Chris Cotton Weekly Blitz

PODCAST DESCRIPTIONA comeback, a lost customer, or a bad hiring decision has already cost your shop something. What changes because it happened?In this episode of The Weekly Blitz, we explore Nick Saban’s message about not wasting a failure and apply it to auto repair shop leadership. Learn how your response to mistakes shapes your team’s honesty, how to find the cause of a breakdown, and how to turn a painful experience into a practical improvement.This week’s challenge: review one recent failure, identify your own role, and commit to one specific change—with an owner, a deadline, and a follow-up.Never Waste a Failure: Make Your Shop’s Mistakes Mean SomethingEvery shop experiences mistakes. The leadership opportunity comes in what happens afterward.Inspired by Nick Saban’s remarks about learning from failure, this episode of The Weekly Blitz explores how auto repair shop owners can use setbacks to improve decisions, strengthen processes, and help their teams succeed.IN THIS EPISODEHow your first response affects whether employees bring you bad news early.Why resolving the customer’s problem should be followed by an internal review.How to distinguish skill gaps, unclear expectations, poor handoffs, capacity problems, and deliberate shortcuts.Why owners need to examine their own contribution to a breakdown.How to turn “we need to do better” into a specific action.Why every improvement needs someone responsible and a follow-up date.How to keep corrective action proportional to the problem.What hiring and promotion decisions can teach you about leadership.FOUR QUESTIONS FOR YOUR NEXT REVIEWWhat was supposed to happen?What actually happened?What contributed to the difference?What will we change, and who will follow up?THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGESet aside twenty minutes to review one recent failure. Identify what it cost, examine the contributing decisions—including your own—and choose one practical improvement.Assign an owner, set a completion date, and schedule a follow-up to see whether it works.SPONSORThank you to Shop Marketing Pros for sponsoring The Weekly Blitz. Connect with their team to discuss a more intentional approach to marketing your auto repair shop.EPISODE INSPIRATIONNick Saban’s remarks at 2017 SEC Media Days following Alabama’s national championship loss to Clemson.Transcript: https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/news/college-football/everything-nick-saban-said-sec-media-days/The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops.Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo: https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/If you would like to join their private Facebook Group, go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermindConnect with Chris:AutoFix-Auto Shop Coachingwww.autoshopcoaching.com940-400-1008Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AutoFixAutoShopCoachingYouTube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0aeEmail Chris: [email protected] Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/Download and Listen on Our Mobile App: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/app/Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: https://remarkableresults.biz/Automotive Field Theory with Matt Fanslow: https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/Business by the Numbers with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Brian and Kim Walker: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

Your experience, investment, and hard work have helped you build your auto repair shop. What are you doing today to keep it moving forward?In this episode of The Weekly Blitz, we unpack Nick Saban’s message about the importance of “nothing” and apply it to shop ownership. From customer updates and repair verification to team accountability and your own follow-through, we explore how discipline, preparation, focus, and execution shape your business every day.Your challenge this week: choose one standard that’s slipped, make the expectation clear, and follow through.Sponsored by Shop Marketing Pros.​The Importance of Nothing: Nick Saban’s Message for Shop OwnersA strong reputation and a talented team give your shop an opportunity. Consistent execution turns that opportunity into a customer experience people can trust.This week on The Weekly Blitz, we take Nick Saban’s “nothing” message into the bays and front office of an auto repair shop. What happens when preparation slips, details get missed, or good intentions never become action? And what can you do as the owner to raise the standard?IN THIS EPISODEWhy technical talent alone doesn’t guarantee a well-run shop.How daily discipline supports consistent inspections, customer updates, and repair verification.Why good ideas stall—and how to turn one into a clear commitment.How constantly solving immediate problems can keep owners from addressing recurring causes.What your team learns from the exceptions you allow.How to define “your best” through clear expectations, training, and accountability.Why your own follow-through sets the example for the shop.THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGEChoose one area where your shop has started accepting less than it should.Define the expectation in plain language. Ask your team what’s getting in the way. Assign responsibility, provide the support needed, and review the results at the end of the week.Start with one commitment you can keep—and build from there.EPISODE SPONSORThank you to Shop Marketing Pros for sponsoring The Weekly Blitz. If you’re ready to take a more intentional approach to marketing your auto repair shop, connect with their team to discuss your goals.The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops.Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo: https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/If you would like to join their private Facebook Group, go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermindConnect with Chris:AutoFix-Auto Shop Coachingwww.autoshopcoaching.com940-400-1008Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AutoFixAutoShopCoachingYouTube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0aeEmail Chris: [email protected] Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/Download and Listen on Our Mobile App: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/app/Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: https://remarkableresults.biz/Automotive Field Theory with Matt Fanslow: https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/Business by the Numbers with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Brian and Kim Walker: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

