http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 Most Recent Submissions from MudlickMail on AutoPro Workshop Thu, 04 Apr 2013 17:58:36 GMT Thu, 04 Apr 2013 17:58:36 GMT mwillins@advanstar.com (AutoBizGuru) mwillins@advanstar.com (AutoBizGuru) KickApps Feed Builder 2013-04-04T17:58:36Z 30 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/searchEverything.kickAction?as=31710&includeVideo=on&includeAudio=on&includePhoto=on&includeBlog=on&sortType=recent 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Gathering-Customer-Feedback/blog/6518874/31710.html We all know that gathering customer feedback can often be a challenge. While angry customers are eager to tell you about a problem, satisfied customers don’t always remember to offer specifics about what you did well. Of course, we can’t just hope that our customers will provide us with their opinions. We must actively engage customers in order to get a better sense of our performance. Here’s a look at both traditional and more modern methods of soliciting customer feedback and the pros and cons of each. Customer comment cards: For years, the standard protocol at my shops was to deliver every vehicle with a comment card tucked in the rearview mirror. Even though we included postage-paid, self-addressed stamped envelopes, the response generated from these cards was nominal. Most people likely tossed the cards away or forgot about them. Eventually, the return on investment became so minimal (especially when the cost of maintaining the postage permit was factored in) that we decided to phase out the cards. Asking at check out:  The check-out process provides one last face-to-face opportunity to touch base and assess a customer’s experience with your shop. Unfortunately, many customers are also in a rush to pay and leave and sometimes, problems or questions arise after they’ve left the shop. There are also customers who don’t feel comfortable providing feedback in person. While I think it’s a good customer service practice to ask how everything was, the truth is, you’re not always going to get an honest answer. Follow-up calls – One approach is to follow-up with customers via phone the day after their service is performed. This provides a chance for customers to ask questions, alert you of any issues or simply offer information about their visit. The drawback to this method is that during the busy season, it’s difficult to find staff with the time to make such calls. You also have to plan the timing of your calls carefully, since many people screen their calls during the work day. The benefit, however, is that you can use these calls to promote specials or offer incentives to entice customers to complete a service they may have postponed during a previous visit. I have seen some marginal results from follow-up calls, but they do require a lot of manpower. Email surveys: If you haven’t embraced technology to improve customer engagement, you should. Delivering a survey via email is easy (thanks to several companies who have automated the process) and harder for customers to ignore, since most people are constantly plugged in to their computers or checking email via their smartphones. It’s also more convenient for customers to simply click a button to fill out a survey, rather than writing responses out by hand on a comment card. Now, customers who visit us receive an invitation by email to participate in a survey. Our system automatically encourages positive reviewers to share their feedback online via Yelp and other review sites, while complaints are flagged and sent to us for action. This allows us to handle problems before they result in negative online reviews,  or prompt customers to call the Better Business Bureau. Next month, I’ll talk more about how to address customer feedback and use survey responses to make your business better. Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically-targeted direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops. An automotive industry veteran, Greg also owns and operates more than 30 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick Mail on Facebook: www.facebook.com/mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudick   We all know that gathering customer feedback can often be a challenge. While angry customers are eager to tell you about a problem, satisfied customers don’t always remember to offer specifics about what you did well. Of course, we can’t just hope that our customers will provide us with their opinions. We must actively engage customers in order to get a better sense of our performance. Here’s a look at both traditional and more modern methods of soliciting customer feedback and the pros and cons of each. Customer comment cards: For years, the standard protocol at my shops was to deliver every vehicle with a comment card tucked in the rearview mirror. Even though we included postage-paid, self-addressed stamped envelopes, the response generated from these cards was nominal. Most people likely tossed the cards away or forgot about them. Eventually, the return on investment became so minimal (especially when the cost of maintaining the postage permit was factored in) that we decided to phase out the cards. Asking at check out:  The check-out process provides one last face-to-face opportunity to touch base and assess a customer’s experience with your shop. Unfortunately, many customers are also in a rush to pay and leave and sometimes, problems or questions arise after they’ve left the shop. There are also customers who don’t feel comfortable providing feedback in person. While I think it’s a good customer service practice to ask how everything was, the truth is, you’re not always going to get an honest answer. Follow-up calls – One approach is to follow-up with customers via phone the day after their service is performed. This provides a chance for customers to ask questions, alert you of any issues or simply offer information about their visit. The drawback to this method is that during the busy season, it’s difficult to find staff with the time to make such calls. You also have to plan the timing of your calls carefully, since many people screen their calls during the work day. The benefit, however, is that you can use these calls to promote specials or offer incentives to entice customers to complete a service they may have postponed during a previous visit. I have seen some marginal results from follow-up calls, but they do require a lot of manpower. Email surveys: If you haven’t embraced technology to improve customer engagement, you should. Delivering a survey via email is easy (thanks to several companies who have automated the process) and harder for customers to ignore, since most people are constantly plugged in to their computers or checking email via their smartphones. It’s also more convenient for customers to simply click a button to fill out a survey, rather than writing responses out by hand on a comment card. Now, customers who visit us receive an invitation by email to participate in a survey. Our system automatically encourages positive reviewers to share their feedback online via Yelp and other review sites, while complaints are flagged and sent to us for action. This allows us to handle problems before they result in negative online reviews,  or prompt customers to call the Better Business Bureau. Next month, I’ll talk more about how to address customer feedback and use survey responses to make your business better. Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically-targeted direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops. An automotive industry veteran, Greg also owns and operates more than 30 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick Mail on Facebook: www.facebook.com/mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudick   Thu, 04 Apr 2013 17:58:36 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Gathering-Customer-Feedback/blog/6518874/31710.html MudlickMail 2013-04-04T17:58:36Z Motor Age AutoPro Workshop We all know that gathering customer feedback can often be a challenge. While angry customers are eager to tell you about a problem, satisfied customers don’t always remember to offer specifics about what you did well. Of course, we can’t just hope that our customers will provide us with their opinions. We must actively engage customers in order to get a better sense of our performance. Here’s a look at both traditional and more modern methods of soliciting customer feedback and the pros and cons of each. Customer comment cards: For years, the standard protocol at my shops was to deliver every vehicle with a comment card tucked in the rearview mirror. Even though we included postage-paid, self-addressed stamped envelopes, the response generated from these cards was nominal. Most people likely tossed the cards away or forgot about them. Eventually, the return on investment became so minimal (especially when the cost of maintaining the postage permit was factored in) that we decided to phase out the cards. Asking at check out:  The check-out process provides one last face-to-face opportunity to touch base and assess a customer’s experience with your shop. Unfortunately, many customers are also in a rush to pay and leave and sometimes, problems or questions arise after they’ve left the shop. There are also customers who don’t feel comfortable providing feedback in person. While I think it’s a good customer service practice to ask how everything was, the truth is, you’re not always going to get an honest answer. Follow-up calls – One approach is to follow-up with customers via phone the day after their service is performed. This provides a chance for customers to ask questions, alert you of any issues or simply offer information about their visit. The drawback to this method is that during the busy season, it’s difficult to find staff with the time to make such calls. You also have to plan the timing of your calls carefully, since many people screen their calls during the work day. The benefit, however, is that you can use these calls to promote specials or offer incentives to entice customers to complete a service they may have postponed during a previous visit. I have seen some marginal results from follow-up calls, but they do require a lot of manpower. Email surveys: If you haven’t embraced technology to improve customer engagement, you should. Delivering a survey via email is easy (thanks to several companies who have automated the process) and harder for customers to ignore, since most people are constantly plugged in to their computers or checking email via their smartphones. It’s also more convenient for customers to simply click a button to fill out a survey, rather than writing responses out by hand on a comment card. Now, customers who visit us receive an invitation by email to participate in a survey. Our system automatically encourages positive reviewers to share their feedback online via Yelp and other review sites, while complaints are flagged and sent to us for action. This allows us to handle problems before they result in negative online reviews,  or prompt customers to call the Better Business Bureau. Next month, I’ll talk more about how to address customer feedback and use survey responses to make your business better. Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically-targeted direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops. An automotive industry veteran, Greg also owns and operates more than 30 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick Mail on Facebook: www.facebook.com/mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudick   customer comments, customer feedback, customer reviews, feedback, mail, motor age, mudlick, yelp nonadult false Gathering Customer Feedback text blog customer comments,customer feedback,customer reviews,feedback,mail,motor age,mudlick,yelp 271 0 0.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States GA Acworth 30101 0 Motor Age 0 6518874 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Sales-Slow-Advertise-Fast/blog/6507373/31710.html This is typically the time of year when business is slow, sales are down and you’re looking carefully at your expenses, considering what costs you can cut. Unfortunately, advertising and marketing expenditures often end up on the chopping block, even though those are the items you can least afford to cut when sales dwindle. In fact, I would argue that you’d be better off spending more on advertising during the slower months and here’s why: Winter is a great time to pick up market share: If you’re aggressive during a period when nobody else is, your ads will stand out in the mailbox. The average consumer will visit an automotive repair shop 1.5 to two times a year. Now, we don’t know if those visits will occur in July or February, but if you advertise consistently, you have a better shot of picking up that customer. Even if they don’t immediately require a repair, those customers are more likely to think of you when their cars break down or need maintenance. And don’t forget, new households are moving into your market on a regular basis, so if you fail to advertise, you risk losing those potential customers to your competitors. Slow months provide the perfect opportunity to promote new services. Every year, our shops develop new, unique benefits that separate us from the competition. For example, last year, we launched an industry-leading warranty program. This year, we’ve decided to open all of our shops on Sundays to provide even more options and convenience for our customers. We intentionally launch these types of benefits in February, so we have a full month to work out the bugs before our business picks up in March. Less pressure leads to more creativity. Face it: During the busy spring and summer months you often have to advertise specials for the services that are in most demand, such as air-conditioning repairs or oil changes. But the slow months offer a chance to experiment and advertise lesser-utilized services. If you’re not