management Conference, where we present the physical awards to the winners in person.

I’ve said it before, and I’m sure I’ll say it again, but our awards program is one of my favorite projects we work on as a Ratchet+Wrench team each year. Hopefully, you’re all aware of how it functions. The awards are peer-nominated (we take nominations throughout the year, up until our June deadline), and vetted painstakingly by our editorial team. There are spreadsheets made—color-coded, highlighted, tabulated and examined again and again. We go through each nomination and look at a variety of factors. Yes, metrics and performance data do play a role, as do the inspiring messages, notes and anecdotes we get from the nominators. All of it is factored in, and more than anything, we try to highlight the people who make this industry great.

Ratchet+Wrench is dedicated to sharing those stories— showcasing the individuals, groups and operations whose successes can help inspire others in the industry; that’s the goal, and our Awards issue is always a wonderful, far more overt reminder of that.

Thank you to everyone who nominated, congratulations to all our winners, and be sure to read the profiles of our honorees on p.

44–59. And, please, enjoy my favorite issue of the year.

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J U M P S TA R T NEWS

SHOP VIE W

/

IDEAS

/

PEOPLE

/

TRENDS

32

BREAKDOWN VIEWPOINT SPEED READ

OLGA PEREZ

SHOP VIEW

On Display Hunt Automotive offers daily tours of its facility to show off the unique set-up.

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J U M P S TA R T

Make Your Voice Heard A LOOK INTO THE RIGHT TO REPAIR COALITION AND HOW TO GET INVOLVED IN THE FIGHT

BY A B BY PAT T E R S O N

in Massachusetts joined forces to collect signatures to fight for the right to repair. The Massachusetts Right to Repair Coalition needed 68,911 signatures by late November to turn into local registrars for consideration for the 2012 ballot as an initiated state statute. After only 19 days, the coalition collected 106,658 voter signatures, which eventually led to the successful ballot vote in 2012, and the official passing of the 2013 Automotive Right to Repair Law in Massachusetts, making it the first state to adopt the law.

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THINKSTOCK

Back in 2011, members of the independent auto repair community

When the bill was officially passed back in 2013, 86 percent of Massachusetts voted in favor of the right to repair.

“The voters wanted [the right to repair] because it allows them to shop around for car repairs and save money—it’s common sense,” says Glenn Wilder, co-owner of Wilder Brothers Tire Pros in Scituate, Mass., a member of the Massachusetts Right to Repair Coalition.

Following the successful 2012 Right to Repair ballot and the subsequent 2013 law, Wilder says the Massachusetts Right to Repair Coalition relaunched last year due to telematics and the advantage that it gave to dealerships. Since it wasn’t prevalent at the time, access to information through telematics was not specified in the law, leading to a loophole that manufacturers took advantage of by providing customer information to their preferred dealerships.

The Relaunch The problem with telematics and one of the reasons that the coalition had to step in was because many, consumers and shop owners alike, are unaware that this is happening.

“The consumer doesn’t know this, but the car is recording the route you take to work, how many times you stop at Starbucks or McDonalds—personal information— and they can sell it to whoever wants to buy it,” says Wilder. “Nobody is doing anything about it because no one knows that it’s being done.”

This sharing and transmitting of information caused a new problem for independent repair shops.

Manufacturers are now inputting systems in vehicles that alert customers when they need a service—an oil change for example—but with that comes control of where they direct the customer to.

“They [OEMs] were very smart— they knew telematics were going to play a much bigger role,” Wilder says.

The Issue According to the Massachusetts Right to Repair website, more than 90 percent of new cars will transmit real-time repair information wirelessly, and independent repair shops will have limited to no access. This means car owners will be steered toward the dealers for repairs, which takes away their choice on where to get the service done.

For example, if a consumer is driving a vehicle and there is a check engine failure, a message will pop up on the screen and will ask to make an appointment with a certain dealer—and not repair shops like Wilder’s.

Issues like this are why groups like the coalition are so important.

Getting Involved The success of the 2012 ballot was in mainly due to activism and support from the community. More than 1,000 auto repair shops and consumers across the state make up the Massachusetts Right to Repair Coalition to ask the Legislature and Massachusetts’ Governor to update the law, says Wilder. Now, he says, it’s up to us to make an impact and let our voices be heard once again.

“A lot of people don’t know this is going on,” says Wilder. “Nothing happens without people that can present it to the right people.”

It’s simple to get involved. Wilder says those interested should visit the Repair Association’s advocacy website, click on his or her state and share his or her story.

“The best thing you can do is be vocal about it, let people know that represent you in your area that the problem exists— if they are unaware of it—and if they are aware of it, let them know that it means something to you as a person in that district,” says Wilder.

“We all update our cars, our homes, and our TVs when we can afford to—why not update our Right to Repair law?”

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J U M P S TA R T

Voice of Many HOW THE AUTO CARE CAUCUS IS SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MANY

COURTESY PAUL FIORE

BY A B BY PAT T E R S O N

Just as the Massachusetts Right to Repair Coalition is fighting back (check out the Breakdown on p. 22), the Auto Care Association (ACA) is helping the auto care industry fight its battles, too.

Established in early 2017 by the ACA, the Auto Care Caucus is giving a voice to the auto repair industry.

The Auto Care Caucus recently reached its 30-member milestone, which is 11 more members than the 2017–2018 congressional session, showing more awareness of industry issues. Although that’s a large increase in membership, there’s still more awareness that needs to be shed on the issues that the Auto Care Caucus is fighting for in the industry.

Ratchet+Wrench recently spoke with Paul Fiore, Auto Care Association’s senior director of government affairs, to discuss what the caucus does, where their efforts are focused now, and where they want to be in the coming years.

Paul Fiore Auto Care Association's senior director of government affairs

What does the caucus do?

The Auto Care Caucus is classified as a House Membership and Staff organization and functions the same way a lobbyist does— it brings a sense of expertise to congressional staff on issues they are not familiar with in order to make the best decisions.

There are hundreds of caucuses out there, and they all kind of have the same purpose, and that’s to bring together members of Congress who understand a 0 9 .19 / R + W / 2 5

J U M P S TA R T / V I E W P O I N T

SPONSORED CONTENT

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Tech & Tools

T

he data from the 2018 Ratchet+Wrench Industry Survey represents a cross-section of shops across the country and provides a glimpse into how the average shop performs, how its leadership manages the shop, and the tech and tools the shop uses.

Over half of all shops report regularly relying upon five or more vendors to supply their parts and components, while less than 10 percent report only using one or two vendors.

Dealerships make up a small portion of respondents’ parts sales, accounting for less than a quarter of all estimated parts sales. Wholesale distributors account for almost 75 percent of all respondents’ sales.

Exactly 50 percent of respondents indicated that none of their parts come from big-box stores, suggesting a very simple truth: distributors comprise the lion’s share of parts sales nationwide, pointing to the ascendance, ease and convenience of online electronic parts sales.

Ensure your shop commits to accessing the right OEM parts with the correct OEM data.

RepairLinkShop.com offers parts illustrations directly from the OEM, so you can buy the correct parts you need from your dealer the first time, every time.

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particular industry or the industry issues or some combination.

The Auto Care Caucus is the watchdog for small business issues, healthcare, tax, and labor issues nationwide. During the 116th Congressional Meeting, the Auto Care Caucus really hit the ground running on issues, including the Chinese tariffs and the Border Adjustment Tax.

What does the caucus hope to accomplish down the road?

Over the next year, we hope to add 20 more members to the caucus, grow support for any legislation on the vehicle data issue, and continue to educate Congress on the industry’s issues. Any issue in congress is a slow one—we don’t mark our successes the same way the rest of the world does.

Why should those in the industry pay attention to issues like this?

How the auto care industry will look five, ten years from now depends on how successful we are at tackling these issues.

If the automakers get complete control over all vehicle and diagnostic data, many independent shops will fail, with significant losses throughout the entire aftermarket supply chain. We believe that the competition in the vehicle repair market is not only a necessity for our members, but for the motoring public as well, who want to continue taking their vehicle to their service facility of choice.

What real power does the caucus have?

The Auto Care Caucus is a core component of our strategy to recruit industry allies in government. The more lawmakers who are aware of our industry and our issues, the more likely they will side with us on any future legislative fight. Therefore, if you have a good relationship with your member of Congress and they are not a member of the caucus, ask. If the invitation comes from you—a constituent—the more likely they are to join up.

What is the caucus focused on now?

We are all hands on deck with auto tech data issues. We are trying to amend the current right to repair to reflect the current technology and the role that telematics plays in vehicle technology. It’s kind of fun seeing the shock on their faces when we tell congressional staffers their car is transmitting data and they don’t even know it. I can tell you confidently that 100 congressional officers are now aware of the issue.

Right now, we are still in the education mode. The more that we educate about who we are and what our issues are, the better off we are as an industry, but change won’t happen overnight and it could take two to five years to see any progress.

Going from 19 members during the 2017–2018 year, to now a record 30 members on the board, what does this mean for the caucus and the industry as a whole?

People simply weren’t aware of the issues before and now are. In reality, it’s a marker for the serious nature of what we’re doing.

The auto care industry is almost a $400 billion annual industry, probably four million jobs. When you break that down, that’s 5,000 jobs that make up the industry in industrial congressional districts. That’s significant—that gets people’s attention.

If someone is interested in becoming involved, what steps should they take?

There are several ways. They can reach out directly to their Representative’s district office and ask to meet them at their next district roundtable or town hall. They can also go the Auto Care Association’s Advocacy website (bit. ly/autocareadvocacy) where there are a variety of resources and information that can aid in reaching out to your elected officials and starting this conversation.

Or, you can reach out to me personally for a personal conversation. Any of these actions would be a great start for readers that want to recruit their own member of Congress to join the Auto Care Caucus.

Beyond the Caucus, what are other ways that shop owners can get involved?

All shops should visit yourcardata. org to learn more about how the vehicle data issue will impact their business and what the industry is doing to inform consumers. In addition, they can explore autocare.org and visit our own CCPN community of outstanding shops across the country.

Every business, no matter how small, should be actively engaged in public policy advocacy. If you are not helping to dictate the terms, the terms will be dictated to you. Plain and simple.

