NOLN - December 2020

Top of His Game Operator of the Year Darrell Muscolino's impact has extended beyond his shops— and beyond the quick lube industry.

BEST IN THE BUSINESS THE 2020 NOLN AWARDS PAGE 28

TURNING RETAIL INTO REVENUE

PAGE 56

PHOTO TIPS TO SHOOT RIGHT

PAGE 63

CLOSE OUT CONFLICTS DECEMBER 2020 / NOLN.NET

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2020

VOLUME NO.

35

ISSUE NO.

12

BENJAMIN RINENBACH PHOTOGRAPHY

CONTENTS

DECEMBER

COVER STORY Operator of the Year Darrell Muscolino makes investments in his people, products and community. PAGE 28

DECEMBER 2020

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CONTENTS

11 ONLINE

Retain the digital audience 13 EDITOR’S LETTER

Focusing on our purpose 15 BY THE NUMBERS

Workers’ wages on average

QUICK HITS 18 INDUSTRY INSIGHT Right to Repair passes the vote 20 AROUND THE INDUSTRY

No-shave November at this shop 23 ADAPT

Plug-in pickup trucks 24 SHOP LOOK

Lube, wash and detail work together

SERVICE 55 PIT STOP

How cooler heads prevail at work 56 CUSTOMER SERVICE

Retail products that add to the ticket 58 CASE STUDY

How quick lube fits into apprentice programs 63 TECH+TOOLS

Take sharp shop photos with these tips

FE ATURE Best of 2020

Get to know the top operator, technician and shop for this year’s awards issue.

BY M AT T H U D S O N

39 SPECIAL SECTION

2020 NOLN Guide to Additives and Cleaners

Check out what’s new and notable in the growing additives market.

Multi-Talented Technician of the Year Tamara Utley grows her own skills and pays it forward to make her team and shop succeed.

26 FROM THE SHOP

Putting 2020 behind

BY A DA M TAT U M

71 AOCA CORNER

How to integrate AOCA training

BY MARK BOCHNOWSKI

74 LEADING EDGE

Communicate and build your tower

BY LENNY SAUCIER

NOLN, VOL. 35, NO. 12 (ISSN 1071-1260), IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY 10 MISSIONS MEDIA, LLC, 571 SNELLING AVENUE NORTH, ST. PAUL, MN 55104-1804. COPYRIGHT ©2020 BY 10 MISSIONS MEDIA LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NOLN CONTENT MAY NOT BE PHOTOCOPIED, REPRODUCED, OR REDISTRIBUTED WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE PUBLISHER. APPLICATION TO MAIL AT PERIODICAL RATES IS PENDING AT ST. PAUL, MN. POSTMASTERS SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: NOLN, 571 SNELLING AVENUE NORTH, ST. PAUL, MN 55104-1804.

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CHRIS FERENZI

28 FEATURE

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For high-quality reprints or e-prints of articles in this issue, call 651.846.9488 or email reprints@noln.net.

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BY T H E N U M B E R S

12.20

VISIT

NOLN.NET TODAY

PODCAST

THE NOLN PODCAST

BLOG

PUSHING THE AFTERMARKET FORWARD

GETTY

SEMA and AAPEX went virtual in 2020, and NOLN was in attendance to report on the top trends and takeaways that will help operators succeed.

In one presentation, marketing expert Jim McKinley shared tips on what smart online marketers are doing. Owners cannot let their web assets turn into leaky buckets. By that, he means that website maintenance and attention to details are important. After all, your marketing dollars will often lead customers to your website before they reach your shop.

“If you’re going to spend thousands or tens of thousands or hundreds of dollars on digital marketing, you need to make sure your website is sound,” McKinley said.

Learn more by visiting NOLN’s SEMA coverage at NOLN.net.

N O L N . N E T/ L I N K E D I N

N O L N . N E T/ F A C E B O O K

N O L N . N E T/ T W I T T E R

N O L N . N E T/ P O D C A S T S

The podcast page on the NOLN website has great episodes coming out twice monthly. Want to elevate your marketing message but don’t know where to start? Philipp Lomboy of Marami Marketing Group has you covered on what you need to address in your digital marketing tactics.

Recent episodes of The NOLN Podcast can be found at noln.net/podcasts. You can also download them through Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify, as well as other platforms.

Be sure to rate and comment on the podcast on your favorite platform, which helps us reach you better!

NOLN NEWS Twice per week, NOLN sends out the latest news, strategies and keys to success straight to your inbox. Head to the website to sign up for the NOLN newsletter. Sign up at noln.net/subscribe.

N O L N . N E T/ B L O G

N O L N . N E T/ V I D E O S

DECEMBER 2020

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EDIT LETTER

I’M NOT MUCH OF A SMALL TALK

NO MORE SMALL TALK

What you do and why you do it shouldn’t be a quick answer

person. It’s just not my personality. I’m a genuinely curious person, though (that’s the journalist in me), so for me, it’s usually all or nothing—I’d prefer to really get to know someone, or simply enjoy a comfortable silence.

I say that for context as to why one of my social pet peeves is the question, “So, what do you do?” There’s never an acceptable answer to that question. No one can, or should be able to, sum up what it is they “do” in a succinct, small talk response. It’s not possible. At best, you can give an ambiguous answer, like stating a job description that, more often than not, means nothing to anyone outside of your organization’s hierarchy.

At worst, you sell yourself miserably short, and diminish all you’ve worked to achieve by listing off a 40,000-foot description of your role in the world.

I cringe when I hear it, and I want to dig deeper—I want the person answering to dig deeper. Sure, tell me “what you do,” but tell me all you do, tell me how it impacts others, tell me why it motivates you to keep doing it, tell me why you do it, tell me who you are.

Again, you can see why I wanted to be a journalist, and why those here at NOLN followed a similar path to me.

We’re very excited about this issue of NOLN; as you likely noted on the cover of the magazine, this is our “awards issue.” In the past, we’ve handed out a handful of awards to those making a true difference in the industry, albeit in a slightly more sporadic way. NOLN has, for years, honored both an Operator of the Year, as well as a Best Looking Lube winner (given to an operation with an outstanding facility). This year, we’ve elected to put them together in a larger package, along with a brand-new award: Technician of the Year.

12.20

Read the profiles on p. 28, and learn more about each of our winners; they have great stories to tell. Granted, we can’t tell their entire stories in the space we have each month, but we try to get at what truly sets them apart.

We highlighted everything from their exceptional performance within their businesses to their work in their communities, in helping others, and trying to have a greater impact on all those around them.

One of our hopes in honoring folks with awards is that it will help inspire others in the industry to push themselves in a similar way to those profiled.

We hope that people will look to these winners as an example, or template even, as to how they can achieve another level in their careers. There’s a lot to emulate, and there’s a lot to learn from.

Sure, if you were to ask any of them “what they do,” you might get a short answer from them about being a business owner or a technician or whatever it might be. But that misses the point.

There are tens of thousands of other people in the U.S. that could, and likely would, say the same thing. So, what sets you apart? What is it that you do? Here’s to having long answers.

B RYC E E VA N S

VP CONTENT & EVENTS, 10 MISSIONS MEDIA

DECEMBER 2020

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BY T H E N U M B E R S

12.20

THE BACKBONE OF THE OPERATION Your operation’s biggest expense is also your biggest asset. The team members at the shop are on the front lines of customer service and maintenance.

The 2020 NOLN Operator Survey reported some higher wages over the previous year, indicating steady growth. With a patchwork of local, state and national wage laws across the United States, these averages represent a variety of payroll situations, but they show overall growth and resilience in the industry. These statistics were recorded from operators before the biggest effects of COVID-19 took over.

WORKFORCE STATISTICS

$49.9K

2019 2020

$45.4K

$10.71 $11.66

HOURLY STARTING WAGE FOR TECHS

FIND OUT MORE

$12.74 $13.40

HOURLY WAGE FOR TECHS

AVERAGE MANAGER SALARY

Did you know that in response to COVID-19, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) adopted new policies for recording and reporting workplace illnesses?

To protect your employees and customers from contracting COVID-19, OSHA is requiring shops to develop an Infectious Disease Prevention program, among other steps.

Check out a full rundown of the rules online with the story “Industry Insight: Planning for the New Normal.”

DECEMBER 2020

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SPONSORED CONTENT

The People Behind KUKUI How one shop owner formed long lasting relationships with the staff at KUKUI, and how it’s impacted her business

Behind every successful shop, are other companies and products aiding the success. The right partnership can push a business to further growth and profit. But what constitutes a good partnership?

For Christa Browne, who owns Dave's Automotive with Scott Browne in Stockertown, Pa., it’s about strong relationships and strong products.

Over the years, Browne has found those two very things in her close partnership with the staff at KUKUI, specifically her client success coordinator. This connection and the subsequent knowledge gained has helped propel Dave’s Automotive to larger growth.

Browne sat down with NOLN to discuss her relationship with the people behind KUKUI, and how it’s helped move her marketing forward.

or staff changes that may have impacted the numbers. We’ll also look at any increases that have happened to discover what may have been the cause. Then we go into my Google AdWords campaign. Rhonda is really good at analyzing yearto-year statistics.

Looking at my dashboard and going over analytics gives me a really good gauge of where the shop is at. We usually finish the call by discussing what’s next, maybe a postcard or email campaign.

WHEN DID YOU START USING THE KUKUI PLATFORM? We made the switch around 2013, so we’ve been with them for around seven years. In that time we’ve really grown together.

Prior to KUKUI, we were using several different companies and outside resources, so being able to utilize one platform for everything is what drew me in. We were looking at our customer retention through one outsourced company, and I developed our website myself before we outsourced that to a different company. It made sense to have someone managing the website, integrated with customer retention marketing, as well as analytics.

HAS WORKING WITH KUKUI IMPROVED YOUR SHOP’S OVERALL MARKETING? The analytics and call tracking are huge, those things bring so much value in what they provide. It really does help me decide where to spend my marketing dollars. Our budget is still in a growth stage so I spend quite a few dollars a month on marketing. With the high amount of marketing that we are doing, I want to be able to see as much of that result as I can— KUKUI absolutely provides that. I think if you are dedicated to learning from the KUKUI client success coordinators, and you listen to their recommendations, you will grow. Like anything else, you have to want it.

Do I think I’d be where I am at today without the support of someone like Rhonda and KUKUI? I don’t think I would. She has taught us how to look at the lead to customer conversion rate, as well as what customers are looking for, and when.

These are not things you just pick up on your own.

WHAT HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE BEEN WORKING WITH A KUKUI CLIENT SUCCESS COORDINATOR? Our current client success coordinator is named Rhonda, and we’ve worked with her for over five years now—her and I have had a very long standing relationship. I don’t think that without her dedication to her job, we would have the same outcomes that we’ve had. She’s very good at keeping me on task. We talk every three weeks, and in between we email back and forth. If I ever need anything from her, I can always call.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT WORKING WITH THE KUKUI TEAM? KUKUI truly makes you feel like you are a part of their family—it sounds weird, but it’s true. If I have an issue, it’s always attended to immediately. As fast as their team can reasonably get something taken care of, they’re going to take care of it. They are very good at making me feel taken care of, and because of that, I’ve never thought about going to anybody else.

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL CALL WITH YOUR CLIENT SUCCESS COORDINATOR LOOK LIKE? On a normal call, after we catch up, we delve into the analytics. Usually we go right to the KUKUI dashboard. If there are any metrics that look off, she’ll ask about any recent shop

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If you would like to learn more about KUKUI, visit kukui.com/rw or call (877) 695-6008

11/24/20 9:46 AM

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AROUND THE INDUSTRY

20

ADAPT

23

SHOP LOOK

24

MELANIE WOODS OF BLUEBOATVIDEO.COM

QUICK HITS

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

SHOP LOOK The operators of this Kwik Kar

Wash Detail and Lube built their

facility—and their process—from the ground up. PAGE 24

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INDUSTRY INSIGHT

800-468-1970 DevonLube.com

RIGHT TO REPAIR PASSED. NOW WHAT?

Shops can expect a precedent—and more debate—about repair data access

QUESTION 1 ON THE MASSACHUSETTS

ballot passed with three-quarters of the vote, settling the Right to Repair issue in the state and updating a previous law. Now, its passage could have national implications for auto maintenance and repair operations.

The ballot question requires automakers to create a standardized digital platform that makes certain telematics information available to all Massachusetts repair facilities—not just to dealer shops.

Groups spent millions of dollars campaigning on both sides of the issue. The

18

Auto Care Association and related aftermarket groups, along with independent shops, campaigned in favor of Right to Repair. A coalition formed by automakers opposed the measure.

“It was a very ugly fight, but we are not a bit surprised,” says Joanna Johnson, policy advisor for the Automotive Oil Change Association, one of the groups aligned in favor of Right to Repair.

What does this mean for independents and consumers? If you haven’t been keeping up with the right to repair initiative, here’s a recap of the action and a preview of what’s to come.

GETTY

B Y A B B Y PAT T E R S O N

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to some kind of telematics service in 2015.

By 2025, that’s estimated to be 63.5 million vehicles—more than triple the 2015 figure, he said during his presentation at the AASA Technology Conference in the fall.

The concern was that more and more critical diagnostic information would only be transmitted wirelessly, rather than through an OBD-II port, and become off-limits for much of the independent repair sector.

Johnson has been tracking the issue from the beginning. With the help of independent shops and other key associations, like the Auto Care Association, the Massachusetts Right to Repair Coalition was able to get this issue in front of 2020 election voters, and the rest was history on November 3.

THE VOTE

No (25%)

Yes (75%)

Background The first Right to Repair bill in Massachusetts passed in 2012 and aimed to extend diagnostic vehicle information to independent repairers. That bill and subsequent law exempted most telematics information, which wasn’t as widely used at the time. Massachusetts was the first to pass such a measure.

Now, telematics information is much more relevant. Commercial fleets have been the bellwether group showing growth. Sandeep Kar, the chief strategy officer at Fleet Complete, said that 19.5 million commercial vehicles subscribed

What does this outcome mean?

The big change to come from the passage of the ballot question is that OEMs will need to create a standardized platform for access to telematics information. This would be available to repairers and vehicle owners.

The implication could be national, because it might not be feasible to create this telematics platform only for vehicles in one state. A report by Tufts University’s Center for State Policy Analysis examined the ballot question before the vote, noting that the initial 2013 law spurred a larger trend.

“It’s possible the same thing will happen again, with the 2020 sequel setting terms for nationwide standards around telematics data,” the report says.

According to Johnson, the passing of this bill also upholds the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, which prohibits OEMs from branding products and services strictly to the vehicles they manufacture and providing access for all repairers in the industry, including on telematics.

Overall, she says it keeps the market competitive and tosses the fear aside of OEMs eliminating independent automotive businesses all together.

What’s happened since the vote?

While this is a huge step forward, the fight is far from over, according to Johnson.

Just a few days after the passing of the bill, Johnson says automakers have spoken out about the issue trying to stop the Right to Repair bill from moving forward. Their argument has revolved around issues of privacy and cybersecurity.

