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Meet Paige: The Auto Repair Industry’s First 24/7 AI Recruiter[THA 481]

Meet Paige: The Auto Repair Industry’s First 24/7 AI Recruiter[THA 481]

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast Apr 17, 2026 41 min
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About this episode

Ghosting in auto hiring is getting worse, with both candidates and shops guilty of dropping the ball—often driven by technician shortages, high application volume, and weak accountability. The conversation shifts to culture and retention: training, feedback, recognition, and small team-focused perks can make shops easier to recruit for. Promotive’s AI voice recruiter, “Paige,” is then demoed—texting applicants instantly to complete a virtual screen and sending shops prioritized summaries. Paige’s 24/7 approach aims to reduce wasted calls and speed up hiring while improving candidate engagement.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Company

NapaTracks

"Did you know that NapaTracks, they have on-site training and that's the thing I've been talking to a lot of shop owners about... NapaTracks will move your shop into the SMS fast lane with on-site training, six days a week support and local representation."

NapaTracks is a company that helps car repair shops learn and use their business software better. They also provide training and support so shops can get up to speed faster.

Concept

shop management system (SMS)

"Hey, let's face it, your shop management system is the most critical tool in your shop and NapaTracks will move your shop into the SMS fast lane with on-site training, six days a week support and local representation."

A shop management system is the software that helps a car repair shop organize jobs and talk to customers. It can help with scheduling, estimates, and keeping everything on track so nothing gets missed.

Concept

service advisor quizzes

"Test their automotive skills with the today's class basic advanced or service advisor quizzes. It's a quick, effective way to spot gaps and grow stronger teams."

They’re talking about short quizzes to see how well service advisors know automotive information. The goal is to spot what people don’t know yet and then train to fill those gaps.

Company

Kukui

"Shop owners stop juggling multiple marketing tools. Kukui's integrated platform. They deliver four times better website conversions, automated follow up and real time ROI tracking."

Kukui is a marketing tool for car repair shops. It helps turn website visitors into leads, automatically follows up, and shows what marketing is actually paying off.

Company

Pit Crew Loyalty

"You're probably tired of chasing new customers who never return. We understand. Pit Crew Loyalty ends the one and done cycle, turning first visits into lasting reliable revenue on the web at pitcrewloyalty.com."

Pit Crew Loyalty is about getting customers to come back after their first visit. Instead of just getting one appointment, it aims to build repeat business.

Company

Paige

"Her name's Paige. We're going to talk about Paige... we're going to talk about this A-I voice for Promotive called Paige here in a minute."

They’re talking about an AI assistant named Paige. It’s used to help with recruiting for auto repair shops, and the name is a clever nod to “AI.”

Concept

full-time job

"And then imagine if you have 10 other shops calling you and you're working a full-time job and you have a family and you have three or four or five other interviews already lined up"

A “full-time job” means someone is already working a regular schedule. The hosts are pointing out that candidates may be busy, so delays or poor communication can make the process frustrating.

Concept

soft skills

"Part of a discussion this morning in our mastermind was soft skills. I think about soft skills. We asked that question in the mastermind and everybody had another one of those."

Soft skills are the “people skills” you use at work. They include being empathetic, communicating clearly, and following through. In an auto shop, these skills affect how customers and coworkers feel, not just the repairs themselves.

Concept

empathy

"You agree that part of our problems today is we don't have that empathy or soft skills thing on both sides. Oh, absolutely."

Empathy is the ability to understand and share another person’s feelings or perspective. The hosts connect it to hiring and customer service outcomes—suggesting that when empathy is missing on either side, people feel let down and relationships break down.

Concept

candidate retention timeline (three to four months)

"[661.0s] They're circling back around to us three months later... [671.1s] ...are they going to leave three, four months from now?"

They’re talking about whether new hires stick around. If someone leaves within a few months, it usually means the job or the shop wasn’t what they expected, or it wasn’t a good match.

Concept

culture fit

"[692.9s] ...we want to find that perfect as there's no perfect, [696.2s] but that culture fit to where two, three years down the road..."

Culture fit means whether the person’s personality and work style match how the shop operates. If it’s a good match, they’re more likely to stay and feel proud of their career progress.

