Van Batenburg: What Are You Afraid Of?

I have just completed a two-week class on hybrid (HEV) and electric plug-ins (EV) at my training center. In this class were five technicians, including the store’s owner. They boarded a plane and flew across the country to get up to speed on the last 26 years of electrification. From the first hybrids to the latest Tesla, they want to be the go-to shop in their area. Many other local techs attended as well.

What fears did they have to overcome in order to make such a commitment? Here is a list:

1. 1. Will EVs go away? 

2. 2. What will my anti-EV customers think? 

3. 3. Will I get a return on my investment? 

4. 4. Will the cost of equipment prevent me from getting in? 

5. 5. Will my friends shun me? 

6. 6. Will my staff have opinions that will create a shop environment that is divided? 

7. 7. Will I be perceived as un-American, given the views of the current White House? 

8. 8. I drive a big truck that guzzles fuel. Do I need to change my vehicle? 

9. 9. What if I don’t embrace EVs? Will I lose customers? 

10. 10. I am getting pressure from my family to consider the impact of burning fossil fuels and the climate.

The acronym F.E.A.R. stands for “false evidence appearing real.” We are born with only two fears: the fear of loud noises and the fear of being dropped. These instincts are survival mechanisms. All other fears are learned through experience and culture. Depending on our age, ethnicity, neighborhood, parents and friends, the fears we have learned can be many. Many fears are false.

I was raised in Ogden, Utah, until I was 12. Moving to Worcester, Mass., at that young age, I had to overcome my fears of others who were not like me. Those first years can set a lifetime of good and bad thoughts, prejudice, love and hate, discipline or laziness and countless other things. As we mature and go back over what we learned as children, it will change us. A solid marriage with a loving spouse can help us grow. Children will test our patience. Fears will stop us from moving into what we need to do. Getting stuck in a rut can happen.

As owners and managers, we need to make decisions daily and big decisions yearly. New equipment wears out and must be replaced. Old ways of thinking wear out, too. I see many tire dealerships selling to larger chains. The small dealerships that survive have learned to adapt. 

One large tire store chain that boasts over 80 locations in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island and my state of Massachusetts sent four techs to our Up Your Voltage course a decade ago. They spent seven days at our company, Automotive Career Development Center, learning how to service and repair HEVs. They are due back soon to keep up to date with the latest EVs.

Did the company waste its time and money? If you have one location or many, staying in the game is essential. Let’s address the fears listed above.

First, EVs will not go away. They make sense to many car owners and if America wants to stay competitive worldwide, we need to be a leader in electric drive systems. 

Second, your anti-EV customers will voice their opinions, like many other customers do about all sorts of things. Smile and do not engage.

Next, everything you invest in to run your business must be worthwhile. Some of it cannot be measured, but EV repair can be. The cost of equipment is less than you think. 

If your friends shun you, they were never your friends to begin with.

Meet with your staff on a regular basis. Keep the purpose of your tire dealership in front of your mind. If you have an instigator among your team, talk privately. 

Remember, politics has always been “us versus them.” If the subject of politics comes up, talk about one America, where we all live. Shut down the conversation if it gets personal.

Also, keep in mind that people drive for enjoyment, status and to get places. It helps to have a “family vehicle” and a “company car”. If you can afford both, do it.

Finally, having a company EV makes sense, even if it only gets parked at the entrance to the store, plugged in. This is good optics.

Lastly, I am getting pressure from my family to consider the impact of the climate. Make sure you listen, especially to the younger generation and your kids. They may have a point.