NOLN - January 2023

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BY LEAH MARXHAUSEN

BY NOAH BROWN

HAPPENING ONLINE: OIL CHANGERS ACQUIRES FAST CHANGE LUBE & OIL

Oil Changers has announced the acquisition of Fast Change Lube & Oil, according to a press release.

“I am thrilled to join the powerhouse team at Oil Changers and continue expanding in the industry I love so much,” Kevin Davis, owner of Fast Change, said in the press release. “Together we make for a dynamic team, and I am confident the growth and success will only continue at Oil Changers, Fast Change, and in the communities we all serve.”

The Oil Changers acquisition includes all 19 Fast Change quick lube locations and two car washes, which operate across the states of Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee and Virginia. Davis is set to join the Oil Changers team in a training and consulting role. He will continue running his podcast as well, which is called Quick Lube Expert.

“Kevin is an excellent industry leader that I am grateful to call a friend,” said Eric Frankenberger, president of Oil Changers, via the press release. “We will continue to practice a ‘people first’ culture and work to foster the growth of the new team members, communities and shops we’re welcoming to the Oil Changers family.”

Visit noln.net to stay up to date on the latest industry acquisition news.

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EDITORIAL

CONTENT DIRECTOR

Matt Hudson

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Hanna

Bubser

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Lenny Saucier, Adam Tatum, Tess Owings, Kimanzi Constable, Noah Brown, Leah Marxhausen

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 PUBLISHER

Chris Messer, cmesser@endeavorb2b.com

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Andrew Johnson, ajohnson@endeavorb2b.com

MARKETING STRATEGISTS

Marianne Dyal, mdyal@endeavorb2b.com

Chad Hjellming, chjellming@endeavorb2b.com

Bob Marinez, bmarinez@endeavorb2b.com

Martha Severson, mseverson@endeavorb2b.com

Kyle Shaw, kshaw@endeavorb2b.com

Dan Thornton, dthornton@endeavorb2b.com

Sean Thornton, sthornton@endeavorb2b.com

ASSOCIATE MARKETING STRATEGIST

Kenzie Verschoor, kverschoor@endeavorb2b.com

CLIENT SERVICE SPECIALIST

Jen George, jgeorge@endeavorb2b.com

ART AND PRODUCTION

CREATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR

BOOKKEEPER AND CLIENT SERVICE SPECIALIST Meghann Moore

HOW TO REACH US

571 Snelling Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55104 tel 651.224.6207 fax 651.224.6212 web

endeavorbusinessmedia.com

The annual subscription rate is $90 (U.S.A. only) for companies not

Zach Pate

SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Jonathan Ricketts

Mariah Straub

SENIOR DIGITAL MEDIA STRATEGIST

Tiffany Fowler

SEEING INTO THE FUTURE

Jump into the new year ready to learn and take action

I GENERATED THE ILLUSTRATION above through Midjourney, an image-creation program powered by artificial intelligence. A user gives the program a text prompt, and within less than a minute you have a stylized image based on what the AI thinks you want.

In this case, I fed the computer a prompt of “getting an oil change.” The artificial intelligence didn’t do a terrible job—you can see the basic contours of the inside of a shop bay, the bay doors, some supply lines, and what appears to be a technician working on a large shape that could be a vehicle.

You may or may not have been aware that there are AI programs that could do this. Hopefully you’re learning about exciting new technologies through helpful publications, like this magazine. That’s why we’ve given our vehicle technology department, ADAPT, a bigger platform in NOLN. With a little more

space, you will be able to read more about the broad changes to vehicle technology taking place, as well as some of the smaller details that could one day change the way you do business.

Rest assured, the main motivation for NOLN will continue to be the reporting and sharing of useful information, strategies, and tools that you can read about and apply in your shops as soon as you finish reading an article. This month’s feature story ( page 22) runs through five top-level action items that you can jump into right away. We’ve also interviewed a shop manager who tells the story of a big, well-equipped operation and what makes the facility hum (page 26).

You will also read about setting longterm professional goals, picking your shop management software, and much more. That’s our bread and butter, as they say.

But as we get into 2023, it’s important

to consider what’s out there on the horizon of exciting technology, whether it’s in electrification, vehicle autonomy, or aftermarket customization, as this month’s story covers ( page 34).

The conversations around emerging vehicle technology can be a lot like that AI-generated oil change image I shared. The basic outlines are there, but it still takes some thought and consideration by a human to determine what you’re looking at. That’s the role that we hope to play for shop owners looking to refine the contours of their operations.

Thanks for reading. Welcome to 2023!

MATT HUDSON CONTENT DIRECTOR,

10 MISSIONS MEDIA

CALCULATING BAY TIME

If you’re striving for consistency, it can be tempting to pull out the stopwatch every time a vehicle enters one of your service bays. But when shops get busy, this action isn’t very practical. Plus, you know how your shop runs. It’s more than likely that you could recite your average bay time as you finish this very sentence. Regardless, the seasoned industry veteran can tell the difference that even just one minute can make.

Results from the 2022 NOLN Operator Survey reveal that bay time slightly decreased from 2021 to 2022. The set itinerary for a vehicle in a service bay can be subject to change, depending on the shop and the services rendered. But ultimately, this data may be indicative that less time spent in the bay is on the rise for quick lube service providers.

Find Out More: The amount of time a vehicle spends in your bay is important to keep track of for the sake of your overall service strategy. For more on this topic, search “What’s Your Service Style?” on noln.net and gain some insight from columnist Adam Tatum.

AN INVESTIGATION OF UNDERSTANDING

The Automotive Oil Change Association submitted a petition to the NHTSA, resulting in an investigation into Hyundai and Kia.

BY HANNA BUBSER

AUTOMOTIVE AFTERMARKET SERVICE solves problems. A customer presents an issue with their vehicle and the shop offers a solution. Most of the time, this is a process that works well. But sometimes, it’s not so simple.

In October 2022, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced an investigation into Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motor Company regarding oil drain pan assemblies. This investigation was spurred by a July 2022 petition from the Automotive Oil Change Association after three years of research.

Joanna Johnson is the policy advisor for the AOCA, and she says research revealed a problem with oil drain pan plugs falling out of vehicles specific to Hyundai Kia.

“This issue is … very unusual,” Johnson says. “It’s been 30 years researching complaints and consumer issues with automotive maintenance repair and we’ve never seen an issue like this one.”

Johnson says reports of this issue stem back to 2019.

“This is about oil drain pan plugs

allegedly falling out after thousands of miles of driving and very often months after service [and] thousands of miles after driving, with no telltale leakage and no malfunction indicator lights going off,” Johnson says. “There is nothing to compare this situation to. It’s never happened with any other make or model cars, it’s only Hyundai/Kia.”

Define The Details

Johnson says the research conducted by AOCA has included gathering case information from both operators and consumers and narrowing down the makes, models, engine type and the oil drain assembly pan type.

She says the AOCA checked background information including the mileage and time in-between incidents and whether there were any symptoms apparent. They also investigated how the OEM responded to the situations and they tested an example of a factory oil drain pan.

“The bottom line is, what we discovered is these oil drain pan assemblies from Hyundai/Kia are made of a very cheap stamped steel

and there’s very little reinforcement at all on holding the plug in place other than a really tough coating of factory paint that paints the plug and the gasket together onto the pan,” Johnson says. “So much so that you can’t even see where the gasket is.”

Johnson says this can cause a camouflaged effect, and AOCA petition shows video of some do-it-yourself experts experiencing that exact problem. Additionally, Johnson says the petition to NHTSA outlines that Hyundai/Kia has not provided the service and repair information to consumers or the aftermarket regarding the oil drain pan issues in general.

This is just some of the content presented in the petition, which has support from the Auto Care Association, the Automotive Services Association, the Tire Industry of America and Service Station Dealers of America and Allied Trades. Johnson says supporting the research that AOCA is doing is part of the overall impact, and consumers and service providers can contribute.

“This is a situation where people have to work together,” Johnson says.

“If you have case information, send it to AOCA, send it to info@aoca.org because the research on the NHTSA side is ongoing now.”

Johnson says the AOCA has research support available to members of the association, and members have access to it anytime they need to see it. She says the AOCA wants to help consumers get the best service possible, and the service providers play a role in that.

“We really want to encourage people because this situation with the idea of oil drain plugs falling out thousands of miles after service is so bizarre that there has been a natural inclination to say, ‘Oh, I don’t want to talk about that it’s so weird.’ Somehow, they just feel like it’s their fault,” Johnson says. “Because historically, if a drain plug fell out a responsible business just automatically says, ‘Fine,’ they go for

customer service first. It’s just that this case, we now know it is not the last service provider.”

Gather The Data

Johnson explains that data collection keeps agencies like NHTSA informed about ongoing issues in the aftermarket, and this investigation could show the importance of giving agencies information that leads to action. It also provides the opportunity to educate, as many consumers do not know that they can report a safety defect to NHTSA online.

Johnson says consumers should get warranty denials in writing as well, as that is what helped the AOCA discover this defect. She says OEMs and OEM dealers were denying warranty coverage for customers without providing evidence to support that denial.

Johnson says getting this information in writing can help protect service

providers and their customers.

“The way to get past the majority of shenanigans is to require that you get the information in writing, then we can move forward,” Johnson says.

Johnson encourages service providers to learn more about joining the AOCA and spread awareness to their customers about reporting drain pan assembly problems and other engine malfunctions to NHTSA.

“People need to know you’ve got to get involved with AOCA’s research and have your customers file complaints with NHTSA and FTC because what we’re seeing here with this case … [is] this problem can be repeated with any other type of engine problem,” Johnson says. “We want to see everybody empowered and not continuing to suffer through this.”

To learn more, listen to Johnson’s interview on The NOLN Podcast at noln.net

A new quick lube business has opened in an area of Illinois previously devoid of oil change services.

According to WGEM, Pike County Quick Lube opened in Pittsfield on Friday. Previously, the nearest places for local residents to get an oil change included Quincy, Jacksonville or Mount Sterling.

Chris Little is a co-owner of Pike County Quick Lube, and in addition to offering full synthetic and synthetic blend services, he said they will give discounts to single mothers and senior citizens.

“Most of the seniors here are on a fixed income,” Little said to WGEM. “And we know how the single mothers struggle. So it seemed like the right thing to do for at least those two categories and you know we’ll see how it goes.”

LUBE NAMES FUSION CONNECT AS PREFERRED SUPPLIER

Managed Communications

Service Provider (MCSP) Fusion Connect has been named the preferred supplier for the Jiffy Lube Association of Franchisees Purchasing Co-op.

According to a press release, Fusion Connect will offer a secure and reliable technology stack to store locations. This will include Hosted Voice, which delivers calling plans, office phones and other features. Additionally, franchisees have access to Internet Connectivity, Managed WiFi and Network Monitoring through Fusion.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Jiffy Lube Association of Franchisees Purchasing Co-op, and to be named as a preferred technology supplier

for their franchisees,” said George Schoenstein, SVP of marketing at Fusion Connect. “We share a common focus with Jiffy Lube franchisees, and that is to delight our customers in every interaction by delivering a superior experience driven by employees who are empowered to make decisions in real-time to assure a mutually beneficial outcome.”

Jiffy Lube has a network of over 2,000 service centers.

LUCAS OIL NAMES KATIE LUCAS AS CAO

Lucas Oil Products has announced that Katie Lucas has been named the company’s chief administrative officer, according to a press release.

PIKE COUNTY QUICK LUBE OPENS IN ILL.

JIFFY

Prior to this appointment, Katie served as the company’s vice president of strategy and philanthropy. Her new role as chief administrative officer will involve incorporating dayto-day operations and long-term strategic goals. She will oversee company policies, campaigns, procedures and growth initiatives.

“Over the years I’ve known and worked with Katie, I’ve seen her ability to motivate teams and drive initiatives forward while exemplifying the vision and core values that have made Lucas Oil what it is today,” said Forrest Lucas, CEO of Lucas Oil, via the press release. “We are in a unique position to continue the legacy of our iconic American brand while advancing and elevating our focus to meet the needs of the next generation. Katie is the right person to meet these goals, tapping into efficiencies that will help the company thrive.”

DRIVER CRASHES THROUGH REAR DOOR OF JIFFY LUBE

Police got a call on a morning in December about an accident at Maynard Jiffy Lube.

The police got a call at 9:21 a.m. on Monday morning about an accident at a Maynard Jiffy Lube. A 96-year-old driver pulled into a service bay and ended up driving through the rear door and into a fence.

No one was injured inside the

Jiffy Lube building. The driver turned down treatment at the scene of the accident, so police took him back to his home. The store manager said that the building did not incur much damage, and it remained open following the incident.

FULLSPEED AUTOMOTIVE APPOINTS SARAH HAMP TO CMO

FullSpeed Automotive has announced the appointment of Sarah Hamp to Chief Marketing Officer for the company, effective Dec. 12.

According to a press release, Hamp has over two decades of marketing experience with automotive repair and quick lube brands. Hamp has held leadership roles at Just Brakes Total Car Care, Pep Boys and Jiffy Lube. Most recently, she was the vice president of marketing at Allied Lube, a Jiffy Lube franchise.

“We are so pleased to have someone with Sarah’s caliber, experience, and passion joining our team, and look forward to the enhancements she will help lead in our customer acquisition and retention strategies as we continue to grow the company,” said Rob Lynch, CEO of FullSpeed Automotive via the press release. “Her expertise for marketing in the aftermarket repair industry is invaluable and will help lead our team as we look to 2023.”

As CMO, Hamp will oversee brand and digital marketing efforts. Additionally, she will lead customer experi-

ence strategies for FullSpeed brands. FullSpeed’s network includes Grease Monkey, SpeeDee Oil Change & Auto Service and Kwik Kar.

TAKE 5 PLANS CAR WASH AND OIL CHANGE FOR PA.

Take 5 Car Wash and Oil Change is expanding into central Pennsylvania, according to Penn Live Patriot News.

The property will be located in North Middleton Township and will feature a 4,248-square-foot drive-thru car wash as well as a 1,421-square-foot oil change facility. It is anticipated that these buildings will open for business in 2024.

Penn Live reports that, according to the Take 5 website, these will be the first Take 5 facilities in Pennsylvania.

COSTA OIL LOCATION APPROVED IN GA.

A new Costa Oil 10 Minute Oil Change location has been approved in Georgia.

According to the Atlanta JournalConstitution, the Peachtree Corners City Council has approved a special use permit for the future Costa Oil site. The building will be 550 square feet and will sit next to an emissions inspection center in front of a shopping center.

The parking lot for the emissions testing building and the future Costa

Oil building will more than likely need to be reconfigured to allow for optimal parking and traffic flow.

DATA REVEALS VEHICLES ARE BEHIND ON MAINTENANCE

Almost half of the cars on the road are behind on maintenance, according to data from CARFAX as reported by KRIS 6 News.

As the Thanksgiving holiday weekend nears, hitting the road is top-of-mind for many drivers. But recent CARFAX data has revealed “that nearly half of the vehicles that are on the road are overdue for a tire rotation and 30% of vehicles are behind on oil changes,” according to Kris 6 News.

Additionally, this data says that one in five cars have an open recall that needs

fixing. Staying up to date on maintenance can help drivers avoid a headache this weekend and in general. But that’s not the only thing on the mind of drivers as they embark on travel.

Kris 6 News, which is a local news provider in the Corpus Christi area of Texas, spoke with a driver named Tristan Quintanilla. As he filled up at the gas station, he told Kris 6 News that he checks his car before every trip but he tries to be hyper-aware on highways as well to avoid situations like hydroplaning in bad weather.

PROPOSED JIFFY LUBE IN OHIO FACES DELAYS

A proposed Jiffy Lube location in Ohio has faced multiple delays, according to Cleveland.com.

The plan for a Strongsville location was tabled by the Planning Commission back in October due to the need for a wetlands study at the site. The commission anticipates that it might know more about the exact conditions of the wetlands and their potential impact on the site in January.

The location is proposed to be almost 3,000 square feet with four service bays. Curb cuts would need to be made in two nearby streets. This proposed location, which was first brought to the table in May, would need two zoning variances.

“Under city code, the building must be set back at least 125 feet from the middle of Pearl. The proposed Jiffy Lube would be set back 96 feet,” according to Cleveland.com. “Also under code, the parking lot must be set back at least 20 feet from Broxton. The Jiffy

Lube lot would be set back 10 feet.”

Ultimately, the commission rejected this site in May. In June, the site was proposed to be positioned further away from nearby homes. A 6-foot-high wall was included in this plan for property separation, and it was advised that the plan ensured Jiffy Lube’s lights would not impact nearby homes.

The city’s Board of Zoning & Building Code Appeals approved these variances, but in July the project’s sign package was rejected. In October, a revised plan for signage was approved that also included other site plans.The district for this proposed location is a general business district that only allows service centers like Jiffy Lube on a “case-by-case basis,” according to Cleveland.com.

MIGHTY PROMOTES CARMEN STRICKLAND TO VP, FRANCHISE OPERATIONS

Mighty Distributing System has announced the promotion of Carmen Strickland to vice president of franchise operations, according to a press release.

Strickland joined Mighty in 1993 as a field systems manager. She moved into the role of product and information systems manager in 2008. In 2018, she became Mighty’s director of franchise operations. Strickland has helped onboard 28 new franchisees as well as Mighty’s Summit Club and IMPACT groups.

“The Mighty franchisees consistently praise Carmen for her knowledge, work ethic, and ‘Mighty Family’ approach, so we are thrilled to announce her as a leader in the Mighty System,” said Chris Adams, vice president of franchise development and operations.

new features that include roadside assistance and maintenance, according to Yahoo.

Lyft customers can ask for 24/7 roadside assistance through Agero, which also includes tow truck access. Through SpotHero, customers can reserve parking. Yahoo! reports that booking car maintenance at Goodyear Auto centers will be available through the app in the near future.

For those loyal Lyft customers who subscribe to the app’s Pink paid subscription program, the services from Goodyear will be offered at a 15% discount. Additionally, the Pink membership will fully cover four roadside assistance instances per year.

Some of these features are still being built up, and other are not available everywhere. For instance, the SpotHero feature can only be found in 30 cities so far, and roadside assistance is not available in Nevada.

BRIDGESTONE TECHNICIAN NAMED ASE MASTER TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR

Bridgestone Retail Operations has announced one of its own has gained the title of 2022 ASE Master Technician of the Year, according to a press release.

The honor was bestowed upon Scot East during a recent ceremony held by the National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence.

“Scot’s work ethic and personal passion is everything we look for in an ASE Master Technician: dedication to growth, respect for others, and a commitment to serving our customers with excellence,” said Marko Ibrahim, president of Bridgestone Retail Operations. “He is not only a mentor to other teammates but a hero to so many in his community through his important work with the Cystic Fibrosis

Foundation. We are honored to recognize Scot’s dedication and thank him for elevating our business with everything he does.”

East has worked as a technician for over two decades at the Bridgestone-owned Firestone Complete Auto Care store in Prosper, Texas. He is an ASE Master Technician and he also has the following certifications: L1 – Advanced Engine Performance Specialist, P2 –Automobile Parts Specialist and X1 –Undercar Specialist Exhaust Systems. ASE Technicians of the Year are submitted and chosen based on ASE test scores, job performance and community activities.

SNAPPY LUBE OF WAYNESVILLE, N.C.

OPERATOR: TIM AVERY

LOCATION: WAYNESVILLE, N.C.

BY MATT HUDSON

PHOTOS BY AMIE NEWSOME

NEW CONSTRUCTION

Snappy Lube saw an opportunity to dig deep into this North Carolina market and opted for fresh build.

“It had been a while since we built a store, but the area we picked is an up-andcoming side of town,” says Tim Avery, director of operations. “Because we had a strong presence there, we wanted to get in there before anyone else could.”

Avery says the process was exciting for him. He worked with his team on every detail of the shop from the beginning, and the company supported the vision for a fully stocked, feature-full building.

“Being involved with this from the ground up was pretty cool,” he says. “After working in the stores for so long, I got to throw in my

two cents on what I thought would work best for the people working in it.”

SPACE FOR SERVICE

Avery says that one major benefit of this shop is the space—for oil, for equipment, an employee bathroom in the shop, and for techs to move around easily in the bays. The shop boasts four 500-gallon bulk tanks and a 1,000-gallon waste tank.

“Compared to a lot of other stores, it has a more open feel to it,” he says. “The pits are a little farther apart from each other for doors to open fully. There’s a good amount of space there, and it doesn’t feel cramped. You could probably fit three big trucks in there without feeling cramped.”

The added space makes the space feel

more comfortable to customers. It is great for technicians to be able to move among cars and colleagues. And it allows for better access to technology equipment.

“We needed to add an extra computer bay station,” Avery says. “That’s one thing they hate waiting on. Being able to do all those things and add them—I hope the guys appreciate it.”

FRESH LOOKS

Avery said that the design of the shop focused on durability and modern comfort. The shop area can feel like a home garage, while the lobby area and building exterior, with its red awnings, is meant to draw attention.

“It definitely looks more modern, and once you get inside, it has a home feel to it,” Avery says. “We went with this metal roofing for the interior walls, so the texture of the walls help it feel like your own shop.”

