Are you happy with your shop operations? That is a big question that draws a variety of answers, very few of which are in a positive form.
By their very nature, independent shop operators are just that: independent. Therefore, they are rarely happy with most of their day-to-day results.
It’s not that they are a negative bunch. It’s just that their independent nature and rugged individualism keeps them constantly pushing to grow their business, hire and maintain a solid workforce and, most importantly, make a decent living. I know. I ran an independent shop for a few years back in the 1970s.
A Go-Getter
A friend of mine, Gordon Botts of Botts Welding & Truck Service in Woodstock, Ill. – a company that specializes in frames, brakes and suspension – is about as independent, individualistic and rugged as a person can be, and only mildly happy, sometimes. As someone who “takes the bull by the horns,” Gordon has made it his mission to elevate the importance of technician training throughout the industry. Not just his own operations, but as many as he can reach.
His drive to improve training came from his past involvement in several service-related associations. He was very active in them and always enjoyed the meetings, but, he wasn't happy with the lack of emphasis on training.
Gordon, along with a few of his supplier and shop friends, formed an organization that had a sole purpose of technician training. It is the American Council of Frame and Alignment Specialists (www.acofas.com), ACOFAS for short). He and others in this organization group work tirelessly on regional and sometimes national training seminars, usually put on by equipment and parts manufacturers.
Gordon has had good success with the seminars, and ACOFAS has trained hundreds of technicians on a range of topics and technologies. It is a non-profit organization that is self-supporting today, although I probably could get Gordon to admit that some of his own money has gone in to the start-up of ACOFAS.
That is what this industry was like when many of us started. Leaders rose to tasks, for no reason other than that was what was needed.
SOLD
In 2012, Botts, Mike Betts of Betts HD and Bill Wade of Wade & Partners took off with an idea that the three of had come up with and a program they called Service Opportunities and Learning Day, or SOLD. The first one was held the day before Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week (HDAW) 2013, in January, at The Mirage in Las Vegas. It went so well that the second one was held at the same location and time in 2014.
HDAW is the largest North American gathering of the independent heavy duty aftermarket.
SOLD concentrated on the business practices and performance measurements that were state of the art or what most truck dealers used in their operations to remain profitable and competitive. More than 300 individuals have been through the SOLD programs in 2013 and 2014.
The Next Program
The 2015 Service Opportunities and Learning Day will again be held prior to the start of the next annual HDAW in Las Vegas – set for January 26 to 29 at The Mirage. But this SOLD but it will be more expansive, running Sunday afternoon, January 25, and Monday morning, January 26.
The Sunday session will feature a four-hour session with service industry consultant and expert trainer, Bob Greenwood, who specializes in providing best-practices training to independent shop owners. That alone will be well worth the ticket of admission.
The Monday sessions will focus on alternate fuels and explain the very serious considerations on how to safeguard against the dangers in servicing these types of vehicles. One session will present the various steps needed to safely service natural gas-powered vehicles.
Another session will be a panel of suspension suppliers from both the aftermarket and OEM suppliers. The representative will discuss the various myths, rumors and facts on the differences between these different types of systems.
Tony Molla of ASE, the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, will give a talk on technician training and certification.
Here’s Why
I write this column every month and typically do not promote events, but this is different. This column is for the further growth of the independent shop channel – the lifeblood of the independent heavy duty aftermarket.
If you are planning to attend HDAW this year, make an investment to also participate in SOLD 2015. I can assure you it will be time and money well spent.
For more information on SOLD 2015 and HDAW 15, visit www.hdaw.org. We put a link on the website for SOLD, because we believe it serves to strengthen the independent channel, and that is good for all of us.
