January/February 2012 Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Shop Owner Magazine
Educating Female Customers Earns Their Trust And Lasting Loyalty

Recently, I was having a discussion about female customers with my advertising/marketing partner LeeAnn Brook from Brook Design Group. She was sharing statistics as to the purchasing power of women and asked me why I thought female customers comprised such a high percentage of our customer base. We discussed the shift in purchasing power in many different sectors, including auto repair.

New A/C Machine Requirements For R-1234yf And Hybrid Vehicles

In case you haven’t heard, there is a new refrigerant coming called R-1234yf. The claims are it’s a much lower greenhouse gas than R-134a. As a shop owner who’s trying to stay ahead of the curve, I need to know what service equipment is needed, when it is needed and what it will cost.

Growing Your Sales During Uncertain Times: Help Your Customers Make The Most Of This Maintenance-Friendly Climate

Here in the U.S., we have seen the stock market taking some wild swings, our economy is shaky at best, we are coming into an election year, and there is little certainty regarding what the future holds. Unfortunately, it’s during these times of uncertainty when most service advisors fall into the trap of telling themselves that their customers are concerned about their own economic futures, and are reluctant to put any money into their vehicles, which is why sales are down.

Osceola Garage: Distinguished By Delivering The Utmost Customer Repair Experience

When Joe Marconi finished high school, he did what most recent graduates do: He enrolled in college on the advice of his guidance counselor. But he quickly found out that route to higher education wasn’t for him.

Lessons Learned From Amazon.com: Best Practices To Improve Customer Retention And Sales

I love Amazon! Over the past five years or so, I’ve purchased countless items from Amazon: books, DVDs, office supplies, electronics, coffee, assorted gifts and a lot more. In fact, rarely does a week go by without at least one Amazon package arriving from UPS.

Frank’s European Service Tackles Even The Toughest Jobs And Over-Delivers On Customer Expectations

Walking into the serene, peaceful waiting room at Frank’s
Mercedes Service in Henderson, NV, one would think that it’s a
laid-back business. But, that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

New Location Woes: Overcoming Common Barriers To Shop Expansion

In the September/October issue of Shop Owner, I provided a step-by-step guide to opening a new location. While I covered a lot of ground, there are always issues that can pop up during the expansion process. Anything from landscaping requirements to a permitting mishap can delay or, sometimes, squash your plans.

Executive Interview: Paul Johnson, Vice President, North America, Federal-Mogul Global Aftermarket

Prior to joining Federal-Mogul in 2010, Paul Johnson was general director of ACDelco. During his career with General Motors, he held positions of increasing responsibility in aftersales, product management, business development and finance. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Purdue University and an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan.

Improving Customer Service Beyond The Counter: Leveraging The Web To Generate Leads And Build Customer Relationships

If you’re like most shop owners, when you think about making better use of the Web, you’re likely thinking about things like your website, your Google ranking or maybe even your pay-per-click (PPC) ads. But if one of your business goals is to maximize results, then improving the quality of your interactions with prospective and existing customers becomes key and you’ll find that websites and PPC ads are just the beginning when it comes to what the Web has to offer.