Johnson says that the aftermarket has already proven that giving access to independents doesn’t make the data any more hackable than it would only in the hands of OEMs. Johnson says this fight with OEMs won’t be over until the bill is enforceable.

What can we expect down the road?

Johnson expects telematics data to be available around 2022. She also expects a broader movement to take the state’s Right to Repair platform to a national audience.

“They aren’t going to make vehicles only made for Massachusetts,” Johnson says. “If one state makes that change, everyone has to make that change.”

The specific terms aren’t settled, however, and automakers could still shape the outcome and could find ways to restrict access or require payments.

Each OEM might have its own mode of access or tools. The report from the Center for State Policy Analysis noted that many unanswered questions remain, including how a mobile app might work and how cybersecurity will be addressed.

If there’s a universal security platform, there could still be a minor cost associated, but Johnson says it should remain small. What it really comes down to is proving the customer has a right to their vehicle’s data.

“If the customer has a right to it, you can’t make it prohibitively expensive,” Johnson says. “What’s a right that you can’t afford?”

DECEMBER 2020

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QH

AROUND THE INDUSTRY

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FULLSPEED ACQUIRES MICHIGAN QUICK LUBE CHAIN

FullSpeed Automotive is further expanding its portfolio with a recent acquisition, according to a press release.

FullSpeed acquired Michigan-based Uncle Ed’s Oil Shoppe, otherwise known as Uncle Ed’s, which is a provider of quick lube, preventative maintenance, and car wash services.

The acquisition gives FullSpeed a total of 29 quick lube service centers and five AutoBath America car wash locations throughout the state of Michigan.

This marks FullSpeed’s 15th acquisition as part of private equity firm CenterOak Partners.

LUCASOILCENTER.COM

CONNECTING YOU WITH THE INDUSTRY’S TOP VENDORS

Lucas Oil Center of Indiana employees are giving their razors a break all through November.

According to a press release, the quick lube center is taking part in its eighth consecutive year of No-Shave November, a viral trend meant to raise cancer awareness.

While it’s usually a part of the company’s dress code to be clean shaven or have beards be kept neat and tidy, this month allows employees to grow out their facial hair for 30 days. As part of the initiative, team members, including owner Bill Floyd, took part in a ceremonial shaving at the beginning of the month with the help of local Diverse Salon owner DeShay Johnson. For women employees, they were able to take part by getting their eyebrows trimmed and shaped.

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the combustion chamber are supposed to lead to more efficient burning and, ACA 4-IN-1 EVENT thus,LAUNCHES greater fuel efficiency.

As NOLN has explored quite a bit, The Auto Carefor Association has the early challenges direct injection announced a new event expericame with extra valve deposits.

Now a ence, Autohas Care Connect. new issue emerged that presents According a press release, concern aboutto what’s coming outthis of the inaugural event will what’s consistinside. of the assoengine, rather than ciation’s Spring Leadership Days, A Green Car Reports story saysACPN Knowledge YANG that Leadership that a recentExchange, study suggests direct Conference, and PBES Conference. injection engines produce more black The aerosols, new eventwhich will bring carbon couldtogether add to four of the Auto Care Association’s events. atmospheric warming.

The short-term After hearing feedback from attend“social cost” effects of the aerosols ees, new event will help attendees couldthis outweigh the long-term emissions network with groups of industry peers, saved through efficiency, the study says. create business connections, attend Thenew story notes that while automakaccredited educational sessions, explore ers like Mercedes-Benz and Volkswatrade shows, and access the latest ACA gen have tried to incorporate particuresources all inthe oneexhaust event. system, that late filters into eventthe is anticipated to be an mayThe reduce fuel-efficiency gains in-person in the spring of 2021 in desired in event the first place. light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and will be evaluated down the road.

Celebrating Celebrating Celebrating 30Celebrating years of 50 years 30Cleaning years of 50 years of Cleaning Cleaning of Cleaning

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The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) is encouraging service professionals to register now to renew certifications.

According to a press release, ASE says more and more professionals are going to be scheduling their tests to meet the recertification deadline before expiring December 31, since they extended the deadline from June 30 due to the pandemic.

It is recommended that automotive professionals coordinate testing with their employers and review the social distancing and safety DIRECT INJECTION MAYmeasures that the Prometric test centers have put in place, HAVE UNINTENDED EFFECTS according to the release.

More than 50 ASE certification Nearly every automaker hastests are offered for automotive, quick lube, direct-injection technology in collision, medium/heavy school bus, their latest engines. The duty, controlled transit and truck equipment bursts bus of gasoline spray directly repair. into

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APRIL 2020

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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2020 ADS OF THE YEAR WE ASKED YOU, OUR NOLN READERS, TO PICK YOUR FAVORITE AT TENTION- GET TING , INFORMATIVE AND MEMOR ABLE ADS.

Winners were chosen from eligible national print ads in the August 2020 issue.

Participating advertisers include: API (American Petroleum Institute), Auto Data, Chevron Havoline, eGenuity, Integrated Services, Inc., Jiffy Lube, KUKUI, Mighty Auto Parts, Penray, Phillips 66, PM Attendant, RelaDyne, Smart Blend Synthetics, Solid Start/True Brand, TOTAL and Valvoline.

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11/16/20 10:51 3:28 PM 11/20/20 AM

K E Y I N S I G H T S , T R E N D S A N D S T R AT E G I E S F O R T O M O R R O W ’ S I N D U S T R Y—T O D AY

THE ADAPT INTERVIEW

THE ELECTRIC TRUCKS ARE HERE

PLANTS.GM.COM

You might argue the merits of an all-electric Hummer, but you cannot argue the successful launch for General Motors.

ADAPT recently explored the public debut and specs of the GMC Hummer EV, which is billed as an electric supertruck. Read about the purported 11,500 lb-ft of torque, the crab walk feature and the “Watts to Freedom” launch control.

“As the vehicle readies itself for Watts to Freedom, a series of interior experiences convey the feeling of a ‘pre-launch countdown,’ including interactive controls, unique sounds through the Bose speakers and screen animations. The vehicle also lowers two inches to prepare for the launch, utilizing a lower center of gravity,” according to GM. To read more, head to adaptautomotive.com/HummerEV.

M A Y 1 0 –1 1 • N A S H V I L L E , T E N N .

Check out the growing list of multimedia on the ADAPT site.

ADAPT is interested in hearing about how shops are planning for ADAS, preparing their shops and rolling out functional repairs and services.

In a recent podcast episode, staff writer Maraya King talks with Randy Sattler, who runs Rydell GM Auto Center in North Dakota. He goes in-depth about how ADAS became a part of his shop’s processes.

Check it out on the ADAPT website, or search The ADAPT Podcast on your platform of choice.

ADAPT TREND REPORT Head to the ADAPT website to sign up for the ADAPT Trend Report newsletter to have the latest news, strategies and transportation trends sent to your inbox every week. Visit adaptautomotive.com/ newsletter

JOIN US ONLINE ADAPTAUTOMOTIVE.COM ADAPTAUTOMOTIVE.COM/FACEBOOK T W I T T E R . C O M /A D A P T_ A U T O M O T I V E

The ADAPT: Automotive Technology Summit is a three-day event covering the most progressive and pressing trends disrupting the industry. Learn more at adaptsummit.com.

DECEMBER 2020

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QH

S H O P LO O K

KWIK KAR WASH DETAIL AND LUBE OPERATOR:

MIKE BURBANK AND NICK DESIMONE

LOCATION:

OSAGE BEACH, MO.

STAFF SIZE:

6 FULL TIME, 2 PART-TIME SHOP SIZE:

4 BAYS

AVERAGE DAILY CAR COUNT:

40

TICKET AVERAGE:

$60

TRANSPARENT EXPERIENCE To Kwik Kar Wash Detail and Lube, product and service quality go hand in hand. Since opening in 2009, the owners wanted to make the experience as transparent as possible. When it was built, the shop made sure to install big bay windows in the lobby.

One side of these windows showcases the lube bay and the other shows what’s going on the detail bay. A customer can then see exactly what’s going on with their car.

And if customers have questions or concerns, there’s always someone stationed in the lobby area desk to answer them.

B Y A B B Y PAT T E R S O N PHOTOS BY MEL ANIE WOODS OF BLUEBOAT VIDEO.COM

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11/24/20 12:50 PM

H AV E A N O U T S TA N D I N G S H O P T O S H A R E ? E M A I L N E W S @ N O L N . N E T

FOCUS ON SPEEDY When Josh Jeffries, the site manager for the Osage Beach, Mo., location, started about 10 years ago, he wanted to follow Kwik Kar’s mission, and to provide a quality service, it came down to time.

“Our biggest thing is we try to keep our bay times down,” Jeffries says. “The quicker they can get in and out, the better.”

Jeffries says each bay layout is set up the exact same way, and all of the technicians’ essential tools—like the oil guns and washer fluid—that they use constantly are placed right in the middle of each bay for easy access to everything they need.

BREAK IT UP Instead of having one technician trying to do everything on a vehicle, Jeffries made sure there were three separate techs, each with a specific job.

When working on a car, there’s one hood technician, one lower bay tech working on everything underneath the vehicle, and one presenter—the one who provides all communication between the service bay and the customer, starts a ticket, deals with computer work, and provides any recommendations for work.

DECEMBER 2020

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c

FROM THE SHOP

One Day at a Time AS YOU ROUNDED THE CORNER INTO 2020, WITH

ADAM

TATUM

Adam Tatum is director of operations for the Virginia Group, a Jiffy Lube franchisee with 11 locations. He has over a decade of experience in the industry with a proven track record of building customer counts and sales, as well as using innovative ways to bring a new look to the automotive field for both the customer and the employee.

Performance comes from growing your business through people.

ATAT U M

@VALUBE.COM

26

business growing and working on new ideas to move it forward, you were ready to take it to the next level. What a surprise we all got in just a few short months.

“Taking it to the next level” now meant deciding how to survive in a new reality. You were forced to make tough choices that affected you and your business. They affected the lives of your staff, vendors and more. As you read this article, remember all the choices that you made, think about how you adapted and what you will do moving into 2021, with or without the pandemic hovering above the world.

Many Months I remember when I really started paying attention to the COVID-19 virus talk. I had just taken a cruise with my wife and was attending the franchisee convention. As I was talking to vendors and sharing their thoughts on what was happening in the news, no one really took it that seriously.

There were some rumblings about delays on some inventory that came from China, but nothing that indicated what was to come. As my team and I sat down and discussed the upcoming month and training, I mentioned that we need to be ready to pivot if this became something, but not to really worry. I was doing the same as the rest of the country at the time.

Only four weeks later, we finished schedule adjustments for major vehicle losses due to state shutdown of many businesses. The roads were mostly empty and so were our bays. Weekly inventory orders became bi-monthly. Hard decisions had to be made on furloughs of employees and staffing levels. The PPE loans were not even a thing yet. When you are readjusting monthly budgets from making net income to “breaking even” and not taking a loss, you feel the real weight of the situation.

The decisions that had to be made needed to be carefully thought out and analyzed in order to avoid becoming the next business to close.

Emerging Then it was May and with summer approaching, business had started to come back slowly in certain areas.

The government offered PPE loans for businesses that wanted to apply, and some states were starting to move through phases of reopening. Employees started coming back to work.

The way you did business each day had changed.

You found ways to lead with less staffing, and many in our industry discovered that taking just a little more time with the customer had led to higher sales KPIs. Where were you during this time? Was your store turning around? What did you learn during those weeks of lean and mean?

Businesses really began opening again as the end of summer approached. You could go to the mall, eat at restaurants and more, all with the inclusion of a small, cloth mask. This had become the new normal. You had to wear one when you went to the grocery store or to go for a checkup at your doctor. In some cases, you found a negative effect on your customer comments or scoring from those that think you were not taking this pandemic seriously enough or not enforcing other customers to take the stance.

Did you set up sneeze guards and add sanitizer to your normal supply lists each month? As your customer counts continue to get better, that means that there are many more opportunities for your employees to be faceto-face with potential issues. The new norm of masks and safety doesn’t mean that everyone will be happy with the change. At least some things didn’t change.

By the time you read this, we will be nearly ready to round the corner into 2020. We may or may not have a new president, we may or may not have medication to fight off this virus and so much more.

You survived a sickness that shut down so many businesses and continues to affect so many lives.

Think about your experiences and what you learned from them. How can you continue to feed off them to make your business build back up?

As much as we know that 2020 was the year of the closure, you must believe that 2021 will be your year of the comeback!

LUCAS MOORE

Take a look back on the year that was 2020

NOLN.NET

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11/19/20 5:58 PM

BE MIGHTIER!

TAMARA KNOWS HOW TO

BE MIGHTIER!

Congratulations to our very own Mighty customer, Tamara Utley of Lanham Lube Center.

She has been named the 2020 Technician of the Year by NOLN and is being recognized for her hard work and dedication to improving the industry.

Way to BE MIGHTIER, Tamara!

MightyAutoParts.com

Q U A L I T Y PROD U C T S

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CHRIS FERENZI, JOE TRAINA PHOTOGRAPHY

There’s never been an awards feature quite like this in National Oil and Lube News.

For more than 30 years, the magazine has recognized excellent quick lube Operators of the Year. For more than 20 years, the Best Looking Lube feature has highlighted the best-kept facilities across the country.

This year, NOLN is proud to present a fully fledged awards package—one that carries forward the traditions of the top operators and shops, but also goes deeper to recognize a member of the core team working in the bays.

This edition introduces the Tech of the Year, which gives praise to those who are on the front lines of customer service and contribute so much to shop success.

Thank you to all those who nominated their industry peers for the 2020 awards, and a big round of congratulations goes to this year’s winners!

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Operator of the Year: DARRE LL MU SCOLI NO Darrell Muscolino focuses on enhancing his operation, his community, and the industry itself B Y A B B Y PAT T E R S O N

A

By the Numbers

80

Staff size

5

Locations

47

Average daily car count B Y A B B Y PAT T E R S O N P H OTO S B Y J X X X X X

$108

Ticket average

108%

Sales growth

$100,000+

Money raised for Muscular Dystrophy Association

30

n owner and operator of five Jiffy Lube service centers in the greater Chicago area, Darrell Muscolino has demonstrated an extreme passion for the fast maintenance industry, earning him this year’s Operator of the Year award.

Muscolino is always eager to share best practices and help others in the industry, sending his team members to other Jiffy Lube centers to conduct training and provide support, all for the good of the brand. In 2019, his efforts were rewarded as his group’s Jiffy Lube Multicare sales grew 108 percent over 2018, holding a low employee turnover rate, and retaining one of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the market.

Here’s how Muscolino has invested from the inside out, starting with his staff, all the way to making an impact on his community and beyond.

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BENJAMIN RINENBACH PHOTOGRAPHY

Investing in His Staff

One of Muscolino’s nominators, Mike Baynes, has worked with Muscolino for 10 years.

As president of Auto Center Sales, which specializes in selling automotive shops around the nation, Baynes has helped Muscolino sell a business and buy up all of the current stores he owns.

