AUGUST 2022 / NOLN.NET Brought to Life Roneil Prash dreamed of a career in automotive repair. He worked hard to acquire and open his shop and is now loving the operator life. TALES INSPIRATIONOF PAGE 22 SUCCESSSINGLE-SHOPSTORIES PAGE 28 YOUR GUIDE MARKETINGMULTIMEDIATO PAGE 26 Work smarter, not harder to create success in this industry Page 18
havoline.com/renewable Peak performance 25% 100% Plant-based Performance1 Made with 25% sustainably sourced plant-based oils Exceeds the latest industry standards2 Maintains the oil’s original fuel economy retention benefit longer than typical full synthetics3 Up to 37% lower carbon intensity than similar full synthetic oils4 Scan to learn more about Havoline® PRO-RS™ or visit havoline.com/renewable Better for cars and better for the environment5 1 Equivalent performance to other full synthetic motor oils. 2 Including ILSAC GF-6/API SP and GM’s dexos™ Gen 2 spec. 3 Based on Modified Sequence VIF Fuel Economy Retention Test @ 340 hours using SAE 0W-16; compared against Havoline PRO-DS SAE 0W-16. 4 Lower carbon intensity on a lifecycle basis compared to PRO-DS SAE 0W-20 viscosity grade; lifecycle analysis based only on cradle-to-gate analysis and doesn’t include carbon intensity for end-of-life or any in-use aspects of the lifecycle analysis. 5 Environmental attributes include excellent fuel economy retention, outstanding emission control, lower lifecycle carbon emissions, and is a USDA Certified Biobased Product. © 2022 Chevron. All rights reserved. All trademarks are property of Chevron Intellectual Property LLC or their respective owners. comes naturally. %27 Set your business ahead of the curve in both performance and sustainability with the top-tier NEW Havoline® PRO-RS™ Renewable Full Synthetic Motor Oil.
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4 NOLN.NET 06 FullSpeedONLINEAcquires Kwik Kar 07 EDITOR’S LETTER What motivates you? 08 BY THE NUMBERS Top Industry KPIs QUICK HITS 10 INDUSTRY INSIGHT Jiffy Lube’s Franchisee of the Year 13 AROUND THE INDUSTRY Recalls, acquisitions, and much more 16 KeepingADAPTup with the times 18 SHOP LOOK Chevron xpress lube of Cypress, Texas SERVICE 26 BecomeTECH+TOOLSavideo marketing master 28 LEADERSHIP Benefits of single-shop ownership 30 CASE STUDY Expand your recruiting scope COLUMNS 20 FROM THE SHOP Dealing with escalating prices BY ADAM TATUM 39 AOCA CORNER Identifying customer types BY BRETT FRASER 42 LEADING EDGE Overcoming our differences BY LENNY SAUCIER Sweat Equity Roneil Prash, left, takes a lot of pride in opening his Chevron xpress lube in Texas. He did much of the renovation and cleaning himself to get the facility ready. IMAGESLINNNOLN, VOL. 37, NO. 08 (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. FEATURE 22 FEATURE STORY Great Quick Lube Stories Read stories of good deeds and appreciation from around the quick maintenance industry. BY MATT HUDSON 08.22 CONTENTS
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6 NOLN.NET NOLN.NET/PODCASTS NOLN.NET/BLOG NOLN.NET/VIDEOSNOLN.NET/TWITTERNOLN.NET/FACEBOOKNOLN.NET/LINKEDIN GETTY 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.
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TODAY Happening FULLSPEEDOnline:
FullSpeed Automotive has acquired the Kwik Kar brand, including the intellectual properties of Kwik Industries, Inc. According to a press release, the most recent acquisitions for FullSpeed include 25 new Kwik Kars in Dallas and a grand total of 54 company operated Kwik Kar related centers, four Texas Express Lube centers, and units in Florida, Connecticut, Wisconsin, and NewKwikMexico.Karoffers full-service oil changes, state inspections, vehicle maintenance, and more. Kwik Kar was awarded No. 2 in 2022 for overall customer satisfaction and full-service maintenance and repairs by JD Power. “We are thrilled to acquire a quality brand like Kwik Kar that has such a tremendous reputation and loyal customer base,” said Kevin Kormondy, who was CEO of FullSpeed at the time of the release. “This acquisition further solidifies our position as one of the nation’s largest automotive aftermarket services operators and franchisors. We look forward to further developing the Kwik Kar brand as well as growing the number of units that we own.”
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. Listen to all the episodes and subscribe at: noln.net/podcasts VISIT NOLN.NET AUTOMOTIVE ACQUIRES KWIK KAR
Kwik Kar joins FullSpeed’s roster of brands like Grease Monkey and SpeeDee Oil Change & Auto Service. This acquisition of Kwik Kar brings FullSpeed to 10 acquisitions in 2022 and a total of 40 units throughout six states. FullSpeed’s expansion goal is to have 1,000 units by the end of 2023.
08.22 ONLINE
AUGUST 2022 7
EDIT LETTER
08.22
MATT
CONTENT DIRECTOR, 10 MISSIONS MEDIA EDITORIAL CONTENT DIRECTOR Matt Hudson SENIOR DIGITAL EDITOR Noah Brown DIGITAL REPORTER Hanna Bubser CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Adam Tatum, Lenny Saucier, Paul Hodowanic, Daniel Pearson, Zane Douglas 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@10missions.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Andrew Johnson, ajohnson@10missions.com MARKETING STRATEGISTS Marianne Dyal, mdyal@10missions.com Chad Hjellming, chjellming@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 ASSOCIATE MARKETING STRATEGIST Kenzie Verschoor, kverschoor@10missions.com CLIENT SERVICE SPECIALIST Jen George, jgeorge@10missions.com ART AND PRODUCTION CREATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR Zach Pate ART DIRECTOR Jonathan Ricketts GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Mitch Bradford, Morgan Glisczinski, PRODUCTION ARTIST Lauren Coleman NOLN GENERAL MANAGER AND PRODUCTION MANAGER Mariah Straub EVENT PRODUCER Kate Fahlen COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE Meghan Horan SENIOR DIGITAL MEDIA STRATEGIST Tiffany Fowler 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 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 FenderBender are not necessarily those of Endeavor Business Media, and Endeavor Business Media does not accept responsibility for advertising content.
Highlighting the ways shops brighten customers’ days
I DID NOT EXPECT TO READ THIS from the latest Jiffy Lube Franchisee of the Year: “For us, within our group, 2021 was by far the hardest year ever since we started our business.” That quote is from Mike Biddle, Chief Operations Officer and Partner at The Alamitos Group, which received the award earlier this year. It actu ally makes the award that much more impressive—how a franchise group was able to meet challenges head on. Read on through this month’s Industry Insight (page 11), and you’ll find out that the organization exceeded its revenue goals and had many other operational achievements along the way. Congrats to The Alamitos Group and thanks to Mr. Biddle for offering a great interview. (there’s an accompanying pod cast episode online, too!) It’s an inspiration to see operators accept the challenges and then get to work to overcome them.
Speaking of inspirations, I took a bit of a different angle on this month’s feature story (page 22). It comes from so many interviews and conversations I have with operators. During inter views about a specific story topic, the subject and I will often get off track in conversation, and they’ll tell me about some great interaction with a customer or a true demonstration of second-tonone customer service. Those stories are everywhere, but it can be diffi cult working those anecdotes into an unrelated story about social media marketing or oil types. Finally, I’d like to highlight this month’s Case Study (page 30). It’s a reminder for recruiters that length of experience often takes a back seat to a job candidate with a stellar attitude and so-called soft skills. Those kinds of attributes will go a long way to get your shop a few of those aforementioned feel-good moments of your own.”Fi nally, I’d like to highlight this month’s Pit Stop article (page 27). We’re getting back to the basics to highlight which parts of the service process that need to be double-checked. Sure, that might all be old news to some operators out there, but pass the article along to the younger tech on your staff and get them up to speed on some safety practices. HUDSON
INSPIRATIONSEVERYDAY
8 NOLN.NET TOP-LEVEL KPI S The 2022 NOLN Operator Survey reveals that there’s much to celebrate in the industry. It shows that when shops establish solid relationships with their customers, they will stick with their preferred service center. Car counts and ticket averages grew in 2022, and operators are seeing success with higher-tier oil sales. Operators also reported higher repeat customer rates Here’s a snapshot of some top-level industry KPIs, as reported by operators. FIND OUT MORE A great team at the shop is the reason operators see improved KPIs from year to year. That means that hiring is a top priority, even though it has been a competitive labor environment in recent years. 08.22 BY THE NUMBERS Daily Oil Changes 2021 2022 33 30 • Designed to store diesel and bio fuels, motor oil, used oil, ATF, DEF and heating oil, class II and class III combustible fluids • Outer tank holds 110 percent of inner tank for maximum protection • Up to 50 percent lighter than conventional steel tanks • Easy to install and compact design • Exceeds industry standards • UL2258 Certified • Compliant with NFPA 30/30A • Low-cost • 30-Year warranty • Leak-proof and will not corrode For all your automotive oil and lubricant storage needs. DOUBLE-WALL CONTAINMENT www.RothLubeTanks.com 1.888.266.7684 Exit Planning • Growth Planning Reorganization • Evaluation Financing & Loan Placement AutoCenter Sales OVER 2,000 SHOPS SOLD! 3 LOCATIONS INDIANA info@AutoCenter-Sales.com 800.874.5793 AutoCenter-Sales.com SOLD!
AUGUST 2022 9 Daily Car Count Ticket Average (Dollars) Read all about the best strategies to hire these days by reading “The New Hiring Handbook” only at noln.net 2021 20212022 2022 38 39 $74.89 $82.54 1-800-261-7729 © 2022 Wrenchers LLC. All Rights Reserved. ALL THE TOOLS YOU NEED IN ONE PLACE! Call Now for a FREE catalog! Shop Equipment | Automotive Tools | Car Lifts | Wheel Service or visit www.wrenchers.com
The challenges and successes in being Jiffy Lube’s Franchisee of the Year BY HANNA BUBSER IN THIS INDUSTRY, SUCCESS OFTEN comes down to the numbers. But that’s just one part of the equation. Holistically, success takes into account not only the hard numbers, but also the overall strategy and execution involved in running an operation. Mike Biddle, Chief Operations Officer and Partner at The Alamitos Group, understands this and knows that the hard work is worth it.
