SALES+MARKETING

because responding to bad reviews says more about a shop’s character than a shop that only has five star reviews, he says.

“For this reason, it is better to be a shop with a majority of five-star reviews and some negative reviews that were quickly handled,” DelaCruz says.

Take a moment to breathe. Customers will be suspicious of a page that only has positive reviews. Everybody knows that no shop is perfect, what they really want to see is how they handle the imperfections, DelaCruz says.

However, he says that shop managers should take 24 hours before responding to a bad review to stay objective in the response.

“When responding to bad reviews, managers should thank the customer for their business, ensure that their concern is being taken seriously, and then affirm that they are looking into the issue,” DelaCruz says.

Benefit from reviews. Operators put a lot of time and money into signage, storefront cleanliness, landscaping and other curb appeal items. Nowadays, is that the first impression that most customers are getting of your facility?

“A lot of shop owners talk about curb appeal and how their shop needs to stand out, but not nearly as many talk about online curb appeal,” DelaCruz says.

When it comes to an online presence, it is just as important for shops to stand out from the rest. Having a large amount of online reviews will really take a shop far. It distinguishes your shop from competitors and makes your operation look favorable to customers.

DelaCruz explains that a shop with a small number of ratings is sure to turn potential customers toward your competitors.

“The amount of reviews you have is absolutely critical,” DelaCruz says, “and since a small review count turns customers away, having more reviews than your competitors is also critical.”

Find a review increasing system. DelaCruz says that using some basic principles, shops can lead to an increase in positive reviews left each month for a shop.

Determining the ROI can begin with car counts. Working mostly in the repair shop segment, DelaCruz says that a shop that sees 200 monthly cars might see an increase of 25 to 30 positive reviews by focusing on this initiative.

The bottom line is that having a larger online presence and more reviews makes you the easy choice for future customers.

What have wipers done for you lately?

Easy to use, easy to train • Fits all vehicles • Promotional Opportunities • Customization Opportunities

JOANNA

JOHNSON

Joanna Johnson, is the president and founder of Johnson Policy Associates, Inc., a company that specializes in developing, negotiating and implementing solutions to environmental, transportation, competition and safety-related regulatory issues for individual businesses, trade associations, government agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

She has advocated for the fast lube industry on behalf of the Automotive Oil Change Association (AOCA) since 1991.

INFO

@AOCA.COM OR 800.230.0702

Recognizing the Best in the Biz

AOCA now accepting nominations for the new courage and leadership awards

THE 2021 AOCA COURAGE AND LEADERSHIP AWARDS celebrate fast lube industry staff who have gone above and beyond to exemplify courage and leadership especially under difficult circumstances.

This gives owners, operators, and managers of AOCA member fast lubes and vendors a great opportunity to shine the spotlight on everything that makes their teams’ work exceptional

In honor of the extraordinary impact of COVID-19, this year’s award will go to 19 outstanding fast lube industry staff teams (up to 10 individuals per team).

Nominations will be accepted online until October 1. AOCA publications like the monthly Government Affairs Update highlight nominated teams, so don’t miss out on good press by waiting until the last minute. The winners will be announced during iFlex at the Car Wash Show in Las Vegas, November 15 - 17.

The first nominations submitted represent teams from across the country: • Hoffman Jiffy Lube in New York: Brenden McAuley (Store Manager), Andrew Sale (Assistant Manager),

Jeff Ciarfello (Assistant Manager), Maxwell Jones (Team Leader), Bianca Gonzalez (Team Leader), and

Alex Culora (Team Leader). • Premier Oil Change in Palo Cedro, California: Angelise Peters (HR & Compliance), Jacobe Krizman (District Manager), Jason Harlow (Store Manager),

Philly Jones (Store Manager), Justin Krizman (Store

Manager), Tim Long (Store Manager), and Steven

Vanthida (Store Manager).

According to company owner Matt Webb, “This team of folks is truly a team of superstars. During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic they all stepped up to the plate overcoming significant uncertainty and everchanging conditions. Angelise Peters spent hours making sure that managers and team members were given the proper tools, communication and best practices for keeping staff and guests safe. Jacobe Krizman did a phenomenal job maintaining a positive atmosphere in our stores despite significant challenges with car count decreases and staffing challenges and everchanging rules. Everyone on this team represented our company and the oil change industry at a level over and above what was expected.”

According to David Brooks, Director of Operations for Hoffman Jiffy Lube, “This team has great Customer Experience Tracker (CET) scores resulting from excellent customer service and customer feedback. The store received 526 positive reviews in the last year… The team handled the stresses and challenges that came with the pandemic. They followed the CDC guidelines and communicated regularly with our customers to ensure they understood the new process. By focusing on what it could control, the team was there for each other and our customers.”

• Mr. Lube/Diamond Plated Automotive in Wasilla,

Alaska: Kami Lorentz (Customer Service Advocate),

Jacob Thornton (Tire Tech, Lube and Mechanics

Apprentice), Jessica Streight (Customer Service Advocate), Cory Perich (Tire Lead & Lube Hood tech), and

Keith Santerre (Parts & Inventory Supervisor).

President/CEO Gretchen Geist said of her team, “All of our staff is crossed trained in all departments to ensure a smooth and organized system for the health of our customers vehicles!”

• PM Attendant in Edmond, Oklahoma: Tiffany Colon (CIO); Ash Bullard (Vice President of Sales); Jennifer

Klakulak (Vice President of Marketing), and Heather

Day (Vice President of Customer Management).

According to CEO Ricardo Colon, “Our team works as a cohesive unit. We are always talking and innovating about how to make our software better. We know that when we do that, it helps our customers run their business efficiently and cost-effectively…. If they can’t see how their business is doing at a glance or collect income, we aren’t doing our job…. During Covid-19, we had several customers that were forced to close their doors due to state-mandates. As a team, we decided to provide some relief to them by not charging them their subscription fee while they were closed. We were also able to allow future payment for current service to those who just weren’t seeing their quota of cars.”

Congratulations on your nominations! AOCA looks forward to more members joining the party!