Ratchet+Wrench Radio

Can Shopgenie Change How Shops Do Business? | Kieran O’Brien

In this episode, Kieran O'Brien, co-founder of new CRM Shopgenie, talks about how the pitfalls of auto repair shops and their ability to follow up with online customers. We also discuss how the CRM can help shop owners rake in Gen Z and mobile-first customers with its online scheduling and automation capabilities.
Sponsored by Ford Motorcraft

Why We Started Four-Day Workweeks | Erin Vaughan, Kinetic Auto Service

This week on Ratchet+Wrench Radio, Erin Vaughan, owner of Kinetic Auto Service in Regina, Saskatchewan, stops by to talk about why her shop instituted a four-day workweek and how. 
Earlier this spring, Vaughan made the decision and she discusses how she arrived at it, and also discusses:
How the shop's days and weeks are structured
Consulting the team and how they've responded to the change
What she's learned about workflow management in a four-day week
Whether KPI has been affected and how productivity has changed
Training her clients and eliminating waiters completely
Short weeks as a means to attract new talent
How owners looking to try a four-day workweek can get started
 

Why I Invested in an EV Charger | Matt Lofton

In this episode, Matt Lofton, owner of Strut Daddy's Complete Car Care, discusses one step he's taken toward electrification. Lofton added an EV charger inside his Roxboro, North Carolina, shop and talked about:
His decision to do so despite being in a rural
Why he decided to purchase an EV charger
Which type of EV charger he chose and why
How he uses the charger within his shop's workflow
What shop owners need to know about their shops before making the decision to buy one
This episode is sponsored by Ford Motorcraft. 

Developing Rock Star Service Advisors | Jeremy O’Neal

In this episode, Jeremy O'Neal, owner of Freedom Auto Repair and president of Advisor Fix, discusses a service advisor's role in the shop and how the best advisors perform. 
He discusses:
His definition of a service advisor
How and why he started Advisor Fix
The characteristics and qualifications of a solid service advisor
What owners should look for in a service advisor
How advisors can grow through training
Why shop owners should invest in front-of-house training

How I Get More Customers Using Digital Marketing | Andrew Knudsen with Dan Vance

In this episode of Ratchet+Wrench Radio, Andrew Knudsen, vice president of Coventry Motors in Huntington Station, New York, and Dan Vance founder of digital marketing agency Advanced Local talk about digital advertising.
 
Knudsen and Vance were featured in the January 2023 issue Case Study “How I Invested in Digital Marketing.” The two talk at length about how they met, why Knudsen hired Vance and what shops can learn from their partnership as client and service provider.
 
You’ll learn the following:    •    How Andrew handled his shop’s digital marketing before outsourcing to Dan    •    When they pair began working together and why Andrew felt he needed help    •    Dan’s process for analyzing a customer’s digital marketing needs    •    Common pitfalls that plague auto shop websites    •    What strategies Dan used to help Andrew grow his business online    •    Why retargeting keywords helped Dan get Andrew the right type of customers    •    The difference between programmer and Google ads    •    The benefits of outsourcing digital marketing    •    Digital marketing versus word of mouth    •    How digital agencies shop show owners ROI

How I Built and Operate Hailey Auto Clinic | Alex Dunn

In this episode, Alex Dunn from Hailey Auto Clinic in Hailey, Idaho, stops in to talk shop. You may remember Alex's shop from the December 2022 issue of Ratchet+Wrench. 
Today, Alex discusses why he chose to custom-build his shop, how he worked with his architect, some of the features he chose and how Hailey runs its day-to-day operations.

How Shops Can Easily Access OEM Repair Information | Mark Allen, OEM1Stop

In this episode of Ratchet+Wrench Radio, Mark Allen of OEM1Stop talks about how his organization's website can help shops get OEM-specific repair information in minutes. He discusses: How long OEM1Stop has been in service Which OEM-specific repair information shops have access to on the platform What technicians can expect when using the interface How often the information is updated by OEMs What the learning curve for using the website and how to best use it How OEM1Stop can help techs with advanced repairs on newer vehicles How to access the information What the fee for service structure is for OEM1Stop  

What I’ve Learned as a First-Time Shop Owner | Jesse Sammons, Thoroughbred Motors

In this episode, Jesse Sammons of Thoroughbred Motors in Ramona, California, talks about the lessons he's learned in his first two years of shop ownership. Jesse opened his auto repair shop—45 minutes from downtown San Diego—during the height of the pandemic in 2020.  Today, he reflects on his career as a technician and the takeaways he got from working at other shops that have helped him succeed in his own. Jesse discusses: Opening a shop during COVID His start in the auto care industry Working to build a shop that was different from the other shops he had worked at before The things he thought would be easy but have proved to be challenging Making the mental switch from technician to shop owner How he's creating a nurturing work environment for his team His philosophy on customer service and his approach to marketing How he will lead his shop through the rapid changes happening in California

Setting Boundaries and Managing Customer Expectations (w/ Tonnika Haynes)

In this episode, Tonnika Haynes of Brown's Automotive in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, discusses boundaries and expectations. Every shop needs to have a protocol on how to help customers who don't fully understand what shops can and cannot do within reason.  Tonnika discusses: Being a second-generation shop owner How she decided to get into the industry and taking over her father's shop How she manages customer expectations How she handles difficult customers Helping customers understand the difference between the dealership service model and how independent shops work How to set personal boundaries How overwork put her in the hospital and why shop owners need to take time off Why she loves shop ownership

Podcast: The Life of Shop Owners w/ Joe Marconi

In this episode of Ratchet+Wench Radio, my guest is R+W columnist Joe Marconi. Joe owned his shop Osceola Garage for 41 years before retiring in 2022. Today, he talks about the things that keep shop owners up at night and other situations shop owners face.    We discuss: The 'What if's" that cause anxiety in shop owners The responsibility of providing gainful employment and benefits to your team How to confront your negative thinking How to delegate and break perfectionism The importance of creating the right systems and processes for success How one-on-one meetings create confidence in a shop owner's vision Why shop owners need to be visible and transparent with their team How goal setting helps team buy-in Why having a plan for emerging tech and sharing it with the team matters even if you're not going to execute it in the near future How to always remember what you're grateful for and why you do what you do