Brand-Building Efforts: Pay Multiple Dividends For Your Shop
With the gas price spike a daunting reality, and no down-tick in sight, there’s no telling what measures consumers will take to keep their vehicles on the road. At press time, the national fuel price average was up 29.2 cents a gallon, a $1.01 surge per gallon over year-ago prices.
Editor’s Notebook: Gender May Influence Vehicle Selection
A report released earlier in the year by CarGurus shows that “guy” car and “girl” car stereotypes hold true, confirming the “love affair” that consumers have long had with their vehicles lives on, but also validating the influence of gender on vehicle preferences.
Editor’s Notebook: Vehicle Service Should Not Trump Customer Service
With passion for their vehicles running so deep, your customers’ expectations for a pleasant vehicle repair experience may run as high as having their vehicles fixed expertly and efficiently, especially among your female customers. Weighing in on this topic is Frank Scandura, owner of Frank’s Mercedes Service, with locations in Las Vegas and Henderson, NV. His multi-bay locations specialize in Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Jaguar and VW service and repair, with an emphasis on driveability.
Editor’s Notebook: Re-invent Yourself To Flourish In Challenging Times
Many businesses are still recovering from the economic recession, and their owners are encouraged by sales that are up even modestly over year-ago figures. One shop’s sales figures might make you shake your head in disbelief. I’d like to introduce you to John Volz, co-owner of Volz Bros. Auto Service (www.volzbros.com) in Grass Valley, CA.
You Need To Earn Your Customers’ Business Each and Every Day
Don’t take customers for granted. Once you get them in your shop, you need to earn their business and re-earn their business with every subsequent repair. Your reputation, as well as your customers’ trust and respect, is riding on the quality and effectiveness of every repair.
Fiat Returns To North America — Good News For Those Who Are Serious About Imports!
While the announcement by Chrysler Group LLC last month that it will resurrect the Fiat 500 was a breath of fresh air for some, others likely raised eyebrows as they would just as soon forget the Italian automaker that stumbled along in the U.S. market more than 25 years ago. The nameplate got a bad rap that Fiat meant “Fix It Again, Tony,” as a result of its mechanical maladies, early rust and a poor resale value.
Editor’s Notebook: 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.
Car Care Awareness Pays Dividends for Shops and Consumers
If you haven’t given thought to getting involved in a Be Car Care Aware Campaign, think again. It’s the perfect opportunity to do something good for your customers, showcase your technicians’ repair expertise and spotlight your commitment to quality repairs and exemplary customer service.
Editor’s Notebook: Competition Is Good, Healthy, Necessary Because It Makes Us Better
An article in a recent issue of Parade magazine, “A Winning Friendship,” detailed how ultimate tennis rivals Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova battled on the court, and how strong competition made them each better at their profession. While the two tennis greats were friends behind the scenes and their friendship is still going strong today,
Editor’s Notebook: Show Appreciation for Your Most Valuable Assets – Your Techs
For some, a sense of self-worth, job security, a voice in decision-making processes and recognition for a job well done can be almost as impactful in motivating them to perform job responsibilities with great success.
Editor’s Notebook: Give Your Customers Reason to Return for Service
With customers having so many choices today for many of the products or services they buy, businesses that want to attract new customers need to actively take steps to deliver the highest level of value and service.
Exemplary Tech Credentials Make Us All Winners
As the electronic content in vehicles continues to increase, so too will the complexity of vehicle repair and service. Current techs need to elevate their diagnostic skills and we need to recruit more highly skilled people into our industry to meet today’s and tomorrow’s vehicle service demands.