Hard Shop Life

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We built the podcast for the hard working men and women of the Automotive, Trucking, and Motorcycle community. Our goal is to pass on all the information and knowledge we have collected, and continue to collect, over our 50 combined years in this industry. This podcast is like no other. We will be sharing tips, ideas, and strategies for every position in the service and parts side of our industry. Service Advisors, Parts Team, Service Technicians, Service Managers, Parts Managers and Support staff… This podcast is for you! To understand this business you have to work in it. It’s hard to explain to anyone else. That’s why we are here…to share our stories and YOURS! To create a community of people who understand this can be a HARD SHOP LIFE!

The GMan and Coach J

Kansas City, Missouri


    • Oct 30, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 35m AVG DURATION
    • 70 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Hard Shop Life

    Introduction

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2023 0:56


    We created this Podcast for the Men and Women of the Automotive Industry.  We've been in your shoes.  Parts, Service, Bodyshop, Advisor, Technician.  Our focus is share the best techniques of fixed ops departments and other departments that help promote fixed operations. Each week we will share our stories,  the story of others, and YOUR […]

    Was That On Purpose?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2023 43:26


    People do things on purpose. Either you control the narrative, or someone else is controlling the narrative to you.

    We Need Change… Don’t Change Me

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2023 45:20


    The most important thing when it comes to executing change at any level of your dealership, or any business, is YOU. It is impossible to expect change or improvement of the business, or the team you are leading, without first changing what you are doing. As a leader you give life to the purpose, create

    Do You Have a Scoreboard?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2023 33:01


    If you don't have a scoreboard consider this... Would you set off on a long road trip without a map? Could athletes compete without knowing the score of the game, and would anyone even watch? There are many essential aspects to building and running a successful service department, but the Scoreboard sits #1 on the

    The Price of Success

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2023 30:47


    What is the price of success? Is it money? Is it your time? Does it cost your energy? Maybe it's at the cost of swallowing some pride. It could mean all of these things to one person and something completely different to the next person. The factor that will never change, is winning and success

    Our Tips for 2023

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2023 30:55


    It's 2023 and Hard Shop Life is back! As the New Year comes in, so do new challenges to overcome and new goals to hit and grow the business. The market is changing, new car inventory is no longer scarce, used car prices are coming off inflated highs, and by all definitions we are in

    Understand Employees To Maximize Effectiveness

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2022 36:59


    We are back! And in this episode of Hard Shop Life we are discussing how you can maximize your employees effectiveness by accentuating their different personalities, and strengths. Not everyone who works for you will be like you, and thats a great thing. A dealership is a symphony that has to seamlessly work together, but

    The Scorpion and the Frog

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2022 36:54


    A scorpion wants to cross a river but cannot swim, so it asks a frog to carry it across. The frog hesitates, afraid that the scorpion might sting it, but the scorpion promises not to, pointing out that it would drown if it killed the frog in the middle of the river. The frog considers

    AUDIENCE QUESTIONS ANSWERED!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2022 38:50


    In this episode, Coach J and The GMan answer the questions they get asked the most by the listeners, and the people they meet while traveling the country. They cover everything from technology, technicians, and the industry as a whole to their biggest mistakes while working with dealerships. If you ever had any burning questions

    Inspect What You Expect

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2022 30:01


    What does it mean to inspect what you expect? As a manager not only do you have to be the example, but you also have to set the standards by which your advisors operate. Now our hosts have used this saying in many different ways, but the desired result is always the same, to control

    Tools of Torture – Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2022 56:18


    By its definition a “tool” should help you perform a job. Hammers drive nails, wrenches turn nuts and bolts, and computers can increase productivity (sometimes). It seems that lately the tools that are sold as “the next best thing” to improve service advisors sales or technician productivity, have become “tools of torture”! No one is

    Superstar Advisor Interview Series – #7

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2022 38:51


    In this episode, Coach J and The GMan interview another Superstar Advisor, Yordano. He has been in the business for around 8 years, and within six months of moving dealerships has quickly risen to the top. Everyday he strives to learn more, is the first one in and last one to leave, and comes in