PERSEVERANCEQH
The Alamitos Group is a fami ly-owned-and-operated Jiffy Lube franchise that was started in 1995 by Biddle and his brother-in-law Robert Curry. Since then, operations have grown to 22 locations in the greater Los Angeles and Little Rock regions. Recently, The Alamitos Group was named “Franchisee of the Year” by Jiffy Lube. This title is bestowed upon a franchise that shows outstanding commitment to the brand as well as its customers and employees. “I think there probably were a few things that helped us earn that honor,” Biddle says. “Over the last several years we have worked really hard to increase GETTY our guest counts and sales year over year, especially with some of our newer services that Jiffy Lube offers.”
PAYS OFF
For The Alamitos Group, this has included but is not limited to; incor porating a hands-on training center at one of their locations as well as a robust career development plan for employees that offers insight on Jiffy Lube services and crucial management skills. “I think management needs to be really decentralized when you have multiple units in your group. You need to trust in your people.” Biddle says.
10 NOLN.NET INDUSTRY INSIGHT
Navigate Obstacles The Alamitos Group has established a solid structure despite the hardships that these past couple of years have brought upon the industry. “For us, within our Group, 2021 was by far the hardest year ever since we started our business.” Biddle says. He cites navigating the pandemic, supply chain disruptions and staffing issues as some of the main reasons forOvercomingthis. these challenges is not an easy feat, and continues to be an on-going battle for many areas of this“Inindustry.today’sbusiness environment, operators really need to be extremely adaptive and agile.” Biddle says. In an effort to tackle staffing con cerns, Biddle says that the Group has worked closely with their Human Resources team during the pandemic to track COVID-19 infection levels and determine the need of staff and opera tion hours for their locations. Nowadays, it has gone beyond the pandemic into broader recruitment and retainment strategies. “Our HR group and operations meets often to discuss recruiting strategies as well as how we can improve our company culture so that we can better retain those good employees that we are able to hire, [and] to help find new employees.” Biddle explains. In regards to other issues, such as the struggle of getting supplies like oil and oil filters due to supply chain dis ruptions, Biddle says that The Alamitos Group has prioritized communication. The Group set up weekly calls to monitor shipments with vendors, built up strong relationships with secondary vendors and kept lines of communication open between primary and secondary vendors to monitor the supply issue. Anticipate Future Achievements An especially satisfying element from last year actually started back in 2018 when Biddle set a team goal to hit $25 million for the stores in California. In 2021, the Group was able to achieve this and more. “2021 was an absolute dichotomy of a year for us,” Biddle says. “We not only hit $25 million, we exceeded by well over a million dollars. So that was a major success we were really proud of.”
Looking further ahead, Biddle believes that despite rapid changes in vehicle technology and the kinds of cars that people are driving, the vehicle maintenance industry can stand the test of time if operators are willing to collaborate.
“I think operators really need to work together to share best practices. We need to learn from one another and be adaptive in how we handle our business,” he says. “By doing those things effectively, I think good opera tors are going to really thrive over the next 20 to 30 years.”
The Alamitos Group went from 14 to 22 stores in 2021, which sets up the Group well for achieving other goals in the future. But beyond that, Biddle believes that there is plenty for operators to look for ward to in general, even if it comes with some additional challenges. Biddle foresees high gas prices, in the short term, causing compounding factors for customers that may include a smaller budget for vehicle maintenance. “They have limited budgets to spend on servicing their vehicles,” Biddle says. “We need to make sure that we explain services that might be of most impor tance to their vehicle safety, as well as keeping it on the road in good operating condition for a longer period of time and help them make decisions on how to best maintain their vehicle.”
AUGUST 2022 11
888-500-0353WWW.DEVONLUBE.COMTHEONE-STOP SHOP FOR ALL QUICK LUBE EQUIPMENT AND INSTALL NEEDS QUICK LUBE EQUIPMENT Complete new store setup, or replacement lifts, oil guns, reels, tool boards, podiums, etc. CUSTOMIZED PACKAGES Catwalks custom built to fit your pit opening, shelving sized to your needs, podiums with or without space saving options, and more! INSTALLATION SERVICES We manufacture the best quick lube systems, and also can do the full installation. Anywhere in the US, and options for Canada, too.
JIFFY LUBE MOVES FORWARD WITH NEW YORK LOCATION Plans are moving ahead for the development of a new Jiffy Lube location in Wappinger, New York. According to 101.5 WPDH, it was an nounced last year that Jiffy Lube would demolish a closed Sonic restaurant on Route 9. Recently released construc tion plans show that the project is mov ing forward, and the location will utilize the land parcel in a way that results in a similar footprint to what Sonic had previously established. The Jiffy Lube location will have four service bays and a large parking lot in the front of the building. There will also be a CarMax Auto Superstore developed on Route 9 at a nearby location that was previously a business called Plant Depot. According to 101.5, additional recently released site plans show that CarMax is also moving forward with its location.
AUGUST 2022 13 AROUND THE INDUSTRY QH
VALVOLINE INSTANT OIL CHANGE PLANS APPROVED IN CONNECTICUT A Valvoline Instant Oil Change location has been approved for a Connecticut community. According to the Journal Inquirer, the Planning and Zoning Commission of Vernon, Connecticut, unanimously approved a location at a recent meeting. The application for the drive-thru Valvo line location was filed by Allan Borghesi of Borghesi Building & Engineering Co., Inc. of Torrington, Connecticut. The approved parcel of land is next to a Mr. Sprinkle car wash location, and part of this purchase for Valvoline includes upgrading this existing car wash as Accordingwell. to Economic Develop ment Director Shaun Gately, Valvoline has purchased several Mr. Sparkle car washes in the northern-central area of Connecticut. Valvoline has proceeded to turn those purchased locations into Valvoline Instant Oil Change locations. However, the plans for Vernon are to maintain two separate parcels for the Valvoline Instant Oil Change and Mr. SparkleSomelocations.oftherequirements of approval for Valvoline at this location, according to meeting minutes, include completing all work indoors, properly disposing of tires and not keeping them stored outside as well as limiting the size of the building’s outdoorGatelydisplay.shared with the Journal Inquir er that the town now needs to approve building plans, and then Valvoline can officially begin construction.
RELADYNE ACQUIRES ORANGE LINE RelaDyne has announced the acquisition of Orange Line Oil AccordingCompany. to a press release, Or ange Line is a bulk oil wholesaler and distributor across southern California
TERRIFICSHOT OIL CHANGERS ANNOUNCES 10 LOCATIONS
Oil Changers has announced the addition of 10 locations. According to a press release, four XPress Lube Service Center locations were acquired by the Oil Changers com pany in Simi Valley, California. Addition ally, four locations joined the company’s market in Austin, Texas. A new construc tion opened in El Paso, Texas. The company has also officially made its entrance into Illinois with a location in Crystal Lake. The Oil Changers location count is now“It’s114.with great excitement that we continue to grow the Oil Changers brand,” said President Eric Frankenberg er in the press release. “Opening in Illinois brings the ‘Drive Thru, Drive Happy’ mod el to our seventh state as we continue to add lube & repair shops and car washes to existing markets. Our operations and support team is eager to continue deliv ering a stellar guest experience during this time of enthusiastic growth.”
FAMILY OF EMPLOYEE KILLED DURING OIL CHANGE REACHES SETTLEMENT
According to Fox 2, the settlement is for an undisclosed amount. It is between the Rochester Hills Chrysler Jeep Dodge dealership and the family of Jef frey Hawkins, who died in March 2020.
AROUND THE INDUSTRYQH
14 NOLN.NET that was founded in 1970. Orange Line has established itself as one of the largest bulk motor oil distributors in the state of California. This acquisition will allow RelaDyne to expand its influ ence of distribution across the state. “The acquisition of Orange Line Oil Company is a tremendous opportunity for RelaDyne’s West Region,” said Larry Stoddard, President and CEO of Rela Dyne in the press release. “We are thrilled to welcome Orange Line Oil Company to the RelaDyne family! Effective immedi ately, we will begin to offer new products and services to Orange Line’s existing customer base, while supporting the re markable customer service Orange Line has provided to the market for decades.”
The article noted that, according to law, the owner of the vehicle is liable for negligent acts because the teenager was operating the vehicle with permission. But the owner of the Jeep did not end up having to pay any money in this settlement.
A Jeep dealership in Michigan has reached an agreement on a settlement with the family of a mechan ic who was killed on the job. This is the latest update in a story that NOLN originally shared in May 2022.
The family originally sued the owner of the Jeep that Hawkins was killed by during the process of an oil change. This is because in the state of Michi gan, a worker that is injured or killed on the job cannot sue the boss because of the boss’s Hawkinsnegligence.diedwhen his 19-year-old co-worker removed his foot from the clutch of the manual Jeep that they were working on, which caused the vehicle to lurch forward and crush Haw kins, who was outside of the car. The teenager operating the vehicle did not have a driver’s license and did not know how to operate a manual.
RelaDyne is the country’s largest lubricant distributor and a market leader in fuel, diesel exhaust fluid, and industrial reliability services.
FOX 2’s Charlie Langton said that the teenager cannot be held criminally respon sible for what is being deemed as a mis take. The teenager is not being identified.
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The ADAPT: Automotive Technology Summit is a three-day event covering the most progressive and pressing trends disrupting the industry.
16 NOLN.NET
Donny Seyfer, Executive Officer at the National Automotive Service Task Force, encourages shops to see the bigger picture by assessing, understanding and staying informed on what’s going on and why. “I think the biggest issues we’ve got right now are in education. We are not keeping up with what’s coming out,” Seyfer says. “Even if classes are written for that, a lot of times they’re not written in such a way that they are current, and I’m not blaming the instructors for that. Their problem is that oftentimes they don’t have all the informa tion they need to build a class. So they’re making assumptions.”
This begs the question as to why education in this industry is unable to keep up. Seyfer says that, in part, some of this is due to outdated information, or the fact that technicians struggle to get relevant infor mation at all. This struggle, in turn, bogs down the repair process.
Further complicating this phenomenon is the dialogue sur rounding the Right to Repair. This effort to allow customers to choose where they get repair work done while simultaneously having confidence that it will be done to standard regardless of where they go is undoubtedly important.
KEY INSIGHTS, TRENDS AND STRATEGIES FOR TOMORROW’S INDUSTRY—TODAY SEPT. 24-25 • DALLAS-FORT WORTH, TEXAS. GETTY
The takeaway is the same: Everything is happening at once.
Stay on top of emerging tech and deal with the issues of today BY NOAH BROWN When thinking about some of the most pressing issues at play in the automotive industry, many different topics come to mind. It doesn’t matter what you think of first. It could be vehicle technology, labor shortages, supply chain disruptions or something in between.
