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Associated Press
29-06-2025
- Automotive
- Associated Press
Auto Shops Use New AI Tool to Turn Bad Reviews Into Technician Recruiting Wins
New ChatGPT-Powered Tool Generates Professional Review Responses 80% Faster, Addressing Automotive Industry's $2.5 Billion Talent Crisis 'Poorly handled reviews don't just lose customers—they actively repel skilled automotive technicians and keep them from applying at your shop.'— Chris Lawson OCEANSIDE, CA, UNITED STATES, June 29, 2025 / / -- In an industry where a single negative review can cost thousands in lost revenue and scare away desperately needed automotive technicians, a new AI-powered tool is helping independent auto repair shops turn their worst PR nightmares into recruitment advantages. The Negative Review Response Generator, developed by automotive industry hiring consultant Chris Lawson, uses advanced ChatGPT technology trained on over 100 real-world review responses to craft authentic, professional replies in seconds—addressing a critical pain point for the 270,000+ independent auto repair shops struggling with both online reputation management and technician shortages. The tool's launch comes at a pivotal moment: The automotive repair industry faces an estimated shortage of 642,000 technicians by 2026, according to TechForce Foundation data, while BrightLocal research shows that 87% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses, with automotive services ranking among the most review-dependent industries. 'Shop owners are literally freezing at their keyboards when faced with negative reviews,' said Chris Lawson, founder of Technician Find and creator of the tool. 'What most don't realize is that poorly handled reviews don't just lose customers—they're actively repelling the skilled technicians they desperately need to hire. Great techs always check shop reviews before applying so managing negative reviews is critical if you are looking to hire automotive technicians.' Real Shop Owners Report Immediate Results Brian K., General Manager at Automotive Magic in Kenvil, NJ, recently faced what he calls 'every shop owner's nightmare"—a detailed negative Yelp review filled with accusations of overcharging and unnecessary upsells. Despite reaching out personally, the customer refused to budge, leaving Brian staring at a blank screen, emotionally triggered and unsure how to respond publicly. 'What a great tool Chris!' Brian reported after using the Negative Review Response Generator to craft a professional response. 'No more emotional second-guessing or blank cursor paralysis—just copy, paste, and post.' The tool addresses a compound problem for the automotive repair industry: With technician wages rising sharply each year in competitive markets and shops spending an average of $5,000-$8,000 or more per hire on recruitment, a few unaddressed negative reviews can literally cost shops tens of thousands in lost hiring opportunities. AI Meets Automotive: How It Works Unlike generic AI writing tools that produce robotic responses, the Negative Review Response Generator has been meticulously trained on Lawson's database of successful review responses written for dozens of auto repair shops over seven years. Shop owners simply input the negative review along with their side of the story (drawn from invoices, , repair orders, associated notes and conversations with service advisors and technicians), and general business information, and the tool generates an authentic, professional response that: • Addresses customer concerns with empathy and professionalism • Protects the shop's reputation without sounding defensive • Demonstrates the shop's commitment to quality service • Includes strategic elements that appeal to both potential customers and job-seeking technicians 'Fed a dataset of dozens of real negative shop reviews and effective professionally written responses, the tool understands the unique challenges that independent auto shops face and the high stakes of each customer interaction,' Lawson explained. Addressing the Industry's Dual Crisis According to the Auto Care Association, the average auto repair shop loses $3,500 per unfilled technician position per week. Combined with the reputation damage from unaddressed negative reviews, shops face a devastating one-two punch that threatens their survival. Shawn, another shop owner using the tool, successfully handled a recent review crisis: 'I handled this review situation and replied on Yelp already. Thanks for all the help and the GPT Tool.' His confidence in responding quickly prevented the negative review from festering online and potentially deterring both customers and job applicants. Available Now to Technician Find skool Community Members The Negative Review Response Generator is currently available exclusively to members of the Free Technician Find skool community, where independent auto shop owners and managers collaborate on solving the industry's most pressing hiring challenges. Lawson has also released an 11-minute demonstration video showing exactly how shops can use AI to produce natural, human-sounding responses that build trust rather than sounding robotic. 'This isn't about hiding from criticism,' Lawson emphasized. 'It's about responding with class, compassion, and conviction in a way that turns critics into customers and shows potential employees that you run a professional operation.' For automotive repair shops tired of losing customers and technicians to poor online reputation management, the Negative Review Response Generator represents a critical competitive advantage in an increasingly digital marketplace. About Technician Find Technician Find helps automotive repair shops solve their staffing challenges through innovative recruitment strategies, professional copywriting, and cutting-edge digital marketing tools. Founded by Christopher T. Lawson, the company has helped over 200 shops build high-performance teams that attract and retain top industry talent. For more information visit their website: Chris Lawson Technician Find email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Facebook YouTube Other Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Report: As more students pursue automotive tech education, labor gap remains
This story was originally published on Automotive Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Automotive Dive newsletter. The number of automotive technicians employed in the U.S. reached 794,600 in 2023, according to the TechForce 2024 Supply & Demand report. The growing workforce is over 5% higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019. The projected demand for automotive service technicians is expected to rise by over 470,000 between 2024-2028, according to the report. Meanwhile, the number of post-secondary completions in the transportation field increased for the second year in a row, reaching 37,449 in 2023, which may help address expected shortage of qualified technicians. As the national shortage of automotive technicians persists, TechForce Foundation CEO Jennifer Maher said it is good news to see the number of students pursuing automotive technician training increasing for the second year in a row, according to data from the TechForce 2024 Supply & Demand report. The attitude that every student should pursue a four-year university degree has broadly changed, Maher said. As the auto industry transitions to electrification, the high-tech field is becoming more appealing for young people to work in, she added. However, Maher wants the automotive industry to improve retention of young technicians by offering higher compensation for entry-level roles and building a more conducive workplace culture that many Gen Z workers seek from a career. 'There's a lot of employers who really believe you've got to pay your dues and work on the lube rack for several years,' she said. 'The problem with that is, this is a gaming generation and an information generation, so they want to know how quickly they can master and go up.' Of the more than 37,000 students who finished post-secondary automotive technician education in 2023, more than half attended a two-year public institution. Universal Technical Institute, a private post-secondary institution in Arizona, had the most graduates in 2023, with 693 students completing their automotive training programs. However, the industry must make up ground, as demand for automotive technicians is expected to grow to over 471,000 between 2024-2028, according to the report. The report projects a demand for over 89,000 new automotive technician roles in 2028, 71,671 of which will be 'replacement positions from separations'—defined in the report as new openings created by retirement and turnover. It attributes the remaining demand to growth in the industry. Maher said it is also important to consider that students pursuing post-secondary school for technician roles have options beyond the automotive industry. 'Every other industry is poaching from the same pipeline,' she said. 'It's the same kid they all want, whether you go diesel or you go to wind turbines. They're all looking for these kids who want to take it apart, put it back together, problem solve, work with their hands.' Recommended Reading Why aren't more women joining automotive manufacturing? Sign in to access your portfolio
