There used to always be a fight in our shop. A fight with the customer to get them to open their wallet. A fight with the staff to get them to treat the customer right. A fight
EDUCATING CUSTOMERS TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION
By David Rogers
admin
SHOP OWNER – CULTIVATE EMPLOYEE DEDICATION
In my 20-plus years in this industry, I’ve seen every type of employee you can imagine: fast employees, slow employees, good employees, bad employees, workaholic employees, workaphobic employees, and even phantom employees. You name it, I’ve dealt with it.
If
SHOP OWNER – ESTABLISHING A SHOP’S CHAIN OF COMMAND
A team of great employees is a lot like a well-oiled army platoon. In order to succeed, everyone needs to know their role, needs to support one another, and needs to share a common objective. The team also needs to
MOTOR AGE – TEAM ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WILL BRING CARS INTO YOUR SHOP
Car count is about much more than advertising.
This entire article is built on that fact, so I’m not going to bury it down the page. In successful shops, the money spent by the owner on marketing is only responsible … Read the rest
DRIVE EMPLOYEE INERTIA
by David Rogers
As published in MotorAge Magazine
It’s no secret that we’re facing a technician shortage in our industry.
I could write an entire article on why we’re facing this shortage and how to overcome it, but the truth … Read the rest
RATCHET & WRENCH – IMPROVING CUSTOMER COMMUNICATION WITH TECHNOLOGY
When the term “artificial intelligence” was coined back in 1955 by John McCarthy, the idea was simple: train computers to think and learn like humans.
“Machines as simple as thermostats can be said to have beliefs,” said the cognitive scientist … Read the rest
APM FOUNDERS EVOLVE REPAIR SHOP INDUSTRY
The aftermarket automotive industry is no stranger to change, as technicians must adapt constantly to new components and technology in new vehicles. Shop management hasn’t changed nearly as rapidly, however, leaving owners with no choice but to piece together the … Read the rest
SHOP OWNER – GROWING YOUR BUSINESS
Opening a second location is a tempting idea for many shop owners, and why not? Twice the sales, twice the profits, and a chance to go through the process again and do everything right the second time around!
SHOP OWNER – STEPS TOWARD SMOOTH SAILING
We’ve all been there.
It’s one of those days, weeks, months… Customers just keep coming in in waves and your shop is crazier than it’s ever been – your techs are constantly busy, and you can’t catch your breath because … Read the rest
MOTOR AGE – ARE YOU READY FOR AI IN YOUR SHOP?
In mid-2017, Audi announced its new A8 would be fully self-driving up to 40 miles per hour. Nissan is following suit with a full range of driverless vehicles by 2020.
Meanwhile, robots are performing surgery, computers are diagnosing cancer, and … Read the rest
TRACK RESULTS, NOT ACTIVITY
Relationships are the heart of results-based marketing. And just like your personal relationships with your spouse, parents, siblings, or friends, relationships with your customers take work.
Trust can’t be bought—it must be earned. When new customers bring their vehicle into … Read the rest
SHOP OWNER – SUSTAINABLY INCREASE YOUR CAR COUNT
“I need more customers!” I’ve heard this so many times, from so many different shop owners. If only there were more cars, they say, their problems would fade away.
MOTOR AGE – TRAINING MULTIPLE LEARNING STYLES
Do you remember the first time you saw a colored wiring diagram? Those things are a beauty!
Before those came along, technicians were left deciphering a spaghetti mess of wires, connecting 40 (or 400) different components and a harness. Trying … Read the rest
RATCHET & WRENCH: CREATING A SUCCESFUL SHOP CULTURE
To a passerby, there’s not much that stands out about Keller Bros. Auto Repair. Actually, it’s difficult to even notice it.
The shop sits in a sunken strip mall, a good 10 feet below street level on East Dry Creek … Read the rest
MOTOR AGE – GETTING RESULTS FROM CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS
Her
MOTOR AGE – THE TWO TIMES YOU NEED TO ADVERTISE
David Rogers, the Chief Operating Officer of Keller Brothers Inc., and president of Auto Profit Masters, discusses the two times you need to advertise to make sure you have customers consistently coming through your door:
AUTO INC. – SYNC UP FOR SUCCESS
By Terry Keller
In 43 years of shop management and ownership, I’ve made every mistake possible. There was a year when my accountant had to prepare 102 W2s. Imagine how broken my systems and procedures were to go through that … Read the rest
RATCHET & WRENCH: TIPS TO EFFECTIVE COACHING
It was one business conversation David Rogers initially felt wholly unequipped to handle, and one he’ll never forget.
One night in the late 1990s, as Rogers wrapped up a shift working the counter at Keller Bros. Auto Repair in Littleton,
SHOP OWNER: WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER
It takes a lot of technical know-how to service modern vehicles. But there would be a lot more shop owners and technicians walking around with fat wallets nowadays if running a successful shop were only about technical acumen.
It takes
THE ROLLERCOASTER OF SHOP MANAGEMENT
In a special Shop Owner article, Terry Keller gives a personal account of the trials and tribulations that come along with owning a small business. He offers some advice on how to deal with and manage stress, mental health and … Read the rest