From the perspective of an independent repair shop owner, the Right to Repair would allow access to up-to-date, accurate repair information on vehicles from the automakers themselves, and it would also grant an opportunity to allow more customers into their shop.
As a result, not only has there been a lot of change, but that change has also happened quickly. As technology innovates, as less people enter the trade, as supply gets backed up and as labor rates fall behind, everything gets compounded.
“The unfortunate part is that many manufacturers do a real ly good job, and they’re very cooperative, and then you’ve got a few that just are outliers that just don’t,” Seyfer says. “Those are the ones that all the others pay for, in effect. So I think it’ll continue to be an issue. It needs to be an issue because we’ve still got 70 percent of the repairs or more…being done by independent repairs.”
KEEPING UP AND KEEPING INFORMED
“Even if they’re the very best technicians, they are dead in the water,” says Seyfer. “If a piece of information that’s necessary to initialize a computer or replace a component on the car, if that’s not available, you’re not finishing that repair until it is available. We’re seeing examples where that can take days. Sometimes if the automakers are not on point with it, it can take weeks and months.”
Ultimately, the customer’s opinion is of huge concern to everyone involved because that is what truly affects every com ponent of this industry. Plus, at the end of the day, the customer perspective is one that we can all understand.
“I will always be and always have been of the opinion that whatev er comes out of my car, that’s my information.” Seyfer says. Learn more at adaptsummit.com
It would be an understatement to say that this topic is complex, but that is exactly why staying informed on it is one of the ways shops can most accurately understand the scope of the repair industry’s future. But it clearly impacts what’s happening right now, too.
The constant rigermarol associated with this major decision in particular has a far reaching effect in the industry. The Right to Repair goes beyond repair shops, because automakers play a crucial role in allowing access to information. “Automakers don’t completely understand what it is they’re responsible for doing,” Seyfer says. “They also have got, as far as they’re concerned, an extinction-level situation going on if certain information is required from that, because they’re expect ing to make all their profits off of vehicle information, that data. How do we use it? Who do we sell it to?.”
“In the meantime, cars get wrecked and collision shops have to deal with those cars, potentially the day that they’re sold,” Seyfer says. “How do we do that If we don’t have these things in place? Some automakers are holding information because they can and because they don’t know what’s going to be required, so they’re sitting on it.”
AUGUST 2022 17
It’s not getting any easier, either. In Massachusetts, for example, a decision on a legal challenge to its voter-approved Right to Re pair law has been delayed for almost a year. The most recent delay marks the sixth time a result has been pushed back, and the judge hopes to have a consensus finalized this summer.
Additionally, data is a massive component in all of this, con tributing to much of the push and pull from automakers all the way down to the customer.
XPRESSCHEVRONLUBE OF CYPRESS, TEXAS
18 NOLN.NET SHOP LOOKQH ELBOW GREASE Roneil Prash worked in the IT field for years, but he was looking to get into business for himself. A lover of automotive culture, he did his research and found a quick lube operator who wanted to sell—but only to an owner-operator.Thatwasagreat fit for Prash, and he signed on with Chevron for a brand li cense and sales agreement. “I was really excited that they gave me the oppor tunity to be the first one in Texas,” Prash says. The shop opened in January 2022, but not be
BY MATT HUDSON PHOTOS BY LINN IMAGES
OPERATOR: RONEIL PRASH LOCATION: CYPRESS, TEXAS STAFF SIZE: 03 SHOP SIZE: 2 QUICK LUBE BAYS; 1 REPAIR BAY CAR COUNT: 20 fore lots of work to get the shop up to date. Prash did most of the work himself and didn’t take a day off for months to get the shop up and running. “The building was in bad shape,” he says. “There was water leaking in the repair area. There was no power in the lower outlets.” The lobby area was in pretty bad shape as well, and he found that the oil tanks had decent amounts of water. Prash worked through the months to get everything ready, and the success of his work is evi dent in the shop today.
Prash says that many of his custom ers are used to the drivethru, offersservice.modelstay-in-your-carofquicklubeButhealwaysforthemtohang out in the lobby area. And for good reason—tempera tures in his area of Texas can get very hot for someone sitting in a car during an oil “Customerschange.likethat they don’t have to sit in the car,” he says. “The lobby is clean. We have water, soda, and coffee.”
The lobby is also handy if customers are utilizing some of the expanded services that Prash offers. His third bay is set up without a basement and with a lift to perform work on brakes and other more intensive items. With just three employees, including Prash, it’s a labor of love as a true owner-operator. “I do the oil changes,” he says. “I do the mechanic work, too, like brakes.” Prash says he’s really hap py with the career change. The shop is getting a bit of extra help, too—Prash’s 16-year-old son is lending a hand these days as a week end courtesy tech.
The biggest expense in getting the shop ready was to replace the tanks—all 15 of them, Prash says. “It’s going to pay off in the long run,” Prash says. “Because the tanks I got are nice and clean, and it’s easy for them (oil deliverers) to fill them up.”
Not only are the new tanks sealed and water-free, of course, but it’s easier to see the levels in the tank and plan inventory. He also had new oil pump systems installed so that dispensing in the upper bay is a breeze. And now that Prash has seen the building at its worst, he’s determined to keep his facility sharp and spotless. “We keep the shop so clean, and my customers al ways comment on it,” he says.
LOBBY PERKS
Elbow grease can only get you so far.
AUGUST 2022 19 HAVE AN OUTSTANDING SHOP TO SHARE? EMAIL NEWS@NOLN.NET
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MOORELUCAS
The changing landscape of the quick lube TATUMADAM
Well, hopefully it will be your car counts returning, adding a new service or changing the way that you go to business to be lean and mean. In all seriousness, how you adapt to the changing market could be your line to cross. Perhaps the be er question is, “What’s next for us to create a new future?”
FROM THE SHOPc
Remember just a year ago when we were all scrambling to find oil filters due to manufacturing shortages? Now that we have that in order, you are just going to have to expect to now pay more to get it. We fixed one hole, and another began.
ATATUM @VALUBE.COM
AS MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY SEEN, YOUR profits are likely less than the previous years because of our industry’s skyrocketing costs. We see it in the filters that are screwed onto the car, in the cost of our oil purchases, shipping, labor costs and more. Some of you reading this may even be drowning at this point waiting for the next shoe to drop. Unfortunately, our only reality is to ask, “What’sHonestly,next?”the biggest cost that you may have already seen is your lifeblood. The oil. What has changed? Costs are rising and some oils are still not available on the market. How is this possible? Wait, there are oil companies out there today projecting record quarter profits? What about me? These are all valid questions that you may ask yourself when dealing with your rising fluid costs. But what can you do? Well, if you are an independent, you can shop around for the best price. There are a number of off-brands of oil that you can procure for discounted oil changes or just to fill a need in your shop. Many of these are blended in the same plants that the name brand oils are created. Shop around and see what is available to you. If you are contracted or franchised, you may not be able to get the same breathing room as your competitor. You are at the mercy of the oil company. For you, there is still a glimmer of hope in some lubrication savings. Look for off-brand gear lubes or antifreeze. Maybe even read over that contract to see what percentage of non-branded oil you can purchase and take it to the limit. The oil prices, like our gas prices, are not going to drop anytime soon, so it’s time for us to pivot. Here comes the next new hurdle for you to overcome: shipping costs. Due to Covid and other outside issues, shipping costs have risen across every industry. Do you notice your freight costs going up a bit where it previously was not? That is because there are not enough drivers, workers and space to keep the line moving. Do not even add in the driver strikes, roadway blockages and ships si ing off the coast of California and it is hard enough ge ing supply as it is.
What’s Next?
Sometimes, as an operator, it feels as if the dam is overflowing on you trying to hold it together. Labor has risen in the last two years as we see more states raising the minimum wage. Given the circumstances, I think that some bump was needed as some have not been in a decade. However, some went a little overboard. It is classic inflation. When something costs more to produce, the cost of said product will rise accordingly. So when it costs us more to make the product in manpower, costs us more to ship to locations, we have to in turn raise prices ourselves. How many of you reading this have done at least one, if not multiple, price changes in the last few months? So now that the costs are higher to get said service or product, did anyone’s way of life get better? To top that off, if your profits are dwindling, then neither has your way of Therelife.is still some sunlight on the other side. There are more cars on the road now. There are family vacations and commuting to work. This means that you are going to start to get busier and busier. This will only help right the ship that is the quick lube industry. We have more popping up across the map, so there is a need. As we start to get more and more people back to work, the industries that have had to raise prices will level off. This is all good for us. So the original question was, “What’s next?”
Adam Tatum is director operationsoffor the Virginia Group, a Jiff y Lube franchisee with 11 locations. He has over a decade experienceofin 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.
WE BUY QUICK LUBES 743 LOCATIONS PURCHASED SINCE JANUARY 2014, AND COUNTING! Valvoline ™ is seeking single and/or multiple locations performing 7500+ oil changes per year. Contact Gayle lgmcmillin@valvoline.com859-357-7303McMillin US-J-5344-EN ©2022 Valvoline 6/22 ™Trademark, Valvoline or its subsidiaries, registered in various countries 4 3
There are smiles and friendly chats, but most of the time, the goal is to maintain the same high-quality service experience for each customer. That’s why it can give techs and managers pause when a customer stops to show how much that level of service meant to them. It’s and someone to ensure that the part of their day that involves an oil change goes just according to plan. In that spirit, NOLN collected five stories of inspiration from the automotive
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InspirationsfortheQuickLubeIndustry
perspectives, job titles, and shop types, but they all represent what a true peopleandThesecustomers.stories are also reminders that behind each service, there’s a customer who really appreciates the work you do for them.
The guy’s car was in such bad shape that it needed to be towed. Longwell did what he could to make him comfortable while he waited. It wasn’t until days later that the guy’s wife came into the shop and explained why the man was so distraught. Their son has just passed away, and the man was on his way to meet with their other son. It was a terrible time for the family, but the patience that Longwell showed in the shop made a big impact. “The kindness that we showed him went a long way, from what I understand,” he says.It’sincredible the impact that stellar service can have on customers, whether they’re going through a tough stretch or not. Most of the time, the shop staff doesn’t know. But the impact is just as great. Power of Story W hen you get down to brass tacks, there’s a common motivating factor behind the team at Strickland Brothers 10 Minute Oil Change. “The answer is pre y much the same. I always point back to Justin’s story,” says Bill Mayer, vice president of marketing for theHe’scompany.referring to the backstory of Justin Strickland, the founder and CEO. Strickland got his start working for some bigger quick lube brands and climbing the managerial ladder. Eventually, he sought to launch his own quick lube business and did so at age 24. He ultimately sold that business and turned later to start Strickland Brothers. It was tough to find funding at first, and Strickland was striking out with banks. It was a surprise investment from Strickland’s grandfather that got the venture going, and now it’s a growing, multi-state franchise operation.