The shop will have to vie for attention with the stunning views around Waynesville, a picturesque mountain town.

“When me and my crew were there getting things ready for two or three weeks, it was tough not to stop and take a look at the scenery,” Avery says.

ADAM TATUM

Lots Of Cookie Jars, Not Enough Hands

How to approach the new year with a strong grasp of operations

THIS MONTH, NOLN IS GIVING SOME ADVICE ACTION

items for this new year. I think that many of us have ideas to make our locations better but fail to put them into motion. I do this all the time, but I have a hundred ideas a week on ways to be the best, some short term and some long term. So, this month, I will share some of the ideas that I have been putting into place in my locations in 2023.

Maximize Your Management Team

cabin is $25 more there? If you want to get more from less, this could be the way to go.

Now if you must raise your core service prices, do your homework. Don’t outprice your competition, that is likely moving into your markets recently. If you give a customer a reason to try the place that costs less then you now, you give them the opportunity to take your customer going forward. Stay competitive, but don’t go overboard.

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.

ATATUM @VALUBE.COM

This year I am moving my lower management teams into salaried positions. As these assistants are your future store leaders, you strive to get them as much learning time as you can. Some of you will pay them higher wages, but then get killed when they go into overtime at time and a half. This salary option is the perfect way to not only eliminate that, but also get your valuable management in the stores when you need them.

This could mean extra hours for the assistant, but you can use that time to build their skill sets and use them to train their replacements as they look to move up. You can pay for this. Just lower your hourly labor expectations a bit. Think about the ROI of having your next best employee on your clock a li le longer each week.

Look at Your Pricing Matrix

As the costs of inventory have risen over the last few months and more competition moves into your markets, you may be feeling the pinch of these on your bo om line. It is time to make a few changes to your pricing internally. Now, the easiest way to do this is obviously by altering the price of your oil change service. However, a more effective way to gain the outcome that you desire may be accomplished by thinking smaller. Air filters, cabins, light bulbs, and wiper blades are all preventative maintenance items that everyone offers. Raise the price a dollar or two. Try it and see how many complaints you get versus raising your core service price.

Most people do not notice the slight increase and expect this from time to time. Now call a dealership and ask for some pricing on these services. Wow, that

Spend on Capex Projects

If you have the means to do so, this is an excellent way to build and expand your brand without spending millions on relocations or new builds. I am sure that if some of you step back and look at your stores from the eyes of a customer, you may see that you are dated. If the new clean, shiny building down the street is grabbing your customers, it’s because you are old and tired. How can you get that pizazz back? Paint your locations and change your signage, add some banners to the building or update your landscaping.

Now inside the stores, you can add equipment to add speed and opportunities. Do you have li s on each of your bays? They are anywhere from $8,000 to $12,000 for a new set to be installed. How many more tire rotations can you do when you don’t have to move cars around or knock out a brake job on any bay. Another investment is to add a new AC machine to your location. We all know that the new vehicles that you are servicing are using the new freon. Look into what the dealers charge to service these units and you will see how fast you can see an ROI on the new service addition.

As you can see, I am pu ing my hands into many cookie jars this year. When January rolls around next year, my stores will be able to service more customers faster, profitably and add long-term value beyond 2023. I will be opening new locations and making my old ones look like they are new. These are the things that I am doing to take my stores and operation to the next level. What are you going to do in this new year to take yours there?

Adam Tatum is director of operations for the Virginia Group, a Jiff y Lube franchisee with

Action Items

By Leah Marxhausen

With a New Year comes the chance to restart and refresh. Resolutions in place, everyone is determined to have their best year yet. Whether you’ve decided to spend more time in the gym, stick to a new diet or promise to spend less time on your phone, these New Year’s resolutions don’t tend to make it much past February 1.

While another year ending doesn’t magically resolve shortcomings of the past, it does provide the opportunity to reevaluate your approach, learn from past mistakes, and see what needs to be changed.

Three leaders in the industry shared five action items they think will help prepare your shop for the New Year.

With disciplined reviews, any shop owner can improve in 2023

Action Items

Evaluate Your Inventory

“The New Year gives you a chance to reset your numbers,” says Lenny Saucier, director of retail training at Fullspeed Automotive. “As a business you're looking at the end of the year, all the numbers are in. What did we do right? What did we do wrong? What will need to be cleaned up?”

The first thing to clean up is your inventory. As the year closes out, look at your final inventory numbers, taking special note of what hasn’t sold. By sending unused items back to the vendor, you not only gain that capital, but you are clearing up shelf space to make room for something new.

“Having a group of items on the shelf that don't move it's just like taking money out of your wallet and putting it on the shelf,” says Saucier. “I have this shelf to make me more money, and if I don't do that, then I'm just wasting that money sitting on there. Removing old stock increases your cash flow.”

Revisit Your Vendors

The new year can also be a time to examine those who supply inventory and services.

“We make sure we're partnering up with the right vendor in terms of pricing support, logistics, you know, types of products they offer,” says Eric Galindo, owner of Oil Change Express in San Antonio. “There's been a lot of changes in our industry in the last five or six years. There used to be hundreds and hundreds of independents now there's maybe a handful of six big companies throughout the U.S. When we’re looking at vendors, we’re making sure we have a solid partnership.”

Who you choose to work with can be a huge determining factor in your shop’s success. Partnering with quality vendors who align with your shops standards of service can create an equally beneficial partnership.

“For us price is important, but it's really about service a entiveness and making sure we're ge ing our products on time,” says Galindo. “Logistics pricing and support is really what we look at, you know, we try to stay with the same products. We’re very selective of who the distributors are to make sure we have a great relationship.”

As prices continue to inflate, revisiting who you are partnering with and checking competitors to make sure you are making the best decision for your business is a process that should take place multiple times throughout the year.

“Ten years ago, you would see a price increase maybe once a year maybe now it's every two months just depending on who you're doing business with,” says Galindo. “We don't like to jump from distributor to distributor. We like to stay faithful, but we typically check in multiple times during the year to make sure we have the right support.”

Be Selective with Servicesyour

Shelf space is a valuable asset, but so is your time. Take a moment to evaluate what your most valuable services are and what services you need to limit.

“Look at your services and start reviewing your goals and expected profit margins in these areas,” says Saucier. “This a good time to start looking at your actual service items as far as the costs incurred and the retail price. This will give you a pre y good chance to price shop.”

Focusing on successful services can help you determine what strategies made them successful and how you can apply that to other services or areas in your business that are struggling.

“Ask yourself, what were the areas that you've really focused in on that that were successful,” says Saucier. “Look at what you did to change those numbers from last year and take that and bring it over to another service, or another part of your business that is struggling.”

Make Sure You Have the Right Staff

Pete Frey, former Take 5 Oil Change president and current shop owner, says his first step in the new year is to ensure staff members are in the right roles.

“Should I simply focus harder on my training aspects?” Frey says. “Am I giving them my expectations frequently enough and following up so that it's just not like a ship without a rudder?”

Make sure your staff aligns with your shop’s values and that you have the right number of staff to support the volume of your shop.

“We overstaff just a li le bit so we can upgrade,” says Galindo. “We make sure we have the right people on the team that believe in what we're trying to do. We want the right number of staff so we can do a quick service.”

