Podcasts, Webinars & Live Streams
Check out some of the latest automotive and business podcasts in the industry. Post information about your Podcasts, Webinars & Live Streams to the community.
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Latest Posts
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By JustTheBest · Posted
Thinking about starting an Online Auto Repair Shop directory. Got all the tech ready to go. Got all the oneline resources (hosting, security, etc.) ready to do. It would operate with FREE Listings and links to website, etc.. Would you be interested? The directory would be able to host your special offers, etc. Let me know if you're interested. Looking forward to hearing your comments. Matthew "The Car Count Fixer" -
If quoting a repair feels harder than it used to, you’re not imagining that either. In 2026, a 25% tariff applies to many imported auto parts under Section 232, and that’s on top of the supplier price increases shops have already been absorbing for the last few years. Parts costs that were stable for years are now shifting, sometimes between the time you quote a job and the time the part actually arrives. For a category that typically makes up 30-40% of your revenue, that kind of volatility is exactly where margin quietly disappears if you’re not watching closely. Why Parts Are the Fastest Place Margin Leaks in 2026 Parts pricing has always required some attention, but tariff-driven volatility raises the stakes. A part that cost a certain amount last month might cost more this month, and if your pricing hasn’t caught up, you’re absorbing that difference without realizing it. This is especially true for shops still pricing off an outdated matrix. If your parts matrix was built two or three years ago and hasn’t been revisited since, it almost certainly doesn’t reflect current costs. Every job you quote off that matrix is quietly thinner than it looks on paper. How to Quote When the Price Might Change Before the Part Arrives The honest answer is that you can’t predict every price swing. But you can build a quoting process that protects you instead of leaving you exposed. Quote based on current supplier pricing, not what you paid last time. If your service advisors are pulling prices from memory or from the last invoice rather than checking current cost, that’s where the gap starts. Build in a buffer for volatile categories. If certain parts have shown repeated price movement, it’s reasonable to quote those with a small margin of flexibility rather than pricing them razor-thin. Communicate clearly if a price shifts before the job is completed. Customers generally respond better to a brief, honest explanation than to a surprise on the final invoice. A short note about supplier cost increases is usually enough. Reviewing and Updating Your Parts Matrix Mid-Year Most shops set their parts matrix once a year, if that. In a year where costs are moving as fast as they are right now, that’s not often enough. A mid-year review doesn’t need to be complicated. Pull your most commonly used parts categories and compare your matrix pricing to your current actual supplier costs. If there’s a meaningful gap, even a modest adjustment can protect margin across hundreds of future ROs. This is also a good time to ask: Are your service advisors aware of which categories have moved the most? Is your matrix accounting for the tariff-driven increases on OEM parts specifically, or is it still built around pre-tariff costs? Are you reviewing this quarterly, or is it sitting untouched until something forces the conversation? Talking About Price When Customers Are Already Stretched This is the part most shop owners dread, but it matters more this year than most. Customers are watching every dollar right now, and they notice when prices move. The shops that handle this well aren’t apologizing for their pricing. They’re explaining it. If a quote is higher than it would have been a year ago, a brief explanation, such as supplier and parts costs have increased industry-wide, goes a long way. You’re not making excuses. You’re being transparent about a reality your customers are already experiencing in their own household budgets. Leading with value rather than just price also matters. A customer who understands what they’re paying for, and why it protects their vehicle, is far more likely to approve the work than one who only sees a number that feels higher than expected. -
If I were opening a shop today, I would spend a lot of energy on customer retention in addition to customer acquisition. Many businesses focus on getting the first visit but don't have a system for bringing customers back. With today's technology, it's easier than ever to use automated service reminders, follow-ups, review requests, and maintenance notifications to stay connected with customers. Just be careful not to rely entirely on AI and automation. The shops that seem to grow the fastest still combine technology with genuine relationships and great service. The good news is that you're already doing something many new owners don't-you're actively thinking about marketing early. That mindset alone will probably put you ahead of a lot of competitors over time. -
The online marketing landscape has changed a lot over the years. Today, it's not just about buying ads. Shops are using a mix of local search visibility, customer reviews, automated follow-ups, AI-assisted content, and social media to stay in front of customers. What I have found interesting is that many businesses get more value from improving their online reputation and customer communication than from simply buying more advertising. If your budget is limited, I'd make sure the foundation is solid before investing heavily in paid campaigns. What type of customers are you hoping to attract-maintenance work, diagnostics, tires, general repair, or something else? That can help determine where to focus.