D arrell Longwell is a territory manager for Costa Oil 10 Minute Oil Change. His area stretches from Cleveland, Ohio, to western Pennsylvania. He shared a story with NOLN about a simple gesture that meant a lot to one customer. Longwell says that three years ago, a customer’s car just made it into the shop in Youngstown, Ohio. The vehicle nearly died on the bay. This was at the end of a long day for that shop, so the staff was ready to call it. But Longwell was patient with the customer. Something seemed to be troubling him. “I made him as comfortable as possible,” he says. “I offered him water, and I noticed that he was a li le distraught.”
“If you have the right leader, that’s a fantastic exercise to see what a brand can be,” Mayer says.
Now, that backstory is a good one. But what resonated with Mayer is how the values in the story still guide the company today. “When I met Justin, it was that story that hooked me,” Mayer says. “And when I see the core values at the company and why he’s doing this is for the people in the company—he kind of based it all on that experience of supporting people and believing people.” Mayer is one to know these things. His professional experience is in market and brand research. He previously worked to represent large brands, and he’s seen what makes a brand resonate with a team and its customers.WhenMayer joined Strickland Brothers in 2022 and heard the story, he felt the impact. A strong company story as a foundation for core values can be the hook to a ract great talent on staff and resonate with customers. It reminds them of the hard work that goes into building a business. “As a marketer coming in, I think this is gold,” he says. “First of all, it’s real. It’s meaningful to people.”
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For operators out there who want to share their own stories, Mayer says it can be a helpful exercise to start with company leadership on a whiteboard session. List out some important values related to the company’s origin story. As an owner, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.
A
GestureSimple
The
OwnTheirWords
Food FThoughtFor
Words by Corrine Hudson, owner, Kwik Kar Marsh of Carrollton, Texas:
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Words by Melanie Meijering, Director of Homeless Resources, Metrocrest Services: With a vehicle that runs well, she will be able to access mental health help, a job with be er wages and the goal is for her to a end some formal training to become completelySometimes,self-sufficient.acaristoo much for folks to handle as they simply can’t afford it. For her, a working car is a game changer. Not only is it her home, but it is a way out of a situation she has been stuck in for a long time. I know this act of kindness on your part was a lot, a lot of time from your employees and a lot of money, for that, both of us will be forever grateful. Beyond that, your willingness to be the point person for her in sharing your phone information and texting with her took no money but showed her how much you care. You are now part of her social capital and have become a safe person for her to communicate with. That simple act of kindness meant the world to her and has gently pushed her to try and trust another person, that’s a big deal!
ield trainers o en see great service in action. Mike Bauer, a field trainer for BG Products, shared a story from a situation he oversaw during the course of business. The location wasn’t important, but the good deed stuck with him. “Unfortunately, I forget where I witnessed it but what transpired goes far beyond just taking care of the customer’s car,” Bauer shared with NOLN. Bauer was at a dealership service center, and two young women and their mother arrived with a vehicle that had to be towed to the shop. They hadn’t been to that service center before. It was clear that they were stressed out by their vehicle troubles. Bauer says that while a service advisor spoke with them, they learned that the women hadn’t eaten all day due to this disruption. “The advisor came out, got his lunch, and brought it to them,” Bauer shares with NOLN. “The expression on the mom’s face was priceless—I could see her eyes well up.” The service advisor cracked some jokes to make the gesture a bit less awkward. Bauer says he found out later that the customer returned to the service center to bring lunch and dessert for the service advisor as a big “thank you” for the kind gesture.
R ecently we just helped another young lady who is homeless and was stranded at a public library parking lot. During an event held by Metrocrest Services, a local charity organization that we partner with, one of their representatives approached my husband and I and asked if we could provide any assistance with her car. We towed the young lady’s car to our shop while Metrocrest Services secured her a place to stay. After diagnosing the situation, it unfortunately turned out that she needed an engine replacement. We ordered and replaced the engine and also fixed several other parts that were wrong with her vehicle. We replaced her brake pads, struts and shocks, her suspension, drive belt, as well as her steering column and also got her new tires! We also changed her oil and did other maintenance items. She is practically getting a new car! We, of course, took care of the bill and as a nice surprise for her, we also replaced one of the rear windows, which was smashed in. Her story really touched us and we always say that when we can, we help and we are proud that Metrocrest Services thought of us to help them with their mission. This is why we are in business—to help our customers, our employees and our community. In
“For me, personally, the greatest thing is getting to work with my son,” he says.
Grant’s son, Chris, has been working for the company for 15 years. He started by checking tire pressure, and just wanted to help out in other ways. Pretty soon he became the expert in all areas of the service process. It wasn’t planned this way. Grant says that Chris went off to college, earned a degree and had the option to go wherever he chose. But he chose the family automotive service business. While the technical acumen is there, Chris’ true strength is in customer service, Grant says. “He’s learned mechanical skills,” Grant says. “He can fix about anything now, just very knowledgeable when people call. The phone probably rings 25 times per hour.”
While East Ridge does a lot of mechanical work with Chris’ talents, they still get through nearly 100 oil changes daily, Grant says. Having Chris work his way up to lead the organization has been a point of
great pride for Grant, who says he can sleep well knowing the operation is in good“I’mhands.happy for him. He’s worked hard to get to that position, and he’ll take it and do well with it,” he says.
J immy Grant has been in the quick maintenance business for 34 years. He’s seen good service, bad service, and likely a lot of simply passable customer service. Grant runs East Ridge Fast Lube, based in Cha anooga, Tennessee. He was also the 2012 NOLN Operator of the Year. While Grant is still a big part of the operation, there’s a new element that’s made those decades of work all worthwhile.
For thingthepersonally,me,greatestisgettingtoworkwithmyson."
What CountsReally
—Jimmy Grant, owner, East Ridge Fast Lube
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26 NOLN.NET TECH+TOOLS GETTY S
BY DANIEL PEARSON of content, such as audio, photos, text, and video, to have a conversation with cus tomers, said Kamyar Shah, chief executive officer of World Consulting Group. “The reason multimedia is such a useful tool for any company is because of time,” Shah said. “While writing for social media posts is a great tool for engagement with an already interested audience who are keen followers of a business, product, or service, it can be hard to convince a more casual or new audience member to jump straight in and read your content. Multimedia, especially videos and photos, can be used as a short introduction to people with slightly less knowledge … to help them build their interest level. It’s a quick way for a new customer to learn about you, especially if they are short on time.” With a minor investment in gear to get started — mainly a decent camera — or just by using a smartphone and applying a few techniques for creating compelling videos anyone can quickly be on their way to creating their own multimedia content to post on YouTube, their own shop’s website, or in existing social media streams, said Erin LaCroix, manager of Stop and Go Instant Oil Change in Brattleboro, Ver mont who also has a bachelor’s degree in marketing.“Anothergreat thing about creating videos and posting them (for instance) to Facebook is all of your conversion rates are supplied by the social media company,” she said. “They tell you how many people you have reached and if anyone clicked on your post — the information is all right there.”
THE WAY PEOPLE MARKET THEIR shops has changed a lot since the 2020 Covid outbreak with many businesses leaning into their use of social media to continue to reach customers during a period when foot traffic and one-on-one interactions were slim to none.
Give your shop a new dimension online with these expert video skills
Camera This can be a more expensive option, like a $400 GoPro camera, or you can just use the high-definition camera that comes with most smartphones these days. The options available these days are nearly endless. Condenser Microphone These are built to record vocals and other delicate noises and are definitely best for capturing voices. You can find a condenser microphone, like the Blue Yeti, which is designed for recording
The term “multimedia” may sound daunting to some shop owners, but really it’s just about using different combinations
The best part of social media market ing has always been that business owners don’t have to reinvent the wheel in order to drive new business and growth. While simple posts on social media allow shop owners to convey short messages to customers, there now are better, more efficient ways to create marketing mate rials and messaging that allow a business to stand out from its competition. Many shop owners understand the basics of how to use social media mar keting—creating a short story using photos, text, and short cell phone-shot videos—but creating professional-look ing videos, or multimedia, can seem a much more challenging task.
MASTERYMULTIMEDIA
Gearing Up Shop owners can go all in and spend $2,000 or more investing in professional video cre ation equipment and film editing software, or simply use the video camera available on smartphones and get started creating multimedia content. Here are a few tips on what is needed, how to use it, and how to create professional-looking videos.
Framing refers to how one chooses to compose an image for a specific photo graph or scene in order to draw focus to its subject. It is the most important ele ment in photography or making videos as it allows the creator to convey their intentions, messaging, emotions, and ideas to the viewer. Probably, the two most important principles of photogra phy that can be employed when creating videos are using the “Rule of Thirds”— placing the subject in either the left, center, or right third of the frame—and avoiding using solid white backgrounds in shots.
Using Medium Shots
Rather than memorizing an entire script, write it down on individual pieces of paper or poster board, using one sentence per piece and writing the words as large as possible (a laptop, tablet, or another device can be used in place of individual pieces). Place these cue cards right behind the camera, or if using a smartphone write them on a small piece of paper and tape it to the screen next to the lens so that the sub ject’s attention remains focused on the lens while speaking. Remember, viewers always feel they are being directly spo ken to when the subject looks directly into the camera lens when talking. Making professional-looking multi media content will take some practice, but it isn’t something that needs to be studied at length or that requires hiring a consultant to explain in depth the process. Shop owners can increase the quality of their multimedia content and step up their social media posts by following the advice and applying the techniques listed in this article.
This refers to thinking in terms of how a subject will appear in the photo or video. For videos, start with one extra-long (three to five seconds), wide-angle shot of the subject from a distance in order to set the scene for the viewer. Follow that with a shorter, more focused long shot (two to three seconds) that shows a per son in the frame but with plenty of space around them. Use the third shot to begin linking the video’s narration with the subject, which allows viewers to see who they are going to focus on and to begin to understand the information that is being conveyed.