THE TECHNICIAN

SHORTAGE W IL L N OT D E FE AT U S

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J U M P S TA R T

CALIFORNIA SIGNS DEAL WITH FOUR AUTOMAKERS Four automakers have signed a deal with California to adopt vehicle emissions rules, defying the Trump Administration’s plan to strip the state of that right, reports the Huffington Post and the Associated Press.

“Ensuring that America’s vehicles are efficient, safe and affordable is a priority for us all,” the automakers said in a joint statement that described the accord with California as a move to maintain a nationwide set of fuel efficiency requirements.

Environmental Protection Agency spokesman Michael Abboud called the deal a "PR stunt," while White House spokesman Judd Deere added, "The federal government, not a single state, should set this standard."

In August 2018, the White House

proposed revoking California’s legal right to impose its own state emissions standards or require a rising number of electric vehicles, and argues that federal law should preempt California from setting its own emissions rules.

More than a dozen states (reported at the end of July) have adopted California’s emission standards. These states include Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Washington D.C. The Trump Administration will keep going on its competing effort to relax mileage standards nationwide, Deere said.

ACA PLEADS TO FTC TO LEAD EFFORTS IN ENSURING COMPETITIVE REPAIR INDUSTRy

The Auto Care Association (ACA) testified before the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on July 16 during a public workshop on policies and research related to manufacturers limiting third-party repairs.

During the workshop, Senior Vice President Aaron Lowe discussed the independent auto care industry’s involvement in the national Right to Repair agreement as well as efforts to combat attempts by automakers to restrict the use of non-OEM parts and services.

“The value of the independent auto care industry is demonstrated by the fact that 70 percent of car owners bring their vehicle to independent service providers after their warranty expires based on price, trust, and convenience,” said Lowe. “The Auto Care Association SPEED READ CONTINUED ON PAGE 31

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OF REPAIRERS SAY RATCHET+WRENCH HAS INFLUENCED THEIR SHOPS IN SOME WAY

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and Coalition for Auto Repair Equality (CARE) played major roles in the industry’s Right to Repair efforts… which require car companies to provide access to the same tools, information and software that they provide their franchised dealers.”

Lowe emphasized that notwithstanding the benefits to the auto care industry and consumers brought on

by Right to Repair, the memorandum of understanding does not, nor was it intended to, solve all problems facing the independent auto repair industry.

Finally, he expressed hope that this was not the end of a process, but rather the beginning of FTC-led efforts to ensure a competitive repair industry for both consumers and small- and medium-sized businesses.

RIDE HAILING GROWTH TO SLOW SIGNIFICANTLY

In 2019, the global revenues of ridehailing companies increased by 19.6 percent to reach $183.7 billion but are now expected to only grow by 11.6 percent in 2023.

According to Statista forecasts, in 2020, the mark of one billion users will be passed, and the penetration rate will amount to 15.4 percent. In line with the above-mentioned slowing growth, the growth rates of user numbers are also expected to decline: In 2019, the growth rate amounts to 16.1 percent, whereas in 2023, it will only be 8.3 percent.

The U.S. has a penetration of 20.1 percent in 2019.

If you compare the projected revenue developments in Europe and the U.S. with those in Asia, it becomes clear that, over the coming years, revenue growth will decline in the Asian market as well (2019: 22.7 percent; 2023: 12.8 percent), while still remaining above the

European (10.4 percent) and the U.S. (8.7 percent) level.

LOCATION OF MOST EXPENSIVE CHECK ENGINE REPAIR LIGHT REVEALED CarMD.com Corporation released its latest state ranking of check engine light-related car repair costs, which finds Ohio has the lowest average repair cost ($354.24), while the District of Columbia has the highest average repair cost ($414.02) for the second consecutive year.

Rounding out the five most affordable states for car repair over the past year were Maine, Michigan, Wisconsin and Vermont. After D.C., Connecticut, California, Georgia and New Jersey were the most expensive states for repairs.

CarMD analyzed data from more than 11.4 million cars, trucks, vans and SUVs needing repairs in 2018 to compile this ranking.

The 2019 Ratchet+Wrench RW To Go app is the most efficient way to improve your business. Gain access to podcasts, videos, articles and more. All in one spot. Wherever you go.

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J U M P S TA R T

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Hunt Automotive

BY NORA JOHNSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY OLGA PEREZ

1 / FREQUENT TOURS When Hunt Automotive is “in season,” customer tours are held once per day. Patrons can walk through the uniquely designed and decorated shop and see the exotic vehicles being worked on—almost like its own car show. That’s how the shop gets a lot of its business, owner Rick Hunt says. Some visitors will take a tour, and then call up Hunt a year later to tell him they bought their own exotic car, wondering if they can ship it to the shop for repairs.

“The tours have been a really great marketing tool, guerilla-like,” Hunt says, “without much money or effort.”

2 / FULL QUEUE At Hunt Automotive, so many cars come in that Hunt has built a separate 3,800-square-foot space behind the shop to store them. Thirtythree vehicles can fit in the unit; some sit for long-term storage, but most are in queue to be worked on. The harsh Florida summers were the inspiration for the added building. With the excessive rain and sun, convertibles—a large portion of the vehicles brought to Hunt—could be damaged without shelter.

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3

HAVE AN OUTSTANDING SHOP? Send a few photos and a brief description to submissions@ratchetandwrench.com and we might feature it here.

4

SHOP S TAT S Owner: Rick Hunt Location: Fort Myers, Fla. Size: 2,800 square feet Staff Size: 4 full-time, 3 part-time Average Monthly Car Count: 75

A Tourist Attraction Owner Rick Hunt (right middle) runs his shop like an actual car show, running customer tours once per day.

Annual Revenue: $1.1 million

3 / A CLUBHOUSE FEEL

2

Hunt Automotive is as unique as the cars that come into the shop.

Custom bikes, and even a unicycle, hang from the waiting room ceiling. The room’s walls are covered in photos of custom cars built for customers, and there is even beer on tap. Hunt says the waiting room doesn’t need a TV because of all there is to look at.

Hunt also races motocross, so there is a room in the shop dedicated to 40 years of riding, filled with a bunch of “strange stuff,” for customers to explore.

4 / IN ITS PLACE The shop floor is meticulously organized, and not just because of the frequent visitors. Hunt says he has always kept it that way; everything is in its place. Hunt Automotive is known for its expansive software and hardware collection—larger than most other independents, Hunt says. The shop works on so many different things from the early 1900s to now, both general repair and custom, so not a lot of parts are stocked, but plenty of hardware, tools, and software can be found on the floor.

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Columns

STRAIGHT TALK Joe Marconi

ALL WORK AND NO PLAY Is it wise to take time away from your business?

are his best fertilizer.” In translation, this means that the closer you are to your crops and animals, the easier it is to observe and respond to their needs.

Business owners, just as farmers, have a sixth sense about what’s happening within their company. And, for the most part, business owners are the driving force behind the success of their companies. And it’s not always because of any particular training. Many times, the mere fact that the buck stops with you gives you the mental fortitude to push forward and find solutions to daily problems. Your gut evolves into a very valuable management and survival tool.

The majority of business owners created their business with a dream and the passion to make a difference in their lives and in the automotive industry.

They clearly understand the sacrifices that are needed to get a new business off the ground, and also the years of dedication it takes to reach a point where the business becomes financially stable.

But, running a business takes its toll on even the toughest person, and time away from business becomes equally important. So, the question becomes, can you build your business to the point where your presence still remains when you’re away?

Before I go on, I want you to consider something—and that’s your future. I know that many of you have a young company and plan on working for decades to come. But life goes by quickly and it can also throw you a curveball.

Please take my advice with this; if 3 4 / R + W / 0 9 .19

you’re a business owner and you are not planning for your future, you are making a big mistake. I know too many shop owners that were forced to walk away from their businesses after decades of work with nothing more than memories.

Their dreams turned into nightmares due to lack of planning. Sit down and write out what your future looks like. You will probably need help with this, but you need to think about a continuity plan and an exit strategy.

OK, I got that out of the way; now back to the article. Here’s the bottom line. Taking time off and having your business run smoothly without you there should be one of your key goals. But the truth is, many shop owners can’t let go.

They find it hard to take any time off, let alone leaving their baby in the hands of a manager or another key person. They even feel guilty when they’re away. And there are others who realize that in order to have a fulfilling life, the only way to continue the business is to step aside and stay away.

I don’t know what type of person you are. But what I do know with certainty after nearly 40 years in business is that, for the sake of your health and for the well-being of your family, you need to create a business that allows you the freedom to take time off. And that starts with hiring and keeping the right people—people that share your culture and work ethic. Free time away from the business also requires that you understand your numbers, can generate a consistent profit and establish strategies to continually grow the business.

Achieving your goal of taking more

Joe Marconi has more than three decades of experience in the automotive repair industry. He is the owner of Osceola Garage in Baldwin Place, N.Y., a business development coach for Elite Worldwide and co-founder of autoshopowner.com. j.marconi@eliteworldwide.com ratchetandwrench.com/marconi

time off is more dependent on what you create than the actual work you do. Create a culture where people come to work because they want to. Create a management style that allows you to reach out to your employees and help them achieve the things they want out of life. Create a work environment where the people you employ feel they are part of a unified vision where everyone will enjoy the fruits of their labor. Lastly, create strong relationships with all your employees from the very first day they are hired. Building this culture will help to ensure that your employees will perform the same each day, whether you are there or not.

I know for many it will be hard to let go. After all, your business is your baby, right? You founded it; you worked hard for years and dedicated your life to it.

But, every baby grows up and becomes an adult. And adults should become self-sufficient. If you build the right team with the right culture, you will gain the confidence that the people you employ can do an amazing job in your absence.

MICHAEL HOEWELER

There’s an old Japanese proverb that says, “The footsteps of the farmer

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2019 RATCHET+W

EXECUTIVE

D WAY N E M Y E R S

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ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT

| MEGAN DINEFF

SHOP

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JAKE S

R E N C H A L L- S T A R

WORKER

SORENSEN

M A N A G E R /A D V I S O R

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BEN LESUEUR

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JEN MONCLUS

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dwayne myers

megan dineff

jake sorensen

ben lesueur

HONORING THE BEST OF THE BEST Success can be measured in many different ways— profit, customer service, recognition, industry-leading KPIs. But when it comes to the five individuals that make up this year’s Ratchet+Wrench All-Star Awards winners, they encompass all of those metrics—and more.