“Darrell’s the kind of guy who is really, really interested in his people,” Baynes says. “He makes sure to reinvest in his business, not only the physical plant, but the people.”

Investments in training shows the commitment in action. When Jiffy Lube rolled out Multicare, franchises received guidelines from corporate, but there wasn’t a step-by-step transition plan.

To fill the gap, Muscolino and his Chicago network worked with third party vendors to roll out training.

In 2016, the shops started working with Garage Gurus, who helped to put a program together and launch it nationally. The program, known as the Jiffy Lube University, includes a week-long, computer-based training for Jiffy Lube employees, who get paid for their time.

To this day, many operators use the program, and Jiffy Lube corporate adopted a version. Muscolino’s goal creating this program was to create a culture within his organization to retain employees.

“It’s not just a quick lube anymore; it’s a career path,” Muscolino says.

Investing in His Network

Muscolino has established himself as a leader, and according to one nomination, he’s considered a visionary in the Jiffy Lube franchise network. He’s the president of the Chicagoland Jiffy Lube Franchisee Co-op and vice president of the Jiffy Lube Association of Franchisees, an association encompassing 289 entities operating just shy of 2,000 franchises. On top of that, he was recently honored with the Jiffy Lube Franchisee of the Year Award. With all of his success, however, he’s always looking to pass on his knowledge to other franchisees, and learn a thing or two from them as well.

“In our system and franchisee community, there’s a vast amount of knowledge and talent out there,” Muscolino says. “The only way you get to fill your head with knowledge is building relationships with these operators.”

Baynes explains one instance where a shop became available to purchase.

He says Muscolino could have easily bought the place himself to expand his franchise network, but, instead, he sought out the perfect franchisee for that business and helped them buy it, giving someone else the opportunity.

“He basically took them by the hand and helped them do it,” Baynes says. “That just tells me a lot about a human being.”

Investing in His Community

While Muscolino is active in

Nominators Weigh In “His dedication to quality service and commitment to his community have made him an integral part of the Jiffy Lube franchisee network.”

— Casey McCormack, Account Coordinator for Cone/ Porter Novelli “He makes sure to reinvest in his business, not only the physical plant; but the people.”

— Mike Baynes, President of Auto Center Sales

Good Idea Darrell Muscolino’s training program for Jiffy Lube’s Multicare initiative has been replicated in multple shops.

every aspect of the Jiffy Lube network, he also strives to be active in the community.

He holds multiple leadership positions in local organizations, including the Automotive Maintenance and Repair Association and the St. Charles East High School Automotive Program.

His commitment to philanthropy is best noted, however, with his involvement in the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Muscolino says he’s been a supporter of this organization for as long as he can remember, but wanted to make an even bigger impact as a leader in the Jiffy Lube network.

In 2015, he went to all of his business partners about organizing a charity golf outing, with the goal to raise money to send at least 100 kids to summer camp. This year, he wanted the cause to make a bigger impact. So, Muscolino and his staff took a little field trip to the summer camp to donate their time for the day. Even the Jiffy Lube corporate leadership team flew in to donate their time, too.

“I wanted to show them exactly why they do what they do for this organization,” Muscolino says.

The trip sure made its impact on his staff and the leadership team. The 2019 annual Chicagoland Jiffy Lube Golf Classic was able to raise over $100,000 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

“A lot of the franchisees are really connected to their communities,” Muscolino says. “I thought it was important for the Chicagoland market to do more.”

DECEMBER 2020

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TA M A R A U T LE Y THE LUBE CENTER, LANHAM, MD.

This year’s winner used her skills and drive to drive continued success B Y M AT T H U D S O N

W

hen Tamara Utley started work at The Lube Center’s store in Lanham, she immediately began looking to that next level.

Utley was already an experienced technician, having worked in quick lubes for nearly 10 years when she came to The Lube Center in 2018.

“I came in as a shop technician,” she says. “Learned the ropes. Learned how to do it the WLR way.”

WLR Automotive Group is based in Maryland and runs multiple locations of The Lube Center, as well as shops with other automotive services. In short order, Utley showed her value to the company and hopped on a quick track of success. She’s now the assistant manager, but that’s no office gig. She’s still on the front lines, helping customers and servicing vehicles.

In Utley, the Lanham shop has an enthusiastic tech who works toward professional improvement as a part of her service to customers. In short: The better she can be, the better the whole organization will be.

“One main thing: You’ve

32

always got to learn,” Utley says. “Because once you stop learning, you hurt that muscle that’s up there in that brain.”

That’s what makes a great tech, and that’s why Utley is NOLN’s Technician of the Year.

Forward Thinker

Success Effect With Utley on the team, The Lube Center in Lanham has helped to: Increase monthly car counts

32%

Increase monthly sales

80% (Source: WLR Automotive)

Utley was quick to jump into opportunities that put her on a successful path at The Lube Center. Vincent Jones, the manager at the Lanham store, says that Utley was highly motivated right out the gate.

“When I first interviewed, she already knew what she wanted to do and how she wanted to move up and how long it would take her,” Jones says.

Not six months after starting, she enrolled in job description training classes that emphasized good customer service and managerial skills to add to her technician acumen.

“It’s a leadership class,” Utley says. “We learn how to work with customers, learn how to run a WLR, learn how to deal with technicians. It’s a whole lot.”

Utley started supervising shortly after, and in January 2020, she was promoted to

assistant manager when a position opened up. And she kept attending professional education courses after that.

A big part of Utley’s success is how her attitude and work ethic combine personal and professional work. She worked her way into the assistant manager position. When she got there, she worked on being a role model for the team.

“Coming from a technician to an assistant manager, you have to draw a line,” Utley says. “I have to be the one standing out.”

Shop Leader

Utley says that her manager, Jones, has been a great leader for her. She says that Jones has shown her the ropes according to the WLR system, and they’ve developed a good rapport.

While Utley continues to work as a tech in the shop, she’s now overseeing the crew of seven other techs as they go about their business and getting new techs up to speed. So while she’s working with customers and doing her own job, she’s also checking in with other techs and sharing her skills.

All the while, she’s on the front lines of customer service in the bay. Jones says that her work is at the same level, whether she’s on car No. 3 that day or on car No. 50.

Utley says she just keeps it all in perspective.

“You got to want to do it.

You’ve got to be consistent.

Consistency is the key,” she says. “I know every day is not the same, but you’ve got to do it every day.”

CHRIS FERENZI

Tech of the Year:

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Customer Expert

Consistency is indeed a huge part of any quick lube process, and Jones says that Utley displays consistency in the service process and with customers. That means that each customer gets the same experience, no matter what’s happened before. Jones says that Utley has a great ability to reset after a poor customer experience, making sure that the next person is greeted promptly and politely.

“She’s able to do that,” Jones says. “And a lot of technicians, it would ruin their whole day.”

Jones talked about a referral domino effect that can happen as the result of consistent, explanatory customer service. Customers come back after working with Utley.

Those are qualities that any manager would love to see in a technician. Whether it’s customer service, personal growth or professional success, the consistency and drive is the foundation.

“As a tech becomes a leader, you’ve got to keep going like you did as a technician,” she says. “That’s what I’ve been doing, even as a tech. I just kept going, kept going.”

Utley’s Success Track August 2018: Started as a top technician at The Lube Center

January 2019: Attended “The Art of the Customer Experience” training class

June 2019: Completed Management Job Description Training Program

January 2020: Promoted to assistant manager

June 2019: Promoted to supervisor 2019–2020: Attended seven courses at Frederick Community College: “Managing for Success Leadership Program”

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Best Looking Lube:

E X PR ES S OI L CHANGE AND T I R E E NGI NE E RS OLDSMAR, FLA.

This shop has personal touches from roof to pit

I

nitially, Jason Nastasi’s store wasn’t supposed to look the way it does.

In planning for his first shop in the Tampa, Fla., area, he had schematics made up for a typical Express Oil Change and Tire Engineers

34

shop. The company has a sharp template, with bold red, white and blue colors and a grey or brick-red facade. But when he brought those plans to the city, it didn’t meet the local building guidelines.

“They basically told us that the corporate design wasn’t going to work with the

development project they were doing, and we needed to come up with something,” Nastasi says.

They went back to the drawing board and reworked a lot of the details. The result was an overall sharper shop, from the roof to the lawn.

“The other thing the city

really wanted was landscaping,” he says. “We have a lot of time and money wrapped up in our landscaping on the property, which really gives it curb appeal from the street.”

Nastasi launched his franchise, worked through some building problems, opened during a pandemic and is still

JOE TRAINA PHOTOGRAPHY

B Y M AT T H U D S O N

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cruising along. The resulting store is more than what Nastasi expected, but the details are really what make the shop what it is.

From the overall look to the interior elements, this Express store is the 2020 Best Looking Lube.

Transparency in Service

This is almost a cliche in the preventative maintenance world, and lots of stores do a great job to bring the customer into the service process. This adds a crucial element of transparency to the process and helps to justify the sales price of service.

At Nastasi’s Express shop, transparency isn’t limited to the service process. This was a deliberate design process to make the space feel open, so that a customer who uses the lobby area doesn’t have to see

their car disappear behind a wall to get work done.

“We wanted it to be very open. We wanted it to be very transparent,” he says. “We wanted to keep that theme throughout the entire building. When you come into the front of the building, you’re surrounded by glass and windows everywhere.”

Glass surrounds the customer areas and offers a view into the service bays. There are bar stools in case a customer wants to pull up and watch techs do their work.

The bays themselves are wide open. Nastasi says that they had to add about four feet of height to the ceiling to meet city requirements. The bay doors are 10 feet wide.

And there’s no stumbling over tools and equipment to move between vehicles.

“One of the big things is I did not allow any equipment

By the Numbers

5,623 Square feet

3

Quick lube bays

6

Full service bays

7

Staff size

35

Average car count

Getting Returns Jason Nastasi says that investments in equipment shows customers that he cares about the quality of work. It adds to the overall experience and impression.

or toolboxes in the center of the shop,” Nastasi says. “We wanted to have that wide open feel in the middle of the shop.”

Tech Perks

How’s this for an equipment detail: Nastasi has his lifts colored a similar blue to the Express brand standard, which adorns the walls. He figured most of the other tools and equipment should carry the same color scheme as well.

“We wanted to make sure everything was powder coated the same color blue,” Nastasi says.

From the shop tools to the alignment and balancer machines, they all sport that same blue color to fit the Express motif. While it’s a nice touch by itself, Nastasi’s real goal was to demonstrate his investment and commitment to the business. That

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can go a long way with both techs on staff and customers in line.

“I think when customers really see how we do our work and the tools we use, we’re giving them a much larger value for their dollar, and I think that’s why we basically have lines wrapped around the building,” he says.

He’s also invested in tool storage solutions and equipment that are user-friendly, which aids efficiency.

Customers Come First A lot of planning went into the customer waiting area.

Nastasi planned one detail

36

Blue all Over Jason Nastasi worked with his tool and equipment partners to match everything in the shop with the company blue color that adorns the walls.

that might be unexpected for customers. The goal was to take customers out of the auto shop and into a more comfortable setting.

“Once you come into our second set of glass doors into the waiting area, one thing we’re big on is not having any automotive in there,” Nastasi says.

By that, Nastasi means that they didn’t go for all the automotive memorabilia and signage on the walls. He says it’s more of a homey feel, focused first on cleanliness and second on perks. There’s coffee and television and automated soap, water and hand drying in the bathroom (which includes a

changing station for parents).

There’s free WiFi and charging ports on the stools, so customers might be able to get a bit of work done while watching their vehicle get serviced.

What this all represents is a real industry shift from the bare-bones auto shop to the full-service customer experience. When communities get more crowded with quick lubes, it’s those perks that help win over customers.

“We want people to feel like you’re in the living room.

Hang out with us,” he says.

“Kind of let your guard down and be comfortable.”

JOE TRAINA PHOTOGRAPHY

Finding Clarity Transparency and openness is a concept in Jason Nastasi’s service as well as the shop. He designed the bay and waiting areas with a lot of glass, so customers can see the work.

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Designed for YOUR Success!

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2020 GUIDE TO

ADDITIVES & CLEANERS In the fast lube game, the skillful presentation and marketing of chemical additives and cleaners can be one steadfast stream of unexpected revenue. With myriad products on the market from fuel injector cleaning systems to modifying automotive transmission fluid (and even getting rid of air conditioner odor!), chemical additives and cleaners can be a valuable source of extra revenue to savvy lube operators.

This is why NOLN presents this guide to additives and cleaners. Use this guide as a resource to identify sales opportunities or to shore up unsold revenue sitting on your shop shelves in bottle after bottle. NOLN hopes this resource will lead to more sales (and a more robust bottom line) for operators everywhere.

For a more complete list of this year’s additives guide, visit NOLN.net.

In the charts that follow, A = Additive, C = Cleaner.

Special thanks to Smart Blend for sponsoring this guide.

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2020 NOLN ADDITIVES GUIDE

BG Products, Inc 800.961.6228 bgprod.com

PRODUCT NAME

TYPE

PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION OF CAPABILITIES

BG Advanced Formula MOA® Engine Oil Supplement, PN 115

A

Fortifies engine oil and protects engine components. Prevents sludge and varnish, keeps piston rings from sticking, reduces wear, and stabilizes oil viscosity. Allows safe extended oil change intervals. Low Speed Pre-Ignition (LSPI) safe. Compatible with API SP and GM dexos1™ Gen 2 licensed engine oils.

BG Aerosol Carbon Eliminator, PN PF06

C

Removes deposits and other accumulated contaminants that build up in fuel/air induction systems. Removes carbon from the intake system, softens and removes carbon from the intake valves. Cleans, lubricates and protects the butterfly/throttle valve, throttle body and idle air control valves.

BG CVT Plus CVT and DCT Fluid Conditioner, PN 303

A

Enhances the properties of new and used fluid in continuously variable transmissions, wet dual clutch transmissions and direct-shift gearboxes. Prolongs fluid life, prevents deposit formation, and improves fluid oxidation stability and anti-wear characteristics.

Compatible with all CVT, DCT and DSG fluids.

Thoroughly cleans crankcase and entire lubrication system; removes engine oil deposits and sludge; protects engine components; restores performance and fuel efficiency.

BG Dynamic Engine Restoration Service

A/C

BG Emissions System Cleaner, PN PD20

C

Softens and removes carbon deposits from the entire emissions system. Cleans the GPF, DPF, and DOC. Reduces DOC deposit buildup (face plugging). Catalytic converter and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) safe.

BG EPR® Engine Performance Restoration®, PN 109

C

Cleans micro passageways to maintain the critical hydraulic function of components. Removes carbon deposits. Restores compression.

Improves overall power and engine efficiency. Excellent for maintenance of diesel and gasoline direct injection engines.

BG Frigi-Fresh®, PN 708 BG Heavy Duty Fuel System Performance Restoration, PN PD09

A/C

Kills mold, mildew, fungi and other odor-producing organisms in climate control systems. Works without costly manual cleaning of the system. Deodorizes automobile interior. EPA registered virucide, bactericide, and fungicide.

