Ratchet+Wrench Radio

Optimizing Your Website for Success | Tony Mercury

In this episode, Tony Mercury, VP of Revenue at Autoshop Solutions, stops in to talk all things website. We look at how shop owners should approach building and using a website to convert customers, as well as the type of imagery, content and messaging you need to get customers to choose you.
Sponsored by Ford Motorcraft

Are EV Tires a Viable Profit Center? | Tim Eisenmann

In this episode, Tim Eisenman, CEO of Torqata, talks about EV tires and whether or not shop owners can and should capitalize on servicing tires as an entry point to capturing EV customers. 
 
Sponsored by Ford Motorcraft

How I Created My Shop’s Brand Story and Vision | Rob Choisser

In this episode, Rob Choisser of Choisser Automotive Services in Davidsonville, Maryland, talks about how he got into the industry and the four trademarks upon which he built his shop's culture.
 
Sponsored by Ford Motorcraft

How I Became a Million-Dollar Service Advisor | Chelsea McDonald

In this episode, Chelsea McDonald of Certified Transmission in Bellevue, Nebraska, shares her journey into the auto care industry and how she committed to becoming the best service advisor in her shop. She also offers actionable tips for service advisors looking to get that winning edge. 
 
Sponsored by Ford Motorcraft

The Interesting History of Kenwood Tire & Auto | Spencer Carruthers

In this episode, Spencer Carruthers, owner of Kenwood Tire & Auto in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, tells the story of this historic shop that was once a one-room school and a public library. He also shares insights he's learned about how auto repair shops can capitalize on EV tires as a service.
 
Sponsored by Ford Motorcraft

How Branded Merchandise Helps Our Shop | Susan McGrath

In this episode, Susan McGrath of Girlington Garage in South Burlington, Vermont, talks about how she and shop owner Demeny Pollitt began using branded merchandise. 
McGrath tells how they choose what to invest in, what customers like, what fell flat, and how it has helped the shop become known in the community. 
 
Sponsored by Ford Motorcraft

Why I Hired a Coach (and Why You Should, Too) | Kevin Oswald

In this episode of Ratchet+Wrench Radio, Kevin Oswald, owner of Oswald Service and Repair in Idaho Falls, Idaho, talks about his decision to hire a coach and the difference it made for his shop. He also opens up about changing coaches and why for some owners, a different perspective can add to their growth and success.

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.