In order to maintain this level of service for his customers, Galindo recommends overstaffing. By starting new hires in their slow season, he can avoid potential crises that may come along if an employee is unable to work. To make up for this added cost, he provides incentives to motivate more sales in the shop.

“We want to make sure we're doing the best we can in terms of speed for our customers,” he says. “As long as they're making sales, I think extra bonuses and extra income will pay for the extra hours and manpower that we have.”

Check in on Your KPIs

Frey focuses on aspects of his business that he can control, the biggest aspect being his shop’s performance. Working alongside his best employees, he examines his weakest KPI to see where there is room for improvement. Frey also gives his team an opportunity to evaluate where these shortcomings originate from.

“Ask questions like, ‘Why are we struggling with this particular KPI? Is it cost, are we too expensive? Are we not educating the customer? Is it just simply a presentation? Is it our timing?’” says Frey. “I'm going to see how we can improve our weakest KPI and turn it into our strongest KPI.”

The Final Takeaway

“It’s a numbers game on January 1st,” says Saucier. “It's not about feelings. Feelings won’t get you very far past January 3rd. The numbers show you what you actually did and give you the ability to move forward.”

Oil changes are one of the most frequent services a customer needs. While this used to be a service needed every 3,000 to 4,000 miles, new vehicles are able to go 6,000 to 8,000 miles before needing

to be serviced. This along with increased competition can put a strain on your business.

“You have to be better than the rest,” says Frey. “Your experience has to be better than the rest. That's how you survive. Price matters, but sometimes price is hard to control especially in a world we live in. That's a battle that everybody who's in the oil change business is going to fight this year. I see that as a challenge.”

The Taj Mahal of Oil Changers

This six-bay California facility is a busy quick lube center

By Noah Brown

Photos By Jason Pooler

o the untrained eye, the building at the corner of West Caldwell Avenue and South Demaree Street in Visalia, California, might look like any other automotive maintenance facility.

To those in the industry, though, this quick lube is something entirely different.

“It’s the Taj Mahal of Oil Changers,” says Justin Shaw, the shop manager.

Opened back in 1999 by Don Nelson

as one of four Auto Oil Changers locations in California’s Central Valley, the six-bay behemoth of an oil change shop is a standout in the industry. A sight that Shaw, who was promoted to manager when the shop was acquired by Oil Changers in July 2019, says people need to see in order to appreciate it.

“It’s a true six-bay shop,” he says. “The average shop is two bays, so we’re three shops in one if you really look at it.”

Six-Bay Wonder

The shop’s six bays are laid out in two rows of three, with a two-bay car wash attached on the end of the building.

The shop, which has a workspace about 180 feet long and 40 feet wide and has 32-foot-tall openings on each bay, can accommodate RVs and other diesel operated vehicles. But it’s more geared to standard retail.

In addition to a massive amount of floor space, the shop has 40 oil guns and six oil tanks that have three chambers each, which allows for more flexibility in the number of oils offered and the quantity of each type stored.

“Look at 0W-20 now. That’s the new 10W-30. I’ve already moved the 0W-20 from a 240-gallon tank to a 700-gallon tank just in the three years I’ve been running [the shop],” Shaw says. “That tells you how the industry fluctuates … and we have to be able to adapt.”

All six bays are in operation every day from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. except for Sundays, when the shop only runs its back three bays. Shaw says the shop will average around 80 cars a day, with an average ticket near $150.

“We’re pretty productive,” he says.

Justin Shaw, shop manager, Oil Changers of Visalia, Calif.

Someone You Trust

Shaw has made a relatively quick ascension to managing his own shop. After spending time as a technician for DirecTV, he made the jump to quick lube in February 2017. What was supposed to be a stop-gap job while he looked for his next role turned into the career he was looking for.

That in large part, Shaw says, is because of the relationships that are built in this industry. Shaw took his customer service experience gained while working on TVs in people’s homes to the shop floor.

“Those are our most intimate spots, our homes and our vehicles,” he says. “You’ve got to have somebody you trust (working on them).”

Starting out at one of the other shop locations, Shaw moved from the pit to the upper bay to assistant manager. After a little over two years, he got his proverbial call from the big leagues and was transferred to the six-bay shop to be the manager during the acquisition by Oil Changers.

“I moved up pretty fast. It’s very fastpaced–it’s all the same, but it’s different every day, you know?” Shaw says. “I've just been trying to improve this shop and make it the best one out there.”

Caring for the Customer

Shaw says the biggest factor in the shop’s success over the last three years has been his crew of 15, who he says could go toe-totoe with anybody in the business. Building on his experience in the TV cable business, customer service has been a focal point for Oil Changers.

While customer support is nothing new, being able to have the staff to support peak traffic time for a six-bay shop has proven to be a challenge at some points.

“You have to staff the shop enough at all times to where if you fill up all six bays, you don’t have two customers waiting,” Shaw says. “Trying to gauge the public and their needs in a six-bay shop is a challenge, but we’ve got it figured out.”

For any shop, regardless of size, it can sometimes feel like a chicken-or-egg situation when trying to determine if customer

volume should dictate staff size or vice versa. Shaw recognizes that it might be a challenge for a shop to justify hiring one or two more techs than is necessary, particularly if a shop is doing well enough, but he says his investment in his staff—both in terms of number of members and how each one is compensated—has played a critical role in his shop’s growth.

“More crew members means more people to pay attention to our guests, because our guests are what keep those six doors open,” he says. “We’ve got to have staff.”

With more people, the shop is able to move at a quicker pace. Shaw says he’s had industry vets come work a day with him at his shop only to be taken aback by how much is going on at one time.

“They come to my shop and they'll work a day with me and they're like, ‘This is crazy,’ … and I'm like ‘Dude, we're only at like 40 cars!” Shaw chuckles. “They tell me it feels like a hundred, and it’s because there’s always something going on. It feels like a

good hundred. It’s not a bad thing at all.”

Speed and efficiency are the gold standards in Shaw’s shop, and having the bays set up in a two-by-three grid has allowed techs to operate the shop in a tandem setup. If a vehicle is done and just needs an oil change and one behind it needs a service with pit access, techs can pull the first one through and take care of both simultaneously.

Shaw recommends shops start trying to implement a tandem approach if they have room and capacity to do so. For example, pulling a car forward in a bay and starting an oil change on a half bay.

“The tandem way is the way to go. It just keeps everything flowing. There’s very little idle time in my shop. It’s such a fast shop to be in,” Shaw says. “It’s always moving, and being in a tandem shop, it comes naturally.”

As manager of a six-bay shop, Shaw acknowledges that tactics he might try to increase productivity or efficiency may not directly translate to smaller two- or

three-bay shops. However, he says he expects his shop and others around the country to start rebounding from pandemic-era dips in car count, and as such shops need to be ready to handle more vehicles and customers who expect quality and speed.

Maintaining staff levels and ensuring that customers feel welcome and know how long their service might take is crucial in building a strong reputation, which is crucial to good customer reviews. Whether it’s by word of mouth, Yelp, Google or some other platform, having customers talking positively about their experience at your shop will go a long way in building a loyal customer base.

