Chris Cotton Weekly Blitz

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Weekly inspiration from automotive service business coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. www.autoshopcoaching.com Run Your Shop. Don't Let It Run You.

1d ago

Hope Is Not a Strategy [E273]

Hope is powerful—but hope alone won’t fix your business. In this episode of The Weekly Blitz, Chris Cotton dedicates a direct and personal conversation to his friend and former client, Rich Young. Chris explains why “hope is not a strategy” and connects that lesson to the Cotton family motto: “Have a plan and execute the plan.” Chris also speaks candidly to struggling shop owners about taking responsibility, setting pride aside, and asking for help before another six months of valuable time and momentum disappear. Plus, learn about the new partnership between AutoFix Auto Shop Coaching and ADP and the exclusive savings available to eligible AutoFix members. HOPE IS NOT A STRATEGY: HAVE A PLAN AND EXECUTE THE PLAN This episode of The Weekly Blitz is dedicated to Chris Cotton’s friend and former client, Rich Young. Hope gives us something to believe in, but it cannot replace a real plan. Hoping for more customers isn’t a marketing strategy. Hoping to find a technician isn’t a recruiting plan. Hoping profitability improves won’t fix a shop’s financial problems. Results require a plan—and the willingness to execute it. In this episode, Chris discusses: Why hope is important but cannot serve as a business strategyThe danger of waiting for problems to fix themselvesWhy shop owners must take responsibility for their next moveHow pride can prevent owners from asking for helpWhy waiting another six months can cost valuable time, profit, and momentumThe difference between a business problem and its symptomsHow to build an actionable plan around ownership, deadlines, and measurable resultsThe Cotton family motto: “Have a plan and execute the plan”Why an imperfect plan put into action is better than a perfect plan that never begins A MESSAGE TO STRUGGLING SHOP OWNERS If your shop is struggling, you do not have to continue struggling alone. Not every problem is your fault, but as the owner, you are responsible for how you respond. Help is only a phone call or click away. Set aside your pride, get out of your own head, and reach out to someone. If that’s AutoFix Auto Shop Coaching, we would be honored to help. If it’s someone else, that’s okay too. What matters is recognizing when your current approach isn’t working and taking action now. Don’t sacrifice another six months waiting to begin. THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY SHOP MARKETING PROS If your marketing strategy is “hope the phone rings,” it’s time to build a better plan. Shop Marketing Pros helps independent repair shops approach their marketing with purpose and consistency. Stop waiting for customers to find your shop by accident. Learn more: https://shopmarketingpros.com AUTOFIX AUTO SHOP COACHING × ADP AutoFix Auto Shop Coaching has partnered with ADP to give eligible AutoFix members access to preferred promotions on payroll, HR, compliance, and workforce solutions. This partnership is backed by firsthand experience. Chris owns AutoFix Auto Shop Coaching and three repair shops—and believes in ADP enough that he switched all of his businesses over to ADP. Eligible AutoFix members may receive: A 20% lifetime discount on eligible ADP services Waived setup fees Up to six months of free payroll, depending on eligibility Preferred pricing on HR, compliance, and benefits solutions ADP’s available services include: Payroll for hourly, salaried, seasonal, and split-shift employees Federal, state, and local payroll tax filing HR and compliance support Hiring and electronic onboarding tools Background checks and an employee handbook builder Employee benefits and deduction management Pay-as-you-go workers’ compensation options R&D tax-credit solutions Tools and services designed to support growing teams Check your eligibility and connect with the dedicated ADP partner: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/QMmq5kch3m KEEP LISTENING Discover more great automotive podcasts, industry insights, and practical business conversations from the Automotive Repair Podcast Network. If this episode made you think of another shop owner who needs to hear its message, send it to them. Have a plan. Execute the plan. And remember: hope is not a strategy. The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops. Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo: https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/ Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/ If you would like to join their private Facebook Group, go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind Connect with Chris: AutoFix-Auto Shop Coaching www.autoshopcoaching.com www.aftermarketradionetwork.com 940-400-1008 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AutoFixAutoShopCoaching YouTube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0ae Email Chris: chris@autofixsos.com The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/ Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life. The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size.
Aug 31

You Hit Your Number—Now What? Reconnecting With Your Why [E272]

What happens when a shop owner finally reaches their personal financial goals? In Episode 272 of The Weekly Blitz, Coach Chris Cotton challenges successful shop owners to reconnect with the deeper purpose behind their businesses. Reaching your personal finish line doesn’t mean you have finished leading—especially when employees still have dreams they are working to achieve. The inspiration for this episode came from Dave Schedin of Computrek. During a recent in-person class, a successful shop owner asked: “I netted $350,000 last year. How much money do I need?” Coach Chris offers a different way to think about that question: Did you net $350,000 while your employees were earning exceptional incomes? Do they have opportunities to build retirement security? Are you helping their families plan for important goals such as their children’s education? These questions aren’t intended as a universal compensation formula. They are a challenge to look beyond the owner’s bank account and ask what the strength of the business is making possible for everyone who helped build it. In This Episode Why shop owners can lose their drive after reaching personal goals How an owner’s “why” should evolve as the business grows The difference between building personal wealth and creating opportunity Why profit is a resource for leadership What it really means to fight for your employees Why high standards and accountability are part of caring for people How compensation, benefits, and career paths support retention Practical ways to help employees prepare for retirement Opportunities to support employees’ family and education goals Why employees’ dreams are not always purely financial How Simon Sinek’s Leaders Eat Last applies to shop ownership Creating a leadership scorecard alongside your financial scorecard Key Takeaway Your employees helped make your dreams possible. Build a company that gives them a genuine opportunity to make their dreams possible too. Reaching your personal financial goal is not an excuse to become complacent. It may be an invitation to pursue a larger purpose: developing people, creating careers, improving families’ financial security, and building a company that continues changing lives long after you leave. A Challenge for Successful Shop Owners Ask yourself: Are my employees sharing in the success they help create? Does every employee understand how they can increase their earnings? Are competitive benefits and retirement opportunities available? Are we helping employees develop professionally and financially? Does every team member have a visible career path? Do I know what my employees want their lives to look like? Have I stopped pushing simply because I became comfortable? What can this business make possible for other people? Not every shop can immediately pay every employee $100,000 or fund every possible benefit. The point is to establish the right direction, build the financial capacity, and begin making measurable progress. Be Pissed Off for Greatness Get angry at complacency—not at your employees. Fight against the idea that burnout, high turnover, weak benefits, and nonexistent retirement planning should be normal in the automotive industry. Protect profitability. Charge appropriately. Build better systems. Develop leaders. Hold people accountable. Market consistently. Then use the strength of the business to create meaningful opportunities for the people who depend on it. Build a Leadership Scorecard Continue measuring sales, gross profit, effective labor rate, productivity, ARO, car count, cash flow, and net profit—but consider adding measurements for your people: Retirement-plan participation Employee-retention rate Completed one-on-one meetings Training hours Documented career-development plans Internal promotions Skills-based pay increases Progress toward employees’ professional and personal goals Financial statements tell you whether the business is succeeding. A leadership scorecard helps reveal whether the people are succeeding with it. Special Thanks A special shout-out to Dave Schedin of Computrek for inspiring this episode, starting an important conversation, and continuing to challenge automotive shop owners to think differently. Mentioned in This Episode Dave Schedin and Computrek Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek The “Circle of Safety” Employee compensation and career development Retirement benefits and 401(k) participation Education savings and 529 plans Leadership scorecards AutoFix Auto Shop Coaching Episode Sponsor: Shop Marketing Pros Building excellent careers requires a healthy shop with a consistent flow of the right customers. Shop Marketing Pros provides personalized marketing specifically for auto repair shops. Their services include websites, SEO, digital advertising, social media, and content designed to help potential customers know, like, and trust your business. Good marketing isn’t just about filling tomorrow’s schedule. It creates stability for the business and the people who depend on it. Visit ShopMarketingPros.com to schedule a discovery call, and tell them Coach Chris Cotton and The Weekly Blitz sent you. Ready to Reconnect With Your Why? AutoFix Auto Shop Coaching helps shop owners improve profitability, create accountability, develop leaders, strengthen compensation plans, and build businesses that produce lasting value for owners, employees, and their families. Visit AutoFix Auto Shop Coaching to learn more. Suggested Episode Chapters 00:00 — Introduction: Have shop owners become disconnected from their why? 01:45 — Special thanks to Dave Schedin of Computrek 02:35 — “I netted $350,000. How much money do I need?” 04:40 — Coach Chris’s answer and challenge 06:30 — How an owner’s why changes as the business grows 08:45 — What it means to fight for your employees 11:10 — Be pissed off for greatness 12:50 — Sponsor: Shop Marketing Pros 13:50 — Connecting the message to Leaders Eat Last 15:55 — Turning good intentions into compensation, benefits, and opportunities 18:00 — Understanding employees’ individual dreams 19:25 — Creating a leadership scorecard 20:30 — Final challenge for successful shop owners The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops. Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo: https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/ Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/ If you would like to join their private Facebook Group, go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind Connect with Chris: AutoFix-Auto Shop Coaching www.autoshopcoaching.com www.aftermarketradionetwork.com 940-400-1008 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AutoFixAutoShopCoaching YouTube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0ae Email Chris: chris@autofixsos.com The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/ Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life. The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size.
Aug 24

