Practicing Automotive with Heipp, Fanslow and Manna [RR 720]

carmcapriotto · February 18, 2022

There’s nothing like hitting the record button and letting Bob Heipp, Matt Fanslow, and Scot Mana have a wide-open discussion about the automotive industry. What does it take to really fix cars? Are we doing a good job explaining it to our customers? How do other industries compare to ours? Should we really be using the term ‘diagnosing’ when what we are doing is performing tests and analyzing? My panel continues to advance the aftermarket, with great talk that will make you think. Share this with a friend.

Bob Heipp, Mobile Auto Solutions (MAS) lead tech and technician manager, based in Chicago. Listen to Bob's previous episodes HERE

Matt Fanslow, lead diagnostician and shop manager, Riverside Automotive, Red Wing, MN. Matt's previous episodes HERE

Matt Fanslow Podcast: Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z

Scot Manna, Trainer, ACDelco Technician of the Millennium

Key Talking Points

Scientific method/practices when testing problems
Undervaluing the industry- a gap of education to the customer and their vehicle
What does it take to really fix cars?
What is the image of the industry? Putting down other shops and not giving them the opportunity to correct a mistake.
“Raise the level of the lake and everyone goes higher”
Time-sensitive industry- spend more time presenting the vehicle back to the customer, what was done, what happened, etc.
“Performing tests and analyzing” instead of “diagnosing.” Diagnosing is a term for the final answer. The customer will want to know the final answer fix immediately to ease their anxiety about payment.
Entering the automotive industry- can enter without formal education
Documentation- critical medical fields keep extensive records with liability, do cars need to start having their own documentation through their lifetime? To prevent comebacks? How do you achieve that? Voice to text?
What is an average shop? Where is the bar?
Technician shortage- what is the compensation package compared to other industries
Restaurants- varying levels, how do they justify the price?