“No (customer) wants to sit out there and not know what’s going on. You have to have enough people to greet someone right as they come onto the property,” he says. “The crew is crucial. Everybody likes being paid attention to, especially if they’re paying money.”

Snowball Effect

Shop Manager Justin Shaw sees how his team's customer service has led to growing car counts.

FINDING THE ULTIMATE INDUSTRY MENTOR

Learn from somebody who’s jumped the hurdles KIMANZI CONSTABLE

THERE’S NO DENYING THE VALUE IN being guided by someone who’s built the kind of shop your strive to create, learned lessons through experience, and can offer advice that saves time and makes a shop more money.

“Shops should have a mentor before they get a shop—yesterday is not soon enough,” says Cecil Bullard, CEO and President of The Institute for

Automotive Business Excellence.

You’ll know it’s time to hire a mentor when you can self-assess and identify your needs. Building a shop is about more than employees and equipment—a growth mindset and having the right strategies can be the difference between tremendous profit or a shop that’s not growing.

“Our industry has not done a great

job historically of creating mentorships,” says Jimmy Alauria, owner of 3A Automotive & Diesel Repair, and CEO of Victory TeamBuilding Group.

“We’re in a position now where the average Master Technician is about in their mid-50s—we’re running out of people. It’s a requirement now of everyone in the automotive industry to implement mentorship programs in our shops—it’s a ma er of survival. We should look at multiple ways to implement mentorship in our shops because we’re in an industry that requires hands-on training.”

Evaluate what information you’re lacking. Think through each aspect of your shop and where they could be an improvement. Look for mentors that could help you in those areas.

How to Locate and Vet a Mentor

With clarity on the need for a mentor and having found one, set goals for your time with a mentor. You’ll go nowhere if you don’t have clarity on what direction to take. Each mentoring relationship will only be as successful as the goals you set—determine what success is in the relationship.

Set goals by thinking through the things you want to accomplish. Ask yourself:

• Do I need to learn to price?

• Can my operations be improved?

• Do I have the most efficient employee training program?

• What are my profit and revenue goals?

• How can I be a better leader for my team?

Get clarity on all the personal and professional goals you want to accomplish, and make sure your mentor has that list. Giving a mentor a clear list of objectives gives each of your the best opportunity to achieve your goals.

“You can’t have unrealistic expectations with mentorship,” says Alauria. “We can’t expect to go from $250,000 to $10 million. We need to set targets that gradually get us more towards an ideal scene. Think about metrics that are trackable and realistic to a ach

expectations to. Most of the time, you’re doing things right, but just need clarity on some of the pieces that help you reach your next level of growth.”

How to Know When It’s Time to Move On

Every relationship eventually reaches a point where you question if it’s wise to move forward. Sometimes you can outgrow mentor relationships, and it’s good to know when that point is reached. Practically, you don’t want to pay for a service you’re not benefiting from anymore.

“In this day and age, business and life have become so difficult that shop owners could benefit from someone guiding them,” says Mike Bennett, program manager for the Automotive Training Institute.

“Sometimes, you bring in a mentor to help you solve a specific need. However, it may be time to move on when that potential has been realized. You have to ask yourself if the value is still there—are you still growing? You can’t be afraid to move on from a mentor if the value is no longer there.”

Evaluate every mentor situation you’re in. Even if it’s a free Facebook group, it costs you one of your most valuable resources: time. Determine if you’re still getting value from the mentorship and make the best decision for your time, money, and mindset. The goal should be constant growth.

Find a Mentor

Finding mentors and coaches for yourself and your employees has tremendous benefits. Investing in yourself is a business growth strategy that leads to more profit and a stronger shop.

Be sure to vet mentors, change them when needed, and follow their advice. Advice is great, but it will mean nothing if the mentor’s advice is not implemented. The future growth of your shop depends on your ability to surround yourself with the right people—mentors are a good option.

SETTING LONG-TERM GOALS

Play the long game with your shop

BY LEAH MARXHAUSEN

SETTING GOALS HELPS CHALLENGE US AND PUSH US TO PROGRESS. SHORT-TERM GOALS create check-in points to break down big ideas into easy-to-achieve segments, and setting long-term goals is key to having successful and organized business.

Greg Costa, owner of Safeway Oil Change and Automotive Services in Cranston, Rhode Island, understands this firsthand. After spending the first portion of his career as a franchise owner, Costa transitioned into becoming an independent business owner. Through his experiences, Costa has discovered the most efficient way to set, track, and celebrate goals to help grow his business.

Educate Yourself

The automotive industry is ever-changing. In order to set effective and realistic goals for your staff, you have to take the time to educate yourself on how to best prepare for upcoming changes in the industry.

“You can only know so much, and the only way to keep on learning is to keep on putting the effort in,” says Costa. “Everybody’s got different opinions, and if you listen to everybody’s opinion, you make your decisions based on opinions rather than the facts.”

With new vehicles, comes new equipment and new training. Costa tries to stay one step ahead of these changes and includes them when setting goals for his team.

“The industry overall is changing with how they make cars and the different tools and equipment needed to fix these new vehicles,” says Costa. “We try to spot any hurdles that we might have with fixing these vehicles and we make goals to overcome those hurdles. Whether its buying new equipment, updating the equipment that we have or further training our staff.”

Look at the Big Picture

While shorter and attainable goals are important to keep your staff on track and motivated, taking a step back to look at the big picture helps guide your business plan. Costa works with a five-year plan which he breaks down into yearly goals. This allows him to take on large scale changes to his business while still presenting it in a way that is easy to understand and complete.

When making these goals, Coast recommends bringing in an outside opinion to help find areas of concern that may have been overlooked by him and his team.

“It’s always good to have somebody from the outside to come in and provide constructive criticism,” says Costa. “When you’re at a place every day, all day you tend to not see some things. Somebody from the outside will see things differently and give you a different perspective.”

To help put things into perspective, Costa works with a coach from the Automotive Training Institute.

“I can make any decision I want,” he says. “And I want to make sure that I’m making good, informed decisions. Having a coach and

supplying them with the information for my business that we utilize together gives me a chance to be accountable for certain decisions that we’re making and whether they’re good or bad.”

Check In

Consistent check-ins are crucial to staying on track with your goals. For Costa, he conducts weekly checkins with his staff as well as meeting weekly with his own coach to make sure everything is running smoothly.

“Before having a coach, I flew by the seat of my pants,” he says. “I didn’t make decisions as they needed to be made. Whether they were right or wrong, we learned from them. Working with a coach to go over goals on a weekly basis to see what’s up and what’s down and what changes need to be made helps out a lot.”

Weekly check-ins help determine what is going well and what may need to be changed in order to stay on track.

Celebrate

Costa knows the impact positive reinforcement can have on a team. Because of this, Costa does not take disciplinary actions when goals are not being met. Instead, every mistake is viewed as a learning experience both for him and his staff.

When goals are met, the whole team celebrates by going out to dinner, all together.

“When we meet our goals, we go out to dinner, the whole crew,” says Costa. “It’s good to bring us together to have fun because there’s got to be some play with work and it’s important to show your staff gratitude for

all the work that they do.”

