Carolyn Cook, ACDelco general director, has been a field parts representative, regional parts manager, parts processing center plant manager and – most recently – director of aftersales for Chevrolet Europe. Since taking the reigns of ACDelco in July, Cook has spent a considerable amount of time on the road, talking with warehouse distributors and independent service centers about their businesses.

From Cook’s experience and conversations comes a fresh look at a very old industry – a return to the basics of good customer service. Shop Owner talks with Carolyn Cook.

What did you learn during your visits to customers?

First, I want to say we have great warehouse distributors and independent service centers. They are extremely busy running their businesses, and they were kind to take the time to talk with me. I listened to what they had to say, and I am already using their feedback to improve how we serve them.

Several recurring themes emerged from my conversations. At the heart is the need for us to do three things right every time to sell the next part.

First, we need to focus on “the right repair, the right part.” We do this with technical, product, service and business training; field specialist support; great order response times and fill rates; warranty support; timely and accurate, easy-to-use catalogs; inventory planning guides and an electronic ordering process that is second to none.

We have done a good job in many areas, but I learned we need to improve how we serve our aftermarket warehouse ­distributors and independent service centers. Our warehouse distributor advisory committees and the ACDelco field team have provided excellent feedback on specific areas, and we will make improvements.

Second, products have ­always been our strength. We must continue to offer a comprehensive selection of quality, competitive products and services. That sounds obvious, but we have learned big lessons on how to improve the way we bring new products to market, and with an emphasis on quality, tiered branding and communicating new part number ­releases more effectively.

We will continue tiered branding. The ability to choose a Good-Better-Best option that fits ­customers’ repair needs and budgets is essential in this competitive environment. We also will continue to modify our Battery Marketer, Key Fleet and Total Service Support (TSS) programs to provide the most market-relevant services our warehouse distributors and independent service centers can take to the streets.

Finally, if we accomplish the first two things, we can earn and build better relationships with our existing aftermarket warehouse distributors and independent service centers, and bring new ones into the ACDelco family. Our Regional Managers and Market Area Managers are empowered to support our customers. Our field team is working with our warehouse distributors and independent service centers to get more great ACDelco products into the market so that we can gain share and ensure our mutual success and profitability.

Speaking of tiered branding, you seem to have found success with ­Advantage, and I see that ACDelco is launching a new Advantage line of chassis components. Can you tell me about it?

The ACDelco Advantage chassis lineup complements our Professional and OE Service lines. It allows our distributors and service center customers to provide competitively priced products that offer fit, form and function similar to that of our great OE service parts, but at a more competitive price. We’ll include high-volume parts like ball joints, idler arms, Pitman arms, drag links, center links, sway bar links, tie rod ends and ­suspension bushings.

We will begin rolling out Advantage chassis to distributors during the next several weeks. We will launch with more than 1,000 part numbers representing 90 percent of the volume of the premium ACDelco Professional Chassis lineup, which covers 95 percent of the North American car parc. And we’ll provide a 12-month, 12,000-mile parts warranty.

Our Advantage line of brake rotors and friction, which continues to grow, is performing extremely well for us and for our customers, without cannibalizing sales from our premium lines. Again, it goes back to ­providing choices.

Can you give me examples of how you are helping your service center customers grow their businesses?

A recent R.L. Polk report revealed that the average age of a car in the U.S. is now 10.2 years. Of course, those of us at ACDelco always hope that consumers with older vehicles will eventually buy a brand-new Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC or Buick. Until they do, however, those older cars need to be maintained and ­repaired, and that presents a tremendous opportunity for our warehouse distributors and independent service centers, and for us.

We invest part of our marketing budget in driving retail consumers to our TSS shops. They get so much of their information on the ­Internet, so we’re investing there – not just in ­online ads, but on search optimization and mobile search. Consumers under 35 are practically glued to their smart phones. So we need to be right there, too, when they are looking for car ­repair.

Training also adds value to our relationship with service centers. Training is not a luxury – it’s a necessity. But our shop owners are under a lot of pressure. A technician sitting in class instead of fixing cars is a technician who isn’t serving consumers and making the cash register ring. We offer Virtual Classroom Training that does a wonderful job of replicating the instructor-led experience. It’s interactive, which is important. The difference is that technicians can train right in the shop or in the comfort of their own homes.

Another program we launched earlier this year is “Knowledge is Power.” This program provides service centers with everything they need to host ­informative car care workshops for women.

While we’ve come a long way in this society, research shows many women still feel intimidated when they seek out car care and repair. Yet, they’re driving or influencing the majority of household car care and repair decisions.

We’ve said the workshops take the scare out of car care, but they do something else: They help shop owners educate their female customers and build trust. A happy ­female customer will tell her friends, who’ll tell their friends…and so on. Unhappy ­female customers will do the same thing, so it’s good business to take good care of them and turn them into your advocates.

“Knowledge is Power” has already won two marketing awards this year, and I’m very proud of it. Shop owners who are interested should see their ACDelco distributor or visit ­acdelcotechconnect.com.