Auto repair technicians and service advisors confront new challenges and opportunities in a rapidly evolving industry. We surveyed professionals to understand their views on technology, customer behaviour, and what they need to thrive in their careers

Auto repair technicians and service advisors are the lifeblood of the automotive service industry. As the technological and customer service landscape evolves, so too do their roles.

Today, they grapple with increasingly complex vehicle systems, the growing expectations of informed (and sometimes misinformed) customers and the pressure to continuously upskill.

Technicians and service advisors also see where the challenges lie in the business — by working day in and day out in the bays and at the service counter, they can see the unique issues holding the business back and the successes that need to be celebrated.

To understand their perspective, CARS magazine conducted a survey of these professionals to paint a detailed picture of the challenges they face, the aspects of their jobs that bring them satisfaction what they need from employers and partners to succeed and more. We asked general questions of both groups and also had some specific questions just for techs and advisors.

The hope here is that shop owners will be able to review the findings with the understanding that these responses were provided anonymously and possibly more honestly than if these questions were asked directly to their staff. Ideally, shop leaders can take it as direction for where improvements could be made and where they can build on things that work well.

Of note, we asked the same question we ask of shop owners, jobber store owners and counterpros: What’s most important in the jobber/shop relationship? Techs and advisors answered similarly as their shop owners: Availability (64 per cent).

They like their job

The overwhelming majority (82 per cent) of technicians and service advisors said they at least like their job. Most respondents (45.5 per cent) said they love their job.

“Great owner support, great hours. Most fulfilling is when rare parts are found and repairs are done on time and within quote,” one respondent highlighted.

“I get the relatively immediate satisfaction of knowing whether or not I was successful at a repair,” said another. “Doctors and lawyers may take years before achieving the same on a single case.”

And while others praised their employer for a great working environment, they also pointed to challenges in getting customers to understand the work they do.

“Educating people about their cars, the maintenance required to keep them going, explaining required repairs and what can wait,” one explained as an area that needs improvement.

One echoed this sentiment and noted that when customers have unrealistic expectations, rather than pushing back, shop leadership will add pressure on staff to get the job done in the customers’ desired, yet “unreasonable” time frame.

“What could improve is the customers’ understanding that the jobs take time and often we are booking several days out,” they added.

And for one, they summed up the job like this: “It’s a tough industry to stay with your whole life. It’s a roller coaster of emotions. Super highs and super lows. You have to ride with the punches, stay focused and remain calm. But grass is not greener on the other side. Every occupation has its hurdles.”

But things can change for the better. When asked what could be improved, the answers ranged from more respect from male customers towards female staff to heating in the winter and air conditioning and the summer, tool allowances and medical benefits.

They feel respected, too — more than 90 per cent said so.

“What I like about the employer is that he treats the crew fairly. When something goes wrong it is addressed, corrected and moved on,” one respondent explained. “The employer is good a creating work and ensuring there is a place to come to work to.”

Compensation

To hear some experts tell it, the automotive aftermarket is drastically underpaying technicians and service advisors. Low labour rates don’t allow for growth of the shop, nor attracting talent.

But when we put the question of compensation to our readers, 91 per cent said that they’re paid fairly for the work they do.

“I get paid flat rate. As my productivity is high, I can earn approximately 1.5 times my hourly wage on a regular basis, working overtime is available, and even more lucrative,” one respondent explained.

Another was more or less apathetic: “The pay is what it is. Yes, I would like to make more money but, at the end of the day, our wages are comparable with middle-class working jobs. We are not white-collar workers and should never and will never be compared with doctors or lawyers.”

Another felt they were paid fairly by their employer for the work they do, based on their ability to handle the load.

“The employer is open to change in the wage if needed. If the gap is present, they try to shorten the distance between expected wage and actual wage. If there is a large gap that cannot be closed, then a change may be needed,” they commented.

Service advisor insights

We asked a series of rapid-fire questions to service advisors to get their thoughts on certain topics.

All said they understand how to book the schedule for maximum productivity as well as how to gather the best information to ensure a technician can diagnose a vehicle effectively. All algo agreed that they have enough education on vehicle service to effectively advise clients.

One question where there wasn’t universal agreement was on booking the customer’s next service appointment. A minority (43 per cent) said they do while the rest (57 per cent) said they don’t.

Another was on effectively qualifying clients The majority here (57 per cent) said they have been given the education to do so while the rest said no.

When asked to further comment, advisors praised their shop.

“I feel we are generally doing well, we certainly have become more picky when choosing the work that comes in and the customers we want to work with,” one advisor explained.

Others highlighted that their customer service is tops, training courses have helped — along with years of experience doing the job — and they’ve implemented tools like reminders for appointments and for annual safety inspections.

Technician insights

A series of rapid-fire questions were given to technicians as well. And the results may come as a surprise as they go against what some may see as issues in the industry.

When asked if they have enough training to do their job effectively, more than seven in 10 (71 per cent) agreed with the remaining 29 per cent saying no.

The overwhelming majority (86 per cent) said they have the tools in place to do their job effectively.

“I have most of the tools needed to do the physical work, but access to OEM-level diagnostic systems is often prohibitively expensive for a tech, especially in an all-makes shop,” one technician commented. “A tech may need more than one diagnostic tool platform. Shops should bear some of that cost.”

And all agreed that their employer shares the expectations of the job with them.

The one area where there was some disagreement was when asked if they were given enough time to properly diagnose a vehicle — 57 said yes, 43 said no.

The job of a technician and the role of a shop owner is a tough balancing act, one pointed out.

“If we charged accordingly for our time and got paid what we as technicians are worth, we would have no work because the cost of keeping a used vehicle on the road would be far more costly than leasing or trading in every three years,” one tech observed.

They further explained that costs have to be down and wages suppressed for consumers to keep their cars as long as possible. “This way, we make more money over a longer period of time. It just is the way it is. We do not have to fix every repair on every make and model vehicle. We as technicians should be able to pick and choose our battles.”

Committed to the profession

For 82 per cent of respondents, both techs and advisors, they plan to stay in this industry for as long as they can.

For virtually all respondents, it would be a physical issue that would take them away from them job.

“Wear and tear on my body. The older I get the longer it takes to lumber up at the start of the day,” one pointed out.

Another said they would be pushed out because of the lack of respect shown by men to women. “Losing my patience with men who don’t respect a women in the automotive industry,” they wrote.

Another pointed to a variety of reasons. “There are many factors to consider such as employers, customers, the tools needed for basic jobs, the stress caused by the demands of the industry, the loss of the technicians in the field and that causes a vicious circle of overwork.”

Under pressure

For many technicians, the most fulfilling aspect of the job is solving difficult problems. One respondent shared, “I get immediate satisfaction when I see a repair succeed. It’s rewarding to know I’ve made a difference in someone’s day.”

But there’s mounting pressure on them. This is compounded by the rapid pace of technological change in the industry. Keeping up with technology (54.5 per cent) was picked as the top challenge for techs and advisors at work.

One lamented that they’re too far behind the learning curve at the start of each day and it’s difficult to learn as you go.

Another listed everything noted above plus module reprogramming and flashing, theft deterrent systems, CAN bus diagnostics as new tasks to learn.

“Every job is time-consuming, learning how systems work,” they said. “No one can know everything there is to know on every make and model car. It is impossible to get paid for the amount of time learning all this technology.”

Another noted that training is out there — it’s just a matter of finding the time.

“Specific issue I regularly notice is the amount of work to do,” they explained. We are consistently booked 3-4 days out and have more work to do in a day than what seems possible. This is a challenge to keep the jobs moving forward at times.

Concerns about the future

As more advanced systems like ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems), electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles enter the market, technicians must continuously learn and adapt. This is a concern for both groups.

While some are excited about the opportunities that new technologies bring, others worry about the costs associated with staying current. One technician predicted that “this spells the end of the mom-and-pop shop. You need to be at a certain size to afford the tooling and training required for the new technologies.”

Another said they just can’t keep up and they’re frustrated.

“All items will be slowly implemented. Don’t have to fix every repair out of the gate. By the time we figure out and get good at repairing something it’s no longer present and moving on to the next technology. This job is not easy and not for the faint at heart,” they said.

This article originally appeared in the October issue of CARS magazine.

The post <span style=color:#ff0000>From the Magazine:</span> Facing the future of auto repair appeared first on Auto Service World.

CARS magazine is launching a new survey to get the opinions of automotive technicians and service advisors from shops across Canada.

We want to know what you think of your job, how your employer supports you, what you think about certain trends, what needs to change and more!

Take the survey by clicking here or using the form below.

The goal is to share your thoughts in the October issue of CARS so your bosses, employers and industry partners what’s on the minds of the people who keep their businesses going.

This is an opportunity to be open and honest as all responses are anonymous to help drive change where needed, reinforce what’s working well and share your thoughts about the industry.

The survey is broken up into separate sections: General questions, questions for service advisors, separate ones for tech and the more general questions to wrap things up.

Please set aside some time to complete the survey. We look forward to hearing from you!

Thank you in advance for your time.

Sincerely,

Adam Malik, Managing Editor

CARS

Image credit: Depositphotos.com

The post Techs and service pros: Share your thoughts! appeared first on Auto Service World.

Image credit: Depositphotos.com

There are two ways to draw clients into your auto repair shop: You can hunt them down or farm them, according to a shop coach.

Hunting would be akin to reactive marketing. Shops were busy during the pandemic — but what happens as business levels off? You’re looking at your schedule and realizing you don’t have the same business you did the last few years.

“And then we scramble,” observed Rick White, president of 180Biz. “And here’s the problem with that: I call that reactive marketing. It is the most expensive and least effective marketing you’re ever going to do. It’s dialling for dollars. This is where you’re calling declined repairs, you’re doing this, you’re doing that to just try to get something in that day.”

And it doesn’t often work successfully. It’s the hunting mentality where, to use a caveman example, the hunter goes out in the morning and hunts down food or else they’ll starve. To use an example in the auto repair world, someone comes in with their vehicle and the service advisor tells them they need $4,000 worth of repairs. The client walks out and the shop forgets about them.

The industry needs to get better at farming where the seeds are planted for tomorrow’s harvest.

“So we’ve got to get really good at follow up where someone says no,” White said during the presentation Business Boss Leader: From Creeper to Leader at the Mid-West Auto Care Alliance’s Vision and Hi-Tech Training Expo in Kansas City.

He pushed for greater exit scheduling.

“Nobody should walk out of your shop without their next appointment,” he urged. “Sometimes two: One for the repair they need in two weeks and then the service in six months. But they’re going to have appointments every time.”

Because when there’s nothing on the docket for the day, the fear builds up. White called it “fear stack,” which happens when the shop owner worries about the lack of cars coming in, then the lack of money to make payroll, then fearing staff are going to leave, the shop will shut down and so on.

“And it’s because we want to plant the seeds today and we want to reap the harvest today — and nature doesn’t work that way,” White said.

He suggested this solution: Keep a panic button at a set number of days out. Don’t wait until you’re zero days booked out to panic — do it at five days out, or whatever set number makes sense for you.

That means marketing and doing things to attract customers all the time. Send mailers. Make calls to those you haven’t seen in a while. Do something to keep business constantly churning.

“If you do that you’ll never be slow a day in your life,” White said.

The post Are you hunting customers or farming them? appeared first on Auto Service World.

Image credit: Depositphotos.com

In the fast-paced world of automotive service, trust and timeliness are two keys to customer satisfaction, an industry coach emphasized.

Those were just a couple of key items a customer wants out of their automotive service experience, Greg Bunch, a trainer with Transformers Institute and a multi-shop owner explained at the recent Worldpac Supplier and Training Expo. During the session, Superior Service Advising: The Art of Trust-Based Selling, he outlined that service centres need to focus on trust, timeliness and quality of service when a customer enters the shop.

Bunch stressed the importance of defect-free service.

“Service with no defects,” he explained, highlighting the anxiety customers feel about the quality of repairs.

“When they bring the car into a shop, they have anxiety that their car is not going to be fixed right. Most of them have had a bad experience somewhere,” Bunch said, adding that simply getting the job done right is an expectation, not a bonus to the customer.

Bunch underscored the role of service advisors as project managers once a sale is made.

“Service advisors, are we not the project manager once that sale was made? Now I know some shops have a dispatch person. [But] at the end of the day, if I’m promising Miss Jones that the car’s fixed correctly, I’m owning that. When that car is not fixed right, who is she going to blame: The guy in the back or you?” he asked, stressing the importance of accountability.

Timeliness, Bunch noted, is both a perception and a reality that needs careful management. Customers who drop their cars off early often expect immediate attention. In their mind, being at the shop right when it opens at 8 a.m. means their vehicle is being pulled through the bay doors at 8:05 a.m.

“Unless you ask them what their expectation is — and then manage it with what the reality of the situation is — you may have an irked customer on your hands,” he observed. “It’s on the shop to set the expectations of timeliness.”

Transformers Institute’s Greg Bunch speaks during a class at Worldpac STX 2024 in Nashville.

Bunch further pointed out that the perception of how long tasks should take has been skewed, with many customers conditioned to expect very short wait times for an oil changes thanks to quick-job facilities.

To manage these expectations, Bunch advised clear communication.

“Now if I reset that expectation and say, ‘Hey, Mr. Jones, we think [the job will take] an hour, an hour 15 minutes, but here’s why we do it: We have an ASE certified technician inspect your vehicle from bumper to bumper. We’re going to give you a complete health report. We are not just a place to change his oil. We look at the whole car.’”

This approach allows customers to decide if the service fits their needs and if they are willing to wait, he added.

Another critical aspect Bunch highlighted was the importance of customer service: Someone who is nice to them.

“Can you believe that? The gall of some people — they want people to be nice to them. Unbelievable,” he said tongue-in-cheek, underlining that being personable and kind is a top priority for customers.

“People buy from people that they know like and trust,” he added.

Bunch also emphasized the value of building long-term relationships with customers.

“People that know you are going to come back to you. They’re going to give you repeat business. Hopefully, nobody here works in a shop where their policy [calls for] a one-hit-wonder — cars come in, hit them as hard as they can and we don’t care if they ever come back,” he said.

The post How to satisfy the customers you want appeared first on Auto Service World.

The top job of a service advisor is to get a customer to come through the door when the auto shop’s phone rings, even if that customer is just trying to get the price of a repair.

Jay Huh, a business coach at Shop Fix Academy and owner of CarMedix in North Carolina, called it “curb selling” during the session How to Run your Shop Stress Free at the Midwest Auto Care Alliance’s Vision Hi-Tech Training & Expo in Kansas City.

The customer is calling to get a price on a job. But it can be impossible to offer a proper quote over the phone. The customer may think the water pump is the problem. What happens when you quote them the price for a water pump replacement, they bring the car in and it turns out to be an issue with the head gasket?

“And then the quote goes from being $800 over the phone and then suddenly it’s $4,000. You think the customer’s going to be happy?” Huh asked.

Or, say the problem is indeed the water pump. But the customer tried to work on it themselves and every single bolt is stripped. “What then? Are you still going to charge them $800?” Huh wondered.

So never price over the phone, he urged.

But never discount their value as a customer. Just because they asked for a price doesn’t mean they’re a bad customer. They’re not going to ask if your techs are Red Seal or ASE Certified.

“What’s the only question that our customers know how to ask? It’s the price,” Huh explained. “We automatically write them off” when they ask about price.

Rather than dismissing the customer outright, the service advisor should be asking follow-up questions to get the customer through the door. If they say it’s the water pump, ask them how they know that. Suggest to them to bring the vehicle in to make sure.

If they say another shop said so and they’re doing price comparisons, tell them to bring it in for a second opinion. Offer a free 15-minute inspection of the vehicle. Explain to them that you’ll have your master technician go through the vehicle to make sure the issue is with the water pump. Offer for them to come in at a specific time.

Tell the customer: We’ll give you an accurate price. I don’t want to just throw a price out there. I want to give you a price we can stand behind.

“Would that not get the customer in the door? Does that not build value for your shop?” Huh said.

The post Getting the phone shopper into your shop appeared first on Auto Service World.

Corey Parks

Kal Tire has announced industry veteran Corey Parks as its new president.

Effective March 1, he takes over from Robert Foord, who will transition to the role of executive vice-chair of the board. Foord, whose father started the company, has served in the role for the last 15 years and has spent 37 years with Kal Tire.

Parks has been with Kal Tire since September 2023 as a member of the senior management team. The company noted that he’s spent the last six months visiting the Kal Tire network and international mining operations.

Parks joined the organization from U.S.-based Les Schwab Tire Centers, where he his most recent roles included chief administrative, officer, executive vice president, secretary and general counsel.

“Corey is an exceptional leader, communicator and relationship builder—and he’s someone who strongly aligns with the values and culture of Kal Tire,” Foord said. “Our family remains as committed as ever to the long-term success of the company, and we are excited for him to join the team.”

Kal Tire will remain a private, family-owned business. Parks has relocated to Vernon, B.C., home to the company’s head office.

“This is a company I’ve respected deeply throughout my career, so I’m humbled and honoured by the opportunity to build on the legacy of Robert Foord,” Parks said. “As we look to the future, I hope to offer not just continuity but also new opportunities for team members around the world to excel in their roles and exceed every customer’s expectations—even, and especially, as our industry evolves.”

The post Leadership transition at Kal Tire appeared first on Auto Service World.

Image credit: Depositphotos.com

Many sales advisors make the mistake of delivering the price to the customer … and then leave them in stunned silence.

Tom Amero, certified elite trainer at Elite, a training company that works with the automotive aftermarket, calls it a hammer drop. You’ve gone through the process of understanding the customer, going through their issue, building trust with your shop, explaining the great techs that will work on it — all these wonderful things — and then tell them their repair will be a couple thousand dollars.

And then it’s silence. But it’s not golden. How do you think the customer is feeling?

“That is the worst place to pause. I just dropped the hammer,” he said during the session High Impact Service Advisor Sales Course at this year’s Midwest Auto Care Alliance’s Vision and Hi-Tech Training Expo in Kansas City.

After you tell them the price, continue the conversation by telling them you can get started on the work that day or whenever you have a spot available. Then ask for their approval. That’s your closing sentence. That doesn’t matter if they’re on the phone with you or in person on the other side of the counter, Amaro noted.

And confidence is key. If you sound like the price is painful, the customer will definitely pick up on that.

“You’ve got to be confident in the closing,” Amaro said. “If you’ve got an issue with this, they will have an issue with it, I promise you. They will feel that and they will be uncomfortable. You got to confidently know how you’re going to close, you got to know that sentence, deliver the price and deliver your closing sentence.”

That is the time to take a pause.

“Let them digest it. Let them figure it out. Let them talk next. Little bit of silence is OK,” Amaro said. “You cannot pause after the price. It’s ‘price and,’ you deliver your close and then you pause.”

If you talk, for example, about the quality of the parts or the work, chances are you’re going to divert the conversation away from getting the sale done.

“When you speak you’re interrupting the brain process,” observed Darrin Barney, president of Elite, who spoke during the same session.

And when they’re looking for an out, they will likely find one. And maybe it ends up with you offering a discount to not lose the customer.

“We could give away the farm. We guess; we know what the objections are. We guess we know what they’re thinking. We don’t,” Barney said.

The post What you can’t do after you’ve quoted a customer appeared first on Auto Service World.

Image credit: Depositphotos.com

Have you ever called a business and didn’t know if it was a robot or a human being on the other end of the line?

That cold, monotone voice of the person answering the phone likely turned you off. And that’s probably not the fault of the employee; they likely feel like they’re just another unit in the production line. They’re answering phones and sending the caller on their way.

But what if it’s your service advisor who sounds like that when a customer calls? If they’re sounding robotic on the other end of the line, chances are they have the same feeling of dread about their job, suggested Rick White, founder and president of 180 Biz, during the 2023 Midwest Auto Care Alliance’s Vision Hi-Tech Training & Expo.

But they could also be taking their cues from you, their boss. Shop owners often operate with a façade that shows a proper and professional face. And that translates down to the service advisors. They’ll answer the phone in a robotic tone.

“We can’t connect with façades. We can’t care with façades. We put façades up to protect ourselves from rejection. It hurts when someone says no,” White said in his session, Trust is the Real Currency. “Let the facades go. Be yourself. That’s who they really want to deal with. They want someone that’s friendly and caring, not proper and professional.”

You may not be showing your staff that they’re valued members of the team and that you care about them and the way they do their job. That translates into how they answer the phone.

“There’s nothing wrong with caring for people and loving them,” he said. “I hope that everybody that’s in my life knows that I love them. I value them. I’m a better person because of the people I have in my life

Get to know your staff, he urged. Don’t just talk to them about work stuff and their hours. Find out how their day is going. Ask them what they did over the weekend. But you have to genuinely care about their responses. You want your staff to have fun at work and see that you care about them.

During the hiring process, you can’t ask specific questions about a person. But once they’re part of the team, get to know them. Learn as much as you can, White urged.

“The way you show caring is the way they want to be cared for,” he said. “If you don’t know what they like or what’s important to them, you’re going to care for them with what’s important to you. And it won’t work. And you won’t understand why it’s a swing and a miss.”

The post Be professional but not over professional appeared first on Auto Service World.

Much has changed in the way automotive aftermarket service and repair shops are run. From the way shop owners should be running their day-to-day operations to the way they manage staff, it’s different from even just a few days ago.

But the amount of adaptation doesn’t stop with the owner. The way service advisors work the front of the shop and the way they work with customers and ensure the smooth flow of everything behind them has changed.

And for technicians, the skills they need to be successful in the bays call for attention in areas they may have never given a moment’s consideration.

Expectations have changed as well for those working in shops. Employees, including technicians and service advisors, want more out of their careers and their time in the shop. They are turning to their shop owner to help provide those missing links.

Shop coaches, industry leaders, observers and experts have shared their thoughts on how everyone under the roof of the shop can be successful. Their thoughts have been collected and are presented here…

Shop owner

For Rick White, founder and president of shop management consultancy 180Biz, everything in a shop starts with trust.

Shop owners need to trust their employees. Employees need to trust their boss. And everyone needs to trust each other.

“If you don’t have trust, you don’t make sales. If you don’t have trust, you don’t have a team. So it makes it harder to work with people,” White said during the Midwest Auto Care Alliance’s Vision Hi-Tech Training & Expo 2023.

There are two types of trust: Practical and emotional. The former is relatively straightforward — it’s earned by doing what you say you’re going to do and being dependable, competent and consistent while exceeding expectations.

Emotional trust, on the other hand, is more difficult to achieve. It’s more personal. You treat those around you with dignity and respect.

The biggest difference between practical and emotional trust is that the former is the feeling of being safe. “Emotional trust is safe,” according to White. “Your goal is emotional trust. It’s also the hardest trust to build.”

He also urged shop owners to shy away from phrases like, “Just trust me.” That’s demanding the trust of someone. It can’t be demanded and staff won’t give it to you. Unfortunately, many have had bosses and owners lie to them or fail to come through when giving them their trust.

“We sit down to talk with somebody and we expect trust,” he said. “But we don’t understand the experiences they’ve gone through. And we don’t understand why they’re skeptical. It also isn’t something you earn.”

Remember: Trust isn’t affirmation. It’s not about developing a yes-man culture. You want to develop an environment where people feel comfortable holding you accountable. That’s your goal, White said.

“The reality is there’s going to be crap going on in your day. Make room for it.”

Accountability

Accountability is crucial for a shop owner. Just as a shop owner would expect their technicians and service advisor to hold up to their promises, staff are expecting the same of the owner. The owner needs to hold themselves accountable.

But what will often happen is that the shop owner will rationalize and excuse their mistake, saying they got distracted to help up by other things, White pointed out.

“How many have done that? We all have,” White said. “So what I want you to start to do is hold yourself to the same standard as you do other people.”

And the more you miss your promises, the more that’s withdrawn from your staff’s trust account. Do it often enough and there’s nothing left, leaving your staff unable to trust you for anything.

Here’s a tip from White: Promise less. If you’re saying yes to something, make sure you mean it and can back it up. If not, don’t.

He’s seen shop owners come up with a huge list of their plans. They say they’re going to get so much done. But at the end of the day, they hang their head because they got nothing off that list done or barely made a dent.

“The reality is there’s going to be crap going on in your day. Make room for it,” White said.

He doesn’t make more than three commitments a day. Those commitments centre around deliverables, like ensuring a document is completed, not meeting with clients.

“I can’t do everything my mind thinks I can. It doesn’t work that way,” White said.

Arm around the shoulder

Technicians and service advisors are feeling the pinch these days. With the typical shop short-staffed — the auto repair industry is 3,000 technicians short these days, double from a few years ago. So more work is falling on fewer hands.

So when a technician makes a mistake, say forgetting to put oil in the vehicle and the engine blows shortly after the customer leaves the shop, owners need to resist the urge to march out in the bays and yell at them.

But that’s different from what you should do. Take a step back. Consider how the tech is feeling, knowing his blunder just cost a customer their vehicle and the shop a wad of cash.

“He’s feeling horrible, would you agree? I mean, he’s going to look up to see the top of the curb,” White said.

A strong reaction — the wrong kind — will only bring conflict. Only the owner will feel good after reading him the Riot Act. Not only is the tech feeling terrible but now he’s been pushed away and is less engaged with the business than before.

So think about your approach before you go out there, White advised.

“The first thing I’m going to do is get him to understand that he’s a good tech,” he said. “We’re not going to let one event define how he sees himself. We are all bigger than one event.”

What caused the issue? Was he interrupted and that’s why he forgot? That could be a teachable moment for the team to not interrupt someone while doing critical tasks.

“Confronting behaviour is something you want to do immediately and without reserve,” White added.

Service advisor

Customers these days are different. They are expecting a distinct experience when they call or walk into an auto repair shop than they did before. And if the service advisor — the first line of customer service — can’t deliver what they expect, then that customer is out the door.

“If you treat people like they’re human beings, if you actually care for them, they can feel it,” Darrin Barney, president of Elite Worldwide, a training company for the automotive aftermarket.

Shops and their service advisors who can really get to know their customers will easily stand out. A good hairdresser, dentist, banking rep and so on knows their clients — it’s crucial to developing a trusting and long-lasting relationship.

It starts with knowing your customers’ names when they walk through the door.

“When they come in and you don’t you don’t know their first name and they’ve been coming to you for a couple years, you got an issue,” Barney said at the Expo. “Learn their names. Watch what happens when they walk in the door and you’re like, ‘Hey, Steve, how’s it going?’ All of a sudden, he’s beaming because you knew his name.”

Remember, said Tom Amero, Elite’s director of operations, the customer is buying from you, not the shop.

“So you have to realize the influence and the impact that you have and how you treat them has everything to do with that decision,” he said

Have a conversation while they’re on the phone or standing in front of you. Avoid any dead air. Have questions lined up. Amero loves Mondays, Fridays and holidays. It’s easy to get the conversation started based on what someone did over the weekend or what their holidays plans are.

“Then when they start sharing and answer those questions with some personal stuff, you capitalize on it,” Amero said.

You’re almost a detective. You want to be on the lookout for things to talk about.

“Your job is to be the credible expert to teach people and educate people of what’s going on and help them make the best decision that’s right.”

Staying upbeat

It’s critical to always have an upbeat demeanour when answering the phone — you never know what state of mind the person on the other end of the phone is in.

Part of the service advisor’s job is to sell themselves. The customer wants to know you have their back.

“Your job is to be the credible expert to teach people and educate people of what’s going on and help them make the best decision that’s right,” Amero said.

Furthermore, customers need to figure out a time to see you in between work and their kids’ dance recitals and soccer practice. They’re anxious before they even pick up the phone, Barney pointed out.

“Do you really think they want to be calling you? No. So we got to answer it nicely. We got to smile when we answer the phone,” he said.

Speeding up the process

Slow productivity will drive a shop owner crazy. If a service advisor can find ways to speed things up, the shop as a whole will benefit.

Find efficiencies, urged Bill Haas, president and Owner of Haas Performance Consulting. Techs can’t be waiting around on parts — so if a customer calls in advance to make an appointment for brake service, you generally know what parts are needed. Order them ahead of time so they’re ready to go.

“If a customer calls in complaining about a noise every time they hit the brakes, the shop should order everything they may need, from caliper to rotors. So when the tech gets the wheels off and finds the issue, they have everything that’s needed.

“I’ve got the parts there, I fix it, bang, it’s out the door,” Haas said.

Waiting for work authorization is another peeve for Haas. Learn how your customers prefer to communicate. Ask them how they want to be contacted.

“I can sit and call people all day long but if they’re in a meeting, they can’t answer the phone,” Hass explained. But they’ll probably take a look at their phone during their meeting and see a text or email come in from you.

“If somebody’s absolutely unavailable, why don’t you get a pre-authorization that says, ‘If I can fix your car today, for less than $800, will it be okay to just go ahead? Do I have your permission?’” Haas added.

“Get rid of the word ‘critical.’ Just think. We are a process-driven industry. We follow process, we have repair manuals that start at A and end at Z. We train everybody to follow that process.”

Technicians

There are whole new sets of skills technicians need going forward.

The hard, technical skills will always be there. But it’s the softer ones that will take technicians farther in their careers.

One is a positive attitude and willingness to embrace new technology. Pierre-Hugues Comiré, regional field technical manager at Hyundai Canada, can easily tell which technicians have embraced new technology and those who haven’t.

“If you embrace it, you’re going to read up about it, you’re going to watch [what’s coming]. There’s so much available information online,” he said, adding that information can be had just by asking for it.

“So what we need are critical thinking men and women with a passion for this work,” Comiré said during Centennial College’s Driving the Future 2.0 event.

Being able to work as a team is a critical skill for technicians. No one works in a shop alone, noted Chris Chinn, network operations manager at Consolidated Collision Services. Someone is taking in that customer, work is being built, someone is working on the car, the customer is being contacted and the vehicle is being returned to them.

“Everybody needs to communicate. So you need those skills of communication,” Chinn said.

He added problem-solving skills to the list. “There’s no one way to fix a car, other than properly and safely. But you need that problem-solving skill because every shop is different. You may not have all the same equipment; you may need to think outside of the box to be able to repair that vehicle.”

David Cochrane, regional sales manager at Delphi, pointed to critical thinking and reasoning skills.

He referenced an old adage that you need to be good with your hands to get involved in the trades and that simply being good with your hands was enough to move you forward. But now diagnosing skills are necessary.

That calls for technicians to be thinking more about what’s happening under the hood.

“So critical thinking and reasoning skills, knowing what’s in front of you, and knowing how to be able to take it to the next level, and to work your way through it are very important,” he said.

Rob Morrison, Canadian fixed operations manager at Phaff/Lithia, agreed but even urged technicians to just flat-out think.

“Get rid of the word ‘critical.’ Just think. We are a process-driven industry. We follow process, we have repair manuals that start at A and end at Z. We train everybody to follow that process,” he said.

To just “think” is “the ability to go, ‘Wait a minute, Step B doesn’t make sense. What’s another step that could go into it?” Morrison said.

This article originally appeared in the October issue of CARS magazine.

The post From the Magazine: The 2023 Training Report appeared first on Auto Service World.

Image credit: Depositphotos.com

Shops will often get calls from someone who is price shopping. They know they need new brakes. They got a quote from one shop but they’re calling around to see what other shops in the area are offering.

So how do you turn that price shopper into one who visits and buys from your shop? Tom Amero, certified elite trainer at Elite, a training company that works with the automotive aftermarket, recommended gathering as much information as possible.

“The best thing to do is to ask a lot of questions. Fact find,” he said during a session at this year’s Midwest Auto Care Alliance’s Vision and Hi-Tech Training Expo.

Those questions can range from why the caller thinks it’s the water pump to how long they’ve been having an issue. “So think of good questions that you can continue to ask. Ask follow-up questions,” he said.

The goal is to get that customer into your shop. So you need as much information as you can about their issue so you can properly recommend them to come in and have your techs take a look at the vehicle. The problem might be more complicated than what the customer is saying — maybe there’s an underlying issue that led to the component they’re calling about failing — and no one will know until it’s in one of your bays.

“I’d hate to put a new water pump in it and then three months later, you get another broken water pump because there was something that was causing that issue,” Amero said. “So ask those questions. Lots and lots of questions.”