From community outreach to a forward-thinking approach to marketing, these five are doing their part to prove that any negative industry stereotype is just that­— a stereotype. Every winner is passionate about what he or she does, and infuses that passion into the shop environment, creating a more unified culture among the staff.

Nominated by their peers and selected by the Ratchet+Wrench staff, the professionals profiled in the following pages are truly the best of the best in the industry. These awards are made possible by sponsors Elite, Kia Motors America and KUKUI.

SPONSORED BY:

proud to support t h o s e w h o e l e vat e o u r gr e at i n d us tr y

jen monclus

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TRAINING THE FUTURE

BY ABBY PATTERSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRAD BARNWELL

“My job is about people, and it’s about my team and basically encouraging, mentoring our team, and showing a better way to get things done.”

Dwayne Myers, the managing partner at Dynamic Automotive in west Maryland, has been in the auto industry for 30 years, where he started off as a technician and grew into a co-owner of the company, helping grow the location from one to almost five, which generate $5 million in annual revenue and a monthly car count of 1,300 with 42 employees. Throughout his career, he has been a multi-winner of Frederick’s News-Post “Best of Best” awards, Auto Care Association “Head of the Class” winner, and nominated “apprenticeship ambassador” for Maryland by the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. And throughout his time, he has dedicated his time and his heart to growing the future of the automotive repair industry.

The big problem Myers faced, like other auto repair shop owners around the country, was getting enough labor, especially entry-level help. Myers says a generation has been lost, as most millennials and Gen Zers head off to colleges and universities.

From this realization, Myers and his team decided to start their own apprenticeship program, giving a career path for millennials. What really got the ball rolling was Maryland’s secretary of labor approaching Myers to focus on youth apprenticeship.

Together, Myers and Maryland’s Department of Labor led the way in creating two programs: the youth program, a work study for high school students, and a registered, college-based program. The youth program allows high school students to get their feet wet and see if the auto repair industry is a fit for them. The registered program works with two colleges in the state, allowing college students to go to school and work full time.

“When you look at the entire picture, it’s designed to develop careers and to get the best out of [the students] through education and training and always constantly helping to develop them to the next level,” says Myers.

Word started to get around about the program. That’s when Myers decided to invite 72 Career and Technical Center (CTC) automotive program students 4 0 / R + W / 0099.19 .19

to their Urbana store to not only talk about tech jobs, but the industry itself.

To Myers’ surprise, applications started pouring in—from three to four applicants per year to six the week of the class. The program now gets at least 200 applicants per year. It was the first company in Maryland that had a youth program that could transfer into a registered program, and it has since sparked the development of other programs around the nation.

And Myers constantly promotes the program through podcasts, blogs, and panels—even the state is helping him in his efforts by promoting it on its homepage.

“The educational system at the high school and state level, as well as the Maryland Department of Labor, have benefited from his passion, energy, and enthusiasm for [the automotive] industry and helping individuals enter into it,” Chris MacLarion, Maryland’s Department of Labor director of apprenticeship and training, says when asked about Myers’ accomplishments.

What did Myers do to attract students to the program? Offer free education.

And on top of that, the students are paid an hourly wage. Myers pays for their education—­as long as the student commits to the program for a full year— and goes through a program to earn his money back.

“When you invest in [the students], good people stay with you,” he says.

And by investing in his youth program students, Myers and his team have been able to attain almost a 100 percent success rate in keeping these apprentices, most of whom go on to work at Dynamic. This program helped solve Myers’s problem to get younger generation’s labor, leading to grow Dynamic from one to four locations.

“We are helping to develop leaders,” said Myers. “If we grow them, in turn we grow Dynamic.”

owner / e xecutive

Dwayne Myers Co-owner & managing partner Dynamic Automotive // Maryland

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administrative support

Megan Dinef f Customer and social media manager Ervine’s Auto Repair & Grand Rapids Hybrid // Michigan

SERVING CARS AND THE COMMUNITY

BY MARAYA KING PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMANDA MONTGOMERY

Megan Dineff always knew she wanted to devote her time and energy to the people in her life. What she didn’t know was how many different forms that would eventually take. She is a mother, a daughter, an activist and this year’s Ratchet+Wrench All-Star Awards winner in the administrative support category.

“Megan’s compassion, honesty, and integrity shine through in her daily interactions with customers, technicians, vendors, tow truck drivers and pretty much everyone else she meets,” says Jamie Carlson, her nominator, mother, and co-owner of Ervine’s Auto Repair & Grand Rapids Hybrid.

When her parents first bought Ervine’s Auto in 1994, Dineff never saw herself working alongside them.

“My goal in life was to be the best stay-at-home mom possible,” she says.

Now, she claims she is “right in the sweet spot,” balancing her love of motherhood with her need to help others.

Dineff is putting Ervine’s on the map through outreach programs, social media, and exceptional customer service.

“Megan’s heart for helping others aligns with the bigger mission and heart of Ervine’s Auto Repair and Grand Rapids Hybrid as a company,” Carlson says.

This is evident in Dineff ’s dedication to helping her community through programs such as Grand Rapids HQ , a center for homeless youth; and Arts in Motion, an organization committed to enriching the lives of those with disabilities through expressive art. Most recently, Dineff and the Ervine’s team have allocated time and resources to Hope Pkgs of Grand Rapids, an organization that works to help children entering foster care have basic essentials that they often go without.

When it comes to social media, Dineff bridges her passion for helping others with her tech know-how. One of their most recent Facebook videos, which showcased technicians and Girl Scout cookies, has almost 5,000 views while their page has roughly 720 likes.

Dineff says keeping customers updated and educated

is her top priority, and that’s why Ervine’s replies to each and every Google customer review it receives. Dineff says that’s how they reel in new customers, by showing their dedication to previous ones. Facebook is the most important, she says. Whether it’s making videos to spread awareness about local programs or prompting community engagement, getting people involved in more than their vehicles is vital to Ervine’s philosophy, Dineff says.

Recently, she was awarded the Next Step Program’s scholarship from the Auto Care Association. The scholarship allowed her to attend many networking events where she was able to learn about the role she can take in making an even bigger impact on the automotive repair industry.

“Megan’s natural abilities and hard work combine to elevate not only our company, but our entire industry,” says Carlson.

It wasn’t until 2011 that Dineff started seriously working at Ervine’s.

“My mom knows that I thrive being with other people, so she watched my son and I was able to get more involved,” she says.

Dineff has a very close relationship with her parents. In fact, she and her mother cannot work on the same day, “because we don’t get anything done,” she says. But that tight-knit family dynamic is what keeps customers coming back to Ervine’s. Dineff says when customers enter their store, they know her kids by name. She has created an environment in which a stressful situation can feel like an inviting one.

“Megan’s dedication, loyalty and natural effervescence make her an invaluable addition not only to Ervine’s Auto, but to the automotive service industry as a whole,” Carlson says.

What Dineff takes the most pride in is helping people, especially when times are not easy.

“No one is happy to call us,” she says, “but I can offer a friendly voice and promise they are getting the best service.”

When it comes to planning for the future, Dineff says she would like to stay at Ervine’s as long as her family owns it. It has never been her dream to own Ervine’s, but rather to be a mother and a caring voice in her community—all of which she accomplishes with each day.

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TECHNICIAN TURNED TEACHER

BY MARAYA KING PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTINA WILSON

Jake Sorensen became a master technician at the age of 19, has accumulated 14 ASE certifications and has been with McNeil’s Auto Care for 12 years. He has the expertise, knowledge, and experience to win this award, but what sets him apart from the rest is his dedication to teaching others—both in and out of the shop.

The most rewarding part of working at McNeil’s, a 14,000-square-foot, 18-employee shop in Sandy, Utah, that produces $2.6 million in annual revenue, is the federally accredited apprenticeship program that Sorensen developed, he says. The shop takes on apprentices for a two-year program, using the materials and methodology developed by Sorensen, and walks them through an intensive learning of everything in the shop.

The apprentices are usually in their mid-20s and graduate with three ASE certifications, making them journeymen auto technicians. The apprenticeship is not only paid, but Sorensen says the technicians also double their pay and earn tools by the time they wrap up their program, meaning they have no debt, which is practically unheard of in this industry.

“It’s a lot of fun seeing someone who you teach have it ‘click’ in their mind and then do it on their own,” Sorensen says.

After the apprentices finish their programs, Sorensen says the shop staff encourages them and helps them to become master technicians. This May, their first apprentice, who started as a lube technician in 2018, achieved his master tech certification.

“There’s something gratifying about knowing you helped them get there,” he says.

McNeil’s apprenticeship program soon caught the attention of NAPA Auto Care, largely thanks to Sorensen. Now, NAPA has its own nationally accredited apprenticeship program, which it developed with Sorensen 4 4 / R + W / 0099.19 .19

as its lead technician. The first part of the program is an online guided learning portion to get the students ready to work in the shop.

“I’ve written all of the scripts and starred in most of the videos so far,” Sorensen says.

Even Pete McNeil, owner of McNeil’s, has been in front of the camera a bit. While the glow of the limelight is alluring, Sorensen says he is most excited about this project because of the national technician shortage.

“A lot of people think it’s because no one wants to get into the automotive industry.

It’s not that they don’t want to, it’s that they don’t know how,” Sorensen says.

As if the apprenticeships programs weren’t enough, Sorensen also teaches introductory automotive classes at the Entrada Adult High School in Sandy, Utah. He then works to get his students into McNeil’s program for hands-on experience.

“Hands-on teaching is my goal. These classes have a lot of great information, but you don’t retain as much when you’re not working hands on,” he says.

Sorensen’s devotion doesn’t stop when he leaves the shop. He volunteers as a technical judge for the SkillsUSA competition each year and is a volunteer sound technician at his church where he trains others in those trades as well. His most recent volunteer work has been for a fishing program called C.A.S.T. which seeks to enrich the lives of children with special needs. For the past two years, Sorensen has volunteered as a boat captain and taken children and their families out for a day on the water.

