NOLN - January 2022

HOW SOCIAL MEDIA SERVES BUSINESS

PAGE 51

GIVING BACK TO CUSTOMERS

PAGE 48

STRATEGIZE YOUR SEO How to step up and meet the biggest challenges

PAGE 46

PAGE 30

New School Melissa Vail quickly adapted to leadership at her VP Racing Fastlube in Louisiana and became a successful new operator.

JANUARY 2022 � NOLN.NET

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ACCELERATE YOUR BUSINESS “More than 30 years ago, my wife Tracie and I opened our first Chevron gas station in Boise, Idaho. Since those early days, our business has evolved and grown to include a 20-pump island Chevron gas station, Havoline xpress lube ® and the Fast Eddy’s convenience store and car wash, yet all this time the Chevron brand has remained the same - a top-tier brand that consumers know and trust. So when Chevron announced its new Chevron xpress lube ® image, we jumped at the opportunity to transform our fast lube to align with Chevron fuel on the lot as well as the high expectations and values of our business, enabling us to continue growing with a trusted premium brand well into the future.“ Steve Eddy, Owner/Operator Chevron xpress lube | Meridian, Idaho

Move forward with Chevron 2

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Scan to learn more or visit chevronxpresslube.com (866) 354-4476

© 2021 Chevron. All rights reserved. All trademarks are property of Chevron Intellectual Property LLC or their respective owners.

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01.22

CONTENTS

09 ONLINE

Rebranding takes focus 10 EDITOR’S LETTER

What it takes to lead 11 BY THE NUMBERS

Bay times remain steady

QUICK HITS 14 INDUSTRY INSIGHT

The building blocks of shop culture 16 AROUND THE INDUSTRY

FullSpeed continues growth pattern 19 ADAPT

Protecting the industry’s future 20 SHOP LOOK

Great Bear 15 Minute Oil Change

SERVICE 45 PIT STOP

Make the queue more productive 46 TECH+TOOLS

SEO goes beyond the keyword 48 CASE STUDY

How to give back to communities 51 SALES+MARKETING

24 FEATURE

Lead Better in 2022

Industry experts offer five key insights to make leadership your main focus for the new year.

BY M AT T H U D S O N

30 PROFILE

Up and Running Strong

COVID complicated their grand opening, but these operators were determined to bring quick lube service to their town.

BY NOAH BROWN

Lifelong Learner After deacdes in the industry, Chad Weisbeck combines experience with a willingness to listen and learn to help his franchise evolve.

The social media attack plan

COLUMNS 22 FROM THE SHOP

Stay attuned to all levels of shop labor

BY A DA M TAT U M

55 AOCA CORNER

Looking at the EV future

BY BRETT FRASER

58 LEADING EDGE

Making better teammates

BY LENNY SAUCIER

NOLN, VOL. 37, NO. 01 (ISSN 1071-1260), IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY 10 MISSIONS MEDIA, LLC, 571 SNELLING AVENUE NORTH, ST. PAUL, MN 55104-1804. COPYRIGHT ©2022 BY 10 MISSIONS MEDIA LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NOLN CONTENT MAY NOT BE PHOTOCOPIED, REPRODUCED, OR REDISTRIBUTED WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE PUBLISHER. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ST. PAUL, MN AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. POSTMASTERS SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: NOLN, 571 SNELLING AVENUE NORTH, ST. PAUL, MN 55104-1804.

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MUSE 10 PHOTOGRAPHY

FE ATURES

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EDITORIAL

VP CONTE NT AND E VE NT S

Bryce Evans

E DITORIAL DIRECTOR

Anna Zeck

SE NIOR E DITOR

Matt Hudson

SPECIAL PROJECT S MANAGE R

Nora Johnson

DIGITAL MULTIME DIA E DITOR

Noah Brown

CONTRIB UTING WRITE RS

Adam Tatum, Lenny Saucier, Brett Fraser

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Lenny Saucier, Director of Retail Training, FullSpeed Automotive Pete Frey, Operator, Take 5 Oil Change Adam Tatum, Director of Operations, Virginia Group Bill Floyd, Operator, Lucas Oil Centers

SALES

VP AND PUBLISHE R

Chris Messer, cmesser@10missions.com AS SOCIATE PUBLISHE R

Andrew Johnson, ajohnson@10missions.com MARKE TING STR ATEGIST S

www.RothLubeTanks.com 1.888.266.7684

Marianne Dyal, mdyal@10missions.com Bob Marinez, bmarinez@10missions.com Martha Severson, mseverson@10missions.com Kyle Shaw, kshaw@10missions.com Dan Thornton, dthornton@10missions.com Sean Thornton, sthornton@10missions.com CLIE NT SE RVICE SPECIALIST

Jen George, jgeorge@10missions.com

ART AND PRODUCTION

ART DIRECTOR

Zach Pate

GR APHIC DESIGNE RS

News, When You Want It.

GET ONLINE TODAY! READ TODAY’S NEWS AND RECENT STORIES BY VISITING

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Mitch Bradford, Morgan Glisczinski PRODUCTION ARTIST

Lauren Coleman

10 M I S S I O N S M E D I A PRESIDE NT

Jay DeWitt

GE NE R AL MANAGE R AND PRODUCTION MANAGE R

Mariah Straub

E VE NT PRODUCE R

Kate Fahlen

COMMUNIT Y DE VE LOPME NT AS SOCIATE

Meghan Horan

SE NIOR DIGITAL ME DIA STR ATEGIST

Tiffany Fowler

BOOKKE E PE R AND CLIE NT SE RVICE SPECIALIST

Meghann Moore

HOW TO REACH US

571 Snelling Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55104 tel 651.224.6207 fax 651.224.6212 web 10missions.com The annual subscription rate is $72 (U.S.A. only) for companies not qualified to receive complimentary copies of NOLN. Past issue single copies are $8.

Go to noln.net/backissues Send letters to news@noln.net.

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

Opinions expressed in NOLN are not necessarily those of 10 Missions Media, and 10 Missions Media does not accept responsibility for advertising content.

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THE NOLN PODCAST NET WORK PODCAST

TUNE IN FOR

NEW EPISODES EVERY WEEK! LISTEN TODAY BY VISITING

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2/3/21 11:48 AM 12/21/2021 2:42:09 PM

01.22 VISIT

NOLN.NET TODAY

PODCAST

THE NOLN PODCAST NOLN has expanded its offerings of podcasts, bringing four monthly episodes to the airwaves. The podcast brings operators and industry experts to the screen to go in-depth with the editorial staff on topics that matter to shop owners.

THE WORK OF REBRANDING Steve Eddy, owner of Fast Eddy’s in Meridian, Idaho, talks about his crown jewel: a 5.5acre business that includes a C-store, fuel, car wash, a sandwich shop, and a quick lube.

Eddy talks about what makes his facility special and how he rebranded from the Havoline xpress lube into the newly launched Chevron xpress lube program.

The name of the game is catering to customer comfort, and Eddy is always focused on that. Hear about his strategies in this episode.

Find all of the episodes at noln.net/podcasts or subscribe on your podcast platform of choice!

GETTY

CELEBRATE VETERANS IN AUTO SERVICE Editorial Director Anna Zeck speaks with an auto service executive and an operator about the value that armed forces veterans bring to shops.

Pete Baldine, President of Moran Family of Brands to discuss the company’s commitment in adding veteran owners and employees and the value they bring to the system.

Dean Bingham has been with Mr. Transmission for 46 years, two years as a manager and 44 years owning various shops in the southeast. Military career started in 1962 with the Air Force.

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

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

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

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

NOLN NEWS Have you subscribed to the newsletter? NOLN will send the latest industry news, strategies and profiles straight to your inbox.

Sign up at noln.net/subscribe.

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

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01.22

EDIT LETTER

IN MY VIEW, BUSINESS OWNERS ARE

STANDING OUT IN A CROWD

Recognizing the big impacts owners make each day

10

impressive. The risk, responsibility, and hard work that it takes to manage daily challenges and maintain the livelihoods of employees is a lot to handle, whether you’re in a franchise or independent business.

I’ve heard stories from operators about the startup period in quick lubes.

It’s that period of maybe 12 to 18 months after first opening when you and your customers are getting to know each other. I don’t have to tell you how difficult that time can be.

What about launching a shop just before a global pandemic? What if supply chain disruptions and labor shortages got mixed in as well? That might make for a long 18 months.

Thankfully for the people of Jonesboro, La., their local quick lube has operators who are up to the challenge.

This month’s profile (and cover photo) features Melissa Vail, who co-owns the shop along with her husband, Richie.

The pair had a startup period that’s about as tough as they come.

What really impressed me in that story was how Melissa stepped into her role as the day-to-day operations expert. She came into the industry with plans to help out on more of an as-needed basis. But when COVID-19 changed up their plans and Richie had to find additional work, Melissa found herself at the shop, learning the operation from top to bottom.

The Vails strike me as the kind of owners who simply get things done.

There are few better examples of an ability to handle risk, responsibility, and hard work. Read the rest of their story inside the magazine (page 30).

Our cover story (page 24) this week puts forth five ideas to think about related to your leadership. Whether you’re new to the industry or a seasoned veteran, you should be thinking about ways to improve your leadership

style all the time. I had a great time talking to Chad Weisbeck about this.

He’s a Jiffy Lube operator based in South Carolina (Jiffy Lube’s 2021 franchise of the year to boot), and he told me about lessons that he learned as a young manager in the ‘90s. He also told me about lessons that he’d just learned in recent months, and that shows a responsive growth mindset that operators should have. He had more good advice than I could fit into an article, but I suggest that you start with our five suggestions.

I’ll highlight another story, which is an SEO guide for the modern website (page 46). It was a bit of a surprise to me to learn just how intensive search engine optimization can be. It used to be making sure that a website had all the keywords necessary to catch the eye of a search engine. That’s an antiquated view, because the search engine of today (mostly Google) is highly evolved to weed out low-quality results. That’s news you can use.

Finally, I’d just like to welcome all you readers to a brand new year. We all had fun in 2021, right? However it went for you, I hope that this coming year tops them all—and that NOLN can in some way help you toward that goal.

MATT HUDSON

SENIOR EDITOR, 10 MISSIONS MEDIA

NOLN.NET

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BY T H E N U M B E R S

01.22

ON THE CLOCK

Bay times reported in the NOLN Operator Survey have been steady throughout the years, but there was a slight uptick in 2021.