A

Eliminates internal diesel injector deposits in High Pressure Common Rail fuel systems. Keeps injectors and combustion chambers clean. Reduces carbon packing of piston rings. Eliminates injector fouling and sticking. Restores optimum fuel efficiency. Improves cold weather performance.

BG Hybrid Performance Service

A/C

Specially formulated for hybrid engines and fuel systems. Cleans the entire fuel system. Restores lost fuel economy. Prevents corrosion. Restores engine efficiency. Protects engine during Stop-Start cycles.

BG Platinum® 44K® Fuel System Cleaner, PN 208

A/C

Cleans the entire fuel system. Reduces problems caused by deposit buildup such as engine surge, misfire, stumble, hesitation and power loss. Restores power output and engine performance. Improves drivability.

BG Platinum® Air Intake, Valve & Combustion Chamber Cleaner, PN 261

C

Removes heavy deposits from the backs of valves and in air intake systems of gasoline direct injection (GDI) and port fuel injection (PFI) engines. Restores fuel efficiency, engine performance, and power. Reduces harmful exhaust emissions.

BG Vehicle Sanitizing Service

C

Disinfects and deodorizes hard, non-porous surfaces in just minutes. Service uses a ready-to-use disinfectant, fungicide, virucide, mildewstat, and deodorizer. With proper application, this service kills SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

2020 GUIDE TO

ADDITIVES & CLEANERS 40

NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE NOLN.NET/INDUSTRY-GUIDES

NOLN.NET

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Chevron Techron 866.354.4476 techronclean.com

PRODUCT NAME

TYPE

PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION OF CAPABILITIES

Techron Concentrate Plus, Complete Fuel System Cleaner

C

Helps maximize fuel economy and restores lost power and performance in gas-powered passenger cars and light duty trucks. This one-tank solution cleans the entire fuel system, dissolves gum and varnish buildup and helps prevent new deposit formation. Safe to use every 3,000 miles.

Techron D Concentrate, Diesel Fuel System Cleaner

C

One-tank cleanup solution for diesel-powered autos, pickups, sprinter vans or RVs. Clears clogged fuel injectors and removes carbon deposits throughout the fuel system to maximize fuel economy, restore power and boost cetane. Use every 3,000 miles.

Techron Fuel Injector Cleaner

C

Removes harmful deposits from fuel injectors to help restore lost fuel economy. Safe to use every 1,000 miles to keep fuel injectors in like-new condition.

Techron High Mileage Fuel System Cleaner

C

Specially formulated to clean and protect from corrosion, restore power and performance, and maximize fuel economy in classic cars and vehicles with over 75,000 miles. Use every 1,000 miles for continued clean-up and protection.

Never Miss an Issue.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY! START YOUR FREE SUBSCRIPTION TODAY BY VISITING

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2020 NOLN ADDITIVES GUIDE

ITW ProAP 1.800.255.8138 fullthrottleproducts.com

PRODUCT NAME

Training & Rewards Program

TYPE

PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION OF CAPABILITIES

C

Newly formulated Full Throttle™ Complete Fuel System Cleaner is the solution to remove carbon buildup and improve drivability. FT2001 is a fuel system cleaner that is designed as a one-tank cleanup. This professional blend of detergents significantly removes deposits, even in the toughest areas to clean, such as the combustion chamber. This advanced formula is designed to provide the most effective cleaning possible for PFI and GDI engines.

C

Full Throttle™ GDI and Complete Fuel System Cleaner is a specially formulated 2-part kit that aggressively cleans critical system components. This premium formula effectively cleans combustion chambers, intake valves, ports and GDI Fuel Injectors. Complete Fuel System Cleaner increases air flow, restores loss of power and contains Polyetheramine (PEA) for deep cleaning. The professional blend of detergents is designed to provide the most effective cleaning possible for PFI and GDI engines. GDI+ Intake & Induction Cleaner is formulated with an exceptional chemistry that is ideal for cleaning of GDI engines. This professional product improves stalling and hestiation and reduces emissions.

Full Throttle™ Oil System Cleaner

C

Full Throttle™ Oil System Cleaner effectively breaks down and dissolves engine oil deposits and contaminants. This professional formula prevents cross-contamination with new oil and protects internal engine components. Full Throttle™ Oil System Cleaner effectively breaks down and dissolves engine oil deposits and contaminants. This efficient product prevents cross-contamination with new oil and protects internal engine components.

Full Throttle™ Internal Engine Cleaner

C

Full Throttle™ Internal Engine Cleaner is essential to providing a complete oil change. This exceptional product removes harmful wear metal contaminants in the oil that are not captured by the oil filter. This product ensures a complete drainage of used oil, extending your engine life and performance. Full Throttle™ Internal Engine Clean protects, lubricates and gives your new oil a Fresh start!

Full Throttle™ 2-Step Fuel Kit

C

Full Throttle™ 2-Step Fuel Kit is a 2-step process that provides effective cleaning to improve engine performance, increase fuel economy and reduce vehicle emissons. This product eliminates rough idling, misfiring, and power loss. This professional formula removes deposits from fuel injectors and PFI Intake Valves. This is not for use in GDI Engines.

A/C

Full Throttle™ Automatic Transmission Treatment (T3) is the trifecta in advanced additive technology. This effective transmission treatment protects, enhances and seals components within the automatic transmission. This effective product reduces friction and wear on metal parts and conditions and restores seals on o-rings.

Full Throttle™ Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) Fluid

C

Full Throttle™ Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) Fluid is a robust product formulated to optimize performance, inhibt corrosion and extend transmission life. This exceptional product resists oxidation, prevents sludge and varnish buildup and is formulated for Hi/ Low Viscosity CVT applications.

Full Throttle™ Engine Treatment & High Mileage Enhancer

A

Full Throttle™ Engine Treatment & High Mileage Enhancer improves lubrication and cleaning properties of engine oil. This premium oil additive combats engine wear, reduces friction, and inhibits rust and corrosion. This exceptional formula dissolves varnish and and extends engine life and performance.

Full Throttle™ Honda/Acura Power Steering Fluid

C

Full Throttle™ Honda/Acura Power Steering Fluid is a full synthetic blend that protects against pump breakdown and provides a cleaner, smoother power steering system. This professional formula reduces friction for a smooth and quiet operation. This product contains a seal conditioner to keep seals pliable and help prevent leaks.

Full Throttle™ Limited Slip Friction Modifier

A

Full Throttle™ Limited Slip Friction Modifier is a gear oil enhancer that is specially formulated to protect limited slip differentials. Limited Slip provides a smooth engagement of clutch surfaces and reduces differential temperatures. This valuable product eliminates differential squeaks, chatter and other noises.

Full Throttle™ Multi-Vehicle Power Steering Fluid

C

Full Throttle™ Multi-Vehicle Power Steering Fluid is a robust formula designed to provide excellent protection and performance in a wide array of power steering applications. This professional product promotes long component life, provides excellent wear protection and offers strong oxidation resistance and anti-wear protection.

Full Throttle™ Universal Full Synthetic Power Steering Fluid

C

Full Throttle™ Universal Full Synthetic Power Steering Fluid is a premium alternative to standard power steering fluid. This exceptional product provides excellent protection against wear, oxidation and and corrosion. This professional formula offers exceptional high/low temperature properties and resists heat for long fluid life.

Full Throttle™ Complete Fuel System Cleaner

Full Throttle™ GDI+ Complete Fuel System Kit

Full Throttle™ Automatic Transmission Treatment

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Mighty Auto Parts 770.448.3900 mightyautoparts.com

PRODUCT NAME

TYPE

PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION OF CAPABILITIES

A/C Refresher Kit CL120

C

Mighty VS7 A/C refresher kit cleans mold, mildew and bacteria from the evaporator, then cleans and eliminates odors from the interior of a vehicle.

Battery Cleaner/Acid Detector MN112

C

Mighty VS7 Battery Cleaner & Acid Detector is designed to help protect battery terminals, clamps and connectors. It removes corrosion from these areas and can also locate acid leaks.

Battery Protector/Corrosion Inhibitor MN113

C

Mighty VS7 Battery Terminal Protector is designed to protect vital battery components and also inhibit corrosion on battery terminals. This soft pliable formula flows into cracks and crevices for the ultimate protection.

Complete Engine Clean OL106

C

It removes virtually all old oil from the engine and promotes smoother performance and extended engine life. It is safe for all oil changes, including synthetics and semi-synthetics.

A/C

This two-step treatment is designed to clean and condition all cooling systems. The formulas are compatible with all coolants including regular and extended-life antifreeze. Step one thoroughly cleans the cooling system. Step two lubricates the water pump and conditions the system by providing additional corrosion inhibitors, which help minimize rust and scale.

Engine Shield OL150

A

Mighty VS7 Engine SHIELD with advanced CERMILON Technology is specially formulated to provide unsurpassed extreme protection of vital engine parts and components above and beyond Synthetic, SYN-Blend and Conventional engine oils. CERMILON is a Fluoro-Ceramic Polymer that treats metal surfaces creating a Fluoro-Ceramic SHIELD providing for extreme friction reduction.

Foaming Throttle Plate Cleaner FL110

C

A special blend of solvents that quickly remove gums, resins and varnish from both sides of the throttle plate to help correct rough idle and stalling problems. Unique foaming action penetrates hard-to-reach areas without scrubbing.

Coolant & Conditioner Kit CL108

Fusion 2-Step Ultimate Fuel System Cleaning Service SB500

A/C

Complete intake system cleaning; removes carbon build-up and cleans the upper engine and intake systems. Tank additive removes fuel-related deposits. Ideal for GDI engines.

GDI Solution Kit SB550

A/C

Mighty VS7 GDI Solution Kit is designed to safely and effectively clean carbon and build-up in GDI fuel systems using advanced SYNTEUM-FI technology. Targeting the intake, valves, pistons, fuel injectors and the oil system. Addressing inherent problems and restoring loss of power and drivability issues throughout the entire fuel system.

High Mileage Oil Treatment OL107

A

Helps restore performance in older cars. Reduces oil consumption and exhaust smoking. Helps quiet noisy engines. Restores compression, helping to seal worn rings. Reduces oil fouling of spark plugs.

Hood and Door Latch Lubricant MN111

C

Mighty VS7 Hood & Door latch lubricant penetrates deep into the tightest areas. As this product dries, it turns into a gel that keeps hood and door latches lubricated to ease opening and closing.

A/C

Power 2D cleans the total fuel system, including intake valve seats, compression chambers, fuel injectors and fuel lines in two easy steps. Power 2D helps return compression to factory levels, increasing power and performance while reducing emissions and protecting against carbon build-up.

Professional Fuel Injector Cleaner FL 135

C

Cleans fuel injectors, combustion chambers, intake valve seats and spark plugs; restores power and performance; reduces harmful emissions; oxygen sensor safe.

Supreme Fuel System Cleaner FL108

C

Reduces pings and knocks. Cleans fuel and valve intake deposits. Helps to reduce emissions.

Power 2D 2-Step Engine Revitalizer SB400

Synthetic 2-Step Power Steering Flush & Protect System SB105

A/C

Mighty VS7 Power Steering Flush & Protect System is a two-step process to clean and protect the power steering system. Step one safely cleans the system and removes harmful deposits. This process can be done with or without a flushing machine. Step two protects and prolongs fluid life.

Synthetic 2-Step Transmission Flush & Fluid Protect Kit SB100

A/C

The Mighty VS7 Synthetic Transmission Flush & Fluid Protectant Kit is a two-step process to clean and protect the transmission system. This unique synthetic technology is safe for internal clutch and seal surfaces. Step one cleans the system and can be used with or without flush equipment. Step two protects internal transmission parts, reduces heat and extends fluid life.

Synthetic Blend Limited Slip Differential Supplement SB106

A

Mighty VS7 Limited Slip provides superior protection against metal-to-metal wear and resists thermal breakdown. It will extend the life of the gear oil and will help eliminate rear end chatter.

Synthetic Power Steering Fluid PS111

C

Mighty VS7 Synthetic Universal Power Steering Fluid is truly universal. It is designed for use in ALL power steering services/ exchanges requiring regular power steering fluid or specialty high-performance lubricating fluids, such as CHF+ applications.

Syntramax Complete Fuel System Cleaner SB304

C

Advanced Synteum-FI technology provides maximum fuel system cleaning and performance in one application. Removes performancerobbing deposits from fuel systems and combustion chambers. Reducing the octane intake requirement (ORI) helps reduce the need for high-octane fuel. Helps return fuel system performance to factory levels while reducing emissions and increasing performance.

Total Intake System Cleaner SB300

C

Advanced Synteum-FI Technology provides complete intake system cleaning by safely and effectively removing carbon build-up, cleaning a vehicle’s upper engine and intake systems from the plenum to the catalytic converter. Eliminating Hydro-locking - Guaranteed.

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2020 NOLN ADDITIVES GUIDE

Run-Rite 800.872.8921 run-rite.com

PRODUCT NAME

TYPE

PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION OF CAPABILITIES

Brake-Rite Brake Cleaner

C

VOC compliant, non-chlorinated brake parts cleaner; frees brake parts from brake dust, grime and fluid build-up to enable brakes to function properly without mechanical hindrance.

Brake-Rite Super Heavy Duty Dot 4 Brake Fluid

A

Exceeds SAE Spec J1703, Federal Spec VV-B680A and conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle standard 116.

Cool-Rite 2-Step Cooling System Service Kit

A/C

F.A.Q. (Fresh Air Quality) Cabin Air Cleaning Solution

C

Use with F.A.Q. Cleaning equipment to clean entire cabin air system; eliminates interior odors caused by germs, mold, mildew, bacteria, viruses, allergens and more. Approved by the EPA for use against the corona virus that causes COIVD-19.

Gear-Rite Synthetic Protectant

A

High-tech formula of synthetic base oils, complete anti-wear package and friction modifiers; provides high-temperature stability and protection from harmful deposits on synchros and gears.

Kleen-Rite Shop Solvent

C

Multi-use degreaser; non-chlorinated, recyclable solvent.

Kleen-Rite Ultimate Engine Cleaning Detergent (UECD)

C

Promotes a more complete drain of used engine oil; safely and effectively removes internal dirt, deposits and sludge.

Run-Rite Battery Maintenance Kit

C

2-step kit containing battery wash and battery corrosion protectant.

Cleans and protects cooling system; rapidly removes rust and scale; maintains warranty requirements; protects against breakdown.

A/C

Low-VOC compliant; improves fuel economy and efficiency; recovers lost power; reduces smoke and emissions; cleans and protects injectors and fuel pump.

Run-Rite G.D.I. Fuel System Cleaning Kit

C

Complete 3-step fuel system cleaning kit formulated especially for G.D.I. engines, but also beneficial for P.F.I. perform service once each year or every 15,000 miles.

Run-Rite G.D.I. Preventive Maintenance Kit

C

This two-step maintenance kit is designed to keep both G.D.I. and P.F.I. fuel systems clean in between annual complete services; use every 7,500 miles.

