Ratchet+Wrench Radio

Editorial Director Anna Zeck chats with Matt Lachowitzer, owner of Matt's Automotive, a multi-shop operation in Minnesota and North Dakota. Lachowitzer was honored as the 2021 Ratchet+Wrench All-Star Award Winner and caught up with Anna at the Ratchet+Wrench Management conference earlier this year. Their conversation dives deep into the culture Lachowitzer has built and gives tons of great tips on...

Editorial Director Anna Zeck chatted with David Askwith, director of operations for the Maryland based-Auto Stream Car Care. Anna and David chat about his journey to a management role and the mistakes and great decisions he made along the way. Askwith provides perspective on what he would do differently, giving great advice for anyone trying to become a manager themselves or for a shop owner who i...

Editorial Director Anna Zeck chats with Ryan Hillenbrand, owner of Urb's Garage and Shop Fix Academy coach, about how to maximize your shop's marketing during Q4. Zeck and Hillenbrand discuss how to make sense of all your options to make sure you're getting the bang for your buck. 

How much time is too much time to spend on your business? Editorial Director Anna Zeck chats with Brian Sump, owner of Urban Autocare and Avalon Motorsports, about finding a successful balance that will led to the best business results. Recorded at the 2021 Ratchet+Wrench Management Conference, Zeck and Sump also touch on some of the highlights of Sump's keynote speech. 

Shana Steigerwalt, president and founder of Modern Driven Media, discusses tips and tricks for taking on social media as a shop owner. This podcast is sponsored by BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY. To learn more, visit boltontechnology.com .

For many repair shops, business is booming. But it won't forever. Shop Fix Academy Founder Aaron Stokes explains why now is a perfect time to plan for the future, so when the downturn comes, you're ready. 

Jeffrey Roy, owner of Primary Care Auto Repair and 2021 Ratchet+Wrench All-Star Award Runner Up, joins the show to discuss his operation, the lessons he learned from nearly closing his business and what he's doing now to ensure that doesn't happen to others. 

Last week, Ratchet+Wrench All-Star award winner Matt Lachowitzer joined to show to discuss his journey. This week we are talking with one of our runner ups, Lucas Underwood of L&N Performance Auto Repair. Underwood has a really interesting story and is becoming a rising voice in the industry helping shops across the country grow in the process. We chat about that and plenty more about his journey....

Matt Lachowitzer, owner of Matt's Automotive Service Center and winner of the Ratchet+Wrench All Star Awards, joins associate editor Megan Gosch to discuss his operation and what has made him successful.  If you haven't already, check out the full feature on Lachowitzer here .

Understanding what makes a good customer experience is as much about learning what to do as it is learning what not to do.  Editorial Director Anna Zeck chats with Jimmy Alauria, owner and president of 3A Automotive in Phoenix, Ariz., about her past experience with repair shops, giving a unique perspective about what an actual customer is looking for. What went well? What didn't? And why did she c...

Unfortunately bad news is an inherent element of the auto repair experience for most customers. But how exactly do you break bad news without overwhelming your customers or tanking the customer experience? Customer service expert, speaker and author Jeff Toister explains how to be the bearer of bad news without sacrificing customer relationships. 

The transition from single store to multi-shop operator requires plenty of strategy and shop owners who plan ahead can still find themselves blindsided as their expansion gets underway.   So, how exactly can you begin preparing for that growth well in advance? Shop Fix Academy founder Aaron Stokes shares his own journey and key lessons learned as he grew his business, the staffing strategies that...

Mark Seawell, advisor training director for RLO Training returns to the podcast for Part 2 of a conversation on maximizing work opportunity. Seawell goes through the different customer levels and how that affects how a shop should work with them in order to get the most work possible.  If you haven't listened to Part 1, make sure to listen to that too. The episode was released July 13.

A recent Ratchet+Wrench survey found that the average repair shop customer is willing to settle for a less than impressive customer experience. In this week's episode of Ratchet+Wrench's  Inside the Consumer's Mind  podcast series, editorial director Anna Zeck chats with Ryan Clo of Dubwerx to talk about navigating a negative customer experience, managing customer expectations, and how customer tr...

In this first episode of Ratchet+Wrench's Inside the Consumer's Mind podcast series, editorial director Anna Zeck chats with Dynamic Automotive's Dwayne Myers to learn how shops can approach the sensitive topic of price and avoid making customers feel vulnerable, overwhelmed, or taken advantage of. 

What exactly leaves customers to settle for a below-average repair shop experience and what can shops do to stand out from the crowd and win them over? Shop Fix Academy founder and shop owner Aaron Stokes explains with insight on the two-pronged approach he says is key to win customers over. 

Mark Seawell, Advisor Training Director for RLO Training, discusses what shops can do to build trust with customers and have to convey that into bigger sales and thus a larger ARO. Seawell will be featured in an upcoming issue of the Ratchet+Wrench magazine, so stay tuned for more on the topic. 

Right now, shops across the country are experiencing all-time high car counts and ticket averages. But as business picks up, does your shop have the processes to match?  Desert Car Care's Frank Leutz explains why the devil is in the details, how to protect your processes as you grow, and how improper documentation could be truly costing you.

When it comes to auto repair, there's an education gap. Few attorneys understand the challenges shop owners face in their day-to-day operations, and as vehicles become more complex, the need to have a savvy legal pro in your corner has only become more urgent.  William Ferreira, a go-to repair defense specialist, explains how to bridge the gap and build an attorney relationship that's well worth t...

When it comes to preparing for and investing in electric vehicles, are you better off jumping in or sitting back? Aaron Stokes, 20 year industry veteran and founder of Shop Fix Academy explains how he's approaching a future shift to EVs, including the metrics he's measuring in his own shops and the factors he's tracking along the way. 

You've probably heard all about the value of platforms like Facebook and Instagram when it comes to building business and making connections ... but what about LinkedIn? Desert Car Care's Frank Leutz explains how the platform's algorithm can deliver an unexpected ROI, how to access and connect with second and third-tier audiences, and how to leverage the support of key influencers in your market. 

Matt Wojsaik, shop manager at Utires — which operates two repair locations in the Chicago area — details the results of a study that the company recently conducted. Wojsaik shares the most common reasons consumers avoid the mechanic and some solutions to solve those issues. Wojsaik also reveals the top repairs that consumers hold off on the longest along with much more from the survey. 

Hiring and firing are actions all shop owners must maneuver, but may struggle to master. Roxi Bahar Hewertson, a consultant, business expert and author of books like "Hire Right, Fire Right: A Leader’s Guide to Finding and Keeping Your Best People," shares her tips for setting yourself and your team up for success through the hiring process, as well as how to be thorough and respectful when it's t...

Megan Williams, co-founder of 3P Marketing Solutions, talks with associate editor Mike Munzenrider about what makes a successful social media marketing strategy. While Williams approaches things from a collision repair perspective, listeners across the repair industry will hear some great tips for making the most of your social media efforts

With a boost in post-COVID repair shop business, shop owners are facing fresh pressure to hire and retain talented technicians. Monthly guest and ShopFix Academy founder Aaron Stokes explains why now is the time to invest in your shop's talent before they get a better offer.