Compared to the previous year, operators report taking nearly six more minutes on average for routine service. What is your bay time looking like in the new year?

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minutes

AVERAGE TIME FOR ROUTINE SERVICE

20 15 10 5

2014

2015

FIND OUT MORE

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

Bay times are heavily influenced by what kind of operation you run. Are you a stripped down, quick lube machine? Do you incorporate brake and tire work into your bays? Learn about the different operation models by checking out noln.net/repairservice.

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QH

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

INDUSTRY SHOWS UP STRONG AT iFLEX 2021

The fall event emphasized lifetime learning for quick lube operators

BY MAT T HUDSON

14

“If you want them to exceed expectations when a guest comes into the store, then you have to exceed their expectations,” Frankenberger said.

Spread Values Frankenberger and Kossak told stories about how they try to uphold and spread culture values in their organizations. It’s not an easy task; there’s a lot of practice involved, and operators need to put in the time, even when their management duties are pressing, Kossak said.

“No matter the stress that you’re going through as an owner, a leader, a manger, you have to take yourself out of the equation and spend time on your people,” she said.

That means taking special care for employees in times of need. Frankenberger recalled a story from years ago, when he was working through a serious injury that required him to re-learn how to walk. The company stood behind him, offering resources and helping him to succeed all the way up to his position as company president.

Through that kind of effort put into communication, a strong shop culture can permeate throughout large and small operations. Kossak repeated a truism

NOLN ARCHIVE

IF YOU MISSED iFLEX 2021, YOU MISSED

a lot of knowledge and industry training provided in the education seminars hosted by the Automotive Oil Change Association.

Speakers updated attendees on ongoing legislation and government issues, service advisories, and best practices for operators of all sizes.

Two industry veterans laid out a blueprint for winning shop cultures as part of one education session. The strategies were based in communication, integrity, and empowerment for your team.

“The example we set as a leader, as an owner, it matters. But we need to ask ourselves, what type of example are we setting for our team?” said Amber Kossak, CEO of Solid Start.

It’s not only important to set an example, but operators should be effective in spreading good values and habits. It’s crucial not only to grow a positive culture throughout the operation, but it is the way that an owner’s values get to the customer level.

Oil Changers President Eric Frankenberger put it like this: As an owner, operator, or manager, who is your most direct customer? It’s the team members who serve drivers.

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that her father often said that underscores the strive toward excellence.

“If better is possible, good is simply not enough,” she said.

Government Affairs Continue Oversight The opening education session on day two of iFLEX 2021 reviewed some of the big governmental affairs issues facing the quick lube industry.

AOCA policy director Joanna Johnson gave attendees a primer on the major enforcement legislation, including Right to Repair law that passed in Massachusetts and the resulting action by the Federal Trade Commission aimed at curbing dealer and OEM tactics that discourage independent servicers.

“You have incredible competition all of the time,” Johnson said. “But unlike other segments of the industry, you also face anti-competitive behavior.”

Research and reporting from the AOCA led to the FTC’s announcement that it would step up enforcement against deceptive tactics that might push consumers away from independent facilities.

Johnson also reviewed current research into Hyundai and Kia engines that are prone to rod bearing failures, as well as multiple cases of OEMs and dealers attempting to blame lube shops for failing to properly install drain plugs.

“They are problem engines. There is no exception,” she said. “They all come down to this.”

Johnson cautioned operators to be diligent if an OEM or dealer attempts to blame a lube shop for these kinds of failures. Be sure to get written documentation of the dealer’s position, citing relevant technical service bulletins, and be sure to conduct your own inspection of the vehicle, in particular the drain plug.

“If you get a claim from the dealer that the plug is out, you’ve got to inspect it,” she said. “Do not assume they are telling the truth.”

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QH

AROUND THE INDUSTRY

READY TO INCREASE YOUR DAILY OIL CHANGES?

HALRON LUBRICANTS ACQUIRES PERKINS OIL

Halron Lubricants announced it acquired Perkins Oil Company.

Both family-owned, Wisconsin-based companies, the two companies will merge under the Halron Lubricants name and will be headquartered in Green Bay, Wis., according to a news release. The acquisition of Perkins will allow Halron to expand its reach to parts of Iowa and Illinois, as well as to

continue serving Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan.

“I am thrilled that Rich Perkins and I were able put these two long time family businesses together,” Halron CEO Mike Halron said. “The two organizations share very similar cultures and core values. Rich and his management team will be working with the Halron management team to grow the business together.”

The Parker Quik Lube shop in Cadiz, Ky., has a new owner and will soon have a new name.

James and Robert Parker, owners of the three-bay shop in the southwest corner of Kentucky, announced the sale of the business on Nov. 20 to Lucas Hale according to a report from WKDZ 106.5 FM. Hale will rebrand the shop as Cadiz Dino Lube.

“We would like to thank our Cadiz and Trigg County customers for your

16

support over the last 19 years,” the Parkers said in a social media post. “We encourage all Cadiz and Trigg County to support Lucas Hale and his staff at Cadiz Dino Lube for all your automotive needs. They will be reopening soon.

They are great people and will take great care of your automotive needs.”

Under the rebranding, the shop will add hours on Sunday and will look to add tire rotations and other “small automotive services” in the near future.

LEXUS GOLD PHOTOGRAPHY

KENTUCKY QUICK LUBE CHANGES OWNERS

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FULLSPEED ANNOUNCES 3 NEW TEXAS LOCATIONS

In a press release, FullSpeed Automotive announced three new stores in the Austin, Texas, area.

FullSpeed, which operates the brands Grease Monkey and SpeeDee Oil Change and Auto Service, said that Ralph Rickey signed an agreement for the three locations. They will operate as Grease Monkey stores.

“Being in the auto industry has taught me the immense value in going above and beyond in providing a superior customer experience—it’s what truly drives results. When I was researching the Grease Monkey franchise opportunity, I was immediately impressed by the level of detail put into prioritizing speed, quality, and a remarkable experience to every customer, at every visit,” Rickey said in the press release.

The stores will target the Round Rock, Cedar Park, and Georgetown areas of Austin, and Rickey plans to have the first location online within nine months.

According to the Anderson Herald Bulletin, the national oil change brand is planning to tear down an old Steak ‘n’ Shake building for its new quick lube shop in Anderson, Ind., about 40 miles northeast of Indianapolis on Interstate 69.

The city’s zoning appeals board approved VIOC’s plan Wednesday in a special session. The shop will be just over 2,000 square feet and will employ up to seven people.

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

Today’s technicians do not have the same knowledge base.

The fact is, Seyfer said, new technicians simply do not have the same “institutional knowledge” that veteran technicians do. That makes it vital that they have knowledge available to them at their fingertips that is easily available, user-friendly and easy to locate.

“People aren’t taking jobs for life anymore,” he said. “So, how do you take someone who isn’t here for life and make them profitable for themselves and the business?”

UNIFIED INDUSTRY CRITICAL TO FUTURE SUCCESS

BY ANNA ZECK

As the complexity of vehicles continues to advance, it will become critical for all segments of the industries—collision, mechanical repair, tire and quick lube—to come together and both learn from each other and work together.

That was the message from the panelists during the “TECH Talk: The Changing Landscape” panel at the ADAPT: Automotive Technology Summit in Nashville.

“We have to come together on a standard and say this is what we’re going to teach and this is how we’re going to repair cars,” said Donny Seyfer, owner of DLS Consulting and former shop owner. “If we don’t do that, people will lose businesses over liability cases.”

Former Advance Auto Parts veteran and newly appointed Repairify vice president of training Chris Chesney kicked off the discussion by asking the panelists the biggest friction points they’ve dealt with in their respective roles. Those friction points and challenges included the following:

GETTY

The need for technician protection.

Seyfer noted that when it comes to insurance protection, there’s very little available for technicians, which could pose major problems when it comes to liability.

“Our guys really aren’t covered if something happens,” he said. “[The insurance companies] still think mechanics turn wrenches.

That’s still their mentality.”

S E P T. 2 4 -2 5 • D A L L A S - F O R T W O R T H , T E X A S .

For optimal workflow, processes must change.

All panelists agreed that the processes of yesterday will no longer serve the workflow of today. That includes how the front and back of the shop work together, the way team members are paid, and how the shop floor is structured.

“These very smart people who repair cars are much better when you allow them to stay focused and don’t break that focus.

When you do that, you lose productivity,” Seyfer said. “The front end has to think about how we’re going to handle that, too. If you want [technicians] to handle procedures correctly, you can’t take them off the procedures.”

As the discussion wrapped up, all the panelists passionately emphasized the need to perform repairs correctly, regardless of industry segment.

“We have to serve the technician,” Chesney said. “The collision side of the business has had to do things right to be viable. They can’t afford a miss because it erodes their margin. On the mechanical side, we have to pay attention to what they can teach us.”

Fincher added that it will become increasingly critical to not only utilize emerging technology, but to embrace it as well.

“I know you’ll continue to see more AI injected into your workflow, the technology you use, the front office side. It’s important to understand it and not be afraid of it to differentiate your business,” he said.

Of course, being able to do all of that boils down to having the right team, a struggle between the technician shortage and the current Great Resignation. But as the stakes become even higher for shops to repair vehicles correctly, being picky just might be necessary.

“We have radically failed our techs because they’re not up to speed. We all have a great technician in the shop, but we also have another one that might not pass if they had to take those tests,” Seyfer said. “There’s no possible way that the government can do this for us. They’re not smart enough. The cars are that complex.”

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

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QH

S H O P LO O K

GREAT BEAR 15 MINUTE OIL CHANGE OF BECHTELSVILLE, PA. OPERATORS:

BRAND NEW

FRANK MULLER, DAVID GUZMAN, JEREMY GARBER

LOCATION:

BECHTELSVILLE, PA.

STAFF SIZE:

10

SHOP SIZE:

3 BAYS

CAR COUNT:

24

BY MAT T HUDSON P H OTO S B Y WA D E S N I D E R P H OTO G R A P H Y

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Great Bear is a new shop led by an experienced ownership team.

Co-owner David Guzman pursued some other business interests in the area, and he knew it was a great place to set up.

“I really got to spend a lot of time up here, and thought, wow, this could really be something good,” Guzman says.

This shop just opened in August 2021 and was purpose-built for Great Bear.

For building plans, Guzman and his partners knew they wanted a clean shop that grabbed attention and had drive-through bays.

They also wanted to build a lobby area that’s

comfortable and minimalist.

There aren’t many retail items to distract from customer comfort.

“I wanted to make the lounge sleek,” Guzman says. “You look at the lounge, and there’s really not a whole lot of clutter.”

Guzman says he was very happy with the construction, and the shop got off to a great start in its early months.

BUILDING ASSETS Guzman has worked in quick lubes since 1997, and he was familiar with the ease of use that a full basement provides. But the costs and local approvals were prohibitive, so he worked with the local government on a solution.

“Probably the biggest thing I had to do was make sure the township would let me design the pits,” Guzman says.

Guzman and his partners worked with their contractor, Premier Construction Solutions, to put it all together. The result is a pair of six-foot-deep pits that

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

are joined by a walkway pit at the back, so that lower bay techs can walk from one pit to another without climbing stairs or ladders.

It’s a great marriage of cost savings and usability.

“It almost works like a basement,” he says. “Once you’re down there, you go back and to the other side and hit the bay.”

Another key asset that went into the shop build was the third bay, which is separated and doesn’t have a pit. Guzman says that a lift will go into that bay for larger service jobs once they’ve trained an expert staff to keep the quick lube bays moving.

THE GREAT BEAR The shop name is an homage to the local school and community mascot. A coalition of businesses in the area all participate by putting artistic bears in on the property, and Guzman says that he knew they would participate.

“We signed up for the local township organization,” he says. “We told them we were getting a bear.”

In keeping with the quick model of business, the Great Bear mascot will be named Zoom and will have a tropical motif to it. The idea is to remind customers that there’s a lot of adventure out there in between services.

“He’s kind of a vacation bear,” Guzman says. “Go enjoy your life and then come in and get an oil change.”

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FROM THE SHOP

Don’t Forget Where You Came From THIS MONTH’S ISSUE EMPHASIZES THE LEADERSHIP

ADAM

TATUM

Adam Tatum is director of operations for the Virginia Group, a Jiffy Lube franchisee with 11 locations.

He has over a decade of experience in the industry with a proven track record of building customer counts and sales, as well as using innovative ways to bring a new look to the automotive field for both the customer and the employee.

Performance comes from growing your business through people.

ATAT U M

@VALUBE.COM

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side of our business. As someone who has grown in the business from technician to franchisee, there is one thing that I have never forgotten that has helped me at each level: Do not forget where you came from.

How many of you have made this mistake in your locations? Are you finding it hard to connect with your teams and to get the results that you are looking for today? It could be that you have lost focus on the operations level at its most simple.

As we progress in our careers, we find that our motivations and responsibilities have changed.

Sometimes we get bogged down and we must remember to take time and step back. What we all want and need when we make operational decisions is to get buy-in from our field teams to put these in action. The way that this is done is being able to connect on the level of the employees, knowing what motivates them, and presenting in that way.

For example, if I was going to introduce a new service or product, I am going to do it firsthand. Why is this important? You can show them how you would do it, how you would present it and more. Hey, you never know, doing it live might help you tweak it in a way to create even more positive results.

The biggest thing that most operators, at a director level or higher, should ask themselves is: How often do the teams see you in the store? How often are you pitching in or listening to your people?

When we discuss buy-in, many managers just expect you to do it because we say so. However, in our current employment market, it’s just not that simple. Our workforce now wants to make an impact and feel like they matter. Take just one day per week to put on your work shoes and get in the stores. It will make a world of difference, because you are willing to do what they are doing and willing to listen and take your time. When you go to make a change, little things like this will resonate in their minds. They feel like, “This guy is coming down here and getting in the grease with us.”

For some, this may be harder than others. Some operators did not come from this industry. How many owners are out there in this business that purchased a business as an investment or a cash flow opportunity? We know you are out there—and that is not a terrible thing!

In these cases, where you know that you are not going to be in the stores, hire an operator for your business that has been in those trenches. They will have a wealth of knowledge that will help you keep that positive cash flow and not allow you to make mistakes that will cost you in the end. The other advantage to this is that these guys know how to motivate entrylevel techs and managers working long hours. This is a tough industry that puts us in the elements each day.

Do not take my story as a slight on how you do your business. I don’t intend it that way. This is a way to understand what it takes to create a positive environment in your locations. Think about that operator who is nonexistent and does not come around. How do those operations look and feel? Many are not high-level culture places. The employees sometimes tend to have the attitude that if manager does not care, why should they? Negative attitude employees do not get you the sales that you need, they drain your resources and lose your customer base. The negative cycle is complete. We can all say that we do not do this to lose money.

Remember to make yourself available and visible from time to time. I make myself available around the stores. I choose not to have an office or pod at our corporate location. I still see myself as a field employee, even as a franchisee, because that is where the business is made.

You can get a lot done still with phone calls and Zoom meetings. Do not allow yourself to get so bogged down that you miss the camaraderie that is made in the stores. Make sure to be a part of it. You will be amazed by the impact that you will make by simply taking the time to get dirty with the guys every now and again. It is where you started if you have not already forgotten.

LUCAS MOORE

Why leaders need to stay engaged with their rank-and-file

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Great Leadership Strategies for 2022 Start off the year by being a better boss

By Matt Hudson

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Muse 10 Photography

12/28/21 12:01 PM

Looking Back

Reflecting on his early days in the industry, Chad Weisbeck is still learning important leadership lessons today.

had Weisbeck crafted his leadership strategy over decades. It started as he rose through the management ranks in a Jiff y Lube franchise through the ‘90s, and his skills grew as he took that experience into a franchise of his own.

Talking to Weisbeck today offers a glimpse of what makes a good leader. He speaks about lessons he learned early on, 20 years ago. In the next breath, he’s speaking about lessons that he just picked up while reflecting on his past and applying it to his current challenges in the business. Just as some aspects of the business change over time, leadership needs to keep up.

Weisbeck runs Bronco Lube, a Jiff y Lube franchise with 10 locations that was recognized as the 2021 franchise of the year by Jiffy Lube corporate. He knows that dynamic leaders look for places to excel, but it can’t happen without sound fundamentals. That’s where he began to grow a successful franchise.

“And what came from that was a team that’s better equipped, better prepared, and more responsive because we’ve had a plan,” he says.

Harry D. Cohen looks at intangible fundamentals. A smile, a thoughtful

Don’t overthink.

comment, or a “thank you” can go a long way in this business. In his recent book, Be the Sun, Not the Salt, the psychologist and business coach preaches the idea of practicing good habits to spread happiness. Just like the fundamentals in the quick lube business, success in this area may sound easy, but it can be less common in practice.

With that in mind, take this first month of the year to examine your own leadership style and hit 2022 with the goal of improving—first within yourself to benefit your operation.

Weisbeck had success at nearly every level of his career. He started working at a quick lube as he prepared to go to college, and his supervisors rewarded his hard work with more responsibilities and pay opportunities.

“By the time the new year had rounded, they were wanting me to be a general manager of a location,” he says. “Just being a few months in the business, they sent me to manager training school.”

By the time he was 22, Weisbeck managed nine Jiffy Lube locations. In the following years, he oversaw more units and earned district manager and regional manager of the year awards.

Weisbeck noticed quickly how stores would tighten up to look their best when

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5 Great Leadership Strategies for 2022

the regional wmanager came through for a visit. He saw that as something that could be fixed.

“Really quickly, that got old,” he says. “It didn’t make sense to me as a young manager. Why are we doing this? Why don't we just try to do everything we’re supposed to be doing every day so there’s not this knee-jerk response?”

The solution was to ensure that shops acted as if they had a regional manager on site at all times. That’s the baseline.

And he found that it doesn't require teams to go above and beyond. In many cases, it’s the basics that need to be done—every time, all the time.

Weisbeck carried that ethic into his current franchise ownership. So when people ask Weisbeck what his magic touch has been throughout his career, he tells them to just focus on what people are supposed to do.

“That’s carried through all my 25 years in this industry,” he says. “The attention to detail, following the processes more than everybody else. There’s no real magic to it.”

among a team. It also means that the tone is set by top leadership.

“And as leaders, if we can embody those principles as best we can, deliberately and consciously, all the people around us can be inoculated appropriately,” he says.

That’s the heart of the “be the sun” outlook. When a member of your team sees leadership acting negatively or being counterproductive, then it sends a signal that it’s OK for the rank-and-file to do so. It’s not easy; there’s a responsibility to work at being a model employee of your own operation. But it helps to realize how much of an impact that you have as a leader and how much your teams look to you for guidance.

“One simple act of kindness is very nice, but it ripples,” Cohen says. “And we want to create a rippling phenomenon.”

Allow subordinates to flourish.

Weisbeck recently travelled to meet a former colleague. That person was Weisbeck’s district manager back in 1994, and he talked about his experience managing Weisbeck back in those times.

Weisbeck came away with some lessons from that perspective. One was that while you have processes and styles in place for managers, there needs to be a certain amount of room for them to apply their own leadership styles.

“What I learned was that one, you can't manage everyone the same,” he says.

“And I thought you could.”

Weisbeck sees this as an industrywide evolution. It’s about being more attuned to your management network and how they succeed, all the while making their styles work within your operation.

Everyone receives information from leadership differently. There might be

Examine your own change.

Cohen is working on spreading his “be the sun, not the salt” philosophy. In short, it’s centered around the impacts that leaders can have when they set examples of great attitude and spread happiness.

Cohen says that you want to avoid negativity from infecting your company culture. That means containing issues when they arise

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Starting Point

Change starts at the top. Harry Cohen says owners should set examples for their teams.

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different interpretations to input from leaders, and as long as the fundamental goals are met, a micro-management style will only be a roadblock.

One benefit—in addition to a more functional operation—is that subordinates find more value in the work that they do. They respond when company leadership is making more of an effort to let them succeed.

“You have to learn about your people.

You’ve got to know your people,” Weisbeck says. “They have to feel that you’re invested in them. That you care about them and the things you say aren't just words.”

Two-Way Learning

Chad Weisbeck makes it a priority to learn about how his team works and learns so that he can be a more effective communicator.

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5 Great Leadership Strategies for 2022

Tailored Approach

Different employees need different kinds of leadership. That allows individual talents to shine.

Practice the intangibles.

Your shops are practicing all the time.

