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[Podcast] Don’t Get Over-focused on KPI’s Without Putting the Customer at The Center [RR 505]


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Ken Criste is the Chief Financial Officer of the Australian Bank division of National Australia Bank. In addition to this fulltime role, Ken is a passionate car owner and collector and has a 50% equity ownership in an Independent BMW & MINI workshop in Melbourne Australia “BM Performance Centre”. This ownership with Mark Higgins blends his passion of cars with that of building and growing a small business.

 He has an Undergraduate Degree in Banking and Finance from Victoria University, an MBA from Melbourne University and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School. His passions outside of work include snow skiing, car racing and vehicle restoration and spending time with his family. As a side note, his passion for skiing has led him to pass his level 1 and 2 Canadian Ski Instructor exams. Check Ken's other episodes HERE.

Mark Higgins is the Co-Owner of BM Performance Centre and is an experience BMW Mastertech. His experiences have brought him to New Zealand, US, and the UK. He is already in the business for 8 months and has set the roles and responsibilities of the shop. He has worked before as a workshop manager and a BMW Diagnostic Technician. Check Mark's other episodes HERE.

Key Talking Points:
  • Original episode 379
  • Review the new business success
  • Made a slight pivot and added VW to their specialty BMW and Mini.
  • The business has grown successfully
  • Mark had a friend who they brought in to do VW
  • Ken wrote the business case and he is happy with how it has turned outSales volumes are slightly higher than the plan and margins are slightly lower
  • VW volume is 50/50 in the last 6 months
  • Labor rate the same as when they started in the last 18 months $175
  • A 50/50 partnershipIt works by empowering the role and responsibility
  • Ken has had to learn to back off. He does the financials and has helped Marked learn it
  • Mark is still turning wrenches until he gets another tech in
  • They are starting to replay the equity they invested
  • The business has been cash flow positive without paying the rent to Ken 
  • To grow their VW/Audi business they used a card drop and Facebook
  • Growth with an equity partner
  • Don’t get overfocused on KPI’s without putting the customer at the center

Resources:

  • Thanks to Ken Christie and Mark Higgins for their contribution to the aftermarket’s premier podcast.
  • Link to the ‘BOOKS‘ page highlighting all books discussed in the podcast library HERE. Leaders are readers.
  • Leave me an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one of them.
  • Love what we do, buy a cup of coffee HERE.

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Learn more about Pro Image and the hundreds of other benefits NAPA offers. Talk with your servicing NAPA store or visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

         0 comments
      It always amazes me when I hear about a technician who quits one repair shop to go work at another shop for less money. I know you have heard of this too, and you’ve probably asked yourself, “Can this be true? And Why?” The answer rests within the culture of the company. More specifically, the boss, manager, or a toxic work environment literally pushed the technician out the door.
      While money and benefits tend to attract people to a company, it won’t keep them there. When a technician begins to look over the fence for greener grass, that is usually a sign that something is wrong within the workplace. It also means that his or her heart is probably already gone. If the issue is not resolved, no amount of money will keep that technician for the long term. The heart is always the first to leave. The last thing that leaves is the technician’s toolbox.
      Shop owners: Focus more on employee retention than acquisition. This is not to say that you should not be constantly recruiting. You should. What it does means is that once you hire someone, your job isn’t over, that’s when it begins. Get to know your technicians. Build strong relationships. Have frequent one-on-ones. Engage in meaningful conversation. Find what truly motivates your technicians. You may be surprised that while money is a motivator, it’s usually not the prime motivator.
      One last thing; the cost of technician turnover can be financially devastating. It also affects shop morale. Do all you can to create a workplace where technicians feel they are respected, recognized, and know that their work contributes to the overall success of the company. This will lead to improved morale and team spirit. Remember, when you see a technician’s toolbox rolling out of the bay on its way to another shop, the heart was most likely gone long before that.
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