If you’ve asked a lot of questions, the customer will see that you genuinely care about their vehicle. Rather than saying you don’t give prices over the phone or that they need to come in first without information gathering, the customer will never set foot in your shop.

Another key: Don’t let the conversation abruptly end.

“You can speak, you can educate them, you can talk to them. But then when you’re done educating them, ask a follow-up question,” Amaro said.

Ask if you explained everything well enough. Does it all make sense? Do they have other questions?

“There are ways that you can engage them and get dialogue from them without just stopping,” he added.

The post How do you turn the price shopper into a customer? appeared first on Auto Service World.

Image credit: Depositphotos.com

The Canadian automotive service industry is coming into a period of long-awaited growth after a COVID-era slump. Repair and shops looking to attract more business to sustain this growth should focus on building trust.

It would seem like trust should naturally follow high-quality service but that’s not necessarily the case. In this industry, it’s often necessary to gain a customer’s confidence first so they can experience the quality of service for themselves.

Here’s why that’s so crucial for automotive services.

Customer trust is low

The biggest reason trust is so important is that many consumers already don’t trust auto shops. A significant majority said they have frustrations when dealing with the auto service industry. Furthermore, consumers prefer to visit dealers instead of independent shops.

Previous encounters and stereotypes about the industry leave people with the impression that repair shops are out to scam them. Many customers don’t know much about how their vehicles work and know service professionals are aware of that. Consequently, many feel service centers will take advantage of that ignorance and charge them unfairly or perform unnecessary repairs.

Thanks to this reputation, shops must go above and beyond to reverse it. Beating that expectation is key to competing with larger companies, especially dealers.

Trust boosts customer loyalty

Pleasantly surprising customers with trustworthy service is good for business. Given the widespread fears about scamming and overcharging, consumers tend to stick with a company if they feel they can trust it.

Data backs this sentiment up. A positive prior experience with the company is the No. 1 reason customers return to an auto service business. Similarly, consumers report significantly higher satisfaction with a facility if they trust it compared to those they don’t.

Returning customers spend 67 per cent more on average and have the added benefit of not carrying extra client acquisition costs. These consumers are the bread and butter of a service-based business, like auto repair. So generating loyalty through trust is essential.

Trust makes a company more valuable

A trusting consumer base will increase a company’s chances of a larger sale when the owner decides to exit. Even if a service center doesn’t have many hard assets, a strong reputation among consumers can still earn it a fair sales price.

Company valuations often look at more than a business’s assets or market value. Many methods also consider the predicted cash flow of the company. A service center that builds trust will generate more loyalty, leading to stronger future growth to boost those figures.

Without trust, standing out among competitors in this industry is challenging. That could hamper the business’s valuation when it comes time to sell, so trust is critical to these future possibilities.

How to improve trust

As the industry grows and technology like self-driving cars makes vehicles much more complex, trust will become more important. Here are a few ways repair shops can foster confidence from their customers.

• Be transparent: Transparency is the most important factor in building trust. Posting prices for standard services upfront and explaining to customers why certain services are necessary or cost what they do is a good place to start. About 34 per cent of consumers say affordable services are the biggest step in earning trust, so price transparency is critical.

It also helps to be transparent about multiple perspectives on an issue. Before performing a repair, explain to the customer the benefits and what they can expect if they forgo it. Presenting both sides will assure customers that the business cares about meeting their needs above simply making money.

• Be friendly: Customers should also feel welcome. When explaining the reason behind repairs or costs, be careful not to talk down to them. Encourage them to ask questions, sound excited about their business, avoid over-using jargon and remember to smile.

A great way to maintain friendly conversations is to leave the deciding power to the customer. Instead of telling them why they need a certain service, advise them about multiple options and ask what they’d like to do.

• Be confident: Repair shops should let their high-quality service speak for itself. Instead of pushing a product or trying to appear better than other options, promote confidence by asking customers to get second opinions or offering money-back guarantees. If the shop is confident about its expertise, it has no reason to hide behind unscrupulous business practices.

The share of customers who say an aftermarket shop did repairs correctly the first time dropped in 2022 for the first time since 2019 — and stayed steady this year — leading to waning consumer trust. Amid that trend, demonstrating full confidence in a business’s ability to do it right the first time around will make a big impact.

The automotive service industry can see strong growth if it overcomes its untrustworthy reputation. Independent repair centers that want to remain competitive must prioritize building trust. Doing so will lead to more sales, higher loyalty and a more valuable business.

Devin Partida is the Editor-in-Chief of ReHack.com and a freelance writer. Devin covers business technology, Fintech and auto tech

The post Analysis: Trust: A crucial piece in auto care appeared first on Auto Service World.

The automotive service and parts industry is one of the worst-performing industries for overall mental health.

According to a 2019 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S., workers in automotive services were more likely to be deemed a suicide risk.

A U.K. wellness organization, Ben: Support for Life, found that three in five employees have experienced mental health issues that affect their work. Those problems were only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the start of 2022, LifeWorks (now Telus Health) reported that those who work in the automotive industry saw one of the steepest month-over-month declines in mental health.

Automotive industry employees reported a score of -8.1 in January 2022 when asked about their mental health levels. That was down further from -5.3 in December 2021. The drop of 2.8 points was tied with those in the transportation and warehousing industry, and only better than accommodation and food services, which saw a five-point drop. Services listed as “other” dropped 3.9 points.

One year later, things were trending in the right direction. The industry has the third-highest score on LifeWorks’ list, trailing only real estate, rental and leasing and management of companies and enterprises. It sat at a score of 69.9, up seven points from the month before, the biggest jump out of all industries, which averaged 64.6.

The report also found that respondents over the age of 50 are two-and-a-half times more likely than respondents under 40 to be most concerned about their physical health and well-being, while also being more than two times more likely to be most concerned about their mental health and well-being.

But that doesn’t mean it’s all sunshine and rainbows. Issues are still prevalent. The Ben study showed that men are far more likely to suffer in silence than women, with nearly a third of men admitting they hadn’t sought help despite feeling extreme pressure.

In a male-dominated industry, it’s hard to cut through the stigma and open the conversation around mental health, but it’s important work. With staffing shortages and ever-more pressure on businesses and employees to keep up, mental health needs to be a key focus for automotive services and retailers, observed Diane Freeman, president of the Automotive Aftermarket Retailers Association of Ontario (AARO).

“I think during those years there was a lot of anxiety within the workplace, especially when it came to the families and home life. How do you balance that need to go to work with the need to protect your loved ones at home?”

The industry can’t rely on workers to raise these issues.

“We don’t hear a lot about those needs in our industry. People tend to keep it more to themselves, which I think is slowly starting to change but we have a long way to go,” she told Jobber News. “It’s a very male-dominated industry and a lot of men don’t like to discuss what’s going on with them personally, or their feelings. So we tend not to see a lot of sharing. It’s much more of a personal thing.”

John Holmes was previously an honorary board member of the mental health support network, Serendipity Group. He also owned and operated a NAPA Auto Parts store for 20 years. Holmes had a dramatic and life-altering encounter with mental health during the pandemic and knows better than most how these issues can affect employees and business owners.

“I had a breakdown,” Holmes admitted. “On June 10, 2021, I went for a drive and I couldn’t go home.”

That sparked a period of intense work for Holmes. Going through it, he got to see firsthand the way that opening these conversations early can positively impact businesses. Employers should be working to help support mental health in the workplace, he urged.

“You’ve got to keep something like this in your toolbox as an employer. Even if an employee is having an issue at home, that affects their performance at work,” he said in an interview. “But also in today’s world of finding people, you want to support your employees and help them.”

Freeman agreed and pointed to the connection between workplace health and safety obligations and mental health support.

“I’m the chair of [the] health and safety committee for vehicle sales and service at AARO, and that’s one of the top issues we’re working on right now is mental health within the workplace,” she said.

“We have health and safety supports within our organization that we offer to our membership, so anyone with anything related to health issues can contact us and we can put them in touch with the right individuals or whoever they might need.”

“I say don’t be afraid to pay for it because it’s an investment in your future and your business. We should all be concerned about retention.”

Employer responsibility

Freeman says mental health is an extension of health and safety, especially post-COVID.

“I think during those years there was a lot of anxiety within the workplace, especially when it came to the families and home life. How do you balance that need to go to work with the need to protect your loved ones at home?” she said.

“So during that time, we saw a lot more employers contacting our association with these issues and asking us for support.”

It’s important employees understand not only the resources available to them but feel confident that their privacy is respected when they do, Freeman added.

“I think we have a long way to go within our industry on mental health and also sharing with the employees what support there is available,” she said.

Holmes agreed, adding that it’s hard for some small business owners to know what to do.

“I think mental health and health and safety are definitely connected,” Holmes said. “One hundred per cent there’s a responsibility for employers.”

That Ben study also put the cost of mental health issues in the workplace in the UK at 1.2 billion euros annually. According to Holmes, there’s no doubt that lost productivity and downtime, the loss of staff, and poor performance due to stress or anxiety has an impact on the health of this sector.

He doesn’t deny that it takes resources and money to pay for mental health support, but still thinks it’s important for business owners to address it.

“I say don’t be afraid to pay for it because it’s an investment in your future and your business,” Holmes said. “We should all be concerned about retention. I have business owners tell me daily how hard it is to get people. It’s dramatic. Every door you push open has a ‘help wanted’ sign so you really want to take care of the people you have got.”

The industry agrees, which is why Freeman pointed out that there are more resources and tools coming to its members. There have been so many changes in the automotive aftermarket over the past few decades, from more women entering to a bigger focus on workplace behaviour.

“I think mental health is one of those changes,” she explained.

“It’s something we haven’t addressed in the past, and now we are … You’re going to see a lot more work over the next few years around mental health, and what we need to do as employers and employees to put those supports in place. Our role is to help our members and our industry and put them in touch with the right resources for mental health or any other workplace health and safety issue.”

“You’re going to see a lot more work over the next few years around mental health, and what we need to do as employers and employees to put those supports in place.”

Support

The need for more practical tips is something Holmes also identified in his journey as he sought to educate more business owners about health supports. As noted, not every small business owner is equipped for this task.

“Big corporations have things in their toolbox but smaller business owners don’t because often they just don’t think of it,” Holmes said. “So we have to make them think of it and educate how important this is for their business.”

His advice to business owners includes opening the conversation with staff in a proactive way, letting them know that the shop has mental health supports in place and taking time to speak with staff about their challenges.

“I think employers should take the time to really talk to their employees. Bring them in, give them a pat on the back, let them know they’re doing a good job,” Holmes said. “Ask them once in a while, ‘How is everything? Is there anything I can do for you?’”

From the AARO perspective, the work is already ramping up. Freeman says the industry as a whole is moving toward a more supportive position.

“We’re going to be sending more mental health supports out to our members with more information, more guides and references,” she said. “We’re going to help educate employers on how to identify potential mental health issues in the workplace.

“That includes training, resources, and whatever supports we can provide. And if we can’t help, we know what direction to point shop owners in.”

Holmes understands the challenges business owners face. After all, he was one for 20 years. But he says mental health issues and support need to be part of a healthy business from day one.

“I think once a business gets to a certain point of profits, they think that’s when they can start worrying about people,” he said. “But I think you have to start worrying about the people now. If you take care of the people the numbers will follow.”

The post From the Magazine: Providing Support appeared first on Auto Service World.

Image credit: Depositphotos.com

There’s the old adage that you never want to bring up politics or religion with customers. That extends to service advisors when trying to build relationships with clients. So what should you talk about? Coaches advised to look for any clues to get the conversation going and moving.

First, you want to know their name. Ask them. Then repeat their name. It shows you listened and that you care about them.

“Use the name that customer provides you and use it often. The sweetest word in the English language is your own name,” recommended Tom Amero, a certified elite trainer at Elite, a training company. “It feels good to hear your name. But it says that you care, it says that you slowed down and you took the time to process what they’re saying.”

Ask them how their day is. Listen to how they respond. Most people will say it’s fine or great. Ask them what they got up to.

“It’s real basic stuff,” Amero admitted. “But it can’t be forced. You’ve got to approach it really confidently.”

You want to avoid dead air. Have questions lined up. Amero loves Mondays, Fridays and holidays. It’s easy to get the conversation started based on what someone did over the weekend, what they’re going to do and what their holiday plans are.

“Be aware of some easy, quick ones that you can break things down to start with,” he said during the session High Impact Service Advisor Sales Course. “Then when they start sharing and answer those questions with some personal stuff, you capitalize on it.”

You’re almost a detective. You want to be on the lookout for things to talk about.

“And that’s what you guys have to do. You have to look for the signs of life and look for those conversation pieces,” Amero said.

Do they have bumper stickers? Any decals on the car, like those stick figure families? Do they have car seats?

“Look at the clothes they’re wearing, a hat — identify certain conversation pieces of who they genuinely are that you can capitalize on,” Amero said during the Midwest Auto Care Alliance’s Vision and Hi-Tech Training Expo in Kansas City.

Always remember not to talk about yourself, he stressed. You ask questions to get the customer to open up to you.

The post Try these conversation starters with customers appeared first on Auto Service World.

Image credit: Depositphotos.com

The service advisor always has to answer the phone or welcome customers with an upbeat positive attitude. Because on the other end of the line or other side of the counter, they never know how anxious and panicked the customer is.

The advisor’s goal should always be to reduce the customer’s anxiety, recommended Tom Amero, a certified elite trainer at training company Elite.

If a customer is looking for brake service and you say they’re in horrible shape, you’re surprised they didn’t catch fire and you’re shocked they even made it to your shop, that’s not lowering anyone’s anxiety — you’re only fanning the flames.

He recommended a different approach. Try saying this the next time you speak to that customer: “It looks like these brakes are a little past due. We normally recommend replacing them at three millimetres; they’re down to about one. So we’ve got to get those taken care of for you. No big deal, though. Brakes wear out,” he said.

So that information can be conveyed in two different ways, Amero noted. “So always be thinking about how you’re saying it, how you’re phrasing it, how you position it,” he said. “Are you raising anxiety or lowering anxiety?

Part of the service advisor’s job is to sell themselves. The customer wants to know if you have their back or are out to get them. Few are likely to fall into the latter but there are stereotypes out there. A service advisor’s attitude can unintentionally cause a customer to think the worst.

“Your job is to be the credible expert to teach people and educate people of what’s going on and help them make the best decision that’s right,” Amero said during the session High Impact Service Advisor Sales Course at the Midwest Auto Care Alliance Vision Hi-Tech Training and Expo.

Furthermore, customers need to figure out a time to see you in between work and kids’ dance recitals and soccer practice. They’re anxious before they even pick up the phone, noted Darrin Barney, president of Elite.

“Do you really think they want to be calling you? No. So we got to answer it nicely. We got a smile when we answer the phone,” he said.

Think about what’s best for the customer, not you, he added during the same session. “For each person you’re talking to, it’s not about you. If you care about them, they care about you. That’s the way the world works.”

The post Lowering the anxiety of the panicked customer appeared first on Auto Service World.

Image credit: Depositphotos.com

Timing, as they say, is everything.

Most service advisors know what questions they need to ask when a customer calls, often in a panic, to get their vehicle serviced. But when those questions are asked may be most important.

Asking the “discovery questions” will get you to understand the needs, wants and goals of the vehicle. “But there’s a right time and a wrong time to do it,” advised Rick White, founder and president of 180Biz.

Speaking at this year’s Midwest Auto Care Alliance’s Vision Hi-Tech Training & Expo, he gave the example of baking a cake. Before putting it in the oven, what would happen if you frost it first? Of course, the cake is going to come out a mess. The frosting may be the best part of a cake — but there’s a right time and a wrong time to put it on the cake.

“So we can do the right thing at the wrong time and get the wrong results,” he said during his session, Trust is the Real Currency. “The best time to have the discovery conversation with your clients is when they start the interaction.”

Say a potential client comes to your shop. But rather than you telling them what they should do with their car, ask them some key questions about what their goals are with that vehicle. As the service provider, you want to understand their wants, needs and plans. Chances are, the client has never had a shop take such an interest.

Similar to the cake analogy, you don’t want to start out by telling them you found a bunch of bad stuff in their vehicle. The customer will immediately have their back up against the wall thinking you’re going to use that information against them. After all, that’s the stereotype that’s out there of the automotive service industry.

“So we’ve got to make sure that we’re getting them to open up in a way that’s authentic and real,” White said.

It’s about creating a safe space. “Think about it: On a scale of one to 10, how scared is your client? 10. How fearful are they of being taken advantage of? 10,” he added.

They’re coming to you scared about the health of their vehicle. They’re upset. But the first series of questions a service advisor will ask is the make, model and year of the vehicle.

“That’s not the right way to do it. We have a logical way to talk to people and then there’s an emotional way to talk to people. If they’re coming at me emotional, I can’t talk to them logical. That’s like talking to someone who speaks Russian and English,” White said.

Connect with them first, White recommended. Talk to them as a human. Ask what the problem is and what they want from you. Reassure them. Tell them you’re doing to take great care of them.

“They’re going to be more receptive to your suggestions. Because more trust equals more influence. It’s going to be easier to get to yes. It’s going to be easier to get them to buy again,” White said.

They’ll get their back off the wall and be less concerned about protecting themselves.

“They don’t see me as adversarial. They see me as somebody that’s there to help them get to where they want to go,” White said. “That’s when sales is fun.”

The post When to ask those key questions of customers appeared first on Auto Service World.

Image credit: Depositphotos.com

Having double standards among employees in your shop will eventually turn culture sour and you’ll watch your good people leave, warned a shop coach.

Rick White, founder and president of 180Biz told attendees during the recent Midwest Auto Care Alliance’s Vision Hi-Tech Training & Expo that a technician who outputs 50 hours of work in a week and is being paid and treated the same as a tech putting out half that will not go unnoticed by the team. Shops have a bad habit of wanting to treat everyone the same even though not everyone performs the same and the decision hurts morale, he added.

“So when you have a double standard, it’s a problem,” he said during his session Trust is the Real Currency. “And what happens is these 50-hour guys, they very quickly turn into 20-hour guys. That 20-hour guy’s a cancer.”

White asked attendees to raise their hands if they knew who they would let go first if the shop fell on hard financial times. Their hands went up pretty fast.

“If you raised your hand that fast, can we agree that they’re a problem child?” White asked.

“How many of you have somebody in your shops who shouldn’t be working there? You know what I’m talking about: You got two guys that really bang off the work and then you got this one guy that’s doing 20 hours a week? That’s a double standard,” he added.

It’s the law of least effort, White explained. Humans are going to do as little as possible to get the job done. For example, if you give someone a 10-step process, they’re going to look at how to cut it down to eight.

So if one tech sees another not putting in the same effort, they wonder why they’re doing the same. They start to pick up bad habits.

That is, unless the tech trusts you as the shop owner to take better care of them. If you have an environment where the tech feels safe in coming to you and talking about the issues they see, then you can make improvements. That may be by kicking the low-performing tech to the curb — even though attendees noted they need all the help they can get as to why they keep the “problem child” around — or working with that tech to improve themselves.

“Because they feel safe, they can be more open and transparent and vulnerable and put stuff out there because they’re not worried about somebody making fun of them or teasing them or using it against them,” White said. “Trust determines the level of quality and communication.”

And that raises morale in the shop, which then raises productivity.

“When there’s high trust, people are just concentrating on doing their work. They’re not worried about who’s doing what or why is he doing that and what’s he talking about, that kind of stuff,” White explained. “So efficiency goes up.”

The post The problem of double standards in a shop appeared first on Auto Service World.

We’re less than five months away from the biggest North American gathering for the automotive aftermarket and a slew of training opportunities have been announced.

Joe’s Garage will return to this year’s AAPEX show, featuring training for shop owners, service advisors and technicians. The area will take up an entire floor at The Venetian Expo during the show, which runs from Oct. 31-Nov. 2 in Las Vegas.

Technical training topics will cover advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) calibration, battery electric and hybrid vehicle services, electronification of the chassis, EVAP diagnostics, J2534 module programming, deciphering gas turbo driveability and communication breakdown: communication issues, U-codes and network diagnostics.

Business management topics include AI language ChatGPT, dealing with overwhelm, executing successful acquisitions, superior service advising, understanding Gen Z and attracting, hiring and retaining employees.

Some familiar names will be at the front of the room for these sessions, such as Bill Haas of Haas Performance Consulting, Greg Bunch of Transformers Institute, Jeremy O’Neal from Advisorfix and more.

The full schedule can be found through this link.

Service professionals can sign up for training when registering for AAPEX. For those already registered, log in to your registration and add the training. The fee per session is US$50.

The post Here’s what shop training will be at AAPEX appeared first on Auto Service World.

The March/April issue of CARS magazine has arrived. If you haven’t flipped through the hard copy just yet, here’s a preview of what’s inside.

The cover story looks at the big business of ADAS that the aftermarket is missing out on. Experts weigh in on the importance of shops doing calibrations and the revenue they’re missing out on by ignoring it. Liz Perkins, owner of L1 Auto Group, is our featured guest. She talks about her passion for ADAS, its essential role in road safety, liability concerns and more.

Scan the QR code in the mag or click here for the enhanced media segment where you can hear more from Perkins.

Rob Nurse puts pen to paper for our It’s Your Turn commentary. He believes shop owners are falling for delusions of grandeur in how they’re being told to run their businesses. He sees another, better way, which works for him.

We also explore the dangers of pests in your shop. It’s that time of year they can find their way into your shop, so protecting your shop and customer vehicles is important.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Cars Magazine & Jobber News (@autoserviceworld)

Our columns for this month have Joe Flammer talking about raising your business profile through Google, Alan Beech on the difference between customer service and customer experience and Greg Aguilera offering tips for shops to navigate the changing retail landscape.

Our usual sections like Letters, News, By the Numbers, Class Act (featuring Cambrian College) and On the Road can all be found in this issue.

Don’t forget to check out managing editor Adam Malik’s column on the great shop experience his friend and what you can take away from it.

Click here to read the digital edition of the March/April issue of CARS.

The post CARS mag: ADAS | Delusions of grandeur | Marketing insights appeared first on Auto Service World.

A common phrase in the insurance industry is to ‘build back better.’ The phrase is meant to emphasize the need to — after a catastrophic loss, such as a home or building being completely destroyed — rebuild the structure with better fire or water resistance materials. The point is so that such a loss event doesn’t happen again, or damage is significantly reduced.

In an age where floodings are becoming more common and wildfires rage on with greater intensity, the process would guard against bigger losses, reducing claims and the amount insureds need to pay in premiums.

The automotive aftermarket could apply the same theory coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. While shops were still open and serving customers, business did change. From customer expectations to experience, it’s not business as usual. Things have changed.

While the pandemic isn’t over, things are certainly better than in 2020. Many industries are using this emergence of a new normal as the impetus to change the way they do business and explore ways to improve and adapt to new realities.

To help shop owners better run their business, service advisors better serve customers and technicians better work in the shop, here is a compilation of insights offered by shop coaches and aftermarket experts.

Service advisors

According to Bryan Stasch, vice president of product and content development at the Automotive Training Institute, the service advisor has the most important job in a shop. They’re the first person a customer sees when they walk in and are often the last person they deal with on the way out. And when a customer calls, it’s the service advisor who typically answers the phone.

“Your attitude, your character, your emotional state is going to have a huge impact on the result at the end of the day, week, month or year,” he said at this year’s Midwest Auto Care Alliance’s Vision Hi-Tech Training & Expo near Kansas City.

Service advisors are expected to be problem-solvers — for both customers and the shop’s technicians.

For any shop owner who disagrees, Stasch has a simple message: “Service advisors have more control over sales and profitability and the bottom line of that business than you ever do.”

As such, service advisors should view their role more in line with being a business manager. They manage workflow, car count, scheduling and profit margins. “If you’re the one that builds estimates, sells tickets and/or controls an effective labour rate, you’re a business manager,” Stasch said.

Not to mention a salesperson. They’re answering calls, building estimates, selling the service and more. “You guys are salespeople and you are directly responsible for sales making those sales profitable, keeping your customers happy and coming back for return visits,” Stasch said.

“Customers always assume that you have the tools that you need to do the job right every single time. No customer out there thinks, ‘I bet this shop has really good equipment to accurately diagnose my car on this one problem.’”

Shop owner

Customers are looking for shops that stand out. They know you offer great repairs — everyone does that.

Indeed, if your pitch to new customers is that you fix cars right the first time or that you’re better than the guy next door, then you need to change that as soon as possible. Customers already expect that you can fix their vehicle. They figure that you’re competent. Those are basic expectations.

“We all get it. I get it. But to a consumer? Low-level expectation. Do not hang your hat on low-level expectations,” Stasch said.

Saying your quality of work speaks for itself is just lazy marketing, noted David Avrin, a customer experience and marketing consultant, at the same MWACA conference. That’s what everyone else is saying — except for those who are marketing themselves better than you.

“We got to highlight those things that are different and better,” he said, adding that when everything is equal people shop based on price and proximity.

Even promoting that you have the right tools to do the job is considered elementary to consumers, noted Craig O’Neill, vice president of training at autotext.me.

“Customers always assume that you have the tools that you need to do the job right every single time. No customer out there thinks, ‘I bet this shop has really good equipment to accurately diagnose my car on this one problem,’” he said.

And they won’t show much excitement that you have a particular tool in your bays. “It’s not going to delight the customer that we have the latest and greatest General Motors OE scan tool to do the reprogramming calibration,” O’Neill added.

So how can shops stand out? Go huge with your warranty, Stasch recommended as one solution.

“I’m a believer in the five-year warranty, unlimited mileage,” he said.

This helps when attracting customers who will only take their vehicle to the dealer where they believe they will get better parts put on their vehicle.

“So with those customers, you have to work a little harder to sell your company and why you’re better,” he said.

And that’s where the warranty comes into play. Most aftermarket professionals will agree that if a part is going to fail, it’ll most often be within the first month — and most certainly within six months. So why offer a three-year warranty? Make it five. That sounds great to the customer, especially when your competitors are offering warranties for two or three years with limited mileage.

Stasch recalled one key piece of marketing advice that has stuck with him throughout his career. “I had somebody tell me: ‘Do not do what your competition is not doing; Do what your competition is not willing to do.’”

That adds to the value proposition of your shop. That warranty tells the customer “they will never replace the water pump ever again. We are believers in lifetime warranties on a lot of things.”

“We’re one of the only industries that doesn’t do quality control.”

Technicians

For lead technicians, establishing set procedures and processes is essential to a well-run shop. That means having plans in place from the moment the customer’s vehicle enters the bay to when you have it ready for them to pick up.

To start off, lead technicians need to establish a standard inspection process. Otherwise, a shop with five different technicians will look at vehicles in five different ways. A uniform process for vehicle inspections means everyone goes through the process in the same way.

The inspection process “is probably one of the biggest black holes in every shop,” according to Matt Lachowitzer, a coach with Transformers Institute and owner and founder of Matt’s Automotive Service Center.

At the Kansas City conference, he recommended getting all techs together to discuss how to bring more consistency into how issues are interpreted.

“Do all the inspections together and you talk about it. Every tech interprets a leak, a drip, a seam, everything, differently,” Lachowitzer said. “What’s a 10 out of 10 one day may be a four out of 10 the next day. How do you bridge that gap? That’s understanding that training [on] your inspection process so that everybody’s on the same page all the time. It’s not always going to be consistent, but you can start by training on it and you need to make it more consistent. That’s the Number 1 thing.”

Tell them what the minimum is for the acceptable standard, how they should be doing certain things and the order in which it is done, he added.

What can often drive technicians crazy is when an inspection is ordered in a way that looks good to the customer but makes no sense to the technicians. “And as a technician, you say, ‘Why did they put this together this way? Why am I doing tires when there’s all this stuff over here?’” Lachowitzer said.

At the other end, technicians need a quality control process to ensure the customer’s vehicle is properly ready for them when work is completed.

This is important because one slip up — something as simple as not wiping down the steering wheel — can not only mean an unpleasant conversation between the customer and the service advisor, but also the customer taking their business elsewhere.

“Did I ask you to diagnose it? No. Have a moment with the car. Look at the current miles, look at the oil change sticker on there. Take a picture of the entire IPC.”

Mistakes happen — everyone is human. But not seeing a new oil change sticker makes the customer wonder if you even changed their oil, said Chris Cloutier, founder of autotext.me and co-owner of Golden Rule Auto Care.

Cloutier’s background is in software development, an industry where nothing gets released without extensive quality control checks. In automotive repair, though, it’s a different story.

“We’re one of the only industries that doesn’t do quality control,” he said.

“How many stickers do we miss? How many gloveboxes are still on the floor after doing a cabin air filter? How many rags, how many flashlights [are left behind]? How many oil caps are missing?” observed Clint White, a service advisor coach and shop consultant with CWI. “I could keep going. How many times [have you] sold a thing and it didn’t get put on the car?”

Cloutier developed a list for his shop. When he put the list into action by checking every vehicle, he found that vehicles were failing the quality control check upwards of 60% of the time. That’s not acceptable, he said.

“You know how much time it takes to go check out a car real quick? To walk around it real quick? To open it up, turn on the engine, make sure there’s no grease and wipe it down real quick?” he asked.

He timed himself. The process to about five to seven minutes. “Five to seven minutes is still a lot of time you’re [spending] on every car. But what does it cost you to buy a new customer?” he asked.

Doing this is a competitive advantage for his shop. “We let every customer know before this car leaves that somebody has looked at it, and we’ve guaranteed that we’re going to get that car back to you in better shape than it came in,” he said. “If you’re not doing QC process, you should.”

So who should do it? Not the technician who worked on the car, experts agreed. Another technician or the service advisor can run through the list. Some shops hire someone to do this as their only job.

White understands pushback from shop owners who say they pay their advisors to be on the counter. “I know you do,” he acknowledged. “How about you give your customer a better experience?”

Just have them turn the car on, for example. “Hear anything weird?” White noted as a key question. “Did I ask you to diagnose it? No. Have a moment with the car. Look at the current miles, look at the oil change sticker on there. Take a picture of the entire IPC (instrument panel cluster).”

The point is, Cloutier stressed, someone should be making sure everything is right with the vehicle before the customer gets in and finds something wrong.

“And what I will tell you is this: If it isn’t written down, it doesn’t exist.”

SOP

Much of this advice leads to one important item needed in every shop: A standard operating procedure.

There is nothing that a shop owner does in their business for which there shouldn’t be a standard operating procedure in place, according to Bill Haas, owner of Haas Performance Consulting LLC, dedicated to the automotive service and repair industry.

“SOPs are what give us that defining of the repeatable tasks to give us that consistent outcome,” he observed in Kansas City.

If you’re a shop owner who thinks that because everything is in your head that your business is fine, you’re wrong. Staff can’t get in your head, Haas said, and can’t know exactly how you want everything to run.

“And what I will tell you is this: If it isn’t written down, it doesn’t exist,” he said. “So if it’s truly an SOP, if it’s truly a process, if it’s truly something that you want your people to follow — that repeatable task to give us a consistent outcome — it has to be written down. If it’s not written down, it doesn’t exist.”

This article originally appeared in the July/August 2022 issue of CARS magazine

The post From the magazine: Build back better appeared first on Auto Service World.

Image credit: Depositphotos.com

How easy are your repair orders to read for the typical customer? Shop coach Clint White bets they’re not at all. He has some advice on making them better.

An easy way to tell your repair order is confusing is to check how often you get a customer asking what something means or if specific work was done even though it’s listed on paper. White recommended giving a repair order to a 12-year-old. Ask if they can read it and explain what was done to the vehicle.

If they can’t, he has some tips for you. He presented these at the Midwest Auto Care Alliance’s Vision Hi-Tech Training & Expo in March.

The top

At the top of the order, there should be the client’s name, address, phone number, make, model and — most important because it’s often left out — outbound mileage and licence plate information.

“How on God’s green earth we do this and cash them out and there’s no outbound mileage,” White lamented. “There’s no license plate numbers. There’s data that’s missing from the vehicle. I shouldn’t have to talk about this but that’s why I’m talking about it — because it’s an issue. Make sure that those points are full, accurate and complete.”

