National Car Care Month: A Great Business-Building Opportunity
April is National Car Care Month and there is no better time to improve your customer relationships while at the same time growing your business. Each year, $50 billion in vehicle maintenance and repairs go unperformed. That’s a lot of service, repair and parts sales sitting on the sidelines because so many consumers don’t know what needs to be done to their vehicle and why it’s important.
Direct Mail Campaigns: Targeted Marketing Strategies Yield Great ROI
For repair shop owners, advertising was once as simple as buying a large advertisement in the local Yellow Pages. Those bulky directories were the best way for customers to locate a shop when they needed repairs.
Volz Bros. Auto Service – Brand-Building Efforts Pay Dividends in Customer Loyalty
There’s no place like home, and for John Volz, home in this reference is the Volz Bros. Auto Service shop that he started 28 years ago. After 20 years of working 50-60 hours a week building his business, Volz sold the Grass Valley, CA, repair shop in 2001 to shop foreman Bill Greenman to retire to the Oregon coast where he spent seven years. Then, moved back to Northern California in 2008 to work in the auto parts business.
Executive Interview: Chris Alexander, Director of Commercial Sales, Old World Industries
Chris Alexander was hired in 1996 as a sales assistant selling PEAK antifreeze. In 1998, Alexander moved into the commercial side of the business, developing the southeast and southwest territories. He earned several promotions as a result of his strong work ethic and selling expertise before assuming his current position in 2007.
Personalized, Precision Service: Formula H Motorworks’ Business Ethic Engages Customers for Life
“If we weren’t working on Hondas, we probably wouldn’t be in the auto repair business,” affirms Jeff Baker, co-owner of Formula H Motorworks in Middletown, NY. In referencing both his and co-owner brother Brian’s love of all things Honda, Jeff also reinforces the duo’s specialization in and commitment to the Honda/Acura brands.
Lincoln Square Service: Where Heritage and Customer Service Hit Home
Carmelo Rios was still relatively new to Lincoln Square Service in Chicago, IL, when the previous owner decided to retire and offered Rios the opportunity of his lifetime. “I came in as a manager, and five weeks later I became a partner,” says Rios.
Paving the Way to Profits and Increased Market Share
With the year quickly winding down, as a shop owner in this business, there are likely certain strategies, policies, practices that you are really emphasizing now to ensure your shop finishes the year on a more solid note.
Waukegan Tire & Supply Co. Embraces Social Media to Keep Pace with Shifting Demographics
Waukegan Tire & Supply Co. Inc. has learned to adapt. The company did not just accept change because there was no other choice; it embraced change, and is thriving as a result. From adopting social media to keeping pace with shifting demographics, the company has found ways to grow a sense of community. As a family-run business, it is naturally focused on personal relationships, and has chosen to see not only customers, but also the entire community as its extended family.
Date Your Customers To Keep Them Loyal!
Building loyal customer relationships works the same way as dating. Without phone calls, gifts, thank-you cards, or time together, there is no relationship. The best loyal customer relationships are built over time in what I call ‘relationship building sessions.’ These are times together with customer having fun, eating a meal, attending a ballgame, playing golf, or doing something enjoyable together. This is how you date your customer to build loyalty.
Using Games and Play to Boost Productivity
As more Gen Y and Millennials enter the workforce, using gaming, social networking tools and advanced communication techniques are more effective for engaging employees. These 21st Century inventions provide opportunities to leverage tech-savvy talent that might otherwise go untapped or under-utilized.