A New Year, a New Plan: Continue Your Education in 2012
ing every year. They have to if they’re going to keep fixing the next batch of new cars that are coming down the road with the latest round of technological advances built in. What you need to add to your list is
business management training. Business training? Most shop
owners have never considered it. Why would they? They already know how to open the doors, order parts, answer the phone, and talk to customers. Those procedures haven’t changed in years… or have they? The fact is, there’s a lot more
to running a successful transmission repair shop in today’s market than knowing how to make change. Today it’s about building a reputation, reach- ing out to the public, and marketing your business. It’s about meeting your legal obligations for operating a busi- ness, and even learning how to price your work competitively, while still earning a reasonable profit. That’s a lot more involved than just writing a repair order and collecting your fees.
Choosing Your Educational Track Okay, so we want to plan on some
business training. What type? Where do we get it? How much do we need?
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Wow, every answer leads to a lot of new questions. One place to go to help answer
those questions is the ATRA What’s Working forum. There you’ll be able to discuss your thoughts with some of the most knowledgeable and inventive shop owners in the industry. You’ll learn where they get their training, and they’ll be only too happy to tell you which training paid off, and which wasn’t worth the paper it was printed on.
Next you have the ATRA Buyer’s
Guide; all sorts of valuable resources there, including management consul- tants and trainers. Find out when and where they’re speaking in your area, and talk to them to see what they can offer you in the way of personal advice and training. Don’t forget to let them know you’re an ATRA Member: Many of the business consultants and trainers who advertise in the Buyer’s Guide offer special discounts for Members of the Association. Of course there’s always Expo:
some of the most intense, compressed management training you’ll ever expe- rience, from the leading automotive consultants and trainers, packed into three days worth of classes. And all targeted directly for you: the transmis-
sion repair shop owner. Start making plans to attend now, and by the end of October you’ll be all set to head out to Vegas.
Don’t forget to explore the night
school classes at your local colleg- es. While those courses will be more generic in nature, and not targeted directly toward any one type of busi- ness, they provide a lot of valuable background information and business strategy you’ll be able to apply to your individual situation. More importantly, the points
they’ll cover will get the gears turning in your head… making connections to issues you deal with on a daily basis. And that’s the most valuable part of any type of education: the processes that get you thinking about your business model and practices. New Year’s is a time for plan-
ning… for committing to changes to improve your life… and your business. As we begin the new year, now’s the perfect time to plan for your education. Get the training you need to build a more successful future for you and your business.
GEARS January/February 2012
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