Ignition Magazine New Zealand | April 2022

APRIL 2022

FUTURE RIDE

2023 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06

BECOME A CAPRICORN DIRECTOR Contribute to the automotive industry

BUSINESS INTERRUPTION The hidden costs you need to consider

WHAT MAKES A RISING STAR? Judging the Capricorn Rising Stars competition

Hard work has its rewards.

Got your eye on a new Weber BBQ? Check out the Rewards Shop for a fantastic range of products that could be yours thanks to Capricorn Rewards.

Spend your points at capricorn.coop/rewards

Participation in the Capricorn Rewards Program is subject to the Capricorn Rewards Terms and Conditions available at capricorn.coop/tc.

CONTENTS APRIL 2022

David Fraser Group CEO

CEO’s message

When Edmund Hillary climbed Mount Everest in 1953, he didn’t do it alone.

He hired expert help, in the form of Tibetan Sherpa Tenzing Norgay. The pair made history together, as the first men to stand atop the famous summit.

While Hillary got the credit and Hillary and Norgay both earned a place in the history books, even then, they weren’t alone in their achievement. There were at least 10 climbers, 20 sherpas and 350 porters in the Everest expedition.

My point here, if you haven’t clocked it by now, is that none of us truly achieves anything on our own and greatness, in particular, requires excellent support.

So, why do so many of us, in life and in business, not ask for help when we need it? One theory is that people fear asking for help because they’re worried about looking stupid. If that’s what it is then, to my mind, that’s back-to-front thinking. You look more stupid if you try climbing the mountain without help than if you bring in well-qualified support.

Asking for help has many more benefits beyond simply making success more likely. It’s also a great way to foster relationships with others. People like to help. They like to feel useful. They might even be flattered you’ve recognised their expertise. It builds trust between you. When we do this in business, you give someone else a stake in the success of your enterprise. It puts another enthusiastic shoulder to the wheel.

Not asking for help is allowing our egos to get in the way of the optimal result.

Higher-performing individuals in all walks of life know this, and they will often seek advice from their colleagues, peers and mentors. They know they don’t know everything and they want to learn and grow.

When we don’t ask others for help, we risk making poorer decisions that rely exclusively on our own past experiences. But our own experiences may not have prepared us for the challenges we’re facing.

Acting in isolation can lead to worry, self-doubt and stress, which can develop into a mental health crisis. Sharing the burden by accepting help can provide a sense of relief and deliver a positive energy boost.

5 Business

Interruption The hidden costs you need to consider

6 Capricorn Service

Data Providing the tech specs you need

8 2021 Toyota

Highlander Drivelife

12 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 14 E-Mobility

Future Ride

Warriors Norway: the undisputed world leader in electric mobility

16 1973 Ford Falcon XA GT RPO 83 Capricorn Member Ride

18 How to ace your follow-up customer service

20 What Makes a

Getting help means enjoying the benefit of someone else’s experience, knowledge and skills. You can learn something new. I often find if I have a difficult problem that only I can address, I will confide in trusted people to get different views and opinions. This helps me to frame my thoughts and decisions and how I am going to approach a situation.

Rising Star? Judging the Capricorn

The author Brené Brown once wrote that “vulnerability is courage in you, and inadequacy in me”. This quote neatly shows how common and easy it is to believe that others see our vulnerability as a sign of weakness, but the truth is almost the exact opposite: others think of our vulnerability as a sign of courage. Remember, no-one ever reaches the summit without help. Not even Edmund Hillary.

Times More Rewarding

Yours in cooperation,

26 Has Social Media

David Fraser Group CEO

Rising Stars competition.

22 Making The Busy

24 What Does CASE Mean? And how will it impact your business?

Marketing Lost Its Punch and what to do instead

CAPRICORN IGNITION APRIL 2022 3

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TM

Business interruption: the hidden costs you need to consider If an unforeseen incident, like a fire, flood or even a power surge, stops your workshop from trading for a while, how long could you afford to cover all your expenses before you were in real financial trouble?

It’s every business owner’s nightmare: you’ve got no way to earn money, but the bills just keep coming in.

To plan for this contingency, its important all Members consider if they have adequate business interruption protection – to help meet their expenses while their business gets back on its feet.

NZ Sales Manager Mike Sale said, from a risk point of view, he considers business interruption protection one of the most important forms of coverage any workshop owner can have. Why? “If something happens, you can always replace tangible assets — lost property, tools, buildings and cars and all that stuff,” he said. “What you can’t do is get back the money that you haven’t made.

“And that’s what business interruption aims to do — it’s there to make sure that even though you’ve suffered a loss, there’s going to be no change to your bottom line. It’s there to keep food on the table and keep everybody employed.”

covered by business interruption protection but are covered by an optional benefit.

“This is all the extra stuff Members may need to spend money on to keep their business operating — for example, hiring an eco-hut you can install in the car park and use as a temporary office,” he said.

“Or if you have to relocate, the costs of moving or renting new equipment; or advertising costs to tell your customers that you’ve moved and it’s business as usual.

“That’s not linked to your week-in, week-out gross profit figure, but it’s part of the increased costs of working.”

But what do we mean by an “adequate” level of protection?

These types of expenses are covered via an optional benefit called Additional Increased Costs of Working.

“You should consider whether your limits of protection are enough so that, on a pro-rata basis, you can meet your weekly expenses,” Mike said.

“For most Members, wages will be their biggest overhead.

Another area Mike encourages Members to think about is the length of the indemnity period on their business interruption protection.

“Then you’ve got to think about any other outgoings. It might be a mortgage repayment on the building, if you own it. It might be rent and other associated costs with leasing premises, if you’re a tenant.

“Then you have to think about your personal expenses. Do you have car finance? Do you have a mortgage on your house?”

While ensuring you have business interruption protection for wages and bills is important, Mike warned there are a lot of hidden expenses involved in shutting down and reopening a business after some kind of loss that may not be

“In my experience, the biggest regret Members have is probably that they haven’t chosen a long enough indemnity period,” he said.

“The standard indemnity period would be 12 months. If something happens to your building, you’ve got to be able to clear the debris, get plans drawn up, get Council approval, get it built and be back in and operating inside 12 months. I certainly know of situations where that just didn’t happen.

“They might be adequately protected, but then the protection runs out after 12 months and they’re not back in.

consider an 24-month indemnity period, because there’s so many factors that are outside your control.”

So, what should you consider when calculating the business interruption protection you need for your business? Mike suggests starting with your total turnover and gross profit figures, and the difference between the two.

