In Episode 193 of Digital Shop Talk Radio, Bob Conant, owner of  Bob Kaiser’s Repair in Hilton, New York, and Jimmy Lea of the Institute for Automotive Business Excellence joined AutoVitals to discuss what it takes to grow a successful auto repair business. Together, they shed light on real-world strategies, mindset shifts, and business practices that form the blueprint for long-term shop growth.

• From the Shop Floor to the Owner's Office
• Meeting Shop Owners Where They Are
• Embracing Technology in a Small Town
• Educating the Customer = Increasing Trust
• Culture Drives Efficiency
• Workflow Wins - Big and Small
• Final Advice

From the Shop Floor to the Owner's Office

Bob Conant worked nearly every role in the shop before he became an owner four years ago.  "I’ve done every position here from cleanup to tow truck to tech to advisor to yeah, everything." - His biggest challenge? “I think it’s what you don’t know. To learn QuickBooks and P and Ls and all that stuff. It’s the non-fun stuff.” This is where The Institute came in to help him figure out the “non-fun stuff.” Recognizing the steep learning curve associated with financial management and administrative responsibilities, Bob sought external support to bridge these knowledge gaps. "Without the help of other shop owners and systems through The Institute, man, it would’ve been even harder, which is why I rejoined the group."

Meeting Shop Owners Where They Are

Jimmy Lea shared how The Institute supports shop owners like Bob through targeted coaching. "Many of them are raised in the shop, but there’s a whole other skill set in business ownership." Instead of offering a one-size-fits-all solution, The Institute takes time to understand where a shop owner is on their journey. “Every shop has a little bit of a different journey that they’re on. So the first thing we’re going to do is have those one-on-one meetings with the coach. Where are you at? What are your inefficiencies? How can we help you the most? This personalized strategy ensures that every shop owner receives the guidance and tools necessary to grow their business on their own terms. 

Embracing Technology in a Small Town

Though Bob’s shop is in a town of less than 10,000, he’s leaned heavily into digital tools. He utilized AutoVitals Digital Vehicle Inspections (DVI) in his shop and averages 60 pictures per inspection, one of the highest among AutoVitals clients. “We call them health evaluations on vehicles. It’s the transparency of the customer. They’re actually looking at what we’re looking at.” By embracing technology, Bob has built trust with his customers and elevated the communication standard in his small-town shop.

Jimmy applauded Bob’s approach and emphasized that visual proof is far more effective than verbal explanations. “If Bob just calls and says, ‘All these things are broken - it’s $2,500,’ the customer’s first reaction is, ‘Dude, I just drove it in. I’m going to drive it out.’ But when you show them what’s wrong, it changes the whole conversation.”

Educating the Customer = Increasing Trust

According to Jimmy, the real power of DVIs is customer education. “[DVIs] help educate a customer so much when you can show what’s worn, torn, leaking, broken, cracked, seeping.” DVIs bridge the knowledge gap between technicians and vehicle owners by visually documenting issues, making complex repairs more understandable and trustworthy.

Bob echoed Jimmy’s point: "That's actually the best part of my job, to just educate the customer of the condition of the vehicle. Whether you have it done here or not really doesn't matter to me. My job is to inform you what it needs and when it needs it." This commitment to education over sales fosters long-term relationships and empowers customers to make confident, informed decisions about their vehicle care.

Culture Drives Efficiency

Efficiency isn’t just about implementing the right systems -  it’s also about creating a strong and unified team in your shop. Bob knows that the regular communication between him and the guys in his shop is a key part of the shop's success. He displays his belief in inclusive leadership by saying, “You need everyone’s input. So I think that has increased the flow of knowing why we’re doing things and pushing it in that direction.” Not only does Bob share with his team, but he prioritizes fun. “I like to have fun. We do a lot of things together - cooking breakfast and lunch and cornhole games and all that kind of stuff in the shop.” By cultivating an environment based on mutual respect and camaraderie, he has created a shop that thrives operationally and culturally. 

Workflow Wins—Big and Small

Sometimes efficiency comes from small, intentional adjustments that yield big returns. Jimmy offered practical tips to increase efficiency from “Putting your filters by the quick lube bay is paramount.” to “a coffee machine in the shop” can reduce wasted technician time. Jimmy knows that these “small tweaks add up” to save time. 

Lauren Thunen, host of The Digital Shop Talk Radio and Manager, Marketing and Lead Generation at AutoVitals, added a real-world example about how technicians waste time making frequent trips between the service bays and other areas of the shops like the counter or parts department, “We went and clocked it and it adds up to nine hours a month per technician of wasted time running back and forth to the shop.” 

Bob’s shop is a prime example of what happens when advanced workflow management tools are put into practice. With over 130% technician efficiency, his team isn’t just busy - they’re outperforming expectations. Lauren explained, “That means your technicians are producing more than what they’re billing.” 

Final Advice

When asked for his most significant piece of advice, Bob said: “Be me to my employees. What you see is what you get.” For him, authenticity, trust, and communication are the foundation of a thriving shop culture. Jimmy’s parting words reinforced the same theme from a systems perspective: “Start with those efficiencies inside. Then, we can look at ramping things up. Work inside, get the efficiencies down.” Together, their insights underscore that long-term growth starts with a solid foundation built on smart workflows, team alignment, and a willingness to embrace technology to evolve.

Schedule a demo today to take the next step toward growing a more efficient, profitable, digitally connected shop with AutoVitals.