Run-Rite Headlight Restoration Kit

C

Run-Rite lens hardcoat dries crystal clear and rock-hard in 3-5 minutes; designed to restore and protect headlight surfaces, renewing the appearance and performance of the headlight.

Run-Rite High Mileage Oil Treatment

A

Reduces smoke; prevents viscosity breakdown; recommended for vehicles with 75,000-plus miles.

Run-Rite Premium Diesel Treatment

A

Cleans injectors, pumps and pistons; adds lubricity; fights corrosion; improves cetane; reduces emissions and smoke; delivers Cummins superior detergency.

Run-Rite Diesel Fuel System Kit

Run-Rite Premium Penetrating Oil

A/C

Run-Rite Super Duty Anti-Seize

A

Shift-Rite 2-Step Transmission Service Pack

A/C

Shift-Rite CVT Automatic Transmission Fluid SledgeHammer Power Steering System Cleaner

44

A A/C A

Premium oils penetrate deep into threads; fast acting to break free from rust and corrosion; high capillary action; long lasting lubrication.

Provides a protective shield against metal-to-metal contact; prevents seizure and corrosion; creates a protective barrier between surfaces; VOC compliant.

Improves performance, shift quality and lubrication of all parts; extends life and reliability; reduces heat and wear; clean and condition seals.

A high-performance, fully synthetic, versatile transmission fluid for CVT and step automatic transmissions.

Rapidly removes deposits from fuel injectors, intake valves, ports and combustion chambers.

Cleans power steering system prior to a fluid exchange; helps remove varnish and sludge deposits; improves fluid circulation; extend component life and improves steering performance.

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The Penray Companies 800.373.6729 penray.com

PRODUCT NAME

TYPE

PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION OF CAPABILITIES

2-Step Catalytic Converter Cleaning Kit

A/C

Improves emissions to factory levels; up to 50-percent improvement to pass emission tests.

2-Step Cooling System Re-Charge Kit

A/C

Safely cleans the entire cooling system; eliminates overheating and scale build-up; inhibits rust and scale.

2-Step Engine Re-Charge Kit

A/C

Cleans the entire oil system; improves circulation; frees sticky valves and rings; reduces engine heat and wear.

2-Step Fuel Injection and Induction Clean-Up Kit

A/C

Provides total fuel system cleanup; increases power.

2-Step Power Steering Fluid Tune-Up Kit

A/C

Decreases heat and friction; removes old fluid; reduces power steering fluid pump noise.

2-Step Transmission Tune-Up Kit

A/C

Reduces friction and wear; helps extend transmission life; safely removes dirt and varnish build-up; restores performance.

3-Step Fuel Injection and Induction Clean-Up Kit

A/C

Provides total fuel system cleanup; increases power and conditions.

4.0 Cleaner & Lubricant

C

Cleans, protects, lubricates and prevents; multi-purpose lubricant prevents rust and dust build-up; long-lasting; water-resistant lubrication; 50-state formula.

Battery Cleaner

C

Neutralizes acid and removes corrosion.

Crankcase & Differential Cleaner

C

Dual-solvent technology for gas and diesel; five-minute cleaner; add, run and drain; removes gum, sludge, varnish and moisture; ideal for removing water from differential.

Direct Injection Fuel System Cleaner

C

One-tank cleanup for all gas and diesel engines; cleans fuel system to restore fuel economy; improves idling and prevents corrosion; antioxidant technology stabilizes fuel.

Ethanol Stabilizer

A/C

Four-in-one treatment; fuel stabilizer; corrosion inhibitor; fuel system cleaner.

Glass Cleaner

C

Streak-free, ammonia-free vehicle glass cleaner.

High Mileage Oil Treatment

A

Helps stop leaks due to drying, hardening and shrinking of seals.

Mass Air Flow Sensor Cleaner

C

Helps restore fuel economy; re-establishes correct air/fuel ratio; reduces rough idle and hesitation; safe for plastic and delicate equipment; residue-free.

Non-Chlorinated Brake Cleaner

C

Quickly and effectively dissolves and removes grease, oil, brake fluid and other contaminants from brakes, CV joints and clutch components.

Total Fuel System Cleaner

C

Cleans and prevents deposit build-up; neutralizes the power-robbing effects of combustion chamber deposits.

Total Intake System Cleaner

C

Removes carbon build-up in gasoline and diesel engines.

Transmission MVP

A

Enhances Dexron/Mercon to perform like a highly friction-modified ATF.

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RelaDyne 317.696.3009 reladyne.com PRODUCT NAME

TYPE

PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION OF CAPABILITIES

DuraMAX Chlorinated Brake Cleaner

C

Removes grease, oil and brake fluid and other contaminants.

DuraMAX High VOC Non-Chlorinated Brake Cleaner

C

Removes grease, oil and brake fluid and other contaminants.

DuraMAX Low VOC Non-Chlorinated Brake Cleaner

C

Removes grease, oil and brake fluid and other contaminants.

DuraMAX Carb Cleaner

C

Cleans and frees linkages, cables and fuel injection intake systems.

DuraMAX DOT 4 Brake Fluid

A

For use in DOT 4 applications.

DuraMAX Fuel Injector Cleaner

C

Formulated to clean harmful deposits and carbon from fuel systems.

DuraMAX Glass Cleaner

C

Professional-grade glass cleaner

DuraMAX Penetrating Lubricant

A

Professional-grade rust release penetrating lubricant.

DuraMAX Power Steering Fluid

A

Protects and conditions power steering system.

DuraMAX Super Heavy Duty Brake Fluid

A

For use in DOT 3 applications.

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Smart Blend 281.435.0067 smartblend.com PRODUCT NAME Smart Blend ATF Clean & Protect 2-Part Kit

TYPE A/C

PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION OF CAPABILITIES Removes varnish and contaminants; cleans all parts, preparing the transmission for new fluid; eliminates shudder; extends fluid life; reduces wear; inhibits oxidation and overheating.

Smart Blend ATF Protectant

A

Eliminates shudder; extends fluid life; reduces wear; inhibits oxidation and overheating.

Smart Blend D-VI ATF Supplement

A

Converts Dexron III/Mercon into highly-stable fluid such as D-VI ATF.

Smart Blend High-Mileage Engine Oil Supplement

A

For use in engines with 75,000-plus miles; enhances conventional oil to perform as high-mileage; improves combustion chamber sealing; compatible with engine seals and all conventional oils.

Smart Blend Multi-Vehicle Titanium ATF

A

Synthetic multi-vehicle ATF enhances Dex/Merc ATF perform as a multi-vehicles ATF; takes the guess work out of converting ATFs; enhances performance of ATF base oils for most applications.

Smart Blend One Advanced Formula 2-Step Diesel FSC Kit

C

Advanced technology cleans the total diesel fuel system; helps return compression to factory levels; removes carbon deposits and cleans injectors; reduces emissions; improves cold starts; protects against carbon build-up.

Smart Blend One Advanced Formula 2-Step Gasoline FSC Kit

A/C

Advanced technology cleans the total fuel system, intake valves, seats, compression chamber, fuel injectors, carburetors, oxygen sensors, fuel lines and more; five-minute service process with no hydro-lock formula and no application tool required.

Smart Blend One Advanced Formula Engine Clean

C

Helps reduce the presence and build-up of sludge and harmful deposits in automotive engine applications; quickly and effectively removes engine sludge, varnish and deposits, preparing the engine for new oil; helps maximize engine performance and service life.

Smart Blend One Advanced Formula Fuel System Cleaner

C

With advanced Synteum Technology; cleans the entire fuel system including injectors; helps reduce emissions, improving fuel system performance.

Smart Blend One Advanced Formula Oil System Cleaner

C

Advanced Molecu-tech technology; professional formula for use in all gasoline engines; helps improve engine performance and engine life; helps free sticky valves and rings.

Smart Blend One Advanced Formula Total Intake System Cleaner

C

Advanced Synteum technology; removes deposits, improving power and performance; cleans intake valves, seats and compression chambers; cleans oxygen sensors; no application tool required.

Smart Blend One Formula 2-Part Power Steering Flush & Protect System

A/C

Removes contaminants, preparing the system for new fluid; converts regular power steering fluid to a multi-use fluid; eliminates whines/noises; reduces wear and extends fluid life.

Smart Blend One Advanced Formula Complete Fuel System Cleaner

C

Full-synthetic, PEA formulated tank additve; removes carbon deposits; improves power and performance; cleans intake valve seats and compression chamber; cleans oxygen sensors; helps return compression to factory levels; reduces emissions; for use with PFI and/or GDI engines.

Smart Blend One Advanced Formula Engine Protectant

A

PTFE protection for engines, above and beyond conventional oil; solid lubricant technology, protects internal parts and components; compatible with conventional and synthetic motor oils.

Smart Blend One Advanced Formula Premium Power Steering Flush Kit

A/C

Service kit is for use in all power steering services/exchanges in both foreign and domestic requiring regular power steering fluid including Honda/Acura; provides superior performance in power steering systems; advanced synthetic formulation outstanding high- and low-temperature performance; excellent shear stability; helps prevent corrosion, wear and oxidation.

Smart Blend One Advanced Formula Synthetic Multi-Vehicle Power Steering Flush Kit

A/C

Kit is for use in all power steering services/exchanges in both foreign and domestic requiring regular power steering fluid or specialty high performance lubricating fluids such as CHF+. It is also suitable for use in the newer electronic power steering systems.

A

Universal Leak Eliminator, seals and stops leaks in engines, transmissions and power steering systems. This unique formula contains two synthetic seal conditioning agents, which eliminate leaks in most engines, transmissions and power steering systems. Unlike other products, Universal Leak Eliminator contains no solids that could clog or plug filters and lines.

Smart Blend One Advanced Formula Synthetic Universal Sealer Smart Blend Synthetic 2-Step Coolant System Flush & Treatment

A/C

Removes scale, rust and other deposits; prepares cooling system for new fluid; compatible with all coolants; protects water pump, preventing corrosion damage; improves performance/efficiency.

Smart Blend Synthetic 2-Step Fuel System Induction Cleaner & FSC

C

Cleaner introduced through intake vacuum source; removes carbon from intake valves, combustion chambers; system treatment helps prevent deposit formation on fuel-system components.

Smart Blend Throttle Plate/Air Intake Carb & Choke Cleaner

C

Foaming cleaner; safe for use on all air intake and carburetor components; removes dirt, carbon, gum and varnish that interferes with precise operation of the intake system (Nissan PTFE coating safe).

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Solid Start / True Brand 877.290.3950 solidstart.com

PRODUCT NAME

TYPE

PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION OF CAPABILITIES

Fuel Juels

A/C

The ONLY time-released fuel treatment in the world! Restores fuel mileage up to 7%, increases compression, fights ethanol problems, safely removes water, lubricates & cleans, boosts octane, and saves you money for up to 12 tankfuls of fuel!

Fuel System Cleaner

A/C

Cleans the entire fuel system using detergents combined with surfactants, while improving combustion, increasing fuel mileage, reducing exhaust emissions, and safely removing water through the combustion process.

Advanced Intake Cleaner 2-Part Kit

C

Surface Science Technology combines two of our hottest, most aggressive formulas to clean and attack tenacious hard carbon deposits that build up and choke performance. Can be used via S-Hook or Vacuum Source service. Ideal for today’s direct injection (GDI) engines. (Also sold separately.)

GDI Fuel System Cleaner

A/C

Provides aggressive 2-stage cleaning for GDI engines from the gas tank to the exhaust; dissolves gums, varnish, and carbon deposits.

GDI Emissions Control Cleaner

C

Cleans oily deposits and debris from the PCV emissions system and safely address issues associated with modern, deposit-sensitive engines; dissolves crankcase varnish, sludge and carbon deposits and improves oil drain.

GDI Complete Clean 2-Step Kit

A/C

Formulated for GDI and PFI fuel systems; protects against deposits, removes water and fights ethanol, cleans emissions control systems, and removes harmful deposits from induction systems, intake valves, injector tips, and combustion chambers. Requires NO ENGINE TEARDOWN. (Also sold separately.)

GDI Complete Clean 3-Step Kit

A/C

Our GDI COMPLETE CLEAN 2-STEP KIT with the added power of True Brand GDI Emissions Control System Cleaner to also clean the PCV emissions system and intake valve deposits, dissolve crankcase varnish & sludge, and improve oil drain. Requires NO ENGINE TEARDOWN. (Also sold separately.)

Throttle Body & Air Intake Cleaner

C

Diesel Restore 2-Part Kit

A/C

True Diesel Max

A/C

Cleans the throttle valve, throttle body, idle air control valves, PCV valves, and other parts of the air induction system that have deposit accumulation.

Cleans diesel-fuel system by removing deposits from fuel injectors and combustion chambers. Helps improve fuel flow and spray patterns. Helps reduce emissions, diesel knock, and exhaust smoke. Increases horsepower and torque through improved diesel fuel combustion, and fights moisture damage.

Increases horsepower and torque through improved diesel fuel combustion; also cleans the fuel system, and fights moisture damage.

GF-6 compliant, patent-pending formula with friction-reducing technology bonds to the engine’s metal friction surfaces to help reduce maintenance, improve performance, and extend engine life. Also helps prevent oil breakdown. and reduces friction wear by 50% - 90% as shown by oil analysis.

Engine Max

A

Oil System Cleaner

C

Helps improve oil circulation and extend engine life by removing oils system deposits, gums, varnish, abrasive wear metal and dirt particles.

High Mileage Treatment

A

GF-6 compliant formula fortifies all grades of engine oil with a concentrated blend of antioxidants, detergents, dispersants, and lubricants.

Universal Stop Leak

A

Helps stop leaks due to drying, hardening, and shrinking of seals and gaskets; can be added to ANY oil. (Engine, Transmission, Rear End, etc.)

Power Steering Fluid 2-Part Kit

A

Multi-Vehicle Power Steering Fluid (meets OEM performance requirements for General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Acura, and most automobiles) and leave-in power steering treatment designed to reduce wear, foaming & squeal, and extend power steering system life. (Also sold separately.)

Premium Synthetic Power Steering Fluid 2-Part Kit

A

Premium Synthetic Power Steering Fluid suitable for use in ALL power steering fluids and leave-in power steering treatment designed to reduce wear, foaming & squeal, and extend power steering system life. (Also sold separately.)

Coolant Clean & Protect 2-Step Kit

A/C

Formulated to break down and suspend rust, scale and sediment without needing a neutralizer and is safe for plastic and aluminum.

Unique corrosion and rust inhibitor technology enhances protection of cooling system metals such as iron, aluminum, copper and solder. Safe for ALL types of coolant. (Also sold separately.)

All-In-One True Clean Germicide TrueCold A/C Performance Booster True Brand Headlight Restoration Kit

48

C A/C C

MULTI-SURFACE GERMICIDAL SPRAY formulated with 70% alcohol to clean and destroy the growth of harmful microbiological organisms on high-traffic touch areas. It removes bacteria and protects inanimate objects and surfaces from organisms such as bacteria, viruses or fungi while also helping deodorize.

