In the acting world, you have Broadway. In baseball, you have the major leagues. In the world of new car sales, you have the Mercedes Benz dealership. It’s understood that if you sell cars, a proven prior track record with a lesser brand is required before stepping up to the Mercedes level. This isn’t a mystery….
Do your results at the shop depend on external events? As I ponder this question, I’m reminded of a story I shared in a previous post about this single father with two young sons. The father was laid off from his job and struggling to make ends meet. After several months of unemployment, he became…
What’s the starting point of your success as a shop owner? As I ponder this question, I’m reminded of a video series I watched recently done by Dr. Rhadi Ferguson who wrote the book, Coffee With Rhadi, Herculean Conversations with an Olympian. In one of his videos, he tells the story of his quest to…
Imagine me pulling up to your shop in a shiny, black, 2018 Mercedes Benz CLS 550 Coupe. It’s fully equipped to include the 8-cylinder engine, 18-inch aluminum wheels, leather bucket seats, a sunroof, and the leather-upholstered dashboard. As we begin to discuss the car, our conversation shifts to my warranty coverage. “So, what does your…
“Joe” is a shop owner who works in instead of on his business. His business has him in bondage to the point that when he needs to consult with his ‘A’ tech, he doesn’t look out in the bays, he looks in the mirror! I suggested that he contact a certain “head-hunter” recruitment company that…
A plainly dressed woman wearing a baseball cap walked into an upscale handbag store looking to make a purchase. She came in carrying a worn-out handbag that appeared to have a lot of miles on it. She gestured towards the most expensive bag in the store but before she could speak the salesperson gave her…
After several months of searching for a service manager, “John,” a local shop owner had finally found “Mr. Right.” “Steve,” had over 15 years of experience writing service and was most recently working for another ATI shop owner. During the interview, he said all the right things and had all the right answers. Steve passed…
The story is told of a man who walked across the entire US continent from coast to coast. Afterwards, he was swamped by news reporters. One of them asked him to recap what the most difficult part of his journey was. “Was it dealing with the desert heat? Was it rambling through the Rocky Mountains?…
My interviewer threw me a curve-ball! I had just graduated from college and was interviewing with a sales manager named “James,” for an outside sales position with a major copy machine company. “Sell me this pen!” James demanded, as he slammed the pen on his desk in front of us and awaited my response. I…
During a recent television interview, Michael Jordan was asked what his secret was that allowed him to consistently thrive under pressure and lead his teams to “come from behind” victories. He responded by telling the story of his rookie year practice sessions when his coach, Kevin Loughery, would divide the Chicago Bulls into teams that…