Sorensen, who is a father of two, says he doesn’t have plans to leave McNeil’s anytime soon, but he would like to teach as much as he can.

“I would love to start my own training program and offer technicians up to other people,” he says.

Sorensen is full of passion, know-how and shows no signs of slowing down, which is why he has been named the 2019 Ratchet+Wrench All-Star Awards in the shop worker category.

shop worker

Jake Sorensen Technician McNeil's Auto Care // Utah

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manager /advisor

Ben Lesueur Manager Ox ford Automotive // Ohio

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

BY ABBY PATTERSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY HARRY ACOSTA

At just 23 years old, Ben Lesueur of Oxford Automotive has taken over as manager of the auto shop’s new, rural location when it started off with hard beginnings. In just 11 months, he took monthly sales from little to nothing to $90,000—an annual revenue of $982,000 from that one location in a town of 13,000—all while earning the location a 4.9-star rating and 78 reviews.

When Lesueur first started, he was an 18-year-old senior in high school. Lesueur hustled in school and was able to graduate early, where he then took a job pushing a broom in his family’s auto mechanic garage.

In Powell, Ohio, Lesueur says it was the norm—even expected—that students go to college after high school.

However, he felt that wasn’t his chosen path, saying he wanted to prove that trade jobs are still valuable.

After moving on and working for Goodyear, the owner of Oxford Automotive, James Church, approached Lesueur about an open apprentice position. Leaving Goodyear would mean taking a significant pay cut and driving 45 minutes north from where he currently lived. Even with these pitfalls, Lesueur chose to pursue the job opportunity. And leaving Goodyear meant leaving a culture that treated their customers as merely a number, not actual people, he says.

Lesueur soon went from apprentice to service advisor within eight months. And within three years, he was managing an entire store. As a millennial teenager in an advisor job, working with people who had been in the business for as long as he has been alive, he accepted his new management position as a challenge, constantly looking for ways to be better, he says.

“Nobody else my age was doing that, so, a lot of times, when I questioned that I was out of my lane, there was a lot of negativity that came my way,” Lesueur says. “I love when people tell me I can’t do something. Then I can strive to prove to myself what I’m worth and my value.”

To get to the position he is in today, Lesueur consistently has believed in the same principles of feedback and active listening.

“Whether it be with my employees or with my customers, I listen to feedback, listen to my customers’ wants and needs, and the same thing with my employees,” Lesueur says. “The way that I look at it is, if you can actively listen, it can allow you to effectively apply solutions to get the ball rolling in a much more efficient way.”

At the Powell location, Lesueur eliminated any objections possible for his customers. For example, when it comes to rentals,

Oxford usually charges to use those, but Leusuer started giving them away at no cost when he felt a customer was going to be one of their core customers.

The other part of this deals with the warranty.

“I’ve done the research and looked out to what other shops are offering in the area, and I’m always making sure we’re offering a better value in customer service than everyone around us,” Lesueur says.

“We can’t always beat price, but we can always beat in customer service.”

And when it comes to leadership, Lesueur has a very hands-off approach, while also being as transparent as possible.

For a production technician, Lesueur sits them down, asks how much they feel they can meet, and breaks down the goals. For example, a technician would say he can turn 200 hours per month, meaning he is turning 50 hours per week, 10 hours per day.

“I really just put it back on their plate.

Here’s my expectation and here’s where I think you should be, what can you do to get to that point, and then we work as a team to hit the goals,” Lesueur says.

The tactics Lesueur used back when he was just starting his career at 18 years old are the same tactics he still uses today to grow his career and Oxford Automotive.

“It’s been a challenge—I’ll be honest, it has not been easy,” says Lesueur. “I tried to make the opportunity for myself before I had to ask and wait for somebody to hand it to me.”

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wild card

Jen Monclus Sales and leadership trainer Elite // California

DO WH AT YOU LOV E , LOV E WH AT YOU DO

BY ABBY PATTERSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY ZACH BARRON

It’s been said that teaching is the profession that teaches all of the other professions. That sentiment holds true when it comes to this year’s All-Star Awards winner in the Wild Card category.

Coming in with one-third of all nominations, Jen Monclus, a certified sales and leadership trainer at Elite, doesn’t know how to fix a car, and she hasn’t had to in order to make a difference in the repair industry.

Monclus came to the Elite team back in 2014 after working in staffing, sponsorships for big companies, and marketing for Fortune 500 companies 10 years prior.

She started off in internal sales, which eventually blossomed into her current sales training position. As a person, Monclus says she’s been passionate about any career she has been in—helping people is what she loves most.

“It’s cool because I can implement my background in sales in addition to what I have learned at Elite and help future or current advisors integrate that into their daily repertoire,” she says.

As a trainer, Monclus is a teacher for service advisors in the auto repair industry. Shop owners refer their advisors to her, where she then provides training courses pertaining to what they are looking for, including what Monclus likes to refer to as “her baby”: the Masters program.

In the master’s program, training is a committed six-month program. After a three-day, in-person class in San Diego, the class is then conducted online, where Monclus checks in weekly on their progress, checking their sales stats, and where they need to improve. She even mails them books to read, including the “sales bible” binder with tools, scripts, word tracts, and many other tools that will lead service advisors to success, she says.

But the program isn’t for just anyone. Monclus conducts interviews to see if the program will fill the shop owner’s and advisor’s needs. They look for someone with the right aptitude,

attitude, and determination to learn, grow, and do the right thing by their customers, according to Monclus.

From her training help, many automotive repair shops have grown; one auto repair shop sent one of its service advisors to her course and has since doubled sales at that location. According to Elite, the average weekly sales of her students increases by $2,856 after completing her course. She has been so dedicated to her students that she has even forgone vacation in order to be there for her students. And the reviews are consistent in her dedication to her students and the results it has brought to many businesses.

“Jen has a unique ability to connect with people. This allows her to understand an individual's inner strengths and qualities while she instills confidence,” says Linc Lewis of Mezzio Auto, Naugatuck, Conn.

“Her success is evidenced by five-star reviews from people lucky enough to have been guided by her insight.

Another auto repair shop, retired owner Jim Berberich of AI’s Automotive and Tire, says Monclus has taken her students’ sales to the next level and had dedicated herself to advancing the industry.

“You put people first, and that’s what this course is really built upon,” Monclus says. “This isn’t Disneyland they are working at. No one wants to pay to get their car fixed, so where we are successful is on the psychology in this class. They really understand the emotional side, understand how to connect with their customers, how to gain trust, and that helps them in all facets and helps them gain business.”

Monclus says being a customer herself has really helped; she knows exactly what the customer is feeling.

“I can be that devil’s advocate for them because I know what the customer has been through,” she says. “These advisors have the confidence and skillset to connect with them on a personal level and it’s not just transactional.”

Something Monclus constantly stresses to her students is trust. She says if they don’t have that, they won’t do very well in the long run. And in her teaching, her key to success is passion for helping people in the industry.

“You have to believe in what you are teaching, if you don’t believe in it, then how are you going to relay that thought process to someone else?” she says.

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T H A N K Y O U T O A L L O F T H E 2 0 1 9 R A T C H E T+ W R E N C H A L L- S T A R A W A R D S N O M I N E E S , W H O E A C H H A V E D O N E THEIR PART TO MAKE THE INDUSTRY BET TER .

Aaron Van de Kemp Albino Herrera Amanda Clements Drake Andy Gales Arielle Conner Baljeet Gill Ben McMillen Benjamin Lesueur Bill Horn Bobby Morris Brian Bell, Jr. Brian Madeley Brian Pierson Brin Kline Bruce Crittendon Bryan Gossel Bryan Jewett Caroline Walck Chris Waggoner Christian Jacob Cliff Sloan Danae Prado Daniel Stewart Dave Repass David Brennom David Harvath David Stringfield Desiree Jeremenko Donnie Hudson Dwayne Myers Ed Dietz Elizabeth Johnson Ellen Lima Erik Rud Fred Saeman

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2019 MITSUBISHI MOTORS NORTH AMERICA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 5 4 / R + W / 0 9 .19

T O O L B OX / S H O P A D V I C E

A Genuine Connection

GETTY

How to ensure strong customer relationships that will aid in a high retention There is something about forming connections with customers that can feel, almost ... phony? With similar interactions occurring every day with each and every customer, greetings, formalities and explanations can become stiff and robotic, if a conscious effort isn’t put into place.

At Laurie Guest’s previous job at an optometrist’s practice, customer service was the office’s speciality—so much so that other industries called the office and asked Guest and her colleagues to teach them their ways. For the next few years, Guest put together a “bestkept secrets” presentation, and began speaking at other businesses about the subject of customer service. Guest has since left her job at the optometrist, and is now a professional customer service expert. Guest is a public speaker to both large corporations and small groups, and focuses on customer service, staff development, and improving customer engagement.

Guest emphasizes the importance of genuine customer service within repair shops, because of one large factor: competition. Depending on where a shop is located, there might be 5 to 10—or more—competing shops within a few miles.

Customers already expect great results, so the service is what makes a business stand apart. Below, are Guest’s tips for creating genuine customer connections that will aid in improving customer retention and growth.

Be attentive to the words you say.

When thinking about speaking with customers, there are a few questions you should ask yourself: What words are coming out of my mouth?

Am I using unknown slang terms?

Am I incorporating inside lingo into my explanation that a customer may not understand?

Within the car repair industry— where jargon is heavy—language should be tailored to those with little to no car knowledge. It is important to steer clear of “$15 words” that only other individuals with a repair background would understand. Instead, take the word or term you plan on using, and translate it into an easily digestible explanation that any customer would understand.

If you can get your employees to be truly happy to be working at your shop, and glad to see cars and customers coming in, phoniness will wear away. The key to creating genuine customer relationships is to have your employees deliver information to the patron in the moment, solely focused on the interaction.

I like to call this “show timing,” similar to those in theater. Behind the curtain of a show is ego, conflict, and stress, but when they step out from behind the curtain, each cast member has lines to say, in order for the audience to enjoy their experience.

When the lights go on in your shop, and the doors get unlocked, it’s showtime in front of the customers.