Concept

employee retention

"Do you ever share any retention ideas with clients? Training, ongoing training, giving feedback for them, celebrating their birthday, celebrating their work anniversary, something along that line to just celebrate that they're in their shop making a difference."

Employee retention just means getting people to want to stay working at the same shop. The hosts are saying that training, feedback, and recognition help employees feel appreciated instead of wanting to quit.

Concept

shop culture

"The word culture, Lisa, is I'm struggling with culture. Even though I believe how important it is, we've done countless episodes that have a culture theme... and so in the mastermind this morning here at Vision, 24 cop shop operators, culture came up so much."

Shop culture is basically the shop’s “vibe” and how people are treated at work. If the culture is healthy, it’s easier to attract and keep good employees, because people want to work somewhere they feel valued.

Topic

mastermind

"And so in the mastermind this morning here at Vision, 24 cop shop operators, culture came up so much. And I said, you sick and tired of hearing about culture? No, that's our business."

A mastermind is like a guided group meeting where people in the same industry talk through what’s working and what isn’t. In this episode, it’s used to compare notes on shop culture.

Company

Vision

"And so in the mastermind this morning here at Vision, 24 cop shop operators, culture came up so much. And I said, you sick and tired of hearing about culture? No, that's our business."

“Vision” is the name of the place or group hosting the mastermind meeting. The episode uses it as the setting for shop owners to talk about how to improve their businesses.

Company

360

"I mean, I could write books on culture from all of my years with 360 and now Promotive. And I'm on boards of companies and culture is critical."

“360” is referenced as part of the speaker’s career history (“years with 360”). The transcript doesn’t clarify the full company name, but it’s used to frame experience with culture and recruiting.

Concept

workplace culture

"And I'm on boards of companies and culture is critical. And it's not as hard as I think shops think it could be. And it's little simple things that make a huge difference."

They’re talking about “workplace culture,” meaning how a shop treats people and what it feels like to work there. Their point is that small, thoughtful things can make employees happier and easier to hire.

Concept

human connection

"So one thing, for example, I'm very envious of anybody that gets to work in an office environment in the shop environment because human connection, I would be nowhere where I am today without being in the office with the human connection I have."

They’re saying people do better when they feel connected to others at work. The guest thinks shops can create that same sense of connection, even if it’s not an office.

Concept

employee engagement ideas (team brings children's art)

"But if I was a shop owner, the simplest thing to do is to allow their team to bring their children's art and hang it up with clothes pins across a string on one of the walls... And then the other is 10... And there's companies that exist now because of that, where you can take pictures of the art and then it'll turn it into scrapbooks."

They suggest a simple way to make the shop feel friendly: let employees display their kids’ artwork. It’s meant to help people feel valued, which can make hiring easier.

Concept

profitability in real time

"We provide an extensive set of tools to increase and track profitability in real time. NapaTracks offers the industry's best post-sale support, hands down, and we train your people on-site."

“Real-time” profitability tracking means you can see how the shop is doing as things happen, not just later. That can help you catch problems early instead of discovering them after the numbers are already final.

Concept

on-site training

"NapaTracks offers the industry's best post-sale support, hands down, and we train your people on-site. Yep, on-site."

On-site training means someone comes to your shop to teach your team how to use a new tool or follow a new process. It usually makes it easier for everyone to get up to speed quickly.

Concept

remote refresher training

"And we offer remote refresher training 10 times a week. And customer support is open six days a week."

Remote refresher training is extra practice sessions online after the first training. The goal is to help people remember what they learned and keep improving over time.

Company

Facebook community

"Give us a call, visit the website, or join our Facebook community today to learn more. We'll prove to you that Tracks is the single best shop management system in the business."

They’re also pointing to a Facebook group/community as another place to learn and get help. It suggests you can connect with other shop owners and stay updated outside of the website.

Concept

leader board

"Plus, add a competitive edge with our leader board to make learning fun and rewarding for everyone. For effective training that delivers, turn to today's class dot com."

A leader board is a scoreboard that shows who’s doing well in the training. It’s meant to make learning more fun and encourage people to keep improving.

Company

today's class dot com

"For effective training that delivers, turn to today's class dot com. Plus, add a competitive edge with our leader board to make learning fun and rewarding for everyone."

