Today’s guest is an automotive industry rockstar focused on fixing the technician shortage, and the host of a very successful automotive podcast himself. Jay Goninen is the co-founder and president of WrenchWay, whose mission is to “promote and improve technician careers in the automotive, diesel and collision industries to help address the technician shortage.” Jay is also the host of the Beyond the Wrench podcast.
Today, we’ll talk about Jay’s background, starting in the shop level, what he’s up to at WrenchWay, the technician shortage, and a whole lot more.
Episode Overview
Host Cole Strandberg and Jay start the conversation by taking a look at Jay’s background growing up in his dad's repair shop and his journey in the collision repair industry. Jay opens up about the growth of Find A Wrench and the realization that the core problem was the lack of skilled technicians. That's when WrenchWay was born, a technology platform that allows technicians to research shops and schools. It's like a job board on steroids, offering detailed information about shops and their offerings.
But what's really unique about WrenchWay is its ability to let you see what's happening behind the scenes in a shop. Not only that, WrenchWay has an amazing feature called School Connect, where schools can request donations and assistance, aiming to build better automotive programs to address the technician shortage issue. We have to give major praise to WrenchWay for its incredible efforts in tackling the ongoing technician shortage problem. But don't take our word for it---check out Wrenchway and see how it's revolutionizing the industry.
But that's not all, folks. We dive deeper into the current state of the technician space and signs of change. More people are attending advisory committee meetings, signaling a shift in the industry mindset. We discuss the importance of promoting positive experiences to attract and retain talent. And Jay emphasizes the need for a larger-scale solution combined with individual efforts to combat the shortage.
To overcome the technician shortage, shops need to be proactive and prioritize staffing. We explore how many shop owners only spend an hour per month on staffing, which hinders their chances of finding talent. But this is not how it has to be. Jay explains how through WrenchWay they have been able to provide consultation and recommendations for body shops on things like monthly staffing meetings to assess employee satisfaction and make improvements.
Watch the Episode
Listen to the Episode
Connect on Social Media
Email Jay Goninen at jayg@wrenchway.com and follow him on LinkedIn
Follow Cole Strandberg on LinkedIn
Follow Autobody News on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram
