Author name: Brian Walker

The auto repair business is filled with talented, gifted and generous individuals who day-in-day-out give their blood, sweat, tears and hard-earned cash to make their part of the aftermarket a much better place. You’ll find service center counters and bays, the aisles of parts stores, warehouses and delivery drivers filled with dedicated and caring individuals […]

If you can recall, there was some serious talent taken in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft. Baker Mayfield went #1 to Cleveland and Sam Darnold went #3 to the Jets. Then, with pick #7 the Buffalo Bills selected Josh Allen. Many “expert” pundits quickly decided that the Bills had wasted a pick!

All money is green and spends the same, of course, but sometimes the work to add additional sales to a single work order…well, let’s just say the juice isn’t always worth the squeeze.  You may have experience with a customer who wants you to “sharpen your pencil,” alluding to a part’s price he has seen

When you’re looking for business, new customer campaigns abound. Mailers, AdWords, pay-per-click, pop-up ads and referral programs are just a few ways you can spend your marketing dollars. In August, I addressed five great ways to make your marketing stand out. This month’s focus is about retaining that new customer.  Your marketing strategy is to

Marketing Guru Seth Godin states “Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.” Storytelling is one of society’s oldest art forms, and is the method of sharing our experiences, culture and what we’ve learned sometimes firsthand and, in many cases, secondhand. Every tribe, community and clan has

On any given Sunday in the fall, you will find sports fans gathered around the TV watching their favorite football teams match up on the gridiron. Obviously, the outcome of the game is measured by the score, which is bound by the time limits of the game. Along with the score, a few of the

In 2010, my mom had taken a trip to visit us in Houston for Christmas. We took her to Midnight Mass and, for some reason, my sister and I got the giggles. There we were in a packed church, attempting to be reverent and for some reason I couldn’t stop chuckling. My wife handed me

Ever wonder what a failure to communicate might look like – or mean to – your shop? Picture this scenario: A customer drops his car off at a shop, explaining to the service advisor that the A/C isn’t functioning and there are lights on the instrument panel. He’s not sure exactly what’s going on, but

If you’re planning a long-distance trip – for pleasure or business – it’s likely you’ll take a plane to your final destination. Flying is a quick and effective way to reach a far-off land full of fun and excitement. Of course, the scenario never changes. You settle into your seat and the boarding door closes.

One of my most memorable experiences has been climbing the falls while traveling in Jamaica. In the middle of the southern side of Jamaica is the town of Ocho Rios with its famous tourist attraction, Dunn’s River Falls. In images of the falls, you’ll see tourists hand-in-hand traversing the 180-foot elevation and 600-foot length.  The