The service process is run over and over to ensure that the drain plug is always replaced and that staff members are always safe as cars enter and exit bays.

Those are tangible processes. As a leader, it might not be as obvious to practice the intangible attitudes that can have just as big an impact on the workplace. If it doesn’t come naturally to you, that’s OK. The way Cohen sees it should really resonate with how quick lubes practice the service process. It’s about attaining efficiency.

“The notion of practice makes perfect is not true,” he says. “But practice is really at the root of making something automatic.

So the more you practice something, the less you have to practice it.”

When you practice saying “please” and “thank you,” that’s how it becomes automatic. And the effects can be great when those processes become automatic.

In turn, leaders should try to recognize and encourage this practice element among staff. It doesn’t have to be complex—”please” and “thank you” are good places to start. When you see it, reinforce it.

“Keeping it really simple,” Cohen says.

“Saying and doing things on a regular basis to practice and call it out whenever you see it.”

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Look for smart delegation.

Weisbeck’s operation has been going through a growth spurt. He’s now running 10 locations after adding four in 2021. He also became a Mighty Auto Parts franchise, which splits some of his attention from quick lube operations.

Now that he’s leading a larger organization with more than 100 employees, he’s looking for ways that he

can be strategic about his presence and impact on the business.

“My goal for 2022 really is to remove myself from day-to-day responsibilities from either company,” Weisbeck says.

“That way, I can continue to work on growing my company. And two, I want the ability to still go on site more. I’ve had to step away from being on site in the last year because the growth has been so quick.”

If you’re reading carefully, you’ll notice that Weisbeck is finding a balance between how best to be absent from certain aspects of the business that are well-covered by managers. At the same time, he’s looking for ways to re-insert himself into other aspects—being on site more, forging relationships with team members, and making impacts there.

That’s great advice for any operator, whether you’re running one, two, or 10 locations. Work with the leaders within your operation to find out how they can help you detach from some areas of the business in order to focus on and excel in others. Putting that trust in your people is a great place to start.

“Without them, as you know, it’s impossible to be successful as you grow,” Weisbeck says.

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WE BUY QUICK LUBES

685 685 LOCATIONS PURCHASED SINCE JANUARY 2014, AND COUNTING! Valvoline is seeking single and/or multiple locations performing 7500+ oil changes per year. ™

Contact Gayle McMillin

859-357-7303

lgmcmillin@valvoline.com US-J-5344-EN ©2021 Valvoline 8/21 ™Trademark, Valvoline or its subsidiaries, registered in various countries

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PROFILE

STARTING FROM SCRATCH Melissa Vail was a total newcomer to the industry two years ago. Now, she’s her shop’s MVP.

By Noah Brown Lavender Harvest Photography

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F

or Melissa Vail, quick lube wasn’t a natural progression. It wasn’t even in the plan just a few years ago.

Working in the insurance industry for 17 years, Vail is the first one to admit that she didn’t know the first thing about working in automotive maintenance.

“I had no mechanical skills whatsoever,” she says. “It was so new to me. I didn’t know a thing about oil at the time.”

So when Vail’s husband, Richie, decided he wanted to start a quick lube shop in Jonesboro, La., back in October 2019, she didn’t think much about the role she might play at that store.

Vail’s husband worked off-shore on an oil rig when they first opened their quick lube. The two chose to become franchisees with VP Racing

Fastlube, attracted to the low upfront capital requirements to start up, and it allowed Richie the flexibility to work his one-month-on/ one-month-off schedule. Vail was supportive throughout the process as the shop was under construction, but she says she was more than comfortable just playing a supplementary role.

“This was all him. When he worked off-shore, I was here trying to get it built, trying to get everything. He would be off a month then on a month. I was here helping through that process, but we weren't sure what was going to happen. We didn’t know if we’d need his income from his other job or if this would support itself.”

That, however, was before COVID hit.

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Customer service is very important, and it makes me happy to know that other people are happy. It makes them want to come back if you have good customer service.”

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PROFILE

CALLED INTO ACTION

Vail’s day-to-day was quickly upended.

COVID hit in early 2020. Richie was laid off from his oil job. He hustled to find another full-time position to make up for the loss of income. All of which thrust Vail into a new role at the lube shop—from supporting to being one of the shop’s leaders during an unprecedentedly difficult time.

“At that time I was here at the store helping every day, but now that he had to go out and get a regular full-time job that didn’t allow him to be here every other month, it really fell in my lap,” Vail says. “That’s when it really set in, and it was kind of scary. If something went awry, he couldn’t help walk me through it.”

A small town of fewer than 5,000 people, Jonesboro didn’t have many options for full service auto care, and Richie wanted to change that when he first opened VP Racing Fastlube.

In addition to providing quick lube maintenance, the shop also provides full-service auto care and tires.

Though that meant the shop would attract more customers throughout the region, it also meant a steeper learning curve for Vail. Richie comes in as much as he can to help out, but with his other full-time job, he’s only at the shop about once a week. That means most of the day-to-day operations fall to Vail and her team.

“We’re such a small town and there aren’t as many places around, so we’ve taken on tires as well as oil change. I had to learn everything,” she says. “I didn’t know what filter went on this car or that one, which wipers go where.

I didn’t know the difference between

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Quick Learner

With the help of her husband, Richie, Melissa Vail worked all areas of the quick lube shop to get up to speed quickly.

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a full synthetic and synthetic blend.

Trying to keep up with all the new cars coming in and make sure we had everything in the shop was difficult.”

JACK OF ALL TRADES

Vail says she’s never been one to shrink from a challenge, and instead of nervously fretting what could have happened to the store in the middle of the pandemic, she dove in head-first to help lead the company through it.

Once again quick to deflect credit, she says she felt like it was really the only option.

“For one thing, it’s our life savings.

We have about $750,000 invested in this place. It’s got to work!” Vail laughs.

“That’s my greatest motivation: to not lose everything.”

Though her official position title with the company is co-owner, Vail does just about everything possible at the shop. Whether it’s organizing inventory, managing registers up front, giving quotes, making sure her crew has everything they need, getting out into a bay and checking tires, vacuuming the interior or changing oil, Vail says she’s more than happy to take on whatever task needs to be done.

She’s even helped the shop secure more than two dozen fleet accounts with local law enforcement, EMS and public safety agencies, loggers and other businesses.

VP Racing Fastlube of Jonesboro OWNERS

RICHIE & MELISSA VAIL

Staff Size

6

Number of Bays

2

Average Car Count

26

Average Ticket

$75

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PROFILE

Though the shop had seen increased sales and car count in every month between the start of the pandemic and last summer since Vail took on a more significant role, she’s quick to give credit to her team.

“Luckily for me, I’ve got Richie, who’s been in the industry for 20 years.

And thank goodness we have such a great crew,” she says. “I had to learn everything, because I didn’t know anything. I had good people that could hold my hand. I also wasn’t afraid to ask questions.”

Richie says the team can only take so much credit for how well Vail has

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done in her expanded role as day-to-day leader of the shop.

“She has learned very quickly how things operate, and she also takes very good care of her employees,” Richie Vail says. “She is a very valuable player in our team that always goes above and beyond, and always up for a new challenge.”

According to Richie and several customers he’s talked to, though, Vail’s calling card is her customer service.

Vail says it’s just a natural part of who she is.

“People like a great personality when they come in, someone that smiles and asks them how their day is going.

I think that’s the major part of it,” she says. “Some people don’t have that on a regular basis and will tell me that I’ve made their day just by asking how their day was, and it’s just a small piece that doesn’t take time out of my day. People really respond well to that.”

That also extends to her employees.

The pandemic has radically shifted the job market, and now more than ever it’s tough to find and retain good employees.

The quick lube industry in particular can be grueling work most days.

Vail says that’s all the more reason to be a positive and outgoing presence in her employees’ lives, to help them get through

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In the Pits

A technician services a customer's vehicle at VP Racing Fastlube in Jonesboro, La.

a tough day and, more pragmatically, to make them more likely to stick around.

“I’m good to my employees. I cook for them, I go get them pizza because if that keeps them happy, I’m all in. I’ll do stuff like that and think of them because I appreciate the job that they do, and that’s a way that I can show them that I appreciate them on a daily basis.”

JUST GETTING STARTED

Like most other businesses, VP Racing Fastlube still faces an uphill battle against supply chain disruptions, labor shortages and other obstacles. Most days are still a challenge for Vail as well, but now almost

two years in, she says she’s more invested in the company than she ever has been.

In the two years she’s spent managing the shop, Vail says she’s proud of the strides she’s made in quick lube, both in terms of the success her shop has seen and how she has grown personally in the industry.

“I’ve come a long ways from nothing,” she says. “I’ve grown tremendously and can now successfully manage the shop.”

Even now, though, she is still quick to deflect credit and focus on how she can get better. When asked to grade herself on a scale of 1 to 10, she gave herself a 9.

How can she get that final point?

“I don’t know,” she laughs, “I just know that I still have room to get better.”

That motivation to always improve has expanded into serving her team and her community, and two years later, she’s still all-in.

“You never know what you’ll experience throughout the day, and even now … you’re just hoping that something will come in to keep the flow going. It has been a lot, and I was so overwhelmed at first,” she says. “I’ve got a great crew and that gives me peace of mind, knowing that if something goes wrong we’ve got people who can do something about that.

I’m just blessed.”

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PROGRAMS AND FRANCHISES REPRESENT a huge part of the quick maintenance industry. They can be efficient ways for new operators to hit the ground running or for seasoned operators to grow a strong network.

In this year’s special guide, you’ll find many major brands, including their advantages and support offered to franchisees. All listings also include crucial information about royalties, startup costs and more.

Use the color-coded key to take a closer look at the additional support offered by franchises. The sections have been broken up into the following categories: advertising, building considerations, business support, equipment & products, financial considerations, and other. We recommend deciding which of these factors is the most important to you, and then using the checkboxes next to the support listings, marking them as you go.

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Key of Support Offered On the following pages, use these categories to determine who offers support that is most beneficial to you.