    Is the News Affecting Your Results?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2022 43:03


    Gas prices are through the roof, EV's are booming, and around half of all full-time workers work from home. Now, what does all this mean for an industry reliant on people driving, buying, and repairing their cars. In the field, Coach J and The GMan are hearing a mostly “Doom and Gloom” perspective from almost

    Unite Fixed Operations w/ Luis Romano

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2022 26:27


    Whether you are Parts or Service, how are you supposed to maximally run your department when the other manager won't play along? Coach J and The GMan along with their return guest, Luis Romano, discuss and share their first hand experience on both sides of the playing field. The collaboration of the fixed operation departments

    Communication

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2022 43:44


    In this age of information technology, all of us have computers in our pockets capable of calling, texting, email, and many more forms of communication.  Let's also include all the money your dealerships spend on software to do the same. Yet, the biggest complaint we hear from customers in our industry is a lack of

    Project Update, Problems Hiring Support Staff, and the Ceremony

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2022 40:57


    On this episode of Hard Shop Life, Coach J and the GMan talk with long time friend, and client, Luis Romano for an update on the reinvention of his San Francisco service department. In this update we bring you up to speed on our current progress, discuss some issues that are "new" in this post-COVID

    Superstar Advisor Interview Series – #6

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2022 51:50


    Today we brought you something very unique for the first Advisor interview of the Season! In this episode, Coach J and The GMan interview Superstar Advisor Bree. Bree is not only a brand new advisor (starting mid 2021) with no existing clientele, and no prior training; but she is new to the dealership life entirely!

    Mindset

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2022 36:31


    “The territory is not the map”. What you can see is not all that is there. So many of us in the industry don't have someone to show us what we don't know, and it's very difficult to visualize what you can't see. But when your back is up against the wall, your GM is

    ELR: A Problem Created and Suffered by Our Industry

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2022 49:27


    Why is ELR (Effective Labor Rate) such an important topic everyday in Service Departments across the country? Well, ELR is how we make sure that we are holding gross and charging the correct value for our services, but more importantly that we aren't just giving away our factory trained technicians time for cheap. Think of

    David vs Goliath – Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2021 46:49


    In this episode, Gman and Coach J have on Fixed Ops Director Luis Romano to update and discuss their on-going "David vs Goliath" project. In part 1 they talked about how you go about launching this huge undertaking. Now Luis and our hosts discuss how the project is going almost 60 days in, and how

    Superstar Advisor Interview Series – #5

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2021 23:17


    In this episode, GMan and Coach J interview Superstar Advisor Ron Connor. Ron gives us insight on what it's like to not only be a top tier advisor, but also a leader in the drive. He believes confidence is one of the most important attributes for an advisor to have because without it, the customer

    Transformation From Self to Leader

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2021 34:11


    "The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things." - Ronald Reagan Leaders in Service Departments across the nation can struggle to lead their teams to success. Not because they don't know how to do their jobs or

    The Big Thing Tesla Service Departments Are Missing

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2021 50:19


    Recently Coach J had an experience with Tesla (specifically the service department) that wasn't exactly what he expected, nor would you expect of an ultra-modern company like Tesla. In this episode, Coach J and the GMan talk about this experience, and about how service departments can make or break a car brand. They also talk

    Superstar Advisor Interview Series – #4

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2021 17:19


    In this episode, we have yet another Superstar Advisor, Tony Vincent! He will go to any extent to help and provide his customers with the best service he possibly can. However, when he found himself fixing cars in the drive, he realized he may have gone too far with his stellar service, and didn't have

    superstar advisor tony vincent
    David vs Goliath with Fixed Ops Director Luis Romano

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2021 37:45


    Many of us know what it's like to be handed "the keys" to the store, and then sent off to run the show. It can be an incredibly daunting task. How does one man take on a project infinitely bigger than just himself? Well, this episode GMan and Coach J have on our return guest