“today's class dot com” is where they say you can get training for your automotive team. The pitch is that the training is organized and designed to improve results at the shop.

Concept

missed calls

"Shop owners, we know you are overwhelmed with a flood of missed calls, empty bays, and disconnected marketing tools."

Missed calls are when people call your shop and no one answers. That can mean you lose work you could have booked, so it’s a big deal for shop owners.

Concept

empty bays

"Shop owners, we know you are overwhelmed with a flood of missed calls, empty bays, and disconnected marketing tools."

Empty bays are work spaces in the shop that aren’t being used. If bays are empty, the shop isn’t making money from that capacity, even though the shop still has expenses.

Concept

disconnected marketing tools

"Shop owners, we know you are overwhelmed with a flood of missed calls, empty bays, and disconnected marketing tools."

Disconnected marketing tools means your marketing and your shop operations don’t “talk” to each other. That can make it harder to track leads and respond quickly, so potential customers slip through.

Concept

24-7 online booking

"[1100.6s] Smart, innovative CRM with automated follow-up, 24-7 online booking, and real-time ROI tracking."

24-7 online booking lets customers schedule a car service whenever they want, not just during the shop’s hours. That usually helps because people can book right away instead of giving up.

Concept

CRM

"[1100.6s] Smart, innovative CRM with automated follow-up, 24-7 online booking, and real-time ROI tracking."

CRM is a computer system that helps a business keep track of customers and leads. It can automatically send messages and reminders so people don’t fall through the cracks after they first contact the shop.

Concept

ROI tracking

"[1100.6s] Smart, innovative CRM with automated follow-up, 24-7 online booking, and real-time ROI tracking."

ROI tracking is a way to measure whether spending money is paying off. For a shop, it helps figure out which marketing efforts bring in real customers, not just clicks.

Concept

one and done

"[1126.0s] You know, most shop owners feel trapped, spending on ads while half their first-time [1130.3s] customers never come back. [1136.2s] The industry average is 54%, one and done."

“One and done” means a customer comes in one time and then doesn’t come back. The idea is that better follow-up and loyalty can turn that into repeat business.

Concept

lifetime value

"[1145.1s] Our clients cut that rate by up to 38%, raising lifetime value by more than 50%. [1150.8s] Loyalty members visit nearly three times more often, creating predictable revenue"

Lifetime value means how much money a customer is expected to bring in over time. If customers keep returning for services, the shop’s lifetime value goes up.

Concept

ghosting theme

"[1165.7s] We want to talk about AI right now. [1168.1s] Yeah, well, it kind of goes into the ghosting theme."

“Ghosting” here means people stop responding after they’ve shown interest. The point is that shops need better follow-up so customers don’t fall away.

Term

service advisors

"[1176.7s] And we have priorities, and we have to get cars out the door. [1180.8s] And we have to improve our service advisors' phone skills. [1185.0s] And we're working on the text fighting in the back."

Service advisors are the people you talk to at the shop when you’re dropping off your car. They’re responsible for keeping you updated and helping the repair process move smoothly.

Term

text fighting

"[1180.8s] And we have to improve our service advisors' phone skills. [1185.0s] And we're working on the text fighting in the back. [1188.1s] One guy took some other guy's tool and misplaced it, whatever the case is."

“Text fighting” appears to refer to internal miscommunication or conflict caused by texting during work (e.g., unclear messages, disputes, or delays). While not a standard automotive term, it’s relevant to shop operations because communication breakdowns can slow down repairs and lead to errors.

Concept

circular reference in Excel

"And it is this circular reference in Excel here that just you can't move forward with [1208.8s] one part not moving."

In Excel, a circular reference is when formulas keep referring back to each other in a loop. The host is using it to describe a “stuck” process where one missing step stops everything from moving.

Concept

24/7 AI recruiter

"So we created the first ever automotive exclusive virtual recruiter. [1216.4s] And it's been a lot of work going into it. [1220.6s] She continues to get better and better."

This is basically an AI assistant that works all day and night to help hire people. Instead of waiting for a shop owner to call back, it can immediately message applicants and guide them to the next step.