Advertising Building Considerations Business Support Equipment & Products Financial Considerations Other

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EXPRESS OIL CHANGE & TIRE ENGINEERS

CHEVRON XPRESS LUBE

®

Don Larose | 781.635.5502

Bill Beyerle | 866.354.4476

dlarose@expressoil.com | expressoil.com

BillBeyerle@chevron.com | chevronxpresslube.com SPECS

SPECS

Program option: Sales and license agreement

Program option: Franchise

Franchise Fee: None

Franchise Fee: $35,000

Territory: U.S. only, select states–must prequalify Royalty percentage required: None

Average start-up cost: $25,000–$50,000 to re-image, site dependent Individual qualifications: Business financial and credit reviews required SUPPORT OFFERED

States: VA, PA, OH, IN, IL, WI, MO, KS, IA, ID, UT and AZ Royalty percentage required: 5%

Average start-up cost: $1,7500,000 to $2,500,000 includes land and building Individual qualifications: $350,000 liquid capital and $500,000+ net worth

 Advertising: Cooperative advertising funds available to help offset the cost of local site advertising.

SUPPORT OFFERED

 Building design: Prototype drawings, site selection, design and construction resources are available.

 Signage: Provides logos and materials to order signage.

 Training: Online training and in-person training available.

Training is focused on lubrication fundamentals, customer service, vehicle education, and market insights.

 Site selection: Express is actively involved in helping to find the best site for the franchisee’s store.

 Promotion: National consumer promotions designed to reward loyalty to the site and grow premium product sales.

 Advertising: Express Oil Change has a marketing staff that provides franchisees with marketing tools, systems and guidance.

 Business support: Product line, sales process and marketing consultation.

 Building design and construction: Express provides architectural plans, guidance in the design and permitting process and with construction bids to GCs.

 Equipment: Access to equipment providers through preferred partner program.

 Customer warranty: All Havoline®, Techron® and Delo® products are backed by Chevron’s limited product warranty.  Financial assistance: Cash advance provided to cover the cost of facility re-imaging (signage, paint, electrical, facility/ site improvements).  Other: The Xpress lube® shopper™ program is a system designed to promote high levels of customer satisfaction, including how the brand is represented, to improve customer retention, acquire more new customers, and ultimately grow sales.

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 Training: Eight weeks of training on how to manage the overall business.

 Equipment: Express identifies all needed equipment and helps plan its order and installation.

 Customer warranty: Warranty provided on customers cars.  Credit cards: Express helps franchisees get access to all needed credit cards, including its own branded card.  Financial assistance: Express introduces franchisees to lenders who can help provide SBA loans.

 Other: Express can also help franchisees get access to oil, tires and auto parts through national vendors at negotiated prices. Franchisees do not buy any supplies from Express.

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12/30/21 9:19 AM

MOBIL 1 LUBE EXPRESS & MOBIL 1 CAR CARE Matthew Jones | 832.624.7985

Mobil1LubeExpress@exxonmobil.com Mobil1LubeExpress.com or Mobil.com/CarCareProgram

GREASE MONKEY FRANCHISING Ronn Cordova | 435.773.8548

rcordova@fullspeedautomotive.com | greasemonkeyfranchise.com

SPECS

SPECS

Program option: 5 year or 10 year agreement

Program option: Franchise

Franchise Fee: None

Franchise Fee: $39,900 license fee, 15-year agreement; $29,900 for veterans with valid DD214

Territory: North American (U.S. and Canada) Royalty percentage required: None

Average start-up cost: $15,000-$25,000

Individual qualifications: Current operator and/or business management background; business financial and credit reviews required SUPPORT OFFERED  Advertising: Digital campaigns that engage consumers and to direct them to Mobil 1 locations.

 Promotion: National promotion focused on engaging consumers to trial more profitable products while supporting customer retention.

 Signage: Program provides your location an individualized mockup, consultations, as well as additional branding support for the internal store.  Site selection: Full customer demographic assessments specific to your exact location.

 Business support: Mobil Pulse™—get to know your customers behaviors. Mobil Amplify™—the power to make decisions on how to tweak operations at your site through annual business reviews built around your data and goals. Mobil Maximize™—Mobil-branded portal designed to recognize and reward installers based off their store’s performance (e.g. employee spiffs).  Training: Online training focused on vehicle education, customer service, market insights, education of Mobil branded products and sales approach.  Equipment: Access to equipment providers through ExxonMobil’s preferred partner relationships.

 Customer warranty: All Mobil branded products have a limited warranty.

Territory: International, national

Royalty percentage required: 6%

Average start-up cost: $187,316 - $688,452

Individual qualifications: Minimum of $150,000 in liquid assets; $450,000 minimum net worth; 680 or higher credit score SUPPORT OFFERED  Advertising: 4.5%

 Signage: Complete national sign program including sourcing, design and permitting.  Building design and construction: Several prototype options available.

 Site selection: Dedicated real estate department to assist in the site selection process.

 Training: Required training includes new franchisee on-site training, classroom training at the corporate and initial handson training. Ongoing training is available through FullSpeed University.  Equipment: Grease Monkey identifies all needed equipment, provides complete equipment package offerings, and helps with ordering and installation process.  Customer warranty: Nationwide service warranty provided.  Credit cards: National credit card processing program.

 Financing: Grease Monkey does not provide financing itself; however, there are several banks and financial institutions we have preferred relationships with. These banks have both SBA and conventional financing available for those with good credit.

 Financial assistance: Potentially available for facility upgrades (e.g. signage, imaging, equipment, etc.)  Credit cards: Available through the ExxonMobil credit card with negotiated rates for Mobil 1 locations.

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6/3/22 1:58 PM

JIFFY LUBE

HAVOLINE XPRESS LUBE® Bill Beyerle | 866.354.4476

BillBeyerle@chevron.com | Havolinexpresslube.com

Erik Roesh | 800.327.9532

jiffy-lube-development@shell.com | Franchise.jiff ylube.com

SPECS

SPECS

Program option: Sales and license agreement

Program option: Franchise

Franchise Fee: None

Royalty percentage required: None

Franchise Fee: $35,000 for new development, or $17,500 for conversions

Individual qualifications: Business financial and credit reviews required

Average start-up cost: Ranges from $207,000–$423,000 (excluding real estate)

Territory: U.S. only, select states—must prequalify

Average start-up cost: $25,000–$50,000 to re-image, site dependent

SUPPORT OFFERED  Advertising: Cooperative advertising funds available to help offset the cost of local site advertising.  Promotion: National consumer promotions designed to reward loyalty to the site and grow premium product sales.

 Building design: Prototype drawings, site selection, design and construction resources are available.  Business support: Product line, sales process and marketing consultation.

 Training: Online training and in-person training available.

Training is focused on lubrication fundamentals, customer service, vehicle education, and market insights.  Equipment: Access to equipment providers through preferred partner program.

 Customer warranty: All Havoline®, Techron® and Delo® products are backed by Chevron’s limited product warranty.  Financial assistance: Cash advance provided to cover the cost of facility re-imaging (signage, paint, electrical, facility/ site improvements).  Other: The Xpress lube® shopper™ program is a system designed to promote high levels of customer satisfaction, including how the brand is represented, to improve customer retention, acquire more new customers, and ultimately grow sales.

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Territory: U.S.

Royalty percentage required: 4% of sales (reduced to 3% with prompt pay discount) Individual qualifications: $250,000 liquid and $500,000 net worth SUPPORT OFFERED  Advertising: To connect with consumers and maintain a strong brand presence from coast to coast, Jiff y Lube activates a robust multi-million dollar national advertising campaign. Additionally, Franchisees receive strategic counsel from dedicated Area Marketing Managers to help maximize local store marketing.

 Site selection: Jiff y Lube business development managers have access to numerous resources to assist with the site selection process. And, Jiff y Lube works with real estate development companies to provide turnkey solutions for its Build to Suit program.

 Building design and construction: The Jiffy Lube construction team is available to assist with recommendations and to provide building designs, equipment options and consulting for new store development.  Training: Jiff y Lube offers an award-winning training program, Jiff y Lube University. Jiff y Lube University is accredited by the ASE Training Managers Council (ATMC) and the American Council on Education (ACE).  Credit cards: Customers have the opportunity to receive special financing with the Jiff y Lube Credit Card or Fleet Card (subject to credit approvals).

 Other: Jiff y Lube provides field operations, marketing and business development support as well as a proprietary point-of-sale system. The strength of the Jiff y Lube brand is complemented by Pennzoil, America’s most trusted motor oil, and Shell, one of the most innovative energy companies.

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12/30/21 9:25 AM

SPEEDEE OIL CHANGE & AUTO SERVICE

PHILLIPS 66 LUBRICANTS ®

Lubricants@P66.com | Phillips66Lubricants.com, KendallMotorOil.com

Ronn Cordova | 435.773.8548

rcordova@fullspeedautomotive.com | speedeeoilfranchise.com

SPECS

SPECS

Program option: Supply agreement, signage agreement

Program option: Franchise

Individual qualifications: All opportunities are accessed by Phillips 66 Lubricants Business Development Team

Franchise Fee: $39,900 license fee, 15-year agreement; $25,000 for veterans with valid DD214

Territory: National

SUPPORT OFFERED  Advertising: Phillips 66 offers in-store marketing support along with customizable customer retention tools.

 Signage: Phillips 66 Lubricants offers exterior and interior signage solutions.

 Training: Training modules are available via Phillips 66 Lubricants Academy. Phillips 66 also offers tools to help gain a better understanding of the full automotive line.  Equipment: Phillips 66 has relationships with equipment and signage vendors.

 Product: Reduce expenses with the Phillips 66 and Kendall High Mileage Boosters The booster is the industry’s first pour-in oil supplement to meet current API and ILSAC performance standards when added to Phillips 66 Shield and Kendall GT-1 motor oils. The booster saves inventory space and provides upsell opportunities.  Customer warranty: All Phillips 66 and Kendall products meet or exceed specifications stated by Phillips 66 for each product. Phillips 66 and Kendall products are backed by Phillips 66 Lubricants Limited Warranty.

Territory: International, national

Royalty percentage required: $225/week or 5% from brake products and brake repair services plus 6% of Gross Revenues from all other products and services Average start-up cost: $224,664–$733,028

Individual qualifications: Minimum of $150,000 in liquid assets; $450,000 minimum net worth; 680 or higher credit score SUPPORT OFFERED  Advertising: 6%

 Signage: Complete national sign program including sourcing, design and permitting.  Building design and construction: Several prototype options available.

 Site selection: Dedicated real estate department to assist in site selection process.

 Training: Required training includes new franchisee on-site training, classroom training at the corporate office, and initial hands-on training. Ongoing training is available through FullSpeed Automotive University.  Equipment: SpeeDee identifies all needed equipment, provides complete equipment package offerings, and helps with ordering and installation process.

