The Car Care Council is at it again trying to make the relationship between repair shops and motorists a little better. Some of you may be asking, “what is the Car Care Council?” For those who do not know, it’s a national non-profit organization established to educate consumers about the benefits of proper vehicle care, maintenance and repair.
To accomplish this goal, the Car Care Council has developed the Car Care Guide. It builds on the momentum of the “Be Car Care Aware” campaign, which is a consumer-targeted marketing and public relations campaign to build awareness and knowledge of vehicle safety, dependability and pride of ownership.
The glove compartment-sized Guide is a 56-page aftermarket “vehicle owner’s manual” that was developed over 12 months by a group of industry leaders, engineers, technical experts, trade press editors and repair shop owners, and has been market tested with consumers and service providers across the country.
Focus group research revealed that shop owners, counterpersons and technicians would find the guide valuable when discussing recommended maintenance and repair with their customers. Consumers in the focus groups indicated they would trust information from a credible third party like the Car Care Council.
The Guide has been designed in a consumer-friendly format and focuses on nine major service occasions and 12 major vehicle component groups, providing maintenance tips covering about 90% of aftermarket work for vehicles four to 15 years old.
You will start to see the Car Care Guide promoted by service franchises, program groups and parts retailers, so you should strongly consider working it into your shop’s sales strategy. The Guide will help to open up a vehicle maintenance and repair dialogue with your customers and they can keep it for reference. It will go a long way in earning their trust and future business.
For information on pricing and ordering, and to request a free copy of the Car Care Guide, go to www.carcare.org, e-mail info@ carcare.org or call (240) 333-1088.
