What a trip to Vision High Tech Expo reminded me about service, expectations and the power of people.
Travel has a funny way of teaching you things. You might leave home thinking you’re simply headed to another conference to see the latest scan tools, attend a few classes and reconnect with friends in the industry. But sometimes the most valuable lessons show up in places you didn’t expect.
Like a rental car lot. Or a barbecue restaurant. Or the cabin of an airplane that suddenly announces you’re landing somewhere other than your destination.
That’s exactly what happened to me on a recent trip to the Vision High Tech Expo in Kansas City.
My Driven to Success podcast co-host David Wofford and I spend a lot of time on the road visiting shops, speaking at events and attending conferences. Over time, we’ve developed a habit that has turned travel into something of a rolling case study.
Everywhere we go, we ask ourselves the same question: “If this happened in an auto repair shop, how would the customer experience feel?”
It’s amazing what you start noticing when you look at the world that way.
You notice the attitude of the person greeting customers. You notice how expectations are set. You notice when
communication breaks down. And, you notice how people respond when things don’t go according to plan.
During this particular trip, we experienced outstanding service, frustrating service, unexpected obstacles and some creative
problem-solving that reminded me why I love this industry so much.
Along the way, there was a cheerful
ental car attendant who made our ride exceptional simply because he enjoyed the conversation with us. There was
a Kansas City barbecue dinner that somehow messed up the same side dish twice in a row. There were great conversations with industry friends.
And then there was the flight home.
Let’s just say it involved a weather diversion, a surprise landing in Corpus Christi, and a three-and-a-half-hour drive across Texas in the middle of the night.
Sometimes the best leadership lessons show up when the plan falls apart. And, that’s exactly what this trip delivered
THE TRIP BEGINS
The trip actually started exactly how you hope travel begins: smooth.
David and I met at the airport and headed to the rental car center. Now, David happens to be an Emerald member with a leading rental car agency, which means he can go directly to the Emerald aisle and pick any car in that category. That’s a pretty big deal.
As we walked through the lot we were greeted by an attendant I’ll call Claude.
Claude had something that stood out immediately: He was genuinely happy. You could hear it in his voice. You could see it in the way he approached people. You could feel it in the short conversation we had before we even talked about cars.
He asked about our flights. We joked a little and at one point, I mentioned I was a Buffalo Bills fan, knowing full well we were standing in Chiefs Kingdom.
Instead of busting my chops, Claude smiled and complimented Josh Allen’s talent and leadership.
That’s professionalism.
Before we wrapped up, he asked David what tier he was
“I’m Emerald,” David replied.
Claude smiled and said something that surprised both of us: “You look more like an Executive member to me. As an Executive member, you can go ahead and pick anything you want. Enjoy!”
Now, being Texans, David and I did the only logical thing: we chose the biggest black GMC pickup we could find.
But the real lesson wasn’t the truck The real lesson was Claude “People may forget the details
of the transaction, but they will always remember how you made them feel.”
Claude treated us like people, not customers.
Service advisors, that’s worth thinking about because the same thing happens in your shop every day. A simple greeting, a genuine conversation and a positive attitude can shape the entire experience for the customer standing at your counter.
And, that experience often matters just as much as the repair itself.
EXPECTATIONS VS. EXPERIENCE
That evening, we headed to one of my favorite Kansas City barbecue institutions. I made a reservation for 6:00 p.m. and requested a booth.
When we arrived, the restaurant was packed. David and I looked at each other and figured we’d be waiting a while.
Instead, we were escorted straight to a booth in a quiet area where conversation was easy. Right away, they exceeded our expectations.
But the experience that followed turned into a lesson. Our server was clearly overwhelmed. Drinks took a while to arrive – refills took longer. Eventually, the menus arrived and we made our selections. Now, if you’ve never had Kansas City barbecue, you’re missing something special. David ordered brisket. I ordered burnt ends. We both added dark meat chicken as part of a gracious when he called it “cheesy,” trying not to insult my recommendation. We flagged our server and mentioned it. She seemed to move quickly and said she would bring another one right out.
Twenty minutes later, drinks arrived – sorta. David had ordered another craft beer, and I ordered another Diet Coke. My drink arrived – his beer didn’t.
Eventually, another corn bake arrived, so I took a bite. It was colder than the first one.
“Great technical work can be overshadowed by a poor service experience.”