Do you also note the preferred method of contact? If not, White has some words for you.

“You just assumed: They gave you an email, they gave you a cell phone, what the heck? And then you try to call them and their voicemail box is full,” he said. “Does it stifle the sales process when you can’t get a hold of the customer? 100 per cent. And then they get mad because it’s 3:30, 4 p.m. and nobody’s contacted them.”

They may have preferred a text, but you don’t know unless you ask.

The four C’s

The next part of the repair order should cover the four C’s: Concern, cause, correction, and confirmation.

The service advisor should write in what the customer’s concern is, what’s causing the issue, how it was corrected — the job for which you took their money — and confirmation that the issue was resolved. But don’t use industry jargon or words that would leave a customer confused because they don’t understand the meaning.

Specifically, write what the customer says. If the customer used the word “sluggish,” then include it. So, White suggested, something like, “Mrs. Jones brought her Sentra in because the check engine light is on and it runs a bit sluggish.”

That will make the customer feel better because it sends a sign that you actually listened to them. Write out ‘check engine light’ instead of ‘CEL.’

“Remember, we have to speak their language,” White emphasized.

On the next line, explain that the technician — make sure to name them — performed testing and determined that the mass airflow sensor had failed. Again, don’t write ‘MAS,’ but ‘mass airflow sensor’ instead.

On a new line, note that the mass airflow sensor was replaced and that an oil change was performed, tires were rotated and a new air filter was installed.

Then another new line that states the check engine light is off and the car is running normally.

“Remember, we have to speak their language.”

Sign it

Finally, sign it off with the service advisor’s name.

That way, when Mrs. Smith goes back to her car, she’s going to sit down, read the notes and see you listened to her — you used her exact wording, after all — and that you did all these things with her vehicle. She’ll turn on the car and see the light is no longer on.

“And away they go,” White said. “That’s the experience we’re looking to generate. If your experience doesn’t look like that, your invoice doesn’t read like that, I would highly recommend or mandate: Do that, please.”

The post Are your repair orders easy to read? Probably not appeared first on Auto Service World.

If you don’t set a customer’s expectations on your terms, you’re going to have to live up to their expectations on their terms, says a shop owner and coach.

A customer may have come in for an oil change and failed to mention that their air conditioner wasn’t working. They may have expected you to check that it, and other components, were in proper working order — and maybe even fix it.

So spend time with that customer to understand what they expect out of their visit to your shop, said Frank Scandura, owner of Frank’s European Service and coach with Transformers Institute.

This is one way of avoiding customer comebacks, he said during the Midwest Auto Care Alliance Vision Hi-Tech Training & Expo in Kansas City in March.

Scandura also urged lead technicians to play a pivotal role in tracking and managing customer comebacks. Have a written process in place so you know why a vehicle is coming back.

“If you don’t know what your processes are, you can’t handle a reject or comeback properly,” he said during the session Unleash the Power of Your Shop Foreman and Take Them to the Next Level. “The other thing is if you don’t have a process, you probably aren’t tracking properly.”

He presented alongside Matt Lachowitzer, coach and owner and founder of Matt’s Automotive Service Center. He, too, stressed the lead technician’s importance. “If they don’t know what’s going on and why they’re coming back, how are they going to help the other team members in the shop?” he asked. “They need to be involved in this process. They need to be part of it.”

Scandura gave an example of one technician who always has a comeback on a particular repair they perform.

“If you’re not tracking it … you don’t know [that there is an issue],” he said. “If you find that 18 brake jobs came back for squeaking and now the parts guy, all of a sudden they realize it’s [because of] an aftermarket brake pad … [now] I have an opportunity to address that.”

Because the worst comeback is the one that never happens, Scandura pointed out.

“Think about that for a minute. Because I’m the guy, when I’m disappointed with the hotel I’m staying … what do you think the chances of me complaining are? Zero. I don’t have time. I’m too busy. I’ve got too much going on. What do you think the chances of me going to another [brand of that hotel are]? Also zero,” he said. “I just can’t be bothered. Our customers are no different. Right? If you’re having that experience out there, they’re having that experience out there.”

Image credit: Depositphotos.com

The post Why you need set customer expectations appeared first on Auto Service World.

Automotive professionals looking to take a certification test can now register for the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence’s (ASE) winter session.

Registration is open until March 31, 2022. There are more than 50 ASE certification tests, covering nearly every aspect of the motor vehicle service and repair industry.

Registration can be done at ASE.com by clicking on “register” and “sign-in.” Once logged in, users can next click on “orders” then “store”. There they can find the tests they want to take, add those tests to the cart and check out to complete the registration.

After registering, users will have 90 days to schedule an appointment to take the selected ASE tests, whether registering on the first day of the registration period or the last. ASE testing is available throughout the year and is conducted days, nights and weekends at nearly 450 secured, proctored test centers.

Those with unexpired automobile certifications (A1-A9) can also use the ASE renewal app for recertification. The ASE renewal app allows for certified professionals to extend the expiration date of their certifications without having to take time off or go to a secure test center for testing.

The post ASE opens winter registration appeared first on Auto Service World.

The post ASW Conversations: Extending services beyond your shop’s four walls appeared first on Auto Service World.

New software from Mitchell 1 includes new automotive fleet management and communication features.

The latest enhancements in Manager SE help increase a service provider’s capability to integrate and communicate with their automotive fleet customers, Mitchell 1 said in an announcement. Repair facilities using is software to track shop productivity can now integrate with their fleet customer’s management system. This allows them to quickly share estimates, service records and other information.

“At Mitchell 1 we are passionately focused on driving efficiencies throughout the repair process,” said Ben Johnson, director of product management at Mitchell 1. “Integrating with fleet management systems is a natural next step. Since we’ve incorporated the integration in the shop’s normal workflow, it is much easier to interact with a fleet customer.”

A service operation is typically focused on documenting all repairs done at their shop. Fleet operators, on the other hand, generally focus on documenting all repairs done on the assets they maintain, such as cars, trucks, trailers and so on. While the service job is taking place at a shop, there are several phone calls made, such as scheduling appointments, getting approval for work needed and for final invoicing and payment terms.

What Manager SE does, Mitchell 1 explained, is it allows automotive fleet vehicles that require service to send requests to a service provider directly from their management system to Mitchell 1’s shop management system.

So no phone call is needed. The service provider can accept the work, share estimates, get approvals and get paid.

The final record of the repair is shared with the management system so the vehicle’s service history is maintained with them and at the servicing shop.

The post Mitchell 1 releases new software appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Susan Hitchon

There’s no question that loyal clients are highly coveted in any industry. Under stable or normal market conditions, almost any business owner would agree that client loyalty needs to be at the top of the priority list.

The big question, of course, is how do you create loyalty?

Some businesses create tiered rebates and VIP experiences that encourage their clients to grant them more of their total spend. This is often referred to as a “loyalty program.” But let’s examine that for a minute. The rebate is earned with increased spending. It has an intrinsic monetary value. It is calculated by a formula. And the accrued value can be reported to the client at any time.

In my books, that constitutes a big carrot at the end of a very long string. I would suggest this is not a loyalty program. It is a reward program.

It’s absolutely critical to ensure that your clients regularly experience positive interactions with your sales team, counter staff, customer service, delivery drivers, website, on-line ordering system, marketing staff, accounts receivable, and management personnel. These daily interactions are intangible and cannot be summarized in any sort of program or report. And they certainly can’t be measured in dollars.

The fact is that while you’re tracking sales through your rewards programs, your clients are tracking every touchpoint with your company. They have their own private loyalty scorecard! I believe the real measure of your success is how you’re doing on that scorecard. Are they loyal to you because you’re kicking back rewards? Or because they truly appreciate the way you go to market, and the way you interact with them, and the way you satisfy their complex needs?

I would go so far as to say a high participation rate in your rewards program does not necessarily translate to client loyalty at all. Let’s face it, almost everyone offers a rewards program these days. And the ‘points’ or ‘bucks’ that they earn can be translated into real dollars. At the end of the month, they can directly compare the monetary value of your program with your competitor’s program.

So rather than discuss intimate details of why one type of rewards program is better than the other, let’s explore the client’s loyalty scorecard as a true measurement of client loyalty.

After five months of managing their business through a global pandemic, the priorities of your ASP clients have pivoted. Your services have to be in-line with their new direction. It’s time to really learn what your clients’ wants, needs, and pain points are so you can secure your position as their first call.

I know your sales reps are in regular contact with them. And they will tell you they know the current status of each account. But I think an updated assessment of each client’s current position during the Covid crisis is in order. You need to schedule a formal visit with each shop, making it clear that you want to have a focused discussion on how you can help them meet or exceed their targets for this year. This strange, interrupted, socially distanced, face-masked year. The visit can be virtual, if necessary, but if you are able to meet in-person, invite them to your facility, away from the distractions of their shop.

Now I’m not quite sure how to say this, so I’m just going to say it. During this interview after you have asked a question, stop talking! It’s time to listen and listen carefully. You’re not selling them anything during this interview. You’re not talking about the benefits of your program offering. You’re simply opening the door so they can be totally candid with you. You have to learn what’s most important to them, and that’s not going to happen if you spend most of the time talking. Your client will leave the meeting feeling like they’ve listened to another sales pitch. They’ll feel like you wasted their time.

Be prepared with a list of open-ended questions to keep the discussion fluid. Above all, express your concern for their business during this difficult year. Ask about their family, their staff, their regular clients. Find out how they’ve been impacted by the year’s events. Find out how hopeful they are for the future.

And when you get around to the specifics of business, avoid the kind of questions that can be answered with a snap judgment. Don’t ask, “On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate our on-line ordering system?” That’s not going to draw out any well-considered answers. Instead ask them, “Can you give me an example of a time when our on-line ordering system was particularly difficult to navigate?” And then sit back and listen. You’ll be amazed that a cookie-cutter answer will give way to more thoughtful answers if you give it time to bubble up in their memory. When they have exhausted that answer, follow up with probing questions. “How did we resolve the issue for you?” “Can you share with me your experience with other suppliers’ on-line ordering systems?” “What is it about their on-line systems that makes it easy to do business with them?”

Uncover what they like or dislike about your competition with more open-ended questions being careful not to criticize your competitors in the process. Trash-talking your competitors to your client will accomplish only one thing… insulting your client. You’ve just told your client that they make bad decisions and aren’t intelligent enough to choose you over another supplier!

Remember, you are trying to figure out what is on their own personal loyalty scorecards.

Every aspect of your program needs to be addressed, one by one, with an eye to ticking the corresponding box on their own loyalty scorecard. Explain how your services meet their very high bar of service and competence. Leave no stone unturned. And make sure you address every touchpoint they have with your company.

Next steps: meet internally as a team to review your client’s feedback and determine a course of action for positive change. You need to implement noticeable improvements that relieve the pain points you just learned about. Communicate to your client what changes have been implemented, and make yourself available for short, less formal follow-up discussions asking them to rate the progress you’ve made.

Here’s a solid question to ask: “Compared to the last time we spoke about our on-line ordering system, what improvements have you noticed?”

Remember, if you can satisfy their wants and help them meet their targets, they will become a walking advertisement for your products and services. They will seek you out for new products rather than waiting for you to appear at their doorstep with the next promotion. When the next problem occurs, they will trust you to resolve it.

Best of all, they will no longer be as open to pitches from other suppliers, and they won’t so easily be influenced by pricing alone.

Simply stated, your goal should be to make it as easy as possible for them to do business with you. The best measure of loyalty is not a ‘10’ on a survey. It is ensuring the next order from that client… and the next… and the next!

Susan Hitchon is Ontario business development manager for the Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Centre. You can reach her at s.hitchon@aaec.ca

The post Off the Shelf: Keep them coming back appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Allan Janssen

There are plenty of ways to lose money in a repair shop. Avoiding the pitfalls in the bays, the manager’s office and at the front counter is what defines success in this business.

When it comes to the front counter, the start- and end-point for all of your client interactions, there is definitely some dangerous ground. It takes a skilled and focused service advisor to negotiate the terrain and make the most of every job.

Jeremy O’Neal, president of management consulting firm AdvisorFix, and the owner of Freedom Auto Repair in Hesperia, Calif., has built a reputation training service advisors. As the featured speaker in a recent training session produced by the Midwest Auto Care Association (MWACA), he outlined five deadly sins that service advisors can fall prey to.

He drew on his own experiences at the counter to identify the most common ones, and offered strategies to avoid falling into them.

“Things go south pretty quickly when I drop the ball,” he said. “When I don’t do things the way they should be done – like I take in a car that I never should have taken in, or I tell a customer that we won’t charge anything to take a look – that’s when the problems start.”

1. Not taking care of your personal health

The coronavirus pandemic has thrown a lot of people’s life regimens off kilter – some for better, others for worse.

“Right now, more than ever, you have got to put your personal health ahead of literally almost everything. Your body is all you have,” he said.

O’Neal said the auto repair industry can be tough, with a lot of long hours and high stress.

“It’s too easy to let business take over our lives, and we get our priorities in the wrong order, he said. “To operate at peak performance during work hours, you really have to really manage your health.”

He encouraged webinar participants to consider the one thing they really need to give up.

“Now’s the time to do it!” he said

2. Arriving to work late and not having a game plan for the day

“As a service advisor, you control an immense amount of workflow,” he said. “The way you set yourself up in the morning, sets you up for success or failure.”

O’Neal advocated what he calls observing a ‘golden hour of power’ before the doors open in the morning, in which you set goals for the day, get your thoughts straight, and organize your paperwork.

“When the doors open it’s game time. I’m there to serve,” he said. “I don’t care about administration, or reconciling parts bills, or doing anything except serving the customers and helping my business achieve what it needs to achieve. Everything else goes out the window.”

 As part of his golden hour of power, he reviews all appointments for the day, checking the service history, ensuring all estimates are ready to go and parts have been ordered. He also reviews the shop’s recent performance and determines whether it is on track to meet weekly and monthly goals.

“It’s discouraging to see how many people fail to write out their goals and get caught up in activity-based work,” he said. “You’re busy, busy, busy but you really haven’t defined what you want to achieve. You have to know what you want to achieve.”

Finally, he takes a few minutes to read motivational, inspirational, or instructional books.

“Even if it’s only for five minutes, this is self-development stuff that expands your thinking,” he said.

3. Rushing through estimates

Speed of service is key, but take the time to properly estimate the job.

Ironically, he said, this is less of a danger for beginning advisors who tend to be overly cautious when building estimates.

“Let me warn you, as you gain experience, and your ego starts to grow, you start to think, ‘I’ve seen this before. I’ve got this.’ And you start to rush through your quotes. Be very careful. Don’t take anything for granted,” he said. “You can cost yourself hundreds of dollars if you fail to take important steps into consideration.”

O’Neal said once you give the customer an estimate, that’s what they expect to pay.

“Anything that is added on later is painful and negative,” he said.

4. Emotional discounting

With so many people out of work or under-employed, this is especially timely advice, he said.

“This economic downturn is unlike anything we’ve seen before,” he said. “Given the emotional distress that people are under, they are going to attack you for discounts.”

He believes shops should build their estimates fairly and then stick to them.

“It takes a lot of money to draw profit in an independent repair shop. We have some of the lowest net profits of any small business in North America. Your job as a service advisor is to protect the profit,” he said. “So, when customers ask you if that’s your best price, you have to say, ‘Yes, it is. When we build our estimates, we include every discount we can. We shop our competition every single month to ensure our pricing is fair. This is a fair price for the job. Do you want me to take care of it for you?’ You have to stand by your price, not in an egotistical or bullying way. But when you get challenged, you’re going to be able to answer their questions.”

5. Lack of practice

Like many trainers, O’Neal is a big advocate of practicing the scripts that service advisors are called upon to recite so often – from sales pitches, to technical explanations, to responses to common objections.

This is best done on a daily basis, in front of coworkers who can offer constructive feedback.

“Stop practicing on your customers,” he said. “If you don’t have dedicated role-playing time in your week, I guarantee you you’re regurgitating the same habits over and over and you’re building a rut for yourself. Consumers are changing. Set aside practice time.”

He said customers are changing and they’re more comfortable challenging assumptions and prices than ever before. Practice is needed so your responses come out naturally and clearly.

Just as there are many ways to over-deliver to customers, there are many ways to drop a sale, lose revenue, or destroy profit.

O’Neal believes service advisors play a critical role in the business and they’d be doing themselves a favour if they avoid the most common pitfalls.

The post Five deadly sins at the service counter appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Susan Hitchon

There’s no question that loyal clients are highly coveted in any industry. Under stable or normal market conditions, almost any business owner would agree that client loyalty needs to be at the top of the priority list.

The big question, of course, is how do you create loyalty?

Some businesses create tiered rebates and VIP experiences that encourage their clients to grant them more of their total spend. This is often referred to as a “loyalty program.” But let’s examine that for a minute. The rebate is earned with increased spending. It has an intrinsic monetary value. It is calculated by a formula. And the accrued value can be reported to the client at any time.

In my books, that constitutes a big carrot at the end of a very long string. I would suggest this is not a loyalty program. It is a reward program.

It’s absolutely critical to ensure that your clients regularly experience positive interactions with your sales team, counter staff, customer service, delivery drivers, website, on-line ordering system, marketing staff, accounts receivable, and management personnel. These daily interactions are intangible and cannot be summarized in any sort of program or report. And they certainly can’t be measured in dollars.

The fact is that while you’re tracking sales through your rewards programs, your clients are tracking every touchpoint with your company. They have their own private loyalty scorecard! I believe the real measure of your success is how you’re doing on that scorecard. Are they loyal to you because you’re kicking back rewards? Or because they truly appreciate the way you go to market, and the way you interact with them, and the way you satisfy their complex needs?

I would go so far as to say a high participation rate in your rewards program does not necessarily translate to client loyalty at all. Let’s face it, almost everyone offers a rewards program these days. And the ‘points’ or ‘bucks’ that they earn can be translated into real dollars. At the end of the month, they can directly compare the monetary value of your program with your competitor’s program.

So rather than discuss intimate details of why one type of rewards program is better than the other, let’s explore the client’s loyalty scorecard as a true measurement of client loyalty.

After five months of managing their business through a global pandemic, the priorities of your ASP clients have pivoted. Your services have to be in-line with their new direction. It’s time to really learn what your clients’ wants, needs, and pain points are so you can secure your position as their first call.

I know your sales reps are in regular contact with them. And they will tell you they know the current status of each account. But I think an updated assessment of each client’s current position during the Covid crisis is in order. You need to schedule a formal visit with each shop, making it clear that you want to have a focused discussion on how you can help them meet or exceed their targets for this year. This strange, interrupted, socially distanced, face-masked year. The visit can be virtual, if necessary, but if you are able to meet in-person, invite them to your facility, away from the distractions of their shop.

Now I’m not quite sure how to say this, so I’m just going to say it. During this interview after you have asked a question, stop talking! It’s time to listen and listen carefully. You’re not selling them anything during this interview. You’re not talking about the benefits of your program offering. You’re simply opening the door so they can be totally candid with you. You have to learn what’s most important to them, and that’s not going to happen if you spend most of the time talking. Your client will leave the meeting feeling like they’ve listened to another sales pitch. They’ll feel like you wasted their time.

Be prepared with a list of open-ended questions to keep the discussion fluid. Above all, express your concern for their business during this difficult year. Ask about their family, their staff, their regular clients. Find out how they’ve been impacted by the year’s events. Find out how hopeful they are for the future.

And when you get around to the specifics of business, avoid the kind of questions that can be answered with a snap judgment. Don’t ask, “On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate our on-line ordering system?” That’s not going to draw out any well-considered answers. Instead ask them, “Can you give me an example of a time when our on-line ordering system was particularly difficult to navigate?” And then sit back and listen. You’ll be amazed that a cookie-cutter answer will give way to more thoughtful answers if you give it time to bubble up in their memory. When they have exhausted that answer, follow up with probing questions. “How did we resolve the issue for you?” “Can you share with me your experience with other suppliers’ on-line ordering systems?” “What is it about their on-line systems that makes it easy to do business with them?”

Uncover what they like or dislike about your competition with more open-ended questions being careful not to criticize your competitors in the process. Trash-talking your competitors to your client will accomplish only one thing… insulting your client. You’ve just told your client that they make bad decisions and aren’t intelligent enough to choose you over another supplier!

Remember, you are trying to figure out what is on their own personal loyalty scorecards.

Every aspect of your program needs to be addressed, one by one, with an eye to ticking the corresponding box on their own loyalty scorecard. Explain how your services meet their very high bar of service and competence. Leave no stone unturned. And make sure you address every touchpoint they have with your company.

Next steps: meet internally as a team to review your client’s feedback and determine a course of action for positive change. You need to implement noticeable improvements that relieve the pain points you just learned about. Communicate to your client what changes have been implemented, and make yourself available for short, less formal follow-up discussions asking them to rate the progress you’ve made.

Here’s a solid question to ask: “Compared to the last time we spoke about our on-line ordering system, what improvements have you noticed?”

Remember, if you can satisfy their wants and help them meet their targets, they will become a walking advertisement for your products and services. They will seek you out for new products rather than waiting for you to appear at their doorstep with the next promotion. When the next problem occurs, they will trust you to resolve it.

Best of all, they will no longer be as open to pitches from other suppliers, and they won’t so easily be influenced by pricing alone.

Simply stated, your goal should be to make it as easy as possible for them to do business with you. The best measure of loyalty is not a ‘10’ on a survey. It is ensuring the next order from that client… and the next… and the next!

Susan Hitchon is Ontario business development manager for the Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Centre. You can reach her at s.hitchon@aaec.ca

The post Off the shelf: How to keep them coming back appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Allan Janssen

There are plenty of ways to lose money in a repair shop. Avoiding the pitfalls in the bays, the manager’s office and at the front counter is what defines success in this business.

When it comes to the front counter, the start- and end-point for all of your client interactions, there is definitely some dangerous ground. It takes a skilled and focused service advisor to negotiate the terrain and make the most of every job.

Jeremy O’Neal, president of management consulting firm AdvisorFix, and the owner of Freedom Auto Repair in Hesperia, Calif., has built a reputation training service advisors. As the featured speaker in a recent training session produced by the Midwest Auto Care Association (MWACA), he outlined five deadly sins that service advisors can fall prey to.

He drew on his own experiences at the counter to identify the most common ones, and offered strategies to avoid falling into them.

“Things go south pretty quickly when I drop the ball,” he said. “When I don’t do things the way they should be done – like I take in a car that I never should have taken in, or I tell a customer that we won’t charge anything to take a look – that’s when the problems start.”

1. Not taking care of your personal health

The coronavirus pandemic has thrown a lot of people’s life regimens off kilter – some for better, others for worse.

“Right now, more than ever, you have got to put your personal health ahead of literally almost everything. Your body is all you have,” he said.

O’Neal said the auto repair industry can be tough, with a lot of long hours and high stress.

“It’s too easy to let business take over our lives, and we get our priorities in the wrong order, he said. “To operate at peak performance during work hours, you really have to really manage your health.”

He encouraged webinar participants to consider the one thing they really need to give up.

“Now’s the time to do it!” he said

2. Arriving to work late and not having a game plan for the day

“As a service advisor, you control an immense amount of workflow,” he said. “The way you set yourself up in the morning, sets you up for success or failure.”

O’Neal advocated what he calls observing a ‘golden hour of power’ before the doors open in the morning, in which you set goals for the day, get your thoughts straight, and organize your paperwork.

“When the doors open it’s game time. I’m there to serve,” he said. “I don’t care about administration, or reconciling parts bills, or doing anything except serving the customers and helping my business achieve what it needs to achieve. Everything else goes out the window.”

 As part of his golden hour of power, he reviews all appointments for the day, checking the service history, ensuring all estimates are ready to go and parts have been ordered. He also reviews the shop’s recent performance and determines whether it is on track to meet weekly and monthly goals.

“It’s discouraging to see how many people fail to write out their goals and get caught up in activity-based work,” he said. “You’re busy, busy, busy but you really haven’t defined what you want to achieve. You have to know what you want to achieve.”

Finally, he takes a few minutes to read motivational, inspirational, or instructional books.

“Even if it’s only for five minutes, this is self-development stuff that expands your thinking,” he said.

3. Rushing through estimates

Speed of service is key, but take the time to properly estimate the job.

Ironically, he said, this is less of a danger for beginning advisors who tend to be overly cautious when building estimates.

“Let me warn you, as you gain experience, and your ego starts to grow, you start to think, ‘I’ve seen this before. I’ve got this.’ And you start to rush through your quotes. Be very careful. Don’t take anything for granted,” he said. “You can cost yourself hundreds of dollars if you fail to take important steps into consideration.”

O’Neal said once you give the customer an estimate, that’s what they expect to pay.

“Anything that is added on later is painful and negative,” he said.

4. Emotional discounting

With so many people out of work or under-employed, this is especially timely advice, he said.

“This economic downturn is unlike anything we’ve seen before,” he said. “Given the emotional distress that people are under, they are going to attack you for discounts.”

He believes shops should build their estimates fairly and then stick to them.

“It takes a lot of money to draw profit in an independent repair shop. We have some of the lowest net profits of any small business in North America. Your job as a service advisor is to protect the profit,” he said. “So, when customers ask you if that’s your best price, you have to say, ‘Yes, it is. When we build our estimates, we include every discount we can. We shop our competition every single month to ensure our pricing is fair. This is a fair price for the job. Do you want me to take care of it for you?’ You have to stand by your price, not in an egotistical or bullying way. But when you get challenged, you’re going to be able to answer their questions.”

5. Lack of practice

Like many trainers, O’Neal is a big advocate of practicing the scripts that service advisors are called upon to recite so often – from sales pitches, to technical explanations, to responses to common objections.

This is best done on a daily basis, in front of coworkers who can offer constructive feedback.

“Stop practicing on your customers,” he said. “If you don’t have dedicated role-playing time in your week, I guarantee you you’re regurgitating the same habits over and over and you’re building a rut for yourself. Consumers are changing. Set aside practice time.”

He said customers are changing and they’re more comfortable challenging assumptions and prices than ever before. Practice is needed so your responses come out naturally and clearly.

Just as there are many ways to over-deliver to customers, there are many ways to drop a sale, lose revenue, or destroy profit.

O’Neal believes service advisors play a critical role in the business and they’d be doing themselves a favour if they avoid the most common pitfalls.

The post Five deadly sins at the service counter appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Peter Bulmer

We conducted a straw poll recently to find out what lessons people are taking away from the extraordinary circumstances we’re all facing this year.

I’ve learned…

…to maintain a wide array of services

We stayed open the whole time. People were staying home, people were nervous… but we thought it was important to maintain our whole service offering. Being in Newfoundland insulates us quite a bit but I still had to cut down from eight techs to two. We’re back up to six techs and we’re back up to about 75% capacity right now.

John Lundrigan, Capital Mitsubishi, St. John’s, Nfld.

…to arrest the spread

This has certainly made me realize how dirty we used to be! We never thought about how bacteria and germs spread, or how we track them throughout our workplace or into vehicles. This has changed our idea of sanitation and safety in the workplace. My staff has been very supportive and understanding. The whole situation has rallied us together.

Jeff Rempel, George Rempel Auto Centre, Winnipeg, Man.

…to believe in your system

We really came to rely on the systems and processes we’d put in place. Throughout this whole Covid situation, we embraced the challenge and took a pretty big leadership role. Empowering your team can really make you agile and ensure that you come out the other side regardless of the situations in your way.

Jeff Hoff, Gears Plus, Prince George, B.C.

…the cost of not driving

If a vehicle is sitting in the driveway untouched for months, that’s going to have an impact. Rust will start to accumulate, parts could seize, there will be a natural breakdown in the vehicle. Unfortunately, if people are short of money, it causes a catch-22 where the customer doesn’t have the money to repair it, but can’t afford to drive either.

Art Quigg, Art Quigg’s Service, London, Ont.

…the value of low overhead

Owning the property that we’re on and the building we’re in, we actually were in a pretty good position where we could turn away non-essential work in order to concentrate on oil changes and tire changes. My heart goes out to those guys who are stuck between a rock and a hard place, having big overhead expenses.

Rudy Graf, Graf Auto, North York, Ont.

…to focus marketing on safety

We’ve switched our marketing to reassure customers that coming in is safe. We describe our cleanliness and attention to detail. We stress that the well-being of our staff and customers is the most important thing to us. We reassure them that they will be safe here, and their families will be safe on the road with a well-functioning vehicle.

Bob Ward, The Auto Guys, St Thomas, Ont.

…to focus on keeping cars going

Our biggest challenge has been to change our working methods to keep our team and customers safe. The new normal will probably be fewer waiting customers from now on. I think the automotive industry will stay healthy during the crisis. Everybody needs their car and many people will want to keep their old car running rather than have to get a new one.

Francis Lefebvre, Monsieur Muffler Ste-Catherine, Mercier, Que.

…to adapt to new realities

We’re seeing a lot of supplier interruptions, and it costs more to obtain the part. We’ve switched to contactless drop-offs, payment and pick-ups. Where my worry lies is that people are starting to ignore the social distancing rules, and if we get put into an even firmer lockdown, I can see a lot of shops going under.

Clyde Doucette, New Tech Automotive, Beeton, Ont.

…to prepare for the long-term

We’ve noticed there’s a big push in the community to support local businesses. People have been bringing in repairs that they’ve been putting off, just to give us some work. If this keeps up, I expect the real slowdown to happen next winter, when people will have been out of work for a long, and belts will really have to tighten.

Nancy Suranyi, Namao Automotive Repair, Namao, Alta.

…that communication is everything

We’ve increased our communication with our customers, walking them step-by-step through all the changes in the way we operate. We’ve started offering vehicle pickups, which is great for lot of elderly people. And we’re getting a lot of positive feedback to our use photos and videos to communicate repair needs during the Covid crisis.

Doug Reevey, Autotec, Saint John, N.B.

…to hang in there!

Cleaning and sanitizing everything has been a big change, and communicating with our customers through signs on our door… it all took some getting used to. But a couple weeks after the initial lock down, we actually got back on track. We’re booking three weeks out now and seeing some bigger ticket work again. It’s been an interesting time for sure!

Kevin Suttorp, Elec-Tech Automotive Repair, Winnipeg, Man.

The post Straw poll: What I learned during Covid appeared first on Auto Service World.

As motor oil grades and specifications develop and vehicle technology evolves, auto repair shops must have several different grades of oil on hand where only a couple would have sufficed in the past.

With this in mind, and combined with the need to be leaner and more flexible for today’s environment, Wakefield Canada has developed a new solution; offering Castrol Edge, Castrol GTX Magnatec, and Castrol Transmax Full-Synthetic Multi-Vehicle in convenient 18.9 litre pails, along with a unique and efficient way to dispense the fluid from the pails.

Shops can now stock pails of seven motor oils and a transmission fluid with ease, to service over 80% of Canadian vehicles. “Workshops need to be competitive and efficient to make a profit, especially with all the challenges this year has brought,” says Shannon Spano, vice president of sales at Wakefield Canada. “We have adapted our product offering to include pails to help our customers store, manage and dispense their inventory more effectively.”

The innovative pail solution includes reusable dispensing spigots for smooth extraction of fluid for a clean, fast, consistent flow. Once used and emptied, pails can be put directly into recycling for easy disposal or can always be reused for other shop purposes like holding floor-dry or antifreeze. Wakefield is also offering a proprietary pail rack that hosts six pails and six jugs, for efficient hands-free pouring. Engineered for mobility, the pail rack wheels allow for easy movement and repositioning, with or without a full load.

The combination of pails and rack are designed to efficiently manage motor oil inventory, enhance productivity, and increase profit margins. “It means our customers can order the right product and the right pack sizes for their specific customers” continues Spano.  “That means they can optimize their business and maximize their profit.”

Like other Wakefield Business Solutions such as Think Tank and Wakefield Oil Genius, the Wakefield Pail Rack is aimed at enabling shop owners to run their business more efficiently and effectively.

To get more information on the new automotive pail offer, automotive service providers are encouraged to contact their local Wakefield territory sales manager.

The post Castrol launches pails and racks to aid shop inventory management appeared first on Auto Service World.

Dana Aftermarket has developed a series of instructional videos to help automotive professionals get the most out of its industry-leading e-commerce platform.

The site also features an extensive literature library that provides in-depth product attribute information.

“For those new to DanaAftermarket.com, or those who have questions about specific platform features, we have created a series of videos to help guide them through the process of searching for parts, placing and tracking orders, and maximizing use of the site,” said Dan Griffin, senior director of aftermarket and digital solutions for Dana.

A series of 11 instructional videos are available at www.danaaftermarket.com/training-videos.  Dana customers can find out how to search and identify parts, check pricing and availability, navigate the shopping cart and checkout experience, and view order processing and history.  In addition, they can learn about helpful features of the DanaAftermarket.com platform, including fast order entry, exclusive RFQ pipeline access, and list creation to streamline the purchasing process.

When searching the DanaAftermarket.com global catalogue for Spicer, Spicer Select, Victor Reinz, GWB, Albarus, Brevini, Glaser, and Spicer Torque-Hub parts, visitors will find associated literature and videos along with technical descriptions, product specifications, and high-resolution images.

The searchable literature library can be found HERE.

“It has never been easier to do business with Dana,” Griffin said.  “DanaAftermarket.com sets the standard for order management, providing customers with up-to-the-minute data related to inventory, processing and shipping.  Our aftermarket customers quickly learn that there are many valuable resources at their fingertips, like the expansive literature collection, that can help them make more informed purchasing decisions.”

www.DanaAftermarket.com

The post Dana aftermarket site adds videos, literature appeared first on Auto Service World.

Automotive retailers that are not tied to dealerships have a built-in advantage when it comes to attracting younger customers.

Repeated surveys have shown that millennials – those born between 1981 and 2000 – are less suspicious of smaller shops than they are of large corporations, and that they like to support independent businesses.

This is certainly borne out in a recent study by the Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA), working with Quorus Consulting Group. The recently released “Understanding Millennials” report found that Canadian millennials value independent auto service providers over dealerships when it comes to value for money and trustworthiness.

Fifty-three percent of respondents said independent ASPs offered better value for money, compared to only 19% who said dealerships offered better value for money.

On trustworthiness, independents edged out dealerships by six percentage points (34% for independent ASPs, 28% for dealerships).

The vast majority of millennials (62%) appear to use both dealerships and independent ASPs for their vehicle needs. However, among those who have picked a side, dealerships get the edge. Twenty-one percent of respondents use dealerships exclusively, while only 17% use independents exclusively.

The study offers a “quick profile of young Canadian vehicle owners,” and is based on an online survey in 2019 of over 2,000 Canadian adults – 330 of them millennials (aged 25-34).

Known for being
less loyal to
particular brands,
millennials are also
highly influenced
by a variety of review,
comparison, and
communication tools.

Among respondents, 48% say they stay on top of maintenance and repair issues, but 46% acknowledge that while they are generally attentive, they things slide from time to time.

Apparently, more male millennials admit that they feel helpless when they bring their vehicles in for maintenance and repair. Some 52% of men strongly agreed with that sentiment, while only 46% of women said the same.

The report offers a wealth of information on how to impress millennial buyers, what factors build trust, and what contributes to their purchase decisions.

It also discusses perceptions of e-tailing, where their online dollars are spent, and what attracts their attention.

As for vehicle data, three in four millennials said that before taking the survey, they were unaware of the amount and the value of the data produced by their vehicles, nor did they consider who is the rightful owner of that data.

The authors of the report suggest that “millennial vehicle owners represent somewhat of a perfect storm for ASPs” in that they generally consider vehicle maintenance and repair a medium to low priority in their lives, and are comfortable attempting their own repairs and purchasing parts online.

However, among those who are do-it-for-me customers, four out of five of them will go to independent shops.

The acceptance of independent shops comes as no surprise to those who have studied millennial buying habits.

Known for being less loyal to particular brands, they are also highly influenced by a variety of review, comparison, and communication tools. With an estimated purchasing power of US$600 billion, they rely on social media to help them develop their shopping habits. Retail options are funneled through apps on their phones and digital contact with peers.

According to The Center for Generational Kinetics – a research firm that specializes in Gen-Y and Gen-Z attitudes – the hierarchy of communication for millennials runs in the following order:

•  Texts and texting apps
• Email
• Social media
• Phone calls
• In-person interactions

Their thought-process runs contrary to what has worked for previous generations (particularly Baby Boomers, but also their close cousins, Gen-Xers), so modern marketing efforts have to be reconsidered.

Not only do millennials use new approaches to make purchase decisions, they also employ different measuring tools. Cheap does not trump quality. Quality does not trump convenience. Convenient does not beat ethical. And ethics are verified by peers.

In addition, millennials tend to care more deeply about social issues than other generations do, particularly human rights, economic inequality, animal welfare, and environmental protection.

Storytelling is an ideal way to communicate your values to them, either on your website or in your online marketing efforts.

Authenticity is critical, though, because nothing will repel them more than realizing you are paying lip-service to a cause just to reap the financial benefits.

In all things, be transparent in your advertising, your processes, and your interpersonal relationships. Let them know how you work, and where your priorities are. If social or environmental issues are important to you, say so. But don’t fake it. Getting caught out will make millennials feel duped and will kill your brand.

Communicate the value of doing business with you by answering what’s in it for them… and what’s in it for society.

According to a report by public policy researchers at the Brookings Institute, millennials will occupy approximately 75% of the North American job market by 2025. Attracting their loyalty will increasingly be a key to modern retailing success.

The independent automotive world would do well to build on the foundation of trust it already has to create loyal consumer base.

The post New study offers tips for attracting tomorrow’s buyers appeared first on Auto Service World.

Automotive retailers that are not tied to dealerships have a built-in advantage when it comes to attracting younger customers.

Repeated surveys have shown that millennials – those born between 1981 and 2000 – are less suspicious of smaller shops than they are of large corporations, and that they like to support independent businesses.

This is certainly borne out in a recent study by the Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA), working with Quorus Consulting Group. The recently released “Understanding Millennials” report found that Canadian millennials value independent auto service providers over dealerships when it comes to value for money and trustworthiness.

Fifty-three percent of respondents said independent ASPs offered better value for money, compared to only 19% who said dealerships offered better value for money.

On trustworthiness, independents edged out dealerships by six percentage points (34% for independent ASPs, 28% for dealerships).

The vast majority of millennials (62%) appear to use both dealerships and independent ASPs for their vehicle needs. However, among those who have picked a side, dealerships get the edge. Twenty-one percent of respondents use dealerships exclusively, while only 17% use independents exclusively.

The study offers a “quick profile of young Canadian vehicle owners,” and is based on an online survey in 2019 of over 2,000 Canadian adults – 330 of them millennials (aged 25-34).

Known for being
less loyal to
particular brands,
millennials are also
highly influenced
by a variety of review,
comparison, and
communication tools.

Among respondents, 48% say they stay on top of maintenance and repair issues, but 46% acknowledge that while they are generally attentive, they things slide from time to time.

Apparently, more male millennials admit that they feel helpless when they bring their vehicles in for maintenance and repair. Some 52% of men strongly agreed with that sentiment, while only 46% of women said the same.

The report offers a wealth of information on how to impress millennial buyers, what factors build trust, and what contributes to their purchase decisions.

It also discusses perceptions of e-tailing, where their online dollars are spent, and what attracts their attention.

As for vehicle data, three in four millennials said that before taking the survey, they were unaware of the amount and the value of the data produced by their vehicles, nor did they consider who is the rightful owner of that data.

The authors of the report suggest that “millennial vehicle owners represent somewhat of a perfect storm for ASPs” in that they generally consider vehicle maintenance and repair a medium to low priority in their lives, and are comfortable attempting their own repairs and purchasing parts online.

However, among those who are do-it-for-me customers, four out of five of them will go to independent shops.

The acceptance of independent shops comes as no surprise to those who have studied millennial buying habits.

Known for being less loyal to particular brands, they are also highly influenced by a variety of review, comparison, and communication tools. With an estimated purchasing power of US$600 billion, they rely on social media to help them develop their shopping habits. Retail options are funneled through apps on their phones and digital contact with peers.

According to The Center for Generational Kinetics – a research firm that specializes in Gen-Y and Gen-Z attitudes – the hierarchy of communication for millennials runs in the following order:

•  Texts and texting apps
• Email
• Social media
• Phone calls
• In-person interactions

Their thought-process runs contrary to what has worked for previous generations (particularly Baby Boomers, but also their close cousins, Gen-Xers), so modern marketing efforts have to be reconsidered.

Not only do millennials use new approaches to make purchase decisions, they also employ different measuring tools. Cheap does not trump quality. Quality does not trump convenience. Convenient does not beat ethical. And ethics are verified by peers.

In addition, millennials tend to care more deeply about social issues than other generations do, particularly human rights, economic inequality, animal welfare, and environmental protection.

Storytelling is an ideal way to communicate your values to them, either on your website or in your online marketing efforts.

Authenticity is critical, though, because nothing will repel them more than realizing you are paying lip-service to a cause just to reap the financial benefits.

In all things, be transparent in your advertising, your processes, and your interpersonal relationships. Let them know how you work, and where your priorities are. If social or environmental issues are important to you, say so. But don’t fake it. Getting caught out will make millennials feel duped and will kill your brand.

Communicate the value of doing business with you by answering what’s in it for them… and what’s in it for society.

According to a report by public policy researchers at the Brookings Institute, millennials will occupy approximately 75% of the North American job market by 2025. Attracting their loyalty will increasingly be a key to modern retailing success.

The independent automotive world would do well to build on the foundation of trust it already has to create loyal consumer base.

The post New study offers tips for attracting tomorrow’s buyers appeared first on Auto Service World.

Wakefield Canada, makers and marketers of Castrol-branded products, has launched an exclusive tool to help repair shops manage their inventory of motor oil based on the specific vehicles in their local trading area.

“Oil Genius” recommends the best products for shops to stock, given the local car parc.

“It is so important for shops to understand the types of vehicles they have around their business, so they know what products are the most important to carry, “says Shannon Spano, vice president of sales at Wakefield Canada. “Workshops need to be competitive and efficient to make a profit, especially with all the challenges this year has brought.”

Wakefield’s Oil Genius uses vehicle registration data, vehicle specifications and postal code information to generate detailed reports that summarize the vehicles and oil specs for their local trading area as well as ages and incomes of people in the local trading area. Based on that key data, it produces a complete list of market potential, as well as the applicable Castrol products. The automotive service provider can then work with the Wakefield territory sales manager to confidently choose the right product, grades, and package sizes required to meet the needs of that particular location’s customer base.

“It means our customers can order the right product and the right pack sizes for their specific customers” Spano said.  “That means they can optimize their business and maximize their profit.”

Oil Genius is offered as part of Wakefield Business Solutions which includes technology, tools and programs designed to help customers streamline their businesses and gain competitive advantage.

The post Wakefield launches ‘Genius’ tool to help manage oil inventory appeared first on Auto Service World.

You-Tubers and Instagrammers can make a living reviewing products and services. Their channels have become marketing alternatives for manufacturers who want to introduce a new product to a niche group.

As an example of how these e-spokespeople can influence the market, check out this video from internet blogger Chris Fix, who has more than a million subscribers on YouTube. His “how-to” and product-review videos reach an impressive numbers of auto enthusiasts. Unpaid and unsolicited, videos like this have a lot of credibility with the target audience.

Tell us what bloggers you read or watch. We’re preparing a story on how ‘word-of-mouth’ is changing in the Internet age. Leave a comment below or drop me a line at allan@newcom.ca.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CE6_Dl3hpzv/?igshid=106ethtukxadk

The post Is the next ‘word-of-mouth’ video testimonials? appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Zara Wishloff

Gamification is a new buzz word in the marketing world. It refers to adding the aesthetics and functionality of games into things that are not really games at all.

You’ll see it everywhere if you know where to look. Like when you are encouraged to collect stickers, or badges, or “streaks” in order to win a prize. Or when you “roll up the rim” for a reward. Or when you have to sign up a friend in order to earn a discount, or do something for seven days in a row in order to get a status bump.

Fast-food chains lean heavily on this strategy. So do social media platforms, and magazine distribution companies. Gamification is seen as a great way to engage people, build loyalty, and increase attention on something that might otherwise be overlooked or forgotten.

I was thinking about why we enjoy games and challenges so much. You can talk about our inherent need to compete, or to prove our skill at something. But I think the bottom line is that they are simply fun. They give us a little dopamine rush when we succeed at something, or complete a set, or move on to the next level.

Bringing fun into work is never a bad thing. Games can lead to performance improvements and better team dynamics, all of which can drive tremendous results. I’ve used games and contests throughout my career. And while they take some thought to pull off, the results usually exceed the efforts.

Before I get into some promotional examples, I wanted to explore the power games can have in the background of business life.

Chess is a great example. I credit my grandfather for teaching me this game when I was very young. I took it with me into adulthood and into business management. Chess teaches you offensive and defensive strategies that can be transposed to many other aspects in life. In every business I’ve been in, there is strategic planning.

Bringing fun into work
is never a bad thing.
Games can lead
to performance improvements
and better team dynamics,
all of which can
drive tremendous results.

Many business leaders would benefit from the principle of forward-thinking that chess rewards. In business, as in chess, the strongest competitor is the one who can see further into the future. Having a chess background allows you to plan three or four moves ahead — a tremendous advantage that helps you anticipate your competitors’ moves and prepare reactions to any move they make.

It also teaches you that sometimes it is OK – or even advantageous – to sacrifice something in the short term that pays dividends in the long run.

Above all, chess gets your mind working, keeps you on plan, and allows you to adapt quickly to market changes.

Poker is another interesting and fun way to build your skills without taking an online course. Some will tell you poker is about calculating odds and percentages. But, more than that, poker helps you ‘read’ people. That’s another skill that transposes into the business world. You can do well in poker just by observing your opponents and questioning their motivations for the things they do. This is a key advantage when negotiating.

Poker also teaches you to ‘play the hand you were dealt.’ Business and markets can change, and they are not always fair. Just like in poker, you need to look at the resources you have, and employ them appropriately.

Outside of using games to sharpen your mental agility, how can you bring gamification into your business? There are many examples.

I once hosted a poker rally, in which customers were encouraged to visit five different branches, each with a unique activity like a garage sale, car show, or charity car wash. They received a playing card at each branch. The best five-card hand turned in at the end won a trip. That particular promotion got people to visit branches they would never have been to. It was much more effective than offering a grand prize for filling out an entry form at an open house.

Internally, I’ve run contests for staff to participate in. There are times when we need a little extra push to promote a line or segment. Games and contests can help engage staff to achieve the desired results. But you really have to set it up properly. An ill-thought-out promotion can backfire quickly. This is where chess thinking comes in handy. You have to think through all the possible outcomes, both positive and negative, that your promotion will create.

Let me walk you through a scenario:

Your company invested in a new widget and you want to engage your four counter people to promote it. You can say “the person who sells the most widgets in four months will win a $100 gift card. Sounds generous and simple. What could go wrong? After a month the results are in: Counterperson 1 sold 75 widgets; Counterperson 2 sold 40 widgets; Counterperson 3 sold 10 widgets; and Counterperson 4 sold 5 widgets.

Counterperson 1 may really have knocked himself out to push the program – but he could also have lucked into a big order. Or maybe he processes the online orders and that gave him an unfair advantage. There are many ways that he could have found himself far ahead of the others due to no extra effort on his part.

The problem really lies in the next three months. Counterperson 3 and 4 have already realized they have no chance in winning the contest. In fact, they may start to sabotage it to save face. They start coming up with reasons why people might not want the widget or point out that why they prefer a different widget. Now instead of having four motivated salespeople pushing the widget you need to move, you’re down to two.

I have watched this play out in many versions throughout my career – a gamified promotion that should have engaged people and created some fun at work turns into a demotivational exercise and a waste of resources.

Here is my work around to the above scenario that has proven successful through the years. Instead of just awarding your prize to the most units sold, it is much better to award “chances to win.” In other words, the more you sell the better your odds of winning become. After the first month, Counterperson 1 would have 75 entries (approximately 56% chance of winning) and Counterperson 3 would have 10 entries (just under 8% chance of winning). But no matter who sells the most, everyone still has a chance to win. And, more importantly, remains motivated to increase their chances by selling more widgets in the remaining months.

There are many variations you can add to this. You can add bonus entries for selling the most in a month, or bonuses for other products you want sold. I have even run a variation in which instead of chances to win a prize, you earned poker chips. At the end of the contest, staff played each other in a show down. The more you sold, the better position you were in at the start of the game, however even a short stack of chips could take the prize home.

I would say this, though, the simpler you keep the promotion, the more success you will likely have.

Games can work in the background to keep you sharp. They can be created to drive results. And they can add fun to the workplace, engaging staff and clients alike.

Do you use games in your business? I’d love to hear about it. Drop me a line.

Zara Wishloff is vice president of sales and marketing for Automotive Parts Distributors (APD) with four warehouses in Alberta and Saskatchewan. You can reach him at zwishloff@apdparts.ca.

The post The Gamification of Sales appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Peter Bulmer

Getting new customers into your shop is always a challenge.

Even after spending the time to make sure that your prices are right, your service offering is balanced, your curb appeal is great, and your waiting area is comfortable, you still have so many competitors out there. How do you make your shop stand out?

Marketing.

When you first opened your auto repair shop, marketing was likely the last thing on your mind. You knew cars and had mechanical skills. You might have thought that was enough. It wasn’t.

Even after you’d hired a staff, purchased some equipment, and learned a thing or two about business management, you still needed to find a way to connect with consumers. That is what marketing is all about.

If you want to grow
your shop, you have
to learn how to
market yourself effectively.

If you want to grow your shop, you have to learn how to market yourself effectively.

Many shop owners say they rely on word-of-mouth advertising. That’s great if it’s true. Nothing beats personal recommendations from satisfied customers. When people start telling their neighbors, friends, and relatives what a great job you do, success is almost guaranteed.

But the truth is that what a lot of shop owners mean when they say they rely on word-of-mouth advertising is that they don’t actually have a marketing plan at all. They just hope their customers are speaking highly of them.

If you don’t have an organized marketing plan, it’s time to get started on one.

The foundation of marketing should be great work and friendly service. As they say, you can’t hide bad service with good marketing. People will see right through even the slickest ad campaign if you can’t meet the minimum threshold of service.

It is possible, however, to hide good service with bad marketing.

So when you’re marketing your auto repair shop, there are two goals you should have in mind: connecting with your customers, and standing out from the competition.

Connecting with your customers

Good marketing tells potential customers everything they need to know about you at a glance.

In order to learn how to communicate that clearly, think about the most compelling reasons people have to do business with you. Now practice distilling those reasons in as few words as possible. Keep whittling it down until it can fit on business card. This will be your primary message to consumers.

Now think of the transportation challenges that you can solve for people. Can you offer them competent service? Safety? Reliability? Affordability? Convenience? Figure out what they’re looking for and build your campaign around that.

Finally, figure out how to deliver this campaign where they’re most likely to see it. This certainly doesn’t have to be the most expensive option. Everyone would love to advertise on major networks during prime time and sporting events, but that’s going to cost a lot and it would be overkill.

These days there are plenty of cheap and free alternatives, especially if you’ve got some young people and creative types on staff.

Digital marketing starts with a good, clean web site that communicates your core values, and gives people a chance to book their appointments online. If you’ve been putting off upgrading your web site, consider doing it sooner rather than later. This is a must-have in the social media age.

Get creative in introducing your team, your specialties, and your promotions. With a minimal budget, you can truly impress online shoppers, and start booking jobs on day one.

Creating a community with targeted social media is the next step. Find a way to share content, tell your stories, show your pictures, and offer your observations in a friendly way. Celebrate successes (yours and others), and be a sounding board for your customers. It’s all free and it is incredibly powerful, especially if people start sharing your content.

Without violating the spirit of the community you’re creating, you’re ready to parlay social engagement into basic email and text-based marketing. You’ve been collecting email addresses and phone numbers, right? It’s time to use them. But be careful! Not only are there laws about what you can and can’t do, there are social conventions too. What you offer has to have true value to your community.

Standing out from the competition

If what you’ve been doing up to now is building a community, this next part is where you truly reap the benefits of a well-placed marketing campaign.

It starts with reinforcing all the right perceptions that you’ve been generating with the use of clear and attractive branding materials. Your colours, fonts, images, and uniforms should all set you apart in the consumer’s mind.

It should feel like there’s no one else in the city quite like you!

Your image is your calling card. Be consistent and careful with it.

If you’ve been offering the service and competence that people crave, they’ll reward you with positive online reviews. That’s an incredibly powerful marketing advantage that will be a game-changer for you. Once your online reputation starts to grow, demand will follow suit.

Register your shop on the most relevant review sites, and keep on track of the comments. Respond when necessary, but never with hubris or anger. Humility will prove to be a very useful tool in building your online credibility.

Build out your reviews by giving happy customers a chance to leave positive comments in the right places. Encourage surveys, either in-person or through email that will bolster your reputation.

All of this takes effort, yes, but it is incredibly valuable. And you can start small. Build as you see success.

if you want more people to find you and enjoy your great service, you need a consistent branding message and a well-designed marketing plan to deliver it to potential customers.

And as long as customers can find and remember your shop, your work will do the talking for you.

Peter Bulmer is a partner at Turnkey Media Solutions, publishers of Jobber News and CARS magazine.

The post Marketing Primer: Connecting with your customer appeared first on Auto Service World.

KYB’s popular consumer rebate promotion, “Feeling is Believing,” will begin Aug. 1 and run through the end of September. The promotion is designed to help hard-hit consumers restore their rides back to the vehicle’s original handling and control capabilities, hopefully adding some peace of mind in uncertain times.

The “Feeling is Believing,” promotion also benefits service providers, retailers and distributors by increasing sales on an undersold category. KYB has distributed printed materials with helpful tips for sellers along with the promotion details for informing consumers.

The promotion provides a resource to help their customers drive safer and save up to $75 for choosing KYB.

They can earn $75 when they purchase a set of four KYB Strut-Plus products. $50 is offered with a set of four bare struts or on combinations of two Strut-Plus and two shocks or struts. $25 can be earned with the purchase of four KYB shocks or struts. This promotion is open to consumers across the U.S. and Canada, whether they purchase the shocks from a professional service provider or a retailer.

www.kyb.com/save

The post KYB offers consumers $75 rebate appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Geoff Kirbyson

The question isn’t whether jobbers and smaller repair shops can afford the proper software to run their inventory management system. It’s whether they can afford not to.

Experts agree that there are simply too many stock keeping units (SKUs) to keep track of – some selling, some not – so the right software is an absolute necessity, whether you’re a two-person shop or a national chain with thousands of employees.

Phil Murphy, St. John’s-based vice-president of Colonial Auto Parts, a distributor with 11 locations in Newfoundland and Labrador and two in Nova Scotia, said the proliferation of parts in recent years is the biggest challenge for his company.

“It’s 10-fold compared to what it used to be and what you had to carry. A decade ago, you had one set of brake pads to fit 10 cars. Now you’ve got 10 sets of brake pads to fit one car,” he said. “Most locations carry a branded product and a private label one so you’re running two or three labels for every category you have.”

According to U.S. government figures, the average vehicle built today has about 14,000 parts while the typical car or truck on the road is 11.5 years old. In Canada the average age is considerably lower (about 9.71 years, according to the last published measurement in 2017). Nevertheless, that includes a lot of parts to keep track of.

Rod Newlove, Kelowna-based president of Automotive Parts Distributors, which specializes in ACDelco parts, agrees. He said the explosion of SKUs is 90 per cent of the issue facing jobbers and smaller repair shops. Just because a new tire rod comes out doesn’t mean it should be automatically added to your inventory because you don’t know anything about its performance.

“Ten years ago, it was so much easier to manage. The big picture is managing your inventory properly to assess what you have in stock that isn’t selling and parts you should have but don’t,” he said.

Newlove recommends software that can analyze what products are being looked up in online catalogues, both regionally and nationally.

“If a widget for a 2017 Toyota gets looked up a lot, that’s a pretty good indication that there’s a problem and we should be stocking it,” he said.

“You want to make sure you have products that sell. Having products that don’t sell is a waste of money and space. If you don’t have a part, it gives the customer a reason to go somewhere else. Eventually, they’re going to forget about you.”

A lot of software programs offer a basic package that is scaleable for larger operations.

“If you decide to grow your company, the software can grow with you,” Murphy said. You don’t have to scrap the software just because you added one location. That’s why it’s important to pick the right software. You have to review everything you can review and see what fits your business and your market. Not every market is the same.”

Matt Castro, manager of the NAPA Winnipeg main counter, figures he has a virtually fool-proof method of right-sizing his inventory. NAPA works with Manitoba Public Insurance Corp., the province’s non-profit Crown Corporation that provides basic public auto insurance, to compile a database of cars and trucks registered in the area.

“We take the postal codes and we build our inventory based on that,” he said.

One of the most crucial elements that NAPA’s software tracks is lost sales. Every time a customer or potential customer calls or walks in to ask for a particular part and the shop doesn’t have it in stock, it’s entered into the system as a lost sale.

“If somebody wants a set of brake pads for a fancy Mercedes and we don’t have it, that’s a lost sale on that item. If we get a call two weeks later for the same part (and we still don’t have it), our system will order it and to put it in our inventory,” he said.

At NAPA stores attached to a warehouse, any time a requested part isn’t on the retail floor, that’s registered as a lost sale, too. It’s all done in the name of efficiency.

“We don’t want to run to the warehouse a million times a day,” he said.

Murphy agrees that any software system needs to automatically capture what you’re selling and what you’re not selling.

“It needs to be able to let you know if you’re stocking two of a particular item when you should be stocking 12. Lost sales is the most important factor to capture. That’s real-time data that you need. The lost sale is something you could have moved in your market. That’s your whole purpose of being. If you don’t have that captured, you’ll never grow,” he said.

Murphy, who is also vice-president with A.P.M. Limited, a parts distributor in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, said inventory management software needs to be easily understood by service advisors and technicians who want to look up parts before sending in their orders.

“You need to have that functionality,” he said.

The ease with which DIY consumers can order automotive parts online is another reason why jobbers need to have effective inventory management systems. Castro said this growing trend is “scary” because consumers are able to eliminate the middle man.

“It’s cutting us out of the loop, which means places like RockAuto.com can sell parts at the wholesale price,” he said.

“That’s where we’ve got to be competitive, have options for customers and have the stock. If we don’t have it, they’ll go to Rock Auto. But if we have it now, they’ll pay a little more for the convenience. They won’t shop around as much.”

It’s also crucial that auto repair shops are seen as more convenient and providing better value than dealerships, particularly for vehicles that are no longer under warranty. Three-quarters of the auto repair market is done by smaller shops while one-quarter is done at dealerships.

Murphy agrees that online retailers are a “huge” threat. But how jobbers respond to them is far different than how they should deal with local bricks and mortar competitors. It’s critical to position yourself as a shop that can add value and convenience while keeping your customers’ vehicle in excellent condition. Consumers who order online are looking up parts and placing the orders themselves so if something goes wrong, they have a lot more to deal with than if they visited their local jobber.

“If you’re ordering online and you’ve got to return a product, you’re dealing with a company that’s far away. Cars have become much more complicated so you have to know what you’re ordering. Systems are so tied together. If you (have one incorrect part installed) that can affect other systems in your car. It’s buyer beware,” he said.

“But if you buy something from us, we look after you.”

Proper inventory management can ultimately have a significant impact on a shop’s profitability. Castro finds that money is tight for many customers so they’re not big on preventative maintenance. They’re only replacing parts when they break.

“They’re not changing a ball joint because they think it’s going to wear out in a month. They wait until the wheel is almost falling off. If we don’t have the part, they have to go somewhere else right away,” he said.

Geoff Kirbyson is a freelance writer based in Winnipeg, Man.

The post Right-sizing your inventory appeared first on Auto Service World.

Modern car batteries have an increasingly complex job description.

Once needed simply to provide power to crank the engine, they now need to provide power continuously to dozens if not hundreds of sources.

From navigation and entertainment devices to heaters, blowers, motors, lights and safety system. Put them all on at once and you’d exceed 400 amps.

That’s not to mention the explosion of electronic control units, all of which draw power. We’re on our way to a count of 200-plus ECUs – up from one in 1995.

All that power is constantly coursing through the vehicle, and even a momentary disruption can cause the whole system to grind to a halt. No wonder a battery’s state-of-charge is so crucial!

Modern testing equipment offers the ability to quickly and easily assess every battery that comes into a repair facility. It’s something your client shops should consider doing, not only to head-off electrical issues, but to assure vehicle reliability and build consumer loyalty.

A study by Swedish battery equipment manufacturer CTEK revealed that in 2013 about 25% of vehicles on the road were in need of a new battery. By 2018, with the increase in power demands in modern vehicles, that number was up to 51%.

People don’t know they have poor batteries until they have an issue, and a lot of shops don’t test until they’re asked.

It would be worth your while to encourage them to take a proactive stance on battery testing. A modern tester that can provide printed reports for consumer review will pay for itself in a matter of weeks if it is used regularly to identify failing batteries.

It is a small investment for lucrative returns – both in sales and customer satisfaction.

A lot of shops have turned to conductance testers which offer instantaneous results. Conductance describes the ability of a battery to conduct current. Making direct contact with the lead post is ideal for an accurate test result. In order to facilitate best contact, interfaces, clamps, contact probes, and adaptors are available.

Conductance has been found to correlate directly with battery capacity, as measured in a timed discharge test. That means shops can predict timed-discharge capacity with a test that is minimally invasive, extremely effective, and economical.

Best of all, conductance testers need not apply a large current to the battery under test, which is important for protecting sensitive electronic equipment

Within seconds, the tech will be able to report to the customer whether the battery is reliable or starting to become less efficient. A battery service can be offered to recondition an aging battery. If replacement rates of anywhere from 25% to 50% stand, a significant number of new batteries will be sold.

If you want to boost battery sales, encourage your client shops to get into the habit of testing every battery that comes into the bay. Given the outsized reliance on power that modern vehicles demand, it’s a service that everyone will benefit from.

The post Taking charge of Battery Sales appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Allan Janssen

How often do jobbers get a chance to hear the unvarnished views that automotive service providers have about their relationship with suppliers?

Actually, it happens all the time.

There are frequent opportunities to get a “service providers perspective” at aftermarket events. Whether at association conferences, banner program events, training weekends, or industry trade shows, it seems to be a routine part of the agenda to ask the thorny question of what technicians, service advisors, and shop owners are looking for from their supply chain.

It has been a staple of events organized by the Automotive Industries Association of Canada for years, encouraging open dialogue and a frank exchange of ideas.

Here are the top four themes that come up time after time:

Quality

Shops quickly become associated with the quality of the components they install. Their customers play a role in that. When cheaper alternatives are requested, shops have to respond or risk losing a customer.

But many shops also have a self-imposed minimum quality threshold, and they expect their suppliers to have a similar policy in place.

Off-shore, white box parts with no reputation or meaningful warranty won’t do. And even brand names that no longer meet the bar of fit, form, and function are frowned upon.

Shops are looking for suppliers that keep a vigilant eye on parts quality, and make adjustment as needed.

“Your part becomes our part the minute we put it on the car,” said one shop owner at a recent conference. “That’s how the customer views it. It came from us, not you. So if there’s a problem with it, it comes back to our door.”

Technicians and shop owners want to know that quality parts are available to them so they can side-step the kind of performance issues that plague low-cost alternatives.

Training opportunities

Every jobber has a story about a training event that was poorly attended. Why, they ask, are technicians not showing up for class? But the opposite concern is often voiced at public events. The question becomes why are jobbers and manufacturers failing to provide quality training alternatives on relevant topics at times that are convenient and venues that are comfortable?

Everyone knows that technological advances will strain the competency of technicians who are not developing new skills. Shops will reward manufacturers and jobbers that offer them cutting-edge training that truly brings results.

Continued education leads to improved profitability and customer trust. Shops that have embraced a culture of learning need a supplier that can help them stay on top of technology.

