Automotive franchising may 2016 franchising usa 4#7

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FranchisingFeature spo rts & fi tnesss automotive

june may 2 0 1165

‘Rock Hound’ Becomes Rock-Solid

PIRTEK owner

5 tips

for managing online reviews of your business

the appeal of running an

automotive franchise

Franchising USA

JOIN THE #1 TRANSMISSION AND TOTAL CAR CARE FRANCHISE COME VISIT US AT THE INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE EXPO, BOOTH #428 AT THE JACOB JAVITS CENTER IN NEW YORK, 6/16-6/18 • No automotive experience necessary • Immediate brand recognition • Strong center financials* • World Class Support

866.379.5649

www.aamcofranchises.com Franchising USA

*Please see item 19 in our 2016 FDD for our financial performance representation

44

Our Special Supplement in Franchising which Features a different industry each month has become a regular of Franchising USA. To share your specific expert industry advice or to feature your franchise in the next issue, please contact: Tuesday Royko National Accounts Manager Phone: 204 414 3303 Email: tuesdayr@cgbpublishing.com

Contents On the Cover 36 PIRTEK

36

38 The Appeal of Running an Automotive Franchise

Expert Advice 44 5 Tips for Managing Online Reviews of Your Business

Brian Sparker, Head of Content Marketing, ReviewTrackers

42

Focus 42 AAMCO 46 Midas

46

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what’s new!

AAMCO Launches Platform to Enhance Consumer Financing Options

AAMCO, the world’s largest chain of transmission specialists and leader in total car care, recently selected LoanHero, a disruptive consumerlending platform, to provide enhanced consumer financing options to its franchisees system-wide.

The company is in the initial stages of rolling out the new consumer finance technology platform, which allows customers to submit one credit application to access multiple lenders in order to optimize consumer and merchant terms and maximize loan approval rates.

Through this partnership, customers have the option to apply for a loan for their automotive repair services via their web browser or mobile device.

“This new, robust consumer financing program is part of a broader strategy to significantly improve AAMCO franchisees long-term profitability,” said Jim Gregory, CFO of AAMCO Transmission, Inc. As a result, AAMCO will become more

in line with other industries, having

For over 50 years, the brands locally

process around 50 percent of sales via

service centers have employed the latest

rate of roughly 10 percent.

www.aamcofranchise.com

a comparable average ticket size, that

credit as compared to AAMCO’s current

owned and operated independent technology.

Educational Video Series Offers User-Friendly Car Care Tips Cottman Transmission and Total Auto Care, revered across the nation for the honesty and integrity that defines each and every customer experience, today released an educational video series in conjunction with April’s National Car Care Month.

Featuring the brand’s signature Cottman Man, the videos provide user-friendly tips on topics relating to car care, such how to address annual car service needs, routine maintenance, road trip precautions and many more relevant consumer preventative and proactive car care tips.

“We created this video series as a fun and informative way for our loyal and growing base of customers to learn more about how to avoid car problems, and what to do if they occur,” said

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Derik Beck, vice president of digital marketing for Cottman Transmission and Total Auto Care. “Putting The Cottman Man to work in these short videos helps to demystify car care for our customers by solving common car problems.”

The Cottman Man Educational Video Series can be found on www.cottman.com/videos.

Tint World Expands into Mississippi and Beyond and the fact that we’re a locally owned and operated store coupled with a national presence made it a really good fit for us.

Based on the success stories of other stores and the buying power we have, we’ll be able to bring a lot of great products and services to the Gulfport-Biloxi area.”

Tint World® is currently seeking single and multi-unit operators, as well as potential co-brand and conversion stores in all 50 states, with high customer demand in: New Jersey, Arizona, Connecticut, Oklahoma, Washington, Ohio, South Carolina, North Carolina, California and Tennessee.

Tint World® Automotive Styling

operated by brothers Donnie and Steve

Centers™, a leading auto accessory and

Saucier.

window tinting franchise, opened its

“I loved the concept of Tint World®,” said

first Mississippi location in Gulfport.