The E-Myth, Owner Dependence, and Coaching to Valuation [E271]

The E-Myth, Owner Dependence, and Coaching to Valuation What would happen to your auto repair shop if you stepped away for 30 days? In this episode of The Weekly Blitz, Coach Chris Cotton explores the lessons of Michael Gerber’s The E-Myth Revisited and connects them to our current focus on coaching to valuation. Many shop owners started as talented technicians. But being excellent at repairing vehicles doesn’t automatically prepare someone to manage employees, create systems, understand financials, develop leaders, market a business, or prepare that business for an eventual sale. Coach Chris explains why a profitable shop isn’t necessarily a valuable shop—and why reducing owner dependence is essential for building a business that can operate, grow, and retain its value without the owner standing in the middle of every decision. In This Episode The “entrepreneurial myth” and why it applies to auto repair shops The Technician, Manager, and Entrepreneur roles inside every owner Working in your business versus working on your business Why owner dependence creates risk for a potential buyer The relationship between systems, predictability, and valuation Why tribal knowledge needs to become documented processes The difference between a profitable shop and a transferable shop How to perform a 30-day owner-dependence test Why delegation must include responsibility, training, and authority Five questions that can reveal weaknesses in your shop’s valuation One practical step you can take this week to begin building a more valuable business Key Takeaway A shop becomes more valuable when it produces consistent results through its people and systems—not through the owner’s constant heroic effort. The Technician creates today’s result. The Manager creates consistency. The Entrepreneur creates the future. Coaching to valuation means strengthening all three areas while gradually reducing the shop’s dependence on the owner. Five Questions to Ask About Your Shop Where am I still acting as the shop’s primary Technician? Which important processes exist only in someone’s head? What stops when I leave the building? Are customers loyal to me personally or to the shop and its team? If I were buying this business, what would make me nervous? This Week’s Challenge Choose one recurring responsibility that currently depends entirely on you. Document it. Teach it. Assign it. Measure it—and resist the urge to immediately take it back. Repeated consistently, this process helps create a shop that is more profitable, predictable, transferable, and valuable. Episode Sponsor: Shop Marketing Pros A valuable shop needs a consistent marketing system that builds a reputation around the business—not only around its owner. Shop Marketing Pros provides personalized marketing specifically for auto repair shops. Their services include websites, SEO, digital advertising, social media, and content designed to help potential customers know, like, and trust your business. Visit ShopMarketingPros.com to schedule a discovery call, and tell them Coach Chris Cotton and The Weekly Blitz sent you. Ready to Build a More Valuable Shop? If you need help developing leaders, improving your financials, documenting processes, reducing owner dependence, or creating a roadmap toward a future transition, connect with AutoFix Auto Shop Coaching. Visit AutoFix Auto Shop Coaching to learn more. Mentioned in This Episode The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber Shop Marketing Pros AutoFix Auto Shop Coaching Suggested Episode Chapters 00:00 — Introduction: The E-Myth and coaching to valuation 01:40 — Why great technicians can become trapped business owners 04:15 — The Technician, Manager, and Entrepreneur 07:10 — Working in the business versus working on it 09:20 — Sponsor: Shop Marketing Pros 10:20 — Building the shop as a repeatable prototype 12:50 — Profitable doesn’t always mean valuable 14:50 — The 30-day owner-dependence test 16:35 — What coaching to valuation looks like 18:15 — Five questions every shop owner should answer 19:30 — This week’s challenge and closing Chapter times are approximate and can be adjusted after the final audio edit. The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops. Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo: https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/ Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/ If you would like to join their private Facebook Group, go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind Connect with Chris: AutoFix-Auto Shop Coaching www.autoshopcoaching.com www.aftermarketradionetwork.com 940-400-1008 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AutoFixAutoShopCoaching YouTube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0ae Email Chris: chris@autofixsos.com The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/ Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life. The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size.
Aug 17

Your Coach Doesn’t Know Squat About Marketing [E270]