Return policies that work

Jobbers and manufacturers may harbour justified concerns about warranty abuse, but automotive repair and maintenance shops don’t like working without a safety net. Given prevailing concerns about product quality and the efforts by some companies to control parts proliferation by combining part numbers, the market needs reasonable return policies.

Not only does it give shops peace of mind about the parts they buy, but it conveys supply chain confidence.

Business support

The old adage that shop owners are often technicians who “graduated” into ownership without taking any real business training is still pretty accurate. More resources are available to help shop owners who are more comfortable with an oscilloscope than an Excel file.

Jobbers have an important role to play in ensuring that their customers are literate about their businesses. A suite of new metrics are being tracked by successful service operations. Are your customers using them? Can you offer some guidance and direction?

Service providers need partners who are invested in the success of their shops. Whether it is with business consultations, management training, or access to financial advice, shop owners want to know that they’ve partnered up with someone who understands the industry and can help them meet their goals.

Not sure how your operation is doing in meeting that expectation? The first step is reaching out to your client customers to find out what grade they’d give you on a report card.

The post Best practice: Touching base with your customer appeared first on Auto Service World.

Modern car batteries have an increasingly complex job description.

Once needed simply to provide power to crank the engine, they now need to provide power continuously to dozens if not hundreds of sources.

From navigation and entertainment devices to heaters, blowers, motors, lights and safety system. Put them all on at once and you’d exceed 400 amps.

That’s not to mention the explosion of electronic control units, all of which draw power. We’re on our way to a count of 200-plus ECUs – up from one in 1995.

All that power is constantly coursing through the vehicle, and even a momentary disruption can cause the whole system to grind to a halt. No wonder a battery’s state-of-charge is so crucial!

Modern testing equipment offers the ability to quickly and easily assess every battery that comes into a repair facility. It’s something your client shops should consider doing, not only to head-off electrical issues, but to assure vehicle reliability and build consumer loyalty.

A study by Swedish battery equipment manufacturer CTEK revealed that in 2013 about 25% of vehicles on the road were in need of a new battery. By 2018, with the increase in power demands in modern vehicles, that number was up to 51%.

People don’t know they have poor batteries until they have an issue, and a lot of shops don’t test until they’re asked.

It would be worth your while to encourage them to take a proactive stance on battery testing. A modern tester that can provide printed reports for consumer review will pay for itself in a matter of weeks if it is used regularly to identify failing batteries.

It is a small investment for lucrative returns – both in sales and customer satisfaction.

A lot of shops have turned to conductance testers which offer instantaneous results. Conductance describes the ability of a battery to conduct current. Making direct contact with the lead post is ideal for an accurate test result. In order to facilitate best contact, interfaces, clamps, contact probes, and adaptors are available.

Conductance has been found to correlate directly with battery capacity, as measured in a timed discharge test. That means shops can predict timed-discharge capacity with a test that is minimally invasive, extremely effective, and economical.

Best of all, conductance testers need not apply a large current to the battery under test, which is important for protecting sensitive electronic equipment

Within seconds, the tech will be able to report to the customer whether the battery is reliable or starting to become less efficient. A battery service can be offered to recondition an aging battery. If replacement rates of anywhere from 25% to 50% stand, a significant number of new batteries will be sold.

If you want to boost battery sales, encourage your client shops to get into the habit of testing every battery that comes into the bay. Given the outsized reliance on power that modern vehicles demand, it’s a service that everyone will benefit from.

The post Taking charge of Battery Sales appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Peter Bulmer

Getting new customers into your shop is always a challenge.

Even after spending the time to make sure that your prices are right, your service offering is balanced, your curb appeal is great, and your waiting area is comfortable, you still have so many competitors out there. How do you make your shop stand out?

Marketing.

When you first opened your auto repair shop, marketing was likely the last thing on your mind. You knew cars and had mechanical skills. You might have thought that was enough. It wasn’t.

Even after you’d hired a staff, purchased some equipment, and learned a thing or two about business management, you still needed to find a way to connect with consumers. That is what marketing is all about.

If you want to grow
your shop, you have
to learn how to
market yourself effectively.

If you want to grow your shop, you have to learn how to market yourself effectively.

Many shop owners say they rely on word-of-mouth advertising. That’s great if it’s true. Nothing beats personal recommendations from satisfied customers. When people start telling their neighbors, friends, and relatives what a great job you do, success is almost guaranteed.

But the truth is that what a lot of shop owners mean when they say they rely on word-of-mouth advertising is that they don’t actually have a marketing plan at all. They just hope their customers are speaking highly of them.

If you don’t have an organized marketing plan, it’s time to get started on one.

The foundation of marketing should be great work and friendly service. As they say, you can’t hide bad service with good marketing. People will see right through even the slickest ad campaign if you can’t meet the minimum threshold of service.

It is possible, however, to hide good service with bad marketing.

So when you’re marketing your auto repair shop, there are two goals you should have in mind: connecting with your customers, and standing out from the competition.

Connecting with your customers

Good marketing tells potential customers everything they need to know about you at a glance.

In order to learn how to communicate that clearly, think about the most compelling reasons people have to do business with you. Now practice distilling those reasons in as few words as possible. Keep whittling it down until it can fit on business card. This will be your primary message to consumers.

Now think of the transportation challenges that you can solve for people. Can you offer them competent service? Safety? Reliability? Affordability? Convenience? Figure out what they’re looking for and build your campaign around that.

Finally, figure out how to deliver this campaign where they’re most likely to see it. This certainly doesn’t have to be the most expensive option. Everyone would love to advertise on major networks during prime time and sporting events, but that’s going to cost a lot and it would be overkill.

These days there are plenty of cheap and free alternatives, especially if you’ve got some young people and creative types on staff.

Digital marketing starts with a good, clean web site that communicates your core values, and gives people a chance to book their appointments online. If you’ve been putting off upgrading your web site, consider doing it sooner rather than later. This is a must-have in the social media age.

Get creative in introducing your team, your specialties, and your promotions. With a minimal budget, you can truly impress online shoppers, and start booking jobs on day one.

Creating a community with targeted social media is the next step. Find a way to share content, tell your stories, show your pictures, and offer your observations in a friendly way. Celebrate successes (yours and others), and be a sounding board for your customers. It’s all free and it is incredibly powerful, especially if people start sharing your content.

Without violating the spirit of the community you’re creating, you’re ready to parlay social engagement into basic email and text-based marketing. You’ve been collecting email addresses and phone numbers, right? It’s time to use them. But be careful! Not only are there laws about what you can and can’t do, there are social conventions too. What you offer has to have true value to your community.

Standing out from the competition

If what you’ve been doing up to now is building a community, this next part is where you truly reap the benefits of a well-placed marketing campaign.

It starts with reinforcing all the right perceptions that you’ve been generating with the use of clear and attractive branding materials. Your colours, fonts, images, and uniforms should all set you apart in the consumer’s mind.

It should feel like there’s no one else in the city quite like you!

Your image is your calling card. Be consistent and careful with it.

If you’ve been offering the service and competence that people crave, they’ll reward you with positive online reviews. That’s an incredibly powerful marketing advantage that will be a game-changer for you. Once your online reputation starts to grow, demand will follow suit.

Register your shop on the most relevant review sites, and keep on track of the comments. Respond when necessary, but never with hubris or anger. Humility will prove to be a very useful tool in building your online credibility.

Build out your reviews by giving happy customers a chance to leave positive comments in the right places. Encourage surveys, either in-person or through email that will bolster your reputation.

All of this takes effort, yes, but it is incredibly valuable. And you can start small. Build as you see success.

if you want more people to find you and enjoy your great service, you need a consistent branding message and a well-designed marketing plan to deliver it to potential customers.

And as long as customers can find and remember your shop, your work will do the talking for you.

Peter Bulmer is a partner at Turnkey Media Solutions, publishers of Jobber News and CARS magazine.

The post Connecting with your customers appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Peter Bulmer

Getting new customers into your shop is always a challenge.

Even after spending the time to make sure that your prices are right, your service offering is balanced, your curb appeal is great, and your waiting area is comfortable, you still have so many competitors out there. How do you make your shop stand out?

Marketing.

When you first opened your auto repair shop, marketing was likely the last thing on your mind. You knew cars and had mechanical skills. You might have thought that was enough. It wasn’t.

Even after you’d hired a staff, purchased some equipment, and learned a thing or two about business management, you still needed to find a way to connect with consumers. That is what marketing is all about.

If you want to grow
your shop, you have
to learn how to
market yourself effectively.

If you want to grow your shop, you have to learn how to market yourself effectively.

Many shop owners say they rely on word-of-mouth advertising. That’s great if it’s true. Nothing beats personal recommendations from satisfied customers. When people start telling their neighbors, friends, and relatives what a great job you do, success is almost guaranteed.

But the truth is that what a lot of shop owners mean when they say they rely on word-of-mouth advertising is that they don’t actually have a marketing plan at all. They just hope their customers are speaking highly of them.

If you don’t have an organized marketing plan, it’s time to get started on one.

The foundation of marketing should be great work and friendly service. As they say, you can’t hide bad service with good marketing. People will see right through even the slickest ad campaign if you can’t meet the minimum threshold of service.

It is possible, however, to hide good service with bad marketing.

So when you’re marketing your auto repair shop, there are two goals you should have in mind: connecting with your customers, and standing out from the competition.

Connecting with your customers

Good marketing tells potential customers everything they need to know about you at a glance.

In order to learn how to communicate that clearly, think about the most compelling reasons people have to do business with you. Now practice distilling those reasons in as few words as possible. Keep whittling it down until it can fit on business card. This will be your primary message to consumers.

Now think of the transportation challenges that you can solve for people. Can you offer them competent service? Safety? Reliability? Affordability? Convenience? Figure out what they’re looking for and build your campaign around that.

Finally, figure out how to deliver this campaign where they’re most likely to see it. This certainly doesn’t have to be the most expensive option. Everyone would love to advertise on major networks during prime time and sporting events, but that’s going to cost a lot and it would be overkill.

These days there are plenty of cheap and free alternatives, especially if you’ve got some young people and creative types on staff.

Digital marketing starts with a good, clean web site that communicates your core values, and gives people a chance to book their appointments online. If you’ve been putting off upgrading your web site, consider doing it sooner rather than later. This is a must-have in the social media age.

Get creative in introducing your team, your specialties, and your promotions. With a minimal budget, you can truly impress online shoppers, and start booking jobs on day one.

Creating a community with targeted social media is the next step. Find a way to share content, tell your stories, show your pictures, and offer your observations in a friendly way. Celebrate successes (yours and others), and be a sounding board for your customers. It’s all free and it is incredibly powerful, especially if people start sharing your content.

Without violating the spirit of the community you’re creating, you’re ready to parlay social engagement into basic email and text-based marketing. You’ve been collecting email addresses and phone numbers, right? It’s time to use them. But be careful! Not only are there laws about what you can and can’t do, there are social conventions too. What you offer has to have true value to your community.

Standing out from the competition

If what you’ve been doing up to now is building a community, this next part is where you truly reap the benefits of a well-placed marketing campaign.

It starts with reinforcing all the right perceptions that you’ve been generating with the use of clear and attractive branding materials. Your colours, fonts, images, and uniforms should all set you apart in the consumer’s mind.

It should feel like there’s no one else in the city quite like you!

Your image is your calling card. Be consistent and careful with it.

If you’ve been offering the service and competence that people crave, they’ll reward you with positive online reviews. That’s an incredibly powerful marketing advantage that will be a game-changer for you. Once your online reputation starts to grow, demand will follow suit.

Register your shop on the most relevant review sites, and keep on track of the comments. Respond when necessary, but never with hubris or anger. Humility will prove to be a very useful tool in building your online credibility.

Build out your reviews by giving happy customers a chance to leave positive comments in the right places. Encourage surveys, either in-person or through email that will bolster your reputation.

All of this takes effort, yes, but it is incredibly valuable. And you can start small. Build as you see success.

if you want more people to find you and enjoy your great service, you need a consistent branding message and a well-designed marketing plan to deliver it to potential customers.

And as long as customers can find and remember your shop, your work will do the talking for you.

Peter Bulmer is a partner at Turnkey Media Solutions, publishers of Jobber News and CARS magazine.

The post Marketing primer: How to attract new customers appeared first on Auto Service World.

By donalee Moulton

In a competitive aftermarket, attracting new customers and convincing them to return is more than smart business. It’s essential. It is also a skill and a way of doing business that can be learned and enhanced.

It all starts with a conversation, says Mary Jane Copps, owner of The Phone Lady, a consulting company based in Halifax that works with companies to improve their telephone sales, marketing, and related skills.

At the heart of the conversation is a genuine interest and curiosity in the customer and their needs. That, in turn, translates into trust, the indispensable ingredient in customer loyalty and retention. “You move from being a salesperson to a trusted advisor. You are offering more value,” says Copps.

Conversations consist of more than merely talking, however. The focus must be on learning the customer’s needs, goals, and concerns. It’s about building a relationship. Questions that call for “yes” or “no” answers or other narrow and specific choices won’t work, says Copps. “Close-ended questions make people feel manipulated. You’re kind of cornered. It feels like the person is leading you where you want to go.”

Instead, open-ended questions are recommended. Ask the customer, for example, why they need this part, or so many of these parts. Inquire about their experience in this area, any problems they have encountered. “Conversations reveal opportunities,” says Copps.

“Being able to ask a question or add a piece of information in real time is how you increase revenue,” she notes. Copps recommends the aftermarket sales team get together and develop a list of open-ended questions they can ask customers collectively. This gives the salesperson options and requires less thinking on the fly. It also reaffirms the importance of customer engagement.

The initial conversation with a new customer, whether over the phone or in person, also sets the tone for the future relationship and begins to build your store’s reputation. “This is my opportunity to represent the company and myself at our best in order to ensure the customer has a terrific and memorable first visit with us,” says Sydney Furner, a journeyman parts technician with Auto Electric Service in Yorkton, Sask.

When opportunity knocks, however, not all salespeople are armed and ready to engage in meaningful conversations. “Most experienced salespeople have these skills, but they are rusty. They have moved behind their email,” says Copps. She recommends frontline staff hone their conversational acumen by calling family and friends they’re not talking to regularly. It’s also helpful to plan a call. Make a list of the points you want to make and relevant information you can provide.

“Maintaining a long-term customer requires maintaining the relationship that has been built over time through honesty, integrity, consistency, trust and knowledge as well as continuing to offer great service,” stresses Furber.

The aftermarket is strong in terms of building both relationships and trust – a reality that may be born of necessity, notes J.D. Ney, director of J.D. Power Canada in Toronto. “The aftermarket can’t rely on automobile customers returning. There’s no warranty work. Every sale is a retail sale.”

The aftermarket is making more of those sales, according to the J.D. Power 2019 Canada Customer Service Index Long-Term Study. It found that although automobile dealers in Canada receive 54 per cent of revenue spent on servicing vehicles four to 12 years old, they continue to lag aftermarket service facilities in share of visits (48 per cent vs. 52 per cent). “As vehicles age and require more complex and costly repairs, aftermarket service is doing a better job at attracting and retaining customers, especially as warranties start to expire, consequently capitalizing on the more revenue-lucrative repair work,” says Virginia Connell, automotive research and consulting manager at J.D. Power Canada in Toronto.

One of the keys to transforming a one-time customer into a repeat customer is making them feel welcome. That doesn’t require expensive give-aways or a swank store. “Make them feel special by thanking them for coming in and sharing their business with us and offering an invitation for future visits,” says Furber. He notes it can be as simple as saying, sincerely, “We look forward to seeing you again.”

There are missteps salespeople make that can make the difference between welcoming a customer back and nudging them to take their business elsewhere. “When you’ve been selling a product for a long time, you make assumptions about what people need instead of asking them,” says Copps.

She notes that salespeople at all levels of experience also often talk more about themselves than the customer. “You need to show why something should matter to the customer.”

Furber points out it is important to live up to your promises. “Each time a customer returns, they expect the same great service they received during their first visit. They also may be more open to expanding their relationship with us by allowing us to learn more about their future wants and needs.”

The J.D. Power study found that two simple tasks drive improvement in customer satisfaction: greeting customers immediately as they enter the store and returning the car cleaner than when it arrived. Overall, aftermarket providers were found to do a better job of greeting customers immediately than do dealers (51 per cent vs. 35 per cent), but dealers are more likely to return vehicles cleaner (33 per cent vs. 9 per cent).

Another critical driver of customer satisfaction is follow-up. This and giving the car a quick wash are two services dealers are pushing hard, notes Ney. “These are halo activities. Aftermarket shops, for the most part, don’t do either of those.”

Happy customers – whether first-timers or loyal clients – are also talkative. The J.D. Power study determined that word of mouth is more important for aftermarket providers. Aftermarket customers “definitely will” recommend their facility 52 per cent of the time after maintenance work compared with 39 per cent for dealers. The gap for repair work is even wider (57 per cent vs. 34 per cent, respectively).

It’s a competitive market, and conversations that matter to customers can clearly give you a competitive edge.

Making customers feel welcome

When it comes to showing new customers their business belongs with you, what’s a salesperson to do? Sydney Furner, a journeyman parts technician with Auto Electric Service in Yorkton, Sask., recommends the following six steps:

• Always greet the customer with a smile and a friendly “Hello.”
• Ask with confidence, “How can I help you?”
• Listen respectfully to their questions and comments.
• Answer their questions honestly and knowledgeably.
• Ask intuitive questions relevant to their reason for coming in.
• Offer the best solution to their wants and needs.

Furber also points out that each long-term customer has specific needs for their business. “By offering tailored training seminars, new product reviews, and discounted pricing, we can maintain a long-term customer relationship.”

donalee Moulton is a freelance writer based in Nova Scotia.

The post SELLING: How to gain your customer’s confidence appeared first on Auto Service World.

Repair shops, service bays, and parts operations are simply not changing fast enough to keep up with advancing vehicle technology and evolving consumer expectations. Are jobbers, shop owners, and technicians in denial about what’s going on in the marketplace? It seems so to management consultant Bob Greenwood.

In his latest Greenwood’s Garage video, he challenges the industry to wake up, rather than stare like deer into the headlights of a fast-approaching future.

“We all need to address reality, which means openly addressing change, including how we do things,” he says.

Acknowledging that it can be painful, he has some stark advice: Suck it up! This is our livelihood we’re talking about. Rewards are coming! Opportunities are pounding on the door.

Don’t miss “Industry Denial” exclusively on AutoServiceWorld.com

Missed an episode? Click HERE for the full Greenwood’s Garage series.

ABOUT BOB GREENWOOD

Mr. Robert (Bob) Greenwood AMAM (Accredited Master Automotive Manager) is president and CEO of Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Centre Ltd. (AAEC). Bob has over 40 years of business management experience within the independent sector of the automotive aftermarket industry in North America, consulting independent retail shops on all facets of their business operations.

Bob is one of 150 worldwide AMI approved instructors. He has created business management development courses for automotive shop employers/managers, jobbers and jobber sales representatives, which are recognized as being the most comprehensive, industry specific courses of their kind in North America.

The post Greenwood’s Garage | Season 3, Episode 16 appeared first on Auto Service World.

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) has launched the second generation of its Express WriteUp mobile application, which helps service advisors and customers adhere to social distancing guidelines.

The update also speeds up the repair order process, according to the company.

“The Express WriteUp2 tool has been a major help to us as we strive to maintain the health and safety of both our customers and our employees while keeping the nation’s trucks running,” said Mike Payne, director of continuous improvement for Velocity Truck Centers. “Through the app, we can complete repair orders without having to interact face to face — ensuring we maintain social distancing and get the process started quickly.”

Express WriteUp allows Freightliner and Western Star dealers to create a repair order (RO) with any mobile device. When a vehicle arrives at a repair facility, the service advisor can remotely pull vehicle mileage, fault codes, and trip details that seamlessly load into Uptime Pro via a Bluetooth adaptor. Users can also scan the vehicle identification number (VIN) or QR code affixed to the vehicle’s door pillar. Warranty repair coverage, repair history and fault code information are also visible in the app. Additional features added since launch include digital customer interview forms and the ability to digitally capture repair authorization signatures.

The DTNA dealer network is comprised of more than 1,100 dealerships, distributors and partner locations across North America all of which are dedicated to supporting those commercial vehicle operators who keep the world moving.

The post App enables social-distancing during service check-in appeared first on Auto Service World.

Customer relationship management starts and ends with effective communication, management consultant Bob Greenwood says in his latest Greenwood’s Garage video. It’s an enormous topic affecting all businesses.

“It is important to acknowledge that your business is built on relationships,” he says. “We’re in the people business. And the relationship starts the minute people walk in the door.”

Greenwood offers the basics of modern CRM in the latest episode of Greenwood’s Garage. Check it out, exclusively on Auto Service World.

Missed an episode? Click HERE for the full Greenwood’s Garage series.

ABOUT BOB GREENWOOD

Mr. Robert (Bob) Greenwood AMAM (Accredited Master Automotive Manager) is president and CEO of Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Centre Ltd. (AAEC). Bob has over 40 years of business management experience within the independent sector of the automotive aftermarket industry in North America, consulting independent retail shops on all facets of their business operations.

Bob is one of 150 worldwide AMI approved instructors. He has created business management development courses for automotive shop employers/managers, jobbers and jobber sales representatives, which are recognized as being the most comprehensive, industry specific courses of their kind in North America.

The post Greenwood’s Garage: Why CRM matters appeared first on Auto Service World.

Hunter Engineering Company and Kimoby have announced a new integration to automatically send inspection results to customers via text.

According to a joint announcement, the program solves a problem for busy shops where advisors may not always present inspection findings to customers, causing under-informed customers and missed service opportunities.

This new integration helps ensure inspection findings can always be shared, which better informs customers and increases service opportunities.

A vehicle simply drives through Hunter’s autonomous inspection systems, Quick Check Drive and Quick Tread Edge, which captures alignment and tire tread depth results instantly. Then, the Hunter inspection results can be integrated with the Kimoby platform and automatically sent to the customer.

Kimoby is a cloud-based communication platform, specializing in smart and automated two-way conversation and transmission of multimedia content, that helps businesses of all sizes engage with their customers through their preferred messaging channel.

www.kimoby.com

Hunter Engineering Company is a global leader in alignment systems, wheel and tire service, brake service and inspection lane equipment.

www.hunter.com

The post New program automatically texts inspection results to customers appeared first on Auto Service World.

By donalee Moulton

In a competitive aftermarket, attracting new customers and convincing them to return is more than smart business. It’s essential. It is also a skill and a way of doing business that can be learned and enhanced.

It all starts with a conversation, says Mary Jane Copps, owner of The Phone Lady, a consulting company based in Halifax that works with companies to improve their telephone sales, marketing, and related skills.

At the heart of the conversation is a genuine interest and curiosity in the customer and their needs. That, in turn, translates into trust, the indispensable ingredient in customer loyalty and retention. “You move from being a salesperson to a trusted advisor. You are offering more value,” says Copps.

Conversations consist of more than merely talking, however. The focus must be on learning the customer’s needs, goals, and concerns. It’s about building a relationship. Questions that call for “yes” or “no” answers or other narrow and specific choices won’t work, says Copps. “Close-ended questions make people feel manipulated. You’re kind of cornered. It feels like the person is leading you where you want to go.”

Instead, open-ended questions are recommended. Ask the customer, for example, why they need this part, or so many of these parts. Inquire about their experience in this area, any problems they have encountered. “Conversations reveal opportunities,” says Copps.

“Being able to ask a question or add a piece of information in real time is how you increase revenue,” she notes. Copps recommends the aftermarket sales team get together and develop a list of open-ended questions they can ask customers collectively. This gives the salesperson options and requires less thinking on the fly. It also reaffirms the importance of customer engagement.

The initial conversation with a new customer, whether over the phone or in person, also sets the tone for the future relationship and begins to build your store’s reputation. “This is my opportunity to represent the company and myself at our best in order to ensure the customer has a terrific and memorable first visit with us,” says Sydney Furner, a journeyman parts technician with Auto Electric Service in Yorkton, Sask.

When opportunity knocks, however, not all salespeople are armed and ready to engage in meaningful conversations. “Most experienced salespeople have these skills, but they are rusty. They have moved behind their email,” says Copps. She recommends frontline staff hone their conversational acumen by calling family and friends they’re not talking to regularly. It’s also helpful to plan a call. Make a list of the points you want to make and relevant information you can provide.

“Maintaining a long-term customer requires maintaining the relationship that has been built over time through honesty, integrity, consistency, trust and knowledge as well as continuing to offer great service,” stresses Furber.

The aftermarket is strong in terms of building both relationships and trust – a reality that may be born of necessity, notes J.D. Ney, director of J.D. Power Canada in Toronto. “The aftermarket can’t rely on automobile customers returning. There’s no warranty work. Every sale is a retail sale.”

The aftermarket is making more of those sales, according to the J.D. Power 2019 Canada Customer Service Index Long-Term Study. It found that although automobile dealers in Canada receive 54 per cent of revenue spent on servicing vehicles four to 12 years old, they continue to lag aftermarket service facilities in share of visits (48 per cent vs. 52 per cent). “As vehicles age and require more complex and costly repairs, aftermarket service is doing a better job at attracting and retaining customers, especially as warranties start to expire, consequently capitalizing on the more revenue-lucrative repair work,” says Virginia Connell, automotive research and consulting manager at J.D. Power Canada in Toronto.

One of the keys to transforming a one-time customer into a repeat customer is making them feel welcome. That doesn’t require expensive give-aways or a swank store. “Make them feel special by thanking them for coming in and sharing their business with us and offering an invitation for future visits,” says Furber. He notes it can be as simple as saying, sincerely, “We look forward to seeing you again.”

There are missteps salespeople make that can make the difference between welcoming a customer back and nudging them to take their business elsewhere. “When you’ve been selling a product for a long time, you make assumptions about what people need instead of asking them,” says Copps.

She notes that salespeople at all levels of experience also often talk more about themselves than the customer. “You need to show why something should matter to the customer.”

Furber points out it is important to live up to your promises. “Each time a customer returns, they expect the same great service they received during their first visit. They also may be more open to expanding their relationship with us by allowing us to learn more about their future wants and needs.”

The J.D. Power study found that two simple tasks drive improvement in customer satisfaction: greeting customers immediately as they enter the store and returning the car cleaner than when it arrived. Overall, aftermarket providers were found to do a better job of greeting customers immediately than do dealers (51 per cent vs. 35 per cent), but dealers are more likely to return vehicles cleaner (33 per cent vs. 9 per cent).

Another critical driver of customer satisfaction is follow-up. This and giving the car a quick wash are two services dealers are pushing hard, notes Ney. “These are halo activities. Aftermarket shops, for the most part, don’t do either of those.”

Happy customers – whether first-timers or loyal clients – are also talkative. The J.D. Power study determined that word of mouth is more important for aftermarket providers. Aftermarket customers “definitely will” recommend their facility 52 per cent of the time after maintenance work compared with 39 per cent for dealers. The gap for repair work is even wider (57 per cent vs. 34 per cent, respectively).

It’s a competitive market, and conversations that matter to customers can clearly give you a competitive edge.

Making customers feel welcome

When it comes to showing new customers their business belongs with you, what’s a salesperson to do? Sydney Furner, a journeyman parts technician with Auto Electric Service in Yorkton, Sask., recommends the following six steps:

• Always greet the customer with a smile and a friendly “Hello.”
• Ask with confidence, “How can I help you?”
• Listen respectfully to their questions and comments.
• Answer their questions honestly and knowledgeably.
• Ask intuitive questions relevant to their reason for coming in.
• Offer the best solution to their wants and needs.

Furber also points out that each long-term customer has specific needs for their business. “By offering tailored training seminars, new product reviews, and discounted pricing, we can maintain a long-term customer relationship.”

donalee Moulton is a freelance writer based in Nova Scotia.

The post SELLING: How to gain your customer’s confidence appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Katie Mares

It is worth asking yourself how your marketing material and your service counter interactions are seen through the lens and experience of gender.

Why? Because a lot of shops do a great job of presenting themselves to men, but don’t score as highly with women.

This is a real problem. Generally speaking, women are the chief purchasing officers in their households. They either do all the shopping themselves (including for vehicle maintenance), or they influence the purchasing decision. Not only do they hold a veto on spending, but they’re your number one referral source.

If you aren’t taking female perceptions into account, you could be failing to impress a critically important customer base.

If you want a chief purchasing officer to choose your shop, you must start with the recognition that she doesn’t need you. It is, in fact, you that needs her. To earn her business, you may have to turn your male-oriented service practices on their head.

Here are five ways to do that.

1. Understand the female consumer

Take an afternoon with your staff to create the profile of a typical female customer. Make sure you have female input as you attempt to gain a greater understanding of what the chief purchasing officer wants, expects, and demands. Start with the assumption that they want to be understood first as a woman and second as a consumer.

2. Create real relationships

Building a trust account with your female consumer base is extremely important because that’s where a lot of your referrals are going to come from. One of the best ways to do this is to get to know them in a comfortable, natural way. Women can tell when efforts to create a relationship aren’t genuine. Forced interest or insincerity is a real turn-off to a woman, so use your active listening skills, compassion, and empathy skills to make a connection.

3. Make it personal

Use captured information in a meaningful way to personalize their experience. For example, if she talks about her son, Johnny, who is going to play in a soccer tournament, make a note of that. And the next time she visits, make sure to ask her how Johnny’s soccer tournament went. Or ask how she takes her coffee, and then surprise her the next time she comes in by not having to ask. These may feel like little tricks, but when they become habitual and natural, you’ll see they are just pleasant ways of interacting with your customers.

4. Create a female-friendly atmosphere

Is the music you play appropriate? What about the selection of magazines? Are your bathrooms clean? Is your furniture inviting? Is the waiting area warm enough in the winter time? Cool enough in the summer time?

There are many ways to create a female-friendly environment. The trick is to look at your facility through her eyes. Tailoring the atmosphere for the female consumer will make her feel comfortable, and increase her trust in your brand.

5. Train for success

If one of your team members has a particularly high emotional quotient (EQ), they will be able to execute these tips naturally, creating real connections. Those with high EQs can read non-verbal cues and can adjust their approach based on the needs of individual consumers. Some of those skills can be learned. Focus your counter training on EQ, and then layer in IQ as you go. When you blend EQ and IQ together, you will receive complete engagement from your female consumer.

One of the reasons women walk out of service shops is because they don’t like the way they were approached or treated. Create an experience that will bridge the gap, and impress your female customers – the chief purchasing officers – that you need to connect with in order to be truly successful.

Katie Mares is a certified speaking professional, business consultant, and a partner in the business training company, Alkamey Group.

The post What do your female customers think of your shop? appeared first on Auto Service World.

Mahle and Grant Brothers Sales teams meet on January 15, 2020, at Mahle headquarters in Farmington Hills, MI. From left: Scott Mackay, Regional Manager, Grant Brothers Sales Limited; Adam Crisp, President, Automotive Division, Grant Brothers Sales Limited; Jerry Starling, National Sales Manager, Mahle Aftermarket Inc.; Gilles Cloutier, Regional Manager, Grant Brothers Sales Limited; Derek Chinn, Regional Manager, Grant Brothers Sales Limited; Jim Kahut, Head of Sales, Mahle Aftermarket Inc.; and Matthew Lundh, Sales Director, Traditional – Import Markets, Mahle Aftermarket Inc.

Mahle Aftermarket has partnered with Grant Brothers Sales to expand its product offerings in Canada.

Grant Brothers Sales is one of Canada’s largest manufacturers’ representatives. The agreement enables Mahle to provide its broad portfolio of aftermarket solutions to customers in all major Canadian markets.

Implemented through an organized program of pull-through selling and in-store merchandising, Mahle will work closely with the Grant Brothers’ team of 28 sales and customer service personnel to distribute a diverse range of vehicle technologies including thermal management products, fast and reliable diagnostics and service solutions, as well as spare parts.

“We are excited to be partnering with Grant Brothers to bring our portfolio of innovative products to an important North American market that represents the world’s second-largest nation in total area,” said Jon Douglas, president of Mahle Aftermarket North America. “Through their service offerings, Grant Brothers has established and maintained pivotal relationships with key automotive aftermarket vendors across the vast region of Canada and we look forward to working closely with them moving forward to provide customers with a ‘full systems approach’ that also includes expert support and technical training.”