“What does it cost you to keep the doors open each week?” Mike said.

“You’ve got to consider literally every single expense. Be as granular as you can. Look at every line on your expenses account. Remember, just because you’re not trading, doesn’t mean the bills stop.”

Then consider your additional and optional benefits along with the different indemnity periods available.

Mike also recommends acting immediately, rather than waiting for your renewal.

“Don’t wait, because something might happen and then you’ll have left yourself short,” he said.

“Be proactive and contact your Risk Account Manager. If you’re unsure, or you want some more information, or you don’t think you’re adequately protected, call us and someone will come out and see you. That’s what we’re here for.”

If you want to know more about business interruption protection contact your Risk Account Manager today.

“If you’re a property owner, might want to be

Contact Capricorn Risk Services 0800 555 303 I info@capricornrisk.com I capricorn.coop/risk Products sold through Capricorn Risk Services Pty Ltd (NZBN 9429041139813) include discretionary risk protection and general insurance products. Discretionary risk protection is issued out of Australia by Capricorn Mutual Ltd. Before deciding to acquire discretionary risk protection you should consider the Product Disclosure Statement to see if it is appropriate for you. This can be obtained from Capricorn Risk Services Pty Ltd by phoning 0800 555 303 via email info@capricornrisk.com or by visiting website capricornrisk.com. General insurance products are issued by a range of insurers and are available through Capricorn Risk Services Pty Ltd as a member broker of PSC Connect NZ Limited. Capricorn Risk Services Pty Ltd is a registered financial services provider (390446) and a corporate Authorised Representative (No. 460893) of Capricorn Mutual Ltd (AFSL 230038).

Autodata technical specifications deep dive Your complimentary Capricorn Service Data service, powered by Autodata, provides the tech specs you need to carry out service and maintenance jobs. Sourced directly by OE information, Autodata’s tech data includes key information such as: Vehicle identification – This section includes core model stats such as number of cylinders, the ignition and fuel system, suitability for unloaded petrol and air metering type.

Ignition system – Includes ignition coil supply voltage and where appropriate a diagram of the firing order. Symptoms of a faulty ignition coil can include misfires, poor acceleration or loss of power, or the ECU switching to limphome mode.

Tuning and emissions – Includes ignition timing, idle speed and key information for CO test, such as oil temperature and CO and CO2 levels at idle.

Spark plugs – This section includes information on original equipment spark plugs and electrode gaps for the model.

Fuel system – Contains fuel feed and main pump delivery pressure – essential when carrying out a test to check whether a fuel pump needs to be replaced.

S e r v i ce c h e c k s a n d a d j u s t m e nt s – Contains the valve clearance, compression pressure, radiator cap pressure and oil pressure by rpm.

Lubricants and capacities – This section contains engine oil grade by ambient temperature range as well as manual transmission oil grade, and step by step instructions for automatic transmission fluid drain and refill instructions for tightening.

Ti g hte n i n g to rq u e s – Ti g hte n i n g torques and sequences across cylinder head, main and big end bearings, sump bolts, flywheel/driveplate bolts, crankshaft pulley and more, including diagrams and adhesive quantities where appropriate. It also includes chassis tightening torques. Don’t forget that 6 CAPRICORN IGNITION APRIL 2022

Capricorn Service Data also includes tyre and TPMS bolt torques under the Tyres module!

Starting and charging – Battery settings and capacities you’ll need to diagnose a nonstarting vehicle Brake disc and drum dimensions – Manufacturer-supplied minimum disc and pad thickness for replacement, with variances where appropriate for electric parking brake (EPB).

Air conditioning – Here you’ll find both the core information on the air con system for the vehicle as well as refrigerants, air conditioning oil and viscosity stats. Autodata also has full engine bay and wiring diagrams av a i l a b l e f o r a i r co n d i t i o n i n g f o r Diagnostic & Repair customers – contact a u s s a l e s @ a u to d ata - g ro u p . co m f o r more details.

M a t t Ta y l o r, A u t o d a t a ’ s C o n t e n t Support Team Leader in Australia, says: “Relying on old manuals or, worse, Google searches, can leave you open to consumer complaints if something goes wrong after a job. Being able to point to manufacturer-recommended technical data used in a job is huge for workshops – and having that data available on PC, phone or tablet while working on the car is a godsend.”

Autodata has recently added tech spec notifications for vehicles with heightadjustable suspension and for Electric Vehicles with best practice for servicing, making it even easier to get at-a-glance information to start the job.

Capricorn Ser vice Data comes free with your Capricorn membership and grants access to repair times, technical data, service illustrations and much more for over 34,000 models and 142 manufacturers.

Get more repair information: Autodata Diagnostic & Repair is the top level of Autodata’s workshop application, offering even more specialised technical data for garages, including: •

Diagnostic trouble codes with common faults and fixes to help you get started

•

Fu l l - c o l o u r i n t e r a c t i v e w i r i n g diagrams

•

Co nt ro l m o d u l e p i n d ata a n d component testing values

•

Engine management

•

Electronic component locations

For more information on Diagnostic & R e p a i r, c o n t a c t A u t o d a t a a t aussales@autodata-group.com.

Visit capricorn.coop/servicedata or scan the QR code to get started!

GOLD RUSH WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

Parts Connection Preferred Supplier Bonus Points Promotion Capricorn Preferred Supplier, Parts Connection, continues to give back to Members with their generous prize pool of Capricorn Preferred Supplier Bonus Points worth $30,000.

Members who purchased from any Parts Connection supplier received a lucky gold nugget card which put them in the running.

The list of lucky winners this month include; 100,000 Preferred Supplier Bonus Rewards Points • Colin Waite Panelbeaters • VC Motors – Waipukurau • Clyde Street Automotive • EV Mechanical • Midas Car Care Porirua A big thank you to all Members who participated in the campaign! There is still plenty of opportunity to win, so keep getting your gold nugget cards.

MEMBERS ENJOY FANTASTIC TRACK DAY A huge thank you to Hampton Downs and Stars Travel for organising and hosting the Hampton Downs Track Day. The event was the perfect opportunity for Capricorn Members to engage with their community while enjoying a day on the track. Capricorn was thrilled with the turnout and excited to see Members taking advantage of the chance to connect with others in the industry. The day offered a vast range of opportunities, from go-karting to hot laps, and it was fantastic to see Members getting involved and being eager to try new experiences.

