Ratchet+wrench Radio

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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  

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. 

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

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     •

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.

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  

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

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

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

In the second installment of this two-part series, Jimmy Lea, product evangelist at Kikui, is back to show shop owners more about developing and growing trust online through Google.  This week, Lea talks about: What the sweet spot is for Google Reviews. How to optimize the replies you add to customer reviews to help others better find your shop. How many positive reviews does it take to grow your star rating? Whether Facebook Reviews have more weight than Google Reviews. The importance of having a consistent listing across the entire web. How much weight Google places on customer reviews in its algorithm? An email hack email to get a review and schedule the next service appointment at the same time. 

In this episode, Jimmy Lea, product evangelist at Kikui, kicks off this two-part series on how shop owners can develop trust online through Google.  This week, Lea talks about: Why shop owners need to pay attention to Google Reviews Why obsessing over 5-star ratings isn't the right strategy with Google Why shop owners must engage with customer reviews and why Google loves this How to report consumer abuse (false reviews)aimed at tanking your reviews What is review gating and why it's a bad practice for your shop How to properly solicit customer reviews How to get optimized Google reviews to attract the right customers

In this episode, Ratchet+Wrench Radio welcomes Tyler Peartree and Jim Nawrocki of Silver Lake Tire and Auto Centers. They discuss how Silver Lake successfully implemented ADAS services and what shop owners need to know about cost, benefits, liability and space requirements.