For those more experienced with video editing, computer-level software, Final Cut Pro, or Logic Pro X can be pur chased online at various retailers at prices ranging anywhere from about $25 to $80. For cell phone users, there are paid and free apps that exist for use with specific online platforms, such as Instagram and YouTube, or versions for more universal use. All video editing software or apps allow users to “scrub” through video as they edit (meaning fast-forwarding or rewinding an audio or video track to a specific location), choose a video size that fits with one’s target platforms, such as Facebook or TikTok, add text, shapes, and professional transitions through each shot, export video in qual ity as high as 4k, and add music to the video using your own music library or by purchasing stock music. Elements of a Good Video
Remember that the same basic principles for taking exceptional photographs apply to shooting good multimedia videos. For those unaware of the basic principles of photography, there is plenty of information available on the internet. Here are a few strate gic approaches to take when creating multimedia content that will allow for the creation of excellent videos to share with or present to customers in no time. Writing a Script There are many websites that provide the proper format for writing a script for a short video. Writing out a script is a good way to flesh out your ideas by coming up with specific shots and scenes, and the narration that will be used to convey the marketing message to viewers. There are many websites that provide step-by-step instructions for how to do this, such as this one. Remember that generally a script consists of a beginning, three distinct points, and an ending. It’s also OK to speak to the camera off the top of your head, naturally, using bullet points so that it’s easy to remember all of the information that needs to be delivered, and later editing down what was said in order to remove any mistakes from the final product so the dialogue flows smoothly throughout the presentation.
Video Editing Software
AUGUST 2022 27 and streaming video and comes with USB plug-and-play operability, at online retailers for about $80. Variations include desktop versions and others that require the use of a microphone stand or handheld “boom.”
Framing a Shot
Lining up a Shot
Medium shots feature a subject typically framed in the center from the waist up speaking to the viewer, or they feature two or more people talking to each other with one framed in the foreground from the waist up with their back to the cam era and whoever is talking facing the camera. If two people are going to speak back and forth, use close-ups from the chest up featuring each person individu ally each time they are speaking.
Extreme Close-Ups Zoom in on the subject when it’s nec essary to show the viewer someone displaying specific emotions or when an object, which could be something like a product, needs to be highlighted. This is a good tool to use when a narrator is talking about the object being framed in the shot and as it allows the viewer to see the object more closely.
Using Cue Cards or a Teleprompter
28 NOLN.NET LEADERSHIP
Easing into It Hall’s store, Shelby Oil Stop, in Shelbyville, Indiana, is a shop all on its own, serving the community with little hassle. There’s nothing easy about running a small busi ness, but an advantage to owning a single shop is a lack of some complexity.
Simplicity is not necessarily the best trait in owning small businesses, but it does make things easier. It’s something that can’t be achieved as easily with multiple locations. As for Brittain, since 2001 he has been working at J. Brittain Express Oil, a shop his dad started in 1986. Brittain has been the sole owner of the shop for the last five years now with the store being based in Elgin, Illinois. Brittain and his father had similar reasons for remaining as a single shop, with the biggest being their families. Brittain is one of three of his father’s kids and Brittain says his dad was very Brittaininvolved.hasstarted a family of his own and for that reason and simplicity’s sake, he has chosen to remain as a single shop. “I’d feel a lot more stressed out if I had four stores than having one,” Brittain says. Developing Relationships
Some things are just easier when you get to be up close and personal. Cus tomers and employees who get to see the owner of the shop often may have a better chance of developing a good relationship with them. Brittain says getting to know your customers is important, and with one store that’s not as big of a problem as when someone owns multiple shops. This is one of the reasons he and Hall both remained as single shop owners. Hall also notes the flexibility that comes with owning a single shop. Pertain ing to building customer and employee relationships, Hall says Shelby Oil Stop can easily tackle problems with custom ers with flexibility and without worrying about corporate ownership at all. It’s easier for the Hall’s employees to be more hands on as his team develops relationships. Hall also believes that it can bring a family vibe to the workplace, with the small group of workers know ing each other and Hall well. This leaves no barriers in Shelby Oil Stop’s family of workers to fix problems or recommend a place that can. It establishes a better relation ship with customers.
Getting Involved An added benefit that Brittain touched on was his ability to be active in the community. Beyond just establishing relationships with customers, he can get his name out there while also giving back to the community.
“First, I would say simplicity,” Hall says about the advantages to owning a single shop. “You don’t have a large net work of a lot of different people.”
Brittain had advice for people who were looking to start a small business in this, including what opportunities a single shop can give you as an owner. “Being involved in your community where your store is located, that’s a big big deal,” Brittain said. “Whether you’re donating to local not-for-profits or something else, it’s a good thing for your image in the community and you can build relationships that way, get involved in the community and find new custom ers every day that way.” For a single shop owner, this is an advantage. It’s easier to manage com munity involvement in one community, just like it’s easier to manage one shop. For Brittain, he has gotten himself out there in his community, helping with important issues.
Brittain says during Christmas time, there is a not-for-profit in his town to help single mothers and domestic
For some owners, one great shop is all it takes BY ZANE DOUGLAS A PRESSURE THAT IS PUT ON QUICK maintenance shop owners is to grow and expand to multiple locations. Despite the allure, single shop owners have found some aspects of owning just one shop to be more appealing. Two midwestern oil stops are run as single location shops, opting for a more simplistic approach. The two shops, owned by Kristoffer Hall and John Brittain, have served as blueprints for successful work in single shops.
OPPORTUNITIESSHOP
The ability to build relationships with the shop’s staff is one of the biggest benefits. Whatever leadership style works for the shop owner can work in a single shop business, but Hall takes an approach of building a chemistry with his“Buildemployees.thatrelationship, instead of being spread thin,” Hall says. “You’re not really instilling those family type values into the shop. You have time for that with a single shop.”
SINGLES
Wrapping Up
AUGUST 2022 29
abuse survivors through a clothing drive. He is involved with that as well as numerous other not-for-profits around hisWhilecommunity.itdoes help get yourself out there in the community, Brittain says it’s a way to give back to a community that he already has been building a relationship with. For some fundraisers, Brittain even says he donates oil changes as silent auction items. “Get your names out there,” Brit tain said. “You can donate something and help out people in need and you build relationships in the community that way.”
The benefits to expanding beyond a single shop exist and many shop owners can do it effectively, but there is a lot to like about staying as a single shop as Brittainwell.and Hall have experienced some of the benefits through ease, relationships and getting involved with the community. For the two shops in Elgin and Shelbyville, respec tively, the benefit has been a couple well-run businesses. While looking to expand isn’t neces sarily a bad thing, there is a lot of value that can be squeezed out of shoring up one business first. Especially if that business hasn’t yet dove into some of the things that make single shops moreHall’ssuccessful.lastpiece of advice is that focusing on every detail in your single shop is how you can grow the business. Being in just one location will allow you to focus all your energy there. “Make sure you know how to do everything in the shop,” Hall said. “Whether it’s the computer system, whether it’s changing oil, understand ing all your products—have a very good knowledge of how to do everything in the shop.”
PHOTOGRAPHYROSEAPRIL
Getting the right skillset doesn’t always mean finding the right experience in recruits BY PAUL HODOWANIC FOR MANY SHOP OWNERS IN THE industry, finding quality technicians isn’t their only hiring struggle. While the technician shortage has been well-documented, an effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has emerged: “The Great Resignation.”
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The couple have also brought on several young workers, including their niece, who have little to no experience in the industry to attend to the register and sell basic services like air filters.
Judy Curry says. Ideally, they wanted someone who had experience in the auto industry. But above all else, for this specific hire, they wanted someone they could trust. That led them to a lifelong friend, Susan Boone. Boone had worked for private developers in the area doing much of the same work: bookkeeping and project management. They knew Boone could be trusted and knew she was a hard worker so they pulled the trigger.
Businesses in industries across the country are seeing a dramatic increase in employees leaving their jobs, and a decrease in applications for new jobs. For the auto industry, finding qual ified candidates can be difficult. Matt and Judy Curry, co-owners of Matt Curry’s Craftsman Auto Care, like to bring on employees with five, 10 or even 20 years of experience in the industry, especially for highly-techni cal positions like a technician. However even before the pandemic, the Currys had begun to adapt and have seen dividends on that decision. The Currys currently own five locations in Virginia. But back in 2019 when the couple operated just three, they recognized they needed some one to handle the back-end work such as HR work, bookkeeping and other financial work. “We were growing and once we hit that third location, there was no way he could keep going without someone,”
CASE STUDY
HIRINGS FROM OUTSIDE THE INDUSTRY
The Challenge It’s always easiest in the hiring process to fall back on someone with expe rience. But in today’s world, those people can be hard to come by, Matt Curry says. So hiring outside of the industry has become more important. And while it may never be realistic
AUGUST 2022 31 to find a technician from outside the industry, the same can’t be said for other positions like a service advisor or a customer service representative. Still, that idea can be daunting. What skills and traits should shop owners look for? Are there specific industries they should be looking to? How should they train them once they’ve brought them aboard? Those are the challenges that shop owners face when hiring outside the industry. The Solution Along with Boone, the Currys have hired several cashiers and a cleaner, all of whom had no experience in the industry. Both cashiers, however, worked at a local Sunglasses Hut. To Matt Curry, it was clear they both possessed strong customer service capabilities. They knew how to interact and help customers with empathy, and they were self-sufficient. When work ing at Sunglass Hut, both worked as the only employee at a given time, meaning they were good at problem-solving. For a simple cashier role that could one day expand to a service advisor, that’s all theyWhetherneeded.it’s retail workers or restau rant employees, looking to an industry that also puts a priority on customer service is the key. When you go into one of those places, keep business cards on you, Matt Curry says. You never know when an employee may wow you and you may want to hire them away. In keeping with that, the couple rec ommends prioritizing attitude and being willing to teach about the industry. “You can teach someone to install or sell an air filter, but they need to have the right attitude,” Matt Curry says. “I hired the kid in high school because he came in with a resume, came in welldressed and was passionate.”
The younger hires have played smaller but important roles as well. The employee they brought in to do cleaning has begun to change oil as well and the cashiers have provided great customer service, the couple says. Those hires have also been a big help for Judy Curry, who takes on content creation for the shop. She says getting ideas from those employees outside the industry has been “fantastic.”
The Takeaway For some positions, like a techni cian, hiring outside the industry may never be realistic. But for some of the
Since hiring Boone, the Currys have added two additional locations, something that wouldn’t be possible without Boone’s help on the backend, Judy Curry says. Boone was thrown into the job as COVID hit and was a major help in for mulating a plan to keep the business running strong despite operating at 10 percent capacity. Judy Curry called it “very inspirational and notable.”