Members were given a once-in-alifetime opportunity to get behind the wheel of either a GT Mustang or Chevrolet Camaro through the UDrive experience. Those who were seeking more of an adrenaline rush were excited to see the offer of Lamborghini hot laps. This experience was definitely

not for the faint-hearted, but the smiles that followed indicated that it was an experience enjoyed by many.

The Go-Kart time circuit laps proved to be a fun, yet competitive, way for Members to connect and interact. It was great to see attendees of all ages getting on the track and showing us their skills.

Capricorn would like to thank Sam and the team at Hampton Downs for their incredible hospitality. The fully catered event was much enjoyed by Members, who were happy to get away for the weekend, despite the heat. Capricorn was glad to see Members enjoy a fun, activity filled weekend alongside their fellow automotive industry colleagues, and we look forward to future events.

CAPRICORN IGNITION APRIL 2022 7

DRIVELIFE

2021 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER GXL HYBRID Written by DriveLife

We recently reviewed the V6-powered 2021 Highlander Limited and Alistair rather liked it but said it was pretty thirsty on fuel. How would it compare to a lower-spec model with a hybrid powertrain?

I used one as my Christmas break daily driver, then took it on a road trip to find out.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

THE INTERIOR

Well, it’s big! From the side it definitely looks its full five metres long, but Toyota has designed in some nice sculpted lines and shapes to the side profile. It gives the car a muscular, chunky look which I like.

At first I wasn’t keen on the front of the Highlander but over the two weeks I had it, it grew on me.

As Alistair mentioned, the Highlander is big inside as well as out, and has quite a few useful storage areas dotted around. Being the entry-level GXL, our car had cloth seats that are manually adjusted. They look really good in two-tone cloth and are very comfortable on short or long journeys. The interior build quality is excellent and the Highlander feels like it will take whatever abuse your family throws at it.

Our review car was painted metallic Graphite Grey, which looked smart, but almost all of the Highlanders you see are either grey or white. I’d love to see more in the red and blue they have available.

8 CAPRICORN IGNITION APRIL 2022

It’s all very grey, apart from cream pillar trims and headliner, but there are nice touches that lift the feel, such as stitching

along the lower dash, and brushed-metal finish to various trims. Around the central screen is piano black, which will definitely show fingerprints and marks as the car ages, but it’s all coherently designed. I like the way the screen and centre console controls have been integrated into a single trim piece that stands proud of the dash.

Much neater than having a separate screen looking like it was tacked on afterwards.

The steering wheel is standard Toyota: leather-clad, comfortable, and with stereo and cruise controls logically laid out. The driver’s displays consist of the traditional two big dials with a smallish central screen

which can show all of the usual trip computer things including a digital speedo. The lefthand dial, rather than being a rev counter, is a hybrid power/eco/charge meter.

There’s a standard gear shifter, electronic parking brake, and a decent-sized central cubby (with more charge points inside).

Moving to the rear, there is loads of leg room.

The rear seats can slide back and forth to balance leg room with third-row leg room or cargo space, but it’s massive in there. Row 2 also gets its own climate control zone and controls.

Row three has two seats and you can fit two adults in there, but I don’t think they’d be happy on a longer trip. It’s a very knees-up seating position. Younger kids would likely be very happy there.

Finally there’s a reasonable 241-litre boot space, expanding to 552-litres with the rear seats folded flat. Dropping the third row is quick and easy by pulling a strap from the boot side. The second row folds almost flat, leaving a pretty cavernous area. We used this

to great effect on our trip from Wellington to Napier, taking up our granddaughter’s first big-girl bed. We easily fitted in a single mattress, bed base, some storage drawers, and our luggage for the weekend.

THE DRIVE After a couple of weeks of daily use around Wellington’s suburbs and CBD, I concluded that the Highlander is just a bit too big for this environment. Its 5-metre length is about the same or longer than most CBD parking spaces, but despite this I found it pretty easy to park. I would have appreciated a 360-degree top-down camera system to be included in this model, not just the top-spec one, but I managed with just the front and rear parking sensors.

The high driving position definitely helps. It also felt huge when threading through some of Wellington’s tighter suburban streets.

There’s an EV-mode button for silent cruising, which would be great to use around the city, but it has some limitations. The first

The contents of and any opinions contained in this article do not reflect the opinions of Capricorn Society Ltd and Capricorn makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of any material in this article.

CAPRICORN IGNITION APRIL 2022 9

then sometimes speeds up, then slows again. And sometimes, but not always, it fails to maintain the set speed downhill.

It flashes up a warning and dings if you go 6 kph over the speed limit, but not every time, and when it does it with cruise activated, the cruise control doesn’t sort it out. Finally, all of the cruise settings reset to defaults when the engine is turned off, so you have to reset your following distance, etc. All of these will likely be fixed via a software update at some point, and they are minor, but they would probably irritate me in the long run.

What about driver involvement? Well the Highlander drives very well, but it’s heavy and you can feel that if you try to push it too hard. But it’s not meant to be pushed hard, it’s a big, comfortable cruiser. And it does that very well indeed. It can certainly handle New Zealand highways with no problems at all and holds well on corners without too much body roll. being that this is an HEV not a plug-in, so battery capacity is limited. That meant that EV mode only worked for a short while or just refused due to insufficient charge. EV mode also only goes up to 20 kph so it can only really be used in certain situations such as looking for a parking space, or for that final drive up your street so you don’t disturb the neighbours/wife/dog. Saying that, the doors are pretty heavy and solid, and need a fair slam to close, so you’d probably wake them up anyway. Almost every time I shut the boot I ended up having to reopen it and shut it more firmly.

Passengers had the same thing with their doors. The other thing I found was that the brakes were quite grabby at low speeds.

It’s something I’ve noticed on other hybrids too and it makes it a challenge to slow smoothly to a halt.

But once it’s on the motorway it really comes into its own. The ride is very comfortable, though it can be a bit bouncy sometimes on more undulating surfaces at speed. But generally it’s a fantastic road trip car. Road noise isn’t intrusive even on rough chip seal, and the seats are very good. I did find myself looking for a lumbar support adjustment after a couple of hours’ driving, and realised that the GXL doesn’t have it. Not that it caused any aches like a certain electric car’s seats did, but some extra back support would have been appreciated.

The trip to Napier was uneventful, and we arrived feeling fresh and comfortable. This is really what the Highlander excels at. I did have some minor annoyances with the cruise control — it slows down on corners, 1 0 CAPRICORN IGNITION APRIL 2022

The hybrid Highlander claims a combined fuel consumption figure of 5.6L/100km.

