The lack of incoming talent in the automotive repair industry is a growing challenge, but as shop owners, you can take steps to encourage new technicians in our communities. Here’s some ideas of how you can do that: Partner with Local Schools: Offer internships or apprenticeships to give students hands-on experience and spark interest in the trade. Host Community Events: Organize shop tours or "tech for a day" events to showcase the rewarding aspects of the job. Promote Career Growth: Highlight the opportunities for advancement and skill development within your shop. What are you doing to encourage the next generation of techs? Share your ideas below!

Business cards for my speaking gig at AAPEX Show - Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo just came in! Scan that QR code! So excited! Vegas baby, Vegas!

Have you ever been told, "Be the cheapest in town; it will get you more business" or "You'll never make it because you're too honest"? These are just two of the cringe-worthy 'pearls of wisdom' dissected in this podcast. Join Technician Find Community members @Bill Nalu and @Carm Capriotto as they lead a panel of industry industry veterans to expose the advice that's been holding shops back for years. From pricing secrets to customer relations, they busted myths left and right. Curious what they are? Tune in and prepare to have your mind blown! https://youtu.be/thGSrxh85cU?feature=shared

Every now and again, but not that often, we exhaust the local area for a shop and need to expand our search for technicians outside the immediate geographic area. When this happens, we add language to the ad that announces that "relocation assistance" is available and we include what I call a mini-Travel Brochure that will give techs a thumbnail sales pitch on why your city is a great place to relocate to. My team used to research and write these manually but with the magic of AI, you can create one in seconds. Here is the AI prompt I created to generate this mini travel brochure: "Please assume the role of professional travel agent and create a concise and compelling mini Travel Brochure for [CITY, STATE]. The format of the mini travel brochure will be a brief one sentence introduction followed by 7 bullets about the city. These bullets should each contain one feature of the city followed by the benefit of that feature to the reader. The target audience/reader for this travel brochure are [POSITION TITLE PLURAL] from outside of the local area who are interested in what the area has to offer for them and their family. The purpose of this mini-Travel Brochure is to get potential candidates excited about the local area and become more receptive to applying for a job in this city. This mini-Travel Brochure will appear in a help wanted ad for an auto repair shop so please do not mention or advertise other potential opportunities in the area that would conflict with this ad." Here is the AI output generated from this prompt for Denver, Colorado by Claude 3 Opus (ChatGPT works just as well): "Discover the vibrant city of Denver, Colorado, where adventure, culture, and opportunity await! *The stunning Rocky Mountains provide a picturesque backdrop for outdoor enthusiasts, offering hiking, skiing, and breathtaking views just a short drive from the city. *Denver boasts a thriving craft beer scene with over 100 breweries, allowing you to unwind and enjoy unique, locally-made brews after a hard day's work.

I just got this email from Google and it blew my mind (see image). The review I wrote for E.L.M. Repair and Refrigeration back in 2021 has been viewed over 1,000 times! Take every review you currently have and multiply that number by 1,000. Think about that for a minute. Now think about only the bad reviews and multiply that number by 1,000. Get the picture? Is there anything else that you do in your business that can give you that kind of leverage? I always tell clients that when you respond to a negative review you aren't responding for the benefit of the customer who wrote the review as much as for the 1,000's of people who are going to see the review and how you handled it for years afterward. Is it time to update your system for getting reviews? Is it time to respond to those negative reviews that you've been avoiding? Remember, it's not just customers who see reviews. It's techs, service advisors and anyone else who may be thinking about joining your team. Here's to accelerating your good reputation with a flood of 5-star reviews!