In the case of Boone, accounting is accounting. Yes, some new language is involved, but the nuts and bolts are the same. Same thing goes for the cashiers or service advisors. They know how to sell, now they just need to learn about the industry. And if you hire someone who is passionate and hard working, that teaching goes much smoother than you’d think, Matt Curry says.
The Aftermath
32 NOLN.NET CASE STUDYS smaller but still necessary roles, like a service advisor, cleaner or book keeper, looking outside the industry is not only possible but can yield promising results. For the Currys, they had a family friend they could go to. For others, it won’t be that simple. Looking at the retail and service industry may be the best route to success. It worked for the Cur rys in some of their smaller roles. They looked for qualities like trustworthiness, customer savviness and a good attitude. “Everything else can be taught,” Matt Curry says. As the labor shortage continues, businesses will need to adapt. Looking outside the industry is one way. Identi fying employees with those unteachable qualities, regardless of prior experience, will make it easier to train them on the specifics of the automotive industry, Matt Curry Focusingsays.even just on the smaller dayto-day acknowledgements of good work can create a more engaging and exciting work environment for employees. “My district manager always says, after every day, ‘Hey, guys, thanks for a great day.’ And he does that to every individual person,” Sarrantonio says. “I think that goes a long way, because even if they had a hard day, it makes them feel Consorteappreciated.”agreesthatpublic acknowl edgement is one of the most important tools in improving team morale and creating a strong work environment. “You want to give people public recognition for the good work they do in front of the rest of the team,” Consorte says. “That not only will it feel good at the time, but it’ll set the bar such that they’re going to want to get more of that public recognition in theConsortefield.” adds, however, that it is important to strike a balance between not giving enough feedback and giving too much, which ulti mately degrades the reward value of the“Ifacknowledgement.youdoiteverytime they do good work, it’s going to make it predictable, which isn’t as stimulating as slightly unpredictable behavior,” he says, “and it’s going to make some people worry that when you don’t give positive feed back, something is wrong. So you do want to balance it and nuse of that fam ily environment that we try to share,” he says. “It seems that, above all else, sets the groundwork.” Au t omotive Te chnology Summit ADAPTSUMMIT.COM SEPTEMBER 2425 • DALLASFORT WORTH, TX OPENING KEYNOTE MIKE BUZZARD, PARTNER AT SCHWARTZ ADVISORS KEYNOTES ANNOUNCED FOR THE ADAPT AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT 2022 ADAPT: AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT SPONSORS: PLATINUM SPONSOR: GOLD SPONSORS: ADVANCE PROFESSIONAL, SHOPMONKEY SILVER SPONSORS: AKZONOBEL, AUTOMOTIVE TRAINING INSTITUTE, CAROLINER, FULLBAY, HUNTER ENGINEERING, INTREPID DIRECT, KUKUI, NAPA, OPTIMIZE SOCIAL MEDIA, PODIUM, SHOPWARE, SIRIUSXM, SOLID START, TEKMETRIC 0822_ADAPT_ad_print.indd 2 7/20/22 9:06 AM
The SAE 0W-8 and SAE 0W-12 viscosity grades appear ripe to be fast tracked for quick approval with the goal for the new oils to be ready for first license by API by year’s end. However, existing GF-6 fuel economy tests have not demonstrated the ability to accurately measure fuel economy in these ultra-low viscosity grades. Thus, the API recommends reliance on a recently published fuel economy test standard from the Japanese Automotive Standards Organization (JASO). The test standard, JASO M366 - Automobile Gasoline Engine OilsFiring Fuel Economy Test Procedure, stipulates a test procedure for the measurement of the fuel economy performances of these very low viscosity gasoline engine oils by the measurement of the fuel consumption using a fired engine test. This test is available in US independent labs and has some Base Oil Interchange and Viscosity Grade Read-Across guidelines. API’s plan is to adopt this test into GF-6 in a manner to be determined by the AOAP along with the limits set forth in JASO M364 - Automobile Gasoline Engine Oils which specifies the performance of SAE 0W-8 and SAE 0W-12 viscosity grade engine oils.
Over the past few months API has provided updates on anticipated changes to engine oil specifications for gasoline and diesel engines. During a recent API Lubricants Group meeting held in conjunction with meetings of ASTM D02 committee on Petroleum Products, Liquid Fuels and Lubricants in Seattle, API presented a plan to add SAE 0W-8 and SAE 0W-12 viscosity grades to the current ILSAC GF-6 specification. ILSAC GF-6B is currently applicable only to oils meeting the SAE 0W-16 viscosity grade. API has submitted their request to the Auto/Oil Advisory Panel (AOAP) and the API Lubricants Group. The AOAP has been called into session and is co-chaired by the ILSAC chair and the API Lubricants Group chair. The group is evaluating the request and, if accepted, they will undertake the technical efforts of adopting the new viscosity grades into the category, following the procedures detailed in API 1509, Annex C. Changes to API SP will be handled by the API Lubricants Group in parallel with any changes for ILSAC GF-6.
Update on Anticipated Request for New Gas Oil Specification
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AUGUST 2022 33
New Low Viscosity Oils Requested to be Added to ILSAC GF-6
New Gasoline Oil Specification Request Expected The International Lubricants Standardization and Approval Committee (ILSAC) is expected to request that a new gasoline engine oil specification be developed. The specification is expected to be called ILSAC GF-7 and would replace the current GF-6 specification. Once the request is received by the Co-Chairs of the AOAP and to the Chair of the API Lubricants Standards Group, the AOAP will begin the evaluation process of the Earlyspecification.presentations on the topic indicate that 0W-8 and 0W-12 would be included in the specification and for first licensing in 2028. Including the grades in ILSAC GF-6 now can help reduce the burden later during GF-7APIdevelopment.willcontinue to provide updates on the development of new gas and diesel engine oil specifications. If you have questions or need additional information, contact the API Engine Oil Licensing and Certification System at eolcs@api.org or find us at api.org/EOLCS.
BY JEFFREY HARMENING, AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE, SENIOR MANAGER – EOLCS/DEF/MOM There are a number of benefits to adding the lower viscosities to ILSAC GF-6 now. First, it would fill an identified gap for licensing of “low vis” oils in the global marketplace. In fact, calls for introduction of these grades came early in the development of GF-6 but could not be accommodated at that time because the SAE J300 specification on viscosity grade classification had not yet defined SAE 0W-8 and SAE 0W-12 viscosity grades and a test to measure fuel economy was unavailable. Now that a fuel economy test exists and that test is referenced, coupled with the fact that the test is confirmed to be available in North America, there is no longer a barrier to adopting the grades into ILSAC GF-6/API SP. Another benefit to licensing these oils is that there is precedent for EPA recognition of ILSAC engine oil specifications on engine approvals. While there are currently not many engines on US roads requiring oils of these viscosity grades, adopting them into ILSAC now could make the path of engine approvals a little less burdensome on future engines.
There are other things you can do on the expense side, too. Are you operating as efficiently as possible? Consider, for example, an inventory management and storage system that is more cost effective. Take a look at your product mix relative to the market and make sure you are stocking the right products for your customers. Do price increases make you vulnerable from a competitive standpoint? The reality is there will always be a competitor that sells their services and products at a much lower price and potentially those are the businesses that will have the boarded-up shops at some point in the future. This is a time to stand by your quality standards and focus on delivering a superior customer experience that will far offset the initial reaction to a price increase. Bill Beyerle has been with Chevron Lubricants for more than 25 years and is currently the Automotive Installed Sales Manager. You can reach him at BillBeyerle@chevron.com.
This is not the time to compromise on the quality of the products you sell or the service you provide to reduce costs. That strategy will prove far more detrimental to your business in the long run than a reasonable price increase. Instead, consider performing a little extra service within your new price structure, such as a free fluid top-off or interior vacuuming with each oil Itchange.isalso
Every town and city in America has them: boarded up storefronts with “For Lease” signs. Spaces where local, small business owners once invested their money, their time, and their hopes, only to be undone by a challenging economic environment. In these unprecedented times, many business owners did not anticipate that their expenses would surpass their revenue.
Inflation is especially challenging for the auto installed business, which tends to be very competitive, price-sensitive, and largely driven by promotional discounts. Yet as suppliers’ costs increase, at some point they will pass these higher costs on to you – the shop owner. As part of the value chain, sooner or later shop owners will have to do the same by increasing prices to their customers to remain profitable. In these extraordinary times, it is key that owners do what they can to have a positive balance sheet so that they can stay in business and service their customers, and the local economy, for the long term. Your customers are certainly aware that we are in an inflationary cycle. They are seeing significant price increases in almost every aspect of their life. It will not come as a surprise that their next oil change will cost more than their last one. Still, how you message this is important. So, use this as an opportunity for your employees to reinforce the value that your shop delivers. To maintain the level of quality and service that your loyal customers are used to, you must make sure your business remains profitable. It is important that employee training includes guidance on how to answer customers’ questions about pricing. This may also be a time to recommend premium products, like full synthetic motor oil or high-end windshield wipers. These higher-end products and services can cost more up front, but they have the potential to save your customer money and will be better for their vehicle’s overall maintenance in the long run. Is it Time to Raise Prices?
tempting in these cycles to cut back on marketing expenses, but that could prove to be counterproductive as local site marketing is one of the best ways to attract new customers to your shop. It is entirely appropriate, however, to reevaluate your marketing mix and promotions objectively and focus your resources on the most effective activity.
Kim Tully-Sutton has been with Chevron Lubricants for more than 12 years and is currently the lead marketing specialist supporting Havoline®, Havoline xpress lube®, Chevron xpress lube® and Techron®. You can reach her at Kimberly.Sutton@chevron.com.
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BY BILL BEYERLE, AUTOMOTIVE INSTALLED SALES MANAGER, CHEVRON LUBRICANTS
KIM TULLY-SUTTON, LEAD MARKETING SPECIALIST, CHEVRON LUBRICANTS
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The current economic climate has similarities to the raging inflation of the 1970s as we are seeing the highest price increases since then. Everything is going up – the cost of goods, operations, and especially payroll. Not only are you having to pay more to hire and retain highly competent employees, but they too are facing a higher cost of living.
