The Institute for Automotive Business Excellence

The Institute for Automotive Business Excellence The Institute is the most comprehensive and effective coaching and training company in the automotive aftermarket industry.

Elevating automotive excellence one shop at a time. Better Business, Better Life, Better Industry! The automotive business has changed drastically in recent years creating the idea that the ways of doing business in the past are far behind us. Too many ‘fast-food auto repair’ shops have turned up to battle those who create and repair the vehicles that break considerably less often, and those who f

ail to realize the Automotive Repair Industry is in the midst of upheaval and change. Whether you choose to view one of our online training classes, attend a workshop, have us perform a Business Success Plan total shop evaluation for you, or take advantage of our on-site coaching, you will find superior education and resources to help your business thrive!

Are you losing customers before they ever make it through your doors?A phone call might only last a few minutes, but it ...
09/10/2026

Are you losing customers before they ever make it through your doors?

A phone call might only last a few minutes, but it can determine whether someone books and appointment or calls the next shop.

Join Jeannie Light owner of Lighthouse Auto Repair and David Boyd owner of Call InBound as they share how stronger phone skills and better communication can help your team build trust, turn more calls into appointments, and create an experience customers want to come back to.

A great customer experience doesn’t start when the car enters the shop. It starts with “Hello.”


09/09/2026

20% Net Profit is the Owner's True Pay

20% may seem high but you have to remeber the owner gets that because their name is on the lease, if the business gets sued then they get sued becasue of what investment they have in the business and at the end of the day they don't keep the 20% anyways. After the 3% that goes to the Federal Government and the 3% that goes to the state government the owner is only left with about 14%. If you are taking home 20% net profit you are doing it right.

09/09/2026

"When it comes to mattering to others, you must discuss what matters to them. Assume all else will fall on deaf, or in this case, dull ears..."
This is a quote from How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age by Dale Carnegie & Associates.

Your CRM was supposed to build relationships. Instead most shops use it to blast slow day texts, chase declined services, and hope something sticks. The result isn't retention. It's opt outs, and opt outs are your customers telling you something you need to hear.

In this session Craig O'Neill breaks down five hurdles standing between the aftermarket and a CRM that actually works. You'll learn why "Customer Retention Marketing" is the wrong definition of the acronym entirely, why most shops are building lists instead of communities, and what it takes to earn an opt in instead of forcing an opt out.

This conversation lays a framework for fixing it, and it sets the stage for a bigger conversation. Craig will be presenting a full session on staging the next visit through meaningful use of inspection data at the Institute's event in Ogden, Utah this October.

Come to this webinar ready to rethink what your CRM is for. In October we'll build on it with the tools to put it into practice.

09/08/2026

DIAGNOSTIC TIME ISN'T FREE! Don't Give It Away.

A diagnostic charge isn't payment for reading a trouble code. It pays for the technician's time, training, equipment, testing process, and professional judgment. If your shop gives away diagnostics, you're telling the customer and the technician that the answer has value, but that the expertise required to find it does not. Customers should understand what they are purchasing and what value it has.

Behind every great shop are people who show up, put in the work, solve problems, and keep their communities moving. This...
09/07/2026

Behind every great shop are people who show up, put in the work, solve problems, and keep their communities moving.

This Labor Day, we celebrate the shop owners, managers, technicians, service advisors, and teams who work hard every day to make a difference for their customers, their businesses, and the automotive industry as a whole.

We hope you get the chance to slow down, rest, and enjoy a well-earned day off.

Happy Labor Day from all of us at The Institute! 🇺🇸

09/04/2026

Learn Your Financials or Face Ruin

Do not lose sight of where your business is really at. It is easy to lose yourself as the boss and not see what everyone is doing while you are off having fun. Your teams relies on you and trusts that you will make sure they are provided for. Learn your financials and understand them. Understand who makes you that money and how to support your business they way it supports you.

09/04/2026

Guide The Culture in Your Shop, Put It In Writing

Turn your “employee handbook” into a living Culture Guide that people actually use. Create clear standards for communication, accountability, and customer experience then build a rollout plan so the Culture Guide doesn’t sit on a shelf. Expect practical frameworks, real examples, and templates you can implement immediately.

Join Wayne Marshall and The Institute at 2026 ASTA Expo September 24–26

Crafting Dynamic Company Culture Guides
Saturday, September 26th at 8:00am

Don’t miss out! Register now at
astausa.org/events

09/03/2026

Set Customer Expectations Regardless of Their Personality Type

Participants will learn the four personality types based on DISC profiles, they will be able to effectively diagnose each type quickly and adjust the way they communicate to better serve the customer.

Join Ryan Daily and The Institute at 2026 ASTA Expo September 24–26

Customer Expectation and Level Setting
Saturday, September 26th at 2:00pm

Don’t miss out! Register now at
astausa.org/events

09/02/2026

Care About Your Online Reviews!

If Google is the new word of mouth, your reviews are telling your story to the world. In this high energy session, Jimmy Lea shows you how to turn casual reviewers into raving super fans and weaponizing your Google profile for growth.

Join Jimmy Lea and The Institute at 2026 ASTA Expo September 24–26

Turn Reviews Into Raving Fans: Win the Google Game
Friday, September 25th at 8:00am

Don’t miss out! Register now at
astausa.org/events

09/02/2026

How often do you know exactly what you should charge, then second-guess it when it’s time to tell the customer?

Will they think it’s too expensive? Will they go somewhere else? Should I knock a little off the price?

That hesitation can lead to emotional discounting, and those small decisions can add up and quietly cut into your margins.

The best shops aren’t always the cheapest. They understand the value they provide, know what it costs to deliver great service, and have the confidence to price accordingly.

Join Cecil Bullard and Lucas Underwood for an Ask Me Anything conversation about pricing, profitability, and making confident decisions for your shop.

Cecil and Lucas will break down how successful shops approach pricing and build their numbers around the business they actually want to run. They’ll cover parts matrices, proper parts markup, labor rates, labor markup, discounting, and how to make pricing decisions based on the numbers instead of emotion.

This is an Ask Me Anything, so bring your questions! Whether you’re wondering about pricing, profitability, parts, labor, discounting, or a situation you’re facing in your own shop, this is your chance to ask.

If you’ve ever looked at a price and wondered, “Are we charging enough?” this is a conversation you’ll want to be part of.

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3789 Wall Avenue
Ogden, UT
84405

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+13852384534

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