Company

Indeed

"A lot of times it's just messaging through Indeed. [1246.4s] Like, hey, thanks for applying. [1247.6s] And you're hoping that the candidate looks at their Indeed that day."

Indeed is a major job-search platform where candidates apply to listings and employers can message applicants. The episode highlights that many shops rely on Indeed messaging, which can lead to delays or applicants not noticing the message the same day.

Concept

instant text message invites them to do the virtual interview

"But the second they apply, they get an instant text message to their phone [1256.6s] that invites them to do the virtual interview, which is the first step."

They’re describing a system where, the moment someone applies, they get a text right away. That text tells them what to do next—start a virtual interview—so fewer people fall through the cracks.

Concept

red flag

"If you apply to my job and you really want it, [1271.4s] Carm, and I say the first step is to do this and you don't do it, that's a red flag, right?"

A “red flag” is a sign that something might be wrong. Here it means if a candidate doesn’t follow the instructions after applying, it suggests they may not be serious.

Company

chat GPT

"They're not professional resume builders. [1288.0s] They're not having somebody review their resume or putting it into chat GPT and [1294.8s] saying, make me something fancy."

ChatGPT is an AI tool people can use to help write or improve text. The hosts are saying some applicants don’t use tools like that to make their resumes look more professional.

Concept

job hopping

"So we judge books by their cover and we don't dig in into why their job hopping, whatever the case is."

“Job hopping” refers to candidates changing jobs frequently, which can be a red flag for employers or a sign of other issues (like poor fit, layoffs, or learning opportunities). The hosts mention it as something they try to understand rather than judge purely on the resume.

Topic

resume builder

"We do have a resume builder and we'll help them. And we try to, when we get them on the phone as humans, we want to know what they're not putting on their resume."

A resume builder is a tool that helps candidates create or improve their resume. Here, the recruiter uses it as part of the hiring funnel—supporting applicants so they present their experience more clearly to the shop.

Topic

local shop directions/landmarks

"They don't even know where my shop is. So maybe part of the job is, hey, we're the blue and gold place. We've got this really neat canopy. We're right next door to this McDonald's."

The hosts discuss using simple, familiar landmarks (like a nearby McDonald’s and a red light) to help candidates find the auto shop. This is a practical recruiting/retention tactic: reducing friction for new hires and improving first-day logistics.

Brand

McDonald's

"We've got this really neat canopy. We're right next door to this McDonald's. You know where the mall is?"

They mention McDonald's as a nearby place so people can find the shop. It’s just a location reference.

Concept

hour and a half commute

"Well, 25 miles in certain areas could be an hour and a half commute, depending on the time of the day. [1390.9s] So the techs are applying to jobs sometimes that they know"

The segment highlights how a seemingly small distance radius (25 miles) can translate into a very long commute time depending on local traffic patterns. That mismatch can lead to applicants applying for jobs they won’t realistically take.

Concept

sort by most relevant

"And when you sort by most relevant, who's going to be the top? [1406.6s] It's the ones paying the most in ads."

Even if a job looks “most relevant,” the top results may be pushed there by marketing/ads. So the best match isn’t always what shows first.

Company

Carvana

"what Carvana is paying, AutoNation is paying. [1421.0s] I know from talking to some Indeed reps, [1424.3s] these Carvana as one example, AutoNation, they're spending $500,000 plus a month on ads."

Carvana is used here as an example of a company that spends a lot of money on advertising to attract workers. That spending can make it hard for small shops to compete on job boards.

Company

AutoNation

"what Carvana is paying, AutoNation is paying. [1421.0s] I know from talking to some Indeed reps, [1424.3s] these Carvana as one example, AutoNation, they're spending $500,000 plus a month on ads."

AutoNation is mentioned as another big player that can afford to pay more for job ads. That can put their listings ahead of smaller businesses.

Term

technician

"[1466.3s] And you want me to play the role of I'm looking for a job? [1470.1s] Yeah, be a technician. [1471.3s] You just applied to Bob's Automotive."

A technician is the mechanic who works on cars—figuring out what’s wrong and fixing it. In this segment, that’s the type of job Paige is trying to fill.

Company

Bob's Automotive

"[1470.1s] Yeah, be a technician. [1471.3s] You just applied to Bob's Automotive. [1475.1s] Here we go. [1475.7s] Hopefully, you can all hear this call."