    Superstar Advisor Interview Series – #3

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2021 15:53


    Whether you've been in this business 20 years or are just starting out, this episode contains a couple golden nuggets you'll want to use. Veteran and superstar advisor Jeremy sits down with GMan and Coach J to talk about what makes him one of the best advisors in the country. He strives every day to

    Parts Departments 7 Deadly Sins

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2021


    This week we sat down with a few of our favorite people who are also the best parts managers in the country. The conversation was around all the mistakes made in parts departments every day. We ended up narrowing it down to the 7 Deadly Sins! Let's see if you agree.    

    Training and Accountability

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2021 47:55


    Everyday the average person is loaded with over 34GB of data, which is enough to fill a laptop within the week. Our brains take in so much information, hours and hours of content, and thousands of messages a day. In short, our brains are overloaded with data and even more so when you are juggling

    Intuition vs. Intention

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2021 38:40


    In this episode, GMan and Coach J talk about intuition vs. intention, but there is no argument or debate, no battle between what's right and what's wrong. These traits don't (or shouldn't) compete. Intuition and Intention are two sides of the same coin, and without one you may be missing a large chunk of the

    Superstar Advisor Interview Series – #2

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2021 25:02


    Our second of many Superstar Advisors, but he is not number two by any means. Cesar made the move from Southern California all the way to Iowa for his family. Like many of us, 2020 was not his year, and he was never able to get his numbers up, despite the dealer as a whole

    Synergy Between Parts and Service

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2021 40:04


    What does it look like to have complete synergy between Service and Parts? A Fixed Operations Director as an unbiased mediator for conversations between Service and Parts Managers? Well no, but there really isn't just one solution to this problem. However, one thing is for certain: PARTS AND SERVICE NEED EACH OTHER TO SURVIVE! And

    Recruit and Retain Technicians! – Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2021 31:00


    In this episode, GMan and Coach J are tackling the BIG issue. The one keeping many dealers from profitability, slowing down your shops, and racking up thousands of dollars every month in lost opportunity. There is no easy fix, and in today's environment we have to think outside the box to solve it. We are

    Recruit and Retain Technicians! – Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2021 34:12


    In this episode, GMan and Coach J are tackling the BIG issue. The one keeping many dealers from profitability, slowing down your shops, and racking up thousands of dollars every month in lost opportunity. There is no easy fix, and in today's environment we have to think outside the box to solve it. We are

    Superstar Advisor Interview Series – #1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2021 18:42


     In this episode we are kicking off our five-part Superstar Advisor Interview series with the best of the best, Chuck Suter. Our hosts stole his preparation method and used it in the first step of JDI's Advisor Mastery Training. He doesn't believe in selling and still crushes it every single month. Learn how he has

    Special Order Parts – End the Fighting

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2021 52:04


    GMan and Coach J are addressing one of the most asked about topics they hear at every dealer they visit, Special Order Parts. Advisors are frustrated with parts, and parts departments are frustrated with advisors all over the country. But it doesn't have to be that way! Fixed Ops is only as strong as it's

    Why You Are Struggling to Hire People

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2021 31:39


    "A body in motion stays in motion; a body at rest stays at rest". We are in a unique time, our hosts GMan and Coach J are seeing this around the nation at every dealer they help. Companies everywhere are struggling to hire anyone, whether its porters, advisors, managers or technicians it doesn't matter, and

    Interview with NFL Hall Famer Fran Tarkenton

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2021 51:26


    In this episode of the podcast, G-Man and Coach J talk to NFL Hall of Fame quarterback, and extremely successful entrepreneur, Fran Tarkenton. Playing in the NFL for 18 seasons, Fran set multiple career records and was widely regarded as one of the best to ever play the game. Shortly after his retirement he was

    Lessons From Fixed Ops Legend David Paterson Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2021 39:13


    In this episode Coach J and GMan wrap up their interview with one of the G.O.A.T.'s of the fixed operations world, David Paterson. You don't want to miss this rare chance to get an insight into one of the most successful people in the fixed operations industry. 