selling a lot of alignment jobs, you might consider offering a discount off alignment service to lure customers. You could also build a promotional campaign based around your anniversary. And don’t fret if your anniversary lands in April or you’re not celebrating a significant milestone. Your promotion will be valid whether you’re marking 30 years or seven years in business. The slow months also offer a chance to develop and promote educational initiatives, such as workshops on how to properly install car seats. Those types of programs (which are harder to offer during the summer) show your commitment to the community and help build long-term loyalty. Keep in mind that your advertising efforts during this time may not yield immediate results. But someone who sees your ad in February may return for a brake job in May. Simply put, you need to be building customer base year-round. With nearly two decades of automotive industry experience, Greg Sands is one of the most successful auto repair operators in the United States. Along with his managers and partners, Greg owns and operates more than 30 auto repair shops in four states. Greg also serves as founder and CEO of Mudlick Mail, which provides strategically targeted direct mail campaigns for auto repair shops nationally. This is typically the time of year when business is slow, sales are down and you’re looking carefully at your expenses, considering what costs you can cut. Unfortunately, advertising and marketing expenditures often end up on the chopping block, even though those are the items you can least afford to cut when sales dwindle. In fact, I would argue that you’d be better off spending more on advertising during the slower months and here’s why: Winter is a great time to pick up market share: If you’re aggressive during a period when nobody else is, your ads will stand out in the mailbox. The average consumer will visit an automotive repair shop 1.5 to two times a year. Now, we don’t know if those visits will occur in July or February, but if you advertise consistently, you have a better shot of picking up that customer. Even if they don’t immediately require a repair, those customers are more likely to think of you when their cars break down or need maintenance. And don’t forget, new households are moving into your market on a regular basis, so if you fail to advertise, you risk losing those potential customers to your competitors. Slow months provide the perfect opportunity to promote new services. Every year, our shops develop new, unique benefits that separate us from the competition. For example, last year, we launched an industry-leading warranty program. This year, we’ve decided to open all of our shops on Sundays to provide even more options and convenience for our customers. We intentionally launch these types of benefits in February, so we have a full month to work out the bugs before our business picks up in March. Less pressure leads to more creativity. Face it: During the busy spring and summer months you often have to advertise specials for the services that are in most demand, such as air-conditioning repairs or oil changes. But the slow months offer a chance to experiment and advertise lesser-utilized services. If you’re not selling a lot of alignment jobs, you might consider offering a discount off alignment service to lure customers. You could also build a promotional campaign based around your anniversary. And don’t fret if your anniversary lands in April or you’re not celebrating a significant milestone. Your promotion will be valid whether you’re marking 30 years or seven years in business. The slow months also offer a chance to develop and promote educational initiatives, such as workshops on how to properly install car seats. Those types of programs (which are harder to offer during the summer) show your commitment to the community and help build long-term loyalty. Keep in mind that your advertising efforts during this time may not yield immediate results. But someone who sees your ad in February may return for a brake job in May. Simply put, you need to be building customer base year-round. With nearly two decades of automotive industry experience, Greg Sands is one of the most successful auto repair operators in the United States. Along with his managers and partners, Greg owns and operates more than 30 auto repair shops in four states. Greg also serves as founder and CEO of Mudlick Mail, which provides strategically targeted direct mail campaigns for auto repair shops nationally. Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:28:07 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Sales-Slow-Advertise-Fast/blog/6507373/31710.html MudlickMail 2013-01-31T15:28:07Z Motor Age AutoPro Workshop This is typically the time of year when business is slow, sales are down and you’re looking carefully at your expenses, considering what costs you can cut. Unfortunately, advertising and marketing expenditures often end up on the chopping block, even though those are the items you can least afford to cut when sales dwindle. In fact, I would argue that you’d be better off spending more on advertising during the slower months and here’s why: Winter is a great time to pick up market share: If you’re aggressive during a period when nobody else is, your ads will stand out in the mailbox. The average consumer will visit an automotive repair shop 1.5 to two times a year. Now, we don’t know if those visits will occur in July or February, but if you advertise consistently, you have a better shot of picking up that customer. Even if they don’t immediately require a repair, those customers are more likely to think of you when their cars break down or need maintenance. And don’t forget, new households are moving into your market on a regular basis, so if you fail to advertise, you risk losing those potential customers to your competitors. Slow months provide the perfect opportunity to promote new services. Every year, our shops develop new, unique benefits that separate us from the competition. For example, last year, we launched an industry-leading warranty program. This year, we’ve decided to open all of our shops on Sundays to provide even more options and convenience for our customers. We intentionally launch these types of benefits in February, so we have a full month to work out the bugs before our business picks up in March. Less pressure leads to more creativity. Face it: During the busy spring and summer months you often have to advertise specials for the services that are in most demand, such as air-conditioning repairs or oil changes. But the slow months offer a chance to experiment and advertise lesser-utilized services. If you’re not selling a lot of alignment jobs, you might consider offering a discount off alignment service to lure customers. You could also build a promotional campaign based around your anniversary. And don’t fret if your anniversary lands in April or you’re not celebrating a significant milestone. Your promotion will be valid whether you’re marking 30 years or seven years in business. The slow months also offer a chance to develop and promote educational initiatives, such as workshops on how to properly install car seats. Those types of programs (which are harder to offer during the summer) show your commitment to the community and help build long-term loyalty. Keep in mind that your advertising efforts during this time may not yield immediate results. But someone who sees your ad in February may return for a brake job in May. Simply put, you need to be building customer base year-round. With nearly two decades of automotive industry experience, Greg Sands is one of the most successful auto repair operators in the United States. Along with his managers and partners, Greg owns and operates more than 30 auto repair shops in four states. Greg also serves as founder and CEO of Mudlick Mail, which provides strategically targeted direct mail campaigns for auto repair shops nationally. advertising, automotive, campaign, customer, marketing, months, motor age, promotions, repair, retention, shops, slow nonadult false Sales Slow? Advertise Fast text blog advertising,automotive,campaign,customer,marketing,months,motor age,promotions,repair,retention,shops,slow 1523 0 0.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States GA Acworth 30101 0 Motor Age 1 6507373 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Holiday-Rewards/blog/6489506/31710.html The holidays are a great time to celebrate your employees and let them know how much you value them. Through the years, I’ve shown my appreciation for staff in a variety of ways – from handing out Christmas bonuses to throwing holiday parties. While your approach to rewarding employees during holidays may be different from mine, I thought it might be helpful to share some lessons I’ve learned about how to most effectively thank workers for a job well done.   Even small gestures can make a big impact. While a lavish, catered bash sounds nice, for many shop owners, it’s simply too large a strain on the budget. When I opened my first shop, I couldn’t afford an extravagant affair, so I hosted a party at my home and provided small gifts.  It was a small celebration, but I know it left employees feeling good about their employer.  If a party is out of the question, consider sending cookies or providing gift cards to Starbucks or another retailer you know employees frequent. Even writing a note expressing your appreciation or highlighting an employee’s accomplishments in a more formal letter can mean a lot.  Don’t use money as the only reward. Most employees will tell you cash is king, but in reality, rewarding workers with money will give you very little bang for your buck. That’s because employees often forget about the money as soon as it’s spent. During my early years in the business, I would give certain bonuses based on performance, but I noticed the morale wouldn’t necessarily change. As they say, it was a case of “out of sight, out of mind.” When I recognized top performers with awards and plaques commemorating their accomplishments, instead, I got much better results. The plaques are something an employee can hold onto forever and the awards serve as proof of their career achievements. In fact, it’s not unusual for me to interview potential employees who list awards earned at previous employers on their resumes or provide letters of recognition they’ve received.  Pr             Providing cash and nothing else, also sets a dangerous precedent. You risk setting up expectations among employees that you may not always be able to meet.   Create a criteria. Rewarding employees is essential, but make sure that you have criteria in place for measuring performance so that the process doesn’t become political. I look at specific benchmarks when evaluating staff. In addition to sales and profitability, I’ll also measure customer service, by examining the number of complaints an employee receives. Having a system in place will help eliminate any suspicions about you playing favorites.     Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 30 repair shops across the country. Follow Mudlick on Facebook: /www.facebook.commudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail   The holidays are a great time to celebrate your employees and let them know how much you value them. Through the years, I’ve shown my appreciation for staff in a variety of ways – from handing out Christmas bonuses to throwing holiday parties. While your approach to rewarding employees during holidays may be different from mine, I thought it might be helpful to share some lessons I’ve learned about how to most effectively thank workers for a job well done.   Even small gestures can make a big impact. While a lavish, catered bash sounds nice, for many shop owners, it’s simply too large a strain on the budget. When I opened my first shop, I couldn’t afford an extravagant affair, so I hosted a party at my home and provided small gifts.  It was a small celebration, but I know it left employees feeling good about their employer.  If a party is out of the question, consider sending cookies or providing gift cards to Starbucks or another retailer you know employees frequent. Even writing a note expressing your appreciation or highlighting an employee’s accomplishments in a more formal letter can mean a lot.  Don’t use money as the only reward. Most employees will tell you cash is king, but in reality, rewarding workers with money will give you very little bang for your buck. That’s because employees often forget about the money as soon as it’s spent. During my early years in the business, I would give certain bonuses based on performance, but I noticed the morale wouldn’t necessarily change. As they say, it was a case of “out of sight, out of mind.” When I recognized top performers with awards and plaques commemorating their accomplishments, instead, I got much better results. The plaques are something an employee can hold onto forever and the awards serve as proof of their career achievements. In fact, it’s not unusual for me to interview potential employees who list awards earned at previous employers on their resumes or provide letters of recognition they’ve received.  Pr             Providing cash and nothing else, also sets a dangerous precedent. You risk setting up expectations among employees that you may not always be able to meet.   Create a criteria. Rewarding employees is essential, but make sure that you have criteria in place for measuring performance so that the process doesn’t become political. I look at specific benchmarks when evaluating staff. In addition to sales and profitability, I’ll also measure customer service, by examining the number of complaints an employee receives. Having a system in place will help eliminate any suspicions about you playing favorites.     Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 30 repair shops across the country. Follow Mudlick on Facebook: /www.facebook.commudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail   Tue, 18 Dec 2012 06:37:50 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Holiday-Rewards/blog/6489506/31710.html MudlickMail 2012-12-18T06:37:50Z AutoPro Workshop The holidays are a great time to celebrate your employees and let them know how much you value them. Through the years, I’ve shown my appreciation for staff in a variety of ways – from handing out Christmas bonuses to throwing holiday parties. While your approach to rewarding employees during holidays may be different from mine, I thought it might be helpful to share some lessons I’ve learned about how to most effectively thank workers for a job well done.   Even small gestures can make a big impact. While a lavish, catered bash sounds nice, for many shop owners, it’s simply too large a strain on the budget. When I opened my first shop, I couldn’t afford an extravagant affair, so I hosted a party at my home and provided small gifts.  It was a small celebration, but I know it left employees feeling good about their employer.  If a party is out of the question, consider sending cookies or providing gift cards to Starbucks or another retailer you know employees frequent. Even writing a note expressing your appreciation or highlighting an employee’s accomplishments in a more formal letter can mean a lot.  Don’t use money as the only reward. Most employees will tell you cash is king, but in reality, rewarding workers with money will give you very little bang for your buck. That’s because employees often forget about the money as soon as it’s spent. During my early years in the business, I would give certain bonuses based on performance, but I noticed the morale wouldn’t necessarily change. As they say, it was a case of “out of sight, out of mind.” When I recognized top performers with awards and plaques commemorating their accomplishments, instead, I got much better results. The plaques are something an employee can hold onto forever and the awards serve as proof of their career achievements. In fact, it’s not unusual for me to interview potential employees who list awards earned at previous employers on their resumes or provide letters of recognition they’ve received.  Pr             Providing cash and nothing else, also sets a dangerous precedent. You risk setting up expectations among employees that you may not always be able to meet.   Create a criteria. Rewarding employees is essential, but make sure that you have criteria in place for measuring performance so that the process doesn’t become political. I look at specific benchmarks when evaluating staff. In addition to sales and profitability, I’ll also measure customer service, by examining the number of complaints an employee receives. Having a system in place will help eliminate any suspicions about you playing favorites.     Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 30 repair shops across the country. Follow Mudlick on Facebook: /www.facebook.commudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail   nonadult false Holiday Rewards text blog 1420 0 0.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States GA 3 0 6489506 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Surviving-the-Slow-Months/blog/6480247/31710.html   With Thanksgiving behind us, there’s no denying we’re heading into what is traditionally the slowest season in the automotive repair business. However, a decrease in customers shouldn’t automatically lead to a decrease in productivity. Instead of simply waiting for business to pick back up, you should utilize your time and staff wisely to drive customers through the door. Here are some strategies to embrace during the “down” time.   Implement a call-back program: During busy periods, you have little time for customer follow-up. But the slow months provide a good opportunity to reach out and connect with customers again.  A call-back campaign will help formalize that process and will give your managers and front counter personnel something to do when they’re not serving customers.  You can use the calls to remind customers about overdue oil changes and repairs or upcoming emissions tests, if you’re a certified emissions test center. We offer three-year, 36,000-mile warranties on all our repairs, so we call owners before the warranty is set to expire to check on any problems that might require a visit to the shop. Feel free to call customers who haven’t been in for a year or more simply to check in. Some may have moved, (which will give you a chance to update your customer database), but others might be staying away because of a past bad experience.  Either way, you’re obtaining valuable information that will help you build your business for the future. And don’t forget to set goals about the number of appointments you expect your staff to book through these follow-up calls.   Make marketing a priority: Too many shop owners cut back on marketing when business slows, thinking of it as a good way to save money. That approach reduces your exposure to potential customers a time when you need it most. Instead, consider expanding your advertising budget and getting creative with your promotions. For example, during our slower periods, we offer free oil changes to customers who have never been in our shop before. We’ll examine our market area, develop a target list and send 250 of those offers every week during the slow season. We know that if we do a good job, that new customer we attract will return the next time he or she needs another oil change or a repair. We’ve also mailed postcards touting special discounts and incentives to attract customers who haven’t been to the shop in the last two years, in hopes of luring them back.   Promote your unique benefits: This is the time of year when it pays to remind customers about what separates you from the competition, so the next time their car breaks down, your shop and special services are top of mind. Our shops are focused on convenience. We provide a free customer shuttle and we can even pick up a customer’s car at work if that is a better option. We’re also proud of the warranty we offer for all our repairs, which is fully-transferable and covers all parts and work included in a repair – what we believe is in industry first. If you have benefits you’re proud of, make sure they’re posted prominently on your website and other marketing materials. It also doesn’t hurt to create an email campaign to raise awareness about your benefits among existing customers. If you don’t have any unique offerings, now might be the time to consider what you can to distinguish yourself from other shops in your area.   Remember, none of these strategies can work in isolation. Maintaining and growing business in the tougher months requires a strong commitment and a variety of efforts.     With Thanksgiving behind us, there’s no denying we’re heading into what is traditionally the slowest season in the automotive repair business. However, a decrease in customers shouldn’t automatically lead to a decrease in productivity. Instead of simply waiting for business to pick back up, you should utilize your time and staff wisely to drive customers through the door. Here are some strategies to embrace during the “down” time.   Implement a call-back program: During busy periods, you have little time for customer follow-up. But the slow months provide a good opportunity to reach out and connect with customers again.  A call-back campaign will help formalize that process and will give your managers and front counter personnel something to do when they’re not serving customers.  You can use the calls to remind customers about overdue oil changes and repairs or upcoming emissions tests, if you’re a certified emissions test center. We offer three-year, 36,000-mile warranties on all our repairs, so we call owners before the warranty is set to expire to check on any problems that might require a visit to the shop. Feel free to call customers who haven’t been in for a year or more simply to check in. Some may have moved, (which will give you a chance to update your customer database), but others might be staying away because of a past bad experience.  Either way, you’re obtaining valuable information that will help you build your business for the future. And don’t forget to set goals about the number of appointments you expect your staff to book through these follow-up calls.   Make marketing a priority: Too many shop owners cut back on marketing when business slows, thinking of it as a good way to save money. That approach reduces your exposure to potential customers a time when you need it most. Instead, consider expanding your advertising budget and getting creative with your promotions. For example, during our slower periods, we offer free oil changes to customers who have never been in our shop before. We’ll examine our market area, develop a target list and send 250 of those offers every week during the slow season. We know that if we do a good job, that new customer we attract will return the next time he or she needs another oil change or a repair. We’ve also mailed postcards touting special discounts and incentives to attract customers who haven’t been to the shop in the last two years, in hopes of luring them back.   Promote your unique benefits: This is the time of year when it pays to remind customers about what separates you from the competition, so the next time their car breaks down, your shop and special services are top of mind. Our shops are focused on convenience. We provide a free customer shuttle and we can even pick up a customer’s car at work if that is a better option. We’re also proud of the warranty we offer for all our repairs, which is fully-transferable and covers all parts and work included in a repair – what we believe is in industry first. If you have benefits you’re proud of, make sure they’re posted prominently on your website and other marketing materials. It also doesn’t hurt to create an email campaign to raise awareness about your benefits among existing customers. If you don’t have any unique offerings, now might be the time to consider what you can to distinguish yourself from other shops in your area.   Remember, none of these strategies can work in isolation. Maintaining and growing business in the tougher months requires a strong commitment and a variety of efforts.   Thu, 29 Nov 2012 05:03:28 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Surviving-the-Slow-Months/blog/6480247/31710.html MudlickMail 2012-11-29T05:03:28Z Motor Age Blogs AutoPro Workshop   With Thanksgiving behind us, there’s no denying we’re heading into what is traditionally the slowest season in the automotive repair business. However, a decrease in customers shouldn’t automatically lead to a decrease in productivity. Instead of simply waiting for business to pick back up, you should utilize your time and staff wisely to drive customers through the door. Here are some strategies to embrace during the “down” time.   Implement a call-back program: During busy periods, you have little time for customer follow-up. But the slow months provide a good opportunity to reach out and connect with customers again.  A call-back campaign will help formalize that process and will give your managers and front counter personnel something to do when they’re not serving customers.  You can use the calls to remind customers about overdue oil changes and repairs or upcoming emissions tests, if you’re a certified emissions test center. We offer three-year, 36,000-mile warranties on all our repairs, so we call owners before the warranty is set to expire to check on any problems that might require a visit to the shop. Feel free to call customers who haven’t been in for a year or more simply to check in. Some may have moved, (which will give you a chance to update your customer database), but others might be staying away because of a past bad experience.  Either way, you’re obtaining valuable information that will help you build your business for the future. And don’t forget to set goals about the number of appointments you expect your staff to book through these follow-up calls.   Make marketing a priority: Too many shop owners cut back on marketing when business slows, thinking of it as a good way to save money. That approach reduces your exposure to potential customers a time when you need it most. Instead, consider expanding your advertising budget and getting creative with your promotions. For example, during our slower periods, we offer free oil changes to customers who have never been in our shop before. We’ll examine our market area, develop a target list and send 250 of those offers every week during the slow season. We know that if we do a good job, that new customer we attract will return the next time he or she needs another oil change or a repair. We’ve also mailed postcards touting special discounts and incentives to attract customers who haven’t been to the shop in the last two years, in hopes of luring them back.   Promote your unique benefits: This is the time of year when it pays to remind customers about what separates you from the competition, so the next time their car breaks down, your shop and special services are top of mind. Our shops are focused on convenience. We provide a free customer shuttle and we can even pick up a customer’s car at work if that is a better option. We’re also proud of the warranty we offer for all our repairs, which is fully-transferable and covers all parts and work included in a repair – what we believe is in industry first. If you have benefits you’re proud of, make sure they’re posted prominently on your website and other marketing materials. It also doesn’t hurt to create an email campaign to raise awareness about your benefits among existing customers. If you don’t have any unique offerings, now might be the time to consider what you can to distinguish yourself from other shops in your area.   Remember, none of these strategies can work in isolation. Maintaining and growing business in the tougher months requires a strong commitment and a variety of efforts.   