I covered 1300 km, half shorter trips and half road trip, and I averaged 6.5L/100km.

I think this is excellent in a 7-seat large SUV weighing in at over 2000 kg. How did my fuel usage compare to Alastair’s time in the V6 version? He used 11.8L/100km against a quoted figure of 8.8. Given the way petrol prices are going, the hybrid is looking good.

WHAT DID FRED THINK OF THE 2021 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER GXL HYBRID? I only managed to get a few days' driving into the Highlander, but that included

"It can certainly handle New Zealand highways with no problems at all and holds well on corners without too much body roll."

DRIVELIFE

2021 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER GXL HYBRID WHAT WE LIKE COMFORTABLE

a trip to the Wairarapa and back. I wish I had had more people with me to see how that 2.5-litre hybrid set-up would go with a decent load, but at least Rob got to test it out more fully.

Overall, I enjoyed the Highlander. It had a lot more punch than I thought it would, although the engine got a bit vocal going over the Remutaka Hill.

The adaptive cruise acted strangely. At times on a bend — even on the motorway — it would slow down, then speed up, slow down again, then speed up — on the same bend. This surging didn't feel that pleasant and in this respect, let down the overall smoothness of the car.

Not a home run for me, but I can see this model being very popular. I got 6.5L/100Km out of my run, and for the size of the car that is simply excellent.

The Highlander Hybrid could be the ideal road-trip vehicle for families of up to seven.

It’s big, comfortable, practical, and frugal on fuel. Interior build quality and space are excellent, and ride quality and handling are superb, especially for something this size.

Around town it’s a bit of a tight fit, and some technology updates here and there wouldn’t go amiss, but it’s a great overall package.

BIG SPACIOUS INTERIOR BUILD QUALITY FUEL EFFICIENCY

WHAT WE DON'T LIKE RIDE CAN BE BOUNCY LACKING IN TECHNOLOGY EV MODE HAS LIMITED USE HEAVY DOORS

Still, there's a lot of space in the car, and rear leg room is outstanding. It can feel a bit close inside, and I think I'd upspec to a model with a panoramic sunroof to get some natural light inside for the kids.

The contents of and any opinions contained in this article do not reflect the opinions of Capricorn Society Ltd and Capricorn makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of any material in this article.

CAPRICORN IGNITION APRIL 2022 1 1

FUTURE RIDE

CRIKEY, CHEVY’S NEW CORVETTE Z06 IS A BEAUTY

Put your tongue back in; you’re drooling .

Don’t worry. We get it. We haven’t seen this much hot orange all-American muscle since binge-watching Jack Reacher on Amazon Prime.

This little beauty is the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06.

The latest member of the storied Z06 family, the 2023 model of the famous Corvette has a 5.5-litre V8 engine (called the LT6). That makes it the highest horsepower naturally aspirated V8 to hit the market, ever.

A lightweight, flat-plane crank design enables the engine to rev to the high rpms needed to create significant power.

Peak power is 550 kW from 8400 rpm. It produces 623 Nm of torque at 6300 rpm. And the sound of it is the stuff dreams are made of. Chevrolet says its engineers spent two years “crafting a distinctive, rich exhaust tone unlike anything ever heard from a Corvette”. Refreshing at a time when some cars have to pipe in their engine noise via an MP3.

1 2 CAPRICORN IGNITION APRIL 2022

The Z06 is about 10 cm wider than the Stringray, so it can accommodate huge 345-series rear tyres and get more airflow through the side air vents. The cooling needs of the engine have also affected the design of the front of the car, which channels air to a centre heat exchanger.

The wheels are standard 20-inch front and 21-inch rear forged aluminium, the largest ever available on a production Corvette. They’re also available in lightweight and rigid carbon fibre.

It’s also fitted with larger front (370 mm, six-piston) and rear (380 mm, four-piston) Brembo discs. (Carbon-ceramics options are available in the Z07 Performance Package.)

The suspension tuning includes Magnetic Ride Control technology and six-piston front brakes. It has an eightspeed dual-clutch transmission, with the drive sent to the rear wheels. And it accelerates faster than someone off to Woolies to panic buy toilet paper. (Expect 100 km/h in subthree seconds, when official track figures are released.)

The overall design is, as you’d expect, all about optimising aerodynamic drag. It has a configurable rear spoiler and adjustable wickerbills meant to improve high-speed stability and cornering on the racetrack (which is where much of the designed innovations in the Z06 were developed for the all-conquering C8.R).

None of that, though, really tells you just how pretty the Z06 is.

What are your chances of actually seeing this beauty up close? Well, GM Specialty Vehicles has confirmed it has reserved some Z06s for the Oceania region.

Details and pricing will be released later this year. So, if you’re still drooling, and if you have deep pockets, then this hunk of all-American muscle could absolutely be yours. If not, there’s always Jack Reacher.

The information in this article regarding the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 has been sourced from materials published by its manufacturer. Please note Capricorn has not had direct access to the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and makes no recommendations or representations regarding its suitability

THE VIKINGS HAVE BECOME E-MOBILITY WARRIORS

By Paul Marinelli

Who would have thought generations spawned from Viking warriors would make Norway the world’s E-mobility champion?

Norway is made up of almost 240,000 islands, more than 1,000 fjords, more than 2,000 waterfalls and approximately 3,200,000 moose, with up to eleven metres of snow falling onto the country each winter season.

This small Scandinavian country has a particularly clear lead over the far bigger players, it is the undisputed world leader in electric mobility. In 2021, Continental reported more than 60% of the country’s newly registered cars were 100% electrically powered.

This translates to some 81 electric vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants, making these green Viking warriors the world leaders by a long margin. Germany, one of the most progressive countries in Europe, achieves about one-tenth of that figure with most others well below that.

This hasn’t happened by chance, but rather by strategy. More than 98 percent of the country's electricity comes from hyrdoelectric and wind power plants, according to Continental. Making green electricity often cheaper across Scandinavia than gas or diesel. Norway also has the tightest ambitions for the phase out of fossil fuelled vehicles, with no new cars and light trucks powered by combustion engines to be sold in the country by 2025 at the latest.

The purchase of electric vehicles has also been promoted for many years by the Norwegian Government as well as the country’s private enterprise. What makes all of this surprising is that the country’s climate conditions are the complete opposite for a smooth and speedy transformation to sustainable and low-emission E-mobility.

