July/August 2012 Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Shop Owner Magazine
Save Money While Generating Happier Customers

A customer returns to your shop and is not happy. They tell you that you had replaced their alternator in the past, and it recently failed while they were out of town. Most shop owners and service advisors will then ask the customer why they were not contacted before the customer authorized the repair. Asking that question first is a mistake, because it will immediately put the customer on the defense and escalate their anger.

The Power Of An Assumptive Close

We all know that people love choices, especially when they are making a purchasing decision. But when selling diagnostic services, you need to use an “assumptive close.” This means you just assume that the customer is going to authorize your recommendation.

Optimal Auto Care: Specialization Fuels Success Of Santa Cruz, CA, Shop That Has Serviced BMWs For More Than 20 Years

When you’ve been in the automotive repair business as long as Nate Smith has, you learn a thing or two about running a successful shop. First and foremost, the customer always comes first. And second, specialization can be the key to success.

Encouraging Innovation And Shop Improvement From Within Your Team

As I look back over my 30-plus years in business, and reflect upon the things our company has done to grow and improve our business, a lot has changed as it relates to the movement (and obtainment) of information.

Time Management And Achieving Balance

A few months ago, my mom passed away. She lived a long and fruitful life working hard as a single mother to ensure her three children had food on the table, a roof over their head and clothes on their back. Not an easy feat in the early 1960s in a small, western NY town. Looking back at my upbringing, I recall we didn’t have as much “stuff” as my friends in school, but one thing she always had for us was her time and love.

Appeal To All Senses To Keep Customers, Especially Female Customers

We know that women are the majority purchasers of all automotive items in North America today, so if you’re looking to step up your sales figures, you’re going to need to reach women. And in doing so, you’ll gain favor with all customers.

Best Practices For Social Media And Crafting The Right Media Mix

In the first three parts of this article series, we talked about the ways that you can use web technologies to enhance customer service, increase customer satisfaction, create satisfied repeat customers and improve your shop’s bottom line in the process. In this article, I want to talk specifically about the web technology everyone else is buzzing about – social media – and how it can change the world of advertising for local businesses like yours.

Motor Works, Inc.: Successful Rockville, MD, Shop Is Built On A ‘Winning Combination’ Of Confidence In Staff And Respect For Clientele

When you’ve been a shop owner as long as Greg Skolnik has – since December 1979, to be exact – you’ve learned a thing or two about running a successful automotive repair business: Like ways to retain top-notch employees and how to build relationships with customers that keep them coming back year after year.

Marketing Auto Service In The Coming Years: Analyze Your Customer Base First To Help Determine Ideal Mediums For Your Message

For decades, shop owners have had the luxury of being able to rely on a short list of traditional media to bring in new customers. They’ve primarily utilized directory ads, print media, radio and TV, and, to some extent, local grassroots marketing programs.

Executive Interview: Mike Allen, Vice President, Federated Auto Parts

Mike Allen began his career in the automotive aftermarket as a district sales manager for Raybestos, calling on NAPA. After 17 years with the brake company, he joined Federated Auto Parts as vice president to work alongside some of the most respected leaders in the industry.