Employees have to truly listen to create genuine connections.

Look at how your body plays.

As for body language, multiple factors come into play—from facial expressions to enthusiasm. A genuine smile, direct eye contact and welcoming gestures can help form real connections with customers.

Patrons will read the energy presented to them, and judge their customer service experiences on those small details.

Most of the things we can do to create genuine connections cost us nothing.

Appropriate word choice and body language come at no investment, other than the cost of possible training, in order to engrain the habits in your staff. But once the skills are learned, you can just rinse and repeat at no cost.

AS TOLD TO NORA JOHNSON

Facilitate a mindset shift.

Create an air of familiarity.

When I walk into my favorite repair shop to get maintenance done on my vehicle, the employee at the service desk will ask, “Hey, Laurie, how is life on the road?” He is able to remember that I travel for a living, and shows that he recognizes who I am.

Addressing a customer with an air of familiarity creates a strong connection and shows him or her that he or she is a valued member of the business. Even if you recognize a customer but don’t remember his or her name or what he or she does for a living, you can still greet him or her with a tone that shows that you recognize who he or she is. Familiarity can be showcased by saying, “Good to see you again; how is everything?” It’s a much stronger phrase than, “Hey, how’s it going?”

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T O O L B OX / L E A D E R S H I P

The Search for Motivation How to find motivation that you can then pass down to your staff

BY NORA JOHNSON

recites Rick White, president and head coach of 180Biz. A more crude version of the quote says, “a fish rots from the head down,” but the sentiment remains the same— poor leadership is the cause of a business’s demise. In this case, White is referring to motivation, both of the owner and his or her staff. If a shop owner lacks motivation, it will trickle down to the employees, and soon, no member of the staff will be motivated to run a successful business.

“If the owner isn’t excited or engaged, what does the rest of the staff look like?”

White says.

White has been involved in some facet of the auto industry his whole life, from dealerships to owning his own shop, to now, coaching other auto repair businesses.

He has worked with hundreds of shops and regularly speaks at conferences around the country about everything that goes into running an auto repair business.

White’s “stinky fish” sentiment is also shared by 180Biz client and shop owner Erick Bock, who puts in the time and effort to motivate himself and inspire his staff at his successful and close-knit New York business, Bock Auto.

White and Bock share their five steps for motivating owners and, in turn, their staff, to better improve overall success.

“What they (shop owners) are getting from their staff is a reflection of what they are bringing to the table,” White says.

Step 1: Begin small.

Leaders can become unmotivated for 5 6 / R + W / 0 9 .19

myriad reasons. One large contributing factor to an unmotivated and uninspired leader is the feeling of being overwhelmed, White says.

“When there is so much to do, we shut off and disengage,” he says.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when thinking about too many things at once, and can quickly give the sense that there is no escape.

By taking a step back and looking at things from a larger perspective, owners can begin to look at isolated factors in their business in order to recenter and remotivate themselves.

A good place to start in the remotivation process, is to do a complete brain dump, suggests White. Everything running through the mind should be written down and looked at from a bird’s-eye view. One factor should be isolated and focused on; start with one thing at a time. This helps with a feeling of accomplishment and pushes motivation to continue.

Step 2: Relocate passion.

Bock says he partakes in a daily reflection, focusing on where he came from, and where he has gone, in order to motivate himself.

“Every once in a while, the stress load will get up, and you have to take a step back and self-reflect on what you’ve done and be grateful for it,” Bock says. “Go back to when you started your shop, to the first day you had the key and opened the door for the first day of business. That excitement—you need to get that feeling again.”

Find the excitement and the fuel that burns inside of you again, Bock suggests.

“This has been a vision burned in my

mind since I was 12 years old, of wanting to own my own shop—what it smelled like, what was hanging on the wall, every detail,” Bock says.

Sharing that excitement with the team will also help to add motivation and inspiration that can be passed down throughout the shop.

Step 3: Create engagement.

The most anyone is engaged is on their first day on the job—their head, heart, and hands are all in, White says.

“When people quit, they don't quit all at once—they quit in stages,” he says.

First to go is the heart—he or she is no longer engaged in the business’s mission and begins to stop going out of his or her way to be a member of the team.

Next to go is the head—the employee has become mentally checked out, and no longer present within his or her role.

Lastly, is the hands—he or she is now lost completely and is no longer an employee.

An issue of skill is easy to fix, White says. An issue of will is a lot of tougher.

It is important to check in and assess each employee’s engagement level and dedication.

To motivate and engage his shop, Bock offers a team lunch to his full staff each day, where they all sit down and eat together like a family, he says. During the lunch, the team is able to check in and talk about what’s going on at the shop, and mention any conflict that might be happening.

Along with full staff meetings, Bock tries to have a “toolbox huddle” twice per day with each team member, one in the morning and

GETTY IMAGES

“There’s an old saying that goes like this: A fish stinks from the head down,”

one in the afternoon. That way, he can spend 5–10 minutes talking with them about how they are doing. In the morning, he focuses his meetings on their personal lives, their families or upcoming events.

“There are lots of things outside the shop that can factor into their (an employee’s) motivation level,” Bock explains.

The afternoon meeting is more work– and shop–focused, he says.

Step 4: Communicate expectations.

As a part of motivating each member of the team, White says owners need to ask themselves how they set their standards of success. Expectations should not only be verbalized to the staff but more importantly, also need to be all that the owner accepts, says White.

Bock says he reminds his staff at least once per week how they fit into the jigsaw puzzle of the shop’s growth plan and expansion, in order to motivate and challenge his team as a whole.

“It’s really about finding the outcome you are looking for, and sharing that with your employees,” Bock says. “There’s a difference between a leader and a manager—the leader is providing the vision.”

Above expectations, is providing employees opportunities for growth. If a team member feels as though he or she does the same thing day in and day out, he or she will ultimately lack the motivation to excel or even stay at the shop.

It is important for owners to create opportunities and a career path for their staff, White says. Setting goals with employees not only challenges and motives them, but also encourages them to become better.

Step 5: Celebrate achievements.

There is nothing more unmotivating than not being appreciated for hard work and accomplishments. In order to encourage and motivate staff, White stresses the importance of celebrating employees for a job well done. Too often, technicians will say that their owner only recognizes them when a mistake is made, or something has gone wrong, White says.

When the technician does something well, or even above the standard, they tend to hear nothing but crickets from their boss.

It is vital to celebrate the behaviors and results a business wants to

achieve, White says. Owners have the opportunity to experience a true transformation when they take the time to properly encourage and celebrate their staff.

An incredible consequence of encouraging team members for their accomplishments is the effect it could have on the rest of the team. Everyone wants to be appreciated and cared

for, and by celebrating specific staff members’ accomplishments, it shows other team members that they, too, could be given high recognition.

Although, White stresses the importance of ensuring that the form of celebration is something that truly means something to the employee, or else the employee may not feel too motivated or inspired.

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0 9 .19 / R + W / 57

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Comfort Jr. cites all the major headaches that plague customers on the road: dead batteries. Flat Tires. Blown or faulty transmissions. Anything that needs towing, in other words.

The Roadside Assistance program reimburses drivers up to $75 and is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year. Customers also benefit from the Roadside Assistance Certificate, which is good for a one-time battery boost, lock-out service, fuel delivery or flat tire change for one year.

“The first reaction when I mention the program is, ‘What’s it going to cost?’ ” Comfort Jr. says.

“Once you explain it, however, the light bulb goes off. And it’s not just your shop— 5 8 / R + W / 0 9 .19

it’s any Parts Plus Car Care Center Platinum member across the country. We take care of our customers.”

More than anything, Comfort Jr. stresses that most drivers don’t realize how much help they may need, especially out of their normal comfort (and driving) zones.

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AS THE MILES MOUNT THE QUALITY REMAINS

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“It provides a selling point boost when customers are deciding where to get their cars serviced,” he says. “Knowing that Parts Plus has the confidence in its services to offer this great warranty gives us confidence to promote it.”

As a second-generation shop owner, Drellisak believes it is important to live up to the legacy of the business his family started and that bears the family’s name.

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Cars are complicated, trust is earned, and the long-term value of quality care cannot be boiled down to a simple number or price. To learn how Parts Plus can help your shop provide top service, repairs and a loyal customer base, check out PartsPlusCarCareCenter.com/program-benefits.

Columns

INDUSTRY INSIDER Rissy Sutherland

An Expert's Touch Jeff Bragdon improved his shop’s revenue with help from a marketing vendor’s expertise.

THE VENDOR BENEFIT It’s OK not to be an expert in everything—learn to ask for help

FUE VANG, COURTESY OF SERVICE MASTERS TOTAL CAR CARE

Throughout my years in the industry,

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting with many different shop owners, as well as the vendors that they work with, and have been able to see the positive impact that a beneficial relationship can have for both parties when the right two people find one another. Jeff Bragdon, owner of Service Masters Total Car Care and Ryan Burton, owner and founder of Leads Near Me, are an example of this.

Long before opening his first shop, Jeff worked as a lead technician for various shops, building his experience and expertise along the way. In 2009, he made the jump from lead technician to shop owner when he opened Service Masters Total Car Care in Safety Harbor, Fla. At that time, it was a one-man operation and Jeff was single-handedly doing $16,000 in business per month.

Service Masters was relying solely on word of mouth for all of its marketing and advertising needs.

Jeff knew there was room for improvement and growth, but wasn’t sure how to go about it and was nervous about spending money on marketing without a guarantee that it would work.

As we all know, we are business owners

and experts in running automotive shops.

Very few of us are considered marketing experts or online advertising experts.

Especially in a realm where the dynamics of online marketing change everyday.

However, Jeff knew that he had a great shop, great service and great employees.

What he needed was a great marketing plan to tell customers about his business.

Finally, in 2015, he sought advice from his business advisor, Scott Wheeler, and was quickly referred to Ryan Burton and Leads Near Me. Ryan helped Jeff create a new website for Service Masters and began running Google Ads for the shop. While Jeff was hesitant to spend money on something like online marketing and Google Ads, Ryan made sure to work with him every step of the way to reassure him and show him where his money was going. There was heavy communication in the early days to ensure success.