Bob's Automotive is used as the example employer in the simulated phone call. It represents a typical automotive shop that would use the AI recruiting workflow described in the episode.

Concept

virtual recruiter

"[1481.3s] This is Paige. [1482.3s] I'm a virtual recruiter powered by Promotive. [1489.9s] I'm here to learn more about you, your background, [1492.6s] and your interest in automotive position."

A virtual recruiter is like an AI assistant that helps a company find job candidates. Instead of a person doing the first call, the AI asks questions and gathers your info.

Company

Promotive

"[1481.3s] This is Paige. [1482.3s] I'm a virtual recruiter powered by Promotive. [1484.4s] Promotive partners with automotive shops in your area to find and hire quality automotive talent."

Promotive is the company behind the AI recruiting system. It helps car repair shops find mechanics and other automotive workers.

Concept

time-to-complete (11 hours / 15 minutes)

"And we're getting about 40% to 50% of our applicants today are completing it within 11 hours from them applying... And of those 40 to 50 applicants in 11 hours... They take on average about 15 minutes."

They’re tracking how quickly people finish the first steps. If most people complete it fast, the process is probably easier and more effective.

Concept

pre-qualification / instant follow-up

"So you apply and then you immediately get a text message saying to call Page, this is the first step, and they do it... And for those that don't know... They take on average about 15 minutes. We're getting these to the shop so much faster."

They’re moving fast after someone applies—right away they text them and guide them to the next step. That helps get people to the shop sooner instead of waiting days.

Car

Master Tech

"... Like the brand new, we don't want to mess up the master tech applicants. And they started doing it and they'r..."

“Master” sounds like a car model name, but the information you shared doesn’t say which brand or which exact car it is. To explain it clearly, we’d need the manufacturer name or more context from the podcast. Then we can describe what the car is used for and what makes it notable.

Concept

skin in the game

"So they already have, for lack of better term, skin in the game. Think about a book you're reading and you're like 50 pages in and it's a 300 page book."

It means people have already put some effort in, so they’re less likely to quit. Once you’ve started, you usually feel more motivated to finish.

Concept

beta

"What are the applicants saying? Have you tried this? Is it in beta? Where are we at this?"

Beta means the tool is still being tested and improved. Some parts may not work perfectly yet, and the company may update it as they learn.

Concept

educated guess

"So it helps us make a more educated guess on who we should be reaching out to as a priority. And we tell them that we'll fast-track their application to the top, which we do."

They’re using information they already have to decide who to contact first. Instead of guessing, they use the screening results to make a smarter choice.

Concept

fast-track their application

"And we tell them that we'll fast-track their application to the top, which we do. So anybody that completes a virtual screen goes ahead of just an applicant in general."

Fast-tracking means the best candidates get reviewed sooner than everyone else. It’s basically a way to speed up the hiring process for people who match what the shop needs.

Concept

virtual screen

"So anybody that completes a virtual screen goes ahead of just an applicant in general. So we're using it on our own for the last four or five months."

A virtual screen is like an online first check of job applicants. It helps the company quickly decide who looks like a good fit before spending time on interviews.

Concept

screened candidates

"[2157.3s] Somebody has the Sunday scaries. [2158.9s] They're applying and they instantly get a text. [2160.4s] Guess what? [2161.4s] Our shops are coming in with screened candidates"

This means applicants get filtered first, so the shop doesn’t have to look at everyone. The system tries to find people who are more likely to fit the job before sending them over.

Concept

Black Friday

"“Black Friday wipes out shopping and they're saying, what am I going to do now? I'm so frustrated and I got to break out.”"

They’re using “Black Friday” like a dramatic example. The idea is: when something big suddenly stops working, people get stressed and have to quickly figure out what to do next.

Term

immediate texting

"“That was before we had the immediate texting launched with it. So it was just through email notifications.”"

Immediate texting means the system sends a quick text message right away. The point is that texts get attention faster than email, so people respond sooner.

Term

email notifications

"“So it was just through email notifications. Hey, this was great.”"

Email notifications are automatic emails that tell you something happened. Here, it means the system used to alert people by email before it could also text them right away.

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