I recently took a trip overseas that began in Barcelona, Spain, and wound its way through the Mediterranean. It wasn’t just a pleasure cruise – this was an expedition to develop content and generate ideas related to coaching our clients and helping shop owners improve.
In the shop, the smallest of details matter, and believe me, when you’re touring some of the most historic places on Earth, you get to see the most minute details. Our first stop was at Sagrada Família, a cathedral in Barcelona that has been under construction since the late 1800s.
As we approached it, I was stunned by the beauty and eagerly anticipated what it would look like up close. Awe-inspiring is the best way to describe it. As I walked in and out of the cathedral, I was amazed at the level of craftsmanship, vision, commitment and detail that went into it. I was so taken aback that one small detail — a two-inch step — sent me stumbling to the floor.
The smallest of details can derail you if you’re not watchful. In the shop, it’s no different. Small things — those that are easy to overlook — are often the very things that determine whether we build something lasting and dependable or whether we trip ourselves up.
Here are five ways you can mind the small things in your shop. Mastering them will separate you from everyone else.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE BUILT ON THE DETAILS
The first impression someone has of your shop happens long before a wrench is turned.
- It’s the smell when they open the door.
- It’s the smile (or lack thereof) at the counter.
- It’s the dust on the waiting room furniture.
- It’s how you answer the phone.
These details either build trust or start a quiet erosion of confidence
before the customer even talks about their car. I didn’t walk into the Sagrada Família thinking about small cracks or imperfections; I assumed it would be stunning — and it was. Your customers come in expecting professionalism and care, but they notice when it’s missing.
Mind the details by regularly stepping into your customer’s shoes. Walk through the front door as if you were a first-time customer. What would you see? Smell? Feel? Then ask yourself: are we paying enough attention?
QUALITY WORK COMES DOWN TO THE TINY TOUCHES
In every bay, it’s the smallest things that differentiate a good repair from a great one. Tightening a bolt to spec. Using a fender cover every single time. Checking for fingerprints on the hood after a repair.
Big mistakes usually start small — forgotten torque specs, reused gaskets, missing documentation on an inspection. The little things compound over time.
Just like Sagrada Família’s intricate carvings — where no two figures are alike and every column tells a story — your reputation is built one small action at a time.
Mind the details by building checklists and procedures that eliminate “assumed” steps. What gets measured gets managed, and what gets written down gets done.
COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWNS ALWAYS START SMALL
Every relationship whether with customers or team members — depends on communication. And like that two-inch step that took me down, it’s often the tiny miscommunications that create the biggest problems later.
- Failing to confirm a part delivery.
- Not calling a customer when promised.
- Skipping a step when handing off a repair order between the advisor and technician.
- Small cracks become big divides if left unattended.
- Mind the details by creating a culture of overcommunication.
- Confirm back.
- Document everything.
- Assume nothing.
In the shop, “I thought you said…” can cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars. When the team is committed to clarity, fewer things slip through the cracks.
LEADERSHIP IS IN THE SMALL DAILY CHOICES
It’s easy to think leadership is about the big speeches, the big changes, the big wins. But real leadership shows up in the little moments:
- Saying good morning to every team member.
- Thanking someone for staying late.
- Having that tough, but necessary conversation early, not when it’s too late.
If the master builders of Sagrada Família had ignored the little things the precision of measurements, the care of choosing materials, the steady supervision of the work the grandeur of that cathedral would have been impossible. Leadership in organizations works the same way.
Mind the details by being consistent in the small things you do for your team. Daily encouragement. Fair corrections, genuine interest they add up. They create loyalty, bar corrections, genuine interest they add up. They create loyalty, better communication, engagement.
SMALL IMPROVEMENTS COMPOUND OVER TIME
The construction of Sagrada Família has taken over 140 years because every generation improves upon what the last left behind. Each stone, each stained-glass window is an accumulation of small, smart, deliberate decisions.
Your shop’s success works the same way. It’s not just one big, struggling to thriving moment. You build one day, one procedure, one decision at a time.
Every time you sharpen a process, train a little harder, tighten up the books or follow through better with a customer, you’re laying the next stone for your business’ future.
Mind the details by committing to small, steady, improvements.
One better follow up call each day.
One cleaner work area each week.
One extra thank you to a customer.
Success is built slowly, quietly, through habits few people see but everyone eventually feels.
FINAL THOUGHTS: WATCH YOUR STEP
That little step I missed at Sagrada Família taught me a lesson I’ll never forget: you can’t let your guard down, even in the most inspiring moments.
In your shop, it’s easy to get focused on the big goals hitting sales targets, recruiting techs, growing profits. But if you aren’t paying attention to the small stuff, you might last trip over something that could’ve been prevented.
The beauty, the craftsmanship, the awe-inspiring nature of something great whether it’s a cathedral or a thriving shop, comes from the grand gestures. It’s hidden in the small details, done right, again and again.
So slow down. Look closely. Watch your step. And mind the small things because in the end, they’re never small at all. ■
If you would like a worksheet to complement this article, email Vic at [email protected] and we’ll get you get started with Minding the Small
Details. Ready to get rolling with a coach? Vic Tarasik is the founder of Shop Owner Coach*, a coaching and training organization that is committed to helping independent repair shop owners achieve their dreams through the intentional application of best business practices. Contact him to discuss how working with a coach can benefit you and your shop. He has been an independent auto repair professional for more than three decades and is the former owner of Vic’s Precision Automotive in The Woodlands, TX. Book a complimentary coaching session by simply emailing him to set it up! Vic can be reached at* Vic@ShopOwnerCoach or www.ShopOwnerCoach.com