The ONLY product of its kind. Boosts A/C performance - A/C gets colder faster. Cleans and protects the A/C system to extend compressor life and reduce fuel usage, while also helping diagnose A/C system leaks.

Patent-pending formula renews aged, hazy headlights to like-new clarity and increases visibility by up to 50%! Advanced ultraviolet drying agents to leave the clearest, hardest lens coating available for superior chemical, water, heat, and abrasion resistance.

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Service Pro 800.313.2463 service-pro.com

PRODUCT NAME

TYPE

PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION OF CAPABILITIES

2-Step Cooling System Re-Charge Kit

A/C

Cleans entire engine cooling system, water pump and radiator, protects against rust and scale; eliminates overheating and can be used with all antifreeze/coolants including long-life products.

2-Step Fuel Injection and Induction Tune-Up Kit

A/C

Formulated with powerful detergents for a total fuel system cleanup, including fuel injectors and intake runners, ports and valves.

2-Step Power Steering Fluid Tune-Up Kit

A/C

Removes old and contaminated fluid and conditions power steering system parts; reduces pump noise.

2-Step Transmission Tune-Up Kit

A/C

Removes dirt and contaminants from internal automatic transmission parts; conditions seals, valves and rings; restores smooth shifting and helps reduce wear.

3-Step Fuel Injection and Air Intake Cleaner Kit

A/C

Cleans harmful deposits and carbon from fuel system for increased power and acceleration; will improve idle and air flow to reduce emissions.

Concrete Cleaner Detailing products

C

High performance concrete cleaner that is phosphate free and biodegradable.

C

Professional carpet stain remover, fabric cleaner, and organic all purpose cleaner.

Engine and Oil System Cleaners

A/C

Engine Cleaner and Degreaser

C

Removes tough grease, oil and grime for car, truck and marine engines; spray on and rinse off with water.

Ethanol and Fuel Stabilizer

A

Treats and stabilizes fuels for up to 1 year; helps prevent ethanol seperation, corrosion and sludge during storage.

Fuel Injector Air Intake Cleaner

C

Dissolves and helps remove sticky gums, carbon, soil and resin deposits; unique spray tip to allow thorough cleaning of throttle body.

Professional use petroleum-based formula to safely remove used oil deposits; safe for engine seals and bearings.

A/C

Thoroughly removes and cleans gum, carbon, dirt and resin deposits; improves power, acceleration, idling, quicker starting and reduces emissions.

Intake Valve Deposit Cleaner

C

Helps remove deposits and sludge formed in internal combustion engines for oil to circulate freely; frees sticky valves and rings.

Mass Air Flow Sensor Cleaner

C

Reduces rough idle and hesitation and safe for plastic and delicate equipment.

Fuel Injector Cleaners

Motor Treatment

A/C

For gas and diesel engines; fuel injector and carb cleaner; eliminates moisture and ice problems and adds lubricity to fuel.

Non-Chlorinated Brake Cleaners

C

Professional grade brake cleaners that clean without disassembly; also available in ultra quick dry, non-flammable and California VOC formulas.

Premium Glass Cleaner

C

Heavy duty foaming glass cleaner that clings to surfaces and is ammonia free; safe on tinted windows.

Professional Carburetor Cleaner

C

Professional strength formula that removes gum, varnish, carbon, dirt build-up and much more.

Tough Clean

C

Non-abrasive, aluminum safe, water-based professional strength cleaner; available in various package sizes and mulit-purpose degreasing wipes.

Windshield Washer Antifreeze

A

Mix with water to desired freeze point; high strength formula will go down to -30°F; see local laws and guidelines.

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Valvoline 1.800.TEAM.VAL valvoline.com

PRODUCT NAME

TYPE

PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION OF CAPABILITIES

VPS All Season Heater and A/C Odor Eliminator

C

Reduces odor-causing microorganisms and harmful allergens from the heater and A/C systems; improves air quality.

VPS Anti-Corrosion Battery Service Kit

A

Neutralizes and eliminates accumulated and harmful corrosive elements; provides increased cranking efficiency.

VPS Automatic Transmission Service Kit

A/C

Provides smoother shifting; increases protection against wear and high-temperature breakdown; conditions seals; solvent-free technology.

VPS CVT Service Kit

A/C

Enhances overall transmission performance, facilitates smooth transitions, and protects against wear and high-temperature breakdowns.

VPS Complete Fuel System Treatment

A/C

E-85 compatible; cleans and protects entire fuel system in just one application; helps restore fuel economy, horsepower and overall drivability.

VPS Complete Oil System Cleaner

C

Helps restore fuel economy, horsepower and engine efficiency; helps reduce harmful emissions and engine wear; solvent-free technology.

VPS Differential and Transfer Case Cleaner

C

Safe and effective detergent/dispersant-based cleaner that helps remove harmful deposits from the driveline systems; solvent-free technology.

VPS All Engine Clean First Defense Kit

A/C

VPS All Engine Clean Fuel Rail Cleaner

C

Helps clean fuel injectors and removes deposits from combustion chambers; helps smooth rough idle and surging.

VPS Heavy Duty Fuel Rail Cleaner Kit

C

Helps restore fuel economy, horsepower and engine efficiency; helps reduce harmful emissions and engine wear; solvent-free technology.

VPS Light to Medium Duty Diesel Fuel Rail Cleaner

C

Helps restore fuel economy, power and overall drivability; helps reduce harmful particulate emissions and black smoke.

Designed to remove hard-to-reach engine deposits in gasoline engines; helps improve injector flow and prevents misfires.

VPS Power Steering System Kit

A/C

Prevents and eliminates leaks, stiff steering and pump noise; provides optimal steering performance; full-synthetic formula.

VPS Power Steering System Kit for Honda/Acura

A/C

Formula to meet Honda/Acura specifications; prevents and eliminates leaks, stiff steering and pump noise; provides optimal steering performance; full-synthetic formula.

VPS Radiator Protector Pack

A/C

Removes rust, scale and oily residue from entire cooling system; helps prevent engine boil-over and freeze-up; protects against rust and corrosion.

VPS Super Concentrated Fuel Injector Cleaner

A/C

Formula to meet Honda/Acura specifications; prevents and eliminates leaks, stiff steering and pump noise; provides optimal steering performance; full-synthetic formula.

VPS Top Treat Oil System Cleaner

C

Dissolves and removes sludge and deposits from the engine; prolongs engine life and helps restore engine efficiency; solvent-free technology.

VPS ULSD Diesel Fuel Treatment

C

ULSD compliant; cleans injectors; contains cetane improver and lubricity additive for enhanced performance; helps restore fuel economy, power and overall drivability.

TO VIEW THIS, AND OTHER GUIDES DIGITALLY, VISIT n ol n .n et /industr y-guid es 50

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11/11/20 12:07 PM 6/24/20 9:07 AM

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CUSTOMER SERVICE

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CASE STUDY

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TECH+TOOLS

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SERVICE

PIT STOP

CASE STUDY When crafting a tech

apprenticeship program, quick lube skills should be a top training priority. PAGE 58

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S

PI T STOP

SQUASH CONFLICT—BEFORE AND AFTER IT HAPPENS

An expert breaks down the steps to keeping cool in the shop B Y M AT T H U D S O N

SHOP LEADERS AREN’T JUST

GETTY

managing operations. They’re most often managing people. Conflicts among employees is one sure way to disrupt the flow of customer service. Let it simmer too long, and it could even end up hurting your shop’s revenue.

Expert author and speaker Byron Sabol is here to help with some handy advice for owners and managers to identify and squash conflict before it erupts.

If it does erupt, Sabol’s got some good steps to take then, too.

Avoiding Conflicts 1) Make your communication culture well-known. Sabol says that there’s one surefire way to determine if you’ve got this down.

“They need to know the all-important question,” he says. “What do your employees say about you when you’re not around?”

If you know the answer, then you have an operation with open lines of communication. If you don’t, then it might be time to work on your relationships with staff.

2) Get at the root problem. If your shop has that open communication culture, then it shouldn’t be tough to know what’s really bothering employees that are in dispute. Many times, it has nothing to do with what’s going on at work.

“Many people don’t talk about it because what they’re going through is not something they brag about,” Sabol says. “They may mention it to one or two people, but they bring that tension to work.”

3) Reinforce team values. Is the shop really a place to air personal grievances? In certain situations, yes. When a staffer’s home life is affecting his or her performance, it’s helpful to be a strong listener and mentor. After all, you’re all in it together.

Make sure you let employees know that by helping one another, they’re helping themselves thrive in their own work.

“We all work on the same team,” Sabol says. “And the work that we do affects everybody here.”

When Conflict Erupts 1) Meet with the employees separately.

Make sure you’re giving them ample time to tell you what’s on their minds.

Sabol says that, sometimes, employees just need to vent.

“Managers need to listen to understand each person’s concerns,” he says.

“They need to allow the employee ample opportunity to explain his or her views.”

That’s also a great way to get at the heart of a problem and work toward a solution.

2) Let them work it out.

“Before the manager or owner gets too involved, I would suggest they define the problem, listen to them, understand the facts, clarify them and let them work it out among themselves,” Sabol says.

Owners and managers can be guides to facilitate a solution among the conflicted employees. That empowers those involved to be more thoughtful about their approach.

3) If that doesn’t work, take additional steps. Of course, employees won’t always want to just work it out. Sabol says that he’s used one of a couple tactics.

One is a little peer pressure. Find another employee, with whom you have a good rapport, and ask them to urge those in conflict toward a solution.

Again, emphasize the team aspect in the shop and how everyone’s actions affect overall performance.

“Sometimes they want to hear it from somebody else,” he says. “They may want to hear it from somebody other than the owner or the business manager.”

If things really get out of hand, there are third-party mediators available.

These days, you can even schedule a professional through an online service.

After things seem to settle down, Sabol says that it’s always prudent to follow up and make sure relations are back on a smooth track.

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C U STOM E R S E RVIC E

TO ADD ON, OR NOT TO ADD ON?

The factors determining which retail items to add and which ones to pass up

ACCORDING TO THE RESPONSES IN

the 2020 NOLN Operator Survey, quick lube services make up 62 percent of gross annual sales. So, where does the other 38 percent come from?

It’s those extra, add-on services and retail items. There’s an array of add-on items your shop can offer, from wiper blades to tire rotations, all of the way to fuel-injection cleaning services, but which ones will give you the best bang for your buck? Just ask Steve Berkman, owner of Foothill Car Wash and Detail.

While his business still offers quick lube services, that side of the business has shrunk quite a bit.

The chemical pour-ins weren’t working for his business as the overall quick lube side of his business shrunk and he put his focus more on the car wash.

With this, he puts a big focus on his retail—especially with the abundance of accessories offered in the car wash lobby.

For Justin Alford, co-owner of Benny’s Car Wash, business is about even between the three different profit

56

centers—quick lube, car wash, convenience store—at various locations.

Over the years, however, the operation has put a focus on simplifying their services and putting an emphasis on overall convenience.

Here’s how each operation determined which items were the best fit for them and what buyer trends they’ve seen in their shops.

OPERATORS WITH ADDITIONAL PROFIT CENTERS

77% 45% 19.9%

Car Wash

Tire Sales/ Service

Full Service

Cost Is it better to have more or less retail available? Obviously, if you are on a shoestring budget, you don’t want too much retail that you can’t return. But on the other hand, you want to make sure that you are able to respond to people’s buying impulses.

To do this, focus on items that sell themselves, like consumables. Items like beverages, snacks, lottery tickets, even greeting cards are easy to sell and never go bad. They could sit on the shelves for a long time. In fact, greeting cards are one of his top sellers. It’s an item people frequently buy on impulse if they need it for a certain occasion.

Other items to focus on are ones that can be bought back. The company Berkman gets all of his auto accessories from sells to multiple car washes around the nation, so if the product isn’t a big hit, he can easily send it back for a full refund.

“As long as an item has a guaranteed buy-back, it doesn’t matter,” Berkman says.

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$ THE EASY-SELLERS

Space As a quick, 10-minute service shop, Alford’s quick lubes don’t have lobbies.

Same goes for Berkman. The quick lube waiting area is small and not a lot of customers come through there. Instead, he concentrates his retail items in the car wash’s lobby, which resembles a convenience store and has a lot of foot traffic coming in and out. On average, he has about 100 to 200 customers walking through this area each day. Without the space to store items and the foot traffic grazing the items 24/7, Berkman wouldn’t carry any of these items.

Location As the saying goes, it’s always about location, location, location. The retail items you sell depend on the market you serve.

Berkman’s operation resides in a very urban area filled with young professionals. Compared to a more rural area, the market is extremely different.

In his demographic area, right outside of Los Angeles, customers don’t keep their cars for more than a few years, while those in more rural areas hold out for much longer. Berkman provides the example of deciding to have diesel fuel enhancers stocked up in your shop or not. In his operation, they wouldn’t sell a lot of these items with the type of vehicles he services—maybe one every tenth oil change, if that. But for those out in the more rural areas, they’ll sell one almost every service.

Trends Ten years ago or so, Benny’s Car Wash was a full-service car wash. But since

then, they’ve been looking for ways to simplify their processes—not only because trends have been changing, but also because labor is limited. Before, the full-service car wash had about 75 employees working within. Now, each location has about 15.

Back in 2000, Alford says they started noticing the changes, which led to their first full-exterior car wash experience opening in the same year.

Over the next 20 years, the business slowly transitioned from the interior experience to an exterior, with COVID19 finishing off the business’s last interior car wash experience.

Instead of the indoor retail experience, Benny’s Car Wash now has replaced this with a big vending machine presence. Everything from the typical drinks and snacks, to air fresheners, wet wipes and towels are all available within the vending machines outside of the car wash’s walls. Alford explains that these aren’t the typical quarter slot vending machines, they’re heavy duty, taking all cash and holding at least 50 items each. At some locations, the car wash has a minimum of two vending machines, going all the way up to as many as four.

While Alford does miss a little bit of the customer interaction involved with the interior car wash, they realized it’s all about convenience.

“Times have changed,” Alford says.

“Customers live in the vehicles and don’t want to get out of their cars. What used to be about the service is now becoming commoditized.”

Here are some items that practically sell themselves.

According to the 2020 NOLN Operator Survey, the top add-on items are air filters, wiper blades, tire rotations, and transmission services. About 98 percent of respondents said that they offer engine air filters, followed by conventional wiper blades (94 percent), cabin air filters (90 percent), along with checking batteries (86 percent), and selling them, too (83 percent).

The winners are air filters. In fact, selling air filters alone makes up 2 to 3 percent of Berkman’s service profits, even with the quick lube profits a sliver overall.

For Alford’s operation, wiper blades are also easy sellers and nice additions to tickets. Berkman says most cost between $20 and $30 per pair.

Both Berkman and Alford say these items are easy sellers because you can physically show them to your customer. Simply show the current condition and compare to what it should look like.

“Our job is to show every single thing to every customer,” says Rob Hetherington, the shop’s chief operation officer, who mainly runs the quick lube side of the operation.

He says the key to getting the sale is letting customers make the buying decision. Don’t focus on a single item, but the overall service.

