Perspectives: Competition for Tomorrow’s Technician Intensifies
Here’s the headline in my local paper, “Construction skills in high demand. Industry intensifies recruiting of high schoolers.” The article goes on to say that many trade groups and employers are actively recruiting high school students to fill the growing need for plumbers, bricklayers, drywallers and other traditional trades. But it should be no surprise
Odds & Ends: Underhood Service
Cool Amphibious Manufacturers International LLC has developed the Hydra Spyder – an amphibious vehicle that can travel on both the water or on the road. Promoted as “unsinkable,” this vehicle contains positive floatation foam approved by the United States Coast Guard. The convertible Hydra Spyder can seat four people for comfortable drives on land, and
Viewpoint: Quality not Price
During the AAPEX show in Las Vegas, I visited the lower level where many overseas companies were exhibiting aftermarket parts. In small 10’x10’ booths arranged by country, they displayed their wares in hopes of a buyer. The former underground parking structure of the Sands Hotel and Casino was filled with the two best things America
Looming Mandate: Without Help, Shops Face Dark Future
…How Will You Cope?
Good Old-Fashioned Efforts Earn Customer Loyalty
Another year is winding down. We all have a lot of tasks to complete before the holidays and some of us are even making resolutions for the new year. Whether we keep them or not is another story. One business imperative you can’t afford to overlook is the effort you make in retaining customers. The
Odds & Ends
Closed-Course, Production Vehicle Speed Records Set
Back From Vegas
Last month I attended the grandaddy of all automotive trade shows in Las Vegas. “Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week” (AAIW) is a multi-show affair that fills both the Las Vegas Convention Center and the Sands Expo Center with more than 2 million square feet of exhibits and cars. The event is not open to the general
A Reminder to Improve Customer Communication
Do you send reminder cards to your customers to let them know when it’s time to have regularly scheduled maintenance performed on their vehicles? Do you send them birthday or Valentine’s Day cards? Do you send them a note to remind them that their driver’s license will be expiring? When they are in for service,
Shop Management: Dining Out
Shop management lessons can be found in many places – even at the local seafood restaurant. I recently had an experience that caused me to reflect on how we conduct business at our repair facility. Let me start by saying that if there are two types of food that I love, they have to be
Editor’s Notebook: Taking Image-Building to New Heights
If you think you’re doing a great job with customer service, you might want to think again. Dealerships in your area may have the upper hand. Toyota has launched “Image USA II,” a dealership renovation program aimed at upgrading dealership exteriors and interiors with an emphasis on special customer “touch points” to provide a new
Directions: What Women Say…
W hen a female customer visits your shop with a problem vehicle, she is looking for more than just a repair. She is looking for trust. Trust that your service writer or technician will listen to her explain the vehicle trouble, trust that allows her to feel comfortable about asking any question, no matter how
Is More Traffic Headed Your Way?
There has been a lot written in the last couple of years in business-to-business OEM and aftermarket magazines about how the car companies and car dealers are looking to increase service business at the dealerships. This focus on increasing activity in the bays is the result of improvements in the quality of vehicles that has