 Customer warranty: Nationwide service warranty provided.  Credit cards: National credit card processing program.

 Financing: SpeeDee does not provide financing itself; however, there are several banks and financial institutions we have preferred relationships with. These banks have both SBA and conventional financing available for those with good credit.

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STRICKLAND BROTHERS

VALVOLINE EXPRESS CARE

franchising@sboilchange.com | stricklandbrothersfranchise.com

lgmcmillin@valvoline.com | expresscare.com

1.833.787.2767

Gayle McMillin | 859.357.7303

SPECS

SPECS

Program option: Franchise

Program option: Sales agreement

Franchise Fee: $54,900

Franchise Fee: None

Territory: National

Royalty percentage required: 6% of gross sales

Average start-up cost: $277,900–$372,400 (with franchise fee included) Individual qualifications: $250k liquid, $450k net worth— no bankruptcies SUPPORT OFFERED

Territory: International, U.S. and Canada Royalty percentage required: None

Average start-up cost: Valvoline Express Care is an independent quick lube conversion program Individual qualifications: Current quick lube operator and/or retail business background. Business financial and credit reviews are required.

 Advertising: Marketing: Local ad 2.25% (managed by franchisee through third party services with SBO approved guidelines and content.) Brand fund: 2% Total: 4.25%  Signage: National Level signage partnerships including design, permitting and installation.

 Site selection: Dedicated real estate teams nationally for site selection, market presentations, construction and development of the SB location.

 Training: Required Strickland Brothers University Training and 90 hours pre-opening training on the job.  Equipment: Tool/equipment list fully set up with required vendors on exactly what is needed to be operational.

 Financial assistance: Third-party vendors to assist franchise owners with lending.

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VALVOLINE INSTANT OIL CHANGE

VICTORY LANE QUICK OIL CHANGE

lgmcmillin@valvoline.com | viocfranchise.com

jharrington@victorylane.net | victorylane.net

Gayle McMillin | 859.357.7303

Jim Harrington | 734.667.4304 ext. 104

SPECS

SPECS

Program option: Franchise

Program option: Franchise

Franchise Fee: $30,000

Franchise Fee: $39,500 for one unit

Territory: National

Territory: National

Royalty percentage required: 4-6% on a graduated scale

Average start-up cost: $178,000–$1,273,500, depending on whether real estate property and equipment are purchased or leased

Individual qualifications: Net worth $1,000,000; $600,000 liquid; the ideal franchise candidate is a successful businessperson, already a multi-unit operator or independent quick lube operator

Royalty percentage required: 6%

Average start-up cost: $200,000–$250,000 depending on location Individual qualifications: Net worth $250,000. Prefer business or management experience. Auto experience is not required.

PMS Cool Gray 3 PMS 485 PMS 280 PMS Process Blue

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12/30/21 9:27 AM

TIRED OF DEALING WITH

SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES?

Supply chain issues have had a serious impact on just about every industry, incuding ours. Being the manufacturer, we’ve been able to pivot and adapt to market changes to help ensure our customers feel as little impact as possible.

Being family owned and operated, we have over 250 years of combined experience in the automotive industry.

Our goal is to exceed expectations in everything we do to win your trust, build confidence, and grow relationships.

This is why our #1 priority is customer service, which includes hands-on training for your techs. Also, our continued research and development ensures we will supply superior quality products today, tomorrow, and beyond!

IF YOU HAVEN’T EXPERIENCED THE TRUE BRAND DIFFERENCE, CALL US TODAY AND FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF!

Truth:

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together!”

- Unknown

® Contact your 44 N O L Nlocal . N E T Solid Start Distributor to get True Brand in your shop. Call Today: 877-290-3950 | www.solidstart.com | #TrueBrandTough

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12/27/2021 2:57:02 PM

S

PI T STOP

OPTIMIZE YOUR LINES

Wait times are inevitable, but making a few small changes to your process can have a big impact on your customer’s experience with your shop.

BY NOAH BROWN

ONE OF THE HALLMARKS OF QUICK LUBE IS FAST AND RELIABLE SERVICE.

Despite striving for the most efficient service possible, lines are inevitable.

Customers will have to wait sometimes to get their vehicles serviced, but that doesn’t mean being stuck in line has to be a negative experience.

Matt Webb, president of Premier Oil Change, operates seven locations in Northern California and Southern Oregon, some of which average nearly 70 cars per day.

He says there are several very basic adjustments shops can make to their process to make sure customers have the least painful wait possible.

Step 1: Make a great first impression.

Most shops deal with what Webb calls “street resistance”—the all-too-common phenomenon that happens when people drive by, see a line extending out of the bays and drive away.

Some street resistance is inevitable.

People are impatient, and your techs can only work so fast. However, your shop can minimize street resistance by being efficient and building a reputation that your service is worth waiting for.

“We don’t know how many cars we’re actually losing or not doing as a result of just the bay time. That’s street resistance,” Webb says. “Because of that, when people do pull on the lot, we need to give them every reason in the world to stay.”

Webb says he emphasizes the first contact and initial greeting with a customer at all seven of his locations.

“If a staff member walks out with a sense of urgency and welcomes them to the shop, it’s an entirely different experience for the customer than if the staff member walks out slowly and doesn’t look engaged,” he says. “That’s our first line of defense for keeping the guests on the lot, that first initial greeting.”

Step 2: Focus on the little things.

People like free things. Even something small, such as a complimentary water or

coffee, will help customers feel like their time is valued.

“That makes people feel good. It makes them feel comfortable,” he says. “Before you offer any services to the vehicle, just making sure that the customer knows that, ‘Hey, we see you, we know it’s going to be a little bit of a wait, sorry, but we really appreciate you being here and want to do everything to make sure you’re comfortable’ goes a long way.”

Step 3: Start before their service does.

Free beverages and a friendly greeting are important, but they only get your shop so far. Customers in line will be watching how fast your team is moving inside the bays, and Webb says no amount of coffee will keep them there if they feel as though things aren’t moving as efficiently as they could be.

“Obviously, you want to keep cars moving through the bays as quickly as possible,” he says. “If everyone’s moving with a sense of urgency, if they see that these guys are moving to doing everything quickly, the perception is that the service is going to be faster, even if it takes the same amount of time.”

One of the easiest ways to boost efficiency and actually reduce service times, however, is to start service before a car pulls into a bay. Webb says checking a guest

in, getting their personal information and even determining what services their car will need through a wireless device will help reduce the amount of work that needs to be done once a car rolls in.

“The guests should be checked in before they roll into the bay,” he says.

“That’s going to save a significant amount of time if you can determine what you’re going to do to a guest’s car while they’re waiting. “ Step 4: Manage workflow both in and out of the bays.

Maintaining an orderly workflow is another simple-yet-highly effective step to improve efficiency.

Webb says the workflow management happens in two places: In the lines and in each bay. In multi-bay shops, it’s easy for one line to start moving faster than the others and for people to have uneven wait times.

“In stores that have a higher volume, a critical issue is managing the lines correctly,” Webb says. “The manager should always be monitoring that line to put the cars on the right base so no one gets passed up or skipped.”

Once a car is in the bay, making sure all of your equipment and tools are in optimal spots is crucial for maximized efficiency.

“I go to oil change centers and I see guys walking from bay one to bay three to look for a wrench to take off an air filter, and they just wasted a few minutes trying to find the right tool,” Webb says. “If they do that 10 times a day, that’s 20 minutes of productivity. Even when there is no line, your team still needs to maintain that same sense of urgency.”

Optimizing your lines doesn’t require a significant overhaul to your operation; several small changes in key areas can go a long way to boost the experience.

“It doesn’t take a whole lot, but just doing some really basic things to make sure that your customers feel like they’re appreciated and making some basic enhancements to efficiency at each bay can help really bump up that customer service experience, even if wait times are a bit long.”

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S

T E C H + TO OLS

MODERN SEO TIPS

The search optimization has evolved well past just keywords B Y M AT T H U D S O N

LET’S GET THE FUNDAMENTALS OUT OF

the way.

SEO, or search engine optimization, relates to strategies that Web users utilize to enhance their search rankings. More specifically for quick lubes, operators want to be on that first page of search results when a potential customer is looking online for a shop. Even more specifically, you’re talking about Google most of the time, because that’s where the vast majority of searches take place.

One benefit of contracting an outside company to manage your web presence is that they track changes in the suggestions that a company like Google might make to help boost search rankings. There are many, many factors that affect your searchability.

“Google is changing on a regular basis,” says Kevin Steeland, CEO of PISTn Digital Marketing. “They’re constantly changing.

There are new things that are happening that they are saying are important.”

Steeland says that these changes are steps in the quest to make the internet more user-friendly and to serve up more quality content in searches. Thus, the guidelines that Google suggests might be ways to make the user experience quicker and more informative.

That’s how SEO grew past mere keywords to boost searchability. Google has the power to judge quality in many different ways all in the time it takes to make a search.

“SEO is more than just keywords,” says A.J. Olson, digital marketing expert at Silver Frog Marketing. “It’s about user experience. Google wants authorities on topics, and they want to make sure that a user experience on a topic is positive.”

Whether you’re maintaining your own web presence or working with a

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third party, here are a few fundamental steps you can take to improve searchability and get customers in the door.

Speed is king.

Loading speed is an increasingly important part of SEO, particularly on mobile devices that may not be as high-powered as a desktop computer.

There are lots of items that can slow down a website, including large images, unnecessary code, or additional programs loading onto a page.

“All of that stuff slows the website down, and if it slows down, the consumer is going to say, ‘This is taking too long,’” Steeland says. “So that’s a big factor with Google.”

If you’re pulling photos directly from your phone or camera onto a website, you might be able to reduce its size a bit before losing quality and gain loading speed.

Olson says that Google has an online tool for website owners to type in their URLs and get a review of potential speed problem spots. That could be a good place to start.

“It will give you suggestions on things, such as optimizing images to be a smaller file format,” Olson says.

Readability is searchability.

This is important for any area of your web presence, whether you’re developing keywords within a website, creating titles and landing pages, or writing periodic blogs and social media posts.

The text needs to have correct and consistent spelling in order for Google to recognize that your operation is the right one for a customer’s search.