“If you focus on the service itself, the return will be there.”

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DRAFTING AN PROGRAM

How your own tailored apprenticeship program can build qual B Y A B B Y PAT T E R S O N

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hile finding a technician these days is hard to do, finding one who is qualified for the job is an even more daunting task. So instead of searching aimlessly for technicians that had the whole package, Houska Automotive in Fort Collins, Colo., decided to build their own—that is, create their own apprenticeship program to train their future technicians for success at their shop.

And to do so, two shop VPs—Jason Lightbody, vice president of tire and oil operations in the shop, and Jon Monks, HOUSKA vice president of the shop—teamed AUTOMOTIVE up to create a successful program that OPERATOR: grows quality technicians.

DENNIS HOUSKA Houska Automotive is a general auto repair shop, and while their overLOCATION: all goal is to create master technicians, FORT COLLINS, COLO. their program helped create a path for STAFF SIZE: the quick lube industry to gain quality 50 lube techs, too.

AVERAGE NUMBER

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OF BAYS: The Challenge 38 While technicians were coming through the door, most, if not all, AVERAGE DAILY CAR COUNT: weren’t up to Houska Automotive’s 40-45 standards. Candidates lacked basic knowledge, their skill sets were differTICKET AVERAGE: ent from what they needed, and those $425 coming from national chains weren’t as proficient at what they did as most of their own technicians.

“We weren’t able to judge people accurately, and we weren’t able to tailor to their skillset,” says Lightbody. “We have one guy right out of tech school and he didn’t know how to diagnose a vehicle.”

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And while most programs out there are geared toward creating master technicians meant for full-service auto repair, few focus on creating quality lube technicians, something Lightbody and Monks believed was an essential step to becoming a quality technician.

The Solutions Finding the Right Fit To find the right fit, Monks scoured other apprenticeship programs, while also looking at the shop’s goals. With their own apprenticeship program, Lightbody says it would allow the shop to be able to identify technicians as good candidates for their shop before officially being hired on full-time. For Houska’s program, the apprentices would be required to take certain classes and obtain certain licenses, first needing to master each aspect of a lube technician’s job first.

Training Quick Lube Masters It may sound like a piece of cake, but Lightbody and Monks wanted to make sure these future technicians were valuable to their shop and the industry.

Because of this, apprentices are required to master everything in quick lube, tire services, and diesel under Lightbody’s supervision before being admitted to the full apprenticeship program.

Techs go through six months of training and complete certifications outside of the shop for diesel—an eight-hour class through the state of Colorado, workbook training, and a written and hands-on test. Once they’ve proved themselves as quick lube and tire masters, they’re eligible for the program and become a top-level lube tech.

With this track, technicians can choose to stay as a lube technician or go onto

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become a full ASE technician. If they choose to move on, apprentices will spend two months in each section of the shop—a total of eight, to be exact—and will work under Monks on all things auto repair.

BECOMING TOP-LEVEL TALENT

1

Oil Change Training

Tire Training

3

Diesel Training

Eligible for Lube Tech Program

5

2

4

Become Top-Level Lube Tech

Work as Lube Tech/ Move On to ASE Training

6

The Aftermath Now that they had the program laid out and put in place, the shop needed to get the word out. Lightbody says it’s mainly been through word-of-mouth. They told all of their vendors and sales reps about it and encouraged their staff to spread the message. At least each person in the industry knows five to 10 others in the industry, too, Lightbody says, so the program has been able to get around local technical colleges and other big chain companies. The shop even presented the program to their 20 Groups and consulting company Elite Worldwide. Now, Lightbody says top shops in the country have looked at their curated program.

So far, six apprentices have gone through the program, with two going on to work for quick lube facilities. While most student technicians go all the way through the entire program to become a Master technician, this avenue gives students a choice on the path they want to take. By making students masters in all things quick lube first, students are fully prepared to take on a lube tech position; they aren’t forced to move up and can choose to stay and master their craft.

The Takeaway With its success over the past three years, Lightbody says they are still adjusting the program, but over the years, they have provided a hub for apprentices to become quality technicians and choose their career path, creating an outlet for the quick lube industry to attract new talent.

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T E C H + TO OLS

THEY SAY A PICTURE IS WORTH A

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Take picture-perfect photos all from your phone

PEXELS

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thousand words. Pictures of your business will give customers a lot of insight into your business, and the more pictures, the more familiar a customer can get.

While more pictures are better than few, it’s all about quality over quantity when it comes to putting your business on display. And you don’t have to fork over a big wad of cash to do so, according to Liz Giorgi, co-founder of Soona, a creative content platform specializing in curated photography for businesses.

She knows a thing or two about making a business stand out, and she says it can easily be done with your mobile device.

“We truly believe that being able to create great assets and content is created

with your cell phone,” Giorgi says.

Here are her tips on taking the best images all from your smartphone.

Achieve the best lighting.

Did you know that the sun is the greatest lighting tool in the history of cinema? According to Giorgi, that’s the case. Whether it’s of a person or a product, it’s important to make sure the photo is bright enough where people can see the detail of the picture.

When taking pictures, make sure to get near a window or a door with an abundance of outdoor light. Throw those bay doors open.

The time of the day makes a big difference, too. Have you ever heard of the term “golden hour?” There’s a reason for

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LEADERSHIP

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this. The best times to achieve your shot and get that golden hue, according to Giorgi, is typically between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., or between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

New to photo editing? Liz Giorgi, co-founder of professional photography company, Soona, says to start out with these apps.

A Color Story Create fresh, colorful photos without going overboard. The app even has tutorials on photo tips, filters and effects, and how to use photography tools.

Cost: Free Available on: iOS and Android devices

Set the scene.

When taking photos, you want to be aware of not just what’s in focus, but what’s surrounding the image as well.

What is behind your image? What are the visuals you are seeing? You need to set the scene according to give a customer an idea of what it will actually look like in person.

Photofox Formerly known as Enlight and Enlight Photofox, this app has been named one of the best options for editing photos on iOS devices, according to The Verge. This app will help you create effects and art filters. The best part? No experience required.

Cost: Free Available on: iOS devices

Keep it at eye level.

We see the world at eye level, so it makes sense that photos take that perspective. When holding your phone, you don’t want to get above or below the visual you are trying to capture.

Keep your phone at eye level and as straight on as possible. Giorgi says this

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will really help a customer be able to envision what the actual visual looks like in person.

place your hand in the image, even holding the product, to see the size of the product in relation to your hand.

Put it into focus.

While it’s important to put your lens into focus (tapping the photo screen on most phones), it’s also important to center and scale your image. Giorgi says your iPhone (if you have one) already teaches you how to do so. It’s called the rule of thirds, which is shown as a grid containing nine boxes in the camera app. Giorgi says to always make sure the visual you’re taking a picture of is in the center square. Overall, the photo should be consumed by the image you capture, and if it’s not, crop the image to fit.

If you are featuring a product, scale the photo. For example, let’s say you’re selling cabin filters. To help customers understand just how big the product is,

Don’t overdo it on the filters.

Sometimes, less is more, and in this case, the saying holds true. For those that are just getting started with taking photos on your smartphone, try to stay away from photoshop and crazy effects. If you are looking to enhance your pictures just a smidge, however, Giorgi says that two apps to try might be A Color Story and Photofox. These apps will let you see lots of different photo techniques and styles, as well as how to make your image pop. They can easily enhance your photos without going too overboard.

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Take lots of shots.

When running a photoshoot, make sure to take lots of pictures in order to have

a robust library of visuals stocked up.

You want to think about having these assets to use for your website or social media posts down the road. And best yet, if your shop gets a press opportunity, they will be looking for assets that represent your company best. Giorgi says to have 20 images saved to start off with, and plan on adding 10 to 20 more photos every six months so the images don’t start to repeat themselves in posts.

Show off your people.

People love to buy things from other people, and highlighting your staff in pictures will help you do that, says Giorgi. You can easily take staff headshots for your website, or even take a couple of action shots to show off your shop’s personality. After all, your photos should show off your shop’s best assets, and that’s your people.

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Fuel Additives are Fine—as Long as You Know What You’re Adding Your business is built on trust and speed, ensure that’s reflected in the brands and products you sell

BY BILL BEYERLE, AUTOMOTIVE INSTALLED SALES MANAGER, CHEVRON LUBRICANTS AND JIM SMILEY, CONSUMER SECTOR MANAGER, CHEVRON LUBRICANTS

Any successful and experienced operator will agree that trust and

improvement and recommended by major automakers can enhance customer loyalty through your vehicle maintenance services, while contributing to your profitability. Your ability to match the right product to the customer’s need is one reason they will keep coming back to you as a valued and trusted shop. Also, oil change services are about speed and convenience. Since pour-in fuel additives take about 1 minute for a technician to pour into your customer’s gas tank, execution is so easy!

There are pour-in fuel additives that come from reputable companies, have been used by automakers for years, have proof of performance and real-life customer and mechanic satisfaction stories.

Fred Saraiva, who owns a Havoline ® xpress lube ® in a Yuba City, Calif., stocks and recommends Chevron’s Techron ® Complete Fuel System Cleaner and Techron ® quality, pour-in Diesel Fuel System Cleaner to his customers. fuel additive “Offering Techron to my customers is a nobrand known brainer. My customers understand the value once for performance we explain that it’s important to regularly use a fuel additive to clean and protect their vehicle’s improvement and engine. Plus, Techron is a premium fuel additive recommended and a brand that my customers know and trust. It’s by major a quality Chevron product that I regularly use in automakers can my own vehicles,” says Saraiva.

Your successful oil change business is built on enhance customer trust and speed, reflected in the brands and products loyalty...” you sell and the customer service you deliver. As a best practice, be sure to apply those same standards —Bill Beyerle, automotive when selecting quality, pour-in aftermarket fuel installed sales manager, additive brands that you recommend and install into Chevron Lubricants your customer’s vehicles.

reputation are their most valuable assets, and these key ingredients are not worth compromising at any cost. So, it is critical to have confidence in what you are selling and installing into your customer’s vehicles—including recommending add-on products like aftermarket fuel additives. Used regularly, a premium fuel additive will help to optimize a vehicle’s performance, minimize emissions while maximizing power and fuel economy—all of which is a win-win for both you and your customers. Therefore, consider these important questions when selecting aftermarket fuel additive brands to stock in your shop and recommend to your “Adding valued customers.

First, consider the integrity and reputation of the supplier. Is the fuel additive an established, reputable brand from a well-known company that stands behind its products? Is the product recommended and used by leading automakers? If so, then this should give you and your customers peace of mind as a quality assurance stamp.

The next question to consider is whether the fuel additive product performs as promised—will it work as advertised? Have you heard or seen any feedback from experienced mechanics, customers, online forums or blogs? Have you used the product yourself to see if you’ve noticed improved responsiveness and better fuel economy? Are you really comfortable putting the product into the vehicles of family and friends and be subject to their feedback and scrutiny?

Last and most importantly, is this product the right thing for your customers? Will the fuel additive improve vehicle performance or solve problems the customer is experiencing, like: sluggishness, rough idle, lost fuel economy, stuck fuel gauge from using lower quality fuels, or knocking or pinging in older vehicles?

Equally important to point out are good maintenance practices, like using a quality fuel additive at every oil change interval to help keep vital engine parts clean by removing carbon deposit formations that naturally build up over time in the fuel combustion process.

Adding a quality, pour-in fuel additive brand known for performance 66

Bill Beyerle has been with Chevron Lubricants for more than 25 years and is currently the automotive installed sales manager. You can reach him at BillBeyerle@chevron.com.

Jim Smiley is currently the consumer sector manager for Chevron Lubricants, managing the Techron and Havoline brands. You can reach him at James.Smiley@chevron.com.

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Technology Trends, Part 6: What Does It All Mean?

The questions to ask yourself when looking towards the future of the industry

BY STEVE BARRAM, CEO INTEGRATED SERVICES, INC. (ISI)

In previous columns this year, we touched on topics involving and help shape Electric/Hybrid cars, telematics that create the “connected” car, can and should the emerging concept of the “shared fleet”, the potential disruption of the Tesla “non-dealership” model, the growing role of artificial intelligence and its potential impact on our industr y, and why “We ought to privacy matters. be compelled to In this final column, and in keeping with the goal of providing food for thought and the hope that we press forward will continue to engage the “struggle” of the trends with our own that are in front of us, we ask what might this all individual mean for us?

• Which trends will impact the automotive aftermarket?

• How will customer involvement and the customer journey change?

• How will profit pools shift along the value chain?

• What are some initial steps aftermarket players should take in order to be prepared?

and collective association efforts to monitor existing and emerging trends.”

—Steve Barram, CEO, ISI

Lube shops are part of the independent aftermarket vs the OEM’s. According to some studies and reports, growth in this segment is expected to remain at about 3 percent for the next generation. We ought to be compelled to press forward with our own individual and collective association efforts to monitor existing and emerging trends.

The bullet point questions above are there to challenge us to become a part of the top percent of industry insiders that dig into

what our industry and our own individual responses be.

For instance and by way of example, if we saw a trend emerging that indicated dealerships might actually be motivated to work with particular fast lube shops in some form of micro partnership, wouldn’t you want to be at the front of and positioned to benefit from such a trend? Wouldn’t you want to know about the possibility and make sure you became top of mind to your local dealerships at the beginning of such a shift?

The point is not that this particular instance will materialize, rather the point is if you applied your awareness of the trends we have been discussing in these articles, then hopefully you will be more equipped to capitalize on the circumstances because you saw the signs and understood what new opportunities could be heading your direction.

Thank you for reading these articles and considering how the information may assist you to remain relevant and successful in our industr y.

Steve Barram is CEO of Integrated Services, Inc.(ISI) - software makers of LubeSoft. He has been actively involved in the fast lube segment of the automotive aftermarket industry for over 30 years through leadership roles, speaking engagements, and serving on boards. For more information, please visit: www.ints.com.

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FROM OUR PARTNERS

Optimizing Personal Connections in a Contact-Free Landscape Contact-free doesn’t mean less points of communication to the customer

BY RANDY FOWLER, VP OF PRIVATE BRAND SALES, PENRAY

This year, maintaining personally connected experiences is of utmost over time. These applications have texting options for providing status updates, importance in an emerging contact-free world. As months have passed, we appointment scheduling, reminders, and mobile payment options. Syncing up have become accustomed to our new norm of maintaining social distance, and with shop management software, they seamlessly connect not only the customer even found new efficiencies in providing faster services by having less physical experience but the entire repair process. contact. However, as vehicles become more digitally advanced each year, so do Now that Massachusetts Question 1, “Right to Repair Law” Vehicle Data options for optimizing your customer service to provide personalized service.