Following its recent 75th Anniversary celebration, the team at Grant Brothers Sales has already been working closely with Mahle Aftermarket to implement a 2020 sales strategy, which included a visit to the Mahle Aftermarket North American headquarters in Farmington Hills, Mich., on January 15, 2020.

“The Canadian automotive aftermarket is a very vast, lucrative industry, and we are thrilled to be working with Mahle to bring customers state-of-the-art offerings and technical expertise as this market continues to grow,” said Adam Crisp, president of the automotive division of Grant Brothers Sales Limited. “Add to that the prominent professional relationships our team has developed over many decades in the business, and we have all the building blocks for success.”

From a small test workshop to one of the top 20 automotive suppliers, Mahle is proud to celebrate 100 years of delivering superior quality products around the world.

www.mahle-aftermarket.com

The post Grant Brothers Sales to represent Mahle in Canada appeared first on Auto Service World.

After the busy month of November, business goes back to normal in December. Now’s the time to reassess and plan for your future.

Are you doing everything you’re capable of with your business? Does your business give you at least a 4:1 ratio of enjoyment to frustration? Is it giving you the type of challenge you enjoy?

These are tough questions. In the latest Greenwood’s Garage video, management consultant Bob Greenwood walks you through an “Achievement Checklist” before encouraging you to focus on what you have achieved over the past year and give yourself a much deserved pat on the back.

Check out the latest episode of Greenwood’s Garage, exclusively on Auto Service World.

Missed an episode? Click HERE for the full Greenwood’s Garage series.

ABOUT BOB GREENWOOD

Mr. Robert (Bob) Greenwood AMAM (Accredited Master Automotive Manager) is president and CEO of Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Centre Ltd. (AAEC). Bob has over 40 years of business management experience within the independent sector of the automotive aftermarket industry in North America, consulting independent retail shops on all facets of their business operations.

Bob is one of 150 worldwide AMI approved instructors. He has created business management development courses for automotive shop employers/managers, jobbers and jobber sales representatives, which are recognized as being the most comprehensive, industry specific courses of their kind in North America.

The post Greenwood | Season 3, Episode 12 | Time to assess your business appeared first on Auto Service World.

Kukui has launched a new video service that allows shops to showcase their premises, people, and professionalism to prospective customers.

The new package provides repair shops with professional videos that will engage new customers, as well as attract new employees – all while improving their online reputation.

Kukui’s nationwide teams of professional videographers will spend the day on-location recording real-life interviews with the shop owner, team members, and shop customers to gather the real story about the shop. The company has a team in Vancouver and Toronto ready to schedule appointments with Canadian shops.

After the shoot, Kukui’s studio team will prepare the premium quality videos that are designed to attract the shop’s target audience. Next, the Kukui design team crafts a full set of web pages optimized for customer attraction. And, finally, each video is augmented with viewer engagement features prompting viewers to click to call or make an appointment.

According to Kukui, competition for consumer screen time is heat up, and its Shop Video program provides repair shops with an opportunity to make their brand stand out from the crowd.

“Our new Kukui shop videos are amazing,” says Todd Westerlund, CEO of Kukui. They provide our customers with an essential capability to compete with and dominate their competition. Shop videos allow a business owner to attract and engage consumers with a real-life view of the daily operations of the shop. It quickly establishes a level of trust you just can’t get from a plain webpage.”

He said shop owners need to tell their story in a way that will inspire and delight.

“When you get an opportunity to have a series of professional videos made for marketing and recruitment at your shop, it does wonders for your image and your brand,” said Greg Buckley, owner of Buckley’s Auto Care. “It should be a no brainer to make the investment, take the time to do it right, and get your message out in a professional way.”

Kukui Shop Videos are available online now at Kukui.com/kukui-shop-videos

The post New Kukui service creates professional videos for shop appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Jeff Mowatt

How do you think your customers would rather spend $1,000? On a vacation to their dream destination? Or having the brakes and oil done on their six-year-old vehicle, along with a 24-point inspection?

The answer seems pretty obvious. In the auto repair and maintenance industry, people buy because they have to – not because they want to.

Customers are often
 reluctant purchasers.
The last thing they want
is to deal with staff
who are naively perky.

In some industries, that’s not the case at all. In fact, they might have a crack at some if not all of that $1,000 because they sell things people are eager to buy.

For the rest, overcoming customer reluctance to spend is a critical part of the sales job.

Perhaps one of the most common myths about customer service is that you have to be relentlessly friendly and upbeat. The truth is that customers are often reluctant purchasers. The last thing they want is to deal with staff who are naively perky. In cases like that, competence is a much more attractive quality from service providers.

After more than 25 years of advising companies that deal primarily with reluctant customers, I’ve developed four strategies to help you put customer at ease about spending money on grudge purchases.

1. Focus on the task, not their mood

If you sense your customers are rushed or frustrated, don’t ask them how they are. That question just reminds them that they’re not having a good day. Instead, start by asking, “What can I do to make your day go a little better?” It helps keep the conversation positive, while indicating you’re aware that they have other things they’d rather be doing.

Speaking of better word choices, avoid asking reluctant customers what they “want” or what they’d “like.” Frankly they don’t want to be there at all. Instead, phrase your questions along the lines of, “Would it be useful if…?” “Would it make sense to…?” or “Would it be helpful…?”

In general, we get better results with task-oriented questions that focus on resolving the customer’s problem, than with questions that encourage customers to think about their mood.

2. Acknowledge delays

A couple enjoying an appetizer at a fancy restaurant may not mind waiting if the main course is slightly delayed. On the other hand, a parent kept waiting past appointment time with a fidgety child in a crowded dental office needs an explanation.

Don’t brush off delays that might be upsetting your customer, or pretend they didn’t happen. Start by acknowledging it upfront. “Thanks for your patience today. We were held up for a while on another matter, but rest assured we’ll take all the time we need to take care of you properly. Now, before we go on, how’s your time? Are we OK?”

When customers agree to proceed, they feel less taken for granted, more like they’ve regained control, and become more receptive to your services.

3. Share your intentions

Let begrudging customers know that you understand what they really want. If you’re helping someone who’s obviously pressed for time, say something like, “Let me get a few details from you now so we can start work and get you on your way as soon as possible.” If you’re dealing with a significant safety or comfort issue, stress that you’re going to fix that problem effectively, so it doesn’t worry them any more. “At least now when you step on the brake, you won’t have to worry that the car might not stop in time!”

Customers may be focused on the immediate painful purchase. You need to remind them of the more positive strategic outcome.

4. Offer pricing perspective

By definition, people don’t enjoy spending money on grudge purchases. So with big ticket purchases, it’s helpful to break the price down into something that sounds less daunting.

Don’t lean back and say something blunt like, “With brakes, and tires, you’re looking at $1,600.” Rather, put the cost of the work into perspective with the value of their vehicle and their reliance on it. “Your vehicle is in great shape, and it’s going to last a long time. Your brakes and tires are wear items that have to be replaced from time to time. It comes to $1,600, and then you’ll be in great shape for winter.”

Often what they’ll spend on their vehicle is a fraction of what it would cost to replace it. Remind them that maintenance is a good investment in the long run, and will keep them safe on their travels.

Too often, service providers fail to realize just how uncomfortable customers are to be in a repair shop. Their vehicle has let them down, they’re facing massive inconvenience and a big bill. They’re feeling vulnerable because they don’t understand automotive technology, and they’re completely at your mercy. In short, they don’t want to be there.

Don’t be oblivious and uncaring. Don’t judge your customers for being stressed and grouchy. Walk your customers through those big-ticket purchases with patience and understanding.

It may require more empathy than you’re used to showing, and it may take practice to make it sound natural, but it will build goodwill and loyalty.

With a little training, your employees will come across as astute, competent, and helpful. That will make it a more pleasant experience for everyone.

And, most importantly for your bottom line, customers will be less resentful about sending their dollars your way.

Jeff Mowatt is a customer service strategist, and bestselling author, based in Calgary, Alta. This article is based on his book Influence with Ease. You can reach him at www.jeffmowatt.com.

The post Grudge purchases: How to sell to a reluctant customer appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Geoff Kirbyson

Motorists can often recite the cost of a new part within a nickel… but they’ll rarely put a price on their own time.

If they did, parts and accessory experts are confident they’d choose the higher-priced premium option every time.

Chris Robinson, a Winnipeg-based store manager at NAPA Auto Parts, says one of his biggest challenges is convincing customers that buying the top-end option will actually prove to be cheaper in the long run.

His standard line to them: “Don’t buy cheap brakes. You’ll be coming back in a year and doing them all over again.”

Robinson encourages his staff to suggest middle-of-the-road parts at the start of any negotiation. If things are going well, they can start moving the conversation toward premium part options. If you start at the bottom, you’ll never move them all the way to premium.

“If you quote somebody on the cheapest stuff, they’ve heard the number and they’re sold,” he said. “You can talk premium parts until you’re blue in the face and they won’t care.”

Robinson also strongly suggests customers get off their wallets for brakes, rotors, and anything related to the chassis.

“You can buy cheap rotors that aren’t coated. Look at the crap on our roads in the winters. If you spend a few extra dollars on the premium product, it’s coated and it’s never going to rust,” he said.

Robinson wants to know if the customer is keeping the vehicle and who drives it while he’s making his suggestions. He knows of one mini-van customer who always buys the lowest-end parts he can.

“He’ll say, ‘It’s just my wife’s car that she uses to drive the kids around. I want to buy the cheapest stuff possible,’” he said.

“Really? Does she know that? Is she in the car right now? Maybe you should bring her in, and we can talk.”

Once you get burned once,
 you don’t want to get
 burned again. It’s amazing
 how fast (customers) come
 back and say they don’t
 want the cheap parts.

Paul Chemerys, sales manager at AGI Bumper to Bumper in northeast Calgary, has another value question. What’s a good night’s sleep worth to your customers?

Premium products not only last longer but they’re also backed up with warranties.

“That gives the end user peace of mind,” he said, noting they can include roadside assistance on top of the manufacturer’s warranty.

Commercial vehicles have an even greater need for premium parts than passenger cars and trucks. Plumbers, electricians, and welders should never use second-line brakes, filters, or steering parts.

“They depend on that vehicle for their livelihood. You’re taking a chance that it’s going to be up on a hoist (with second-line parts). If it’s not earning you money, we didn’t do our job,” he said.

Another reason to buy top-line products is it’s not uncommon for the aftermarket to re-engineer problems with original parts to improve their performance.

“You only find that in the premium lines with things like tire rod ends, ball joints, and brakes,” he said. “In the cheaper stuff, you don’t see the fix. They just make it to meet the basic requirements.”

Just like a wolf pack is only as strong as its weakest member, a vehicle is only as strong as its weakest part. That includes brakes, shocks, and struts.

“As soon as you cheap out on one aspect, the other aspects can’t keep up. That’s when it becomes a safety issue,” he said.

Part of the challenge with lower-quality parts is that manufacturers often say they meet OEM specifications. The key word there is “meet,” Chemerys said.

“They don’t ‘exceed.’ The premium brands exceed the OEM in most cases,” he said.

“You’ve got to respect (the customer’s) decision. You give them their options and let them make their choices. You can’t tell people not to smoke or drink too much. They’re going to do what they want to do.”

There are times when a vehicle owner is looking to sell a car or truck in the short term and wants to replace worn-out parts as cheaply as possible. In those cases, Ron Swyers, counterman at Superior Automotive in Stephenville, Nfld., goes along with it because the customer knows they won’t get their money out of a premium part.

But when your competitor is selling at a discount, you’ve got to compete. Except when that competitor is online.

“As soon as a part comes on the island, (the price) goes up. It’s all about the export cost. I say, ‘Support your home town.’ You want people to stick around and the stores to stay open. Yes, it’s a few dollars more but there’s also the convenience,” he said.

Repair shops almost always want top-quality parts. About the only time they’ll settle for less is if a worn-out part is discovered while the car is on the hoist.

“Time is money. The customer has to pay for that time on the hoist. If you’re looking for a part then, you have no choice but to go for the cheaper part,” he said.

Swyers makes a point of telling his customers that premium parts are invariably cheaper on labour. Not only do they go on more easily, they also last longer.

“And, some products have a lifetime warranty, so they’ve only got to buy them once,” he said.

Customers who opt for the cheaper parts aren’t a lost cause. In fact, Swyers says a great time to upsell them on a product is when they bring it back because it wore out too quickly.

“I suggest they pay the difference (for the upgrade) on warranty,” he said.

The advent of online parts retailers has been a significant source of frustration for Robinson. Customers will buy online, discover they’ve got the wrong part, send it back. They end up waiting for a replacement part. And, all the while, their vehicle is off the road. Just because many online retailers tout their low prices, doesn’t mean counter people should offer discounts.

“I think it devalues your products,” he said. “Nobody wants to pay full price. I want to say, ‘When you go to Walmart, do you ask them for a discount?’ When they come to NAPA or Piston Ring, they ask for a discount on every part that comes over the counter. Do you do that when you buy groceries?”

Robinson said the premium pitch is a lot easier when a customer has been frustrated by a low-end part.

“Once you get burned once, you don’t want to get burned again. It’s amazing how fast they come back and say they don’t want the cheap parts,” he said.

Good shops are well-trained in how to deal with customers who ask for deals, says Malcolm Davidow, a Philadelphia-based partner at Schwartz Advisors.

“They say, ‘We’re not selling our labour, we’re selling our parts and labour. We’re spending time identifying the problem, and using the best part for the job,’” he said.

In response to growing pressure on parts pricing, Davidow said some shops are increasing their labour rates instead.

“The equipment and training isn’t getting any less expensive,” he said. “Over time, you’ll see increases in labour rates. I think parts prices will be playing a factor there.”

Using premium parts can also pay dividends down the road with a higher asking price when motorists decide to sell their vehicle.

“If you’ve got premium parts with the bills and paperwork, that’s a selling feature. You can say, ‘look, everything here is top-end. I didn’t cheap out on anything,’” Robinson said. “It will also give (the buyer) a better understanding of the vehicle.”

As parts distributors, knowing the upside to installing premium parts is a valuable part of the job. Making converts is critical to selling more quality parts.

Geoff Kirbyson is a freelance writer based in Winnipeg, Man.

The post Selling quality parts: It’s better for everyone appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Geoff Kirbyson

Auto parts manufacturers and retailers are helping do-it-yourselfers get a grip on the growing complexity of vehicles by sending them to the world’s second-most popular search engine: YouTube.

That’s right. The place you go to see funny clips of talking dogs, Bo Jackson’s Nike commercials from the 1980s, and your favourite band’s music videos has also become a hotbed of automotive repair instruction.

Driveway repairs have been a staple in North America for a hundred years. But these days, amateur mechanics need a little extra guidance.

CRP Automotive, for example, has been producing videos for more than four years and has compiled a library of more than 100 instructional episodes so far.

“There’s a need for education,” said Ryan Stuver, the company’s Cleveland-based channel sales manager for retail.

“A lot of consumers and DIY customers are reaching out to the people they trust about parts for that information.”

In order to keep its finger on the pulse of the auto repair community, CRP consults its innovation council, a group of top-level professional repair technicians who share their personal stories of high-failure parts.

“We address common issues and even misconceptions while trying to educate the viewer and put these videos together in bite-sized chunks. They’re one-and-a-half minutes to two-and-a-half minutes at most,” he said.

‘Our job is to help
 do-it-yourselfers with
 as much advice as we can.
 The job might be bigger
 than they think it is.
 It’s our job to let them
 know what they’re facing.’

Continental Automotive has a growing number of instructional videos on YouTube, too. Dave Maclay, the company’s head of product management in Allentown Penn., said his team will come up with the topics, write the scripts, and appear on camera while a third-party production company handles the cameras and editing.

It also has a team of technical training specialists that travel around the country to visit retail stores, repair shops and technical colleges to teach up-and-coming technicians about its products. On top of all that, they routinely participate in panel discussions at trade shows.

The combination of the two approaches helps keeps the company top-of-mind with people making purchasing decisions. Continental supplies a wide variety of parts, including tire pressure sensors, fuel injectors, and collision warning technology to industry giants such as Chrysler, General Motors, Ford, and Nissan.

“We want to make sure all technicians have the latest information about our products. Technology changes quite rapidly in the automotive world. Getting that message out there is very important,” Maclay said.

A growing number of replacement parts are geared towards the DIFM (do-it-for-me) market, not because they’re necessarily hard to install but because they require specific tools and equipment to do the job.

“The Saturday afternoon do-it-yourselfer doesn’t have those tools. The average vehicle owner doesn’t even know where the lane departure or back-up sensors are located. The chances of locating it, replacing it and calibrating it (successfully) are pretty slim. It’s not that it can’t be done, but it’s just not practical,” he said.

Paola Bianchi agrees. The Montreal-based director of integrated marketing strategy at NAPA Auto Parts said the vast majority of do-it-yourselfers do relatively light work, such as filters, oil changes and wipers. Quite simply, there’s a limit to what motorists can do on their own. Complexity aside, it doesn’t make financial sense for them to buy expensive equipment to do the work properly, particularly if the whole reason you’re doing driveway work is to save money.

“What’s the return on investment? How many will invest in the shop equipment just to be able to repair their car one time?” she said.

Parts specialists at NAPA’s 600 stores across Canada are trained to provide advice to do-it-yourselfers and as the vehicles get more complex, the advice follows.

“Our job is to help with as much advice as we can. The job might be bigger than they think it is. In some cases, we have parts specialists who are more concerned (than the customer) about them doing it themselves. It’s our job to let them know what they’re facing,” she said.

There are some vehicle parts, such as filters, spark plugs, or ignition coils, that have been virtually untouched by technology over the years and can be replaced by the DIYer with a certain familiarity with how cars and trucks run. Kumar Saha, director of after sales, retail, and new mobility at consulting and research firm Frost & Sullivan, said complex parts historically haven’t been very DIY-friendly.

“There are fewer people inclined to do their own repairs or know how to do them. A DIY person won’t necessarily go and change a sensor,” he said. “The newer car owners are less interested in doing their own repairs. The car is more complex than it was in the 1960s and there are more support systems available to people.”

Suppliers tend to do a better job of building awareness among DIYers than counterpersons tend to, which is one area of opportunity for jobbers, he said.

“If you’re a counterman, and a customer wants to buy a part, and you say, ‘I don’t think you can replace this on your own,’ you lose the sale,” he explained. “The right way should be, ‘Buy this part from me; I know a good garage.’ There’s a bit of that education that needs to come from the retailers to make sure the counterperson is making the DIYer aware of the complexity behind the product. It’s a training issue.”

By his assessment, the motivation is slightly different for suppliers.

“They want to ensure that their product is installed and operated in the right way. If it’s not, then the customer will blame the product and (the suppliers) don’t want that,” he said.

If there’s anybody who knows the DIY market, it’s Paul Theberge. The Winnipeg-based category leader at Princess Auto oversees three buying teams and his 46 stores across the country carry more than 250 auto repair stock keeping units (SKUs). He said the company’s DIY business continues to grow.

“Our (typical) customer has older equipment or cars. We sell code-readers for new cars and tire pressure and air bag monitoring systems. Our competitors tend to shy away from those kinds of products. We sell the things that not everybody else wants to sell. Our guy comes in because of that,” he said.

At Princess Auto, it does indeed appear to be a world for “guys.” The customer base is almost exclusively male.

The company directs people to its own customer service portal or YouTube if they want to see how to replace their brakes or change a headlight. Some YouTube videos are even embedded on the Princess Auto website. The company, perhaps not surprisingly, no longer carries auto repair manuals.

“People go online. They’re doing the research themselves and coming in to buy the tools they need for the job. I think that’s part of how people shop today. They pre-shop online and then come into the store,” he said.

Some of that equipment costs as little as $70, or as much as $600.

“We don’t get a lot of product back because people don’t understand how it works. Most of our guys figure it out,” he said.

The general consensus among parts retailers is that DIY work is a steady and continuing part of the aftermarket equation… and it’s not nearly as dangerous as some alarmists would suggest. It’s not as if a botched do-it-yourself job could lead to a car or truck exploding in the middle of the highway but there could be some safety issues, retailers will argue.

For example, power steering requires a mix of parts, connections, and fluids.

“If you’re missing a connection, you might have a dead steering wheel. The wheel might not turn,” CRP’s Stuver said.

What’s more likely to happen is the non-fixed part won’t work the way it’s supposed to, or your vehicle might not start.

“That could lead to a costly tow to a repair shop,” he said.

The DIY market will endure, even with the growing complexity of vehicles.

“There will always be enthusiasts willing to dabble and do the work themselves,” said Stuver. “It may be a little more difficult (in the future) but if there’s a will, there’s a way.”

Geoff Kirbyson is a freelance writer based in Winnipeg, Man.

The post Offering DIY parts… and education appeared first on Auto Service World.

Distribution Stox has acquired Provincial Tire Distributors, an Ontario-based company in business for more than 30 years.

The acquisition is being described as “a major step forward” for the Quebec-based tire distributor, adding a new province to its distribution network.

According to a press release from Distribution Stox, the Provincial Tire Distributors team “has worked with passion to provide customers with the best quality of service.” It is a corporate value that Stox shares.

“Starting today, we are joining our forces to pursue the development of our respective markets,” said Bruno Leclair, president and CEO of Distribution Stox. “Over the coming weeks and months, we will work closely on a transition plan to synergize the strengths and the experience of both groups.”

Leclair said the addition of new product lines, the implementation of new management tools, and the sharing of expertise are examples of stimulating projects that make Distribution Stox confident about the future.

“Our main objective is to maintain the highest level of customer satisfaction with operational effectiveness and best business practices with the cooperation of a dedicated team of over 300 employees in 17 cities,” he said.

Provincial Tire Distributors was founded in 1988. Its administrative headquarters is in Barrie, Ont. and daily operations are made through the facilities in the Ontario cities of Barrie and Sudbury.

The post Distribution Stox expands into Ontario appeared first on Auto Service World.

About half of the independent shop owners on a recent webinar hosted by Kukui felt they could charge as much as or more than new-car dealerships do for their services.

The webinar, designed to look at how shop labour charges are calculated, pointed out a number of ways aftermarket shops outshine dealership service departments.

“Independent shop owners feel they have to be faster or better than the dealer, but that’s not necessarily the case,” said Christopher Petersen, owner of Northwest Automotive in Kalispell, Montana, and one of two shop owners invited to share their views on the subject. “If you have better one-on-one relationships, you can charge for that.”

Petersen pointed out that consumer dissatisfaction with dealership is not mainly about the price.

He described the difference in dealership prices versus independent prices as a “framing issue.” He said shop owners need to be aware of their strengths and charge accordingly for them.

The other shop owner on the webinar, Travis Troy of Honest Wrenches in Des Moines, Iowa., said people simply want to be treated properly when they bring their vehicles in for service.

He said some of the practices he observed at a local GMC dealership would have been “a fireable offense” at most independent shops.

“We are not another option. We are the best option,” he said. “If we think of ourselves as an alternative, we are the same as them. Most of them offer 12,000 / 12-month warranty on their work? Most independent shops are way above that!”

They were joined on the webinar by hosts Jimmy Lea and Patrick Egan of Kukui, who conducted quick polls of attendees to gauge their positions on price-related topics.

One of the quick polls revealed that 48% of attendees felt they could charge as much or more than dealerships. Some 23% did not agree they could charge that much, while another 23% were uncertain.

The webinar was recorded and is expected to be posted at the Kukui website.

The post Kukui webinar examines how you charge for your services appeared first on Auto Service World.

The tragic limo crash in upstate New York that caused 20 fatalities last year stands as one of the most compelling case studies about brake safety on public roads.

The details of the crash are painful to read, but it culminates in the horror of an extraordinarily heavy vehicle descending a steep hill leading to a dead end, without functioning brakes.

The average consumer
 could learn a lesson
 from fleet operators
 who set a high bar
 for the brake components
 that they purchase.

In a panic situation, with the brake pedal all the way to the floor, a driver needs to know that the vehicle will stop.

Unfortunately, poor quality brake parts that don’t fit as they should, succumb to early corrosion, or literally break apart in critical situations, are still being made around the world and are routinely selected by service providers as a cheap alternative for cost-conscious customers.

Only the tiniest fraction of a fraction of these brakes will contribute to a collision of any sort – much less to a tragedy like the Schoharie, N.Y. crash – but why take the chance?

Next time you’re asked for a cheap alternative, here are some talking points that could convince your customers to specify top-quality brake parts.

Brakes aren’t just any part

North Americans are really good at delaying vehicle maintenance. And among the oft-neglected automotive systems, are brakes – despite their special status as a safety-critical component. According to the U.S.-based Auto Care Factbook 2020 and IMR Inc., there are at least five million cars in need of brake jobs on American roads.

That’s five million vehicles that might have trouble stopping in a panic.

The Global Brake Safety Council, comprised of senior automotive experts promoting brake innovation and safety, have issued warnings that brake failure is an increasingly dangerous problem especially in critical road situations. The reason? The majority of North American cars and trucks have been equipped with cheap imported aftermarket brakes made of black steel prone to rust and premature failure.

The council points out that aftermarket brake pads are not covered by government safety standards, yet comprise the vast majority of brakes on roads today.

While original equipment manufacturers insist on extremely stringent manufacturing processes for their brake components, the aftermarket is not bound by such standards, which opens the door to unscrupulous players to offer deficient quality for the sake of profits.

Informed consumers are demanding quality

The average consumer could learn a lesson from fleet operators who set a high bar for the brake components they purchase. In particular, many police and fire departments will only purchase products that can meet the most stringent tests. Same goes for school buses, heavy commercial vehicles, government utility trucks, and municipal fleets.

Their maintenance programs are geared to safety, yes, but also value. Quality brakes last longer and cost less per kilometers than cheap offshore parts.

Early corrosion is a huge problem

There’s a reason galvanized brake pads make so much sense. Galvanization is a sure-fire remedy for corrosion, which can destroy brake components in a matter of months if left unchecked.

Galvanized pads need to be attached to the backing plate by mechanical means (using hooks, embedded mesh, or spot welds) because glue won’t work. The added expense of the mechanical attachment is worth the cost, though, because it affords greater product durability and longevity.

Galvanization also removes the need for a painted rust-protecting finish, which can be damaged during installation and use. As the coating is chipped or braised, the pad becomes vulnerable to corrosion.

Fit and tolerance really matters

Everyone talks about fit and function… but there’s no function if it doesn’t fit.

Fit issues are a growing challenge as vehicle manufacturers embrace a proliferation of shapes and sizes. Fly-by-night brake companies cannot keep up.

The last thing a technician wants to do, when he gets brake pads that don’t quite fit, is to rebox them and send them back. The delay will end up costing everyone money, so he might be tempted to take a file and “fix” the pad himself. This is a mistake.

Brake pads need to fit snugly or they lose a degree of effectiveness. In addition to inviting corrosion, filing or chipping away a part of the pad introduces performance uncertainties.

Brake tolerances are incredibly tight and they’re calculated to accommodate the expansion and contraction due to thermal changes. Changing the shape of the pad, you don’t know if the part will seize, rattle, or shift. You’re making a very rough calculation that can have deadly repercussions. The simple solution is to put it back in the box, send it back, and ask for a reputable manufacturer’s product.

Quality is worth the extra cost

Measured against the full cost of a brake job, the incremental cost of good quality brake pads is minimal.

On a typical $200 to $350 brake job, few consumers will quibble about the extra $20 or $30 it costs for pads which will perform as intended.

There’s a stand to be taken here. If you care about your customer’s safety, you’ll recommend quality parts that will build trust and that you can stand behind.

If you tell the story correctly, no one’s ever going to buy a cheap brake pad again.

The post What should be done about cheap brakes parts? appeared first on Auto Service World.

Want to propel your business to the next level?

In his latest video, Bob Greenwood identifies four corners for business growth.

“Communication is becoming more and more important because jobbers and shop owners have become less united in their attitudes and have become increasingly apathetic in running and growing their business,” he says. “Everyone is blaming one another for their problems and rapidly coming to the conclusion that nothing can be done about it.”

But Greenwood says applying the four corners to your business will clarify your goals, improve your relationships in the industry, and unlock your capacity for success.

Want to find out what those secret skills are?  Check out “Find Your Four Corners” exclusively on AutoServiceWorld.com

Missed an episode? Click HERE for the full Greenwood’s Garage series.

ABOUT BOB GREENWOOD

Mr. Robert (Bob) Greenwood AMAM (Accredited Master Automotive Manager) is president and CEO of Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Centre Ltd. (AAEC). Bob has over 40 years of business management experience within the independent sector of the automotive aftermarket industry in North America, consulting independent retail shops on all facets of their business operations.

Bob is one of 150 worldwide AMI approved instructors. He has created business management development courses for automotive shop employers/managers, jobbers and jobber sales representatives, which are recognized as being the most comprehensive, industry specific courses of their kind in North America.

The post Greenwood | Season 3 Episode 8 | Find Your Four Corners appeared first on Auto Service World.

If your customers ask you what you think about knee air bags offered in some vehicles, you may want to temper your enthusiasm.

 The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) points out that the technology that is growing in popularity still hasn’t had much testing in real-world scenarios, and some analysis suggests they may do more to harm passengers than protect them.

The organization found that not only did knee airbags not reduce bodily injury by any significant margin, it actually could elevate the injury risk. Unlike curtain airbags or those in steering wheels, knee airbags aren’t thought of as lifesaving.

 “Leg injuries in a car crash may be debilitating but don’t often kill people. So even as we’re looking at the real-world data and saying, ‘What kind of benefit do these knee airbags have?’ we’re not going to be seeing those dramatic differences,” Becky Mueller, IIHS senior research engineer in Virginia, told Canadian Underwriter.

 “The big assumption is that people think more [airbags] is better. This study is indicating in this case more may not necessarily provide you with additional benefits.”

 The IIHS took data from 414 front-end crash tests to figure out injury probability for 12 body regions.

 Researchers then looked at data from police-reported crash information compiled from more than a dozen states in the U.S. to compare injury risks between vehicles that were equipped with knee airbags and those that weren’t.

 In testing, researchers found that the airbags actually played a role in increased risk for lower leg injuries and right femur injuries.

 Head injury risk, however, was reduced slightly, they noted.

 In real-world analysis, injury risk was reduced by just half a percentage point to 7.4%, something the IIHS called a statistically insignificant result.

 The knee airbag deploys from the lower part of the dashboard, below the steering wheel. It’s intended to distribute impact forces to reduce leg injuries.

 It is also believed that the airbags could help reduce the force on an occupant’s chest and abdomen by controlling movement of the lower body.

 Mueller did note that more study is needed to figure out exactly what kind of injuries could be caused by knee airbags.

 “There may be other technology like redesigning the shape and how soft the instrument panel is that may be just as effective at reducing leg injuries as putting an airbag in that position,” she added.

So why have knee airbags?

Carmakers have installed them in order to pass safety testing with unbelted crash test dummies.

As the IIHS always tests crashes with fully belted dummies, it couldn’t confirm whether or not someone without their seatbelt buckled would actually benefit from a knee airbag in the event of a crash.

www.canadianunderwriter.ca 

The post Knee airbags could elevate risk of bodily injury: report appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Allan Janssen

The concept of customer loyalty – creating it, sustaining it, nurturing it – has been a hot topic in business circles since the dawn of capitalism.

And even in the digital age, it has not lost its relevance.

An oft-quoted paper, originally published in the Harvard Business Review, on “The Economics of E-Loyalty” discusses the digital component of winning and keeping customers. Authors Frederick F. Reichheld and Phil Schefter came to the conclusion that increasing customer retention rates by 5% can increase profits anywhere from 25% to 95%.

How would you like those kind returns?

Happily, the auto service industry has some natural loyalty generators: oil changes, brake jobs, and tire switch-overs, to name just three. Shops that aren’t capitalizing on the public’s need for these basic services on a predictable schedule are missing out on the loyalty dividend.

1) Communicate effectively

This does not just mean frequently but strategically, purposefully, and using the method that best reaches its target (and, yes, increasingly that means texting).

