134 - Rehearse to Win: The Secret to Service Advisor Confidence
June 23, 2025 - 00:39:59

 

Show Summary:

Recorded at the Institute Summit 2025, this episode features brothers Jason and Patrick Brennan in a powerful conversation on leadership, innovation, and growth in the automotive industry. Jason emphasizes redefining training through real-world rehearsal practice for service advisors and technicians, and using “education” language to promote a culture of ongoing development. Patrick brings his marketing expertise to the table, stressing the importance of reputation management and direct response strategies for businesses. Together, they explore how strong leadership, peer networking, and a healthy company culture attract talent and fuel long-term success.

 

Host(s):

Carm Capriotto, Remarkable Results Radio

 

Guest(s):

Patrick and Jason Brennan, Fine Tune Auto Service

 

 

Show Highlights:

Introduction (00:00:00 )

Transition from Plumbing to Automotive (00:02:05 )

Customer Service and Service Advisor Training (00:03:01 )

Training vs. Education in the Industry (00:05:15 )

Reputation Management (00:07:58 )

Daily Training and Rehearsal Practices (00:09:28 )

Improvements from Training and Peer Critique (00:12:17 )

Team Building and Individual Improvement (00:14:08 )

Teaching as Mastery and Knowledge Sharing (00:22:12 )

Defining Success and Perseverance (00:23:08 )

Peer Review and Networking Groups (00:25:16 )

Innovation and Customization in Business (00:29:36 )

Attracting and Hiring Smart People (00:30:05 )

Marketing Strategies for Shops (00:31:42 )

Organic Social Media and Community Building (00:33:32 )

Work-Life Balance and Turning Points (00:34:10 )

Joining Peer Groups and Business Turnaround (00:35:36 )

Leadership Development and Delegation (00:37:07 )

Closing Reflections and Family Involvement (00:38:05 )

In every business journey, there are defining moments or challenges that build resilience and milestones that fuel growth. We’d love to hear about yours! What lessons, breakthroughs, or pivotal experiences have shaped your path in the automotive industry?
Share your story with us at info@wearetheinstitute.com, and you might be featured in an upcoming episode.

 

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Episode Transcript Disclaimer

This transcript was generated using artificial intelligence and may contain errors. If you notice any inaccuracies, please contact us at marketing@wearetheinstitute.com.

 

Episode Transcript:

Carm Capriotto: This is the Aftermarket Radio Network. Hey everybody, it's Carm Caprio Remarkable Results Radio. It's another Town Hall Academy. We are at the Institute Summit in Amelia Island, Florida. Okay, so I left Buffalo with four feet of snow and I came down here and of course it snowed last night. No it didn't.

Carm Capriotto: I'm only kidding what beautiful weather going on here. And we're so happy to be here at the Institute Summit. We're here February 6th through ninth recording this, so whenever you hear it, you'll know that it was a while back. Lots of stuff going on here. The theme is being stand out. And a lot of innovation being discussed, so we're really happy to be here.

Carm Capriotto: But before we get going, couple of great words from our sponsors. Hey, take your Autocare center to the next level, the gold level with the Napa Autocare Gold certified program. This program is for the best of the best who can provide a consistent consumer experience and earn the trust of returning and new customers.

Carm Capriotto: Talk to your NAPA sales representative about how you can become a gold certified shop. Hey, let's face it. Your shop management system is the most critical tool in your shop, and Napa Tracks will move your shop into the SMS Fastlane with onsite training, six days a week. Support and local representation.

Carm Capriotto: Find NAPA tracks on the web at N-A-R-A-C s.com. I have a great team here today. I got Jason Brennan from Fine Tune Auto. Hi Jason. How you doing? I am great sir. How's business?

Jason Brennan: Going well, thank you. 

Carm Capriotto: And you're here to what? Uh, hang out, learn, talk to your peers.

Jason Brennan: All the above. 

Carm Capriotto: Are you in a special group? 

Jason Brennan: I'm in the institute.

Jason Brennan: G. P. G Group. Three. 

Carm Capriotto: Cool. Group three. Best one. And that's the thing I love about the institute's groups. There's a little bit of a rivalry there, isn't there? You know Your brother's here with you? Patrick Brennan. Hi Patrick. How you doing? Good. You are not in the business, are you? I'm not. And we convinced him to come on because I think he may have some very interesting things to say.

Carm Capriotto: I think he will. 'cause I know he helps you a lot in the business. One of the things that I found fascinating about you guys, or especially the story you told me about the family plumbing business. So you were a family plumbing business, and what I wanna know is how did it become automotive? 

Jason Brennan: That's a good question.

Jason Brennan: I don't know if it was just that I, you know, I did so much plumbing growing up. I was already tired of it by the time I started my career or what it was. I don't know. But automotive, I, you know, that's a good question. We've talked before I started out. Working on lawnmowers and yeah, whatever. I was always just taking things apart and that kind of just naturally progressed into working on cars.

Jason Brennan: I was a technician, so got into the automotive business, but I don't think I would've had the fortitude or the courage to do it if I hadn't grown up. You know? It certainly had helped to grow up in a household. Where, you know, family, business and a, a service business was the environment that I grew up around and in 

Carm Capriotto: to me today.

Carm Capriotto: I mean, there's a lot of discussion out there about excellent customer service. If you forget about the customer, you must well forget about your business. 

Jason Brennan: Absolutely. 

Carm Capriotto: I don't know if we're getting enough customer service training, and I don't mean. Here's how you do it, but the service advisors at our counter today, I think it's the most considered educational series that I have seen anywhere.

Carm Capriotto: Every coaching company is including the institute. They've got a great focus on that front counter and that customer experience. 

Jason Brennan: I agree. They need to, they're service professionals. This isn't a job. And probably never should have been a job where, well, since I know how to fix cars, I'll just go up and you know, maybe I'll write service and I'll advise customers.

Jason Brennan: Can you explain to them the workings, the details of how the car works, why you should or shouldn't do the repair? Maybe. But it is a separate profession. You have to understand as a service advisor, those people have to understand sales. They have to understand customer service and they have to understand enough about the product that they're selling or recommending, and they have to understand all those things.

Jason Brennan: And then if they're gonna be a store manager, they need to understand business too. So it's a lot of stuff. 

Carm Capriotto: I'm curious, Jason, do they need to know more about themselves also? Because if you don't understand who you are and how you communicate, I think it's awfully tough to have a, I mean, well, it's my way or the highway kind of thing.

Carm Capriotto: There's gotta be flexibility built into building relationships. 

Jason Brennan: I would say yes they do, because you know, a lot of people just have a naturally good communication style and ability. But let's face it, some of us don't. And so my natural style might not be the right style. To be communicating to a customer with how'd you survive all these years?

Jason Brennan: So I know it's, I don't know, 

Carm Capriotto: it just happened. They loved you for some reason and they kept coming back. 

Jason Brennan: No, I actually, I did, I took service advisor training when I wrote service, of course. And that helped. So that's great. By the way, I needed it. It is great. And if I hadn't done it, I wouldn't be here. 

Carm Capriotto: You know, for you to, to realize this is a weakness, I may have to do something to fix that, or can I get better?

Carm Capriotto: And I'm on this soapbox of late, you know, this whole language shift thing that's going on in my w