Crushing Owner Fears
When I think back to when Tony and I opened our shop in 1999, There were the obvious things we knew we had to do to be successful. We had to be committed to our business and we were willing…
AutoInc. Blogs
What Is Your Business Strategy Costing You and Your Shop?
When I think back to when Tony and I opened our automotive shop or my dad had his construction business, we all started with a DIY (Do It Yourself) strategy model and traded time and effort for money. I find it's the…
The One Thing You Need to Know to Create a Successful Business and Life
Tom Piippo's One Eye in the Mirror I ran across a story the other day that I feel I just have to share. This story may be 100 years old or more but is still relevant today. I would give…
Goal Setting & Achieving (Avoid common mistakes)
I enjoy goal setting. I have a lot going on in my businesses and my personal life, so it's important to make the most of my time and effort. sI'm looking forward to a new year, its opportunities, and possibilities.…
Two AHA Moments That Changed My Business (and Life)
Years ago, when Tony and I opened our transmission shop, I wanted to learn more about the industry. I grew up respecting and admiring the good people in the skilled trades industry. My grandfather, then dad and brother had a…
Flipping Industry Misconceptions (Your Competitive Advantage)
When speaking or coaching business owners, a common challenge comes up. They are frustrated by the many misconceptions of the industry. Today anyone who can do a search online thinks they’re an expert. These misconceptions pop up when working with…
Opportunities, Challenges, and Ego in the Auto Industry
I’ve been in the auto industry since 1999 and there are many good things about it. Through associations and community involvement I quickly learned of the many good people in the industry who want to make a difference. I admire…
Tom Piippo's One Eye in the Mirror: Trends & Facts from AAPEX & SEMA Shows
One eye in the mirror is only looking a little way back this time. While just returning from the AAPEX and SEMA shows in Las Vegas, I thought I would share some trends and facts while still fresh. While the…
Employees or Team? (Which term do you use?)
I've been listening to owners speak of their team or employees for years. There are some common tell-tale signs of how owners/leaders view the people they hire to help them grow their business. Some views are one sided. The people…
Tom Piippo's One Eye in the Mirror: Put yourself in the passenger seat.
Really! You have always been the driver, deciding where to go, taking the route that you thought was best, and driving your business in the direction that you thought it needed to go! I challenge you to put yourself…
It’s Time To Thrive (Work-Life Fulfillment)
Most shops are busy today. Keep in mind many of the reasons are beyond your control. Such as the economy, new vehicle shortages and delays. Many owners are riding the wave of increased business and defining their shops as successful,…
You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know
Spring Training. A term all baseball fans know and love. An event most baseball fans would love to watch. There’s Hockey Camp, Pre-season Football, the list goes on. It stands to reason, if you want to be good, you gotta…
Coach's Corner: Shop Owner Hiring Challenges
Let's face it. The automotive industry has been dealing with the technician shortage for years. Covid shed light on it but let's not kid ourselves. This isn't a new problem for our industry. It's the number one challenge owners are…
Tom Piippo's One Eye in the Mirror: It’s OK to Say No
Sometimes it’s just OK to say no. We all have limits, I’ve had enough so, NO I will not even attempt to fix your car. It’s not you, it’s your car. For more than 40 years I’ve been proud of…
Checklist for building a world-class shop
We work with many world class shop owners throughout North America, and over the years we have discovered that the majority of them have a number of things in common.
Your Business Needs an MVP: Mission, Vision & Purpose: Maryann Croce (Blog)
One of the challenges as a business owner is that you make a lot of decisions each day.
Tips to attract & hire more women employees: Jody DeVere
What can we do to attract more women to the automotive industry, specifically service and repair shops?
8 keys to selling auto service
You’ll need to know your customers’ buying habits as well as their service histories.
Emerging technologies lead to vehicle service needs
It’s no secret that the global automotive industry, as well as the overall transportation industry, continues to evolve as emissions regulations, fuel economy requirements, and new technologies take precedence.
Embrace tool & equipment technology — and its costs — for the long run
I still go to the city to visit my buddies who remain in business to keep up with how the car repair business is doing. I also still read the trade magazines to stay current on new systems and techniques.
Getting results from customer relationships: Advice
Early on after I came to work for Terry Keller at Keller Bros., I remember a woman calling in a panic.
Take the fear out of the customer experience & bridge the trust gap
It’s often the case that one too many shady shops gouged prices, recommended extra repairs, or didn’t stand behind their warranty in the past.
Advice: How to win over a tough customer
If you close your eyes and picture a tough customer, what image do you see? Is it a price shopper on the phone? An argumentative customer at the front counter? A Yelp reviewer who went directly to the internet instead of giving you a chance to address his or her concerns?
7 tips on delivering extraordinary service
Most shop owners will start pumping more money into their marketing campaigns when they are looking to increase their car counts.
Maryann Croce's Coach's Corner: Culture - your competitive advantage
Most owners and leaders are so busy with the day to day of their business, it leaves little time to work on their business. I get it because it happened to Tony and me in the early years of owning our shop. No words of wisdom suddenly made us see the light. We were simple tired. Tired of going at hectic pace and how it was affecting our relationship.