After one year of working together Jeff’s revenue jumped to around $26,000 in revenue per month. Jeff continued to see improvements in revenue each year.

He was thrilled. And not just with the increase in business, but also with the working relationship he was forming with

Rissy Sutherland has opened more than 400 shops in her career as the executive for nearly a dozen automotive brands and now the president of SRS + Co. She is one of the industry's foremost experts in shop operations. sutherlandrissy@gmail.com ratchetandwrench.com/sutherland

Ryan. Their relationship went beyond just a vendor/customer partnership. Jeff realized that Ryan really cared about the success of his clients in all aspects. The Burton family even joined the Bragdon family and the entire Service Masters staff at Bragdon’s home for the 4th of July this year for the annual “Bragdon Fireworks Extravaganza.”

As of this writing, Jeff has expanded Service Masters Total Car Care to a second shop and is seeing revenue in the $85,000 range each month. He has also moved from his original shop to a larger location in Clearwater, Florida and is forecasting $1.4 million in revenue for 2019.

He has added direct mail and coupons to his marketing endeavors but continues to turn to Leads Near Me for all of his online marketing needs and advertising advice. When Jeff first met Ryan, his shop had exactly three Google Reviews. Today it has over 300 positive reviews and he is continues to grow.

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T O O L B OX / C A S E S T U DY

TA K ING OVER A BUSINESS AND MAKING IT YOUR OWN How an eight-year succession plan turned into years of growth and profit B Y A L AY N A B AG G E N S T O S S PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY GARRY'S AUTOMOTIVE

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Changing Hands Since opening in 1997, Garry’s Automotive has gone through many changes, including the recent retirement of the founder of the shop, Garry Plimmer.

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T O O L B OX / C A S E S T U DY

GARRY'S AUTOMOTIVE Owners: Jared Scofield and John Bryant Location: Boise, Idaho Size: 45,000 square feet Staff: 12

When Ratchet+Wrench last wrote about Garry Plimmer’s namesake shop in Boise, Idaho, he had just finished finding ways to maximize the efficiency of his 45,000-square-foot facility after quickly outgrowing what was once his “dream shop.”

Plimmer opened Garry’s Automotive in 1997 in Boise, Idaho, with a staff of just three: one technician; Plimmer acting as owner, service writer and part-time tech; and his wife, Jerilyn, as the bookkeeper.

By 2005, the shop had reached annual sales of $460,000 and an annual car count of 1,900. Tired of renting different properties, Plimmer purchased a lot on a busy road and worked with an architect to build a facility that encompassed everything he was looking for in a shop.

After implementing those processes, sales continued to rise by $150,000 every year to $2 million with an average monthly car count of 350.

“We grew rapidly because we figured out how to make everything flow,” Plimmer said at the time. “[The staff] knows how it works and they become very efficient.

We’re always trying to improve. We’re not locked into anything. If there’s a better way to do things, let’s take a look at it.”

But a couple years later, Plimmer was ready to retire, and hand over his business to two of his employees, Jared Scofield and John Bryant.

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Average Monthly Car Count: 350 Annual Revenue: $2.15 million

THE BACKSTORY

After getting his associate’s degree in 2003 in Wyoming, Jared Scofield returned to Boise to begin working in the industry. It wasn’t until 2005 that he landed at Garry’s Automotive as a tech.

As Plimmer grew the shop and began looking to the future, he knew that he wanted to keep the business within the company, Scofield says. He also knew that taking on a business is no easy task; you have to have all of your finances and knowledge in order before handing it over. Scofield says that this is why Plimmer started working toward his retirement eight years ahead of time.

THE PROBLEM

Coming up with something eight years before it happens is a tremendous feat.

Plimmer knew that his succession plan couldn’t be a one-size-fits-all operation; he had to tailor it to his situation, Scofield says. He knew that taking on a business comes with a pretty heavy cost, and that’s not something you can arrange overnight.

Garry’s Automotive has always had a customer-first attitude, which Scofield says is why Plimmer wanted

to keep the business within itself. He didn’t want to sell to somebody outside of the organization that wasn’t driven by the same values that the company has. According to Scofield, the thought behind that was that it would be a better way of life for everyone involved.

Scofield now shares 50 percent business ownership with John Bryant, another tech, and on January 26, 2017, they finished their first day as business owners.

Scofield and Bryant were now tasked with taking the inspiration of Plimmer’s “customer-first attitude,” and making it their own.

THE SOLUTION

Plimmer’s ideal remains a large influence on how Scofield and Bryant run the business today, Scofield says, and was the inspiration behind his implementation of a three-tiered goal program.

At the beginning of each calendar year, Scofield, Bryant and their team all sit down to figure out what some achievable goals for the year. They think of these goals in three levels, each of which has a reward attached to it. If the

The New Era Jared Scofield (left) and John Bryant (right) took over for Garry Plimmer and have taken on the “customer-first attitude” that Plimmer held so dear.

team reaches level one’s goal, Scofield and Bryant buy lunch for the whole team. If they reach the second level goal, the two owners will pay for a steak and lobster meal, which is a goal they’ve already hit twice as of April 2019. The reward for the final level, Scofield says, is that each team member will get a $100 bill, which has already been reached once this year.

The inspiration behind this lies in the peer mentoring meetings that Scofield attends.

“You don’t achieve anything if you don’t set out to achieve it,” Scofield says.

After this meeting, he came back to Garry’s ready to sit down with his team and get to work.

These goals aren’t just in his employees business lives, but in their personal lives as well.

“Setting goals encourages everyone to strive for excellence,” Scofield says.

If they want to break their end of year goal of bringing in more than $2 million in revenue, then everyone has to move in the same direction.

Scofield says the reason that Bryant and himself push for this goal and reward system is because employees are the

greatest asset to the company. Whether they have success or failure, the familylike culture means that they share it together. At the end of the day, Scofield says that they aren’t going to let each other fall, if there’s a problem, they’re going to help each other to solve it.

Another practice that Scofield and Bryant now make a point to do, is to give back. They are able to help 3,000 to 4,000 people in their community each year with the goal in mind “... to be a lasting aspect of our community. A lasting cornerstone that supports families and people,” Scofield says.

Even though they already serve that many people, Scofield says they have a reach that’s even farther than that. They try to help anyone that comes knocking on their door. Just some of the causes they help are the local Boys and Girls Club of America, the local police force, and Skills USA. They also give free oil changes to veterans on Veterans Day and support an organization called Boise Rescue Mission, which provides meals and shelter to those in need. They donate as much as they can to as many causes as they can.

THE AFTERMATH

Since Scofield and Bryant have teamed up, they’ve seen an increase of 5 percent revenue each year they’ve been in charge. But that hasn’t come without extra effort, Scofield says. They have had to hire additional staff, lease more space to increase productivity, and improve their equipment.

Scofield also started attending a peer mentoring group. This group has discussions that focus on the best business practices for their industry and strategies to increase productivity and grow their companies. The first meeting that Scofield attended after moving into ownership focused on goal setting, which, ironically, was one of his biggest plans for the company.

THE TAKEAWAY

The feedback that Bryant and Scofield have gotten from this system has been extremely positive. Scofield says that they’re helping their team to achieve goals they’ve never done before. The rewards aren’t terribly costly for the shop, but they go over well with the staff and always feel like special occasions, Scofield says. At the end of the day, Scofield says that he wants to help each and every person in any way that he can.

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T O O L B OX / H U M A N R E S O U R C E S

HR Without the Department The top 4 benefits of using an outside HR service

BY NORA JOHNSON

grow the business,” says Phil Leone, owner of the two-location Clayton Lube & Tune and Garner Lube & Tune in North Carolina.

One of the services that helps Leone save time and streamline shop processes is outsourcing his payroll and HR. He uses a system that assists with time tracking, onboarding/off boarding, payroll, and benefits administration.

Deciding to invest in outside technology—especially for something that may have been integrated within the role of an owner since the beginning—can be intimidating and nerve-wracking. But systems like these can take away small, sometimes time-consuming tasks out of the hands of the owner, and can help free up time to allow them to focus on other, larger responsibilities—all while avoiding an extra HR hire.

Below, are the top four benefits outside HR services can provide shop owners.

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Originally, Leone used his HR service, Gusto, solely for payroll, and has since grown to use the service for benefits administration and time tracking, as well as other HR tasks like onboarding, offboarding, and storing internal paperwork. The shop’s Clover Mini—a payment terminal and POS system— connects directly with his account to integrate the timing information from the employees that clock in and out at his shop.

In the past, Leone has used other, similar payroll-specific services, as well as hired a local individual to help facilitate with pay, but he wasn’t fully happy with either. He found his current payroll and HR service while doing some searching online.

“I’m always doing research to try to find different things that I can use to help my business run more efficiently,” Leone says.

It has now been roughly two years since he switched to using his current service.

Throughout his time with the program, he has added on features to his account to increase payroll and HR ease. Currently, Leone pays a little over $100 per store per month for the service—with almost all of the available extra features included. A more barebones version of the service, with

less capabilities, is available for $45 per month. Other HR programs, like Zenefits and Ease, offer similar packages.

Benefit No. 2: The Convenience of an App

Leone says setting up the program was quick. He went on the website, put in his email address, bank account information, and other details before confirming.

When Leone first started offering his employees benefits, he went through an agent, but has found that his new system of benefits administration works better for him and his shop.

“I found that getting it (benefits administration) integrated through payroll has made it a thousand times easier,” Leone says.

With Leone’s current 22 employees divided between his two locations, remembering when each of them reaches benefits eligibility can be a pain, he says.

His current service will send an email directly to his employees to alert them when they are able to choose their benefits.

Employees can either accept the benefit offer and fill out the paperwork directly, or they can easily decline.

GETTY IMAGES

“I try to find things that are going to make my shop run as smooth as possible —to be more efficient and

MORE EXTENSIVE HR SERVICES

Benefit No. 3: More Time for Other Responsibilities

Since Leone is able to do payroll quickly through his phone, he can finish the task while going from one of his shop locations to the other. He says the process is so quick that, one time, he remembered he had forgotten to run payroll for the day before going out to eat with his family. The restaurant was five minutes from his house, and through his phone, he was able to complete payroll for both locations before arriving.

