Ratchet+Wrench Radio

RW All-Star Awards: Manager

Phil Christensen, president of BG Automotive in Colorado, is the winner of the 2020 RW All Star Awards in the manager category. Christensen, along with one of his nominators and owner of the shop, Bryan Gossel, share how he found out he was the winner and how the two of them became the dynamic duo they are today.

RW All-Star Awards: Admin

Known as the behind-the-scenes helper that takes on any challenge that comes her way, Susan Boone took the prize for this year's All-Star Awards in the administrative support category. According to Craftsman Auto Care owners Matt and Judy Curry, as well as their shop consultant, Jody Ruth, she was an integral part of getting through the pandemic lows, doing the job of at least three people at once and averaging 70-80 hours each week. Listen to how Susan came to be the shop's go-to [1:21], what makes her stand out from the rest [10:47], and how she went above and beyond through the beginning of COVID-19 [3:00, 12:10].

RW All-Star Awards: Wild Card

Successful shop owners Leigh Anne Best and Laura Frank established Brakes for Breasts in 2011 and are about to hit the million dollar mark for funds for Breast Cancer research. 

RW All-Star Awards: Shop Worker

Her stature may be small, but her sales and service skills are mighty. Becky Merlini, service advisor of Adams Autoworx in Castro Valley, Calif., was named this year's Best Shop Worker for a reason. While she came to work for owner Bill Adams with no automotive experience whatsoever, her ability to form trust and intimacy with customers made her stand out. Listen to her backstory [1:24], what makes her stand out from the rest [4:26], and how she was dubbed the "Shop Mom" of the auto repair business [14:57].

Solve a Dip in Efficiency and Productivity

Nearly a quarter of shop owners admit that they do not routinely track technician efficiency or productivity, according to the Ratchet+Wrench Industry Survey, two figures that are among the most important for measuring success. All too often in the industry, shops track these numbers, or KPIs in general, but have little idea how to interpret or make business decisions based off those numbers—especially when they fall short of set goals. In this episode, learn eight simple questions to ask when encountering a drop in either number.

Grow: How to Identify Team Players

Lindsay Whalen, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time WNBA champion, talks about some of the leadership principles she now utilizes as a college basketball coach at the University of Minnesota. Many of her strategies, such as identifying great assistants, offer relevant tips for business leaders like those that operate auto repair facilities.

Listen: This Week’s Top News Stories

This week, a major cancellation, retirement and legislation were all announced.

From the Editors: Overcoming Turnover

In this month's episode of From the Editors, editorial director Anna Zeck combs through the magazines' archives to find the best tips for how to overcome turnover on your team and bounce back stronger than ever. Learn more about the value of exit interviews, how to think strategically about your team, and why you need to consider your own role before starting the hiring process.    

Innovate: Technician Motivation

Monthly podcast guest Frank Leutz, owner of Desert Car Care in Chandler, Ariz., shares how to reinvigorate your technicians and get them back on track and loving what they do. 

Listen: This Week’s Top News Stories

This week, we examine the HEALS Act and what OEMs are saying about government loans.