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"The performance of an electric vehicle battery is optimised in a temperature margin that sits between 15 and 40 degrees Celsius." " The weather conditions in a country where it can get as cold as minus 40 degrees celsius in winter are not at all ideal for the technology used for E-Mobility. Electric batteries are sensitive, regardless of whether they are installed in a Smartphone or underneath an electric car.

They simply do not operate as well in blistering summer heat, or under extreme winter cold conditions.

Freezing cold weather slows down the battery’s electrochemical processes, causing the battery voltage to drop and with that comes the risk of deep discharge, which is harmful to the life of the battery. The performance of an electric vehicle battery is optimised in a temperature margin that sits between 15 and 40 degrees Celsius.

This has given automotive thermal management engineers the challenge to ensure vehicle batteries remain within that temperature range regardless of extreme climate and driving conditions in particular countries.

Where the traditional combustion engine was all about generating heat and then controlling that heat by water and air cooling, electric vehicle thermal management is all about protecting the life and operation of the battery by heating and cooling it as required based on the area’s

climate and the thermal conditions created in hot, wet or cold driving conditions.

In principle, the design of electric vehicles is far less complex than combustion engined vehicles. A petrol fuelled engine with a manual transmission has about 1,400 parts. By contrast, an electric car needs just around 200 individual components. The cooling and heating lines are one of the few exceptions to this, as electric vehicles need a lot more of these, not just for battery temperature control but also for the powertrain, electrical circuit boards (just like the fans on your computer) and the air conditioning system.

Automotive engineers have provided car companies with thermal systems that are proven to work effectively for the modern day electric vehicle driving Viking world champions of Norway. If they can do this for them, there is no doubt that the same cannot be done for other countries with extreme hot or cold climates.

It is important to note that whatever the increases in E-mobility use anywhere in the world, that every single electric vehicle will still need to be maintained and have consumable components replaced by mechanics and specialists just like you.

CAPRICORN IGNITION APRIL 2022 1 5

MEMBER RIDE

RARE COUPES AS BEAUTIFUL AS CHOCOLATE BOXES ARE RESTORED AND REUNITED Just two of the 1973 Ford Falcon XA GT RPO 83 were known to be made in the unique MacRobertson’s Old Gold colour and both of them now reside in South Australia.

The rare vehicles have unique stories and are a testament to the care, passion and pride for restoring cars to their authentic states.

Both cars have been restored by Capricorn Members: Hagen Zerk Automotive in Port Lincoln and Finch Restorations in Mount Barker, just outside Adelaide.

These cars are special for a few reasons. The series was amongst the last performance vehicles of their era that were raced at Bathurst and then sold to the man on the street the next day. Only 290 of the limited production RPO 83 were built: 120 hardtop coupes and 170 four-doors.

Public uproar over the prospect of cars capable of 270 km/h being driven down suburban streets ended the sale of that category.

The two restored cars are also a rare colour: a vibrant orange, MacRobertson’s Old Gold, which was only used on three cars in this series.

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The MacRobertson’s Steam Confectionery Works was responsible for the creation of some of Australia’s favourite sweets, including Freddo Frogs, Old Gold, Columbines and the Cherry Ripe.

Based on the MacRobertson’s Old Gold chocolate box, the colour was originally developed by Ford for the confectioner’s commercial fleet, but it was then introduced to the consumer cars in a limited run.

Remarkably, two of the cars from this colour and series have turned up in South Australia to be restored.

One was bought by Hagen Zerk, a mechanic and lifelong tinkerer on cars.

Ever since childhood (first in his father’s garage and on his cousin’s farm) he has been fixing and restoring.

His lifelong passion led him to his two-door RPO 83, which he bought in Queensland. Having tracked down the owner, he made contact but didn’t make an offer for a few years. The prior owner had many offers, but he didn’t sell until Hagen Zerk showed up for the second time with a cheque.

He heard the car was the special orange colour, but when he turned up to look at it, he saw it had been resprayed blue. Closer inspection around

the body revealed that it indeed was one of the rare MacRobertson’s Old Gold models.

“It was all blue, but when I looked under the floor carpet it was this amazing colour,” Hagen Zerk said.

He restored his first car, a Cortina he still owns today, at age 12. He is now 49 and still has the same passion.

“We used to go to the cousin’s farm and wreck ’em and then bring them back and patch them up. While other kids were out playing football, I was at home in the garage tinkering with cars. It has always been an interest.”

The social aspect of restoring cars has also been a mainstay during Hagen Zerk’s life, having driven cars all across the country, from trips across the Nullabor, to Perth, to Bathurst.

The cars both came from the same area in Queensland. Hagen Zerk and the original owner of the other vehicle, Gordon Stubbersfield, developed a relationship around their ownership of the cars.

“I went up there and spent a few hours with Gordon because he had the same car with the same colour. I kept in touch with him over the years until he passed away.”

The other ’73 XA has recently received media attention because of its fascinating backstory. The nicknamed “Chicken Coupe” is currently being worked on by Finch Restorations.

The car was bought by its original owner, Gordon Stubbersfield, for his wedding and was driven for a few years until the cost of insurance became prohibitive.

Despite multiple offers to part with it, he parked it in storage and encircled it with chicken wire. This protective cage was where it got its new name.

Sitting there for decades undriven saw its condition deteriorate significantly and allowed rats to make a nest inside its back seat.

“It was surprising to see the damage caused by the rat infestation.

From decades of faeces and urine from the rats, there was lots of uric acid damage and it caused a lot of unusual rust damage,” CEO of Finch Restorations Peter Roberts said.

Finch Restorations has been around since 1965 and under its new owners, Peter and co-owner and wife, Harbinda, it has been revitalised with new high-tech offerings and a growing staff.

A relative newcomer to the industry, Harbinda Roberts says her passion for restoring cars comes from her love of art.

“I love the aesthetics of the cars. I love art and history and these cars are sculptures that you can drive. We take cars that are in too bad a shape to even be picked up for a wreckers’ yard, but we turn it into something that is too nice to drive,” she said.

The “Chicken Coupe” was only put up for auction after the owner passed away. When it came to restoring such a special car, there was palpable competition.

“There was an aura around the car. After it was sold and it was known it was an SA owner, there was a lot of excitement about who would get the work and our guys were really chuffed. Others in the industry who thought they were more specialised in muscle cars even tried to poach it, saying they were better suited to work on it,” Harbinda Roberts said.

The car’s new owner is the right one, according to Harbinda Roberts.

