By William Johnson Chris Myers is in some ways the accidental owner of five repair shop locations in the Wichita, KS, area. Not that he wound up a shop owner by accident; Chris never had a doubt that he would own a shop someday. He was and remains a man on a mission to provide his … Read more
Do you run a garage and constantly feel like you’re behind? An automotive shop management system can help you better manage tasks like parts sourcing, accounting, operations, and customer service. This will make all phases of your production pipeline run faster and easier. According to Business Wire, this specialized software lets auto shop owners track … Read more
Last September, Joshua Wahlstrom, owner of Farmington Service & Towing in Farmington, Utah, wanted to quit. The shop had experienced a lot of comebacks, Wahlstrom was overworked, juggling many different hats in the shop, and he felt as deflated as a flat tire. He wasn’t ready to walk away yet, though. Instead, he reached out … Read more
It’s a common refrain from shop owners, especially during the summer. They feel like the only way to stay on top of higher summer car counts is to drop everything else so they can focus on working inside the business as an advisor or technician. The problem is that the shop has to keep operating, … Read more
As computers become an increasingly important part of our business and personal lives, it’s important to use the right tools to get the most out of your shop. According to the American Institute of Stress, about 20 percent of employees spend five hours on the clock thinking about their stress each week. Using the right … Read more
By David Rogers As published in Auto-Link Magazine What happens if you can’t find another tech to hire? The usual path to growing sales includes adding an additional tech so the shop can handle more cars and bill more hours. It’s such an ingrained idea that many owners have gone back into the bays to … Read more
This past weekend, May 6-7, 2023, shop owners, service advisors, and technicians from all over North America gathered in Denver, Colorado for the first-ever Team Development Summit. By the time the weekend was over, they left stronger teams, armed with skills to diagnose vehicles faster and more accurately, attract high-quality with their marketing, build a … Read more
by David Rogers If we accept that the technician shortage is here to stay, what comes next? I’ve used these pages to talk about technician compensation and how top techs deserve the chance to earn compensation on par with their professionalism and dedication. I’ve also talked about tools that create more efficiency and productivity, and … Read more
The goal in every decision you make as an owner should be to make sure the outcome is equally beneficial for the customer, the shop, and the employees. by David Rogers We’ve all had those customers. They hold onto an old vehicle long past when it it’s time to replace it. Whether it’s nostalgia, stubbornness, … Read more
By David Rogers We’ve all heard the expression “he/she is a born leader.” And when you’re looking to take your shop to the next level, it can be tempting to look for that born leader who can step in and start taking over roles and responsibilities with minimal instruction, documentation, or processes. But are leaders … Read more