The Gulfport store is owned and

Donnie Saucier. “Their marketing plan is second to none based on my experience,

Franchise candidates should have a passion for providing a high level of service and a desire to be on the leading edge of growth and income opportunities.

For more information, call 800-767-6468 or visit www.tintworldfranchise.com to download a Tint World® franchise kit.

Big O Tires Now Has 105 Locations in California Franchisee new to the brand opens first store in El Cajon One of North America’s largest retail tire and automotive service franchisors with 389 franchisee-owned and 2 company-operated locations in 19 states, is pleased to announce the opening of a store in El Cajon, California; this is the fourth Big O Tires location in the San Diego region.

The store was formerly run as Devore Tire. It is owned and operated by franchisee Bill Clark; this is Bill’s first store as a Big O Tires franchisee.

“Making the decision to join a world class organization with buying power, marketing expertise, outstanding support and a knowledgeable team of franchisees was an easy one,” said Clark.

“Transitioning to Big O Tires has been a seamless experience.

All of the teams that I have had the opportunity to work with

have been extremely detail-oriented, knowledgeable and helpful throughout every step of the process. I applaud them for their efforts.”

“Bill’s success in the automotive aftermarket industry speaks to his dedication to his team and to his customers; his operational excellence, commitment to delivering exceptional customer service and knowledge of the industry will continue to benefit him as a member of the Big O Tires family,” said Kevin Kormondy, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Big O Tires. www.bigotires.com

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what’s new!

TBC Brands Continues Focus on Commercial Truck Tires Industry veteran Aaron Murphy’s strategy in place Just three months after joining TBC Corporation (TBC), one of North America’s largest marketers of automotive replacement tires, as Vice President of Commercial Truck Tire Sales, Aaron C. Murphy has defined a vision for the team that strategically aligns with the growth initiatives of TBC Brands, one of the largest distributors of private brand tires in North America. His knowledge of the industry, marketing expertise and operational acumen has already had a positive impact on relationships with existing customers.

Sumitomo Tires’ product line for commercial and heavy duty vehicles has been a primary concentration for Murphy since joining the organization. In addition to focusing on specific brands,

Murphy has prioritized building a team of seasoned professionals to support the commercial truck customer with tools that will enhance profitability and reliability.

The team will be strategically located throughout North America to best serve current and potential customers.

“My goal for the team is to constantly improve our product lines for our customers,” recognized Murphy. “As the marketplace changes, it’s imperative that we evolve too; we will capitalize on our strengths to give customers the most options when programming, sourcing and buying commercial truck tires.”

“At TBC Brands, our underlying mission and vision is built on our foundation to provide dealers with high-quality product lines through an effortless process,” said

Alta Mere Offers Protection from Sun with Custom Window Tinting

Marty Krcelic, Executive Vice President of TBC Brands. “Aaron’s multi-faceted approach built on the importance of educating consumers by promoting awareness through marketing initiatives closely aligns with our mission and is exactly what we were looking for in the commercial truck tire line of our organization.” www.tbcbrands.com

The warmer weather of spring and summer is now here, and with that, so too is rising temperatures in the inside of our cars. Luckily there is an easy solution to protecting drivers and their vehicles from the heat and damage of the sun’s rays.

Alta Mere is a national franchise that offers high tech automotive accessories and driver safety products. One of Alta Mere’s signature services is customized automotive window tinting installation. The service is especially popular this time of year as people are mindful of the sun’s effects on their cars.

Window tinting benefits a car and its driver in many different ways. The protective film has been proven to greatly reduce the internal temperatures of vehicle, creating a cooler and more comfortable driving experience. Window film keeps drivers safe by reducing up to 99 percent of harmful UV rays that come from exposure to the sun. The service helps protect areas of a car such as leather seats and dashboards that receive the most exposure from the sun and suffer fading and cracking.

