The shop coaches estimated that most shop owners don’t take advantage of a shop coach or other consulting opportunities to improve their businesses.
Bullard estimated that about 20% of the industry participates in hiring a coach or take training classes and seminars.
“Our industry is behind the times. We’re back in the Stone Age in a way. … We’ve tried free stuff, we’ve tried cheap stuff, we’ve tried expensive stuff. … And’we’re still not reaching that 80% that are so resistant.
“In my opinion they’re holding back the whole industry in a way. It’s going to take the whole 20% to get to the 80% or it’s going to take some dramatic financial or economical situation, like they’re going to lose the ability to work on cars because they don’t know enough or they can’t afford the new Tesla information or whatever,” Bullard said.
“I think we’re going to lose a large portion of the industry right now, soon. And then the ones who are left, hopefully, will be the ones to see the light and are more adaptive to what’s going on.”
Some of that 80% are making just enough money to pay the bills but not enough to improve their life or send their kids to a good college, the shop coaches said.
To reach a goal takes time and several steps, they said.
The shop coaches said when they counsel a business, they suggest making small, incremental adjustments to procedures and processes so as not to shock employees or customers.
“The worst thing a shop owner can do is change a whole bunch of stuff at once,” Tarasik said. “What does it do? It disrupts the flow within the shop. And what happens is people begin to become uncomfortable and when your team starts to get uncomfortable with you, they’re not going to follow you like they would if they saw little, incremental changes.”
In addition to hiring shop coaches, the speakers suggested owners take opportunities to attend training and seminars and join “20 groups,” where a group of experienced shop owners meet and share ideas and advice.