Olson suggests that operators start by making a list of important keywords that they want to use within their

Pro tip:

Smarter Print Ads

Say you have a print ad that lists your address, hours of operation, phone number, and a coupon or promotion.

Then you include your website address. But if all the basic information is in the print ad, why would someone be compelled to visit your website?

Steeland says this is a common mistake.

“If I put out a print ad, make sure you list the website and give a reason to visit the website.”

Make sure there is something that entices a customer to visit your website, whether it’s to get a coupon, view a blog, or win a prize.

website or pass on to a third party. Like traditional SEO, think about what your customers would be searching for.

“It would be dependent on each business and what kinds of words and phrases they want to show up in Google,” Olson says.

Another key factor in readability is the structure of content on a page, Olson says. If a website is sloppily thrown together, lacking proper indentation, paragraphs, or odd bullet points, Google will recognize that and downgrade the site based on that experience.

Be updated.

Google likes to see websites that have relevant and recent content.

“That’s showing that you’re not just letting your website sit there and be a brochure,” Steeland says. “You’re participating in your website and adding content.”

The easiest way to do this is to maintain a blog with timestamps. You might offer updates about your business, new promotions, employee updates, or changes in hours of operation.

Google gauges quality based on how recently the information was posted. If your blog hasn’t been updated in three years, the search engine might view a competitor’s blog from last week and rank it higher, even if the content is the same.

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Another benefit to having lots of new content is that it draws customers to your website for longer times. That’s another crucial metric in the Google matrix. One way to do that is to incorporate multimedia.

“Increasing time on site is important,” Olson says. “So you’ve got to have video on your site.”

Google tracks how long users stay on a web page before moving onto something else—a metric called “bounce rate.”

“That shows google or any of these other search engines that if customers are spending some time on that site, then it must have some relevant information,” Steeland says.

Don’t just update the website.

If your operation has a robust online presence, you’re likely to be found in multiple places, like a website, social media, online business listings, and others.

SEO incorporates all of these spaces, and it’s up to the operator to make sure that the information on your business is consistent and updated in every area. If your Google business listing is all up to date, but Yelp isn’t, that might not be a mark in your favor.

“In Google, and all these other search engines, they look at all that data on the internet, and they’re looking for consistency,” Steeland says.

“And if they see that it’s inconsistent, we feel that it shows a ding against your business and can affect how you are placed in search results.”

If your hours of operation changes, then there are likely multiple places where that information needs to be updated. Google and Facebook are two common entry points for web users, as well as your own website. But pay attention to the lesser-used platforms as well to capture the most customers.

Pro tip:

Give partners a hand

If your operation invests in a third party to manage and update your web presence, that’s a good way to offload some work. But remember that you’ve hired Web experts, and not necessarily automotive experts.

“A lot of marketing companies do not specialize in automotive and repair,” Olson says. “They might not know all of the keywords that pertain to the industry.”

Help your online marketing partner to learn the best phrases, keywords, and services that will draw in the biggest audience.

CALL US TODAY

800.874.5793

LET THE EXPERTS TAKE CARE OF YOU.

With over 25 years of experience in the business brokerage industry, the team at AutoCenter Sales has first-hand experience and knowledge to help you with the purchase or sale of your business.

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C A S E S T U DY

GIVING BACK, GIVING BIG

Effective community fundraisers can help not only a charity or other worthwhile institution, but your shop as well

BY NOAH BROWN

QUICK LUBE SHOPS, ESPECIALLY

locally owned ones, are staples in their communities. Few industries have the opportunity that quick lube does to serve such a large portion of their neighbors on a daily basis.

Because of that position, shops also have a unique opportunity to give back to other organizations in those communities.

For the last three months of 2021, Eric Galindo’s Oil Change Express chain

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ran a fundraiser at all 12 of its locations in San Antonio, Houston and Dallas for the local children’s hospital network.

The decision to support the children’s hospital network with a fundraiser was a personal one for Galindo. His middle son, Easton, developed a brain tumor as a small child, but Christus Santa Rosa Health System— which is in the network Oil Change Express supported—took care of Galindo’s son and his entire family.

“Thank God they were able to extract that, and he’s perfect now. You’d never know he had surgery,” Galindo says.

“I’ve been there, I’ve seen it, I’ve experienced it, I know what they do for the children, I know how they help the families. It’s just very important to me.”

Based on Galindo’s experience this winter, how can a shop run an effective fundraiser that is both beneficial to the shop and to the organization it is trying to support?

The Challenge Galindo says the challenge of a good fundraiser doesn’t lie in the decision to start one—or at least it shouldn’t.

“I had a conversation with my operators and my admin side of the business, and everyone wanted to work with the children’s hospital network,” he says.

“This is just very important throughout San Antonio, too—the hospital supports a lot of children.”

HILLARY CAMPBELL PHOTOGRAPHY

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The real hurdle comes in finding a balance between a cause that your shop is passionate about and one that it can make a tangible contribution to.

The Solutions Make it a team effort.

Though Galindo is passionate about helping the children’s hospital, he says it wasn’t an executive decision to run a fundraiser for the local health system.

Getting to know what your team is personally invested in can help decide which organization or organizations you support, and it can help your team become significantly more engaged with the effort.

“Get with your operators, get with your managers and see where everyone’s heart’s at. What are people passionate about? Is it children, is it the food bank? There are a lot of agencies to work with and different programs to work with,” Galindo says. “Find out what people are passionate about, how you can make a great impact so that everyone has buy-in.”

Find outside partners.

Oftentimes, the act of donating to a charity becomes more important than the donation itself. When that happens, it’s all too easy for a fundraiser or other drive to lose momentum quickly and become ineffective.

Donations don’t have to be a surprise, and in many ways it’s more effective to work directly with the agency or organization to whom you plan on sending the proceeds from an event.

Oil Change Express worked directly with a representative from the children’s hospital to square away logistics and make sure the threemonth-long fundraiser went off without a hitch.

“We worked with a representative from the children’s hospital network,” Galindo says. “We discussed the plan, the goal and the execution.”

The hospital also provided some materials for each Oil Change Express location to give out to customers with each donation made and provided assistance to the shops throughout the process.

Go all in.

In addition to the help from the hospital, Oil Change Express also made its own materials, hanging banners in each shop and handing out fliers to customers to explain the fundraiser.

Galindo says each shop also made sure every single member of its team was brought up to speed on the fundraiser and some of the specifics so that they could bring it up to every customer who came through the door.

Keeping the objective simple and the promotion itself straightforward, Galindo says, is the best way to make sure your shop does the most good for whichever organization it’s helping as possible.

“Our goal was to raise as much money as we could,” he says, “and then we cut a check to the children’s hospital.”

The Aftermath Galindo visits all 12 of his shops on a fairly regular basis, and he says the passion that he has for this particularly personal fundraiser has permeated throughout each of his teams.

“They’re definitely engaged. I’m in shops every single day, and I hear all of my team talk about it with customers when they come in and explain why we’re doing it,” he says. “They’re doing a great job with it, and you can tell they’re passionate about it.”

And that passion is translating to increased community engagement and customer appreciation.

“They love it. San Antonio has a local feel, and one of the things we’re proud of is that we’re the last local oil change chain in San Antonio. They love that we’re a local chain trying to help the local hospital and our local community.”

The Takeaway Good fundraisers start with the people running them. Being personally invested and passionate about a project or a certain cause makes it much easier to invest the necessary time and resources into a fundraiser.

Though Galindo says he hopes no one has to get as close to a cause as his family did, his experience made running a fundraiser, such as the one Oil Change Express just concluded, a no-brainer.

“I wish that nobody ever has to go through that, but it’s really important to believe in the cause and to share that passion with your team,” he says.

“The guys just want to do it. Just make a phone call and see how you can make the greatest impact you can.”

Talking with your team to find a cause they’re passionate about, working directly with the agency or organization you plan to support and investing sufficient time and energy into a straightforward goal will give your shop the best chance of energizing customers to participate and make the biggest impact possible.

And making that impact, at the end of the day, is what Galindo says is the most important part.

“It means a lot to everyone in the company, but it really means a lot to me.

I see the hospital every day on my way to work, and it brings back memories every time,” he says. “This is important to all of us, and we want to help the children.

This is a good way to do that.”

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SALES+MARKETING

GET THE MOST FROM SOCIAL MEDIA

How to post (and what to post) to engage your audience

BY NOAH BROWN

SOCIAL MEDIA HAS BECOME ONE OF

the most ubiquitous communication platforms across the world and an essential part of a business owner’s daily operations.

A June 2021 report from German social media analytics firm Statista shows more than $2.25 billion was spent globally on advertising on Facebook alone in 2020, almost 17 times higher than the amount spent in the middle of the decade.

A Pew Research Center study shows that investment in social media advertising can be lucrative; more than half of Americans are more likely to get their news from social media, and an

overwhelming 86 percent do so from digital and mobile devices.

Social media is a key pillar in modern-day marketing, but a shop won’t be successful just by having a Facebook account or a Twitter profile and posting aimlessly. Digital marketing has to be planned out and executed strategically for shops to see tangible results.

Start from the ground up.

As reported elsewhere in this issue, a strong digital presence starts with a solid website.

Dave Schletewitz, a digital marketing specialist for Chevron Global Lubricants, says having a strong, mobile-responsive

website optimized for SEO helps your business to be more searchable online and gives potential customers “digital visibility” into your shop.

“What we see is too many quick lube operators, for whatever reason, don’t do those basic things, and that’s just an excuse,” Schletewitz says. “They need to eliminate the excuses and get it going.”

Once a website is optimized for the modern internet, Schletewitz adds creating at least a Facebook and Instagram account is essential.

“That allows businesses to connect with their local customer base,” he says.

“It’s employees that will typically get their friends and family to follow, and then it expands from there to the rest of your customer base.”

Stephen DuPont, vice president of public relations for Minneapolis-based ad agency Pocket Hercules, says that most transactions—whether directly or indirectly—start with a Google search.

Having a strong social media and digital presence could be the difference between a customer choosing your shop or going down the street to a competitor.

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“For many people, social media is their daily source of news and information. They’re not going to the local paper anymore or to other news sites for information,” DuPont says.

“They just open up their Facebook and receive their news.”

Don’t waste customers’ time.

As more market-buying power shifts to those in the Millennial and Gen Z demographic, many shops have fallen into the trap of making social media posts that are funny, bizarre or are otherwise relatable to the “meme culture” of the internet in an attempt to draw in customers.