Professionals at Alta Mere can customize the degree of window tint to fit driver’s exact preference. www.altamere.com

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Former Band Director Leverages Leadership Skills to Grow Automotive Service Centers Jiffy Lube franchisee Chris Yoo brings a whole new meaning to transferrable skills. Within the first year of acquiring Jiffy Lube service centers in Kentucky, Yoo generated an approximately 5 percent increase in sales and 10 percent increase in car count across his 7 service centers. Just a year prior, Yoo was serving as a band director, leading high school students to fulfill their musical ambitions.

Leveraging his leadership expertise as a band director helped Yoo effectively manage his service center employees.

And, mentoring his team members on a career path for their long-term success has resulted in success for his overall business.

on students beyond the classroom, his

After 9 years as a band director, a job he found particularly rewarding due to the positive impact he was able to make

started to research the industry, I realized

attention turned to his own children. “I

realized that my current career took time

away from my family,” Yoo shared. “As I

associated with the Jiffy Lube franchise.”

Having taken the plunge to change careers a year and a half ago, Yoo hasn’t looked back and is proud to be part of the automotive maintenance industry.

there were attractive profit margins

www.jiffylube.com

place for us to familiarize more people with our brand.”

with people who can benefit from our services,” Duff said.

Greg Duff, PIRTEK West End’s operations manager, has raced for several years in the International Motor Sports Association, winning two championships while managing a racing facility.

PIRTEK, a leader in fluid transfer solutions, provides hydraulic and industrial hose replacement sales and services from its 57 Service & Supply Centers and fleet of Mobile Service Vehicles across the country.

‘PIRTEK Lane’ Now Featured at Richmond Dragway PIRTEK West End in Richmond, VA, has recently become a sponsor of Richmond Dragway. During competition, the announcer now refers to the right lane as the “PIRTEK lane” when drivers enter it. PIRTEK’s logo also appears on the scoreboard and in the online feed.

Richmond Dragway is sanctioned by the International Hot Rod Association and features a quarter-mile track. The racing season began in March and will run through the end of December.

“It’s a good match,” said Suchit Gandhi, owner of PIRTEK West End. “The racing industry makes heavy use of hydraulics and hoses, and the competitors are typically industry owners, so it’s a logical

“We thought it would be a good way to get involved in the community and connect

www.pirtekusa.com

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pirt ek

‘Rock Hound’ Becomes Rock-Solid PIRTEK Owner Virginia Beach Service & Supply Center has strong over-thecounter automotive business

“The biggest reward is having customers tell you how important your business is to them, how good your employees are, and just how much our service means to them.” – David Driskill

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PIRTEK franchise owners come from the widest range of experiences and educational backgrounds imaginable. Case in point: David Driskill, owner of PIRTEK Lake Wright in Virginia Beach, VA, who earned his undergraduate degree in geology from the University of Alabama.

“An education can help you with running a franchise,” said Driskill, who also holds an MBA from Old Dominion University.

“There is no academic degree that can fully prepare a person to manage a small business – you still have to learn as you go.”

The geology background did figure into Driskill’s career path, a path that led ultimately to PIRTEK. After graduation, he started working sales and business management for a company that made earth-moving machinery. “The heavy machinery was related to my background, to geology, with all the digging and dealing with rock quarries in the earlier years,” he said.

Driskill continued in that industry for more than 20 years. But when his employer kept changing owners every few years, he decided to try something else.

The hydraulic hose business seemed a natural fit based on his familiarity with hydraulic machinery. But Driskill realized he’d have to learn more about how to install the hoses.

After doing some internet research, Driskill ran across PIRTEK. “When I realized it was a franchise, I shifted gears and started investigating PIRTEK,” he said. “It was all about

“We’re not just a hose shop, we are a service business. It’s a ‘right now’ business. We don’t just tell them we’ll place an order. We don’t tell them we’ll be there in a couple of days.” – David Driskill equipment uptime, minimizing downtime.

The business model made perfect sense to me.”

