The Panel:

Dean Bailey, President of King’s Auto Service, Inc started working on go-carts, cars and lawn mowers around 11 years old. He started working at a family owned shop at age 16, Pipers Automotive after school. He began night school at Wake Technical Institute after work in the Automotive Program about 1977. Around 1981, he left Pipers after learning a lot of hands on that help apply the theory from Wake Tech. At this time, he started working for King’s Auto Service, Inc. His great Uncle, Linwood King started the business in 1946 after returning from the Pacific in WWII . He bought the business from a cousin, Delmer King in 1991. They are the oldest independent shop in Raleigh. Dean is an ASE Master Tech L3.

Doug Rogers who is the owner of Autohaus Import Service got in the industry in 1978 because he needed a trade that didn’t involve working outside, or working with his feet off the ground. He worked 25 years as a tech in a dealership, before opening his shop in 2003, at age 48.

Key Talking Points:

• Don’t use the technician shortage as an excuse.
• Start looking for one.
• Don’t be a run of the mill shop. That is a draw to a potential employee to want to work at a stop shop.
• Your business culture will help attract the right type of team member.
• Look for people from the IT industry.
  • Techs of tomorrow must be able to diagnose complex problems.
• Dean found an IT person and implemented a grow your own tech program
• The business culture creating a team is critical to a business.
  • Learn to put yourself as CEO at the bottom of the pyramid and support your team.
• The CEO sets the attitude of every day.
  • Fix any problem you see from your team that is out of the ordinary.
• Stop micromanaging. Let your people make mistakes.
• Doug wasn’t happy with his results so he knew he had to change.
  • He has a great group of keepers
• Becoming a stronger leader was the key for these shop owners
  • Joined 20 group
  • Pushed for improved culture
  • Learned to fix ‘me’. Then everything flows in the right way. You’re never too old.
• Embrace autonomous cars and get them to your shop for repairs.
  • A new business model will transform.
• Having a niche will be important in the future.

Resources Mentioned:

• Thanks to Dean Bailey and Doug Rogers for their contribution to the aftermarket’s premier podcast.
• Link to the ‘BOOKS’ page highlighting all books discussed in the podcast library HERE. Leaders are readers.
• Leave me an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one of them.

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