Travis Bean

Adapting to Dominate Your Market

May 2, 2018

Sometimes, to keep up, you don’t need a major shift—you just need to pivot. Here are two shop operators that were able to maintain their core values and beliefs while projecting a new image that fit into their changing surroundings.

Finding (and Keeping) Great Employees

April 25, 2018

Travis Bean

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Between recruiting and interviewing and onboarding and training, there's a ton of work to be done in finding and retaining employees. Here are the absolute essential ones to keep in mind, according to the Automotive Training Institute.

Your Guide to Apprenticeships

April 11, 2018

Travis Bean

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A fully realized apprenticeship program involves higher-level thinking on the shop owner’s part. Here’s how to build that program, step by step.

Get to Know Your Market

April 10, 2018

Travis Bean

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Automotive Training Institute coaches Don Wafler and Mike Warren presented on better understanding your market at the 2018 ATI SuperConference. During their lengthy presentation, they touched on four simple—yet essential—steps for becoming in tune with your neighborhood.

The Six Principles of Innovation

March 26, 2018

Travis Bean

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Being an innovator isn’t a curse, but a blessing, and both Bob Dupre and Sunil Patel’s successful operations are here to serve as inspiration—to cause a disruption. These are their principles for becoming an innovator

10 Ways to Find and Attract the Best Technicians

February 26, 2018

Travis Bean

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Implement these simple strategies to avoid falling victim to the technician shortage

The Anatomy of an Effective Thank You Card

February 20, 2018

Travis Bean

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Shop owner John Bockman provided Ratchet+Wrench with examples of what an effective thank you card looks like, and how you can track its ROI.

Inspection Perfection

February 16, 2018

Travis Bean

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AJ Nealey largely credits a 70 percent rise in ARO to his digital inspection policy

Community Focused

February 15, 2018

Travis Bean

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Three shop operators who built their businesses on giving back

Better Understand Your Customer Base

February 6, 2018

Travis Bean

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When your staff is on the same page and invested in understanding the customer? Everyone on staff can anticipate the customers’ demands and what will sell. Here are some basic questions to gauge how well your shop’s CRM observes your customer base.

Q&A: Inside AAMCO's Loan Program for Customers

January 31, 2018

Travis Bean

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Ratchet+Wrench sat down with AAMCO to learn more about its new loan program that gives customers access to multiple lenders to help cover repair costs.

Optimize Workflow in Your Shop

January 30, 2018

Travis Bean

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No two shops are the same. From the employees to the equipment to the space constraints, managing workflow is a balancing act. But with enough foresight and strategization, you can maximize throughput with any space. Here is your guide to doing just that.

A Simple Template for Measuring ROI

January 29, 2018

Travis Bean

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In the February issue of Ratchet+Wrench, Chris Matson broke down how to properly track ROI on business investments with a simple spreadsheet, which you can download here.

Download: A Guide to Financial Planning

January 23, 2018

Travis Bean

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Dave Mulcahy, director of a Small Business Development Center, has provided Ratchet+Wrench readers with a spreadsheet for tracking said stability. You can read his full story in the February issue, but for now, this speadsheet encompasses everything he says you should consider in order to run a profitable, financially healthy business.

How to Lead an Effective Meeting

January 16, 2018

Travis Bean

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As the owner of C&H Foreign Auto Repair, Scott Cushman has made morning meetings an important component of motivating his staff and driving improved KPIs over the past three years. A bad meeting, however, can derail everything. Here is your guide to hosting an effective meeting.

Four Considerations for Profitable Reprogramming

January 8, 2018

Travis Bean

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Researching your market, training, equipment and costs ahead of time will ensure reprogramming becomes a profitable venture. Here is everything you need to consider.

The Power of 20 Groups

January 4, 2018

Travis Bean

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Here are three stories about how 20 Groups changed operations at three different shops

7 Essential Repair Information Techniques

December 22, 2017

Travis Bean

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Better navigate through repair information to improve efficiency, throughput and your bottom line

Four Steps for Going Paperless

December 20, 2017

Travis Bean

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Everything your shop needs to go 100 percent digital

The Auto Repair Shop's Role in Connected Car Cybersecurity

December 15, 2017

Travis Bean

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Because of connected cars, repair shops need to understand their place in the vehicle cybersecurity equation and secure their networks to protect customers—and themselves.

A Thank You Card that Stands out from the Crowd

December 7, 2017

Travis Bean

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Thank you cards are an easy step toward establishing a personalized relationship with your customers. On top of that, they can improve customer retention. Here’s how you plan for a consistent process for writing, sending out and tracking an ROI for thank you cards.

The 2017 Shop Performance Survey

November 1, 2017

Travis Bean

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Our annual, in-depth look at the key performance indicators (KPIs) driving shop success nationwide.

The Tools that Improve Technician Efficiency

November 1, 2017

Travis Bean

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Many technician-turned-shop-owners know the tools and equipment that made them efficient individually, but have no idea what makes an entire team of technicians more efficient, Terry Keller says. Here are the tools that have worked for his shop over the past 35 years.

How to Attract Your Optimal Customer

October 1, 2017

Travis Bean

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When you’re a shop for everyone, your services must have mass appeal. But when you’re a shop for your ideal customer? Everything becomes much easier. From market evaluation to branding to labor rate alterations, here’s how to reel your optimal customer in.

How to Benefit from the Growing Mobile Service Market

October 1, 2017

Travis Bean

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Ed Petersen envisions a future where mobile service companies and physical shops partner, funneling more light repairs through mobile units and high-dollar work through shops. Here is what you need to know about the rising mobile repair market, why Tesla is embracing it, and how your shop could possibly profit from a partnership.

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