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By Joe Marconi in Joe's Blog5 commentsI recently spoke with a friend of mine who owns a large general repair shop in the Midwest. His father founded the business in 1975. He was telling me that although he’s busy, he’s also very frustrated. When I probed him more about his frustrations, he said that it’s hard to find qualified technicians. My friend employs four technicians and is looking to hire two more. I then asked him, “How long does a technician last working for you.” He looked puzzled and replied, “I never really thought about that, but I can tell that except for one tech, most technicians don’t last working for me longer than a few years.”
Judging from personal experience as a shop owner and from what I know about the auto repair industry, I can tell you that other than a few exceptions, the turnover rate for technicians in our industry is too high. This makes me think, do we have a technician shortage or a retention problem? Have we done the best we can over the decades to provide great pay plans, benefits packages, great work environments, and the right culture to ensure that the techs we have stay with us?
Finding and hiring qualified automotive technicians is not a new phenomenon. This problem has been around for as long as I can remember. While we do need to attract people to our industry and provide the necessary training and mentorship, we also need to focus on retention. Having a revolving door and needing to hire techs every few years or so costs your company money. Big money! And that revolving door may be a sign of an even bigger issue: poor leadership, and poor employee management skills.
Here’s one more thing to consider, for the most part, technicians don’t leave one job to start a new career, they leave one shop as a technician to become a technician at another shop. The reasons why they leave can be debated, but there is one fact that we cannot deny, people don’t quit the company they work for, they usually leave because of the boss or manager they work for.
Put yourselves in the shoes of your employees. Do you have a workplace that communicates, “We appreciate you and want you to stay!”
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By carmcapriotto
Industry experts discuss the future of the automotive industry, focusing on training, technology, and business strategies. They explore the importance of simplifying communication, utilizing video content for customer education, and the benefits of in-person versus virtual training. The panel also discusses the challenges of management training and the need for a holistic approach to business issues, emphasizing collaboration and a positive company culture. The episode provides insights into adapting to economic changes and fostering industry growth through shared knowledge and experiences. Matt Fanslow, Riverside Automotive, Red Wing, MN, Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z Podcast Hunt Demarest, CPA, Paar Mellis and Associates, Business by the Numbers Podcast Kim and Brian Walker, Shop Marketing Pros, Auto Repair Marketing Podcast Chris Cotton, AutoFix Auto Shop Coaching, Chris Cotton Weekly Blitz Podcast Show Notes: Impact of COVID on business (00:02:37) Analysis of the impact of COVID on business performance and consumer behavior. Economic indicators and business mindset (00:06:40) Discussion of economic indicators, including credit card delinquencies, and the importance of mindset in business performance. Influence of external information (00:11:01) The impact of external information on mindset and decision-making within the industry. Proactive vs. Reactive business approach (00:13:35) The importance of a proactive approach and avoiding a reactive mindset in business management. The importance of long-term perspective (00:15:28) Discussing the need to take a step back and wait for trends to play out before making reactive changes. The impact of timing and consumer confidence (00:15:42) Exploring the delayed impact of business decisions and the importance of considering consumer confidence in financial planning. Dealing with business cycles and financial pressures (00:18:03) Understanding the impact of property taxes and the need to avoid overreacting to short-term financial fluctuations. Planning for financial obligations and cash flow (00:19:17) Discussing the importance of planning for taxes and managing cash flow to avoid financial stress. Balancing long-term trends and short-term anomalies (00:19:38) Emphasizing the need to focus on longer-term business trends and avoid getting caught up in short-term fluctuations. Consumer confidence and economic impact (00:20:53) Analyzing the influence of consumer perception and economic factors on business decisions. The importance of video marketing (00:24:05) Highlighting the significance of video content in marketing strategies and encouraging businesses to embrace video marketing. Community involvement and communication (00:29:02) Exploring the value of community engagement and face-to-face communication in marketing efforts. The customer's questions (00:29:56) The importance of answering customer's questions through video and blog content. Technology and future training (00:31:32) Trends in training, including in-person and virtual options, and the need for diverse training methods. Training workforce and team culture (00:33:06) Discussion on the training workforce, the importance of team culture, and the impact of training on company culture. Commitment to training (00:37:39) The commitment of independent shop owners to training and the challenges in getting employees to participate. Virtual training and lunch and learn (00:40:55) The increase in virtual training and the implementation of lunch and learn sessions with virtual trainers. Business management and training (00:42:07) Comparison of business management to car repair, addressing the need for a holistic approach to business issues.
Thanks to our Partner, NAPA TRACS 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 -Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RemarkableResultsRadioPodcast/ -Join Our Private Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1734687266778976 -Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/carmcapriotto -Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmcapriotto/ -Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/remarkableresultsradiopodcast/ -Follow on Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/RResultsBiz -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 -Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/carm -The Aftermarket Radio Network: https://aftermarketradionetwork.com -Special episode collections: https://remarkableresults.biz/collections
Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio
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By Joe Marconi
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By carmcapriotto
Join Matt Fanslow as he answers some questions from his listeners in his 'mailbag.' Matt discusses the hiring bonus dilemma, compensation and profit sharing, the power of training, the flat rate pay system, book recommendations and how to create a network of industry peers.
Have a question for Matt to answer? Email him at: [email protected]
Show Notes
Hiring Bonuses for New Techs (00:02:27) Discussion on the fairness and impact of hiring bonuses for new technicians and how it affects existing employees. Broken System of Compensation (00:04:58) Exploration of the different ways technicians are compensated and how it can lead to resentment and difficulties in hiring new technicians. Ethical Profit and Long-Term Benefits (00:07:31) Explanation of how Matt's shop rewards employees based on ethical profit and how hiring bonuses can benefit both the shop and existing employees in the long term. The Mismanagement of Compensation (00:09:59) Discussion about the mismanagement of compensation in the aftermarket automotive industry and the potential impact on employees. Concerns about Flat Rate Pay (00:13:33) Addressing concerns about transitioning to a flat rate pay system and the potential negative impact on technicians' income and job satisfaction. Recommended Books for Auto Repair (00:19:49) Discussion on the importance of reading books on auto repair Building a Network in the Automotive Industry (00:26:06) Advice on how to build a network of connections in the automotive industry, including attending trade shows and utilizing social media. The importance of networking (00:29:42) The value of building relationships and networking in the automotive industry.
Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Autotech napaautotech.com
Email Matt: [email protected]
Diagnosing the Aftermarket A - Z YouTube Channel HERE
Aftermarket Radio Network: https://aftermarketradionetwork.com/
Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio
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