I can't tell you how many times I'm on a call with a shop owner and they say: "I'm drowning. I think I need to hire another tech." And 10 minutes later we realize: Another tech won't fix it. It'll magnify it. Here's what usually happens on those calls. Owner says: "We're booked out two weeks. Cars stacked up. I need another tech." I ask: "How often do your techs wait on approvals? Parts? Dispatch?" Long pause. "Honestly… a lot." "Cool. Then the problem isn't production. It's feeding production." Here's the hard truth nobody wants to hear: When cars are backed up, it's usually NOT because you need more production. It's because: → Work isn't approved fast enough → Parts aren't sourced fast enough → Jobs aren't dispatched fast enough → Tech questions don't get answered fast enough → Cars and keys aren't moved fast enough The real constraint is front-of-house throughput. Hiring a tech first often makes the problem worse—because you're adding horsepower to a system that can't feed it. Let me twist the knife a little more: Every minute a tech waits is a minute you paid for nothing. When techs stand around, owners blame techs… but the shop is usually choking them. Hiring another tech doesn't fix starvation. It just adds another mouth to feed. Your techs aren't the bottleneck. Your front counter is. THE 30-MINUTE BOTTLENECK AUDIT Stop guessing. Measure it for one day. Here's how: Step 1: For one full day, track every time a tech is stopped for a non-wrench reason: Waiting on parts Waiting on approvals Waiting on dispatch/next car Waiting on answers Keys/vehicle movement Step 2: Put a clipboard at the counter. Every time it happens: hash mark. Step 3: At close, answer: What stopped tech momentum most often? What one role or process change removes that stoppage? Step 4: Implement ONE change for 7 days, then re-tally. This isn't theory. This is data. Data kills drama. COPY THIS SCORECARD TECH STOPPAGE SCORECARD (1 day) Waiting on parts: ___

I have to get something off my chest. Back in 2017, I was invited into a small conference room in Burbank, CA to speak to a group of shop owners about digital marketing. After the presentation, this generous group of shop owners invited me into their 20 group, showed me how this industry really works, and trusted me enough to hire my small company for digital marketing. A few months later after working directly with a half dozen shops from that group, I realized that marketing wasn't their real problem. They were drowning trying to find and keep technicians. So we tried things. Hundreds of things. Some worked. Most failed. But over years of testing, the Technician Find process got better and better. Here's what I know now: The process works. It's worked hundreds of times for hundreds of shops. But I still lose sleep when a shop we work with doesn't make a hire. I take it personally. It bothers me in a way that probably isn't healthy. And after thinking long and hard about whether to post this, I realized—what's this community even for if we're not being honest about what's working and what isn't? SO HERE'S WHAT REALLY PISSES ME OFF 👉Shops that hire us, then appoint a busy or disengaged manager to coordinate hiring. Someone who has a dozen priorities higher on their list than hiring. 👉Shops that hire a consultant, then don't return phone calls, emails or take our advice. 👉Shops that don't follow up on applications within 24 hours. 👉Shops that don't leave multiple messages when a candidate no-shows—then give up. 👉Shops that never ask for referrals from every single person they interview. SOME SHOPS ASK IF I OFFER GUARANTEES I tell them I'd love to. The problem? I don't know if they can hold up their end of the bargain. Here's the truth no one wants to say out loud: Hiring is a partnership, not a vending machine. We've worked with shops that roll up their sleeves and consistently hire within 2-3 weeks. It's like clockwork and it's beautiful to watch. We've also worked with shops that sit back, fold their arms, and wait for a unicorn to walk through the door.

After 7 years of helping shops hire technicians, I've noticed something: Most shops are rusty at hiring because they're not doing it all the time. And that rustiness is costing you great techs and service advisors. @Brian Nerger from Nerger's Auto Express just hired 2 technicians and a service advisor in a month using this system (and helped a diesel tech land his dream job at Caterpillar along the way). Here's exactly what he did differently: Part 1: The Speed-to-Contact Game Changer Brian followed Leigh Anne Best from Mighty Auto Pro's "text-first" system that's absolute gold: The 3-Touch Text Formula: 1. Immediate text (within 30 minutes of receiving resume): "Good afternoon John, my name is [Your Name] with [Shop Name]. Thank you for sending your resume for our Automotive Technician position. After reviewing your resume, [Owner Name] would be very interested in meeting with you. Would you be available this afternoon to come in and talk about this opportunity?" 2. Follow with the job link so they know exactly which position 3. Keep everything in text - creates a trackable conversation history Why this works: Techs are under cars all day. They can't answer calls, but they'll check texts at lunch. Part 2: Stop Being a Resume Snob Brian's breakthrough came when he stopped judging resumes and started having conversations. His new approach: - Call everyone with ANY automotive experience (he even called candidates from past years apps) - Start by asking, "what has you looking for a new opportunity right now?" - Then ask this golden question: "If we were talking a year from now and you look back and had the best year of your life personally and professionally, what would that look like?" - Build relationships, not just fill positions Even when someone isn't a fit, Brian goes above and beyond. He recently helped a diesel tech connect with Caterpillar (where the tech wanted to work) and regularly connects entry-level candidates with Jiffy Lube and Valvoline managers for training opportunities (who end up sending him general repair work).

Big congratulations to MTR Mobile Transport Repair in Colorado Springs, CO for bringing on a new C-Level Diesel Tech with a plan to train him up to a solid B-Tech! That’s how you build a pipeline. Instead of waiting around for a fully seasoned tech, MTR is investing in potential and growing talent from within. That’s the kind of long-game strategy that keeps shops strong, skilled, and ready for anything. Nice work @Eddie Lawrence !

Indeed reps are calling auto shop owners with 'urgent optimization needs'. for their job postings. Here's what they're NOT telling you... Yesterday, one of our clients got the classic Indeed panic call: "Your tech ad has low visibility!" Of course their solution is always to make your ads look like every other shop's ads and pour more money into the platform. I used to chat with Indeed reps all across the U.S. for clients but the calls started sounding like a broken record. "You need to spend $3,500-$4,500/month on Indeed to compete with other shops in your area." Is it any wonder why the effectiveness of Indeed is circling the drain? You have 20, 30 or more shops in your local area all paying thousands of dollars per month to chase the same handful of techs who are surfing job boards because they have just been fired or because they are about to get fired. Now multiply this by each position you are trying to fill and each city in the United States with a decent amount of shops. Get the picture? Great business model for Indeed! Crappy business model for you! Here's the truth Indeed doesn't want you to know: ✅ Those "peer comparison" metrics? They're comparing you to shops spending 10x your budget. ✅ That "low visibility" warning? It triggers even when you're getting quality applicants. ✅ The "10-minute optimization" they promise? It's code for "let me triple your spend." ✅ Buying eyeballs on other platforms like Facebook is much cheaper and you get better quality candidates because they are busy working, not trolling job boards looking for work. Our client saw right through it right away. Why? Because he has proof that his best technicians come from Facebook ads—not Indeed's expensive job board monopoly. The irony? It's the traffic from OTHER sources that creates the job activity Indeed uses to justify their scare tactics. Your Action Plan When Indeed Calls (if you feel compelled to respond): 1. Ask for ACTUAL performance data (applications received, not impressions) 2. Compare your cost-per-quality-applicant across ALL sources 3. Remember: More spend ≠ better candidates 4. Consider this—if their platform worked so well, why the high-pressure sales calls?