Maximum Octane

Today's episode is special in the whole extension of the word because Gilda Dyckman joins us to tell the story of her identical twins, Troy and Brent. The twins, now 22, were blessed with an autism diagnosis, and since they arrived in Gilda and her husband's lives, they did nothing but bring joy, good laughs, and tons of teachings about love, empathy, patience, and compassion. Gilda has owned Cars Muffler & Automotive since 1996, where she recently hired Brent to help her with filing and reconciling statements. Throughout our conversation, Gilda shares details of the twins' journey to incorporate into the American workforce. The challenges they face to get a job and the bitter flavor of negatives from shop owners who (sometimes) can't grasp the value exceptional adults can add to their businesses. Gilda also debunks some myths about the supposed dangers of hiring special people, explains why sometimes an autistic person might be perfect for specific jobs, and so much more.  In This Episode, You Will Learn:A bit about Gilda's challenging and fun journey (3:31)Some differences between Troy and Brent (6:25)A proposal Brent had to think about for a couple of days (10:33)What are ILS and Tailor Services, and how do they work (17:21)How Trey and Brent changed life also at Cars Muffler & Automotive (23:08)Why hiring exceptional adults is an excellent idea (27:04)Resources:Cars Muffler & Automotive websiteCollective Social Services website. Regional Centers in CaliforniaConnect with Gilda:LinkedInLet's connect:LinkedInFacebookEmail: mopodcast@autotraining.net

What kind of vehicle are you? A semi-truck that needs a defined plan and route before hitting the road; a sports car, fast, agile, and always looking for shortcuts; or perhaps a diesel truck, a constant, consistent performer, who needs supervision and steady direction, but who always delivers? What about your internal customers? What kind of vehicles are they? In today's episode, JeanAnn St Grace visits us to share her unique view on group management, customer service, and how we react to and deal with our emotions. She is the Founder of The Simple Heart Sanctuary, a space dedicated to helping people take control of their healing journey. She highlights the importance for shop owners of knowing themselves before guiding internal customers, how we can use technology to create "owner manuals" on how to run a business, why it is crucial to embrace internal customers' uniqueness, and so much more. In This Episode, You Will Learn:How car issues can turn into personal issues (3:10)Once you are in crisis mode, you're incapable of operating at any level (6:53)Different people can't be managed exactly the same (10:25)What kind of vehicle are you? (12:41)Emotions are like a wave (22:34)How to create (and use) an "owner manual" (28:02)Resources:The Simple Heart Sanctuary websiteThe Simple Heart Sanctuary InstagramThe Simple Heart Sanctuary YouTubeConnect with JeanAnn:InstagramLet's connect:LinkedInFacebookEmail: mopodcast@autotraining.net

How familiar are you with your personal auto policy? This week, on the second and last part of the two-part series on insurance, Richard Sharman joins us again to talk about everything you must (or at least should) know about your auto policy. From how it looks and what it's written on it to State limits coverage and exclusions, Richard unravels every detail you must be aware of to avoid getting caught off guard when accidents hit. Plus, Richard goes through an auto policy declaration page, comprehensive and collision limits, and what happens with medical bills if you hit your car while driving an uninsured passenger. We also talk about deductibles and exclusions and what you should know before handing your car keys to an internal customer to get something for you real quick. So buckle up and get your reading glasses because today, we dive right into the small prints of your personal auto policy. In This Episode, You Will Learn:Do States have coverage limits? (3:39)What happens when someone gets hurt in your vehicle (6:31)What are comprehensive and collision limits? (8:38)Does carrying the minimum protect you from being sued for larger amounts? (14:55)A quick auto policy breakdown (21:03)Some details of exclusions under liability to others (24:06)Let's connect:LinkedInFacebookEmail: mopodcast@autotraining.net

Most shop owners and virtually anyone who gets insurance are reluctant to go through policies' thousands of small print pages; they kind of "just trust." In today's episode, we are educated by Richard Sharman on all things insurance. Richard is an Executive Coach at ATI with over 40 years of experience in the auto collision industry and insurance claims professions. He explains what to look for in policies' tiny print, how to spot the best collision shop and the importance of having a claim set. We also learn how to evaluate if we are either under or over-insured, about stackable and non-stackable deductibles, and the use of recycled parts in repairs. Plus, we go through many real-life examples of how insurance companies respond, the number of estimates we need to provide to insurance companies when an accident happens, and so much more. In This Episode, You Will Learn:Do you know if you are over or under-insured? (3:28)Who's to blame when a disadvantageous policy is sold to you? (5:47)Why you should have a claim set (9:39)What happens if a palm tree falls into your car (13:02)Can they use recycled parts to repair your vehicle? (23:40)A bit about policyholders' duties (29:24)Let's connect:LinkedInFacebookEmail: mopodcast@autotraining.net

When investing in our business, we should look at three main components: improve our marketing, how the company looks, and most importantly, how it operates. Almost every shop owner ignores a crucial part of that third component: developing internal customers. Today, Chuck Lafferty visits us to share his thoughts on the importance of developing our team members, why it is crucial, and the best ways of doing so. Chuck talks about his journey as a leader and the learnings he got along the way that made him realize the importance of developing employees. We also discuss the true meaning of servant leadership, what type of internal customers are harder to develop, the importance of having our teams under constant development, and so much more. In This Episode, You Will Learn:About Chuck and his journey and growth as a leader in the automotive industry (3:43)Why developing your internal customers is the best kind of investment (8:31)Pulling people out of production to grow the business (11:41)The importance of fluent communication and feedback (21:14)Is it possible to develop "a rock"? (26:43)Connect with Chuck:LinkedInLet's connect:LinkedInFacebookEmail: mopodcast@autotraining.net

When new customers visit a shop, the unwritten rule is to give them the best treatment possible, providing that potential new client with a WOW experience. If the experience is satisfying enough, the new customer will undoubtedly recommend that shop to friends and close ones. Still, what about the second, third, or fourth time that same customer visits the shop? In today's episode, Charlene Parlett joins us to unravel precisely where most business and shop owners fail when creating memorable customer experiences. Charlene is an Executive, Leadership, Confidence, and Life Coach, passionate about helping business owners and their clients reach their dreams and accomplish their goals. Charlene is also a Certified Profit First Professional and an eternal student who loves to keep herself constantly learning. Throughout our conversation, Charlene shared a few examples of where most business owners drop the ball regarding client satisfaction and retention. We discuss the FWE (Forever WOW Experiences) approach and what should happen when customers visit our shop for the second time after a unique first experience. Charlene also shared her thoughts on providing internal customers with five-star experiences, some examples of businesses providing solid FWEs experiences, and so much more. In This Episode, You Will Learn:What is the FWE, and why should most businesses incorporate and systemize it (8:27)Why customers should enjoy the same experience every time they visit our store (10:13)Where do most business and shop owners drop the ball (16:28)Consistency is critical in customer service (24:03)You can't provide five-star treatment if you don't know how it looks like (27:19)How much is the extra cost of delivering WOW experiences? (32:54)Connect with Charlene:LinkedInLet's connect:LinkedInFacebookEmail: mopodcast@autotraining.net