“We fix what actually needs to be done” — Alan & Shanley Austin

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Garage Grit Podcast

Brad Hurlock

51 episodes

3 days ago

Welcome to the Garage Grit Podcast, hosted by Brad Hurlock from AA Shop Marketing. Join us as we tackle common stress points in the auto repair shop space, uniting owners for insightful conversations. Our mission is to guide your shop towards success. Tune in, be part of the conversation, and propel your business forward. Explore strategies, insights, and camaraderie needed to thrive in the competitive auto repair industry. Welcome to Garage Grit, where we shift your business into high gear, one episode at a time!

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“We fix what actually needs to be done” — Alan & Shanley Austin | GGP #039

Garage Grit Podcast

1 hour 14 minutes 26 seconds

1 month ago

“We fix what actually needs to be done” — Alan & Shanley Austin | GGP #039

A family-run collision & mechanical shop shares a trust-first playbook: transparent inspections, pushing back on insurers, and SOPs that keep quality high and customers loyal. Real tactics you can use tomorrow—without upselling games.

Guests:
Alan Austin — Austin Spencer Collision — Henrietta, NY
Shanley Austin — Austin Spencer Collision — Henrietta, NY

What you’ll learn (shop-owner takeaways):

Build trust by fixing only what’s essential
How to advocate for customers vs insurers
Handling total-loss offers and salvage titles
Turn $21 inspections into lifetime customers
Train service writers to read each customer
Write SOPs your team will actually follow
Use CCC + ALLDATA together effectively
Recruit techs through local trade pipelines

Timestamps
00:00 – Intro and episode setup
01:30 – Alan’s origin story and first shop
03:30 – Expanding bays and multiple locations
05:00 – Rochester market and competition
07:00 – Family experience vs big DRP shops
10:30 – Fighting for customers on insurance
12:20 – Totaled? Research value and negotiate
17:20 – Trust over upsells on repairs
19:10 – NYS inspection pricing and strategy
23:00 – Red, yellow, green philosophy on work
24:20 – Who talks to customers day to day
27:30 – Hire for personality, train the rest
32:00 – Ditching paper: notes and workflows
36:40 – CCC + ALLDATA and estimate accuracy
41:00 – Salarying a body tech and accountability
44:20 – SOPs that save time (3M book, Notion)
49:10 – Video vs PDF for training retention
55:00 – Recruiting: WEMOCO, Alfred State, LinkedIn
59:50 – Word of mouth and social media plans
01:04:10 – AI predefined notes for estimates
01:08:40 – Growth mindset vs maintaining
01:13:40 – Wrap

Call-to-Actions
Got questions? Comment or post in the FB group—guests will chime in.
Subscribe for more shop-owner panels & Origin & Impact stories.
Want to be a guest? Share your story in the group.

Links
Next Step Guide: https://www.aashopmarketing.com/aashopmktg/public/next-steps.aspx
Grid Request: https://www.aashopmarketing.com/aashopmktg/public/grid-request.aspx
Request a Call: https://www.aashopmarketing.com/aashopmktg/public/request-a-call.aspx
Join the Podcast Panel: https://www.aashopmarketing.com/aashopmktg/public/join-panel.aspx
Partnership Info: https://www.aashopmarketing.com/aashopmktg/public/partnership.aspx
Garage Grit Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/forautorepairshopowners