Costa has found that having a positive relationship with his staff actually increases productivity and makes it easier for them to meet their goals. To help foster this relationship, Costa does his best to take care of his staff both emotionally and physically. One way he does this is by purchasing new work boots for his staff every Thanksgiving.

“You need employees that have good work wear to be comfortable and

warm, we stand on concrete floors all day long,” says Costa. “You need your feet for the rest of your life, so you have to take care of them. A good pair of work boots makes the pain better and makes your job easier.”

Final Words

The process in which you identify, execute, and celebrate goals can be just as important as the goals themselves. Making sure that you are staying on top of trends in the

industry and creating timely goals to direct your business plan can help you anticipate potential issues that may arise and properly prepare your team. Communicating on the progress of goals set can help you stay on track and learn form past mistakes.

As we begin a New Year and look toward a new set of goals, make sure you have a detailed plan in place for how to identify, maintain, and celebrate your goals. A good process leads to good progress.

FIND YOUR BEST FIT

Tips for finding the right shop management software

FOR SOME SHOP OWNERS, IT’S LOVE at first use. For others, like Scott Bickley, it’s a case of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” and it takes a few tries to find the one that’s just right.

We’re talking about shop management systems.

If there was one shop management system that was far superior to others, it would be an easy choice. The truth is, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. It may take a few times to find the perfect match. It all depends on the needs of your shop and your personal preference. Two repair shop owners share their journey to the right software and an experienced coach shares his tips.

John Wafler, facilitator, coach and instructor for the Institute for Automotive Excellence, has been in the automotive industry for more than 40 years and has been working as a coach for over 20 years. Throughout his four decades in the industry, he’s experienced many shop owners switch shop management systems thinking it will solve all of their problems. For those with that mindset, Wafler has some cautionary words.

“I have seen so many shop owners switch thinking that it will be an easy turn of a switch on and putting the data in. The reality is that it can cripple a business making that change.”

When Wafler talks to shop owners about switching systems, he first asks what problems they have with their current one. For shop owners who respond that it doesn’t do X, he asks if they’ve reached out to the company and maybe it does do X, they’re just unsure how to do it.

“Quite often they have workarounds. It’s not exactly the way you would want it, but you can work

around it,” Wafler says.

If you can make it work, do it, says Wafler. Switching to a new system will take four to six weeks before you get it down, he says. However, sometimes a change is the only option.

Mark Pfleghaar, owner of Certified Auto Repair in Spring Park, Minnesota, switched systems because he was looking for one that would be easy for his front desk to use. The system he started with was slightly more technical and difficult for people working in the office with less automotive experience.

Scott Bickley, owner of Little Wolf Auto in Waupaca, Wisconsin, switched a few different times before finding one he was happy with. What he found was one would do something extremely well but would lack in other areas. So, he decided to figure out what was most important to him and his business, which includes an express lube as well as a full-service repair shop.

The Challenge

For Pfleghaar and Bickley, the switch was made because certain needs weren’t being met. Pfleghaar switched because his system at the time was difficult for the front desk to grasp and Bickley says as his business grew, he found one would be good for quick lubes and struggle with full-service and vice-versa. He also realized his software, which was based on the server and not cloudbased, was going to cause issues during times of business growth.

The Solution

To find the right software system, Wafler advises never to trust the salesperson. They will show all of the aspects of their software that make it look easy, but the reality is that it might

not be. Instead, ask the salesperson for references on shop owners in your area who use their system and reach out to them to ask for their honest opinion.

“If they can’t give you those, it’s a red flag,” Wafler says. “Call the shops, go there, and watch it being used in live action.”

Pfleghaar found a system that made it easy to write up a work order and simplified sending inspections and collecting payments, which made it much more user-friendly for the front of house employees.

Bickley realized he needed to stop getting caught up with new features and functionality and lay out what was most important for his business and match the software to his business. He decided he needed one that would work well with his quick lube and tire business, so he needed a system that would make setting those jobs up easy and quick.

The Aftermath

BY TESS OWINGS GETTY

Pfleghaar says the switch has allowed him to train employees with ease and that it frees up time at the front counter. Bickley says his new system can set up a new customer with an oil-change in less than 30 seconds and a returning one can be done in less than 10.

The Takeaway

“Depending on why you’re switching, you’ll find features in the new software that are cool and you’ll say, ‘That’s better than what I have,’ but you’ll also find things that aren’t as good. Don’t get attracted by all the bells and whistles,” Wafler says.

Bickley says the lesson he learned switching numerous times is to prioritize your biggest needs and match the software you select to that.

John Wafler, facilitator, coach and instructor for the Institute for Automotive Excellence, advises that the best shop management system is the one that you currently have. Before switching over, do some research and see if you’re using the system in the best way possible or if possibly there was a feature that you previously overlooked. The best way to do this is to reach out to customer support.

Can your data be imported into the new system?

Not all software will transfer data effectively from one to the other, Wafler says. Be prepared to lose some data if you’re switching. Mark Pfleghaar, owner of Certified Auto Repair in Spring Park, Minnesota, says one way to work around this is to use a separate software to export data and import to the new management system.

Is the new system cloud-based or server based?

Wafler says if you’re planning on making the switch, go to the cloud. Server-based programs present IT, update, and hardware issues. Those are eliminated with cloudbased software.

Does it require the use of other software?

Some systems will handle accounting, digital vehicle inspections, marketing, and other important business aspects within the same software. Others require you to purchase other programs, Wafler explains. However you want to do it is up to you, but having fewer companies to deal with can create less of a headache.

Does it help you with the most important aspects of your business?

True, it may be extremely easy to use, but if parts make up a huge portion of your sales and the shop management system you’re using doesn’t handle your inventory well, it’s not a good fit, Wafler says.

How is the support?

Wafler says this is huge. If you aren’t getting a timely response from your customer support, it’s probably time to switch. Some companies offer great support, he says. There are easy-to-find resources, calls are answered immediately, information is provided about features being added and how that is decided.

Some even have forums where users can make suggestions on how to better the software, Wafler adds.

This is the type of support that you should be getting from your shop management system.

ARE YOU USING YOUR CURRENT SYSTEM IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY?

ON THE SCENE: SEMA 2022 HUMS WITH ELECTRICITY

Explore the market, audience, and strategies behind SEMA’s expanded EV displays

BY HANNA BUBSER

OPENING DAY AT THE 2022 SEMA Show buzzed with anticipation.

The Specialty Equipment Market Association Show is definitely known for its cars. Everywhere you turned, be it inside the Las Vegas Convention Center or outside in the lots, there were impressive vehicles, each with stories to tell—not to mention great fodder for social media feeds.

While the car-spotting element of the show is a huge draw, there was another theme throughout SEMA this year that is drawing some attention: electrification.

For example, SEMA Electrified drew a crowd with a 21,000-square-foot area dedicated to over 35 vehicles and nearly 60 different exhibits. SEMA Electrified was an electric vehicle hub that debuted in 2019. The 2022 event was the largest it has ever been.

SEMA Electrified showcased a growing niche of custom EVs, as well as new factory EV options such as the Karma GS-6. There were also new versions of beloved classics, like a re-imagined 1965 Ford Mustang from

Inspire EV and a 1964 Ford Galax-E 500 from Conductive Classics that had a Tesla Model 3 drivetrain, brakes, wheels and single rear motor.