“The owner is a car collector, but wants to own and drive it and maintain the legacy, to restore it to an authentic level. He is the right owner for the car because he doesn't want to customise it or change it.”

The relationship between the restorers of the cars is ongoing. Once the “Chicken Coupe” is complete, they plan to get together for a photo of the two cars side by side.

HOW TO ACE YOUR FOLLOW-UP CUSTOMER SERVICE

How do your customers feel when they drive out of your forecourt? What’s their enduring impression of you, your staff, your business and the service you gave them?

Whatever that impression is, it could well determine not only whether they’ll ever come back but what they tell other people about you. How confident are you of a recommendation?

But here’s a curveball for you: What if the customer left the forecourt happy, but they later on became unhappy with service you provided? Perhaps a problem came back, or a new one developed, and they were so unhappy they took their car to another garage instead.

That’s exactly why follow-up customer service is so important.

If you rely on word of mouth, follow-up customer service is vital Capricorn’s major annual survey, State of the Nation, found 78 per cent of Members rely on word-of-mouth recommendations as their primary method of marketing and promotion.

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Under these conditions, keeping in touch with your customers to make sure they’re happy, long after they’ve left the forecourt, is key.

We spoke to Perth-based customer service expert Chris Smoje to get some simple tips for excellent follow-up customer service.

Let the customer know you’ll follow up with them

“We have to be aware that when a customer drives out of the dealership, that’s when a problem might potentially come back, or another problem might be noticed,” Chris said. “Recognise that there is a need to follow up.”

When you’re handing the keys back to the customer, let them know to contact you right away if anything goes wrong, or if a problem returns, and tell them that you’ll be in touch in two days’ time to check how the vehicle is going.

Ask the customer what kind of follow-up they would like Not everyone appreciates a phone call. Many people prefer a text, for example. Chris said to ask the customer, when you’re handing their keys back, how they’d like you to contact them for the follow-up.

“In general, though, I would always think that a call is probably best, if you tell them in advance that you will be calling,” Chris said.

Ask the customer if there is anything they forgot

Chris recommends using your follow-up call to ask the customer if there’s anything they forgot to ask you to fix. He said while the customer is unlikely to want the hassle of returning to the workshop anytime soon if the job is not urgent, it does mean you can make a note on their file that their heated car seats aren’t working, for example, so you can fix them next time.

Don’t just ask for feedback or a review

“Don’t assume that because a customer didn’t call, they were happy,” Chris said. “Not hearing from a customer is not always bad, but it’s not always good, either.”

That’s why follow-up calls matter so much.

If you go to voicemail, leave a message

Many people simply won’t answer the phone when it rings. Perhaps they’re busy. Maybe it’s just their call answering policy if they don’t recognise the number.

Whatever the reason, if you go to voicemail, Chris recommends leaving a message.

He recommends something like: “Hi [customer name], it’s [your name] from [workshop name]. I just called you today to ask you two things about your car: 1.

2.

Did we do everything we should have done?

Is there anything else that’s come up that we can help you with?

While feedback and reviews are important, your followup should not just be an emailed customer service questionnaire or a link to fill out a Google Review. When you send those, the conversation is about you, not the customer and their vehicle. Your follow-up call should be about solving the customer’s problems.

I’m sorry I’ve missed you. Call me back if I can help. I’ll try again in two days’ time.”

Chris said the questions you ask in your follow-up call should go something like this:

Don’t forget to say thank you

1.

2.

“Is everything that we said we’d fix fixed?”

“Is there anything else you’ve noticed or remembered that we could help you with?”

“Were you happy with our service or was there anything we could have done differently?”

3.

Don’t assume the customer is happy just because they don’t complain

How often do you receive bad service or poor-quality goods and, rather than complain, quietly decide never to use that business again?

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No doubt you already say thank you to your customers all the time, but consider finding extra-special ways to thank customers for their loyalty.

What that might be will depend entirely on your business, your customer profile, the area you’re in, the size of your business, the relationships you have with other businesses in your area, and any number of variables, but, for example, you could send them a voucher for 10% off car detailing, or a discount on their next service.

Want to know more?

Download the full report by visiting capricorn.coop/caphub or scan the QR code.

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Chris said to try making the call one more time (twice in total) and then leaving it, whether you connect or not.

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CAPRICORN

Stars $20,000 IN CASH AND PRIZES UP FOR GRABS! ENTRIES CLOSE 30 APRIL 2022 NOMINATE YOUR APPRENTICE AT CAP.COOP/STARS

CAPRICORN 2 0 CAPRICORN IGNITION APRIL 2022

Stars

For more information visit capricorn.coop/tc and click on ‘Capricorn Rising Stars 2022 Terms and Conditions’.

WHAT MAKES A RISING STAR? Judging the Capricorn Rising Stars competition is something I look forward to being involved in each year.

Reading through the nominations is so encouraging and reassuring, knowing these are the individuals who will one day be the leaders of this industry. To see so many passionate apprentices enthusiastically learning their trades gives us insight into the direction we are all heading. If these nominations suggest anything, it’s a strong future ahead.

The Capricorn Rising Stars competition is unique, as skill level and technical proficiency are not what I am focusing on when judging. With a number of competitions already existing to reward those who excel in these areas, this competition is focused primarily on the apprentice’s passion and attitude.

Apprentices offer significant value to workshops beyond an extra pair of hands, and acknowledging and rewarding these qualities benefits the apprentice, the workshop and the industry as a whole.

Some qualities that always stand out to me in an apprentice application are:

Giving anything a go Having an apprentice who jumps at the opportunity to give something new or challenging a go, regardless of technical proficiency, is a huge asset to a business.

The ability to be proactive and take initiative indicates that the apprentice is eager and excited to learn.

Learning from mistakes Everybody makes mistakes, especially when learning a new skill, but it is how we fix the mistakes and whether we learn from them that are important. How an apprentice deals with an adverse situation is a true indication of their potential and character. If your apprentice isn’t afraid to speak up when they have done something wrong, and are quick to learn from a mistake, then they are a great candidate for the Capricorn Rising Stars competition.

From Capricorn CEO Automotive, Brad Gannon.

Going the extra mile Whether an apprentice is willing to go above and beyond in the workshop, in customer service or in smaller everyday tasks, they deserve recognition . It is this enthusiasm and can-do attitude that will help the industry continue at a high standard.

Thinking outside the box An apprentice can provide a fresh new perspective for a workshop. By having the confidence to suggest changes, an apprentice can be involved in significantly improving workshop efficiency. It is important that this confidence is rewarded, as it will encourage them to continue to think outside the box in the future.