There are 57 PIRTEK Service & Supply Centers in the United States. The company has a line of fluid transfer products – oils, lubricants, hoses, fittings – all branded with the PIRTEK logo. Globally, PIRTEK has more than 400 locations and 2,000 Mobile Service Vehicles serving industries that use equipment with hydraulic- or pneumatic-powered machinery. When a company needs a hose replaced in a hurry, PIRTEK technicians do the customization and installation on site.

“We’re not just a hose shop, we are a service business,” Driskill said. “It’s a ‘right now’ business. We don’t just tell them we’ll place an order. We don’t tell them we’ll be there in a couple of days.”

As Driskill was setting up his PIRTEK franchise, the recession was ramping up, making the startup extra challenging. But he stuck with it, did a lot of marketing, and shook many hands. “It was a feet-onthe-street type of thing – belly to belly, face to face with the customer,” he said.

“I realized that if I could save these guys an hour of equipment downtime, that’s big money. A lot of people don’t even know how much time and money they lose from hydraulic hose failure.”

In addition to dispatching vehicles to industrial sites, PIRTEK Lake Wright also has a thriving over-thecounter business for walk-in customers.

Automotive products make up half of such sales there. Customers at the Virginia Beach Service & Supply Center can purchase lines for fuel, air-conditioning, brakes, transmissions, power steering, turbochargers, and more.

PIRTEK Lake Wright also customizes and installs various automotive lines and hosing. Driskill’s team has made automotive lines for all kinds of vehicles: antique cars, race cars, show cars, boat trailers, and large four-wheel drive vehicles.

Driskill’s technicians have a number of interesting projects to their credit. In 2014, they provided service to a vessel just before it departed for the Middle East. The center has repaired popular amusement park rides and a hydraulic pool cover for a homeowner. Vintage car jobs have included a 1935 Ford pickup and a classic 1957 Cadillac.

“The biggest reward is having customers tell you how important your business is to them, how good your employees are,” he said, “and just how much our service means to them.” www.pirtekusa.com

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Featu re

b y G i n a G i l l Fr a n c h i s i n g U S A

automotive franchising

e r u t a Fe

The idea of running a franchise in the automobile industry is appealing to a lot of different people.

Most car brands are high end and well known to bring in substantial profit while the service side of vehicles could peak a lot of people’s interests.

Cars are a part of American culture and history. Nascar is a highly viewed sport, 90 per cent of Americans drive their car to work and there were roughly 210 million licensed drivers in the U.S. in a 2010

report. Americans not only love their cars, they love understanding them and knowing them. It’s an important piece of iconic America.

A financially beneficial way for people to indulge in their interests for automobiles would be franchising. A franchise in automobiles sales and services would be a great investment for someone who has a lot of passion for cars, their history and make and would like to work directly with vehicles.

Auto Maintenance and Repair Franchise Nowadays, most families have two parents working and therefore two functioning

cars. There are more vehicles on the road and people are commuting for a long time to get to work. These long drives create more and more repairs and the majority of the population is dependent on repair services.

People are not as interested in replacing their cars quickly, but rather keeping them as long as possible. The public is dependent on repair shops to get them back in their car as soon as possible.

It would be beneficial to have a background in car repair services or to have a better understanding of the functionalities of the franchise in order to run a repair shop. However, it would not be necessary.

“Franchising a car dealership is more and more popular today and it boast great profitability with a high price tag and a lot of purchasers. In 2012, 7.2 million motor vehicles were sold to Americans and the number is always on the rise.”

Franchising USA

“A franchise in automobiles sales and services would be a great investment for someone who has a lot of passion for cars, their history and make and would like to work directly with vehicles.�

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Featu re

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“People are not as interested in replacing their cars quickly, but rather keeping them as long as possible. The public is dependent on repair shops to get them back in their car as soon as possible.”

A lot of customers depend on word of mouth when it comes to a trustworthy car repair shop and privately own businesses are plenty when it comes to vehicle repair and maintenance. Some shops have established a lengthy commitment

to the community and a well established reputation. This could be difficult to compete with and those interested in a repair franchise, should investigate the surrounding competition.