Leacy EV hosted educational sessions inside of the SEMA Electrified space, promoting its new Legacy EV Education Roadshow that launches in March 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. The Roadshow will bring EV education to 10 major cities across the country with one week of in-person electric vehicle educational programming across 5 modules.

On opening day of the SEMA Show 2022, one of the Legacy EV educational sessions called “Electrical Theory” and allowed attendees to listen in on a sampling of what some of the Roadshow content will be like. The session promoted discussion amongst attendees about various aspects of electrical theory basics and provided beginner-level context as to why it is important in the practice of EV repair.

THE BROAD SCOPE OF ELECTRIFICATION

“The Electric Truck: Tap Into New Opportunities” also took place on the

first day of the SEMA Show. It was a panel discussion about the promise of electric opportunities for trucks. The panel was moderated by Chris Hamilton of Street Trucks magazine. The panelists included:

• Jerome Andre, EV Builder’s Guide magazine

• Kelleigh Ash, Battle Motors

• Tim Cachelin, Legacy EV

• Brent Dreher, Faraday Future

• Edward Hightower, Lordstown Motors Corporation

• Chris Salvo, The Electrified Garage

The panel discussion started out with some context. Hamilton shared with the group that the global pickup trucks

market in full (gas, diesel and electric) was valued at $222.79 billion in 2021. The EV trucks market was valued at $1.26 billion in 2021, and it is estimated at $1.83 billion for 2022 and could reach an estimated $8.99 billion by 2026.

SEMA research also showed that parts and accessories for trucks and SUVs account for 30% of sales specialty

equipment sales. This is all to say that there is opportunity in EV trucks.

Hightower said that a big component of approaching the market is awareness and capacity. He said that he anticipates demand will eventually exceed supply in terms of EVs, even in the truck sector. Hightower is with Lordstown Motors, an EV truck

PHOTO COURTESY OF HANA BUBSER

automaker based out of Ohio.

“Most people when they drive an EV, they’re hooked,” Hightower said.

Translating that enthusiasm into an electric truck can prove successful, but as Kelleigh Ash of Battle Motors noted, it is still somewhat of a “wild west.”

Battle Motors is a vocational truck manufacturer that is now working with electric options as well in that sector. Ash said that the top priorities for Battle are safety, sustainability and innovation as they explore this sector. Brent Dreher spoke to the potential in revolutionizing the truck as an EV, as Faraday Futures is a technology start-up that aims to develop electric vehicles as another point of connectivity in a person’s everyday life. He listed WiFi, voice commands and the like as areas that are going to become even

more important in the overall driving experience, and that includes trucks. “The car is more a box on wheels than a smartphone on wheels today ... we want the car to be alive, awake [and] aware,” Dreher said.

Jerome Andre with EV Builder’s Guide magazine sees potential as well, and said that the younger incoming generation provides an avenue for EV truck users. He said that retrofitted and modified EVs are somewhat of a “global phenomenon”, so the path for EV trucks could be similar.

Tim Cachelin with Legacy EV promoted the idea of education, especially as it could relate to these trucks. Electric vehicles require a different approach than your typical repair. Legacy EV wants to make that kind of information more widely available, which harkens back to the

aforementioned Roadshow component that they will introduce this March.

The repair approach is something that Chris Salvo of the Electrified Garage is very familiar with. The Electrified Garage offers vehicle repair services for EVs in three locations.

Salvo noted some challenges with EV repair can include cabin filter maintenance and he relayed the importance of AC maintenance in EVs as well, considering that they help cool the battery. With large trucks, this could be an especially crucial component. Overall, the panel discussed EV opportunity at a high level. The overall message was that there is indeed a future that electric trucks can play a role in, and it will involve many segments of the industry playing a role.

The 2022 SEMA Show took place over the first week of November.

LSAUCIER @FULLSPEEDAUTOMOTIVE.COM

The Chicken and the Road

There is much to be learned from this simple joke

FINALLY, 2023! DUBBED THE MOST NORMAL YEAR of the 2020s so far. Hard to think we walked out of a two-year fire drill of an operation called the pandemic to walk into European war, record high inflation, the “Log Ride” drop of the stock market and record setting gas prices.

At least we got our supply chain back in line— oh, wait. But hey, no masks! It wasn’t all doom and gloom. If you were playing your cards right, most found 2022 to have a strong growth in net sales (some due to price increases) and employment struggles seemed to level out a little bit as we progressed from the “Great Resignation” tagline to the new tagline, “Quiet Quitting.” In other words, most are not running out the door, they are waiting to be pushed out.

Most of you that know me would know that I am not a New Year’s Resolution type of guy. No, it’s not because of the over the road trucker bod I have been perfecting over the years. It is the belief that anything that will need to wait until January 1 can and should be done today. If the date that something transpires is that important, it is more a wish than a goal. Every year, millions conjure up some master plan to alter their path only to downplay the significance of their quest by assigning a notation in the first square of the new hot rod calendar (or whatever you are displaying on your wall) In my eyes, “just wait until next year,” is as old of a joke as, “Why did the chicken cross the road?”

The Chicken Joke

Most of us grew up with various versions of the chicken joke. This timeless joke was morphed into other culturally up to date jokes. Why did the chicken cross the road? To avoid the Popeyes crowd when they ran out the chicken sandwich. That is probably one of my favorites. Then they had to tie Corona into it. Why did the chicken cross the road? Because he was social distancing. Not funny but at least it is a joke that evolves. At the root of the chicken joke saga is the most important and fundamental leadership message you can take with you.

Why did the chicken cross the road? Because it was motivated to do so!

It has always been the motivation that has moved the chicken to the other side of the road. It has been your motivation that kept your doors open through the pandemic, to take care of your business, your customer base and the faithful teammates who came into work to keep things moving forward. This was the motivation to succeed. It is the motivation of our nation’s people that desired normalcy so much they went in droves to the airports and interstates this holiday season despite all the travel prices skyrocketing. This was the motivation to connect.

The lack of motivation is what drives you to accomplish nothing because it has not been the magical turn of the year yet. Your team is waiting on you to drive change, strength and leadership into their lives. That doesn’t happen when the ball drops at midnight; it only happens when you decide to do so. Your family is waiting on you to deliver shining examples of success and compassion. The lack of motivation tells you that next year you will make that happen. This teaches others who look up to you that your success is more hinged on your rotation around the sun instead of your abilities to identify, plan and take action.

The chicken crosses the road in every joke. Not because it was the “new year, new me” mantra you surely heard the last week of December and the first week of January. By the way, you rarely hear it the second week of January. The chicken crosses the road because of a mission. To get to the other side, to get to where he was going faster, to avoid Colonel Sanders and to show the armadillo it could be done. To paraphrase Simon: “It doesn’t matter what you do, it matters why you do it.” Pick your objectives and attack them with the same determination as a southerner trying to get sweet tea in Michigan. Look for your motivation from your inner desire, your passion, your family and your team. Ignore the social construct to start on January 1. Well, let’s do the 2nd—that is a Monday after all. At the end of the day, when you have found your success, you will look back at your path and realize that it had nothing to do with the date, but the desire to cross the road.

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.

LENNY SAUCIER