advertising, blogs, greg, mail, marketing, motor age, mudlick, sales, sands, season, slow nonadult false Surviving the Slow Months text blog advertising,blogs,greg,mail,marketing,motor age,mudlick,sales,sands,season,slow 3629 1 5.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States GA Acworth 30101 0 Motor Age / Blogs 1 6480247 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Making-the-Switch/blog/6435923/31710.html It’s no secret that transmission repair shop owners have faced a challenging market in recent years. Thanks to better-made cars, transmissions are lasting longer. In addition, easy financing options presented by auto manufacturers has led some drivers to buy a new car rather than spend money fixing a failing transmission in an older vehicle. The once steady flow of requests from dealerships and general auto repair centers to rebuild their customers’ transmissions also has slowed to a trickle, as more consumers are simply opting to buy new transmissions or use a re-manufactured transmission. In response, some transmission shop owners have decided to expand their services to include general auto repair. Converting from a specialty shop to a full-service repair center can be tricky. I’ve seen some shop owners make the transition smoothly, while others have struggled to gain any traction for their new services. Here are some tips for those of you considering broadening your reach to better compete in a rapidly changing market. Decide who you want to be: You must establish an identity in order to more effectively market your shop. Are you going to dip your toe in the water and simply add oil changes to your repertoire or are you going to be a full-service shop? And you have to think beyond what type of services you plan to provide. Consider the benefits you’ll offer. Will you offer warranties on your repairs? Will you provide a shuttle for convenience?  What’s your labor rate? Figuring out the answers to these questions will help guide your newly expanded business. Build your resources: Your technicians might be great at repairing or even rebuilding transmissions, but are they also skilled at replacing brake pads or addressing a problem with a car’s electrical system? If you are going to offer a broader array of services, you must have the staff on hand to handle everything your shop sells. Having customer service-focused front counter personnel and managers is also key, particularly if your shop had previously obtained most business from other shops rather than general consumers. If your staff is accustomed to dealing only with industry insiders, they may not be able to explain repairs in laymen’s terms to new customers. Hiring employees with retail experience or providing additional training might be in order. You’ll also need to increase your parts and supply inventory to support a wider range of repairs.    Spread the word:  The first step is to re-brand your shop, so your regular customers know that you’ve expanded your offerings. While the name of your business certainly carries some recognition in your market, your expanded brand should include something that speaks to general auto repair. Make sure your signage, brochures and other marketing materials incorporate that expanded title. Even if you can’t afford to replace your outdoor signage, make sure you at least have a banner inside that references more than just transmission repair. I also recommend using direct mail to raise awareness. The offers you send need to attract customers while also educating them about the services you provide. To accomplish those goals, I suggest using three calls to action: One advertising a discounted oil change or similar maintenance service that consumers need on a regular basis; Another providing a certain percentage off of services (Offering $10 off any service rather than providing $25 off services of $100 or more might be a more effective approach); And one promoting a specific repair, such as brake replacement. Once you’ve settled on your offers, advertise them consistently. You have to market every month, because your customers will likely visit just once or twice a year and you never know which month they might need you. Remember, it usually takes six impressions to fully realize the benefits of a direct mail campaign.   It’s no secret that transmission repair shop owners have faced a challenging market in recent years. Thanks to better-made cars, transmissions are lasting longer. In addition, easy financing options presented by auto manufacturers has led some drivers to buy a new car rather than spend money fixing a failing transmission in an older vehicle. The once steady flow of requests from dealerships and general auto repair centers to rebuild their customers’ transmissions also has slowed to a trickle, as more consumers are simply opting to buy new transmissions or use a re-manufactured transmission. In response, some transmission shop owners have decided to expand their services to include general auto repair. Converting from a specialty shop to a full-service repair center can be tricky. I’ve seen some shop owners make the transition smoothly, while others have struggled to gain any traction for their new services. Here are some tips for those of you considering broadening your reach to better compete in a rapidly changing market. Decide who you want to be: You must establish an identity in order to more effectively market your shop. Are you going to dip your toe in the water and simply add oil changes to your repertoire or are you going to be a full-service shop? And you have to think beyond what type of services you plan to provide. Consider the benefits you’ll offer. Will you offer warranties on your repairs? Will you provide a shuttle for convenience?  What’s your labor rate? Figuring out the answers to these questions will help guide your newly expanded business. Build your resources: Your technicians might be great at repairing or even rebuilding transmissions, but are they also skilled at replacing brake pads or addressing a problem with a car’s electrical system? If you are going to offer a broader array of services, you must have the staff on hand to handle everything your shop sells. Having customer service-focused front counter personnel and managers is also key, particularly if your shop had previously obtained most business from other shops rather than general consumers. If your staff is accustomed to dealing only with industry insiders, they may not be able to explain repairs in laymen’s terms to new customers. Hiring employees with retail experience or providing additional training might be in order. You’ll also need to increase your parts and supply inventory to support a wider range of repairs.    Spread the word:  The first step is to re-brand your shop, so your regular customers know that you’ve expanded your offerings. While the name of your business certainly carries some recognition in your market, your expanded brand should include something that speaks to general auto repair. Make sure your signage, brochures and other marketing materials incorporate that expanded title. Even if you can’t afford to replace your outdoor signage, make sure you at least have a banner inside that references more than just transmission repair. I also recommend using direct mail to raise awareness. The offers you send need to attract customers while also educating them about the services you provide. To accomplish those goals, I suggest using three calls to action: One advertising a discounted oil change or similar maintenance service that consumers need on a regular basis; Another providing a certain percentage off of services (Offering $10 off any service rather than providing $25 off services of $100 or more might be a more effective approach); And one promoting a specific repair, such as brake replacement. Once you’ve settled on your offers, advertise them consistently. You have to market every month, because your customers will likely visit just once or twice a year and you never know which month they might need you. Remember, it usually takes six impressions to fully realize the benefits of a direct mail campaign.   Tue, 30 Oct 2012 15:59:51 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Making-the-Switch/blog/6435923/31710.html MudlickMail 2012-10-30T15:59:51Z Motor Age Blogs AutoPro Workshop It’s no secret that transmission repair shop owners have faced a challenging market in recent years. Thanks to better-made cars, transmissions are lasting longer. In addition, easy financing options presented by auto manufacturers has led some drivers to buy a new car rather than spend money fixing a failing transmission in an older vehicle. The once steady flow of requests from dealerships and general auto repair centers to rebuild their customers’ transmissions also has slowed to a trickle, as more consumers are simply opting to buy new transmissions or use a re-manufactured transmission. In response, some transmission shop owners have decided to expand their services to include general auto repair. Converting from a specialty shop to a full-service repair center can be tricky. I’ve seen some shop owners make the transition smoothly, while others have struggled to gain any traction for their new services. Here are some tips for those of you considering broadening your reach to better compete in a rapidly changing market. Decide who you want to be: You must establish an identity in order to more effectively market your shop. Are you going to dip your toe in the water and simply add oil changes to your repertoire or are you going to be a full-service shop? And you have to think beyond what type of services you plan to provide. Consider the benefits you’ll offer. Will you offer warranties on your repairs? Will you provide a shuttle for convenience?  What’s your labor rate? Figuring out the answers to these questions will help guide your newly expanded business. Build your resources: Your technicians might be great at repairing or even rebuilding transmissions, but are they also skilled at replacing brake pads or addressing a problem with a car’s electrical system? If you are going to offer a broader array of services, you must have the staff on hand to handle everything your shop sells. Having customer service-focused front counter personnel and managers is also key, particularly if your shop had previously obtained most business from other shops rather than general consumers. If your staff is accustomed to dealing only with industry insiders, they may not be able to explain repairs in laymen’s terms to new customers. Hiring employees with retail experience or providing additional training might be in order. You’ll also need to increase your parts and supply inventory to support a wider range of repairs.    Spread the word:  The first step is to re-brand your shop, so your regular customers know that you’ve expanded your offerings. While the name of your business certainly carries some recognition in your market, your expanded brand should include something that speaks to general auto repair. Make sure your signage, brochures and other marketing materials incorporate that expanded title. Even if you can’t afford to replace your outdoor signage, make sure you at least have a banner inside that references more than just transmission repair. I also recommend using direct mail to raise awareness. The offers you send need to attract customers while also educating them about the services you provide. To accomplish those goals, I suggest using three calls to action: One advertising a discounted oil change or similar maintenance service that consumers need on a regular basis; Another providing a certain percentage off of services (Offering $10 off any service rather than providing $25 off services of $100 or more might be a more effective approach); And one promoting a specific repair, such as brake replacement. Once you’ve settled on your offers, advertise them consistently. You have to market every month, because your customers will likely visit just once or twice a year and you never know which month they might need you. Remember, it usually takes six impressions to fully realize the benefits of a direct mail campaign.   advertising, auto, blogs, direct, general, mail, marketing, motor age, repair, shops, transmission nonadult false Making the Switch text blog advertising,auto,blogs,direct,general,mail,marketing,motor age,repair,shops,transmission 1031 0 0.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States GA Acworth 30101 0 Motor Age / Blogs 0 6435923 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Resetting-Your-Business/blog/6373183/31710.html Fall may seem like the perfect time to relax and recover from the summer rush, but these slower months are no time to rest on your laurels. Instead of hunkering down and waiting for business to pick-up, use this time to evaluate your operations and set the stage for a strong 2013. Spend the fourth quarter digging into the things you never think about  - from your utility expenses to the inventory still sitting on the shelves. This process, which I like to refer to as “resetting” your business, will keep you on track and better positioned to meet your goals. Getting Started One of the best areas to focus your efforts on is staff improvement. Think of yourself as a football coach during the off-season. Examine your roster and consider where you might be able to upgrade your talent. Autumn is a great time to recruit because technicians and managers who weren’t willing to make a switch during peak periods are less busy and more open to entertaining offers. Many shop owners tend to cut staff during this period because sales decline, which means potential stars could be looking for work.  