Where have you decided that “good enough” is good enough?Inspired by Nick Saban’s perspective on normal versus special, this episode of the Weekly Blitz challenges shop owners to examine the standards they accept—in their margins, customer experience, leadership, and team culture.Using lessons from football, we explore what it takes to build a shop where people prepare, take ownership, and improve together. We also tackle a tough leadership question: what happens when your most committed employees keep carrying teammates who do the minimum?You’ll leave with a practical seven-day challenge to identify one weak spot, define a better standard, and follow through with your team.Sponsored by Shop Marketing Pros.Show notesA busy shop isn’t automatically a strong shop. This week’s Weekly Blitz asks whether the habits inside your business are helping you build something special—or simply survive another week.Drawing on football and Nick Saban’s ideas about human nature and excellence, we discuss how shop owners can turn high expectations into clear, repeatable actions.In this episodeThe “good enough” trap: How acceptable margins, inconsistent customer communication, and comfortable routines can hold your shop back.Define your championship: Decide what winning means for your business, employees, family, and customers.The owner sets the standard: Examine whether your communication, preparation, and follow-through match what you expect from your team.Protect the people who care: Support your strongest employees without making them responsible for carrying everyone else.Make excellence actionable: Translate vague expectations into clear responsibilities, processes, and coaching.Watch your shop’s film: Use customer feedback, repair documentation, comebacks, and operating numbers to learn and improve.Build sustainable performance: Give your team the training, tools, capacity, and support to meet your standards consistently.Your seven-day challengeIdentify one area where you’ve accepted “good enough.” Be specific and honest.Define a better standard. Decide what should happen, who owns it, and what support they need.Discuss it with your team and follow up. Start with your own responsibility, listen to their feedback, and review progress after seven days.Questions to take back to your shopWould I want to work for me?Do my employees know what success looks like?Am I rewarding dependable people with more work instead of meaningful support?Where am I tolerating a problem because addressing it feels uncomfortable?What will I do this week to become a better leader and create higher standards around me?SponsorShop Marketing Pros specializes in marketing for auto repair shops. Learn more at shopmarketingpros.com.Keep the conversation goingBring one honest leadership question and one specific improvement you’re ready to make into your next conversation with ADP.Set the standard. Help your people meet it. Follow through.The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops.Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo: https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/If you would like to join their private Facebook Group, go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermindConnect with Chris:AutoFix-Auto Shop Coachingwww.autoshopcoaching.com940-400-1008Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AutoFixAutoShopCoachingYouTube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0aeEmail Chris: [email protected] Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/Download and Listen on Our Mobile App: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/app/Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: https://remarkableresults.biz/Automotive Field Theory with Matt Fanslow: https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/Business by the Numbers with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Brian and Kim Walker: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