For the new store models, we wanted to create an instantly identifiable façade that stands out, a comfortable space for customers while their car is being serviced, and an atmosphere that speaks to the quality of the work being performed. Creating a space that feels welcoming both for those who stay in the car or those needing a lobby, while also establishing an environment where a customer knows they are being taken care of, is key to these new store designs. Utilize Technology Technology provides a new opportunity for brands to be innovative with their customers’ experience. With all of the new advances in programming and AI, there are now so many resources to help improve business operations and the guest experience. Our team searched for tools that would add to the services we already provide. The newly designed stores will include state-of-the-art technology and POS Systems that will help educate, inform, and streamline the customer experience. The technology we are pursuing includes the opportunity for customers to watch live streams of their car being serviced, scanners that inform technicians on the best products for the car, and much more. When you find the right balance between digital and physical elements in your strategy, you’ll create a richer experience for your customers and exceed their expectations. As you begin to look for ways to improve your business, putting yourself in your customers’ shoes is a great place to start. Both design and technology are simple changes that can have an immediate effect and help enhance your business. To learn more about FullSpeed’s ‘Store of the Future’ models and franchising opportunities you can visit fullspeedautomotive.com.
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Understand the Customer Experience
The customer experience is a holistic experience. You can’t think of it as only the product or service, but also how a customer feels throughout their entire interaction with your brand. From pulling into the parking lot, the service itself, and checkout – every one of those touchpoints can affect the quality of the guest’s experience. This is where technology and design can work together to ensure each step of the customer’s journey is designed for success. During the design process for our new store models, our team worked with renowned design firm Studio|H2G to create these all-new models for both Grease Monkey and SpeeDee in an effort to modernize the customer experience. We thought through our customers’ entire experience when visiting our locations, and worked to enhance every step of the process. In our new models, we have added express lanes to support a stay-in-the-car model, including clear and directional signage on the parking lot to bring ease to the consumer. We also have designed all new comfortable lounge areas for guests if they have service that requires a longer stay, and patio seating with refreshments andWhenentertainment.guestsenjoy their experience, you create a loyal customer, driving them back time and time again.
BY KEVIN KORMONDY, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF FULLSPEED AUTOMOTIVE ® Be Creative with Design Design can play a huge role in a business’ success. Both store design and branding can a ect a consumer’s decision in choosing where they spend their money. There are many aftermarket automotive brands, so your business needs to stand out among the rest.
The way you approach your customer’s experience is vital to the success and growth of your business. Customers are drawn to businesses where they can receive high-quality products and services, in addition to a first-class experience. For companies that are looking for ways to improve their customer experience, one of the best places to start is with design and technology. FullSpeed Automotive ® is home to flagship brands Grease Monkey ® and SpeeDee Oil Change & Auto Service ®. To enhance our customers’ experience and improve efficiency for franchisees, our team has recently revealed the highly anticipated ‘Store of the Future’ models. These new store models utilize design and technology to give a muchappreciated upgrade to the customer experience. It can be hard to know where to start when looking to improve a brand’s business approach. Below are a few ways design and technology can help upgrade your customers’ experience and elevate your business to new heights.
Kevin Kormondy has served as Chief Executive Officer for Grease Monkey International, LLC d/b/a FullSpeed Automotive (as well as its affiliate companies Grease Monkey Franchising, LLC and SpeeDee Worldwide, LLC) since October 2019.
Tips for how to drive business success through utilizing the consumer perspective
AUGUST 2022 35
How Design and Technology Can Improve the Customer’s Experience
The good news is that there are some easy tricks to get ideas flowing. Have you ever noticed when ideas did hit you? It might be at the oddest times, like in the shower. We all must take the time, even if only five minutes a day, to quiet our mind and let the brain wander. Let it happen, and write it down. This might be shocking, but you may not be the only person with good ideas. Some of the best ideas can come from your staff. Buy them some pizza, and ask them if they have any ideas for the business. You’d be surprised what they might come up with. Some vendors just provide meets spec product. Others might be capable of providing you with free business advice. Have them assess your operation, and you might get something beneficial from a second pair of eyes looking at it.
3. Promotion Materials Review: Have the vendor take you through when the advertising hits, what it says, what’s in the kit, greeter tips for nopressure selling, etc. If you do your own marketing, get their images and incorporate yours.
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2. Idea: What did you or your staff or your most able vendor think of?
4. Costs: Line them out by item.
A Fall Plan Without Execution Will Just Fall
Jay Litsey is the Sr. Channel Marketing Director for Calumet Performance Brands, which is the proud owner of the Royal Purple® and Bel-Ray ® brands. He has been in aftermarket sales and marketing for more than 25 years. He can be contacted via james.litsey@clmt.com.
6. Timing: Set a certain number of days or weeks for each step.
1. Sales Representative Planning Meeting: Meet with your sales representative a month before the quarterly promotions start. Ask what needs to be done to get your free tools.
4. Greeter Meeting: Ask your vendor to hold a greeter meeting. Schedule it two weeks before the start of the quarter. Everybody likes free coffee and donuts, so get your vendor to kick in and feed the troops. Show them the POP materials, tell them about the advertising and how the offer works, take them through any greeter scripts or training materials, etc. Have them role-play for practice! They will hate you for it, and then they will love you for it.
Execution Is More Important Than The Perfect Plan Here’s a live example. You’ve found that you can’t save your way to prosperity. You may want more traffic, more oil changes, or to make more money per customer from selling not saving. You think about it, talk to
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BY JAY LITSEY, SENIOR CHANNEL MARKETING DIRECTOR, CALUMET PERFORMANCE BRANDS your staff at the “pizza party” and challenged your best vendor for any solutions they might have. Your vendor took you through some programs built to accomplish all three goals. If you sign up for their promotions, you get free traffic-driving promotional digital media, free consumer offers and point-of-purchase (POP) materials. Instead of getting the promo box and putting it under your shelf, you do the following:
Rinse and Repeat Shampoo bottles used to say “rinse and repeat” on the back, but I doubt if anyone ever did it. Maybe we should have? Testing, learning and modifying your plan, and repeating what’s working are the keys to success. Follow this guide this Fall, and you will achieve your goals. Follow the same process for your next New Year’s resolutions, and you will achieve the same benefits in your personal life as well!
Sometimes it’s hard when you are busy running a business to have time to think. You may also feel like you are out of ideas.
7. Next Steps: What are you going to do first, starting today? This is just one of many tricks to move from an idea to the things that will improve your profits.
2. New Product or Product Ordering: Ask them what needs to be ordered (and do they have a purchase incentive, free rack, etc.).
3. How It Works: What are the detailed steps to make the idea come to life?
1. Situation: What is your goal? What is keeping you awake at night?
Have you ever had a great idea but then did not follow through? Do New Year’s resolutions come to mind? If so, you are not alone. Some people don’t take the time to generate new ideas about their business. Some don’t build plans. Others plan, but they don’t execute the steps. Solid execution of an “OK” plan is better than a great plan never implemented. Let’s talk about what you can do to get from great ideas to more profit.
Ideation As An Art Form
Plan Your Work, Work Your Plan It’s said often but done rarely. One simple format you can fill out is listed below.
5. Benefits: How much more money will you make?
5. Dress for Success: At the end of the meeting, everyone puts up the POP materials, fills the new rack, cleans up the building and makes sure they look their best.
The Entrepreneur Mindset – Grace Under Pressure!
AUGUST 2022 37
All the personal attributes of leadership apply here. I have heard them called soft skills however, some of the most important; integrity, self-awareness, respect, empathy, ability to delegate and good communication skills.
Entrepreneurs are self-starters, self-motivated and driven from within. If you don’t have that inner spark, it will be a challenge to maintain that strongminded determination to keep going when the going gets rough.
What are the characteristics of entrepreneurs? In what ways do they think and see differently from other people? Let’s start by defining what an entrepreneur is. The most common definition is “a person who organizes and operates a business or businesses, taking on greater than normal financial risks in order to do so.”
Amber Kossak is the CEO of Solid Start, manufacturer of True Brand Products. She has been in the automotive industry for almost 20 years and is serving on the AOCA board of directors. She can be contacted at kossak@solidstart.com. For more information please visit solidstart.com.
A subset of planning is problem solving and the ability to prioritize. Prioritizing includes keeping situations in perspective, focusing one’s energy on activities that offer the highest payoff. It also means giving proper weight to threats. Understand that perceptions are not always reality so that a healthy skepticism is sometimes in order. Edgar Allen Poe purportedly observed, “Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear.” Before you react, know if it’s a fact. So what are the characteristics of entrepreneurs? This is hardly a comprehensive checklist of things entrepreneurs need to work on. Reviewing these qualities and skills can serve as a good guide to your own self-improvement no matter where you are in the organizational chart. All of us can be working on improving ourselves by noticing where we’re weak and giving attention to strengthening ourselves in those areas. This points to the essential foundation: know yourself. The better you know yourself, including your strengths, weaknesses and blind spots, the more likely you will succeed.
Successful entrepreneurs bring many benefits to our local communities. If you own a business, it not only puts food on your table and a roof over your head, but it also helps other families make ends meet by providing jobs. In addition, many other local businesses are helped. Your employees may pick up lunches in nearby restaurants. Your business will routinely need supplies of various kinds, and local services as well. If you advertise on the radio, TV or in print publications, these local businesses are also helped. Being a part of the local Chamber of Commerce or a neighborhood business association can also help. Many cities and towns have leaders that seem unaware of the impacts their decisions have on business. Business associations can help educate local leaders, making it easier for businesses to thrive, which generates jobs and strengthens the community’s tax base. Running a business forces us to grow and develop skills in a variety of areas. The real benefits of being an entrepreneur are not only for the people you employ and how you can help them but also for the entrepreneurs themselves.
BY AMBER KOSSAK, CEO OF SOLID START requires a willingness to take risks when nothing is guaranteed. Hemingway defined courage as grace under pressure.
Courage is definitely another attribute you’ll find in entrepreneurs. It
Benefits to the Community
Owning and running a small business can be challenging, but it helps us become better people. Just as a good workout helps us exercise all our muscles, so does running a business force us to grow and develop skills in a variety of areas.
Big picture thinking is also a must. It’s easy to lose oneself down in the weeds. Entrepreneurs need to be able to regularly step back and get a bird’s-eye view on what’s happening in the company as well as the community, industry and beyond.
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Everything in life involves risk, of course. People who are risk averse may shy away from starting and owning a business. It’s the rewards of business ownership, both personal and financial, that stimulate our interest in entrepreneurial pursuits.
Another group of intertwined skills would include planning, forecasting and decision making. Leaders develop the ability to foresee consequences of decisions and learn to think before taking action. Like advanced chess players, they learn from experience how to see many moves ahead and understand the likely outcomes in response to their own moves. They become adept at considering alternative options before making commitments.