This starts with booking appointments ahead of time, and follows through the process of confirming the booking, keeping customers informed of the repair process, thanking them for their visit, and seeking feedback on their experience.

The Canadian Automobile Association has learned this lesson, pointing to how “touchpoints” create trust.

CAA clubs across the country have a goal of increasing opportunities to interact with their members, believing that the number of touchpoints they achieve per year has a material effect on the way consumers look on them. At three or four touchpoints per year, trust skyrockets and loyalty is cemented.

Life gets busy and sometimes well-meaning customers minds simply forget about car maintenance. Don’t assume you’ve lost the customer. Reach out.

2) Document proof of need

Transparency is everything these days. Don’t give any reason for suspicion or furrowed brows. Show your customer the report, the failed part, the discolouration, the corrosion, or the broken pieces.

Evidence speaks volumes in the court of consumer opinion.

3) Solve their problem

This might sound like an obvious point, but comebacks will absolutely destroy your loyalty rates. Not only are they inconvenient for your customer, but they suggest reasons for distrust.

Data crunchers and consultants at J.D. Powers have proven time and again that repeated customer frustrations quickly erode trust and lead to lost business. It is quantifiable.

The importance of thorough work, provided in a single visit, is behind the recent aftermarket trend to “slow the process down” and inspect every vehicle thoroughly.

According to The Brake Report (the purported “voice of the brake industry”) one of the greatest benefits of performing complete brake jobs is ensuring customer satisfaction. By taking the time to do the process right the first time, technicians can ensure the client will return for future work. Not only are they creating loyal customers, they’re saving the shops time and money by eliminating costly comebacks.

The independent aftermarket engenders higher trust scores than we tend to think. And long-term relationships are built on that trust.

The post How routine work builds loyal customers appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Geoff Kirbyson

You might not know it – or even hear it – but there’s a revolution going on under the hood of the modern automobile.

With electric cars rolling off dealer lots in increasing numbers and traditional cars and trucks requiring more power than ever, the electrical demands put on today’s batteries would have been unthinkable a decade ago.

It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, though. They’re evolving in much the same way that other products, such as computer chips, have improved over time. Remember when your desktop could run no more than one application at a time or when you needed a small suitcase to carry your cellular phone around?

The bigger the global demand for a product, the more manufacturing facilities spring up with improvements and the more costs are pushed down.

Today’s batteries have additional drains on them that their predecessors didn’t because we used paper maps to find where we were going and didn’t need non-stop entertainment for children in the back seat. There are also dash cams and superior audio, digital and computerized systems that require batteries to have more power than they used to, said Justin Bakhsh, Toronto-based vice-president of Magnacharge Battery Corp., a leading battery distributor.

Jobbers should expect to see a variety of batteries in the market, including sealed maintenance free, high performance AGM (absorbed glass mat) and ones designed to support idle-start-stop technology. The ideal supplier should offer training to both the jobbers and installers, they should have coverage for all vehicles with consistency in production and partners that emphasize strong engineering as well as research and development.

The biggest change
 on the battery horizon
 is coming from
 the growing number
 of electric vehicles
 hitting Canadian roads.

“A strong and stable battery supplier will be focused on having a stable source of production that has consistent communication with the engineers at car makers,” Bakhsh said. “A global market provides great access of information to consumers. A jobber should want to be partnered with a supplier that is dedicated to ensuring their consumers are getting the best value for their purchase. Specialists in the battery market and partners that will help bring added value are the ones focused on understanding and supplying quality batteries while investing in tomorrow’s battery to manage and support market trends.”

Batteries in today’s start-stop vehicles are being called upon to not only start the engine more frequently but also supply electrical loads while the engine isn’t running. These loads will only continue to get heavier and put more strain on batteries.

There are a number of new technologies going into the batteries of today and tomorrow. They include: full-framed grid design, which prevents grid growth and short circuiting from exposed wires; continuous and high-precision punching process, which ensures excellent adhesion of the active material; and faster recharge acceptance and optimal conductivity.

There are also advancements in AGM technology, including separators, which deliver ultimate cranking power through lower internal resistance and gas recombination technology, which increases the life span by minimizing water consumption.

“Aftermarket consumers need to understand that AGM batteries and overall better battery technology is essential and required for ISS vehicles. Installers and consumers need to understand that better battery technology exists and the proper use of batteries will extend life expectancy and avoid premature or early failure,” Bakhsh said.

Randy Anderson, Calgary-based national technical sales and training manager at Canadian Energy, a leading battery manufacturer, said traditional starting batteries will have a drastically shorter life in start-stop applications.

“Even AGM and EFB (enhanced flooded batteries) designed for these vehicles will last less than half of the time we are used to in traditional starting applications. Repair shops need to be aware that they’re installing the correct product and have the right equipment to properly diagnose the new hybrid batteries,” he said.

“Because many are not just for starting purposes, batteries must be more robust and able provide some cycling characteristics as well.”

There is a higher demand for lithium batteries in traditional starting applications plus powering today’s electric vehicles.

“The challenge will be the ability of processors and recyclers to develop technology to recycle these new battery chemistries, unlike the lead acid battery. Today, it is the poster child for the recycling industry, as upwards of 99 per cent of spent lead acid batteries are being recovered and recycled,” Anderson said.

But the biggest change on the battery horizon is coming from the growing number of electric vehicles hitting Canadian roads. Jerry Kroll, president and CEO of Electra Meccanica Vehicles Corp., a Vancouver-based manufacturer of low-cost, electric commuter cars, said recent surveys show that more than half of Canadian consumers are planning or hoping to make their next vehicle an electric one.

“That inflexion point has happened. Electric cars are faster, better and with lower costs to operate. You can spend $500 on gas or $10 on electricity or get it for free at your closest shopping centre,” he said.

Electra Meccanica produces “micro” cars geared towards people who do a lot of solo, short trips. Kroll, a former race-car driver, said 83 per cent of people who get behind the wheel do so by themselves and travel less than 30 kilometres.

The biggest storm cloud on the horizon for the combustion engine vehicles is real estate prices, he said. The land occupied by the vast majority of service stations is increasing in value but the retailing margins on selling gas continue to get squeezed.

“Every gas station in the world is for sale. If you own a gas station and you’re making $30,000 a month selling gas and somebody offers you $20 million for that property, you sell and you walk away from a huge environmental contingent liability,” he said.

“When somebody has to go 30 miles out of town to get gas – as opposed to plugging in at home – this is the death knell of the internal combustion platform. In five years, they’ll be like Blockbuster video today.”

Kroll said history is full of products and services that were replaced by newer, better and cheaper replacements. The Model T, for example, signalled the beginning of the end for farriers, specialists in the care of horses’ hooves.

“The maintenance schedule for an electric car is very similar to that of a fridge in your kitchen. You plug it in and for 20 years, it just runs. If I offered you a gas-powered fridge for your kitchen, you’d think I was nuts. It’s going to break down, it’s going to be noisy and it’s going to cost a lot of money. It’ll be the same with (electric) cars. They’re just a better product,” he said.

One of the criticisms of electric vehicles is that they don’t make much noise and therefore they can be difficult or impossible to detect for people with visual impairments. Kroll understands that but would like to remind pedestrians that the old saying is to look both ways before you cross the road, not listen.

“Even if you don’t have visual impairments, don’t blindly cross the road. It won’t end well. You could also get hit by a bicycle and the last time I checked, they don’t make a lot of noise either. You shouldn’t rely on a noisy Harley Davidson under the auspices of being heard,” he said.

Even with the growing popularity of lithium batteries for electric vehicles, Bakhsh said the demand for lead acid batteries is also expected to increase as the high recycling rate offers the best value for consumers and is also environmentally-friendly.

“This is an exciting time for car makers, battery technology and consumers as options are expanding and technology is improving considerably. The electric vehicle, as well as existing combustion engine vehicles, continue to offer multiple options to all consumers. There will be a demand for all technologies that offer better performance and a reliable power source,” he said.

Geoff Kirbyson is a freelance writer based in Winnipeg, Man.

The post Powering Up: A look at battery technology appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Katie Mares

Most shop owners think offering a “five-star experience” carries an additional expense. It is perceived as the result of a retail strategy that leans toward luxury.

But offering your customers a five-star experience doesn’t have to drive up your prices, involve a lot of extra expenses, or cost you additional time.

If you’re among those who think the average automotive repair shop cannot offer five-star experiences, you may be misunderstanding what is involved. More importantly, you may be selling yourself short.

It can be achieved in any organization, in any industry, regardless of the service being provided. All it really requires is that your frontline people be… well… nice people!

A five-star experience hinges on the emotional intelligence of your staff, as they turn a basic transaction into an interactional event that customers will enjoy and remember.

Here are five tips to achieving that level of service.

1. Use a friendly tone

We’ve all heard the adage ‘It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.’ This is especially true when it comes to the customer’s experience. Our vocal tone and facial expression send subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle!) messages that are picked up by the customer. A friendly tone is particularly important when talking on the phone. Your customer can’t see your expression, but they can tell if you are smiling or not. Practice role-playing with your team. Give them a scenario and focus on the tone of their voice.

2. Use their name

Using a customer’s name not only shows respect but is the most important words you can use to create a connection. Surprisingly, this is one of the hardest things for some employees to execute. They may be a little shy, or worried that it suggests an intimacy they haven’t heard. But customers love it. It takes a little practice, but when it becomes a habit, the results are amazing.

3. Show genuine interest

We make decisions based on the feelings we have, not the facts and figures that are presented to us. Humans crave connection and will stop doing business with you if they don’t feel anyone is attempting to make a connection, or if the attempt is disingenuous. Customer’s want you to authentically engage and show interest in them. The 80-20 rule applies here. Let the customer do 80% of the time while you spend your 20% of the time asking questions and showing genuine interest. Not only does this create a connection but it allows you to better succeed at Step 4.

4. Anticipate their needs

A customer doesn’t want to have to work hard to get their needs met. It’s your job to anticipate what they want or need. Of course they have to give you the basics, but once you know why they’re in your shop, there’s a lot you can intuit, or anticipate. Pay attention to what they say and remember their preferences from visit to visit. Take notes and use them!

5. Be knowledgeable

Last but not least, you must be seen as being the expert at what you do. You must certainly know more than your customer about what may be ailing their vehicle, or the kind of maintenance they need. This means know more than just what is printed on your marketing material, website, or social channels. Be efficient in what you say and ask. It builds credibility. Matching your knowledge to the needs of your customer will go a long way in establishing trust.

A five-star experience can be achieved in any organization regardless of the industry but requires your people to be genuine, anticipatory, knowledgeable, and friendly. Transforming your mind set (and that of your team) will let you rise above providing simple customer service to providing a uniquely positive experience.

Katie Mares is a certified speaking professional, business consultant, and a partner in the business training company, Alkamey Group.

The post Five tips to providing five-star service appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Allan Janssen

The concept of customer loyalty – creating it, sustaining it, nurturing it – has been a hot topic in business circles since the dawn of capitalism.

And even in the digital age, it has not lost its relevance.

An oft-quoted paper, originally published in the Harvard Business Review, on “The Economics of E-Loyalty” discusses the digital component of winning and keeping customers. Authors Frederick F. Reichheld and Phil Schefter came to the conclusion that increasing customer retention rates by 5% can increase profits anywhere from 25% to 95%.

How would you like those kind returns?

Happily, the auto service industry has some natural loyalty generators: oil changes, brake jobs, and tire switch-overs, to name just three. Shops that aren’t capitalizing on the public’s need for these basic services on a predictable schedule are missing out on the loyalty dividend.

1) Communicate effectively

This does not just mean frequently but strategically, purposefully, and using the method that best reaches its target (and, yes, increasingly that means texting).

This starts with booking appointments ahead of time, and follows through the process of confirming the booking, keeping customers informed of the repair process, thanking them for their visit, and seeking feedback on their experience.

The Canadian Automobile Association has learned this lesson, pointing to how “touchpoints” create trust.

CAA clubs across the country have a goal of increasing opportunities to interact with their members, believing that the number of touchpoints they achieve per year has a material effect on the way consumers look on them. At three or four touchpoints per year, trust skyrockets and loyalty is cemented.

Life gets busy and sometimes well-meaning customers minds simply forget about car maintenance. Don’t assume you’ve lost the customer. Reach out.

2) Document proof of need

Transparency is everything these days. Don’t give any reason for suspicion or furrowed brows. Show your customer the report, the failed part, the discolouration, the corrosion, or the broken pieces.

Evidence speaks volumes in the court of consumer opinion.

3) Solve their problem

This might sound like an obvious point, but comebacks will absolutely destroy your loyalty rates. Not only are they inconvenient for your customer, but they suggest reasons for distrust.

Data crunchers and consultants at J.D. Powers have proven time and again that repeated customer frustrations quickly erode trust and lead to lost business. It is quantifiable.

The importance of thorough work, provided in a single visit, is behind the recent aftermarket trend to “slow the process down” and inspect every vehicle thoroughly.

According to The Brake Report (the purported “voice of the brake industry”) one of the greatest benefits of performing complete brake jobs is ensuring customer satisfaction. By taking the time to do the process right the first time, technicians can ensure the client will return for future work. Not only are they creating loyal customers, they’re saving the shops time and money by eliminating costly comebacks.

The independent aftermarket engenders higher trust scores than we tend to think. And long-term relationships are built on that trust.

The post How routine work builds loyalty appeared first on Auto Service World.

The Walker brand of emissions control products for light and commercial vehicles has launched an enhanced website interface to provide a more comprehensive user experience to its customers.

The new site, at www.WalkerExhaust.com, combines Walker’s light vehicle and commercial truck portfolios for a more complete experience, while addressing the specific needs of each customer group.

From the homepage, users will be able to access product information; utilize interactive “Find My Part” catalogue tools, read technical support articles, and quickly obtain “Where to Buy” information.

For commercial vehicle customers, visiting www.WalkerHeavyDuty.com will directly navigate visitors to Walker’s heavy-duty product offering and catalog support tools.

In addition to offering a more modern, responsive design that automatically adjusts sizing for mobile phones, tablets, laptops and desktops, the updated Walker site also has the following features:

* New content: Offering information on both light and commercial vehicle products in one place, users can also utilize new technical support resources, including all the latest Servicegrams and technical videos.

* Streamlined navigation: Easier, clearer site navigation is a hallmark of the new site, and users can find anything they are looking for in three clicks or less, including direct homepage access to the eCatalogue tools.

* New “Dealer Locator” and eCatalogue: The refreshed website now offers an updated layout for the Dealer Locator under “Where to Buy”, providing customers an easy and efficient way to look up their local Walker product dealers.  Technicians are also able to use the eCatalogue tools under “Find My Parts” to identify the right replacement products via application look-up, part number, or through a universal parts search.

“As a leading brand in the emissions control industry, we understand the need to provide a positive digital experience to our customers,” said Rebecca Mahan, director of marketing communications. “The new Walker website highlights all the ways the Walker brand fits your business, including resources to arm technicians with the content they need to choose the best Walker product for a repair, whether it be via something as simple as a part lookup or if they require more research or information to complete a comprehensive exhaust system diagnosis.”

www.walkerexhaust.com

www.walkerheavyduty.com

The post Walker emissions control brand launches new website appeared first on Auto Service World.

Motivational speaker and business consultant Katie Mares says a five-star customer experience is absolutely possible even in a ‘grudge purchase’ industry. It boils down to having a good attitude and elevating your emotional quotient (EQ). In this Deep Dive video, she expounds on some of the principles in her Auto Service World article: Five Tips for A Five-Star Experience.

www.katiemares.com

The post Deep Dive: Katie Mares on offering Five-Star Service appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Katie Mares

Most shop owners think offering a “five-star experience” carries an additional expense. It is perceived as the result of a retail strategy that leans toward luxury.

But offering your customers a five-star experience doesn’t have to drive up your prices, involve a lot of extra expenses, or cost you additional time.

If you’re among those who think the average automotive repair shop cannot offer five-star experiences, you may be misunderstanding what is involved. More importantly, you may be selling yourself short.

It can be achieved in any organization, in any industry, regardless of the service being provided. All it really requires is that your frontline people be… well… nice people!

A five-star experience hinges on the emotional intelligence of your staff, as they turn a basic transaction into an interactional event that customers will enjoy and remember.

Here are five tips to achieving that level of service.

1. Use a friendly tone

We’ve all heard the adage ‘It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.’ This is especially true when it comes to the customer’s experience. Our vocal tone and facial expression send subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle!) messages that are picked up by the customer. A friendly tone is particularly important when talking on the phone. Your customer can’t see your expression, but they can tell if you are smiling or not. Practice role-playing with your team. Give them a scenario and focus on the tone of their voice.

2. Use their name

Using a customer’s name not only shows respect but is the most important words you can use to create a connection. Surprisingly, this is one of the hardest things for some employees to execute. They may be a little shy, or worried that it suggests an intimacy they haven’t heard. But customers love it. It takes a little practice, but when it becomes a habit, the results are amazing.

3. Show genuine interest

We make decisions based on the feelings we have, not the facts and figures that are presented to us. Humans crave connection and will stop doing business with you if they don’t feel anyone is attempting to make a connection, or if the attempt is disingenuous. Customer’s want you to authentically engage and show interest in them. The 80-20 rule applies here. Let the customer do 80% of the time while you spend your 20% of the time asking questions and showing genuine interest. Not only does this create a connection but it allows you to better succeed at Step 4.

4. Anticipate their needs

A customer doesn’t want to have to work hard to get their needs met. It’s your job to anticipate what they want or need. Of course they have to give you the basics, but once you know why they’re in your shop, there’s a lot you can intuit, or anticipate. Pay attention to what they say and remember their preferences from visit to visit. Take notes and use them!

5. Be knowledgeable

Last but not least, you must be seen as being the expert at what you do. You must certainly know more than your customer about what may be ailing their vehicle, or the kind of maintenance they need. This means know more than just what is printed on your marketing material, website, or social channels. Be efficient in what you say and ask. It builds credibility. Matching your knowledge to the needs of your customer will go a long way in establishing trust.

A five-star experience can be achieved in any organization regardless of the industry but requires your people to be genuine, anticipatory, knowledgeable, and friendly. Transforming your mind set (and that of your team) will let you rise above providing simple customer service to providing a uniquely positive experience.

Katie Mares is a certified speaking professional, business consultant, and a partner in the business training company, Alkamey Group.

Check out our Deep Dive Video with Katie.

The post Five tips to providing a five-star experience appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Allan Janssen

As Canada’s largest emissions testing program shuts down, the sale of oxygen sensors in the country’s largest consumer market is likely to take a big dip.

Shops that did a lot of Ontario Drive Clean business may soon learn what techs in other parts of Canada have known for a while: to ensure that vehicles are burning fuel cleanly and running at optimum fuel efficiency, basic emissions checks need to be part of routine inspections.

Government-mandated tests give shops a reason to explore the state of a vehicle’s emission system. In their absence, shops will need to be more proactive to detect failing oxygen sensors, spark plugs, EVAP systems, catalytic converters, and engine filters.

Manufacturing quality has advanced to the point that some vehicles will go to the wrecker at the end of their functional life with the original oxygen sensors in place. But most vehicles will need a new set of sensors at least once, possibly twice.

Oxygen sensors operate in a hostile environment. They come into contact with a lot of heat, pressure, and extreme conditions in the exhaust stream of the engine, so they will eventually wear out.

“The replacement interval is usually over 100,000 kilometers but it can range widely from model to model,” says Matt Otten, product marketing manager for NGK-NTK Canada. “The first owner may not have had to think about it. But the second owner typically will have to. And possibly twice.”

Otten suggests that if cars aren’t mandated to come in automatically for a regular emissions test, shops should build an additional step into their regular inspections to cover it.

“Essentially, Ontario shops have been sort of spoiled up until now,” he said. “Oxygen sensors were almost selling themselves. Now shops have to switch to a model that helps discover failing sensors and then offer them as maintenance or repair items. They’re going to have to start asking, ‘Have you ever had your O2 sensor replaced yet?’”

That is what B.C. techs found says Bob Paff, founder of the Automotive Service Business Network, an Internet forum for Canadian shop owners and technicians.

“As soon as B.C.’s AirCare program was shut down, dirty vehicles, licensed outside regulated areas, came back to town and local horsepower enthusiasts began removing catalytic converters,” he says.

Paff believes the way forward is through consumer education, industry conversations about accepted standards, and devising informal inspection strategies.

“The problem is how to get everyone together on this,” he says. “I’m working on that.”

A decrease in fuel economy could easily be the result of a failed oxygen sensor. The problem is the driver may not have noticed a drop in fuel efficiency, or may not think to mention it to the service advisor.

The O2 sensor detects a rich or lean running condition. When it starts to fail, the engine goes off its memory and does its best to balance the ratio. It won’t do as well as if it has a real-time feedback loop. If something’s going wrong, it will throw a code long before it triggers the check-engine light.

“That’s probably the best way to know what’s going on,” says Otten. “Check for a code on every car. The best operators are already doing that.”

Jeff Colton, of Colton’s Garage in Flesherton, Ont., says oxygen sensors are the biggest contributor to the fuel trim numbers that an ECM creates, and fuel trims are among the most valuable scan tool parameter IDs (PIDS) to know how an engine is running.

“Those fuel trims are great diagnostic tool,” he says. “Lean trims at idle and normal trims under load could be an indication of a vacuum leak. Normal trims at idle and lean under load could indicate a fuel delivery problem. More testing is still needed to find to the root cause of a problem. But without using trims, the guessing game gets played.”

He makes checking fuel trims and Mode 6 diagnostic part of the “tune-up” procedure.

“We call it an engine performance check. It’s easy to throw in a new set of spark plugs if the vehicle is not running like it should. But what if it’s not running right because of a faulty oxygen sensor? They only way to know that is to check.”

Dustin Golley, owner of DG’s Auto Tech in Listowel, Ont., and last year’s Canadian Technician of the Year, says O2 sensors are clearly a wear component that need to be checked – emissions program or not.

“There is a schedule that they should be replaced on – 100,000 to 150,000 kilometers for most vehicles,” he says. “You can wait for the check engine light to signal a problem or we can advise the customer when it’s time to check them and consider replacing them.”

He believes the loss of emission programs gives shops a chance to prove to their customers that they’re environmentally conscious, promoting optimum driveability and vehicle maintenance as a way to keep the air clean.

“Today’s customers are always worried about the climate and our environment,” he points out.

With the closing of the last emissions program in Canada it stands to reason that we’ll have dirtier cars on the road.

“The harder-to-detect problems are going to go undetected,” he says. “The onus is now on the consumer and the repair shop to actively look for these issues, rather than wait for them to come up as part of a mandated testing.”

The post When emissions programs end… what then? appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Allan Janssen

As Canada’s largest emissions testing program shuts down, the sale of oxygen sensors in the country’s largest consumer market is likely to take a big dip.

Shops that did a lot of Ontario Drive Clean business may soon learn what techs in other parts of Canada have known for a while: to ensure that vehicles are burning fuel cleanly and running at optimum fuel efficiency, basic emissions checks need to be part of routine inspections.

Government-mandated tests give shops a reason to explore the state of a vehicle’s emission system. In their absence, shops will need to be more proactive to detect failing oxygen sensors, spark plugs, EVAP systems, catalytic converters, and engine filters.

Manufacturing quality has advanced to the point that some vehicles will go to the wrecker at the end of their functional life with the original oxygen sensors in place. But most vehicles will need a new set of sensors at least once, possibly twice.

Oxygen sensors operate in a hostile environment. They come into contact with a lot of heat, pressure, and extreme conditions in the exhaust stream of the engine, so they will eventually wear out.

“The replacement interval is usually over 100,000 kilometers but it can range widely from model to model,” says Matt Otten, product marketing manager for NGK-NTK Canada. “The first owner may not have had to think about it. But the second owner typically will have to. And possibly twice.”

Otten suggests that if cars aren’t mandated to come in automatically for a regular emissions test, shops should build an additional step into their regular inspections to cover it.

“Essentially, Ontario shops have been sort of spoiled up until now,” he said. “Oxygen sensors were almost selling themselves. Now shops have to switch to a model that helps discover failing sensors and then offer them as maintenance or repair items. They’re going to have to start asking, ‘Have you ever had your O2 sensor replaced yet?’”

That is what B.C. techs found says Bob Paff, founder of the Automotive Service Business Network, an Internet forum for Canadian shop owners and technicians.

“As soon as B.C.’s AirCare program was shut down, dirty vehicles, licensed outside regulated areas, came back to town and local horsepower enthusiasts began removing catalytic converters,” he says.

Paff believes the way forward is through consumer education, industry conversations about accepted standards, and devising informal inspection strategies.

“The problem is how to get everyone together on this,” he says. “I’m working on that.”

A decrease in fuel economy could easily be the result of a failed oxygen sensor. The problem is the driver may not have noticed a drop in fuel efficiency, or may not think to mention it to the service advisor.

The O2 sensor detects a rich or lean running condition. When it starts to fail, the engine goes off its memory and does its best to balance the ratio. It won’t do as well as if it has a real-time feedback loop. If something’s going wrong, it will throw a code long before it triggers the check-engine light.

“That’s probably the best way to know what’s going on,” says Otten. “Check for a code on every car. The best operators are already doing that.”

Jeff Colton, of Colton’s Garage in Flesherton, Ont., says oxygen sensors are the biggest contributor to the fuel trim numbers that an ECM creates, and fuel trims are among the most valuable scan tool parameter IDs (PIDS) to know how an engine is running.

“Those fuel trims are great diagnostic tool,” he says. “Lean trims at idle and normal trims under load could be an indication of a vacuum leak. Normal trims at idle and lean under load could indicate a fuel delivery problem. More testing is still needed to find to the root cause of a problem. But without using trims, the guessing game gets played.”

He makes checking fuel trims and Mode 6 diagnostic part of the “tune-up” procedure.

“We call it an engine performance check. It’s easy to throw in a new set of spark plugs if the vehicle is not running like it should. But what if it’s not running right because of a faulty oxygen sensor? They only way to know that is to check.”

Dustin Golley, owner of DG’s Auto Tech in Listowel, Ont., and last year’s Canadian Technician of the Year, says O2 sensors are clearly a wear component that need to be checked – emissions program or not.

“There is a schedule that they should be replaced on – 100,000 to 150,000 kilometers for most vehicles,” he says. “You can wait for the check engine light to signal a problem or we can advise the customer when it’s time to check them and consider replacing them.”

He believes the loss of emission programs gives shops a chance to prove to their customers that they’re environmentally conscious, promoting optimum driveability and vehicle maintenance as a way to keep the air clean.

“Today’s customers are always worried about the climate and our environment,” he points out.

With the closing of the last emissions program in Canada it stands to reason that we’ll have dirtier cars on the road.

“The harder-to-detect problems are going to go undetected,” he says. “The onus is now on the consumer and the repair shop to actively look for these issues, rather than wait for them to come up as part of a mandated testing.”

The post When emissions programs end… what then? appeared first on Auto Service World.

The future success of aftermarket companies may soon come down to staff.

That’s one of the take-ways in the latest video from management consultant Bob Greenwood.

He says it’s imperative that management inventories the talents and attitudes of their current staff, in order to ensure positive work relationships are in place and that all employees have focused career mindsets.

Quoting the renowned 19th Century business consultant and food industry strategist Clarence Francis, Greenwood says you can buy a person’s time, physical presence and muscle motion, but you cannot buy initiative, loyalty, or devotion. You must earn that.

A high-functioning staff is a tremendous edge in business, Greenwood says, pointing out that it’s easy to copy business strategies, but harder to copy the attributes of a loyal staff.

Check out the latest episode of Greenwood’s Garage, exclusively on Auto Service World.

Missed an episode? Click HERE for the full Greenwood’s Garage series.

ABOUT BOB GREENWOOD

Mr. Robert (Bob) Greenwood AMAM (Accredited Master Automotive Manager) is president and CEO of Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Centre Ltd. (AAEC). Bob has over 40 years of business management experience within the independent sector of the automotive aftermarket industry in North America, consulting independent retail shops on all facets of their business operations.

Bob is one of 150 worldwide AMI approved instructors. He has created business management development courses for automotive shop employers/managers, jobbers and jobber sales representatives, which are recognized as being the most comprehensive, industry specific courses of their kind in North America.

The post NEW VIDEO: Greenwood on the importance of empowering staff appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Allan Janssen

Despite advances in communication technology, the telephone isn’t going away anytime soon, says customer service trainer Nancy Friedman.

The guest speaker on a recent webinar hosted by software company Kukui, Friedman says shops need to know how to use the telephone effectively, or risk turning off potential customers.

Friedman, who bills herself as “the telephone doctor,” said phones remain the preferred method of communications for about 40% of customers, with texting coming in second, and email trailing behind.

“Phones may change in style, and the way you work them may change, but I’m not seeing it go out of business,” she said. “Nothing beats it as a way to bond with customers.”

A big believer in the Kazan theory of management, which focuses on continuous improvement, Friedman offered a number of tips on improving phone skills during the hour-long seminar. Among them:

* Be careful about the “buffer words” you use to start a phone conversation. “It doesn’t matter how you start, but once you say your name, stop talking,” she advised. “Anything after your name erases your name.”

* Write down the customer’s first name when you hear it. “You don’t want to have to admit you missed it or forgot it. Show them that you listen.”

* There are “killer words” which can derail any phone conversation. Things like “No problem” in place of “You’re welcome,” and “Calm down,” are sure to get a bad reaction from people, so choose your words carefully.

* Never answer with “OK” when the customer relates something problematic or negative. To them it is not OK. Rather, say, “Well, you’ve called the right place.”

* Never be too busy to be nice. Don’t tell people how busy you are. You make people feel like an intrusion and they don’t think they’re getting your full attention.

* Don’t presume. When someone comes in who is going through something difficult, sympathy is a good starting place, but never use empathy unless you truly know what they’re experiencing. “If you haven’t gone through it, there’s no way you can empathize with them,” she said. “You can say, ‘That must be very frustrating’ or ‘I’m so sorry.’ What you are not allowed to say is, ‘I know exactly how you’re feeling.’ Because you can’t.”

* Never answer the phone flippantly or rudely – even if you have call display or are extremely busy. “Be friendly before you know who it is,” she said. “You never know who’s on the line. Never screw around. Keep it professional at all times.”

* Return phone calls promptly. “We’re all busy. This is a priority on someone’s do-to list. Respect that,” she said. “I don’t believe in ignoring phone messages. They have to be acknowledged in some way.”

“Effective listening is critical when it comes to phone conversations,” she said. “Most people hear but they don’t listen.”

In a service business like the auto repair and service industry, careful listening and precise communication are critical ingredients to building customer rapport and loyalty.

The post Avoiding Phone Fails appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Allan Janssen

Despite advances in communication technology, the telephone isn’t going away anytime soon, says customer service trainer Nancy Friedman.

The guest speaker on a recent webinar hosted by software company Kukui, Friedman says shops need to know how to use the telephone effectively, or risk turning off potential customers.

Friedman, who bills herself as “the telephone doctor,” said phones remain the preferred method of communications for about 40% of customers, with texting coming in second, and email trailing behind.

“Phones may change in style, and the way you work them may change, but I’m not seeing it go out of business,” she said. “Nothing beats it as a way to bond with customers.”

A big believer in the Kazan theory of management, which focuses on continuous improvement, Friedman offered a number of tips on improving phone skills during the hour-long seminar. Among them:

* Be careful about the “buffer words” you use to start a phone conversation. “It doesn’t matter how you start, but once you say your name, stop talking,” she advised. “Anything after your name erases your name.”

* Write down the customer’s first name when you hear it. “You don’t want to have to admit you missed it or forgot it. Show them that you listen.”

* There are “killer words” which can derail any phone conversation. Things like “No problem” in place of “You’re welcome,” and “Calm down,” are sure to get a bad reaction from people, so choose your words carefully.

* Never answer with “OK” when the customer relates something problematic or negative. To them it is not OK. Rather, say, “Well, you’ve called the right place.”

* Never be too busy to be nice. Don’t tell people how busy you are. You make people feel like an intrusion and they don’t think they’re getting your full attention.