Access Requirement Initiative (2020) has passed, manufacturers that sell motor Along with contact-free changes, car manufacturers’ competitive race vehicles equipped with telematics systems are required to install a standardized to advancement has put the world at customers’ fingertips with a push of a open data platform beginning with model year 2022. This allows vehicle owners button. Connected vehicle advancement reaches new boundaries every year. to access system data through a mobile device application allowing them to The expectation of a seamless experience is not unique to the give consent for independent repair facilities. Allowing open automotive industry. However, it is these very advancements access to vehicle data and sending commands to the system that have created a disconnect between customer expectation for repair, maintenance, and diagnostic testing. The 2013 “Multiple points of and the reality of keeping up with implementation of the latest “Right to Repair Law” exempted telematics systems from access for content digital advancements. wireless accessibility. This change opens up vehicle history for such as service You most likely have already been using some contact-free repair shops that they otherwise might not have had access scheduling, ways to provide personal connections. Most businesses have to, allowing for better vehicle assessment and in the end, leveraged various social media platforms for years. However, are overall customer service ability that previously only vehicle videos, and you telling a story that promotes transparency and education manufacturers had access to. educational to help pull in new customers and instill a sense of trust for A comprehensive plan that digitally touches many points information help customer retention? Videos of repairs in progress, clean shop of contact with a customer streamlines the information build a first point photos, and posts build on your brand’s story. Customer reviews flow. The latest advancements greatly aid in a shop’s ability and the way you do, or do not answer them, and response speed to effectively service customers contact-free. The process of customer all tell a customer a lot about who you are and what sort of can be on demand in delivery content to them providing contact.” service you provide. the customer what they want when they want it. Or, it can Beyond reviewing social media sites, consider what be targeted and pushed to them through specifics like — Randy Fowler, VP of search engines show about your business. Multiple points of personalized inspection reports, but contact-free doesn’t private brand sales, access for content such as service scheduling, videos, and mean less points of communication to the customer. It doesn’t Penray educational information help build a first point of customer have to be any less of a chance to make an impression. Rather, contact. Targeting specifically to certain audiences customizes it allows for even more chances to unify a message, build a content by delivering specific content based on demographics, brand story and amplify connection—improving the overall geolocation, brands liked, and more. customer service experience.

Customized messaging can further be deployed through email campaigns, texts, and apps. Are you delivering promotions or personal content to customers to bring them back in for repeat business? Deploying reminders for service?

Randy Fowler, VP of Private Brand Sales for Penray. Since 1951, Penray has been a Messaging on vehicle status? Follow-up messaging after services? leading aftermarket chemical solutions provider helping customers solve complex Utilizing digital vehicle inspections (DVIs) is another way to provide problems with innovative chemistry focused on automotive, heavy duty, marine and personalized information and transparency to customers to bolster their trust. industrial applications. In 2017, Penray was acquired by PLZ Aeroscience Corporation.

Many applications save photos/videos along with inspection reports and The PLZ family of companies formulate, blend, fill and package more than 2,500 estimates that can be sent to customers. By logging inspections, a customer’s brand and private label products. PLZ specializes in the development, manufacturing, history is more accurate allowing for tracking the wear and tear of their vehicle packaging and distribution of a comprehensive line of products since 1947.

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FROM OUR PARTNERS

“Our Best Customer, Is an Educated Buyer” How educating your staff and your customers will help grow your ARO

BY AMBER KOSSAK, CEO OF SOLID START

We have had this as our motto for years, “Our Best Customer, Is an Think about your favorite customers who trust you because they Educated Buyer”. Training, service, values, knowledge, learning and understand what you are doing. These customers come in and you are so skills all play a role in how we help educate or how we comfortable with them that you feel like you can offer them are educated ourselves. Think about it, if you are making anything because they believe in you. You are their hero; a decision, wouldn’t you want to make an “educated” you keep their vehicle on the road, and you spend time with “When your decision? Customers should trust and believe in you, them to explain each service. If you think about the motto, customer trusts they should not feel they are being told what to do or “Our Best Customer, Is an Educated Buyer,” who would not given one-word explanations. A customer deserves to want their customer to be educated on what they are going you and believes understand the value! to purchase? When your customer trusts you and believes in you, they Picture this, “Um ma’am, uh I have your air filter here in you, they are making an “educated” decision to come to are making and it is dirty would you like it replaced?” you to have their vehicle serviced. an ‘educated’ “No,” the customer replies.

“Believe in yourself, and anything is possible!”

Why would they have said yes? Because it is dirty? Do Believe in yourself, do not let the word “no” dictate the decision to come they understand what dirty means? Most likely they do, next customer and how the rest of your day goes. Continue to you to have but do they understand the benefits of having a clean air on and remember to ask every time. These are services that their vehicle filter or replacing an air filter in a timely manner? In this protect your customers’ investments—whether it is just an serviced.” instance, the customer most likely said “no” because they oil change, oil system cleaner, engine treatment, or a fuel did not understand the value, the service, or why it was system cleaner, with the services you offer you are helping —Amber Kossak, beneficial. You have to remember the why, what, when, keep your customers’ vehicles on the road longer. I am CEO of Solid Start and where. Customers deserve to understand before they sure you are familiar with the saying, “maintain it now or make a reply. If they understand, they will, in turn, trust repair it later”. Well, the average age of a vehicle on the you and you will most likely receive a lot more yeses from road today is almost 12 years old. That means it is cheaper your customers! to maintain your customers’ vehicles than for them to have Make it a culture—make it a policy to train, educate, and build on value a car payment! Believe in what you are doing, believe in the services you and service. If you do, every employee will live it, and, in turn, customers offer, and “educate” the customer. will see the difference. The “no” will turn into a “yes” and the attitude will be positive. There will be a difference in the level of service offered if it is a policy to train on service, and a policy to train on value and education.

Remember, employees have to be educated on policy and services before Amber Kossak is the CEO of Solid Start, manufacturer of True Brand Products. they can educate the customer.

She has been in the automotive industry for almost 20 years and is serving on “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough,” the AOCA board of directors. She can be contacted at kossak@solidstart.com.

Albert Einstein.

For more information please visit solidstart.com.

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particular skill or type of behavior. I believe it encompasses much more and leads to success in an organization. When your team understands your company vision and mission, your guest experience expectations, and the necessary technical knowledge, your organization will be prosperous.

Proper training has been the key to success at Lube ‘n Go, and the work and preparation that the Automotive Oil Change Association has put into its training programs has played a big role.

At Lube ‘n Go, training is our top priority. We onboard our team members beginning at orientation which gives them clear expectations and timelines.

Our standardized approach to orientation, training and certification testing ensures that every team member is given the tools and support to be successful.

During orientation, we introduce new team members to our company vision, mission and policies.

We present our Path to Progress, which outlines the steps and certifications necessary to earn positions past their initial trainee designation. This document provides clarity and encourages team members to understand how to grow within the company. They are able to proactively invest in their training and create their own path to success. The Path to Progress also affords team members the ability to feel their successes and accomplishments as they complete portions of training and move up within their career.

Creating Industry Leaders We offer hands-on training both at our corporate office and at each lube center. Our goal is to educate at a high level, so team members understand what they will be learning at their respective facilities and have a clear understanding of our expectations. It is through interaction with their fellow team members and guests that they learn what it means to be a successful lube technician working as part of an effective team, eager to serve their guests and meet company goals.

As part of their Path to Progress, technicians

take online vendor-lead training and participate in the Automotive Oil Change Association Technician Academy in addition to Lube ‘n Go training exams and certifications.

As the president of AOCA board, I urge you to tie your organization’s training in with our proven industry platform as it brings credibility to the process.

AOCA’s education will show your team how the industry works together to train in similar ways and as well as how the variety of information is handled across the industry.

AOCA’s Technician Academy allows new, up and coming team members to learn about the industry as well as the roles and responsibilities within a lube center. They will learn the ins and outs and walk away with incredible technical knowledge that is invaluable to your team.

The Manager Training Course is a wonderful tool your organization can use to not only train new, but also refresh seasoned management. The course also gives new owners and operators the opportunity to understand how to run a facility, take care of guests and how to be ultimately successful in their endeavors.

COVID-19 has changed how the AOCA presents the Manager Training Course, as it is usually in person, which is something we hope to return to soon. We were excited to offer our first virtual training course on November 16 th that had more than 45 individuals in attendance. We believe it allowed those who would have attended in person the opportunity to still gain the knowledge and experience of learning how to manage a center.

As you begin to make plans and set goals for 2021, I urge you to take a close look at how you may be able to improve or build upon your training programs. Whether it be a simple update to information, launching a new platform, building a comprehensive training program or committing to utilizing all the education AOCA has to offer, you will see a measurable and direct impact on the success of your team and your brand.

DECEMBER 2020

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WE BUY QUICK LUBES

598 598 LOCATIONS PURCHASED SINCE JANUARY 2014, AND COUNTING! Valvoline is seeking single and/or multiple locations performing 7500+ oil changes per year. ™

Contact Gayle McMillin

859-357-7303

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US-J-5344-EN ©2020 Valvoline 10/20 ™Trademark, Valvoline or its subsidiaries, registered in various countries

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11/23/2020 9:30:22 AM

ADVERTISERS/ PRODUCT INDEX ADAPT (51) API (54) AutoCenter Sales (65) 800.874.5793 Auto Data, Inc. (7) 800.767.7580 Auto Job Central (46) AutoNation (9) 833.333.T360 BendPak, Inc. (64) 800.253.2363 BG Products (12) C.A.T Products (37) Chevron (2, 66) 866.354.4476 Devon Industries (18) 800.468.1970 eGenuity (62) 800.600.4955 Integrated Services, Inc. LubeSoft - Modulube (67, 76) 800.922.3099 ITW (14) Kafko International Ltd. Oil Eater/Degreaser (21) 800.528.0334 KUKUI (16) 877.695.6008 M & M Service - Deep Blue Windshield Washer Concentrate (21) 800.657.9834 Mighty Auto Parts (27) Penray (68) 800.373.6729

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TIRE/LUBE TECHNICIAN We are committed to safety, attitude, pride, and professionalism (SAPP), and we are currently seeking a Tire/ Lube Technician to join our team in Salt Lake City, Utah! Responsible for minor mechanical including but not limited to: standard suto application tires, split rims, oil changes, and truck/trailer tires. Complete benefits package and training provided.

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DECEMBER 2020

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LEADING EDGE

Building Our Tower

Communication lays the foundation that builds solid team relationships

LENNY

SAUCIER

Lenny is the Vice President of Human Resources and training development for Victory Lane Quick Oil Change.

He has 20 years of experience in automotive and technician experience in the United States, Canada and Saudi Arabia.

LSAUCIER

@VICTORYLANE.NET

and ideas between two or more people.”

David Garic put this on a projector in a large meeting room to a group of young leaders years ago. He couldn’t be the first to utter those words, but it was the first time I had seen it and the first time I heard it.

Most of the people (including myself) did not truly understand the purpose and drive behind that statement. I took it as a speaker pointing at a definition on the board to cover a topic. I sat quietly in my seat looking at the words and dismissing them as simplistic fill. Come to find out this is one of the most impactful statements in leadership. So much that I still see it on a mental projector screen when facing my own communication failures.

I originally thought of communication as two or more people talking. This could be brought back to a biblical story of the Tower of Babel. A short, condensed version (aka Cliffs Notes) says that after the great flood, the people found a land called Shinar and built a town and a tower that was meant to reach heaven. God was not happy with this and confused their languages so they could not communicate. This stopped the tower from being built and is how the different languages were constructed.

It wasn’t that a tower couldn’t be built without language. I can point to a brick, point to mortar, demonstrate how to do it and poke you in the chest and point to the wall. I think this would get you on the path of laying brick. But without communication, we can only demonstrate and demand. We cannot discuss problems, collaborate on new ideas, challenges, and opportunities. The idea of the wall could only be seen by the architect and not the builders.

Communication Codes In our business, the leaders are the architects and our crew are the builders. Our job is to teach, train, correct and construct the builders and not the wall.

This is where communication comes into play. We must have a clear and concise language that is not confusing and allows everyone to collaborate to build our towers, also known as our business. My demonstration of showing and pointing was a simplistic and archaic display or management. Sadly, this is seen in our daily routines at work and home. Leadership

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communicates and exchanges thoughts and ideas with each other so we can as a team build.

The failure is usually visible at the termination of employment where an employee is finally told they are not doing the job well enough to get paid anymore, or the employee tells the job that the pay is not worth the job. In most cases this can be traced back to the constant poking in the chest and pointing to the wall.

Instead of communication, we dictate and demand.

While this may have worked in past generations and a small segment of dominant trait employees, this does not work in today’s workforce. Our potential new leaders are hungry for information and focused on the team (you may call them millennials or “these young people”). In reality, they are the ones who can understand processes, technology and teamwork better than we ever have. We just fail to communicate to them effectively to motivate them to build our tower.

Examples to Follow The process is like this: Start with why, explain what success looks like, identify their contribution, encourage questions and conflict, assign and follow up.

A conversation with a hypothetical employee might go like this: “Justin, we would like to ensure our customer has the best impression when pulling into the shop. This starts with what they notice in front of the shop. We would like the customer to see a nice garden with beautiful flowers that display our attention to detail. You have been one that has consistently shown attention to detail and creativity which is why I am talking to you about this. We have a budget of $150 to do this and I would leave the creativity up to you, and in the end we want it to display our pride of detail. Do you have any questions? What would cause you not to be successful? I would like this to get done by the end of next week, can you do this? Great, I will follow up with you a few times and let’s meet when the project is done.”

Although this is a simple task the steps are laid out to encourage thoughts and ideas between two or more people. When we communicate we can achieve great things. And the Lord said, “Behold, the people are one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do. And now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.” Genesis 11:6.

COURTESY LENNY SUACIER

“COMMUNICATION IS THE EXCHANGE OF THOUGHTS

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11/20/20 10:30 AM

GIVE YOUR CUSTOMERS

COLD-WEATHER

CONFIDENCE WINTER POSES IT’S OWN SPECIAL CHALLENGES TO THE PROPER CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF YOUR CUSTOMER’S VEHICLES. GIVE THEM THE PROTECTION THEY DESERVE.

Low winter temperatures cause engine oil to become thicker and difficult to circulate and protect moving engine parts. Engine MAX Engine Treatment & Oil Stabilizer combats this with patent-pending, friction-reducing technology that permanantly bonds to the engine’s metal friction surfaces, providing a permanent layer of protection and making it easier to start in extreme cold temperatures without affecting oil viscosity.

In addition, modern ethanol-blended fuels attract water, which can freeze, forming ice crystals in the tank, fuel pickup, and fuel filters. Fuel Juels® is the ONLY Time-Released Fuel Treatment in the World that fights ethanol, helps safely remove water, and helps restore fuel mileage up to 7% for up to 12 tankfuls of fuel.

Fuel Juels® Time-Released Fuel Treatment and Engine Treatment and Oil Stabilizer work together to help you protect your customer’s investment from harsh winter weather.

Reduces Engine Wear by 50-90%!

(as shown by spectrometric oil analysis)

Truth: “Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.”

- Bobby Unser

Contact your local Solid Start Distributor to get True Brand in your shop. Call Today: 877-290-3950 | www.solidstart.com | UA #TrueBrandTough JA N RY 2 0 2 0 7 5

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CONGRATULATIONS Jason Nastasi

© 2020 INTEGRATED SERVICES, INC.

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