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If those 700 calls are legitimate customer inquiries, I will be hesitant to make a major change too quickly. Before deciding whether the website is worth the cost, I'd want to know how many of those calls turned into appointments and paying customers. A score of 55/100 suggests there's room for improvement, but it doesn't necessarily mean the site isn't working. Sometimes updating photos, adding service pages, publishing content, and improving reviews can have a bigger impact than rebuilding the entire site.
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By carmcapriotto · Posted
Thanks to our Partners, NAPA Auto Care and NAPA TRACS Watch Full Video Episode Most auto repair shops are sitting on a goldmine of untapped revenue without realizing it. In this episode, Carm Capriotto welcomes Jimmy Alauria of 3A Automotive & Diesel Repair to discuss how deferred work can become one of your shop's most effective growth strategies. By pulling just two years of data from his shop's database, he discovered $3.3 million in potential revenue from deferred services. From better customer communication to smarter follow-up systems, Jimmy explains how to turn yesterday's declined repairs into tomorrow's repair orders. What You'll Learn Why your customer database is one of your shop's most valuable assets. How deferred work can create significant new revenue without increasing car count. Why shops should schedule the next appointment before the customer leaves. While DVIs provide excellent transparency, their primary goal should be to educate the customer and help them plan, rather than to force an immediate $5,000 repair order. Jimmy notes that customers decline work not necessarily because they lack trust, but because they need time to budge How categorizing repairs by safety, reliability, maintenance, and appearance improves customer understanding. Understanding the customer's personal "car goals," whether they love the car and want to avoid a new car payment, or they hate the car and want to trade it in, is also critical to framing recommendations effectively. The shortcomings of traditional CRM follow-up systems and how AI can improve communication. How AI helps prioritize repairs and translates technical repair language into customer-friendly messaging that drives response. Deferred work isn't lost business; it's future opportunity. By building better follow-up processes, educating customers, and using technology to communicate more effectively, shops can strengthen relationships, improve customer retention, and unlock substantial revenue already waiting in their database. Jimmy Alauria, 3A Automotive and Diesel Repair, Phoenix, AZ. Jimmy’s previous episodes HERE Learn more about NAPA Auto Care and the benefits of being part of the NAPA family by visiting https://remarkableresultsradiopodcast.captivate.fm/napaautocare NAPA TRACS will move your shop into the SMS fast lane with onsite training and six days a week of support and local representation. Find NAPA TRACS on the Web at http://napatracs.com/ Connect with the Podcast: Download and Listen on Our Mobile App:https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/app/ Visit the Website:https://remarkableresults.biz/ Subscribe on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/carmcapriotto Follow on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/RemarkableResultsRadioPodcast/ Follow on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmcapriotto/ Follow on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/remarkableresultsradiopodcast/ Join Our Virtual Toastmasters Club:https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmasters Join Our Private Facebook Community:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1734687266778976 Join our Insider List:https://remarkableresults.biz/insider All books mentioned on our podcasts:https://remarkableresults.biz/books Our Classroom page for personal or team learning:https://remarkableresults.biz/classroom Special episode collections:https://remarkableresults.biz/collections Buy Me a Coffee:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/carm The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/ Remarkable Results Radio Podcastwith Carm Capriotto:Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion.https://remarkableresults.biz/ Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z:From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life.https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/ Business by the Numbers: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest.https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/ The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level.https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/ The Weekly Blitz: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching.https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/ Speak Up! Effective Communication: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills with Craig O'Neill.https://craigoneill.captivate.fm Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio -
You've already got several marketing efforts in motion. If I were in your shoes, I'd spend this time making sure your Google Business Profile is fully optimized, asking for reviews from every customer, and tracking exactly where each lead comes from. Those early insights can help you figure out what's actually working.
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One thing I've noticed in 2026 is that more shops are using AI and CRM tools to connect marketing spend directly to booked appointments and completed repair orders. Because of that, cost per lead is becoming more of a starting metric than the final metric. Your $32.40 per lead doesn't immediately sound high or low to me because it depends on your market, services, and closing rate. If those leads are producing strong repair orders and repeat customers, it could be money well spent. If they're mostly shopping around and never booking, then that's a different story. I would be interested to know which lead source is performing best for you. Sometimes one channel carries most of the weight while another quietly drains the budget.
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