Cutting Costs It’s tedious, but I always advise shop owners to analyze their costs line item by line item. When trimming expenses, try to limit cuts to items that won’t negatively impact customers. For example, look at your insurance costs and ask yourself if it’s worthwhile to shop around for better rates? When it comes to utility bills, are you utilizing digital thermostats and other cost-saving measures? Are you paying too much for uniforms or credit card processing fees? These costs need to be re-examined regularly to ensure that you’re getting the best deal possible.   Take Stock Tracking inventory is another task that falls by the wayside when business is brisk. My shops count inventory every month. While that may be too taxing for some shops, I recommend assessing your stock at least twice a year. If something is missing, write it off – that’s basically money sitting on the counter. If you have inventory that’s not productive, send it back or sell it on eBay. This is also a good time to “take stock” of your marketing efforts. Are you advertising enough? Is it generating the results you want? I don’t advocate cutting back on advertising during the fourth quarter because you need outreach most when customer traffic is down. Failing to remain consistent with your campaigns can also impact your investment. Give back Because my shops write budgets in November, autumn provides the perfect opportunity to decide which organizations I might want to sponsor in the coming year. Instead of simply responding to requests throughout the year, I commit to certain causes that make the most sense. This prevents me from getting overextended or pulled into too many directions later in the year. The approach can also help you become more strategic in your charitable giving.    Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 25 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick on Facebook: /www.facebook.commudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail Fall may seem like the perfect time to relax and recover from the summer rush, but these slower months are no time to rest on your laurels. Instead of hunkering down and waiting for business to pick-up, use this time to evaluate your operations and set the stage for a strong 2013. Spend the fourth quarter digging into the things you never think about  - from your utility expenses to the inventory still sitting on the shelves. This process, which I like to refer to as “resetting” your business, will keep you on track and better positioned to meet your goals. Getting Started One of the best areas to focus your efforts on is staff improvement. Think of yourself as a football coach during the off-season. Examine your roster and consider where you might be able to upgrade your talent. Autumn is a great time to recruit because technicians and managers who weren’t willing to make a switch during peak periods are less busy and more open to entertaining offers. Many shop owners tend to cut staff during this period because sales decline, which means potential stars could be looking for work.  Cutting Costs It’s tedious, but I always advise shop owners to analyze their costs line item by line item. When trimming expenses, try to limit cuts to items that won’t negatively impact customers. For example, look at your insurance costs and ask yourself if it’s worthwhile to shop around for better rates? When it comes to utility bills, are you utilizing digital thermostats and other cost-saving measures? Are you paying too much for uniforms or credit card processing fees? These costs need to be re-examined regularly to ensure that you’re getting the best deal possible.   Take Stock Tracking inventory is another task that falls by the wayside when business is brisk. My shops count inventory every month. While that may be too taxing for some shops, I recommend assessing your stock at least twice a year. If something is missing, write it off – that’s basically money sitting on the counter. If you have inventory that’s not productive, send it back or sell it on eBay. This is also a good time to “take stock” of your marketing efforts. Are you advertising enough? Is it generating the results you want? I don’t advocate cutting back on advertising during the fourth quarter because you need outreach most when customer traffic is down. Failing to remain consistent with your campaigns can also impact your investment. Give back Because my shops write budgets in November, autumn provides the perfect opportunity to decide which organizations I might want to sponsor in the coming year. Instead of simply responding to requests throughout the year, I commit to certain causes that make the most sense. This prevents me from getting overextended or pulled into too many directions later in the year. The approach can also help you become more strategic in your charitable giving.    Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 25 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick on Facebook: /www.facebook.commudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail Fri, 28 Sep 2012 05:57:24 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Resetting-Your-Business/blog/6373183/31710.html MudlickMail 2012-09-28T05:57:24Z Motor Age AutoPro Workshop Fall may seem like the perfect time to relax and recover from the summer rush, but these slower months are no time to rest on your laurels. Instead of hunkering down and waiting for business to pick-up, use this time to evaluate your operations and set the stage for a strong 2013. Spend the fourth quarter digging into the things you never think about  - from your utility expenses to the inventory still sitting on the shelves. This process, which I like to refer to as “resetting” your business, will keep you on track and better positioned to meet your goals. Getting Started One of the best areas to focus your efforts on is staff improvement. Think of yourself as a football coach during the off-season. Examine your roster and consider where you might be able to upgrade your talent. Autumn is a great time to recruit because technicians and managers who weren’t willing to make a switch during peak periods are less busy and more open to entertaining offers. Many shop owners tend to cut staff during this period because sales decline, which means potential stars could be looking for work.  Cutting Costs It’s tedious, but I always advise shop owners to analyze their costs line item by line item. When trimming expenses, try to limit cuts to items that won’t negatively impact customers. For example, look at your insurance costs and ask yourself if it’s worthwhile to shop around for better rates? When it comes to utility bills, are you utilizing digital thermostats and other cost-saving measures? Are you paying too much for uniforms or credit card processing fees? These costs need to be re-examined regularly to ensure that you’re getting the best deal possible.   Take Stock Tracking inventory is another task that falls by the wayside when business is brisk. My shops count inventory every month. While that may be too taxing for some shops, I recommend assessing your stock at least twice a year. If something is missing, write it off – that’s basically money sitting on the counter. If you have inventory that’s not productive, send it back or sell it on eBay. This is also a good time to “take stock” of your marketing efforts. Are you advertising enough? Is it generating the results you want? I don’t advocate cutting back on advertising during the fourth quarter because you need outreach most when customer traffic is down. Failing to remain consistent with your campaigns can also impact your investment. Give back Because my shops write budgets in November, autumn provides the perfect opportunity to decide which organizations I might want to sponsor in the coming year. Instead of simply responding to requests throughout the year, I commit to certain causes that make the most sense. This prevents me from getting overextended or pulled into too many directions later in the year. The approach can also help you become more strategic in your charitable giving.    Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 25 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick on Facebook: /www.facebook.commudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail cost, cutting, fourth, greg, marketing, motor age, quarter, recruiting, sands nonadult false Resetting Your Business text blog cost,cutting,fourth,greg,marketing,motor age,quarter,recruiting,sands 789 0 0.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States Acworth 30101 0 Motor Age 0 6373183 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Parts-It-Pays-to-Shop-Around/blog/6308279/31710.html Repair shops don’t operate in isolation. Most of us depend on a legion of other businesses to supply us with the products and services we need to keep our shops running. Getting the best deal possible from these vendors is key if you want to maximize profits.  Making the most of your dealings with parts suppliers is particularly important because parts make up such a big chunk of a shop’s monthly expenses. My goal when buying parts is to get the best deal, while maintaining good relationships with supply houses. Here’s a look at how I achieve that goal. One of my “rules” is to never sign long-term contacts with one vendor. Parts suppliers – like wireless providers and cable companies  - are always promising price incentives to shops willing to sign long-term agreements. These agreements often require shops to call that supply house first. If the part is out of stock, the supplier will offer to buy the part for the shop. That sounds like a nice arrangement in theory, but once a supplier has your business they don’t have any motivation to remain competitive. You don’t know if you’re getting the best price because your contract limits your exposure to other vendors. And while your “exclusive” supplier may have offered you the best price on a particular part the day you signed a long-term contract, there’s no guarantee that the company still has the lowest price on that part today. Instead, I believe in the free market and I view parts as commodities. At my stores, we check with a minimum of three suppliers before making a purchase. If all three vendors have the part in stock, I go with the cheapest price.  It’s also not unusual to see suppliers offer to match prices because they know I’m comparison-shopping. Because I don’t have a long-term agreement, suppliers treat me like a new customer each time I call. Quality is also important. A vendor might have the lowest prices in town, but if that company doesn’t carry the brand name parts I’m looking for, it’s irrelevant. To make a fair assessment on price, you have to be able to do an apple-to-apple comparison on the same part.  Of course, price is only part of the equation. I will throw more business at suppliers who offer good service. If a company is willing to deliver a part or is especially friendly, I may pay more to do business with that vendor. Although I don’t sign long-term agreements, I do have a handful of parts vendors who get about 70 percent of my business because they’ve proven their worth on price, service and convenience.  They’ve earned my loyalty through because they’re willing to compete for my business.   Keep in mind that this approach doesn’t work unless you pay your bills on time. No supplier is going to be willing to compete on price if takes a long time to get paid. If that’s an issue, then signing a long-term contract might make more sense for you because your vendor might offer more flexibility in return for your loyalty. Overly demanding shop owners also won’t get much of a second-look from suppliers, who want to deal with shops that are easy to do business with. For example, if a part fails, I typically don’t file a warranty claim because it’s usually not worth the trouble. I figure that the discounts I am receiving will help make up the cost. Finally, remember that suppliers will do anything to land your business –even stooping to gimmicks. Don’t fall for suppliers who send attractive, scantily-clad women to deliver your parts.  That type of tactic only distracts your technicians (which slows your work flow) and can turn off female customers.  Suppliers who offer a competitive price, good service and a quality product deserve your business.   Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 25 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick on Facebook: /www.facebook.commudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail Repair shops don’t operate in isolation. Most of us depend on a legion of other businesses to supply us with the products and services we need to keep our shops running. Getting the best deal possible from these vendors is key if you want to maximize profits.  Making the most of your dealings with parts suppliers is particularly important because parts make up such a big chunk of a shop’s monthly expenses. My goal when buying parts is to get the best deal, while maintaining good relationships with supply houses. Here’s a look at how I achieve that goal. One of my “rules” is to never sign long-term contacts with one vendor. Parts suppliers – like wireless providers and cable companies  - are always promising price incentives to shops willing to sign long-term agreements. These agreements often require shops to call that supply house first. If the part is out of stock, the supplier will offer to buy the part for the shop. That sounds like a nice arrangement in theory, but once a supplier has your business they don’t have any motivation to remain competitive. You don’t know if you’re getting the best price because your contract limits your exposure to other vendors. And while your “exclusive” supplier may have offered you the best price on a particular part the day you signed a long-term contract, there’s no guarantee that the company still has the lowest price on that part today. Instead, I believe in the free market and I view parts as commodities. At my stores, we check with a minimum of three suppliers before making a purchase. If all three vendors have the part in stock, I go with the cheapest price.  