4 interviewing tips that will help you hire superstar techs
We all know it’s getting harder and harder to find the superstar techs, but finding those stars is just the beginning.
Column: The Power of Customer Reviews
When I moved into a new home, I needed to buy a refrigerator. After going into a store, I pulled up their website to do a little more research. The first thing I did after pulling up the refrigerator selection was click “Sort by rating.”
Shops need to communicate with customers where they live — on their cell phones
By Mike Risich / For Aftermarket Matters It happens to every shop: a customer brings their vehicle in, then opts to wait. They ply themselves with coffee and watch the TV in your waiting area, as you scramble to get…
Advice: Defining your brand strategy & telling your shop’s story
Do your uniforms look like every other shop in the area? Does your waiting room look the same? Do your advertisements look exactly like what everyone else is sending?
Jody DeVere: The auto industry gets greener every day – are you keeping up?
When someone asks what the cleanest industry is, the automotive industry isn’t at the top of most people’s list. Unfortunately, the combustion engine has contributed to some major problems today.
Paul Eichenberg: The decline of vehicle ownership & what to do about it
What happens when vehicle ownership reaches its peak?
The best-kept secrets to dealing with sales objections
When it comes to dealing with objections, most service advisors shut down as soon as the customer says “It’s too much money," or “I’d like to think it over.”
Maryann Croce's Coach's Corner: Tap into your leader within series (Part 3) - Toolbox Success
The more you understand what tools work best for a job and how to use them, the better a job will go.
Pricing, ethics & the reputation of your shop’s business
At Elite we know that once someone comes into your shop, you’ll do everything you can to generate a happy customer, and make a fair profit. Unfortunately, some customers will put you to the test when it comes to the prices you charge.
7 employee recruiting tips for new technicians & service advisors
From Aftermarket Matters By Bob Cooper / Elite Worldwide 1. Most shop owners will wait until they need someone before they start recruiting. This is a major mistake. Instead of hiring the best service…
Jody DeVere: Marketing to women in the post-COVID world
We live in unusual times. Today, still in the midst of an uncertain pandemic, people tend to have either an abundance of free time, or no time at all while managing homeschooling, work, and relationships.
Bruce Howes' View from the Helm: Good community service & PR action
My article below, this is a great team building event, and public service, and also really helps with the public perception of our profession. Everyone had a great time, and learned a serious lifesaving skills. Plus, they felt…
Jody DeVere: How Can We Help in 2021?
We’ve had a nice holiday break, and while we were enjoying our hot cocoa and gingerbread houses, we were also working on making forecasts and business plans for 2021.
Maryann Croce's Coach's Corner: Tap into Your Leader Within Series (Part 2) - Strategy Success
Most shop owners start with grit, drive and determination to build their dream. Doing it all and working long hours, believing that once they reach a certain level in business the day to day will become easier.
Tap into your leader within series (Part 1): Mindset Success
The day we open our business we start wearing many hats, making it easy to get caught up in the daily responsibilities.
Bruce Howes’ View from the Helm: The value of peer-to-peer coaching groups
Over the last 30 some years I’ve been involved with and a member of a number of shop 20 Groups, coaching groups, mastermind groups. You name it, we’ve done it. Nothing wrong with that,…
Maryann Croce's Coach's Corner: Gain control - assess your resources regularly
As a business owner and leader, you have a lot of responsibility. You’re responsible for your business success.
Bruce Howes' View from the Helm: Average tech quote & personal goals
"You can't always get what you want," so goes the old song by the Rolling Stones.
Maryann Croce’s Coach’s Corner: Work-life balance solution
What is work-life balance and is it worth striving for? Baby Boomers grew up during difficult times (World War II) and as a result many workers stayed with their place of employment for decades…
Maryann Croce's Coach's Corner: Modern auto shop owner
Today’s shop owner has an amazing opportunity. The way business was done years ago has changed due to technology advances and consumer buying shifts. Yet some businesses are being operated within an outdated model.
Maryann Croce’s Coach’s Corner: Mental toughness as owners & leaders
Over the past few months, I have watched everyone look to leaders. Whether related to their job, business, health, family, or government. They are looking for answers and inspiration. Feeling a loss of control in any…
Bruce Howes’ View from the Helm: Some Saturday Sharin' - On Mindset
The smartest and most skilled people I know are the ones who ask questions, who wonder if there is a better way to do something, a more efficient paradigm to operate from. They never hesitate to reach out to someone if they need advice, input, or seek to grow.
Tom Piippo's One Eye in the Mirror: Dealing with COVID-19
We have all been through it before: SARS, MERS, N1H1.
Bruce Howes’ View from the Helm: Shop coaching - reflections on a journey
Maximum performance in sports, as in business, almost always occurs with sound coaching. Realize that you are never beholden to anyone or anything that is not contributing to or bettering your life. In life,…
Maryann Croce's Coach's Corner: Business needs to survive, to thrive during crisis
Just as babies need to crawl before they walk, businesses need to survive before they thrive.
