Episode 202
Does Training Actually Pay Off? What Shop Owners Get Wrong About Technician Development [E202]
Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File
Training might be the most misunderstood investment in the auto-repair industry — and one of the most expensive when done wrong.
In this week’s episode of Business by the Numbers, Hunt Demarest, CPA with Paar Melis & Associates, sits down with David Boyes, President of Today’s Class, to unpack why so many training programs fail, how to actually measure technician growth, and what modern training looks like in the era of mobile learning, data tracking, and personalized development paths.
From eliminating wasted classroom hours to using data-backed insights to assign work more intelligently, this episode reveals what separates shops that get real ROI from training… from those burning thousands on ineffective education.
Whether you’re trying to develop apprentices, sharpen your A-techs, or build a learning culture that your entire team buys into, this episode gives you the roadmap.
This episode is a must for shop owners, service advisors, training managers, and anyone responsible for technician development or operational performance.
What you’ll discover…
(03:00) The evolution of training methods
(05:08) The false assumption shop owners make when they “check the box” by sending someone to class
(06:00) Why broad, general classes often fail and how personalization changes everything
(09:00) How data reveals technician strengths, weaknesses, and readiness for advanced courses
(12:44) What “daily, 3–5 minute micro-training” looks like and why it works
(17:15) The “soft ROI” shops miss: engagement, retention, and knowledge-sharing culture
(20:00) Why your techs “don’t want training” and what shop owners are doing wrong
(24:05) Should shops pay techs for training? Or position it as part of the job?
(26:00) How data can reshape dispatching and technician workload
(27:25) Can older techs adapt to micro-learning and app-based training?
Thanks to our partner Promotive
It’s time to hire a superstar for your business; what a grind you have in front of you. Introducing Promotive, a full-service staffing solution for your shop. Promotive has over 40 years of recruiting and automotive experience. If you need qualified technicians and service advisors and want to offload the heavy lifting, visit https://gopromotive.com/
Thanks to our Partner WickedFile
Turn chaos into clarity with WickedFile, the AI for auto repair shops. Transform invoices into insights, protect cash flow, and stop losing parts, cores, or credits to maximize your bottom line. visit https://info.wickedfile.com/
Paar Melis and Associates – Accountants Specializing in Automotive Repair
Visit us Online: www.paarmelis.com
Email Hunt: podcast@paarmelis.com
Text Paar Melis @ 301-307-5413
Download a Copy of My Books Here:
The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/
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