However, franchises specializing in Automobile repair usually offer a price difference which gains more customers. A well known brand can insure a trustworthy service to most of the population in comparison to a privately owned service.

Automobile Sales People are dependent on their cars, it’s a regular part of most American’s everyday lives. Franchising a car dealership is more and more popular today and it boast great profitability with a high price tag and a lot of purchasers. In 2012, 7.2 million motor vehicles were sold to Americans and the number is always on the rise.

Dealerships took a hit during the recession, but car sales came back strong.

This is a sustainable industry that will always remain in demand. Car franchises come with a strong brand name, various marketing tools and a lot of training for the franchisee. It’s a market that is easy to learn and is widely successful.

Unlike the repair side of the automobile industry, car sales are not competing on a high scale level with independently owned and operated dealerships. Most private businesses in this field function on a much smaller scale and usually in used cars.

A high end franchise has the means and finances to function on a grand scale.

The benefit of most car dealerships is their experience. The industry is well trained and well-versed in the business. They can offer successful guidelines that will lead

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to profit and the recession has lent some information about what to avoid in the future.

Most car dealerships are backed with a large budget for marketing offering high-end advertisement that will bring more people into your store. Franchisees can leave the majority of marketing in the hands of head office, loaded with professionals who will work for your business. It’s a relief for the franchisee, who can then focus on the business at hand.

Automobile Manufacturers The same brands that dealerships are involved with are also a potential market for manufacturing. The Big Three in the States are known as Chrysler, Ford and General Motors. Between 1896 and 1930, there were 1,800 manufacturers as vehicles hit the market, but that number

has significantly dropped and the Big Three dominate the US industry.

There are different types of manufacturing companies: those that make whole cars, ones that specialize in parts and those that create body and trailer parts. Again, they are dominated by the Big Three.

This type of industry has declined after the recession and dealerships changed their tune on opening massive amounts of manufacturers. Owning one would be harder to acquire and segregated to a certain area. The products would be very specific and particular to the dealership.

This type of franchise and business used to dominate the American market, but has taken a giant hit after the recessions.

However, U.S. is the largest producer of vehicles in the world. There are now options to produce vehicles and parts on U.S. soil and export them out of country.

Manufacturers are taking advantage of easily accessible communication and marketing tools, and using technology as a means to upgrade their products and constantly keep the market fresh and competitive.

Though some franchisees may find this industry appealing and a passionate pursuit, it may also be restricted. The automobile industry can be extremely profitable but franchisees may find themselves at the demands of the franchisor.

The automobile is a part of American history and it’s ingrained in the economy.

People are dependent on their cars and they need providers and caretakers to help them with their purchase. It will never be a dying industry and it’s a profitable and sustainable business that is ever growing and constantly evolving.

Look out for our next special feature: pet FRANCHISING

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A A MCO

aamco looking to expand

Already Impressive National Footprint Building trust with customers has allowed AAMCO to expand its range of services over the decades and now the long-serving brand is continuing to build its presence in target regions throughout North America.

Calling it an iconic brand that has evolved with American car culture, director of

“We’re focused on finding candidates who want to build a business by leveraging additional revenue streams through AAMCO’s total car care and national accounts programs.” – Eric Simon Franchising USA

franchise development for AAMCO Eric Simon says AAMCO has transitioned from a single transmission repair shop into the world’s largest chain of transmission specialists and leader in total car care, leveraging the trust it has built with car owners since it began franchising in 1963.

“It’s easier to build customer trust when our brand has a well established reputation for repairing the most complicated part of a vehicle,” Simon said during a recent interview.

