Three quick lube operations discuss how they maintain fleet accounts

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Making the Impact

Something that every shop owner can agree on is that they want customers to return to their shop. While the customer base may vary by shop, fleet customers can bring an opportunity of repetition that differs from the average retail customer. Maintaining these accounts can be a different experience to navigate as well.

NOLN spoke with three quick lube operations about their fleet approach. There are many details to keep in mind when it comes to forming an effective strategy, and these operations share some insight into how they build relationships with and provide for fleet customers.

Build A Relationship

Howard Koffman’s career experience working with fleets has aided him in establishing an approach for Stonebriar. He says his work at Shell revolved around the desire to get new business and cultivate long-lasting relationships. He brought this same outlook into his work with Stonebriar.

“They knew with the right person and the right actions at store level, fleets could be at the vital pillar of growth for Stonebriar,” Koffman says. “So, with that culture ... a lot of store training, and the folks who I knew in the industry, I put together a program to help train the stores on fleet awareness.”

According to Koffman, successful fleet service comes down to the quality of the customer relationship built.

“I was brought in here to acquire and maintain customers, and I think over my career it’s always developing the new business, developing that relationship and watching that build,” Koffman says. “Because once you develop a relationship, they’re going to come back to you. If they have a problem, they’re going to call you.”

He says the types of fleet accounts and the frequency of fleet customers can differ depending on where a shop is located.

“The strategies may vary based upon

By Hanna Bubser

geographics, and with Stonebriar … things that work very well in Arkansas have to be slightly different up in Ohio and Georgia,” Koffman says.

Koffman says larger national fleets may have more vehicles and a bigger territory. This means they could potentially come across a store and decide to use it for service, but he says national fleets also tend to have more options for approved vendors.

Koffman says local fleets tend to hold onto their vehicles for longer periods of time than national fleets, which provides more service opportunities. He says local fleet owners are usually dealt with on a more one-on-one basis, which means a deeper customer relationship can be formed.

“It’s that local person who will buy more, once you build that trust,” Koffman says.

Koffman recommends shops that are interested in servicing fleets more look at their ability to bring on or incorporate a dedicated fleet employee. They could be part-time or even full-time depending on the size and scale of the operation.

Regardless of if that position is a possibility or not, he says keeping staff aware of the ins and outs of fleet service will help strengthen a shop’s fleet reputation.

“If you don’t know how to service a fleet, you alienate that customer, he will not … want to come back and will tell his or her friends, ‘Hey, they didn’t even know how look up a fleet account’ or, ‘They didn’t look at the rules enough,’” Koffman says.

This educational piece is critical. Koffman says the frequency in which fleets are serviced is higher than the average retail customer. He says shops could see fleets come in multiple times per year versus the one or two times you may see a retail customer. Additionally, Koffman says developing a fleet program to its full potential may require some patience.

“Fleets take a good three to six