It’s also not unusual to see suppliers offer to match prices because they know I’m comparison-shopping. Because I don’t have a long-term agreement, suppliers treat me like a new customer each time I call. Quality is also important. A vendor might have the lowest prices in town, but if that company doesn’t carry the brand name parts I’m looking for, it’s irrelevant. To make a fair assessment on price, you have to be able to do an apple-to-apple comparison on the same part.  Of course, price is only part of the equation. I will throw more business at suppliers who offer good service. If a company is willing to deliver a part or is especially friendly, I may pay more to do business with that vendor. Although I don’t sign long-term agreements, I do have a handful of parts vendors who get about 70 percent of my business because they’ve proven their worth on price, service and convenience.  They’ve earned my loyalty through because they’re willing to compete for my business.   Keep in mind that this approach doesn’t work unless you pay your bills on time. No supplier is going to be willing to compete on price if takes a long time to get paid. If that’s an issue, then signing a long-term contract might make more sense for you because your vendor might offer more flexibility in return for your loyalty. Overly demanding shop owners also won’t get much of a second-look from suppliers, who want to deal with shops that are easy to do business with. For example, if a part fails, I typically don’t file a warranty claim because it’s usually not worth the trouble. I figure that the discounts I am receiving will help make up the cost. Finally, remember that suppliers will do anything to land your business –even stooping to gimmicks. Don’t fall for suppliers who send attractive, scantily-clad women to deliver your parts.  That type of tactic only distracts your technicians (which slows your work flow) and can turn off female customers.  Suppliers who offer a competitive price, good service and a quality product deserve your business.   Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 25 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick on Facebook: /www.facebook.commudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail Thu, 30 Aug 2012 02:01:56 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Parts-It-Pays-to-Shop-Around/blog/6308279/31710.html MudlickMail 2012-08-30T02:01:56Z Motor Age AutoPro Workshop Repair shops don’t operate in isolation. Most of us depend on a legion of other businesses to supply us with the products and services we need to keep our shops running. Getting the best deal possible from these vendors is key if you want to maximize profits.  Making the most of your dealings with parts suppliers is particularly important because parts make up such a big chunk of a shop’s monthly expenses. My goal when buying parts is to get the best deal, while maintaining good relationships with supply houses. Here’s a look at how I achieve that goal. One of my “rules” is to never sign long-term contacts with one vendor. Parts suppliers – like wireless providers and cable companies  - are always promising price incentives to shops willing to sign long-term agreements. These agreements often require shops to call that supply house first. If the part is out of stock, the supplier will offer to buy the part for the shop. That sounds like a nice arrangement in theory, but once a supplier has your business they don’t have any motivation to remain competitive. You don’t know if you’re getting the best price because your contract limits your exposure to other vendors. And while your “exclusive” supplier may have offered you the best price on a particular part the day you signed a long-term contract, there’s no guarantee that the company still has the lowest price on that part today. Instead, I believe in the free market and I view parts as commodities. At my stores, we check with a minimum of three suppliers before making a purchase. If all three vendors have the part in stock, I go with the cheapest price.  It’s also not unusual to see suppliers offer to match prices because they know I’m comparison-shopping. Because I don’t have a long-term agreement, suppliers treat me like a new customer each time I call. Quality is also important. A vendor might have the lowest prices in town, but if that company doesn’t carry the brand name parts I’m looking for, it’s irrelevant. To make a fair assessment on price, you have to be able to do an apple-to-apple comparison on the same part.  Of course, price is only part of the equation. I will throw more business at suppliers who offer good service. If a company is willing to deliver a part or is especially friendly, I may pay more to do business with that vendor. Although I don’t sign long-term agreements, I do have a handful of parts vendors who get about 70 percent of my business because they’ve proven their worth on price, service and convenience.  They’ve earned my loyalty through because they’re willing to compete for my business.   Keep in mind that this approach doesn’t work unless you pay your bills on time. No supplier is going to be willing to compete on price if takes a long time to get paid. If that’s an issue, then signing a long-term contract might make more sense for you because your vendor might offer more flexibility in return for your loyalty. Overly demanding shop owners also won’t get much of a second-look from suppliers, who want to deal with shops that are easy to do business with. For example, if a part fails, I typically don’t file a warranty claim because it’s usually not worth the trouble. I figure that the discounts I am receiving will help make up the cost. Finally, remember that suppliers will do anything to land your business –even stooping to gimmicks. Don’t fall for suppliers who send attractive, scantily-clad women to deliver your parts.  That type of tactic only distracts your technicians (which slows your work flow) and can turn off female customers.  Suppliers who offer a competitive price, good service and a quality product deserve your business.   Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 25 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick on Facebook: /www.facebook.commudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail auto, contracts, greg, long-term, motor age, parts, parts suppliers, parts vendors, price, sands, shopping nonadult false Parts: It Pays to Shop Around text blog auto,contracts,greg,long-term,motor age,parts,parts suppliers,parts vendors,price,sands,shopping 2844 0 0.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States GA Acworth 30101 4 Motor Age 0 6308279 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Email-Marketing/blog/6253537/31710.html If you fail to keep in touch with your customers, you risk losing your customers. One great way to maintain those customer relationships is through email marketing. If you haven’t tried reaching out through email or you think the effort simply isn’t worth it, think again. For a relatively small amount of money, email marketing allows you to test a variety of offers and stay top of mind with your customers. Here’s a quick look at what’s involved in employing email marketing and how to get started: Building a database: There are a variety of ways to collect email addresses from customers. At our shops, we ask our customers provide an email address when we are inputting all of their personal information, so we can easily send documentation of our work – either through digital photos or invoices for repairs. We actually obtain email addresses from about 60 percent of the individuals we ask, because we promise not to sell their information and many see value in receiving information electronically.  We also make it goal for our managers and front desk personnel to collect emails from customers. Another option is to leave a space for email addresses on your comment cards.  Or, if you’re really starting from scratch, you can pay an email marketing firm to locate email addresses for your existing customer database by comparing that information against other databases. Most will charge you a fee for every match they find. It’s not the cheapest route, but it will allow you to build a list quickly.  Choosing a service: There are myriad of email marketing services in the market and each has its own set of bells and whistles. Determining which one is best for you may depend on how much you want to spend and how hands-on you plan to be with your email marketing campaigns. If you would like to design your own emails, distribute them yourself and update your own mailing lists, then I suggest choosing a user-friendly service with great technical support. However, if you’d like to leave the heavy lifting to someone else, it might be wise to select a service that provides more automation. It may cost more, but the trade off is that you’ll save time. Making it work:  Once you have your system in place and mailing lists established, think carefully about the messages you want to send. Coupons for discounted services are always good because they offer customers an incentive to continue their relationship with you. Instead of tying it to a specific service, we provide a percentage off of any service of a certain price. An offer with a short-time frame is worth considering because it compels people to act quickly. Maintenance reminders can also prove valuable to customers.   No matter how compelling your emails are, don’t make the mistake of flooding your customers’ inboxes with email. I know if I receive emails from a business too often (say every few days or even daily), I tune them out and eventually unsubscribe from their mailings. Don’t be that business. I recommend sending out emails about once a month (in addition to scheduled maintenance reminders). That level of frequency should keep you on the minds of your customers, without alienating them. Be realistic: Sending offers through email is great, but it’s not going to cause a barrage of business. Instead, I think of it as a great way to keep your existing customers aware of your business. To attract new customers, you still need to utilize other marketing tools, such as direct mail. Remember, every customer is different and likes to be communicated with in a different way. Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 25 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick Mail on Facebook: /www.facebook.com/mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail
 If you fail to keep in touch with your customers, you risk losing your customers. One great way to maintain those customer relationships is through email marketing. If you haven’t tried reaching out through email or you think the effort simply isn’t worth it, think again. For a relatively small amount of money, email marketing allows you to test a variety of offers and stay top of mind with your customers. Here’s a quick look at what’s involved in employing email marketing and how to get started: Building a database: There are a variety of ways to collect email addresses from customers. At our shops, we ask our customers provide an email address when we are inputting all of their personal information, so we can easily send documentation of our work – either through digital photos or invoices for repairs. We actually obtain email addresses from about 60 percent of the individuals we ask, because we promise not to sell their information and many see value in receiving information electronically.  We also make it goal for our managers and front desk personnel to collect emails from customers. Another option is to leave a space for email addresses on your comment cards.  Or, if you’re really starting from scratch, you can pay an email marketing firm to locate email addresses for your existing customer database by comparing that information against other databases. Most will charge you a fee for every match they find. It’s not the cheapest route, but it will allow you to build a list quickly.  Choosing a service: There are myriad of email marketing services in the market and each has its own set of bells and whistles. Determining which one is best for you may depend on how much you want to spend and how hands-on you plan to be with your email marketing campaigns. If you would like to design your own emails, distribute them yourself and update your own mailing lists, then I suggest choosing a user-friendly service with great technical support. However, if you’d like to leave the heavy lifting to someone else, it might be wise to select a service that provides more automation. It may cost more, but the trade off is that you’ll save time. Making it work:  Once you have your system in place and mailing lists established, think carefully about the messages you want to send. Coupons for discounted services are always good because they offer customers an incentive to continue their relationship with you. Instead of tying it to a specific service, we provide a percentage off of any service of a certain price. An offer with a short-time frame is worth considering because it compels people to act quickly. Maintenance reminders can also prove valuable to customers.   No matter how compelling your emails are, don’t make the mistake of flooding your customers’ inboxes with email. I know if I receive emails from a business too often (say every few days or even daily), I tune them out and eventually unsubscribe from their mailings. Don’t be that business. I recommend sending out emails about once a month (in addition to scheduled maintenance reminders). That level of frequency should keep you on the minds of your customers, without alienating them. Be realistic: Sending offers through email is great, but it’s not going to cause a barrage of business. Instead, I think of it as a great way to keep your existing customers aware of your business. To attract new customers, you still need to utilize other marketing tools, such as direct mail. Remember, every customer is different and likes to be communicated with in a different way. Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 25 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick Mail on Facebook: /www.facebook.com/mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail
 Wed, 01 Aug 2012 06:05:56 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Email-Marketing/blog/6253537/31710.html MudlickMail 2012-08-01T06:05:56Z AutoPro Workshop If you fail to keep in touch with your customers, you risk losing your customers. One great way to maintain those customer relationships is through email marketing. If you haven’t tried reaching out through email or you think the effort simply isn’t worth it, think again. For a relatively small amount of money, email marketing allows you to test a variety of offers and stay top of mind with your customers. Here’s a quick look at what’s involved in employing email marketing and how to get started: Building a database: There are a variety of ways to collect email addresses from customers. At our shops, we ask our customers provide an email address when we are inputting all of their personal information, so we can easily send documentation of our work – either through digital photos or invoices for repairs. We actually obtain email addresses from about 60 percent of the individuals we ask, because we promise not to sell their information and many see value in receiving information electronically.  We also make it goal for our managers and front desk personnel to collect emails from customers. Another option is to leave a space for email addresses on your comment cards.  Or, if you’re really starting from scratch, you can pay an email marketing firm to locate email addresses for your existing customer database by comparing that information against other databases. Most will charge you a fee for every match they find. It’s not the cheapest route, but it will allow you to build a list quickly.  Choosing a service: There are myriad of email marketing services in the market and each has its own set of bells and whistles. Determining which one is best for you may depend on how much you want to spend and how hands-on you plan to be with your email marketing campaigns. If you would like to design your own emails, distribute them yourself and update your own mailing lists, then I suggest choosing a user-friendly service with great technical support. However, if you’d like to leave the heavy lifting to someone else, it might be wise to select a service that provides more automation. It may cost more, but the trade off is that you’ll save time. Making it work:  Once you have your system in place and mailing lists established, think carefully about the messages you want to send. Coupons for discounted services are always good because they offer customers an incentive to continue their relationship with you. Instead of tying it to a specific service, we provide a percentage off of any service of a certain price. An offer with a short-time frame is worth considering because it compels people to act quickly. Maintenance reminders can also prove valuable to customers.   No matter how compelling your emails are, don’t make the mistake of flooding your customers’ inboxes with email. I know if I receive emails from a business too often (say every few days or even daily), I tune them out and eventually unsubscribe from their mailings. Don’t be that business. I recommend sending out emails about once a month (in addition to scheduled maintenance reminders). That level of frequency should keep you on the minds of your customers, without alienating them. Be realistic: Sending offers through email is great, but it’s not going to cause a barrage of business. Instead, I think of it as a great way to keep your existing customers aware of your business. To attract new customers, you still need to utilize other marketing tools, such as direct mail. Remember, every customer is different and likes to be communicated with in a different way. Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 25 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick Mail on Facebook: /www.facebook.com/mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail
 customer, direct, email, greg, mail, marketing, mudlick mail, outreach, sands nonadult false Email Marketing text blog customer,direct,email,greg,mail,marketing,mudlick mail,outreach,sands 1388 0 0.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States GA Acworth 30101 0 0 6253537 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Retaining-Talent/blog/6220975/31710.html I’ve written extensively about how important hiring is and yet what a challenge it can be. Just as important is retaining quality employees. While I’ve made my fair share of hiring mistakes, when I find good people I do everything I can to keep them. I have one employee who has been on my staff for 18 years – nearly as long as I’ve been in the automotive repair business. I also have employees who have worked for my shops since they opened. I am not in the habit of retaining people who don’t contribute to my company, so the employees that have long track records at my shops truly are outstanding performers. When it comes to retention, the first step is to determine which employees are worth fighting for. I never set goals or quotas for the number of employees I’d like to retain because I believe that approach can result in keeping underperformers simply to maintain a low-turnover rate. I run a performance-based company, so those employees that are exceeding goals are the ones that really capture my attention and retention efforts. Managers, for example, are evaluated based on sales, gross profit and the number of complaints received. Technicians are judged on the hours flagged and the quality of their work. These measurement tools make it easy to assess how valuable each employee is to the operation.  So, how do you keep the staff members who are having a positive impact on your business? Here are a few strategies that have worked for me:   Communicate: Employees need to know where they stand in order to feel confident in their jobs.  Unfortunately, in many businesses, employees don’t have any sense of how they’re doing until they receive their annual evaluations. Instead, I encourage checking in with employees through more frequent and informal one-on-one meetings. Use these conversations to not only reiterate expectations about an individual’s performance goals, but to also communicate your goals as a business owner.Employees want to know what your vision is and how they fit into the larger picture. Reward good work: Most employees will tell you they are motivated by money. While the idea of getting a bonus sounds great, the employee tends to forget about the cash as soon as it’s spent. If you incentivize employees with money they’ll also tie any future rewards to cash. I prefer to reward employees through smaller items that will last longer, such as plaques or actual awards that display their accomplishments and serve as long-term reminders of their achievements. Contests also resonate with employees because it gives them a chance to shine among their co-workers.  Even taking an employee and his or her spouse out to dinner can make a tremendous impact because it gives you the opportunity to praise the employee publicly. Those are the little things that people remember and value. Offer growth opportunities: Even the most loyal employee will leave if they can’t see a future with your business. If you’re expanding and adding sites, give employees the potential to grow with your company. An assistant manager in an existing store could be GM someday in a new store.  If you have no plans to open multiple locations, focus on growing sales and allowing employees to share in that success through their performance. Giving employees more responsibility will also help them feel like they are building their skills.   With nearly two decades of automotive industry experience, Greg Sands is one of the most successful auto repair operators in the United States. Greg started his auto repair career in 1993 as a manager for an auto repair chain in Houston, TX. In his early 30’s, Greg rose to become president and minority owner of the chain. He helped grow the company from three to 38 locations with over $45 million in sales, across four major metropolitan areas. In 2001, Greg launched SRSANDCO LLC to develop and operate full service automotive repair facilities.Today, along with his managers and partners, Greg owns and operates 29 auto repair shops in four states. Greg also serves as founder and CEO of Mudlick Mail, which provides strategically targeted direct mail campaigns for auto repair shops nationally. I’ve written extensively about how important hiring is and yet what a challenge it can be. Just as important is retaining quality employees. While I’ve made my fair share of hiring mistakes, when I find good people I do everything I can to keep them. I have one employee who has been on my staff for 18 years – nearly as long as I’ve been in the automotive repair business. I also have employees who have worked for my shops since they opened. I am not in the habit of retaining people who don’t contribute to my company, so the employees that have long track records at my shops truly are outstanding performers. When it comes to retention, the first step is to determine which employees are worth fighting for. I never set goals or quotas for the number of employees I’d like to retain because I believe that approach can result in keeping underperformers simply to maintain a low-turnover rate. I run a performance-based company, so those employees that are exceeding goals are the ones that really capture my attention and retention efforts. Managers, for example, are evaluated based on sales, gross profit and the number of complaints received. Technicians are judged on the hours flagged and the quality of their work. These measurement tools make it easy to assess how valuable each employee is to the operation.  So, how do you keep the staff members who are having a positive impact on your business? Here are a few strategies that have worked for me:   Communicate: Employees need to know where they stand in order to feel confident in their jobs.  Unfortunately, in many businesses, employees don’t have any sense of how they’re doing until they receive their annual evaluations. Instead, I encourage checking in with employees through more frequent and informal one-on-one meetings. Use these conversations to not only reiterate expectations about an individual’s performance goals, but to also communicate your goals as a business owner.Employees want to know what your vision is and how they fit into the larger picture. Reward good work: Most employees will tell you they are motivated by money. While the idea of getting a bonus sounds great, the employee tends to forget about the cash as soon as it’s spent. If you incentivize employees with money they’ll also tie any future rewards to cash. I prefer to reward employees through smaller items that will last longer, such as plaques or actual awards that display their accomplishments and serve as long-term reminders of their achievements. Contests also resonate with employees because it gives them a chance to shine among their co-workers.  Even taking an employee and his or her spouse out to dinner can make a tremendous impact because it gives you the opportunity to praise the employee publicly. Those are the little things that people remember and value. Offer growth opportunities: Even the most loyal employee will leave if they can’t see a future with your business. If you’re expanding and adding sites, give employees the potential to grow with your company. An assistant manager in an existing store could be GM someday in a new store.  If you have no plans to open multiple locations, focus on growing sales and allowing employees to share in that success through their performance. Giving employees more responsibility will also help them feel like they are building their skills.   With nearly two decades of automotive industry experience, Greg Sands is one of the most successful auto repair operators in the United States. Greg started his auto repair career in 1993 as a manager for an auto repair chain in Houston, TX. In his early 30’s, Greg rose to become president and minority owner of the chain. He helped grow the company from three to 38 locations with over $45 million in sales, across four major metropolitan areas. In 2001, Greg launched SRSANDCO LLC to develop and operate full service automotive repair facilities.Today, along with his managers and partners, Greg owns and operates 29 auto repair shops in four states. Greg also serves as founder and CEO of Mudlick Mail, which provides strategically targeted direct mail campaigns for auto repair shops nationally. Thu, 12 Jul 2012 07:30:22 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Retaining-Talent/blog/6220975/31710.html MudlickMail 2012-07-12T07:30:22Z Motor Age AutoPro Workshop I’ve written extensively about how important hiring is and yet what a challenge it can be. Just as important is retaining quality employees. While I’ve made my fair share of hiring mistakes, when I find good people I do everything I can to keep them. I have one employee who has been on my staff for 18 years – nearly as long as I’ve been in the automotive repair business. I also have employees who have worked for my shops since they opened. I am not in the habit of retaining people who don’t contribute to my company, so the employees that have long track records at my shops truly are outstanding performers. When it comes to retention, the first step is to determine which employees are worth fighting for. I never set goals or quotas for the number of employees I’d like to retain because I believe that approach can result in keeping underperformers simply to maintain a low-turnover rate. I run a performance-based company, so those employees that are exceeding goals are the ones that really capture my attention and retention efforts. Managers, for example, are evaluated based on sales, gross profit and the number of complaints received. Technicians are judged on the hours flagged and the quality of their work. These measurement tools make it easy to assess how valuable each employee is to the operation.  