No Automotive Experience Necessary Simon said AAMCO is looking for franchise prospects who have a managerial or business background. Potential franchisees are not required to have automotive experience, as AAMCO provides them with comprehensive training at its state-of-the-art training facility, AAMCO University, so that they can hit the ground running. “We’re focused on finding candidates who want to

“It’s easier to build customer trust when our brand has a well established reputation for repairing the most complicated part of a vehicle.” - Eric Simon build a business by leveraging additional revenue streams through AAMCO’s total car care and national accounts programs,” he said.

Acquiring those accounts is made easier

by AAMCO’s solid reputation and national brand footprint, the franchising development director said. Currently, AAMCO has nearly 650 centers across the country including centers throughout Canada.

But while the company has a significant presence throughout North America, there is still room for growth.

Recently, Simon explained, AAMCO has partnered with Buxton, a company that specializes in customer analytics and predictive modelling, to determine where in the U.S. the brand should focus its expansion efforts. The software takes into account the demographics of AAMCO’s current locations and compares them to those of the rest of the country to identify the best areas to open new centers.

Through this partnership, AAMCO has identified several new priority markets across the country.

“There are still many opportunities for growth,” said Simon.

Current Automotive Industry Feeds into AAMCO’s Growth The current state of the automotive industry feeds AAMCO’s growth, continued Simon, as people hold onto their cars longer — average age of vehicles on the road is over 11 years today — and need a quality place for maintenance and repair.

This growing trend has ultimately allowed AAMCO to capture a larger market share.

Along with that is AAMCO’s professionalism and quality of service, which allows the company to maintain a competitive advantage, especially when it comes to transmission repair, the director of franchise development said.

In fact, AAMCO recently opened a state of the art transmission remanufacturing plant near AAMCO University in Newnan, Georgia, just south of Atlanta so any franchisee can order a rebuilt transmission delivered straight to their center within a day or two.

work side by side with the new franchisee for the first five weeks the center is open.

Having the transmission remanufacturing plant provides a faster turnaround time for the customer and increases profitability for franchise owners by allowing them to have more bays open for other total car care services.

“What we’ve been able to do is establish a career path for our franchisees’ employees and take a vested interest in their professional development,” Simon noted.

Training and Ongoing Support Initial training for AAMCO franchisees lasts for a month, with two weeks at AAMCO University, a week at the center and the final week back at the training facility.

AAMCO also provides a personal business coach for each new location where they

In addition, AAMCO’s regional field managers train franchisees’ customer service managers and technicians at AAMCO University so they can progress their skills.

As part of its ongoing support, AAMCO will provide assistance with site selection, as well as construction and design. The company also assists franchisees with recruiting talent needed to operate an efficient business and obtaining access to finance.

As the automotive industry continues to evolve, AAMCO is well positioned for growth in 2016 and beyond. www.aamcofranchises.com

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Brian Sparker, Head of Content Marketing, ReviewTrackers

5 Tips for Managing Online Reviews of Your Business Managing online reviews should be an integral part of your franchise’s marketing strategy.

Sure: the thought of having to tune in regularly to review sites like Yelp, Citysearch, and TripAdvisor may leave you feeling overwhelmed — especially

if you’re running dozens or hundreds of franchise locations. But like it or not,

online reviews matter to your business, and how you handle them is crucial to your success.

• According to market research firm

YouGov, 4 in 5 American consumers read online reviews before making a purchase decision.

• Forrester, meanwhile, found that customer-written online reviews were perceived by consumers as more trustworthy than natural search engine results and branded content on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.

• According to search marketing news site Search Engine Land, only 13 percent of consumers will consider buying from a business that has a one- or two-star rating on online review sites.

At a time when customers can quickly become online critics, you can’t let reviews crush the credibility and reputation of your entire franchise. Here are five tips for successfully managing your online reviews and building a five-star franchise brand.

Tip 1: Claim and update your business listing on relevant review sites The first step to successfully managing your reviews — and protecting your brand reputation — is to plant your flags on digital properties where customers may be talking about you. These include online review sites, business pages on social networks, customer feedback channels, and online yellow pages and business directories.

