Creating a Good Shop Culture
As we near the 20th anniversary of Lube and Latte (May 2027), I get to reflect back on all that we have created over the years. When I started the business I really had no idea of what I was doing and what it took to make a good shop. Back in the day I was just trying to keep my head on straight and somehow find a way to pay the bills and keep the doors open. I would get up around 3:30 in the morning so that I could get to work by 4:30 a.m. and be open by 5 a.m. At that time, a client across the street from the shop used to come in as soon as the lights clicked on and he became a fixture in the store. I miss that guy!
In those early days I did my best to hire good people and treat them right and as the years passed many faces changed. Only one person remains from those days and he’s now been with me for the last 17 years. When he came on board I knew literally nothing about “staff culture” and the words really didn’t enter the lexicon until more recently when it became paramount to build an environment that cared for employees and take the steps necessary to get rid of any bad apples that might be a drain on a business. I’ve been really proud over the years to hire, by and large, people whose hearts were in the right place and who shared with me the mission of taking care of others. This isn’t to say we’ve been 100% on target. We’ve had our share of whiffs and had to make some difficult changes. But I feel confident saying we’ve been successful in putting together a top-notch staff.
The automotive industry is filled with interesting characters that make a good company culture a challenge if you haven’t been steeped in the world of automotive repair. In the nearly twenty years of our existence I have had to do extensive study on DISC profiles and management to understand how my staff ticks and to speak to them in their language. I feel like the years have made me pretty adept at this, but thank goodness for my background in anger in conflict management. A few things I’ve learned that have been amazing for working, not only with my staff, but with my clients, vendors and partners.
When I hear about an issue, I try never to make a judgement call until I’ve done some serious fact-finding. I discover, all too often, that there are many different perspectives that resulted in the issue occurring and that it usually involves a simple communication breakdown. It’s amazing what a minor misunderstanding can balloon into.
Feedback is key when you run a business and it is important to not just to listen, but to actively listen. So many people are prone to hear something and then just brush it off. It is unbelievable how many good ideas are out there if you are just open to them.
I like to check in with my staff at least once a week. The bigger we have gotten over the years, the harder it is to have check-ins with my employees. But knowing about their lives: their families, vacations, challenges and wins, is critical to keeping them on staff and open to conversation.
We celebrate with them on these wins and coach them on their losses. Everybody does something good at some point and it is so important to recognize that. And, everyone has things that they could do better, and we have to help replicate that. But all negativity breeds resentment and distrust. I try to teach this to my managers who sometimes are still learning how to play nice with others.
Humor is a beautiful thing. I love to tease my staff or, if I know them well enough, my clients. It is astounding how much a little jesting does to bring levity to a serious situation…of which there are many in the automotive repair field. I love to give people a hard time, but try to couple that with positive feedback so it isn’t just a straight-shot of sarcasm, which doesn’t always play well.
I love my shops and the people in them. They are a joy to work with every day and I am always excited to go visit and see what my people are up to. In turn we have an incredible place to work that has a culture that is commendable.