Entrepreneur Skillsets - We Can All Benefit
Attributes of Entrepreneurs
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FRASERBRETT is the industry.maintenancefortrade(AOCA),AssociationOilthespecialistprogramsmemberforAutomotiveChangetheonlygroupthequick
Customer Profile 2: Sally the Student Sally is a college student in her second year of grad school for her advanced degree in biochemistry. She lacks funds because, well, grad school is expensive. Her car needs to last until she gets a job that will pay the bills and, hopefully, get a more reliable car. Sally has never maintained her own car. She has little time to do her studies as is and work her part time shift to afford her overpriced studio apartment. What might Sally value? It is reasonable to assume that Sally would want to understand the value behind her services, and very likely does not have extra disposable income for some of the additional care items. How might this change what type of service a technician may provide? With this knowledge, the recommended additional services can be accompanied by a level of urgency for each additional preventive maintenance service beyond the basic oil change that she came in for. This will help her understand the short-term costs versus long-term sav ings that accompany these services and allow her to make an informed decision for what maintenance items she wants to prioritize. Additionally, she likely doesn’t want to be treated like she is dumb for not understanding these things on her own already. She is certainly not dumb, she just has a different strength in her understanding, which is biochemistry. That is why she is coming to the shop, because there are others who have a greater understand ing of how to effectively maintain a car.
• Discuss what obstacles they may face in their every day life that they bring to their appointment (not understanding how to receive an e-mailed receipt)
INFO @AOCA.COMOR800.230.0702
BABBKRISTYCOURTESY
While data-supported profiles are generally more useful, thought experiments can do an adequate job of getting the improvement process started. Below are some examples.
Customer Profile 3: Steven the Tech-Averse Steven is 30 and his job is to maintain forests to reduce fire-risk. He spends a lot of time with manual labor, and not much time learning the nuances of the latest iOS release. When Steven comes in to get his oil changed, what might he appreciate? For Steven, it might be as simple as having someone readily available to get him checked in and having a choice of whether or not he wants his receipt emailed to him or a printed version that he can store in his filing cabinet.
AUGUST 2022 39 AOCA CORNER c TO KEEP YOUR CUSTOMERS COMING BACK FOR your services, a positive customer service experience is essential. Each customer has different expectations of what the positive customer service experience entails. While we can make some broad statements on generational expectations, it may be more useful to use customer profiles to craft the experience for different drivers.
Customer Profile 1: Joe the Dad Joe, a father of two middle school boys who love sports, walks into the shop looking to get oil changed. His car maintenance is a bit behind because his kids’ school and activity schedule have filled his days up, and he is hoping to get service completed before he must pick up his kids from school and transport them to baseball practice. What might Joe value? First, we know that he has a limited time frame, so he might not need “instant grat ification” but rather just be on a tight schedule. Putting ourselves in his shoes, we might imagine that his win dow sticker has been staring him in the face for the last 1,000 miles screaming at him that it is time to take care of another responsibility in his limited time. So, to help Joe out, and any other customer who has many obligations in a short time frame, let’s set the expectations for what his wait time may be when he walks in the door. Want to go a step further, utilize an app to book appointments and set expectations for wait time so that, rather than waiting in the shop, the customer now has the ability to choose how to effectively use that additional hour of what would be lobby-wait time to best accomplish his or her goals.
• Create a name for your profile. This helps the empathetic process.
To get this process started on your own, a few tips for creating your customer profiles that will guide your customer-service optimization process.
There is a lot of evidence behind the efficacy of creating customer profiles to curate your customer service experience.
• Establish what their individual goals might be (like getting to their sons’ baseball practice safely and in-time).
Setting Expectations Crafting an experience for specific customer profiles
• Discuss how your service might be a different expe rience in their day that makes a good day continue to go smoothly, and a bad day a little bit better. As mentioned above, the more data you have that supports these profiles the better, but if we just stop and think about the customers we already see on a regular basis, we don’t have to wait to get this process started.
2022 ADAPT: AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT SPONSORS: PLATINUM SPONSOR: GOLD SPONSORS: ADVANCE PROFESSIONAL, SHOPMONKEY SILVER SPONSORS: AKZONOBEL, AUTOMOTIVE TRAINING INSTITUTE, CAROLINER, FULLBAY, HUNTER ENGINEERING, INTREPID DIRECT, KUKUI, NAPA, OPTIMIZE SOCIAL MEDIA, PODIUM, SHOPWARE, SIRIUSXM, SOLID START, TEKMETRIC THE ADAPT: AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT IS A TWODAY EVENT PROVIDING SHOP OWNERS AND OPERATORS WITH A UNIQUE, UNMATCHED OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN DIRECTLY FROM INDUSTRY LEADERS ON THE MOST PROGRESSIVE AND PRESSING TECHNOLOGY TRENDS DISRUPTING THE AUTOMOTIVE AFTERMARKET REGISTER NOW ADAPTSUMMIT.COMAT IS YOUR SHOP READY TO ADAPT? SEPTEMBER 2425 • DALLASFORT WORTH, TX Au t omotive Te chnology Summit JOIN US IN SEPTEMBER FOR THE ADAPT: AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT AND LEARN WHAT’S NEXT IN VEHICLE TECH FROM INDUSTRY EXPERTS AND OEMS LIKE AUDI, HONDA, AND GM.
AUGUST 2022 41 ADVERTISERS/ PRODUCT INDEX ADAPT (32, 40) API (33, 43) AUTEL 855.288.3587(15) AutoCenter Sales (8) 800.874.5793 Chevron 866.354.4476(2) Devon Industries (12) 888.500.0353 FullSpeed Automotive (35) Integrated Services, Inc.LubeSoft - Modulube (44) 800.922.3099 Kafko International Ltd.Oil Eater/Degreaser (14) 800.528.0334 Phillips 66 / Kendall (38) 877.445.9198 Roth Industries (8) 888.266.7684 Royal Purple (5, 36) Solid Start – True Brand (3, 37) 877.290.3950 Valvoline 859.357.7303(21) Wrenchers 800.261.7729(9) CLASSIFIEDS WE BUY QUICK LUBES! With over 130 shops acquired in 2019 alone, we know how to make it easy! Call or email Take 5 Oil Change today, or check out our website for more info. dbacquisitions@drivenbrands.com(980)-235-8380www.take5quicklubesales.comNeed to Hire? Want to Sell? REACH OVER 111,000 INDUSTRYSPECIFIC CANDIDATES EACH MONTH DISPLAY ADS Per column inch (1-time rate) ......$130 Per column inch (6-time rate)......$115 Per column inch (12-time rate)....$100 WORD ADS Minimum 10-word charge......................$80 Per word charge thereafter......................$1.00 Border and/or screen (on word ads).........$60 Highlight box...........................................$65 Specific location on separate heading ...add 15% ADVERTISE IN THE NOLN CLASSIFIED SECTION BY CALLING KYLE AT 651846-9490 LISTEN TODAY BY VISITING noln.net/podcast PODCAST NEW EPISODES EVERY WEEK! Never Miss an TODAY!SUBSCRIBEIssue. START YOUR FREE SUBSCRIPTION TODAY BY VISITING noln.net/subscribe CONSULTING Advertise your consulting business to thousands of industry specific clients in the Classified pages of NOLN. Call Kyle for details 651-846-9490. Print and online ads available. EDUCATION+TRAINING Highlight your educational institution here! Reach those candidates seeking a career in the fast lube and fast lube plus industry choosing a college or university. Call Kyle for details 651846-9490.
It is perfectly OK to disagree with someone, conflict is healthy in our development. There is a huge respectful difference between saying “I agree” and “I understand. “
To be fair, I never read the book so this is taken only for the words wri en to apply to today’s outlook.
Lenny Saucier has been serving the aftermarketautomotiveand its future leaders since 2000. He serves as the director of retail training for
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(If you didn’t think of that phrase with an old wispy voice, we can’t be friends) That day of single-sourced bliss is long gone. Some would venture to say that single-source information equals greater mind control of the masses. Today’s world is full of facts, opinions, fact stretching and straight-out rhetoric told by politicians, media, influencers and the everyday Joe with a smartphone and social media account. What has developed from this is the ability to choose and follow what we want to hear coupled with the dangerous ability to turn off what we don’t want to hear. Just one click makes it go away and people feel empowered by it.
LET ME START OUT WITH A FAMOUS LINE THAT could summarize the whole thing “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”—Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
What if I were to tell you that the national government is being run by people who are hell bent on destroying our country? Then, what if I said our national government is run by innovators courageous enough to make bold changes needed for our future? I can safely say that I am right and I probably offend most of you by one of the two statements. In a cha ier session of a class for upcoming leaders, I show a drawing and ask the group to describe the picture to me. A percentage of the participants describe a young slender woman with a choker chain looking away while another group scoffs at the idea because they see an old woman with a big nose and a wart, no teeth looking down at the picture. In reality, the drawing is a visual trick meant to show both images—or one, depending on the person. As we continue the conversation in class, each group is shown the other side’s vision, pointing out the trigger points that sway their vision to the other side. A er some conversation and study, the ah-has start to appear and both sides become both satisfied that they got their points across and enlightened that they saw something they didn’t before. It is this knowledge of euphoria as the speaker that I am a er and achieve every time. Even in our business, politics, culture and bias have wedged their way into our operations and P&L statements. Guests are judging your philanthropy while your team is bickering about the rapidly changing social tolerance and intolerance. Your vision of today’s car count and TA goals are being clouded by the debate of the latest bumper sticker on the next guest’s back window. Seeking out diversity in your team just to call yourself a DEI complaint comes at a huge risk if you do not capitalize on the actual idea of diversity. If you think diversity ends at hiring an African American person, a gay person, and a woman, you are doing it wrong. The key to diversity is to bring in people with strong a ributes from different cultures and paths that can help everyone develop into be er people through idea and history sharing. Be er, more rounded people make for stronger businesses.
To quote the old man: “Back in my day, we would just read the newspaper to find out what was going on.”
To the puffy chest leader, tone down the hate clouds coming out of your ears right now. We aren’t going to be pu ing safe circles in your shop. What we should be doing is developing conversations with each other to learn the other side of the story. You will not be able to silence the masses in this era, you will only be able to channel it and use it for what it is, the satisfaction of both sides ge ing their point across for someone to see and the enlightenment of seeing something you didn’t before.
In today’s world of information and polarization, we all have been subjected to information overload that has been mostly projected by bias from the projector.
Automotive.Fullspeed LSAUCIER @FULLSPEEDAUTOMOTIVE.COM Understanding One Another How to discuss perspectives and bring out the best in your teams SAUCIERLENNY LEADING EDGEc SUACIERLENNYCOURTESY
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