👀 Looking At The Future

TOGETHER WITH

The last time I took in my car for service, I saw a dozen people, but only 2 "saw" me.

Their eyes, smile, and a brief pause to see if I needed anything made the whole difference in my experience.

You can't be everything to everybody, but you can be your genuine self to everyone you meet. Sometimes, that makes the real difference.

Keep Pushing Back
-Chris Reeves

DEALERS

Motorcycles on a Mission

Tony Graham Automotive is trading in 4 wheels in favor of 2 this weekend in support of an amazing cause — the Ottawa Motorcycle Ride For Dad event. 🏍️

Ride For Dad began in 2000 with a clear mission: to save lives by reducing preventable deaths from prostate cancer. What started as a community fundraiser has become a national charity with dedicated volunteers from coast to coast.

Each year, thousands of participants raise funds across Canada, with proceeds going to benefit the Prostate Cancer Fight Foundation. 🥊

Ride For Dad has raised over $39M for the cause. In addition to pioneering life-saving research, more than 25 research institutions and hospitals have initiated new projects like awareness campaigns through the donations raised.

Telling it like it is - If you have an affinity for hogs and helping others, it’s not too late to participate! The ride-along kicks off June 3rd in Ottawa.

AUTOMOTIVE

Healthy and Happy: Fixed Ops

Data shows the number of working-age adults (15-65) will drop 3% this decade. Addressing worker shortages will only become more complex as it becomes more critical with time. For service departments, keeping up is better than catching up. Here are some tips gathered from Ted Ings' Fixed Ops Roundtable:

👨‍🔧 Always consider culture when hiring: Alongside technical skills, consider attributes such as reliability, professionalism, energy, team fit, and personability, especially given the parts department's close interaction with customers. The best worker in the world isn’t worth much if everybody else quits.

📚 Hire and then train: Rather than focusing exclusively on technical colleges or training programs, consider recruiting from high schools or service industries like the restaurant business. You already want new hires to learn the way you do things. Cut the ‘unlearning’ part!

🙋‍♀️ Ask around: Helping team members reach their goals and full potential could also boost their job satisfaction and retention. Mutually assured success.

🎵 "Moving on up": Provide a clear roadmap from entry-level to senior positions. This not only attracts ambitious new hires but also motivates current employees. Don’t make them ask how to move up. Write it on the wall so they never forget.

Telling it like it is - What did we miss? Send us your tips for a healthy, happy, and powerful team, and we will share them with the community!

TOGETHER WITH AUTOMOTIVE VENTURES

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AUTOMOTIVE

Motor Morsels: News from China, Texas, and the UK

🇨🇳🎸🍾

China's factory activity is slumping, and its markets are following suit. So industry leaders are working with policymakers and courting outsiders for a much-needed boost. Elon Musk, for instance, visited the country this week and was treated like a rockstar amid conversations about deepening Tesla investments in the country. On the other hand, VW's COO said they like their share of the Chinese market but would sooner see it dip than enter a "price war" to keep it.

🤠💰👷‍♀️

Gas taxes often go to support the roads and highways in a state. Texas is looking to balance the influx of electric vehicles with a $400 flat fee paid to register an EV, with a $200 renewal fee each year. Drivers will pay the money in addition to nearly $100 in standard registration fees and a 6.25% sales tax. The change goes into effect on September 1. Many are watching to see what it does to EV adoption leading up to and after the start date.

⛽️🪄🔋

A UK-based company is outfitting classic roars with updated hums. Electrogenic's E43 package drops a 150-mile range, 0-60 in under 6 seconds, all-electric motor in classic 1960s roadsters and coupes like the Jaguar E-Type. Once converted, the system uses existing features, like the fuel gauge, by converting it into a charge remaining meter. Now let's see if somebody can convert a Tesla into a diesel.

TL; DR- China has ups and downs, Texas is starting a pothole fund, and a UK company is converting the classics to preserve them.

CULTURE

New Mercedes NFTs

Mercedes-Benz, typically known for classy autos, is still cruising down the crypto expressway. Partnering with Fingerprints DAO and artist Harm van den Dorpel, they're launching a collection of artsy, Ethereum-based NFTs. It's like their cars but for your digital wallet.

The twist? They're selling in a live Dutch auction, where prices drop until sold. Overpaid? Mercedes refunds the difference. But make no mistake, if you resell your shiny digital Merc, they're pocketing an 8.5% fee, so buckle up. Mercedes is bringing German engineering to the blockchain.

The company unleashed a series of tweets with video clips showing off some of the upcoming series’ vibes.

Telling it like it is - We thought all the automakers had given up on Web3. Good to see somebody still trying to make sense of that weirdness.

Quick Hits

• Advanced Auto Parts shares fall 30% following surprisingly down Q1. 🤕

• 107 million-year-old bones reveal the world’s oldest flying reptile, Pterosaur, lived in Australia. 🦖

• A ten-day study found a positive link between increased exercise and job performance in 200 people in the UK and China. 🏃‍♀️

History

• 1909: The Ocean to Ocean race begins.

• 1938: Superman appears for the first time in D.C. comics.

• 2009: General Motors files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It is the fourth-largest United States bankruptcy in history.