Carm Capriotto

Carm Capriotto’s Friday Town Hall Academy #265 streamed live on February 25, 2022. The subject was “Coaches Lab: Turn Around a Struggling Shop”. The guests Chris Cotton (AutoFix), YNR’s own Brian Gillis, and Murray Voth (RPM Training) circled around the mic to discuss the ways that automotive service centers can turn their fortunes around.

Opening Up About Struggling Shop Issues

Murray Voth opened up the discussion, emphasizing that your employees probably have an idea that the business is struggling. This may be a conscious or subconscious suspicion, but generally, owners control the flow of information. There is such a thing as telling your people too much about the status of your business. However, if rumors about your auto service center closing are swirling, you need to set the record straight. When you’re having trouble keeping up with the channels of communication, hiring a business coach may be necessary.

Do you see signs of an unavoidable downturn in business? Don’t wait until it’s too late to seek help. Chris Cotton detailed some shop owners calling him when they were three weeks away from closing. When he asked how long they were on the decline, they told him six months. They should have called at the first sign of trouble. Depending on the actual issues, a few weeks may be enough reverse course, but it’s unlikely.

Brian chimed in to agree that no automotive shop owner is an island. We can’t do it alone. Sharing the overall health with your team creates buy-in from them. Your transparency and honesty will motivate your employees to help improve your business’ fortunes. Regularly scheduled, mandatory meetings help accomplish this goal.

How NOT To Fix Your Issues

Murray reiterated that delegating more tasks to your team needs to happen, so you can focus on improving the business. Chris agreed, adding that flat rate technicians can work more hours, but it will only help them and not the business. When systems and processes within the business are broken, working harder just means hastening the inevitable.

Chris mentioned that we must ask our team members for help, but reaching out to other shop owners is also crucial. Many of his referrals have come from shop owners in  Facebook Groups.

When inquiring about a struggling shop’s financial records, Murray often finds out there are none. Many shop owners think a CPA or Bookkeeper isn’t affordable. They often learn the hard way that not hiring one is even less affordable. Shops in financial trouble may or may not be salvageable. Again, the key is catching your problem early.

Another issue many struggling shop owners face is the temptation to pay themselves last. While caring for your employees and their families is important, when you don’t cash your own checks, you are putting your own family last. Sometimes, showing compassion means helping a technician find another job when you truly can’t afford to keep paying them. Do what you need to do to keep your business going, but don’t neglect your family at home.

Bottom Line – This Is Your Passion. Get Help If You Need Help.

If you need help, ask for help. We in the auto repair industry are independent. Often, we auto service center owners haven’t felt like we fit in, be it in school or past jobs. We landed in a niche that catered to our learning challenges, and we are passionate about it. This is too important to you to keep spinning your wheels.

Do You Own A Struggling Shop? Can A Coaching Company Really Help Your Auto Repair Business?

Have you owned a struggling shop for years? Then you have probably had some bad experiences with business coaches that serve the automotive service industry. After all, not every one of the auto repair shop coaching companies out there are created equal! For instance, some coaching companies are strong with financial matters, yet weak regarding phone sales techniques. We here at You Net Results want to help you focus on the total picture and get the results you need. Contact us today for a free strategy session.