While you have little control over what customers post on Yelp or Facebook, you can at least maintain an active presence on these sites and share relevant information about your business. Potential customers, for example, will want to know details like your locations, phone number, or hours of operation; they won’t always end up visiting your website, so it helps to have this information available on your Yelp page, say, or your TripAdvisor listing. The

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“Genuine customer feedback — never mind if it’s mostly negative — serves as a great source of information and insight essential to improving your business.” key is: be easy to find.

Also, by claiming your listing, you give yourself a chance to respond as the businessowner and turn any negative reviews around.

Tip 2: Respond to reviews and say thank you, no matter your star rating Internet messages are a blunt tool, and it hurts to receive a one-star review or a negative social media comment. But you can’t let your initial reaction get in the way of delivering a professional, solutionoriented response. If public feedback from a customer makes your business look bad, don’t do or say anything that will make the situation worse.

Train your franchisees and managers to respond to reviews proactively and with care. According to Atmosphere Research Group, businesses that are highly responsive to and engaged with online reviewers attract customers who have 30 to 40 percent more interaction with revenuedriving products and services.

It’s worth replying to five-star reviews, too, even if this means just saying thank you.

By letting customers know you appreciate their feedback, you can strengthen your digital reputation and reinforce positive customer experiences.

Tip 3: Bad reviews can be good for your business, so embrace them A negative review can sometimes feel like a personal attack. Or it can look like the bad apple that spoils the bunch. But don’t waste time trying to delete it from your profile — you likely won’t be able to anyway.

Instead, embrace the bad review and appreciate all the ways it can benefit your business. The two-star rating that

the angry Yelper posted last week could well add a measure of legitimacy or authenticity to your franchise brand. In fact, a Guardian report indicated that 68 percent of consumers placed more trust in reviews when they saw both good and bad ones; if a business seemed too good to be true, 95 percent would suspect that it faked its own reputation or censored what unhappy customers might have said.

More importantly, genuine customer feedback — never mind if it’s mostly negative — serves as a great source of information and insight essential to improving your business.

Do the staff members in your newest branch need a few more training sessions?

Are diners really happy with the new menu you rolled out recently across your locations? What are the most common complaints about your product, and is your customer service team coming through?

Brian Sparker

their feedback. There is no guarantee

that you will generate five-star reviews

across the board from these efforts, but

the wave of online activity should enhance your online visibility and strengthen your franchise’s reputation.

Tip 5: Address customer experience issues to turn critics into fans A negative review sometimes comes with helpful suggestions or ideas on how the customer experience can be improved.

Look for these suggestions and ideas and bring them up in your next meeting with

As far as getting these types of questions answered, opinions and experiences shared online by your most vocal customers may just enlighten you and help you see growth opportunities in your franchise.

the team.

Tip 4: Encourage happy customers to share their feedback

reviews in appreciation of your attempts

By taking customer feedback to heart and addressing genuine concerns, you give

yourself a better chance of turning critics

into fans, who, later on, may even edit their to right the wrong. Even if they don’t, this resolution-driven approach will benefit

It may not seem fair to have your detractors and critics regularly post reviews of your business, while your happiest customers choose to remain quiet. If that’s the case, find creative ways to encourage the latter group to speak up, particularly in post-transactional situations.

you in the long run, because the voice of

Talk to these customers and ask if they would be willing to give you five stars.

Ask for reviews at checkout. Conduct surveys. Mention it on phone calls. Send E-mails. In those E-mails, add a link to your Facebook Page or Yelp profile.

Follow up. Make it easy for people to give

companies efficiently manage online

the customer is one of your organization’s greatest sources of learning.

Brian Sparker is the Head of Content Marketing for ReviewTrackers, a review management and customer feedback software platform designed to help reviews, build brand reputation, and enhance the customer experience in ways that make a positive impact on the bottom line. www.reviewtrackers.com

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Midas

Midas Celebrates

60th Anniversary

by Rebranding, Expanding

Long-standing automotive service leader Midas reached its 60th anniversary in April, and the company wants to celebrate its six decades of success by giving entrepreneurs the gift of opportunity.