* Don’t presume. When someone comes in who is going through something difficult, sympathy is a good starting place, but never use empathy unless you truly know what they’re experiencing. “If you haven’t gone through it, there’s no way you can empathize with them,” she said. “You can say, ‘That must be very frustrating’ or ‘I’m so sorry.’ What you are not allowed to say is, ‘I know exactly how you’re feeling.’ Because you can’t.”

* Never answer the phone flippantly or rudely – even if you have call display or are extremely busy. “Be friendly before you know who it is,” she said. “You never know who’s on the line. Never screw around. Keep it professional at all times.”

* Return phone calls promptly. “We’re all busy. This is a priority on someone’s do-to list. Respect that,” she said. “I don’t believe in ignoring phone messages. They have to be acknowledged in some way.”

“Effective listening is critical when it comes to phone conversations,” she said. “Most people hear but they don’t listen.”

In a service business like the auto repair and service industry, careful listening and precise communication are critical ingredients to building customer rapport and loyalty.

The post Avoiding phone fails appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Adam Malik

Summer is time for a lot of things, including DIY oil changes.

Across Canada, auto enthusiasts and would-be mechanics are gearing up for to do oil and filter jobs in their driveways. The first thing they’re going to need is the oil… that’s not always a straightforward purchase.

There are significant changes for jobbers looking to meet customers’ oil and filter needs.

“One of the most important trends in the oil market is the movement to oil formulations that are GDI certified,” said Ian Hutchison, marketing manager with Castrol Wakefield Canada Inc., in Toronto. GDI certification is identified as GF-5

SN+, an interim specification between GF-5 and the delayed launch of GF-6, which is being developed specifically for the challenges of gas direct injection engines.

Although these engines have been in the automotive market for a decade, they have now become the dominant technology thanks to enhanced performance and mileage gains, Hutchison noted. However, he pointed out, they also bring with them the possibility of a low-speed pre-ignition (LSPI) issue.

“This problem can result in significant engine damage with the very real possibility of complete catastrophic engine failure,” he said.

The new GF-5 SN+ oil spec defines a specific additive formulation that helps combat LSPI, but it is important to know that this spec is not mandatory for oil blenders to meet.

“This means using many of the low-priced motor oils may put your customers at risk for low-speed pre-ignition as the lower-priced oil formulations may not meet GF-5 SN+ spec,” Hutchinson said.

More changes are imminent as government regulations demand lower emissions and higher mileage from automotive manufacturers. The emerging trends are to lower viscosities and, in many cases, OEM-specific specifications beyond the standard industry specifications.

“Not using these oils in an engine that demands it, can result in … engine failure, so it is important to stock the right product,” Hutchinson said. “This means that a typical workshop will be challenged to have more grades and specs on hand or in some cases will demand their jobber be their inventory managers and deliver smaller package sizes, such as five-litre jugs, often the same day.”

Also on the horizon is 0W16 grade oil, which is already being specified for some Toyota products and is expected to extend to more OEMs very soon.

“Many workshops are addressing these inventory challenges by moving their bulk oil tanks to fully synthetic products that meet the broader demand of the more diverse profile of cars coming into a typical workshop,” Hutchinson said.

Jobbers will need to work more closely with their shop customers to develop a strategy to help them manage their inventory of on-hand motor oil based on their customer profile.

“Work closely with your oil manufacturer sales representatives to develop simple business solutions for your workshops and garages,” Hutchinson said. “Today, the winning solution is much more than just a low price on bulk oil.”

Aftermarket demand for automotive filters throughout North America is forecast to advance 2.4 per cent a year for the next three years and hit US$4.1 billion, a new study from the Freedonia Group, a Cleveland-based industry research firm has concluded. Among the factors driving this growth are a greater number of miles being driven annually, increases in raw material and product prices, and relatively stringent environmental regulations.

Oil filters comprised the largest share of the North American automotive filter aftermarket in 2016, totalling US$1.6 billion in sales and representing 44 per cent of the market. These products hold a leading share of the market due to the frequency with which oil changes are performed as a part of routine maintenance. Engine air intake filters commanded the second largest share of regional aftermarket filter demand in that year, accounting for 31 per cent of overall sales. This is down from a decade ago, reflecting product improvements that lengthen the useful lifespan of air intake filters.

Advances are also being made in the filter market. Continental, for example, has already unveiled an extensive selection of oil, fuel, air and interior air filters for dealers, service shops and car drivers in OEM quality. The filters provide protection for fuel injection systems, engines and interiors against dirt, wear, fine particulates and moisture – all from a single source.

The oil filter solutions, for example, are made of synthetic fibres or cellulose and resin and are suitable for all oil specifications, including the new long-life oils.

The post Oil and Filter Market is Continually Evolving appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Bob Greenwood, AMAM

Isn’t it amazing how much change has taken place in our industry just in the past three years, and how much disruption is entering the aftermarket?

Change and disruption will challenge shop owners at a truly fundamental level. How you react is a good test of whether you’re clinging to old-and-dying business model or thriving with a new and vibrant one.

Not sure which side of the equation you’re on? This quiz might give you a clue.

* As the owner of your business, are you still working in the bay?

* Is your shop understaffed by at least three people: one in the bays, one at the front counter, and another in the back office?

* Do you look at wages as a cost to your business?

* Do you continuously watch total shop sales, always looking for a higher car count and only feeling good when the shop is busy?

* Do you measure mainly sales per repair order as the key measurement of improvement?

* Do you like to put on specials and seasonal sales?

* Do you attend an all-day business management class once every two to three years?

* Do your techs average only 20 to 30 hours of technical training per year? (And is that training always local and only at night?)

* Do you inspect vehicles with the number one goal of finding work?

* Do you take only one week of vacation – and consider yourself lucky to get away for that long?

* Are you open six days a week?

These are but a few traits of the old-and-dying business model. It was quite common in what we should start referring to as “the old aftermarket.”

The new aftermarket, on the other hand, is characterized by high-technology and a much more professional attitude. It demands a very different approach to business.

Shop owners that are pursuing success in the new aftermarket have recognized the need to transition from being simple managers to true CEOs.

They have moved out of the bays and away from the front counter. They spend all of their time working “on” the business rather than “in” it. They recognize that having a competent staff is not a cost, but an investment that pays healthy dividends in net profit.

They have realigned their staffing levels, with a service advisor for every two technicians, and two bays or lifts for every licensed technician. They’ve increased the size of the back-office staff with a dedicated person to work with the technicians, focusing on managing the client base.

They’ve made changes in the front too, giving counter staff authority and responsibility to monitor the shop’s numbers. They know that gross-profit dollars are earned in the bay, through productivity. They know that sales numbers are a much less revealing statistic, measuring activity, not profitability. Activity is the “busy-ness” that creates top-line sales, whereas productivity creates gross profit, which leads to net profits.

Most of all, they understand that success in the new aftermarket hinges on conducting comprehensive vehicle inspections once a year on every consumer’s vehicle, and twice a year on commercial vehicles. Service advisors cannot adequately counsel on safety, reliability, and efficiency if the vehicle file is incomplete.

This last point is a key one indeed. Service advisors don’t have to sell work, they just have to connect with clients and understand how the client uses their vehicle and what they expect from it. By being the expert who can help clients achieve their goals for their vehicles, the work sells itself.

Those working in the new aftermarket have learned the math and they know that cut-rate pricing and discounts will destroy a shop’s bottom line and attract the wrong kind of customers. Success is not about being busy; it’s about being steady. When the shop is steady, the team has a fighting chance to execute smoothly and exercise complete control over the day’s work.

These new and vibrant shop owners attend six to eight days of business classes a year to stay on top of constantly changing management issues. And they make sure their technicians are at the top of their games too.

Techs need at least 100 hours of development a year. They should be thinking now about what classes they’ll need over the next 12 months. Plans should be made to ensure there’s no disruption in the shop while the techs are at these classes – either by booking fewer clients for     those days, or getting additional help in. The classes you and your staff need could very well be in another city, or in the United States.

Distance can no longer be a deterrence to career development.

The biggest challenge for CEOs in the new aftermarket is ensuring consistent execution by their staff, consistently positive experiences for their clients, and steadily improving financial returns for their businesses. The mental strain can be exhausting, so it is extremely important for them to get away from their businesses from time to time. In order to keep their heads clear and maintain their creative energy, I recommend they take at least four weeks of holiday per year – and preferably six.

Sound like pie in the sky? The math proves that shops should be able to manage their clients’ vehicles fully and professionally within a normal five-day work week. In fact, respecting everyone’s down-time so they can enjoy life, spend time with their loved ones, and recharge their batteries, is just good shop policy.

Everyone – shop owner and staff alike – should be able to enjoy every weekend, all their statutory holidays, and ample vacation time throughout the year.

And the money is there to support that. The average independent shop is missing out on more than $25,000 in net profit per bay per year from the current business coming through their doors. Top shop owners have learned where the profit is in their business, and they’re going after it!

The new aftermarket is an exciting place to work. However, it does require change and self-discipline to relearn the business, execute at a higher level, and start measuring new metrics.

The new aftermarket is a true profession with all attendant perks and benefits.

If you insist on staying in the old (and dying) aftermarket, you’re destined to stay in the trade.

Bob Greenwood is an Accredited Master Automotive Manager (AMAM) who offers personal business coaching and ongoing management training for aftermarket shops, focusing on building net income. He can be reached at 1-800-267-5497 or greenwood@aaec.ca.

The post GREENWOOD: Welcome to the New Aftermarket appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Adam Malik

It’s enough to make some people want to pull their hair out.

Lighting up support lines at tire pressure monitoring system manufacturers is the confusion around programming and relearning sensors to vehicles. It can be confusing to set up a vehicle’s TPMS, but there are many ways jobbers can help technicians make the process run smoother.

First, when a shop calls its jobber for TPMS sensors, counterstaff should be asking a few key questions: Is their programming tool up to date? Do they know the model year of the vehicle? Do they know all the steps required for a relearn? Do they even know what a relearn is?

Understanding terminology is a crucial first step.

“I was in four shops yesterday. Two of those four shops referenced programming when they were actually talking about relearn,” said Sean Lannoo, sales technical training specialist at Continental in Allentown, Penn., which makes the VDO Redi-Sensor brand. “These are two terms that are highly mixed up in the industry all the time.

“I think it was just misused in the beginning and it just avalanched since.”

Understanding terminology is also critical to having a successful phone call with a support line. Technician calling about programing problems when they really mean relearning creates frustrations on all sides.

A sensor that comes blank needs to be programmed to the specific make, model and year of the vehicle using a properly up-to-date tool. Once that’s done, the sensor has a new ID and the vehicle needs to relearn it so it knows which sensor is where, along with tire pressure.

Whether it’s a programmable sensor or one that is already programmed to the vehicle out of the box – all vehicles need to be relearned.

“I think it goes back to education in the marketplace,” said W Rippetoe, Troy, Mich.-based team leader for technical support in North America at Schrader Performance Sensors, which makes the EZ-sensor.

There’s a lot of confusion out there. Jobbers can help make sure technicians know what to look for. Having a tool with the latest software is essential. It may seem obvious, but it’s not.

“I walked into a shop yesterday and the last update for the tool was a release from 2013,” Lannoo said. “And this is this is a major tire [company]. It’s so critical that they keep their tool updated.”

Since time is money, a lot of both is wasted by missing this critical step.

“Keeping the tools charged with up to date software will dramatically increase the success of TPMS service,” said Lindsay Smith, Continental’s TPMS product manager.

If programming is required, knowing the correct make, model and year of the vehicle is a must. But it’s where most technicians trip up.

Carmakers can introduce split model years; sometimes a 2011 vehicle is actually a 2012. Small changes mean big problems. A technician may swear up and down that a vehicle is a certain year when in fact it’s not.

What they have to do is check the 10th character of the VIN for the vehicle’s model year. It’s a simple task but too many technicians ignore it. Then they end up calling a support line to find out why they can’t get the sensors to work.

“We’ve had some heated arguments over the phone,” Rippetoe said. “And I say, ‘I’m not asking for the world, man, just go check the VIN.’”

After the technician has checked for the correct model year – along with make and specific model – the sensor can be properly programmed.

But that’s not the end of the fun. The relearning can also be a tricky process. There can often be a lot of steps and each one must be followed in order to have the system working properly.

There are three types of relearn – OBD, auto and stationary – and technicians may need to do a combination of all three to complete the relearn of the vehicle. The first two are fairly simple. After IDs are created for the sensors, technicians write them to the vehicle through the OBD-II port. For auto relearn, the sensor is installed and the vehicle is driven at highway speed for 10-15 minutes until the light on the dashboard goes off. This method is falling out of favour since it takes up a lot of time for techs to get far enough out of the city where they can get to the required speed.

“Then there’s a stationary relearn which you have to pretty much do the hokey pokey to get the vehicle in to relearn mode,” Rippetoe said.

This involves taking the vehicle through a series of steps that includes cycling the ignition between on and off, pressing brake pedals, cycling again and waiting for the horn to honk. If it does, success. But that also only indicates the front left one is done. The processmust be repeated for the front right, rear right then rear left. And don’t forget about the spare if it’s equipped with sensors.

“Just GM alone at last count was about 21 different relearn procedures. Ford has about two or three, Chrysler has two or three. So that’s just the Big 3. Then you add in all the imports, which are confusing, to say the least,” Rippetoe said. “Unfortunately, I’ve managed to memorize most of them and I’ve kicked out my child’s first name from my memory. There’s a lot of stuff to remember.”

That still seems to be the easier part of the whole process. It all comes back to getting past the first issue of programming and relearning.

“Getting them to understand relearn vs. program is something that I present on all the time. I even talked about it yesterday. I know on our tech line, we get it all the time. We have done a video on our website to explain the difference between the two. Other companies have done the same thing. Tool manufacturers have done the same thing and we still hear it out there today,” Lannoo said. “I never thought when I started doing TPMS many years ago that you’d still walk into shops and hear the term misused.”

But that doesn’t mean techs should be afraid to call when stuck.

“If you’re standing there looking at a vehicle with a TPMS problem for 10 minutes, standing there for another 10 minutes probably isn’t going to fix the problem – give us a call and we’ll help you out,” Rippetoe said.

The post Better Selling: Ending the Confusion Over TPMS appeared first on Auto Service World.

Epicor Software Corporation has acquired MechanicNet Group, a leading provider of customer relationship management (CRM) and retention solutions for auto repair shops.

The transaction closed on June 3. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Texas-based Epicor, a global provider of enterprise software for the automotive aftermarket, said the acquisition will expand its portfolio of solutions for the vehicle service market.

MechanicNet is headquartered in Pleasanton, Calif. It offers a range of web-based CRM tools and related solutions designed to help vehicle service businesses increase sales and enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Among its products are service reminders, estimate follow-ups, online appointment setting, customer-facing service portals, shop-branded websites, and comprehensive customer marketing campaigns  – all of them compatible with virtually every popular service management software platform.

“Service providers represent the auto care industry’s ultimate connection with millions of consumers and businesses that rely on our products and services – and it is absolutely vital that we help these businesses continue to grow,” said Scott Thompson, senior vice president, automotive and business services at Epicor. “MechanicNet is already playing an impressive role in supporting the growth of thousands of businesses across the U.S. and Canada. We are confident that with our ability to innovate and invest, we can make MechanicNet solutions even more valuable and compelling for service providers and their customers.”

He said Epicor solutions are used each day in more than 100,000 automotive business locations across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The company’s PartExpert database of replacement parts, tires, labor and other information is embedded in many of the industry’s most popular shop management platforms. Epicor also offers a web-based estimating solution, Integrated Service Estimator, that helps vehicle service locations more quickly estimate and source parts and related supplies for most maintenance services and mechanical repairs. In addition, one of the industry leading aftermarket B2B eCommerce channels, Epicor Parts Network, connects thousands of parts sellers with more than 180,000 registered service location buyers.

“Together, Epicor and MechanicNet will provide a more complete end-to-end automotive aftermarket offering that helps customers manage their back office, shop operations and customer engagement. These automotive service business solutions help accelerate sales growth, improve productivity, and deliver superior customer loyalty experiences,” Thompson said.

www.mechanicnet.com

www.epicor.com/en-us/

The post Epicor acquires MechanicNet, expanding its portfolio of services appeared first on Auto Service World.

Kukui Corporation, providers of digital marketing solutions for repair shops, has secured $27 million in funding from a Memphis-based investment firm.

SSM Partners will provide Kukui Corporation with Series-A funding to accelerate continued platform innovation, rapid market expansion, expanded customer services, and support accelerated growth in the automotive aftermarket industry.

Kukui’s All-in-One Success Platform provides shops with quantitative data, including return on investment, number of new clients, customer retention rate, phone-call analytics, appointment forms, and customer review management.

As part of the strategic growth investment, Jim Tallman, executive chairman of innovative interfaces, and a former CEO with multiple companies, will be joining Kukui as executive chairman to support the management team as an advisor.

“I am very pleased to be able to support this very talented management team, given the clear market leadership and innovative culture that they have developed since the inception of the company,” Tallman said.

Since Kukui’s launch in 2011, over 2,000 auto repair businesses worldwide have trusted the company to manage their marketing, websites, and customer retention needs. According to Kukui, its platform provides deep analytics about the health and success of client businesses, enabling shop owners to be successful both personally and professionally, and to build trust with their customers.

“We are very excited to complete this transaction with the team at SSM Partners,” said Kukui CEO Todd Westerlund. “The past year Kukui has seen record-breaking growth month after month. This investment signals the launch of our next phase of transformational growth.”

He said SSM is a great match for Kukui, in both company style and culture.

“Kukui was built by listening to and solving customer needs, and that formula has fueled remarkable customer satisfaction and growth,” said Hunter Witherington, partner at SSM Partners. “We are excited to partner with management to help support the expansion of their market-leading platform.”

SSM has invested in rapidly-growing companies within the software, services, and healthcare industries. The growth equity firm, which invests nationally and is based in Memphis, Tenn. has partnered with talented entrepreneurs for more than 20 years.

www.kukui.com

www.ssmpartners.com

The post Kukui secures $27 million in Series-A funding appeared first on Auto Service World.

Thirty years after they first worked together at Magnum Gaskets, Arnie Fox and Steve Durning have formed a new marketing services firm.

The Chicago-based company, Gain Aftermarket, offers contract marketing talent to the automotive industry as a low-cost alternative to hiring a permanent marketing staff.

“From my experience in automotive marketing management, I know that extra talent is often needed for specific purposes, such as new product development and launches, market analyses, e-cataloging, major trade shows, etc.” said Fox. “Budget and headcount limitations often prevent adding the experienced permanent hires that could optimize these events, but Gain Aftermarket offers a viable alternative.”

Starting his career as a mechanical engineer in product testing and development gradually moving into marketing research, Fox brings over 30 years of experience in the North American aftermarket.

Durning has served the advertising and public relations needs of automotive businesses  for more than three decades.

“I have often seen clients needing more than just an ad or a website,” said Durning.  “Arnie brings expertise to the core areas that really grow a business. That’s why I saw a great opportunity in combining our efforts.”

www.gainaftermarket.com

The post Gain Aftermarket makes contract marketing talent accessible appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Allan Janssen

You’d be forgiven for thinking the protagonist in the new self-help book “Fly Free” bears more than a passing resemblance to its author, Randy Moore.

Like the fictional Thomas Marks, Moore is an impossibly optimistic motivational speaker, author, and businessman who’s keen to share the secrets of success.

Moore, the freshly retired former president and CEO of Mister Transmission, has put pen to paper to record his thoughts on “uncommon sense” as the book’s sub-title says, and the art of “getting out of your own way.”

The book follows a day in life of Thomas Marks, as he dispenses advice to the people he encounters on his way to a speaking engagement. The bulk of the story takes place at 35,000 feet, as he counsels a young mother during a long flight, encouraging her to follow her life-long dream of becoming a commercial airline pilot.

Throughout, he is warm, sage, and relentlessly positive. Anyone who knows the veteran aftermarket executive and former president of AIA Canada will say that sounds just like Randy Moore.

The 192-page book does not touch on any automotive-specific truths, but offers nuggets of wisdom drawn from a career of reading trends, anticipating change, and growing a business.

Among them:

* When a phone rings, it is an invitation for you to answer. But you don’t have to. It’s your choice.

* Talk to people, don’t judge them, just talk to them. In doing so it is possible to change their lives.

* Either you are making choices about the future you want or you are accepting the choices of others and exchanging your dreams for excuses.

* Other people can plant seeds of resentment in you, but you make them grow.

* If you spend 15% less than what you make, you’ll never have a money problem. If you spend 15% more, you’ll constantly have troubles no matter how much money you earn.

There are some well-worn pieces of advice here too, but they are presented in a fresh way.

More than anything, Moore encourages people to follow their dreams, not dwell in the land of “Someday I’ll” or allow their voyage to be dashed on the rocks of the “Terror Barrier.”

Even the most cynical reader will enjoy the banter between strangers who become fast friends over the course of a trans-continental flight.

Published by Leading Edge Press, Fly Free is available at bookstores for $19.95 or through Moore’s website.

www.randallmoore.ca

The post BOOK REVIEW: Fly Free by Mister Transmission’s Randy Moore appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Alan Beech

It was not that long ago that most bills for automotive repair were hand-written by the technician who did the work.

Often it was ripped (sloppily) out of an invoice book, with dog-eared corners and grease stains on it. You were lucky if it was itemized beyond simple one-word descriptions like brakes, alternator, or battery.

Tax may or may not have been charged.

Those were the old days… and we’ve come a long way since then!

Generic point-of-sale (POS) business software like QuickBooks helped bring some professionalism to our front counters, even if it was not explicitly designed for the auto repair industry.

In the early 1990s Canadian aftermarket shops got their first taste of software systems written specifically for them. Programs like PACE and Lankar made the process of tracking the repair process, much cleaner, more efficient, and incredibly user friendly. These programs allowed the shop owner to truly understand their businesses better.

With capabilities ranging from accounting, to inventory tracking, to customer relationship management (CRM), they allowed shops to monitor their clients’ spending habits and preferences. Vehicle histories were automatically recorded, warranty tracking was made possible, and year-end tax work was simplified.

Then came Windows, which modernized computer software, added more colour and a suite of feature to help the front and back of the shop. Programs like RO writer, Mitchell1, and Protractor became the industry standard, offering ways to further streamline shop processes, improve the customer experience, and ensure the profitability of the business.

Of all the benefits of introducing software, probably the most meaningful was its emphasis again on process. Shop coaches agree that process is at the heart of profitability.

Process covers things like how to talk to the customer, how to quote on repairs, and how to follow up effectivly with the customer after they leave your shop.

In recent years, shop owners have begun to glimpse the benefits of having a standardized process for inspecting vehicles.

Inspections are themselves nothing new. But being able to track the condition of the vehicle from visit to visit, to watch components edge nearer and nearer to their failure point, has been nothing short of revolutionary for shops. With diligent inspections and recording, the customer is kept in the loop of how the vehicle is performing and what services are creeping inevitably closer.

More and more shop owners are turning to digital video inspections (DVI) to help them meet their responsibilities to truly care for their customers vehicles. All of the major players in the DVI field are integrating their programs into the common POS programs.

Today’s DVI allows a technician to follow a predetermined inspection routine, marking all observations on a tablet. Notes are easily recorded using drop-down menus and “canned” verbiage, so the process doesn’t get bogged down. Techs can even record a comment that is added to the file, or automatically transcribed onto the work order. Inspection results can be supported by pictures that can be annotated with arrows or circles to support the tech’s findings. In some cases, the tech can shoot a short video of, say, a loose ball joint to make the findings even clearer to the consumer.

Jamie Cuthbert, founder and president of AutoServe1 says digitizing the inspection process can boost shop profits by 20 to 30 percent. And in a world increasingly dominated by tech-savvy young consumers, it is part of the new retail landscape.

“Millennials expect this level of knowledge-sharing and transparency,” he said.

The underlying value of digital video inspections is the trust it creates among customers. The report allows them to truly see what is wrong (or about to go wrong) with their vehicles. They no longer have to simply take the technician’s word that services are needed. They can verify it themselves.

With trust comes great confidence and willingness to spend. The DVI actually makes it easier for consumers to justify the expense of caring for their cars.

It is part of a trend away from what is called “push marketing” and toward “pull marketing.”

Push marketing relies on imposing a suggested sale on the consumer, usually by creating a need and offering a solution. Traditionally repair shops create the need by finding a vehicle fault and presenting the solution in the form of goods and services.

Pull marketing, on the other hand, educates the consumer to the point that they request the goods or services themselves.

The most famous push marketers are the folks at Apple, which broadcasts the keynote speech at its annual conference for software developers specifically to tell consumers what the company is working on. Apple sales are known to spike dramatically after this presentation. Why? Because rather than try to push new products in a typical commercial way, Apple piques consumer interest with a showcase of technological opportunities.

Education is at the heart of pull marketing.

Patrick Egan, marketing manager for Kukui, says that’s what shops need to tap into when performing inspections.

“With digital inspections using pictures, the motorist can see for themselves exactly what the technician sees and make an informed decision for themselves about the care of their vehicle,” he said. “They can take the time to educate themselves away from the counter; there is no more ‘Buy-Now!’ pressure.”

Nima Djoo, head of marketing for AutoVitals, agreed.

“The new reality of being mobile and having content accessible at any time or anywhere means that consumers expect their inspection results on the go through their preferred channels (e.g. text, email), with a report that clearly showing what’s needed to be repaired or replaced, combining educational content to help them better understand complex repairs that they often otherwise would ignored or dismissed”.

Djoo believes digital inspections are most effective when they are integrated directly into the shop’s management software.

“Integration allows the shop to save time by eliminating duplicate work by the service advisor and by reducing technician idle time,” he said.

Ultimately, it helps manage customer expectations. When presented with a thorough digital inspection, the customer has time to review the findings, check out the educational resources that come with it, phone a friend, or do some online research before making a decision about the repairs you recommend. All of this reduces pressure.

While the DVI allows shops to add efficiencies, an important side benefit is that it gives consumers more control of their purchase decisions.

“Instead of being forced into a reluctant decision in order to retrieve their vehicle, they can see the reality facing the technician with photos or videos and make an informed decision,” says Cuthbert. “It is an informed decision, made with the advisor rather than against the advisor.”

Alan Beech is a management consultant specializing in helping shop owners realize greater profitability. You can reach him at alan@beechconsulting.ca or at www.beechconsulting.ca.

The post The DVI revolution: How tablets made their way into the bay appeared first on Auto Service World.

By Riley Fletcher

The auto repair and service industry has come a long way in building trust with clients by focusing on front-counter customer service. Our reception areas are clean and comfortable, and our service advisors are efficient and pleasant.

But when it comes to building client trust, we might be neglecting one of our strongest assets: the skill and professionalism of our technicians.

I believe it’s time to start bringing them into the conversation.

Consumers are aware that vehicles are becoming more and more sophisticated. What they may not know is that our technicians have been keeping up with the times. Their technical knowledge is constantly expanding as they take training courses and get more hands-on experience with advanced engines.

Similarly, we’re investing in incredibly complex equipment that has unparalleled power to analyze vehicle systems and diagnose problems.

Our clients know what it means to put their faith in professionals. They do it on a daily basis, relying on lawyers, teachers, tradesmen, and doctors to solve the problems that they face in life. Just like these professionals, our technicians are great resources, offering knowledge and skills they won’t get anywhere else.

To give my clients a better sense of their role in the repair process, I’ve started referring to our technicians as doctors. They’re the real experts when it comes caring for vehicles.

As a service advisor, I can readily admit that I don’t know the more technical aspects of a particular work order. The service adviser is not the technician. The nurse is not the doctor.

It helps my clients understand the situation when I say, “The technician is a specialist when it comes to the work you need done. They’re like a doctor, running all the necessary tests to diagnose the problem and let us know where we stand. My job is to create an estimate based on the technician’s recommendations, and help you make a decision about what work you want to have done.”

This really shows that I trust the technician first and foremost, and that we work as a team to address the client’s best interest.

When working on a vehicle, technicians are rarely seen by the client, which can make it harder to build trust. In some cases, it makes perfect sense to introduce the technician to the client.

Involving the technician in the front-end conversations takes pressure off the service adviser, especially when the client has a lot of technical questions. Concerns are eased and doubts are banished when you simply say, “I’m sorry, I’m not the doctor. But our technician can get us that answer very quickly. Let me bring them in.”

Speak highly of the techs and praising them often throughout the conversation is critical.

Introducing them to clients shows them that their skills are highly valued.

Sharing the praise with them whenever you receive thank-you notes, kind words, or a box of donuts demonstrates that they’re part of the team.

Whenever a new client is nervous about all the work that has to be done, just smile and say, “Don’t worry, the doctor is in!”

Riley Fletcher is a former service advisor at T&H Autopro in Kamloops, B.C.

The post COMMENTARY: Are you selling your shop’s top asset? appeared first on Auto Service World.

If you’re not offering a spring maintenance package, you could be missing a great opportunity to build trust and loyalty among your regulars and draw new customers into your bays. 

At this time of year, customers are thrilled to be putting winter behind them, and they’re more than ready to ramp up for the summer driving season. 

The first step to capturing the ‘spring tune-up’ business is to create a comprehensive maintenance package that makes sense and speaks to customers. Then all you have to do is use your social media and in-store marketing to make sure they know how to take advantage of it. 

Make it comprehensive 

Owners of newer vehicles want to keep them healthy. They’re predisposed to preserving the value of their investment. 

Meanwhile, owners of older vehicles may notice new sounds and ticks coming from the engine compartment or chassis as they emerge from winter. This is your chance to find those deficiencies and correct them.  

Above all, educate all of your customers on why a thorough spring service is so important. 

Rubber and cold weather are not a good combination. When the warm weather returns, it’s time to check belts and hoses for cracks, damage and dried rubber. A quick inspection will reveal the kind of trouble that could lead to roadside breakdowns. Always stress that some fairly simple replacements now will prevent expensive repairs later. 

Given winter’s effects on Canadian roads, a wheel alignment makes good sense. Motorists often don’t notice steering pulls when roads are ice, snow, and slush covered. But let them know that leaving alignment issues unaddressed for too long can lead to bigger problems like premature tire wear, reduced fuel efficiency, and related undercar damage. 

Remember that April showers bring wiper blade sales. Wipers that were needed for snow and slush will soon be needed to clear winter debris and dirty water kicked up by wet roads. Inspect the wiper blades carefully, checking for cracks, tears, and other damage. 

Winter can be especially tough on ignition coils, and batteries. Give them the once-over to ensure they’re in good shape. And, with summer coming, now’s a good time to check the engine cooling system, as well as air conditioning components. The timing makes sense. 

Finally, make sure an oil and filter service is part of your spring package. This is the most important service to sell, and it’s the one that consumers understand the best. It’s a strong selling point. 

Stress safety 

Your messaging, in advertising, social media, and onsite signage, needs to stress road safety. This resonates with modern consumers. 

The latest automotive technology, with its advanced driver assist functions and reinforced cabins, have created heightened expectations for human safety. The modern vehicle is an astounding piece of engineering with elaborate safeguards built in to protect people on the roads. But consumers need to be reminded that they have to do their part too. They have to make sure that their vehicles are well maintained. All the technology in the world won’t keep them safe if it is not functioning properly. 

That clearly involves tires, brakes and suspension – systems that are on the vanguard of personal safety.  

Connect it to autumn 

Take the opportunity to store your customer’s winter tires. The beauty of handling tire changeovers is that your customers will have to come back to you at the end of the season. Studies have shown that people are coming in for auto service fewer times per year. If you can guarantee two visits per year, where you really get a chance to look under the hood and all around the vehicle, you’re doing well. 

Spring service can be a significant part of a vehicle maintenance strategy. It could be one of the cornerstones of care you offer. 

It’s not hard to explain why cold and wet weather takes a heavy toll on vehicles. Take the time to explain the intrinsic value of your spring maintenance package. The way you talk about it is very important. 

Just remember, you’re there to make sure your customers have a stress-free summer driving season. A check-up now could prevent a lot of headaches – and expensive repair bills – down the road. 

The post Selling SPRING appeared first on Auto Service World.