Auto+ Performance

04/01/2026

Is mirror matching really that important? 🤔

It’s one of those things that seems small until it isn’t.

Everything looks right on the estimate. The part number matches, it gets ordered, and no one thinks twice about it. Then reassembly comes, and that’s when you find out the part is wrong.

Now you’re reordering, updating the customer, and shifting your schedule, and cycle time takes the hit.
The reality is, this is preventable.

Mirror matching isn’t just a step in the process, it’s what keeps production moving and protects your schedule from unnecessary delays.

If you want a copy of the Mirror Matching Checklist we use inside our Driver's Seat Coaching program, we’re happy to share it. Send us a message with your email, and we’ll send it your way.

03/25/2026

After spending years walking into shops where their staff had been labeled as having “bad attitudes,” I’ve learned something important. Almost every person I meet wants to do good work. They want to show up, take pride in what they do, and feel like their effort actually matters. What gets called a bad attitude is usually frustration built up over time, especially when people can clearly see that there is a better way to do things but keep being asked to work around broken processes, unclear expectations, or tools that don’t support them.

When we start putting structure in place, walking through better practices together, and giving people the clarity they’ve been missing, the shift is tangible. You see it in how they communicate, how they approach their work, and how they take ownership again because the path forward finally makes sense. The work doesn’t suddenly get easier, but it becomes achievable, and that changes how people show up every day.

And yes, there are situations where someone simply chooses to show up with a bad attitude. Once you’ve provided training, support, clarity, and every opportunity to succeed, those situations need to be handled differently. But far more often than not, what looks like a bad attitude is really someone who cares deeply about their work and wants things to be better than they are.

Do you agree?

03/19/2026

Hosting an upcoming event in 2026?

Get it in front of the automotive industry today — for free!

It only takes a minute:
1️⃣ Visit our Events Calendar - www.automotivehub.com, click on "Events"
2️⃣ Click “Post Event Now!”
3️⃣ Sign in and add your details

Your event will gain extra exposure across the industry, helping more businesses discover and sign up. Don’t miss the chance to get noticed!

03/18/2026

If you’re reading this, it’s proof that social media marketing works. 💁‍♀️

It can work for your business too, when it’s understood and used properly. Just like repairing a vehicle, it takes time, experience, and the right approach. Social media isn’t just snapping a photo and adding a few words. It requires intention, consistency, and an understanding of how people actually engage.

When social media is one of the most affordable, and often free, ways to market your business, it’s worth taking seriously.

That’s exactly what we help automotive businesses do at Otto Creative.

03/11/2026

The way products are bought and delivered is changing, whether the industry is ready for it or not. More distributors and manufacturers are moving their inventory online, and the old model of relying on delivery drivers for every order is slowly fading.

Three years ago, we built a program specifically for distributors and manufacturers who wanted a better way to sell their products online, and it’s been encouraging to see how much that shift has accelerated since then.

Today, ecommerce is no longer a “nice to have.” Businesses want the ability to go online, place orders when it works for them, and have products shipped directly to their door without the delays and limitations of older systems. That expectation is becoming the standard.

If you’re a distributor or manufacturer who’s been thinking about listing your products online and wants to be part of where this is going, feel free to send us a message and start the conversation.

03/04/2026

You start the day with a clear plan and a full schedule, and for a moment, it feels like everything is lined up the way it should be. A few hours later, a critical part doesn’t arrive, a technician is standing there waiting for the next job, an employee needs your attention, a customer wants answers, and before you know it, you’re moving from one issue to the next without a moment to reset.

You’re busy all day, every day, and yet when you sit down to review your monthly financials and overall performance, you find yourself asking, what actually moved the business forward?

Why am I still not making a high net profit? Why can’t I get sales to grow? Why is it so hard to find quality employees?
From our experience, most owners and managers are working harder than anyone else in the building, but often it comes down to spending energy on the wrong priorities.

Being an owner or manager is about leadership, and when the person in the driver’s seat is stuck reacting instead of leading, the shop slowly starts running the leader instead of the leader running the shop.

Driver's Seat was built to support owners and managers on a monthly basis so the right priorities are addressed consistently, not just when there happens to be time.

Sometimes the biggest shift isn’t fixing a department. It’s deciding to take your seat back.

03/02/2026

March is filling up fast across the automotive industry.

From Collision Advice’s Accounting Bootcamp to AIA Canada’s CCIF Toronto, hands-on training with 3M Collision Repair, career fairs from the Collision Repair Education Foundation, ADAS sessions with REVV, and more, there’s no shortage of ways to learn, connect, and grow.

You can find them all in one place on the Automotive Hub Events Calendar.

Hosting something? Add it anytime. It’s free. 👉 https://automotiveevents.info/

Automotive Industries Association of Canada
CollisionAdvice.com 3M Collision Repair Collision Repair Education Foundation

02/25/2026

Automotive employers deserve a job platform that brings real industry candidates without the high posting fees. It’s time for something better. Automotive Job Hub

Visit 👉 www.automotivejobhub.com for more information

02/18/2026

Most shops think their parts carts are handled.

And technically, they are. The parts are on a cart. But when we take a closer look inside our Driver's Seat leadership program, it’s usually clear the cart isn’t actually set up to support the repair.

There’s a big difference between storing parts and organizing them with intention.

When carts match the flow of the job, techs wait less, part mistakes drop, and the whole day runs smoother.

If parts feel like a bottleneck in your shop, this is often one of the simplest fixes you can make.

02/11/2026

I once reached for a little afternoon sugar fix from a candy jar on a manager’s desk and joked, “I bet everyone loves stopping by your office for candy.” 🍬

That’s when I heard the story behind it.

The jar had been left by a vendor with a simple note: keep this on your desk, and I’ll refill it next time I’m back.

Such a small gesture, but it created connection, gave people a reason to stop by, and kept the brand visible every day without ever feeling pushy.

That’s the kind of marketing we believe in at Otto Creative.

02/04/2026

Finally.

Every automotive training, conference, and webinar in one place. And yes, it’s free.

Visit automotivehub.com → Events and get your event listed.

10/17/2025

A great opportunity for FREE Hands-On Technical Training Next Week at Pfaff Autoworks.

📅 Mark your calendar and take advantage of this chance to learn, grow, and stay ahead in the industry!

BusinessTraining Day RegistrationSeptember 22, 2025🚀 FREE Efficiency Edge Training Workshop – Markham!Brought to you by Collision Repair Magazine📅 Thursday, October 23, 2025 | 5:30–9:00 PM📍 Pfaff Autoworks, 189 Bullock Drive, Markham, ONThis FREE workshop is designed for collision repai...