We officially finished building and documenting our Digital Vehicle Inspection training. This process took a lot of time to put together because it’s not just about checking boxes on a tablet. The DVI is the foundation of how we take care of our customers. Every vehicle that comes through our shop is inspected the same way, every time. Clear pictures. Accurate measurements. Honest documentation. No guessing. No exaggerating. No skipping steps. Just a thorough inspection that allows the service advisor to clearly explain the condition of the vehicle so the customer can make informed decisions. The expectation is simple: • ~20 minutes for waiting vehicles • ~30 minutes for drop-offs • Complete, honest documentation every time When the inspection is done right, everything else becomes easier — communication with the advisor, customer trust, and quality repairs. This system is now the Champion standard. Proud of the work that went into building it. Next step: putting it into practice every single day. Raise the standard. 🏆

I just finished building something I’m really proud of. I put together a full class on AI for the automotive industry, but the truth is the lessons inside it go far beyond just cars. What I’m teaching in this class is how AI can help professionals: • communicate better • organize information faster • build systems instead of relying on memory • train people more consistently • market and educate customers • automate repetitive tasks I happen to use these tools inside an automotive shop, but the same platforms can be used in almost any industry. Business owners. Managers. Technicians. Service professionals. Entrepreneurs. If you work with people, information, or systems, AI can make you dramatically more effective. The goal isn’t to replace professionals. The goal is to make skilled people more powerful. And once you understand how to use these tools correctly, you start seeing opportunities everywhere. This class walks through exactly how AI can support communication, diagnostics, hiring, training, marketing, and automation inside a real business. But the bigger lesson is learning how to think with AI, not just how to ask it questions. If you’ve been curious about AI but didn’t know where to start, this class will give you a practical way to see what’s possible. Let’s raise the standard.

There’s a lot of division in the world right now. Politics, beliefs, backgrounds, opinions — it feels like everyone is being pushed to pick sides and fight each other. But real leadership isn’t about yelling louder than the other side. It’s about setting the example. Treat people with respect. Lead with integrity. Choose compassion over anger. Show the kind of behavior you wish more people practiced. If more of us focused on being the example instead of winning the argument, the world would start to look a little different. That’s what this video is about.

A Simple Idea That Can Turn Discounts Into Community Impact If you’re already offering discounts for customer acquisition, consider tying them to a non-perishable food donation. Example: $25 off a full synthetic oil change with a food donation. If the customer forgets the donation, still honor the discount. Just tell them: “No problem. Next time you’re around, bring it by.” You’ll be surprised by the results. This approach tends to attract higher quality customers, builds goodwill in your community, and often generates free publicity simply because people respect businesses that give back. Sometimes the best marketing isn’t louder marketing — it’s doing something meaningful for your community.

I am proud to say I do not hire a sales staff at my shop. My duty is to provide the customer with the information they need so they can make an informed decision regarding their vehicle and their investment. At Champion Tire, we provide: • Pictures of common wear points • Measurements of components like brakes and tires • CARFAX service history • Manufacturer recommendations (not just the vehicle manufacturer, but fluid manufacturers as well) • Technician descriptions and notes • A clear, easy-to-understand grading system This allows the customer to see the full picture before making any decisions. If a job has a higher potential for additional charges — such as rusted components or brittle plastic — I inform the customer before any work is authorized. I do not make two presentations. The last thing I want is for a customer to approve $1,000 in maintenance only to later receive a call saying: “We found $1,000 in safety issues that should have been prioritized first.” That creates financial hardship and damages trust. Instead, before anything starts at Champion Tire, we perform a Digital Vehicle Inspection (DVI). The inspection itself takes about 20 minutes, or about 30 minutes when you include the CARFAX review and building the estimate. This allows us to prioritize our findings first, so the customer can spend their budget on the items that matter most. During the initial write-up, I do not talk about money — not even diagnostic fees. If the concern is obvious and can be found during our free visual inspection, there’s no reason to create friction at the beginning of the interaction. After the visual inspection or DVI is completed, if diagnostics are required, we explain the specific testing that needs to be performed and the cost associated with that test. We make sure the customer understands: “This price includes X, Y, and Z tests. If we do not uncover the issue with these tests, we will call you with the cost for additional testing before moving forward.”