“It’s made things so much smoother, where payroll is not a headache anymore,” Leone explains.

Extra HR tasks have also been eliminated from Leone’s routine. He says he never has anyone on his team ask for pay stubs anymore, because they can just log in to their accounts and look at their most recent pay stubs and W2s.

“When owning your own business, the only way you can successfully do it without wanting to pull your hair out—I’ve had many of those times—is by having as many things as possible like

that, whether it’s a system in the shop, or a system in the office,” Leone says. “You want to have things [at your business] that make your job easier.”

Benefit No. 4: Access to outside assistance

Anytime Leone needs some help or assistance with the service, he says he can call and get someone on the phone in a span of five minutes or less. The app also has a live chat feature. He has run into issues in the past that got fully resolved with the service in a matter of minutes.

“I’ve dealt with accountants, bookkeepers, and the other payroll companies where we’ve had issues, and I’ve never had anything taken care of so quickly,” says Leone.

He highly recommends other shop owners have systems in place at their businesses to save them time and added stress.

“Try to find an online service that’s going to make running a business easy for you, because there are so many things that somebody that owns a shop has to do in a day, and this is something that should be easy,” Leone says.

While systems like Leone’s offer quick and easy payroll, benefits administration, and further HR simplification, more extensive options are also available. For shops looking to invest in a higher tier of assistance, while still not hiring an in-house HR representative, more intensive HR outsourcing services and professional employment organizations (PEOs) can be options.

These services are at a higher investment and offer more human capital and assistance.

Liz Grussing, business performance advisor at Insperity—HR outsourcing service and PEO—explains that this higher tier of HR assistance offers more handson services like interview and selection training, offer letter and job description writing assistance, organizational development, and safety services.

“A lot of times, repair shop owners have no idea what questions they can or cannot ask to potential candidates, or what to include in job descriptions.

They are starting from scratch and taking the time to go through that process,” explains Grussing.

A further addition from tech-based HR services are PEOs’ benefits selection, PEOs have access to a larger buying pool and can offer benefits at lower costs to the small businesses that use their services.

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SPONSORED CONTENT

REACH MORE CUSTOMERS WITH DIRECT MAIL LEVERAGE THE POWER OF THE USPS WITH MAIL SHARK Greg Buckley was looking for an advertising partner that could live up to his shop’s 50-year legacy of quality service and auto care. When he pulled up to the headquarters of Mail Shark, he knew he had found it.

“That was very special for me,” Buckley says.

“I went to their operation to see it firsthand. I was intrigued to see what a true mailing company was all about, and when I arrived, there was a huge banner that said, ‘Welcome Buckley’s Auto Care to Mail Shark!’ I knew they were different and awesome already.”

It’s good to be different and it’s really good to be awesome. For Buckley and the shop that shares his family name, Mail Shark delivers.

BAITING THE (MARKETING) HOOK Buckley describes his introduction to the Mail Shark team as an unforgettable experience. After arriving (and walking under that welcome banner), Buckley met the team, discussed his shop’s history and goals, and got down to business.

“We spent an hour or more sitting at a roundtable just going over what kind of pieces can be designed for Buckley’s,” he says.

“We came up with unique pieces; Mail Shark isn’t focused on only postcard marketing—they’re able to create any kind of print media, from pamphlets to postcards to magnetic, scratch-off and peel-away; it only takes a phone call.”

Buckley enjoyed the experience and vision of the Mail Shark creative team, who spingboarded his ideas into something more tangible, marketable and fun.

“You can call them, bounce ideas around and help design your own piece. You go over it with them and before you know it it’s ready to go.

It’s a very strong and personal interaction with the Mail Shark team.”

NEITHER SNOW NOR RAIN NOT HEAT NOR GLOOM OF NIGHT (CAN STOP INFORMED DELIVERY) What also attracted Buckley to Mail Shark was their knowledge of the USPS Informed Delivery program. Informed Delivery is a free service through the USPS that grants email previews of your daily incoming mail and packages and features a wide variety of services pertaining to delivery—users can see their mail, get digital updates via phone or email, leave delivery instructions, schedule redelivery and more.

“Because I knew what the advantages are with using Informed Delivery, I started vetting vendors from around the country looking for those that knew as much about Informed Delivery as I did,” Buckley says.

“Mail Shark was the only one that was confidently able to not only understand it, but direct me through it so our pieces not only get opened in the mailbox but also in the email. As a result, our last postcard campaign utilizing Informed Delivery’s technology had an open rate of 45 percent. That’s incredible; that’s the benefit Mail Shark and Informed Delivery provide.”

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“The vendors I prospected didn’t understand it and weren’t concerned; Mail Shark knew the game and immediately knew they could help me. Taking nothing away from other vendors, I feel my experience from top to bottom has been nothing but exceptional.”

What enables Mail Shark to leverage the power of Informed Delivery is that the Mail Shark headquarters contains a post office within it. Because the USPS owns your mailbox, you’re piggybacking off the strength of the federal government with Mail Shark. Mail Shark incorporates the power of the daily mail directly into its process.

DIRECT MAIL IS A CLIENT FEEDING FRENZY For Buckley, the primary benefit Mail Shark provides is this: his marketing campaigns are a direct corollary to the personal relationships his shop has made with customers for over 50 years.

“For shop owners, we love our digital ads but we need to focus on 1:1 relationship building, and Mail Shark provides that,” he says.

“Postcard mailings are getting traction back. The humanistic touchpoints are all there, so it makes sense to do these campaigns— with Mail Shark, it’s 1-2-3, boom! Done. Email campaigns are still a big gorilla, but there’s a diminishing return with traditional open rates. With Mail Shark and Informed Delivery, customers now have a value-added reason to check their email.”

Buckley trusts Mail Shark because they continue to innovate on his behalf.

“What makes them unique is that you can give them an idea and they can make something for you now. The value they return makes it a deal. It’s value-based, and that’s the beauty of working with Mail Shark; they can take your idea and turn it around for you in no time at all. They can bring another element to your piece or campaign and make it even better by bringing diversity to your ideas and your program. They have a timeline I don’t believe many other vendors can offer.”

“I can’t stop talking about it,” Buckley says, “I love Mail Shark.”

For greater customer outreach with that personal touch, direct mail is the answer. To see what a direct mail campaign with Mail Shark can do for you, check out TheMailShark.com/Reach or call 610-549-1678.

Who knows? Maybe you’ll blow your old marketing campaign out of the water. You’re gonna need a bigger shop.

Inc. 5000 list—8 years running!

Thank you to our loyal customers.

Columns

THE BOTTOM LINE Mitch Schneider

EAT, DRINK, WALK A simple mantra for success There have been times in my life during

which I have been confronted with profound growth. I’m experiencing such a growth period as I write this. I say “experiencing,” because I’m not entirely sure exactly where I am in the process.

Each day brings with it a set of new revelations, all with varying degrees of intensity and that makes it difficult to understand when or even if this particular period is likely to end.

This particular journey began on February 14, 2014, when I was formally diagnosed with primary myelofibrosis, an exceedingly rare bone marrow cancer. That’s when my life turned upside down and I quickly learned if I was going to survive, I’d better learn how to walk on the ceiling!

The first series of decisions I had to make were critical, but no less critical than each decision I’ve been asked to make every day since. Who will my initial hematologist/oncologist be? Where will I go for treatment? What medications will I need? How much will they cost? How will we afford them? And, what side effects are likely to accompany those drugs?

Will I continue to work? More importantly, should I? And, what will that mean?

I’ve been an automotive service professional my entire life. It is etched into my very soul. An integral part of my DNA. Diagnosing and repairing cars and trucks, and running a shop was my life up until that moment. That, and the writing and speaking that followed, is what has defined me. But stress is a killer. Especially, when combined with a disease as insidious as cancer. And, like cancer, the best way to eliminate stress is to eliminate it at its source.

As things progressed and my symptoms began to present more violently, another series of decisions presented themselves.

One, more profound than the others. Would I enter the stem cell/bone marrow transplant program at the City of Hope in Duarte,

Calif.? Was I willing to take the 65 percent chance of survival and risk the time I had left—two or three years—or would I gamble on the chance of a cure?

If you’ve been following my journey, either here or on the video blog I started posting just a few days before I started my conditioning chemo, you already know which fork in the road I chose. But there were still decisions to be made and lessons to be learned.

The conditioning regimen that prepares you for a stem cell/bone marrow transplant includes completely destroying your existing bone marrow—in my case, whatever the disease had not yet ravaged. It also included decimating your immune system. That means you will find yourself 100 percent immunocompromised.

Two different chemo drugs are used to accomplish that. One that is infused over five days, and another that follows immediately for a sixth day of infusions.

The first couple of days after the infusions are complete are a cruel trick. A diabolical ruse to lull you into a false sense of security while the chemo courses through your body wrecking everything it touches. When that happens, the game has already begun!

Weakness, lesions that appear on just about every inch of your mucous system, nausea and a host of other symptoms too numerous and distressing to name will be your world for the next number of weeks and months. However, with everything you have been given to manage and eliminate your disease, the doctors and nurses were still able to provide me with an invaluable gift to help promote my recovery. A mantra that at transplant day +118 has proven just as valuable as it was on the day my donor’s stem cells were infused: Eat, drink, walk.

Eat, drink, walk. A simple pathway to success. For staying alive!

You have to eat to nourish the body. You have to eat even if the lesions in your mouth and down your throat scream out in protest;

Mitch Schneider is a fourth-generation auto repair professional and the former owner of Schneider’s Auto Repair in Simi Valley, Calif. He is an industry educator, author, seminar facilitator, and blogger at mitchschneidersworld.com. mitch@mitchschneidersworld.com ratchetandwrench.com/schneider

even when eating makes you nauseous; even if your GI tract decides to fight back. You have to.

You have to drink. The medications they’ve given you demand you remain hydrated. And, there are consequences if you don’t (kidney failure among them). So, you have to keep drinking even when you can’t swallow.

And, you have to walk. You have to exercise. There is no choice. The debilitating impact of the chemo demands it. The doctors and the nurses demand it. And, if you listen closely, your body will demand it. It’s a prerequisite for your survival and ultimate success.