Any apprentice with a can-do attitude deserves the recognition of a Capricorn Rising Stars nomination.

Even if they are learning the ropes or still developing their skills, a nomination is an indication of the potential you see in them. With every nominee receiving a certificate, an opportunity is created to personally thank your apprentice for the value they bring to the workshop. Rewarding their enthusiasm will encourage apprentices to continue their learning and increase their sense of belonging and commitment to the workshop.

Choosing finalists is always challenging, and it is always a close competition with so many promising apprentices being put forward. I would recommend encouraging your apprentices to put equal time and effort into each of their responses. Each question is scored individually, so providing only a brief answer to one question could be the difference of progressing through to being a finalist or not.

I look forward to reading apprentice applications again this year. It’s great to see Capricorn Members supporting and training the future leaders of the industry. I wish all nominees the best of luck with their applications and encourage Members to nominate their star apprentices.

NOMINATE YOUR APPRENTICE TODAY AT CAP.COOP/STARS. CAPRICORN IGNITION APRIL 2022 2 1

Making the busy times more rewarding

by Jeff Smit

In this post-pandemic era, it is gratifying to know that most aftermarket workshops are busy – really busy. But being busy doesn't necessarily translate to being profitable.

Most workshops are busy for a couple of simple reasons – the average motorist is paying more attention to their vehicles, and there’s a shortage of new cars.

Workshop operators need to ask themselves the question: how do we manage our time, to ensure that when we are busy, we are also profitable?

In this environment, it usually means that many workshops put in long hours and stress levels go through the roof. It might be difficult to ignore the long line of cars waiting for service and repair, but workshop owners and operators really must stay focused on profitable work. How many workshop owners have actually worked out if the long hours or the stress translate to more money in the till?

Imagine your workshop handles five cars a day, each one generating a profit of $200. Bump that up to eight cars a day, which is a 60 percent increase. In the rush to get all eight cars fixed, the profit per car is likely to drop to $125.

The team has worked extra hard and long hours for less profit, and we know from experience that this is what happens. So the first step to improving profitability in busy times is to acknowledge that this is happening in your workshop.

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"...THE SOLUTION IS SURPRISINGLY SIMPLE: PERHAPS CONSIDER RAISING YOUR PRICES." It happens because when everyone is flat out, the aim is to get the cars out the door with a minimum of fuss, and that usually means a minimum of work. But it’s the work, or the labour that you buy from yourself and your staff, that you are on-selling to your customers. Adding to the problem is the tendency to charge less because the labour time spent on individual jobs may not be as high as usual. So now you have a lower profit per job.

Most workshops feel obligated to serve every customer who drives in the door. Hiring extra help is out of the question, because there’s not enough money in it.

Besides, where do you find extra help at short notice?

For these overwhelmed business owners, the solution is surprisingly simple: perhaps consider raising your prices. We don't mean raise prices for the sheer hell of it. Rather it is about taking the opportunity to increase prices to the right level.

The right level is the price you believe the job is worth and the money you deserve for the experience and knowledge you provide. It has nothing whatsoever to do with what you think the customer will pay.

These busy times might also be a great time to analyse the type of work that the workshop does, and identify the work that delivers the highest profit with the least amount of effort. These are jobs which normally have a high perceived value from the customer’s point of view.

It’s during busy times that you could suggest these additional, high-value services to your customers to increase your profits. The TaT experience has been that during the busy times, customers are much more likely to give the go-ahead for high-value but essential jobs, for a whole range of reasons.

Additional services can be easily found in a variety of things, such as battery and charging systems, drive and timing belts, suspension, air conditioning, cooling system flushing, brakes, wheel balances, fuel injection and throttle body clean – the list is endless.

and capable of running to the next service without failing or faltering.

There’s an unfortunate perception that modern vehicles need no attention between the long service intervals. This is simply not true. The modern vehicle still has parts which wear and systems that need maintaining and checking, just like the good old days.

Nothing has really changed, despite the hype from car makers that their technologies are world-class.

There are vehicle systems and components which should be checked as a matter of course and repaired, cleaned or replaced. This should not happen ‘as required’, but well before an ultimate failure.

That’s what we mean by a duty of care to return a vehicle to your customer that you are satisfied is safe, and that you have anticipated and corrected anything which is under stress and likely to cause problems.

Maximising your returns in busy times is not as silly as it sounds. The small extra effort it takes to talk to your customer and suggest these maintenance services can repay you handsomely by a good return on each vehicle.

With this mindset, it is possible to maximise your returns during busy times. The task is made a lot easier if you take the time to figure out which of your services generate the higher profit margin.

Every clothing store, toy shop and holiday destination is doing exactly the same thing during these busy times. Haven’t you noticed, everything seems to cost more now? Isn’t it about time you caught up?

Disclaimer: The contents of and any opinions contained in this article do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Capricorn Society Ltd and Capricorn makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of any material in this

But don’t get the wrong idea – this is not about making extra money on work which does not need doing.

Workshops have a responsibility and a duty of care that every vehicle which leaves the workshop is safe

CAPRICORN IGNITION APRIL 2022 2 3

BUSINESS BUILDING

What does CASE mean? And how will it impact your business?

From industry conventions to research reports, everyone is talking about CASE. It’s an acronym increasingly used throughout the industry to describe the new generation of vehicles. However, what does CASE stand for? And how will CASE vehicles impact your business in the future?

CASE stands for connected, autonomous, shared, and electric vehicles — the four major areas of technological development for the next generation of cars, each dedicated to a different area of vehicle technology.

C - Connected Connected technology allows vehicles to connect to the internet. A further expansion of the Internet of Things, connected technology will allow vehicles to capture and share telematics, perform remote diagnostics, and conduct proactive maintenance (think of a process similar to updating your smartphone).

PwC1 projects connected technology to be available on all new vehicles by 2030, making up 55% of the total US car parc.

How will connected technologies affect your business?

Connected technologies will reduce the need for software updates at services and will likely reduce the requirement for minor programming maintenance. However, connected 24 CAPRICORN IGNITION APRIL 2022

technologies may help reduce the time it can take to diagnose faults (improving workshop efficiency) and improve access to remote specialist support.

A – Autonomous Autonomous vehicles are one of the most talked about advancements on this list. From sci-fi movies to Tesla keynotes, autonomous, or self-driving, vehicles will be one of the biggest advancements in mobility technology since the invention of the automobile.