Eventually, the manager stopped by to ask how everything was. We told her the food was great, except for the corn bake. She seemed unsure how to respond.
Sure, she comped a portion of the bill but lacked a true sense of remorse for how things went that night.
And here’s the takeaway. The food was excellent. But the experience was nconsistent. Sound familiar? This happens in repair shops every single day. A technical specialist performs flawless work. But if the service experience falters, communication breaks down or expectations aren’t managed, the customer leaves remembering the wrong thing. That’s a leadership lesson worth remembering.
SOMETIMES YOU JUST ROLL WITH IT
After dinner, we walked past an axe-throwing venue that looked like it could be a lot of fun
David mentioned he’d done axe-throwing before and said it was a blast so we walked in ready to give it a try, only to be told they were closed.
The sign said they closed at 9 p.m.; it was only 8 p.m. Sometimes you just have to laugh and move on.
So, we headed back to the hotel. Not some discount motel, but a major brand. Little did I know the hotel experience would become another story entirely.
Back in my room, and ready to call it a night, I walked into the bathroom, flipped on the light and immediately noticed movement in the sink. Not one bug… several.
An uneasy feeling set in, the kind where you pause and hope your eyes are playing tricks on you. They weren’t, and then it got worse. I reached for my toothbrush and saw tiny critters moving along the bristles. In that moment, the room didn’t just feel uncomfortable; it felt compromised. I knocked the brush into the sink and watched as what seemed like dozens scattered. Glad I brought a spare!
This is one of those moments where you go from tired traveler to wide awake in a heartbeat. Not exactly the restful night you hope for before a full day at a major industry event.
Travel has a way of testing your mindset when you least expect it. You don’t ignore it… but you don’t lose your cool either. You adjust, you adapt and you keep moving forward.
THE BEST PART OF ANY CONFERENCE
Luckily, the next few days were outstanding. Events like Vision High Tech Expo are packed with great training sessions, new tools and technology demonstrations. But the real value of conferences like this always comes down to the same thing: the people.
At the end of the first night, following the trade show, our industry colleague Gil Anchondo of AVI joined David and me for pizza at a local brewery. We had great pizza and even better conversation.
We talked about our careers, our backgrounds and where we believe the automotive aftermarket is headed.
At one point, the conversation shifted toward problem-solving and leadership. That’s when my coaching heart kicked in.
We talked about how leaders guide their teams and why solution thinking matters more than ever in today’s environment.
Somewhere between the first slice of pizza and the end of the night, Gil moved from colleague to friend.
That’s one of the special things about this industry. People genuinely want to help each other grow.
Over the course of the weekend, two-meat dinner
And, of course, I ordered the famous cheesy corn bake – one of my personal favorites and something I wanted David to experience because it is fantastic!
When the food arrived, it looked amazing. Like typical males, we went straight for the beef. Eventually David tried the corn bake, and cautiously said, “It’s pretty cheesy.”
Not exactly the reaction I expected. So, I tried it. Cold – ice cold. Now David’s comment made sense. He was being professionals, including Mike Del A Cruz of OverDryve, Sarah Fraser and Bill Haas from Auto Ignite, Brian Walker of Shop Marketing Pros and many others who are working every day to elevate this industry. People and relationships are the foundation of this industry.
“Tools and training bring us to conferences. Relationships are what make them invaluable.”
THE LESSON WAS STILL COMING
As the show wrapped up, David and I started preparing for our flights home.
Texas weather was moving in and flights were beginning to shuffle. We had no idea the next 24 hours would include a diverted flight, a surprise landing in Corpus Christi, a timed-out flight crew and a three-and-a-half-hour late-night drive home.
But those challenges delivered the biggest lesson of the entire trip.
Because when plans fall apart, the real test of leadership isn’t frustration – it’s problem-solving.
And that story begins with a delayed flight and a simple question I shouted a few rows back on the plane: “Hey, PJ… want to rent a car and drive to Houston?”
That’s where Part 2 begins.
If this article struck a chord, take a few minutes to slow down before moving on to the next task. Email Vic for your free ”The Experience is the Brand” worksheet.
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Vic Tarasik owned and operated a successful shop in The Woodlands,
TX, for over three decades. To book your complimentary coaching session or learn more about 20 Groups or our coaching programs, email [email protected] or visit www.ShopOwnerCoach.com.