Your Coach Doesn’t Know Squat About Marketing Your auto repair shop business coach may be great at improving operations, financial performance, leadership, and profitability—but that doesn’t necessarily make them a marketing expert. In this episode of The Weekly Blitz, we explain why shop owners should be cautious about accepting marketing advice from someone who isn’t actively studying and practicing it every day. Marketing changes fast. The platforms, algorithms, privacy rules, technology, and customer behaviors that shaped successful strategies five years ago have changed dramatically. In some cases, tactics that worked just six months ago may already be losing effectiveness. When your coach offers an opinion about SEO, Google Ads, social media, websites, or digital strategy, ask what current data and hands-on experience support it. Before cutting a marketing channel or changing direction, get a professional opinion from someone working in automotive marketing today. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why coaching repair shops and marketing repair shops are different specialtiesHow outdated marketing advice can hurt your businessWhy confidence should never replace current dataQuestions to ask before acting on someone’s marketing recommendationHow business coaches and marketing professionals should work togetherWhy operational problems can sometimes look like marketing problemsWhen to seek a professional marketing audit or second opinion Your coach can be an invaluable part of your team—but every professional should stay in their area of expertise. Let your coach help strengthen the business, and let a qualified marketing professional connect that business with the right customers. Sponsored by Shop Marketing Pros Shop Marketing Pros helps independent auto repair shops market differently with strategies built around each shop’s goals and local market. From websites and search visibility to paid advertising, social media, content, and measurable strategy, the Shop Marketing Pros team works in automotive marketing every day. Get professional marketing guidance based on current experience and real data at ShopMarketingPros.com. Key Takeaway Don’t accept marketing opinions as marketing expertise. Ask for current data, relevant experience, and measurable recommendations before making decisions that could affect your shop’s car count, reputation, growth, and future. Connect With Shop Marketing Pros Website: ShopMarketingPros.com If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to The Weekly Blitz and share it with another independent auto repair shop owner. Keep pushing forward, keep challenging assumptions, and keep marketing differently. The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops. Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo: https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/ Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/ If you would like to join their private Facebook Group, go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind Connect with Chris: AutoFix-Auto Shop Coaching www.autoshopcoaching.com www.aftermarketradionetwork.com 940-400-1008 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AutoFixAutoShopCoaching YouTube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0ae Email Chris: chris@autofixsos.com The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/ Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life. The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size.
Aug 10

Coaching to Valuation [E269]

Coaching to Valuation: What Is Your Shop Really Worth? You may believe you own a million-dollar shop—but would the financials support that number if a qualified buyer examined your business today? In this episode of The Weekly Blitz, we introduce Coaching to Valuation, a new approach that builds on the proven principles of Coaching to Profits. The goal isn’t just to improve this month’s numbers. It’s to create a more profitable, transferable, and valuable business. We discuss: The difference between Coaching to Profits and Coaching to ValuationWhy every owner should be prepared to sell—even if they never plan on sellingWhat “blue-sky” or goodwill value meansWhy a profitable shop may still be difficult to sellHow owner dependence can reduce business valueThe importance of clean, credible financial recordsHow staffing, systems, customer retention, marketing, and risk affect valueSetting a 24-month target and coaching toward itEvaluating a shop you may want to purchasePreparing your own shop for a possible sale To begin the valuation process, you will need at least one full year of profit-and-loss statements and a matching balance sheet. Three years of both is preferred because it provides a clearer view of the business’s performance and trends. An estimated valuation is not a formal appraisal or a guaranteed sale price. It is a practical starting point for identifying weaknesses, strengthening the business, and creating a measurable plan for increasing its value. This episode is brought to you by Shop Marketing Pros. Learn more at ShopMarketingPros.com. The Weekly Blitz is proud to be part of the Automotive Repair Podcast Network. The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops. Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo: https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/ Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/ If you would like to join their private Facebook Group, go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind Connect with Chris: AutoFix-Auto Shop Coaching www.autoshopcoaching.com www.aftermarketradionetwork.com 940-400-1008 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AutoFixAutoShopCoaching YouTube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0ae Email Chris: chris@autofixsos.com The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/ Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life. The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size.
Aug 3

If You Won't Show Up for Yourself, Why Should Anyone Else? [E268]

Podcast Description If you won't show up for yourself, why should anyone else? After four shop owners scheduled discovery calls and failed to show up in the same week, Coach Chris Cotton decided it was time for an honest conversation. This isn't an episode about phone calls. It's an episode about commitment. In this tough-love edition of The Weekly Blitz, Chris challenges shop owners to stop making excuses, stop blaming coaching programs, and start taking ownership of the one thing they can control—themselves. If you've ever said, "I'm too busy," this episode may be exactly what you need to hear. In this episode you'll learn: Why missing appointments is a symptom of a bigger leadership issue.How "I'm too busy" often means your business is running you.The guarantees every great coaching relationship should provide.Why coaching only works when owners do the work.The common denominator in failed coaching relationships.Why commitment—not motivation—is the foundation of success.How protecting your calendar protects your future. Memorable Quotes "Your business doesn't own itself. If it owns you, you've built a prison.""The problem isn't that you've had three coaches. The common denominator in all three coaching relationships is the person you shave with every morning.""Your coach can show you the path, but they can't walk it for you.""Success isn't built on motivation. It's built on commitment.""Your future isn't decided by the appointments you make. It's decided by the appointments you keep. The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops. Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo: https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/ Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/ If you would like to join their private Facebook Group, go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind Connect with Chris: AutoFix-Auto Shop Coaching www.autoshopcoaching.com www.aftermarketradionetwork.com 940-400-1008 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AutoFixAutoShopCoaching YouTube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0ae Email Chris: chris@autofixsos.com The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/ Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life. The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size.
Jul 27