    The 5 Levels of Leadership

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2021 13:26


    In our new weekly segment we are going to talk about the books we are currently reading, and the books we think are the most important. At JDI we are constantly sending out books to people in our coaching group and consulting program because we believe you can never stop learning.  Our goal is for

    Lessons From Fixed Ops Legend David Paterson Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2021 66:38


    In this episode Coach J and GMan interview one of the G.O.A.T.'s of the fixed operations world, David Paterson. He started in the industry at just 15 years old as a mechanic, and worked his way to running and building the most profitable Honda service center in the world, which is still #1 to this

    Tools of Torture

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2021 35:19


    By its definition a “tool” should help you perform a job. Hammers drive nails, wrenches turn nuts and bolts, and computers can increase productivity (sometimes). It seems that lately the tools that are sold as “the next best thing” to improve service advisors sales or technician productivity, have become “tools of torture”! Do not take

    Is Your Dispatch System Working?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2021 37:33


    Let's talk about how you are getting work to your technicians. In the automotive industry this can make or break your service department's bottom line! Keeping technicians producing is the one of the most important requirements of a service department. But are you using a dispatching system that is holding you back? Constantly we tell

    It’s Ok to be Proud of What You Do – Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2021 37:53


    Mark Twain once said, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Aside from improving your job satisfaction, can this approach actually improve your dealership KPIs? In Part 2 G-Man and Coach J talk more to our special guest, Benjamin Dykstra, about prioritizing your customer

    It’s Ok to be Proud of What You Do – Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2021 38:35


    Mark Twain once said, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Aside from improving your job satisfaction, can this approach actually improve your dealership KPIs? In this episode of the podcast, G-Man and Coach J talk to our special guest, Benjamin Dykstra, about prioritizing

    Your Foundation, Talent, and Purpose

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2021 34:52


    In this episode, G-Man and Coach J go deep with our return guest Doug (aka. Mr. Relentless), and discuss Your Foundation, Talent and Purpose. In order to master the drive, you must know yourself. What are your key principles? What are you naturally good at? What gets you up in the morning, and keeps you

    The Columbo Method

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2021 21:58


    What is the Columbo Method? To learn about tho origin you are going to have to turn to Google for that. In summary Columbo, a TV detective from the 1970's, repeats the same, seemingly trivial, questions at erratic intervals often while pretending to be dumb or forgetful, luring the murderer into making a mistake or

    When It’s OK to Fire a Customer

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2021 38:22


    This comes up more than you would think! Problems that come up every day in our service and parts departments and make tensions between the customer and the employee very high. When this happens someone will “blow their top”. Typically the customer will pop first and start to use expletives and insults as a tool

    Do The Work – Is it the Journey or Destination?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2021 35:28


    In this episode,  Coach J and the GMan have a roundtable discussion with some special guests around the concept of Do The Work.  GMan shares how Coach J and his Do The Work speech inspired him and others during a meeting of automotive professionals.  GMan tells the group how each experience in his life was

    The Interim FOD

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2021 48:17


    In  this episode,  Coach J and the GMan speak to Charley.  Charley is a Parts Manager.  Actually, he's a Fixed Ops Director who comforts in the title of Parts manager because, he doesn't know if he can take the pain of more responsibility with a bigger title again.  Like many managers in the automotive industry, 

    Interview with the Service Manager

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2021 54:57


    In this special episode Coach J and the GMan interview one of the top Honda service managers in the country. On a normal day he's responsible for 150 customers, 100 employees, 250 used cars and more than a million dollars in sales. All this and he still finds time to help the owners open a

    Is the BDC Dead?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2021 40:42


    In this episode Coach J and the GMan discuss the merits of having a Business Development Center (BDC) in your dealership. There are some obvious benefits, better phone presence, improved follow up, increased appointments, etc... But there is a benefit that most dealers and managers miss... And this one thing can transform your business!

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