A customer says, “Go ahead and fix it.” Your team orders parts, schedules the repair, and completes the work. Then comes the surprise: the customer disputes the charge, says they never approved the price, or never returns to pick up the vehicle.On this episode of The Weekly Blitz, Coach Chris Cotton explains why clear repair authorizations, upfront pricing, and a consistent deposit process are essential to protecting your shop and building customer trust.That starts with everyday services. Does your customer understand what a 30K, 60K, or 90K service includes? Do they know what diagnostic testing costs, what it covers, and whether repairs are additional?Chris also walks through his minimum 50% deposit policy: explain and send the estimate, obtain the customer’s authorization, send the deposit payment link, verify payment, and then order parts and confirm the repair schedule.Addressing these details upfront helps identify payment concerns before the shop commits parts, labor, and schedule space.IN THIS EPISODE• Why sending an estimate is different from obtaining authorization.• How to explain maintenance packages and diagnostic testing charges.• What records help document an authorized, completed repair.• Why a signed estimate or paid deposit does not guarantee protection from chargebacks.• How the minimum 50% deposit process works.• Why payment expectations belong in the conversation before parts are ordered.• How to handle deposit objections respectfully and consistently.• Why customers need clear cancellation, refund, and scheduling terms.• How to train service advisors and audit whether the process is being followed.THE DEPOSIT PROCESSExplain the recommended work, scope, and total price.Send the estimate to the customer.Obtain authorization for the specific work and price.Send a payment link for at least 50% of the approved total.Verify the deposit payment.Order parts and confirm scheduling based on availability.Apply the deposit to the final invoice and clearly show the remaining balance.The 50% minimum discussed is Chris’s shop policy, not a universal legal requirement. Authorization requirements vary by state. Deposit terms must fit applicable law and payment processor requirements.THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGEReview ten recent repair orders, including a maintenance service, a diagnostic visit, and a larger repair.Can you easily find the approved scope, price, authorization, additional approvals, deposit record, and final balance? Identify the biggest gap, coach your team, and correct it this week.EPISODE SPONSOR: SHOP MARKETING PROSYour customer experience starts before someone calls your shop. Shop Marketing Pros helps auto repair businesses tell their story and connect with customers.Learn more at ShopMarketingPros.com/chris, and tell them Coach Chris Cotton and The Weekly Blitz sent you.OUR ADP PARTNERSHIPYour payroll process deserves the same consistency as your customer authorization process. Interested in learning more about our ADP partnership and whether ADP could be a fit for your shop? Contact Coach Chris through AutoFix Auto Shop Coaching.The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops.Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo: https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/If you would like to join their private Facebook Group, go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermindConnect with Chris:AutoFix-Auto Shop Coachingwww.autoshopcoaching.com940-400-1008Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AutoFixAutoShopCoachingYouTube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0aeEmail Chris: [email protected] Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/Download and Listen on Our Mobile App: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/app/Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: https://remarkableresults.biz/Automotive Field Theory with Matt Fanslow: https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/Business by the Numbers with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Brian and Kim Walker: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

The seasons are changing, and 2027 will be here before you know it. Before the holidays fill your calendar, take an honest look at your business: What went right in 2026? What didn’t? And what needs to change next year?On this episode of The Weekly Blitz, we’re talking about turning this year’s lessons into a practical plan for 2027. From gathering your decision makers to building your marketing plan, the work you do now can help you enter January with clear priorities and next steps.In this episode:Review your 2026 goals, results, wins, and missed opportunities.Understand what worked so you can build on it.Address what didn’t work with honest conversations and specific actions.Schedule a planning meeting with your partners, leadership team, or trusted business cohorts.Build a 2027 marketing plan around your goals, customers, budget, and capacity.Assign responsibility, set deadlines, and schedule follow-up meetings.Include your own time, leadership development, and personal priorities in the plan.Your assignment this week: Get your planning meeting on the calendar, gather your 2026 results, and start—or revisit—your 2027 marketing plan.Our partnership with ADPThe Weekly Blitz appreciates our partnership with ADP. As you plan for 2027, take time to review the payroll and HR systems that support your team and your business.If you'd like to see what your shop may qualify for, click the link and fill out the short form here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=gIQsTPDTW0i3UIB_9pOAL0sixY5HeyxPgn9sghF08cZUNkJYSzRMRjVLSjlNSzVRUThITEVZNDQxRS4u&route=shorturl. Our ADP partner will reach out directly to walk you through the available options and answer your questions.​The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops.Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo: https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/If you would like to join their private Facebook Group, go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermindConnect with Chris:AutoFix-Auto Shop Coachingwww.autoshopcoaching.com940-400-1008Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AutoFixAutoShopCoachingYouTube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0aeEmail Chris: [email protected] Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/Download and Listen on Our Mobile App: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/app/Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: https://remarkableresults.biz/Automotive Field Theory with Matt Fanslow: https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/Business by the Numbers with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Brian and Kim Walker: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/