Franchising USA

Founded in 1956, Midas has since then reinvented and redefined its service focus multiple times to meet the

changing needs of the market. When it was established, the brand specialized

exclusively on mufflers but subsequently expanded its menu to include more and more car care services.

About 10 years ago, Midas opened up

to total car care, COO Mike Gould said during a recent interview, and now it’s

set to add “tire destination” to its list of services.

And with that new rebranding effort comes expansion plans, as the brand continues its push across North America.

Midas has 1,255 stores in the United States and Canada, most of which are owned and operated by around 600 franchisees, including many who have worked their way up through the Midas system to become business owners.

“We have many folks who came to Midas as technicians and then became store managers and then franchisees,” Gould explained.

But joining Midas and going up through the ranks isn’t necessary to become a franchisee, he added. Other store owners came from different working backgrounds in corporate America and got the necessary training through the Midas franchising system. Others are third-generation Midas franchisees who inherited the business through their family line.

“We’re a franchisee-driven network. A lot of our programs are designed by dealers for dealers. We get their input on almost everything that we do.”

- Mike Gould, COO, MIDAS

One thing Gould stresses is that new franchisees don’t require automotive knowledge to run a Midas store.

“Our system and our training is set up so that we can take someone who has never worked in automotive before — which includes about a hundred of our current franchisees — and train them to run a successful automotive business,” he said.

Plenty of Opportunity While some cities in the U.S. are maxed out with Midas shops, there are still plenty of opportunities in every state and throughout Canada, the COO noted.

Whether it’s a market that has no Midas yet or a market where current franchisees are looking to sell their stores, there is huge growth potential almost everywhere.

The advantage for franchisees is the recognition the brand provides. And now that the company has added tires to its stable of services, folks have another great reason for people to choose Midas for car care, Gould said.

The COO said he considers Midas’ main competition to be new car dealerships.

When people buy their car, it makes sense that they would take advantage of its warranty and gets the maintenance done at the dealership. However, once the warranty expires, he noted, car owners tend to go where they can get the best value rather than staying loyal to their dealership.

“Midas is the perfect fit because we can provide the same high-quality service and care that a dealership could be providing, but with same-day service in most cases, full explanations of the work required delivered by the shop manager at the car -and at a better value,” Gould stated.

In addition to the outstanding service Midas provides at the store level, he added,

the company prides itself on its nationwide warranty on many replacement parts, which the company guarantees for as long as customers own their cars.

Training that’s tailored to the franchisees’ needs All new franchisees receive three weeks of training, with the first two weeks covering business operations and the final week focusing on the software needed to run the business.

Midas also has integration teams that spend two weeks inside new franchisees’ shops providing initial hands-on training and support. In addition, the company’s field team offers franchisees ongoing, long-term assistance.

That team includes Integration Shop Operational Managers that spend most of their time with new franchisees delivering in-shop training; Shop Operational Managers that help run already established franchises; and Franchise Business Managers that do yearly business training sessions for all franchisees and help them throughout the year.

Because many of Midas’ franchisees work their way up through the business from technicians to business owners,

Midas provides customized training. So if someone has already been a technician and store manager, he or she might not need much training in the operation of the business but would need training in the managing and bookkeeping of the business. On the other hand, franchisees may already have management knowledge, but may need training in the technical operation of the store.

“Everyone has skill sets,” Gould said. “We analyze the skill set of the franchisees and arrange our training program so we can improve their strengths and work on areas of improvement.”

The company has regional meetings every six to eight weeks, the COO added, where all the franchisees in a given region assemble and discuss business, and provide the company with input.

“We’re a franchisee-driven network,” Gould explained. “A lot of our programs are designed by dealers for dealers. We get their input on almost everything that we do.”

With six decades of experience, expansion and reinvention, Midas is poised well to offer entrepreneurs amazing opportunities with the brand for decades to come. www.midasfranchise.com

Franchising USA

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