DuPont says that isn’t the role businesses generally play in people’s lives, though, and most customers don’t expect or want that content from their quick lube shop.

Not all posts are created equally—you have to define your audience. Once you

define your audience, your posts should be about them and for them.

“Stop posting stuff that wastes people’s time,” DuPont says. “Instead, focus your content on helping your customers first and foremost. We are in an attention economy, and when you have somebody’s attention, that is their time and you should value it.”

DuPont says to start by discerning what information is most pertinent to your customers. Figuring out what questions they’re asking on a regular basis and how your shop can answer those questions are good places to start.

Schletewitz says showing how you separate yourself from your competitors is also an effective way to use the multimedia capabilities of platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

“It’s about pictures. It’s about a business doing good and giving back

to its community,” Schletewitz says.

“Customers love to see if there are exceptional customer service interactions happening in your store. Even pictures of a clean, orderly waiting room or bay are relevant, too.”

Invest time and money.

Once a shop develops a solid idea of what kind of content it will post across its platforms, DuPont says its staff should get in the habit of posting at least once a week.

Whether it’s a post about a promotion at your shop, a quick reminder about the value of keeping your engine in good health or pictures of your shop and team, a consistent posting schedule will help with online visibility.

Once your shop is in a rhythm, DuPont says to increase the number of posts regularly.

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“Many of the most well-known brands post multiple times per day. You don’t have to necessarily do that much, but you do want to keep it fresh,” he says.

“People engage with brands that they love and are passionate about.”

Optimizing social media posts and a shop’s overall digital presence can be a challenge, but Schletewitz says the investment is worth it. And a digital presence should be just that: an investment.

Schelewitz says that, in general, shops should be setting aside 5 to 8 percent of revenue for marketing and advertising, and social media a part of that.

On a granular level, if your shop’s posts aren’t performing as well as expected, Facebook and other platforms offer post boosting, which means paying a small amount of money for a platform to distribute the post to more people.

“If small businesses aren’t boosting their posts, their reach will be based solely on their customer base, which could be an issue for a business trying to start building up a social media presence,” Schletewitz says.

And if social media proves to be a bigger-than-anticipated issue for your shop, using some of the allocated marketing budget to bring in an outside person to run your digital channels can help both reduce the amount of work your shop has to do and can help make posts even more effective.

“There are so many people working remotely now and so many young people that are social savvy and digital savvy,” Schletewitz says. “Just do a quick Google search for a local marketing agency, find someone and have them set up a mobile responsive website. Find someone on your staff or an outside person to do your

social media posts. You have to get someone that knows what they’re doing.”

Make your business trustworthy.

Social media is essential to creating a strong base of loyal customers that share their experiences from your shop with their friends and connections across various platforms.

Making sure your posts are relevant to what your customers are looking for and investing both time and some money into a regular social media schedule will go a long way in building up your shop’s digital credibility.

“When all things are equal, people do business with those that they know and trust,” DuPont says, “so the object of your social media and your online presence, your website, your emails is to build trust and to make your business likable and for you to get to know your customers.”

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The EV Shift

When should you add service options for electric cars?

BASED ON THE NAME ALONE, ONE MIGHT IMAGINE

BRETT

FRASER

is the member programs specialist for the Automotive Oil Change Association (AOCA), the only trade group for the quick maintenance industry.

INFO

@AOCA.COM O R 8 0 0 . 2 30 . 0 7 0 2

the Automotive Oil Change Association’s core competency is irrevocably tied to oil. That, however, would be selling our industry, and the wide variety of services we provide, short. We deliver the car maintenance required to keep people moving forward to live their lives and stimulate the economy. We see the current evolution of the automotive industry that is pushing electric cars into greater prominence and are actively looking at how we can best adapt our service options to meet market demand.

Yes, it is true that electric cars do not need oil changes, but they still require maintenance. This maintenance is not simple, straightforward DIY-type maintenance, but often requires specialized training and equipment meaning the car owner simply will not take care of it on their own. Additionally, the direct-toconsumer sales model used by Tesla is growing steam across the auto industry, undoubtedly requiring a business model adjustment from car dealers. This also means an adjustment in the traditional service model that sees the customer bring their vehicles into the same dealership where they first made their purchase.

To some, change is scary, but we see these changes to service options as an opportunity to grow our customer base. These trends indicate a growing market for the maintenance services that our industry is poised to provide. While it would be easy to suggest all lube centers immediately take action to add service options for electric cars, these changes to both infrastructure and training needs cost money. That is why it is important to understand market demand to determine how and when adding additional service options might be most beneficial to your business.

Here are a few key pieces of information about the economic drivers of the electric car industry that will help you make better decisions as to when you should begin adding services:

Federal and State Incentives The federal government and various state governments have incentivized the purchase of hybrid and electric cars by providing tax breaks. These are not available for all car types and vary by state. It will be worth paying attention to the longevity of these types of programs as incentives for specific types of purchases do have a termination date or a cap on the number of vehicles that are eligible. Knowing what actions your

various state and federal representatives take will help guide your understanding of future demand.

Price of Crude Oil This price is not only driven by scarcity, but relations with crude-oil suppliers internationally. If international relations with a provider of crude oil sour, the United States’ ability to access the raw materials wanes. With less supply comes higher prices, and those higher prices must be passed onto the customer. This may drive consumers to go electric to forego the fluctuating gas prices. Additionally, some may take whatever small action they can to ease foreign tensions by lessening U.S. reliance on foreign oil, further pushing the decision to purchase an electric car.

This will affect each state differently. In December 2021, the average price of a gallon of gas in California was $4.68, whereas a gallon of gas cost a Texan $2.91. (source: AAA) Environmental Concerns The pollutants that come from combustion engines enter the atmosphere. While the energy used to power electric cars is currently being drawn in large part from burning fossil fuels, meaning pollutants still enter the atmosphere, our national power grid systems are shifting towards more renewable energies, meaning electric cars will become an even cleaner option in the future.

Expect this trend to continue as a 2020 poll showed that 68 percent of Americans believe that the government is not doing enough to combat climate change. (Pew Research) Understanding local sentiment can help you determine when your region may reach a critical mass of electric cars to warrant adding a service line.

As an industry, and as a society, we are no doubt at an inflection point. The move toward electric cars has its perks, such as the immediately available power in the engines that provide greater torque and acceleration.

At the same time, you must wait for the car to charge.

Electric cars pollute their air less overall, but the mining of raw materials required for batteries has an incredibly negative impact on the environment. Additionally, we still do not have an effective solution for mass battery disposal.

There is no doubt this is not the final transformation of the auto industry. As we do our jobs to keep cars on the road to keep society moving forward, we will be well served to find the opportunities that arise out of all the chaos. Paying attention to some of these key factors can help you best determine when and how to effectively add services to your business’ revenue-generating portfolio.

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LEADING EDGE

Teammate Tug of War MANAGER: JOHN, WHY DID YOU NOT CHECK THAT AIR

LENNY

SAUCIER

Lenny Saucier has been serving the automotive aftermarket and its future leaders since 2000. He serves as the director of retail training for Fullspeed Automotive.

LSAUCIER @FULLSPEEDAUTOMOTIVE.COM

58

filter on that vehicle?

Employee: It was a difficult filter, and the customer was already waiting too long to begin with.

Manager: How are we supposed to sell the air filter to the customer if you do not pull it out?

Employee: My job is to work on cars, not to sell.

Besides, they probably didn’t want it anyway.

Manager: (in his head, hopefully) I can’t wait for the labor pool boost so I can get good people in here.

Sound familiar? It seems we come across this communication all the time. The employee is supposed to do a part of a job. The manager is supposed to oversee that the job tasks and company metrics get met. The employee doesn’t care about your metrics and is only concerned about his or her personal needs. The manager gives up and replaces that employee with a new employee hoping they will be different.

In his book “Unreceptive,” author Tom Stanfill uses a metaphor early on that paints a picture of the game tug of war. The two people mentioned above are on opposite sides of a rope, and the only way to end the struggle of the game is to either pull hard enough to force the other person to your side or to lose by going to the other person's side. In sales, it’s, “I have a service and you have money: Let the fight begin. I am going to pull you over to my side so I can get the money. If you win, I don’t get the money and have to try harder in the next game.”

This practice is very common in sales and in leadership, but does it have to be? Instead of digging in those metaphorical heels, Stanfill suggests you drop the rope before the game begins. Trying to win by forcing others to do what you want naturally makes the other side pull you back over to their side. You can see this as you walk to someone with directives and you can physically see their shoulders clinch in, ready for the tug of war. Leaders influence others to achieve their goals and ensure their goals align. A leader's job is to change people, not oil!

You can start with identifying their goals and aligning your objectives to their end goals. In 2016, McDonald’s recognized their struggle to get

employees by understanding this wasn’t going to be their careers, even though they touted a strong career path. They shifted their message to: “Come work for us and get a career in fast food. Come work for us and gain the skills you need to advance in your future career (whatever that may be).”

The new appeal to employees was to help others gain skills in business and get a great employee along the way.

Aligning negative feedback in a growth campaign may sound like this: Leader: John, why did you not check that air filter on that vehicle?

Follower: It was a difficult filter, and the customer was already waiting too long to begin with.

Leader: I can appreciate your desire to get the customer back out on the road quickly. That is part of our model. It is also part of the model to check things on the vehicle for the customer so they can know what needs to be done and what doesn’t need to be done.

Follower: Yeah, but that filter is a pain, and judging at the look of this vehicle, they wouldn’t want it anyway.

Leader: Let’s look at this as educating the customer, not selling them anything. I realize that you probably don’t want to change oil your whole life. What I want to do is not to force you to boost my ticket average, but to give you tools that will help you succeed in your chosen career. In most careers you are given a list of tasks by your customer that you must do. Completing these tasks and informing them of your success keeps you moving in your career path (unless you are in politics).

This has less to do with the air filter than it does with ensuring your customer gets what they need in your future path. Let me do my part in helping you build on these key character skills for your success.

What we did was “dropped the rope.” The leader displayed that she is not interested in selling items, but interested in developing strong characteristics for the other person to succeed down his path. While ultimately it does get the other person to your side, he walked over peacefully, knowing you were there to help, instead of being dragged over there because they lost the tug of war.

COURTESY LENNY SUACIER

Do these conversations sound familiar in your shop?

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