Stop Critiquing. Start Coaching: How to Develop Great Service Advisors on the Phone [E267]

Podcast Description Last week we discussed the purpose of answering the phone. This week we're taking the next step—how to coach service advisors after the call. Coach Chris Cotton shares the exact process he uses with AutoFix Auto Shop Coaching clients, including why advisors should evaluate themselves first, how to use a simple Pass/Fail coaching system, why you should coach behaviors instead of personalities, and how recognizing great phone calls is just as important as correcting poor ones. If you're serious about building a stronger front counter and creating confident service advisors, this episode is packed with practical coaching strategies you can implement immediately. Show Notes In this episode you'll learn: Why advisors should listen to their own calls before coaching begins.The importance of asking, "How do you think you did?"Why every phone call should still be evaluated Pass or Fail.The coaching checklist every owner should use.How to coach behaviors instead of attacking personalities.Using AI call scoring to prioritize coaching opportunities.Why catching employees doing something right is one of the best leadership tools you have.How matching customer tone and emotion builds trust and confidence. Key Quotes "Coach the behavior—not the person.""People repeat what gets recognized.""Recognition isn't just encouragement. Recognition is coaching.""The best coaching starts with one simple question: 'How do you think you did?'""Technology doesn't replace leadership—it simply helps us become better leaders." The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops. Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo: https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/ Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/ If you would like to join their private Facebook Group, go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind Connect with Chris: AutoFix-Auto Shop Coaching www.autoshopcoaching.com www.aftermarketradionetwork.com 940-400-1008 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AutoFixAutoShopCoaching YouTube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0ae Email Chris: chris@autofixsos.com The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/ Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life. The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size.
Jul 20

Your Service Advisor Has One Job on the Phone: Get the Appointment [E266]

Most service advisors think their job on the phone is to answer questions. They're wrong. In this episode, Coach Chris Cotton explains why the only objective of every incoming phone call is to secure the appointment and how that one mindset shift can dramatically improve your closing ratio, increase car count, and create a better customer experience. Chris dives into why shop owners should be listening to phone calls every week, how to score calls using a simple pass/fail system, and why service advisors must confidently guide customers through the scheduling process instead of simply providing information. You'll also learn why appointment times don't mean what customers think they mean, how to properly set expectations before a customer arrives, and why successful shops intentionally overbook based on historical no-show rates. If you want more cars showing up, fewer scheduling headaches, and service advisors who sound like trusted professionals, this episode is for you. In This Episode ✔ Why every phone call should be scored Pass or Fail ✔ The only purpose of answering the phone ✔ Why service advisors should lead—not simply answer questions ✔ Setting expectations before customers arrive ✔ Why appointment times are actually arrival times ✔ Creating a smooth customer check-in process ✔ Scheduling based on probabilities instead of hope ✔ Why your phone process is actually part of your marketing Key Takeaways "The purpose of answering the phone isn't to answer questions. It's to secure the appointment.""Customers don't need another information desk. They need someone willing to guide them.""Every phone call is a sales opportunity long before an estimate is ever written.""Appointment time isn't when the repair starts. It's when the relationship starts.""Don't schedule perfection. Schedule reality." Memorable Quotes "If the appointment wasn't scheduled, the phone call failed.""The best service advisors don't wait for customers to lead—they confidently guide them.""Confusion creates frustration. Expectations create confidence.""Your service advisor is one of the most important salespeople in your business.""Hope is not a scheduling strategy." The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops. Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo: https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/ Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/ If you would like to join their private Facebook Group, go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind Connect with Chris: AutoFix-Auto Shop Coaching www.autoshopcoaching.com www.aftermarketradionetwork.com 940-400-1008 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AutoFixAutoShopCoaching YouTube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0ae Email Chris: chris@autofixsos.com The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/ Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life. The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size.

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out of 5

6 Ratings

Weekly inspiration from automotive service business coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. www.autoshopcoaching.com Run Your Shop. Don't Let It Run You.