There are five levels of vehicle autonomy as outlined by SAE, ranging from the driver performing all of the tasks needed to control the vehicle, right through to fully autonomous vehicles.

Autonomous vehicles face a lot of hurdles , which have continued to cause significant delays. From technological hurdles, ethical discussions, regulatory standards, and infrastructure barriers, there is a lot to overcome in our journey to a world which looks like the ‘Minority Report’.

In the meantime, vehicles with L1 to L3 systems are going to thrive, making up 70% of total new car sales in the US by 2030.

By this time L1 to L3 vehicles will also make up 42% of the total US car parc, and it is likely we will see the same trend in Australia and New Zealand.

L4 and L5 vehicles are not expected to arrive until well after 2030.

How will autonomous vehicles affect your business? Those of us working with ADAS are going to see the greatest impact of vehicle autonomy in the short term. With true autonomy still a way off, it will most likely be L1 through to L3 systems arriving in businesses over the coming years.

With numerous safety features reducing the number and severity of collisions, there will be fewer repairs required. However, the time required to repair and recalibrate vehicles after an accident will increase. McKinsey & Co2 project a decrease in the profit opportunities of parts in the coming years, but an increase in the profit opportunities for labour.

S – Shared From Uber’s ride-sharing model to subscription models like Zipcar, we are already seeing the exploration of shared ownership models become reality. With more than one regular driver, shared ownership models give people the flexibility of private, on-demand transport without the cost and maintenance of private ownership.

The arrival of connected vehicles in coming years will greatly affect the scope and scale of shared vehicles. And combined with the arrival of vehicle autonomy, shared vehicles make the future of public transportation look very different.

Once vehicle autonomy allows shared vehicle models to reach total cost parity, expect shared vehicles to explode.

How will shared ownership affect your business? Shared mobility will mean a reduction in the number of private owners looking to service their cars. Instead, servicing will become part of fleet management for the different service providers.

According to McKinsey & Co, cars used in the shared ownership model are going to see higher mileage with greater wear on tyres and brake pads.

E – Electric Like vehicle autonomy, the rise of electric vehicles (EVs) is incredibly well-documented. With OEMs planning to launch over 70 EV models over the next 7 years, EVs will continue to be a leading topic of industry discussion.

By 2030, PwC expects 13%–20% of all US new car sales to be EV. And whilst EVs won’t have a huge impact on the US car parc, like in the US we can expect to start seeing a greater number of them on the road in Australia and New Zealand, and a shift to BEVs and PHEVs. The rise of electric vehicles is influenced by a few factors. The greatest growth in EV sales is expected once total cost parity is achieved. At current projections this is expected around 2027, although it could be met earlier if the OEMs meet their battery cost targets.

Charging infrastructure is also going to be a large part of the rise of electric vehicles. Right now, it is still cheapest to charge an EV at home. However, between now and 2030, external charging will continue to fall in cost, and charging times are set to improve.

How will EVs affect your business? As we all know, EVs need a completely different approach to servicing, from equipment to training requirements. Whilst the car parc penetration expectations are low, in the coming years we expect to see a greater number of EVs arriving in Member businesses.

1From the PwC ‘The Impact of Electrification & Automated Technology on the Automotive Aftermarket’ presentation at the 2021 AASA Vision Conference. 2 From the 2021 McKinsey & Co Making Every Part Count report CAPRICORN IGNITION APRIL 2022 2 5

Has social media marketing lost its punch (and what to do instead)

Maintaining a social media presence for your automotive business takes a lot of time and effort.

If you want to actually reach customers with your message, it can also be expensive. So, is it worth the investment?

It seems in recent years many Members have decided the answer to that question is no.

Are auto businesses walking away from social media? In late 2019 when Capricorn first asked Members about their marketing and promotion habits, 51% of those who responded said they used social media channels like Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. When we asked the same question again in early 2021, for State of the Nation, that figure had dropped to 45%.

Why the drop? We can’t be certain, because we didn’t ask that specific question. But it’s likely auto business owners just aren’t seeing their social media activity bring in customers and dollars.

If you want to reach customers, social media is pay-to-play. We can be reasonably confident in that assertion because the auto industry isn’t alone in walking away from social. Across industries and countries, businesses are leaving Facebook and Instagram accounts languishing because their posts simply aren’t effective.

Organic reach (that is, how many people see your unpaid posts) on an average Facebook post for a small business is wallowing at around 5.2%.

That means less than one in 20 of your followers will see your post.

Here’s what you should do instead. The best idea is to build your own audience. You already have a database of customers. It’s important to bear in mind that there are privacy laws concerning when an individual’s personal information can be used for marketing and spam legislation applying to certain commercial electronic messages.

However provided those laws are complied with, your list of customer email addresses is potentially the most valuable marketing asset your business owns A recent study found email marketing is by far the most effective marketing channel in terms of return on investment. It found email returns $36 for every $1 spent.

There are several reasons email marketing is so great. Subject to compliance with applicable privacy and spam legislation: •

You can reach out to your customers directly, whenever you want

•

You can hit customers with whatever message you want, including special offers, reminders, important information, tips and advice

Of course, what Facebook really wants is for you to pay to advertise.

That’s how they make money, after all. If you want to reach more customers, you need to pay up.

•

Customers receive the message whenever they’re looking at their inbox (not while they’re scrolling Facebook and distracted by cat videos)

Don’t build your house on rented land. What’s happened with organic reach (which was originally very good for businesses) is a prime example of why it’s not a good idea to make any one social media channel a key part of your marketing strategy.

•

It’s cheap, it’s simple and it’s effective.

Facebook’s explanation for this is that there’s a lot of competition to appear in a person’s feed each time they log into Facebook.

When you do that, you’re at the mercy of the social media company. It’s their platform, and they can change the rules on you at any moment.

You spend time, money and effort building your audience of followers on that channel, and then the social media company turns off the taps.

Suddenly you’re left with nothing.

If you’re one of those who has been finding social media just isn’t working for you anymore, then consider switching your energies to email marketing instead.

By all means keep a presence on Facebook and Instagram, but don’t make those platforms your primary means of communicating with customers .

Don’t let another business control how you communicate with your customers.

Applicable privacy legislation may constrain or prevent the use of an individual’s personal information for marketing purposes. Applicable spam legislation may also operate to impose restrictions on the sending commercial electronic communications in certain circumstances. Members who have questions regarding the implications of these laws on their business should seek independent advice.

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