What does the automotive repair industry need most?

Training! That should be the end of this blog, and I should have nothing more to say than simply training. But, of course, I’ll go on.  Most people would tend to think I would’ve answered technology, but if you don’t have top people to run your processes and systems, then those processes will be broken, guaranteed. We all need to continuously sharpen our saws (The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, a must-read). And, this quote from Socrates says it all, “I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing.” The more you truly start to know a subject, the more you realize that there is so much more to learn about that subject.

I once had a business coach who put it in great perspective: “Professional athletes train 99% of the time to play 1% of a game and get paid millions, while the rest of us work 99% of the time and train 1% of the time and get paid hundreds.” That makes perfect sense to me. As owners, we need to focus on our own development in leadership skills, as well as running a business (yes, that includes not being afraid of technology), and we need to invest in our technicians’ education, as well as our service advisers’ education.

In my shop, I require a minimum of 20 hours a year of training for my senior employees and 40 hours for my junior employees. I myself do well over 100 hours a year (lead by example). I try my best to walk the walk and not just talk the talk.

I wish I could provide a complete list of EVERYTHING, but I’ll give you what I have collected over time. Below is my list of businesses and individuals who I know can help. Also, take advantage of the MANY shows and conferences that go on all year long (I can provide a list of those in another blog at another time).

Management/Business Coaching (in no particular order):

• AdvisorFix – Jeremy O’Neal – http://www.advisorfix.com/
• DSP Twenty Group – Dennis McCarron – https://www.dsp-20group.com/
• One Eighty Business Solutions – Rick White – (180biz.com)
• Transformers Mastermind Group – Greg Bunch – https://www.transformersmastermind.com/
• Shop Fix Academy – Aaron Stokes – https://shopfixacademy.com/
• Auto Profit Master: https://autoprofitmasters.com/
• RPM Toolkit (http://www.longtermfix.com/rpmtoolkit/login.php)
• RLO Training – Barry Barret – (rlotraining.com)
• Institute for Automotive Business Excellence – Cecil Bullard – (iforabe.com)
• Management Success – http://managementsuccess.com/
• Turnaround Tour – (turnaroundtour.com) – Formerly Gary Gunn; now it is ShopPros with Harry Cousins (http://www.shoppros.ca/)
• ATI – Jim – autotraining.net
• Computrek – (computreksystems.com)
• Educational Seminars Institute – Maylan – (esiseminars.com)
• The ACT group – https://www.automotivecoachingandtraining.com/
• Elite Worldwide – Bob Cooper – (eliteworldwidestore.com)
• Management Success! (managementsuccess.com)

Technician Training (just a few I have found that are good)

• Garage Gurus – https://www.fmmotorparts.com/garage-gurus.html
• AC Delco – https://www.acdelcotraining.com
• Electude – www.electude.com

Please feel free to shoot me an email (chris@autoflow.com) or comment with other training you have found effective.