Eat, drink, walk. Notice anything strange about these three words? They are all action verbs.

Being in business is hard. There is a whole new universe of problems to confront every day. Technician training.

Escalating costs. Decreasing revenues.

Employment challenges. Government oversight. But, if you want the success you seek, you need to act.

It isn’t chemotherapy and it may not be battling cancer, but there are still challenges that demand action. So, close your eyes and repeat this mantra: Eat, drink, walk.

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“I try and advocate for not only women in the industry, but our industry as a whole.”

Repair Life

K AT H L E E N J A R O S I K PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHEYENNE ALFORD

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R E PA I R L I F E / K AT H L E E N J A R O S I K

“What is the purpose of a business?”

Kathleen Jarosik vividly remembers her first day as the full owner of her shop. She had just bought out her ex-husband’s portion of the business, despite knowing nothing about cars, or much about business.

It’s no surprise that Jarosik summarizes that first day at Xpertech Auto Repair in Englewood, Fla., in just two words: “Oh, crap.”

But just 10 years later, she’s singing a different tune. In fact, in 2018, she was awarded the Women in Auto Care’s Female Shop Owner of the Year award.

That transformation naturally didn’t happen overnight. The biggest key, Jarosik says, is that she accepted help in the form of management classes. Through this education investment, as well as working with her coach, Jarosik says she continues to be pushed to become a better owner every day.

“I wouldn't want to do anything else, I love this too much,” she says.

Jarosik was nominated for the Female Shop Owner of the Year title by NAPA corporate. After completing the detailed questionnaire and interview process, Jarosik was beyond surprised and humbled to hear the news of her win.

“I look up to those women (past title winners) as huge mentors to me, so I thought, ‘There’s no way. I’m not there yet,’” she explains.

Nevertheless, the Women in Auto Care board recognized her success, and presented Jarosik the title at last year’s AAPEX conference in Las Vegas. She now travels more frequently to represent the industry in different facets, all while continuing to run her growing Florida shop.

“I hope that I spent at least a portion of this last year making them (Women in Auto Care) proud of how important that I feel this decision is,” Jarosik says. “I really try and get out there to advocate for not only women in the industry, but our industry as a whole.”

AS TOLD TO NORA JOHNSON 70 / R + W / 0 9 .19

Typically, I try to get to the shop at 7 or 8 a.m. The shop opens at 8 a.m., and if all goes well, I’m here until 5 p.m. I’m

heavily involved in the local Chamber of Commerce, networking, and marketing, so I step out quite a bit to market and increase awareness on who we are, what we do, and how we do it.

When I am in the shop, I typically sit in my office behind my window, wishing I could talk to my clients. When a business evolves and grows up, it’s kind of like watching kids grow older. There are days when I get “caught up,” and I sit in our waiting room for an hour or so, and get to just talk to clients that have been with us for years. We fix their cars, but really, we focus on the people side of things. And that’s the culture throughout the shop.

We do Monday morning meetings to set the tone for the upcoming week. If we

have any challenges coming up, we can

make a game plan during that time. I go out with the numbers from last week and deliver results, to let them know where we are and how we performed.

I also do some incentives and contests every once in a while, to make sure that what we focus on what actually happens.

If ARO is down or effective labor rate isn't where I would like it to be, we discuss it— the challenges and successes. I always ask the team what their “happies and crappies” were of the last week, to get a better understanding of the shop culture. I try and figure out if there are any obstacles I can help remove for my staff.

I used to be an integral piece of the day-to-day operations here. That’s got-

ten less and less over the last year and a half or so. I’m much more involved in the shop’s marketing—so what my job boils down to is car count.

Our shop does a monthly paper snail mail newsletter, and I make sure

XPERTECH AUTO REPAIR

Location: Englewood, Fla. Size: 4,000 square feet Staff: 6 full-time, 2 part-time Lifts: 4 Average Monthly Car Count: 270-300 Annual Revenue: $825,000

Build a Better Culture At Xpertech Auto Repair, Kathy Jarosik has spent the past 10 years cultivating a tightknit culture among her staff, which has filtered down to customers.

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R E PA I R L I F E / K AT H L E E N J A R O S I K

Free Up Your Time Hiring Jamie McNeil (left) in the front office has freed up shop owner Kathy Jarosik’s (right) time, allowing her to take on more higher-level projects.

to control the content in order to either bring more people in, or not—to control the business flow. I have four lifts and six bays with three techs, one service advisor, and one CSR, so it’s a pretty small shop.

Repair Shop of Tomorrow does a lot of our marketing for us. They create our marketing pieces every month. We get six to eight ideas from them, and we pick and choose which ones we want—and tweak them a little. They also do our social media and maintain our website; I work back and forth with them on our newsletters. We make sure everything is consistent throughout all platforms— any print that I do, along with our web and social media content, all match and are uniform.

of me—anyone can text me, or reach me through Google Hangouts on my cell phone.

Before I leave on a trip, I make sure to get with my office manager, Jamie. I tell her what days I’m going to be gone, and ask to see if there is anything she might need. I also make sure she has plenty of money in the operating expense account. I make a game plan, and let everyone know that I’m never more than a phone call away. I also empower my staff to make decisions without me. Sometimes if you empower your employees to make choices, they make better choices than maybe you could have made.

Some days, I’m not in the shop at all because I’m traveling, especially this past year with the award. When I’m out of the

business coach told me I needed to hire someone for up front. He said, “If they let you work even just one hour per day without being interrupted, is it worth it?”

facility, I make sure my staff can get ahold 72 / R + W / 0 9 .19

I used to do all of the front-of-the-house and business side of the business myself. I was always tired and cranky, so my

I hired a part-time woman for the job, and, two months later, thought, “I need someone full time.” I got so freed up and more efficient. That’s when I hired Jamie. Once she came in, I slowly faded out of the front office.

When I am out traveling, I’m at conferences or industry events. I went to my

first Women in Auto Care conference in 2016. There were only 60 people there at the time, but it really showed me that there were these amazingly successful women that enjoyed and loved this industry. I came home with goals—something I never had before—and I began working toward being better and helping more people.

I’m a big advocate for training, and I’m not afraid to step out and be the mouthpiece if needed. If that’s what I’m supposed to do, and my shop can still run.

SHOP OWNERS:

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Sign up for eXtra and Get What You Deserve at extra-awards.com.

*Items depicted are representative of available awards. Exact items may not be available.

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Columns

THE FIXER Aaron Stokes

THE EFFECTS OF A TRUE MENTOR How to open your eyes to genuine and needed guidance

There, I got to see a father and son work together. I watched this father yell at his son, and the son yell at his father. I would then watch the two of them go at it and then apologize to each other.

I had never seen that in my life. My dad had already split at this point in my life, and he had a pretty bad temper.

I was shocked by the interactions between the father and son.

Men apologize?

Men talk?

That blew me away. I could not believe there were grown men that made up, and that really affected me.

The father of the pair was gentle and a strong leader; he was practical and a hard worker, and the mentor I needed at the time.

Time went by and I soon met another guy—an elder at my church—who I could go to for advice. At one point,

he even loaned me money so I could get a consultant. He really invested in me.

When things went wrong, he would sit down with me and say that, if he were me, he wouldn’t know exactly what to do either, and then offered what he would consider doing. He never told me what to do; he wanted me to think. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized exactly what he was up to.

This man was very powerful and successful, but he was also conservative in business—something I needed in my life.

I was in my late twenties when I heard that Greg Sands was having a meeting at his house. I had heard about Greg

through someone else—how this guy had done this, this, and this—how successful he was. But the meeting was for 10 people, 74 / R + W / 0 9 .19

already full, and I didn’t really have an invite. I called my friend and told him that I didn’t think I was going to make it and he said, “Aaron, if I had to sit on the porch with a Solo cup up to the window listening to everything being said in that house, I would be there.”

That woke me up. I realized I wasn’t hungry enough. This was a huge opportunity and I needed to be there. I called and got the news that they could squeeze me in the meeting.

At the time, I probably did $60,000­ $80,000 per month. I had one store, but lots of hopes and dreams. Toward the end of the meeting, everyone started opening up their laptops and showing Greg possible upcoming opportunities and plans they had. He looked at them and said, “Horrible—next! That’s a horrible location—next!”

I showed him pictures of my shop at the time, and he said, “You’re too smart to go out of business. If you ever get in trouble, call me.”

It’s hard to put into words how much that meant to me, and it’s stuck with me to this day. Greg has given me a ton of advice during the years, and we still keep in touch.

Through my past experiences, I have learned that a mentor is someone who can relate to where you're at. They can

walk you through why doing something a certain way is the right decision.

When time and money is burning a hole in your pocket, and you want to run out and do something right away, that mentor is telling you to hold on. When you're too conservative or too nervous, that mentor is pushing you.

As an owner, you can’t always see where you’re trying to go or what you should do

Aaron Stokes grew his business, AutoFix, into a six-shop operation that is widely regarded as one of the top repair businesses in the country. He is also the founder of Shop Fix Academy. aaron@shopfixacademy.com ratchetandwrench.com/stokes

next. Each opportunity can have mystery wrapped around it, and you don't know if it is good or bad. When you become more successful, more opportunities appear, and old habits of how you viewed things when your shop was small come out by saying “yes” to every opportunity.

Everybody and their dog tries to get you to do something, and half of the time, the opportunity is totally wrong for your business.

As success and opportunities rise, a switch happens, and you have to start telling people “no.”

This is the time when a mentor becomes a super healthy resource for an owner, to get an outside perspective. You’ll start to find that mentors begin to take an interest in you, and it’s very important to bring them into your life quickly.

A true mentor is not somebody you pay, not somebody you have to bribe in some way, not transactional. A mentor is someone looking for a place to plant his or her seeds of greatness, as his or her career fades into the sunset and someone else’s comes up in the sunrise.

FUE VANG, GETTY

When I was a young man, at 15 years old, I went to work at a horse farm.

“GOOD AS NEW MY CUSTOMERS WANT TO DRIVE OUT OF HERE FEELING AS CONFIDENT IN THEIR CAR AS THE DAY THEY DROVE IT OFF THE DEALER’S LOT.

”

JEFF O. | TECHNICIAN | 27 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

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