So, how do you keep the staff members who are having a positive impact on your business? Here are a few strategies that have worked for me:   Communicate: Employees need to know where they stand in order to feel confident in their jobs.  Unfortunately, in many businesses, employees don’t have any sense of how they’re doing until they receive their annual evaluations. Instead, I encourage checking in with employees through more frequent and informal one-on-one meetings. Use these conversations to not only reiterate expectations about an individual’s performance goals, but to also communicate your goals as a business owner.Employees want to know what your vision is and how they fit into the larger picture. Reward good work: Most employees will tell you they are motivated by money. While the idea of getting a bonus sounds great, the employee tends to forget about the cash as soon as it’s spent. If you incentivize employees with money they’ll also tie any future rewards to cash. I prefer to reward employees through smaller items that will last longer, such as plaques or actual awards that display their accomplishments and serve as long-term reminders of their achievements. Contests also resonate with employees because it gives them a chance to shine among their co-workers.  Even taking an employee and his or her spouse out to dinner can make a tremendous impact because it gives you the opportunity to praise the employee publicly. Those are the little things that people remember and value. Offer growth opportunities: Even the most loyal employee will leave if they can’t see a future with your business. If you’re expanding and adding sites, give employees the potential to grow with your company. An assistant manager in an existing store could be GM someday in a new store.  If you have no plans to open multiple locations, focus on growing sales and allowing employees to share in that success through their performance. Giving employees more responsibility will also help them feel like they are building their skills.   With nearly two decades of automotive industry experience, Greg Sands is one of the most successful auto repair operators in the United States. Greg started his auto repair career in 1993 as a manager for an auto repair chain in Houston, TX. In his early 30’s, Greg rose to become president and minority owner of the chain. He helped grow the company from three to 38 locations with over $45 million in sales, across four major metropolitan areas. In 2001, Greg launched SRSANDCO LLC to develop and operate full service automotive repair facilities.Today, along with his managers and partners, Greg owns and operates 29 auto repair shops in four states. Greg also serves as founder and CEO of Mudlick Mail, which provides strategically targeted direct mail campaigns for auto repair shops nationally. automotive, employee performance, employees, identifying, motor age, repair, retention, shops, talent nonadult false Retaining Talent text blog automotive,employee performance,employees,identifying,motor age,repair,retention,shops,talent 2472 1 4.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States GA Acworth 30101 2 Motor Age 0 6220975 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_How-to-Hire/blog/6135379/31710.html We all know that finding quality employees is more of an art than a science. I have seen candidates with stellar resumes and great skills fall short once they were hired. I have also had the pleasure of watching individuals with modest credentials perform impressively in new positions.  While there isn’t a tried-and-true formula for separating the wheat from the chaff, I have developed some strategies over the years that have improved my hiring process tremendously. My hope is that these tips will help you land some truly outstanding team players. Develop a hiring criteria. That might sound complicated, but it simply involves creating a list of rules that will guide your hiring process. For example, longevity is big on my list, so I won’t interview anyone who has had more than two jobs in the past five years. Maybe you have rules regarding the level of experience a candidate should have, or you want employees who live within certain mileage area of your store. Be aware of the factors that are important to your business and keep those in mind as you are reviewing resumes and determining which candidates might be worth talking to further.  Know what you want before the first resume lands on your desk.  Analyze resumes carefully. Beyond assessing experience and skill level, keep an eye out for gaps in employment, misspellings, and disorganization in how the resume is arranged. Those clues will give you insight into the candidate’s work habits and could reveal a lack of attention to detail. Do your homework. You might be surprised, but background checks don’t always reveal the details that make a difference in hiring decisions. I have however, dug up plenty of information using Google (including whether a candidate has been arrested or served time in jail). I also rely on Facebook. If someone has any undesirable items on his or her wall or inappropriate photos, I know that person is not going to be a good fit. Even calling a candidate before an interview can provide valuable insight. I once called a potential candidate and got a voice mail recording set to background music filled with expletives. That told me all I needed to know.  If you reach a candidate before an interview, listen carefully. If the individual is hard to understand or is not engaging, they may struggle with customers. Use the interview as a screening tool. Some shop owners view the interview as simply a formality – especially for those candidates who look good on paper. Don’t make that mistake. Even great candidates may not meet your hiring criteria. The first step is to prepare questions in advance so you stay focused on your goal.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions that aren’t related to their job experience. I always ask candidates to list some adjectives to describe themselves both professionally and personally. I also target individuals who share my values. I work hard and I expect my employees to do the same, so I look for fellow workaholics. That is why I ask about hobbies and activities outside of work. If a candidate is a die-hard motocross racer, then I know that hobby will take priority over the job. It’s also important to evaluate more than just a candidate’s answers to the interview questions. Did they smile when they greeted you? Were they well groomed? Do they have energy? For me, personality is paramount, especially for managers and front-counter personnel. Finally, try to make hiring an ongoing part of your job – even if you don’t have any openings. My experience is that you find the best people when you don’t need them, so keep a log of potential candidates and try to set aside time each week to conduct interviews. If you only hire when you are short staffed, then you are bound to make a bad decision because you’re just looking for a body. Have someone in your back pocket, and next time an employee leaves, you’ll be ready with a strong replacement. 1)   Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 25 repair shops across the country. Follow Mudlick on Facebook: /www.facebook.commudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail   We all know that finding quality employees is more of an art than a science. I have seen candidates with stellar resumes and great skills fall short once they were hired. I have also had the pleasure of watching individuals with modest credentials perform impressively in new positions.  While there isn’t a tried-and-true formula for separating the wheat from the chaff, I have developed some strategies over the years that have improved my hiring process tremendously. My hope is that these tips will help you land some truly outstanding team players. Develop a hiring criteria. That might sound complicated, but it simply involves creating a list of rules that will guide your hiring process. For example, longevity is big on my list, so I won’t interview anyone who has had more than two jobs in the past five years. Maybe you have rules regarding the level of experience a candidate should have, or you want employees who live within certain mileage area of your store. Be aware of the factors that are important to your business and keep those in mind as you are reviewing resumes and determining which candidates might be worth talking to further.  Know what you want before the first resume lands on your desk.  Analyze resumes carefully. Beyond assessing experience and skill level, keep an eye out for gaps in employment, misspellings, and disorganization in how the resume is arranged. Those clues will give you insight into the candidate’s work habits and could reveal a lack of attention to detail. Do your homework. You might be surprised, but background checks don’t always reveal the details that make a difference in hiring decisions. I have however, dug up plenty of information using Google (including whether a candidate has been arrested or served time in jail). I also rely on Facebook. If someone has any undesirable items on his or her wall or inappropriate photos, I know that person is not going to be a good fit. Even calling a candidate before an interview can provide valuable insight. I once called a potential candidate and got a voice mail recording set to background music filled with expletives. That told me all I needed to know.  If you reach a candidate before an interview, listen carefully. If the individual is hard to understand or is not engaging, they may struggle with customers. Use the interview as a screening tool. Some shop owners view the interview as simply a formality – especially for those candidates who look good on paper. Don’t make that mistake. Even great candidates may not meet your hiring criteria. The first step is to prepare questions in advance so you stay focused on your goal.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions that aren’t related to their job experience. I always ask candidates to list some adjectives to describe themselves both professionally and personally. I also target individuals who share my values. I work hard and I expect my employees to do the same, so I look for fellow workaholics. That is why I ask about hobbies and activities outside of work. If a candidate is a die-hard motocross racer, then I know that hobby will take priority over the job. It’s also important to evaluate more than just a candidate’s answers to the interview questions. Did they smile when they greeted you? Were they well groomed? Do they have energy? For me, personality is paramount, especially for managers and front-counter personnel. Finally, try to make hiring an ongoing part of your job – even if you don’t have any openings. My experience is that you find the best people when you don’t need them, so keep a log of potential candidates and try to set aside time each week to conduct interviews. If you only hire when you are short staffed, then you are bound to make a bad decision because you’re just looking for a body. Have someone in your back pocket, and next time an employee leaves, you’ll be ready with a strong replacement. 1)   Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 25 repair shops across the country. Follow Mudlick on Facebook: /www.facebook.commudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail   Fri, 01 Jun 2012 06:59:33 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_How-to-Hire/blog/6135379/31710.html MudlickMail 2012-06-01T06:59:33Z Motor Age AutoPro Workshop We all know that finding quality employees is more of an art than a science. I have seen candidates with stellar resumes and great skills fall short once they were hired. I have also had the pleasure of watching individuals with modest credentials perform impressively in new positions.  While there isn’t a tried-and-true formula for separating the wheat from the chaff, I have developed some strategies over the years that have improved my hiring process tremendously. My hope is that these tips will help you land some truly outstanding team players. Develop a hiring criteria. That might sound complicated, but it simply involves creating a list of rules that will guide your hiring process. For example, longevity is big on my list, so I won’t interview anyone who has had more than two jobs in the past five years. Maybe you have rules regarding the level of experience a candidate should have, or you want employees who live within certain mileage area of your store. Be aware of the factors that are important to your business and keep those in mind as you are reviewing resumes and determining which candidates might be worth talking to further.  Know what you want before the first resume lands on your desk.  Analyze resumes carefully. Beyond assessing experience and skill level, keep an eye out for gaps in employment, misspellings, and disorganization in how the resume is arranged. Those clues will give you insight into the candidate’s work habits and could reveal a lack of attention to detail. Do your homework. You might be surprised, but background checks don’t always reveal the details that make a difference in hiring decisions. I have however, dug up plenty of information using Google (including whether a candidate has been arrested or served time in jail). I also rely on Facebook. If someone has any undesirable items on his or her wall or inappropriate photos, I know that person is not going to be a good fit. Even calling a candidate before an interview can provide valuable insight. I once called a potential candidate and got a voice mail recording set to background music filled with expletives. That told me all I needed to know.  If you reach a candidate before an interview, listen carefully. If the individual is hard to understand or is not engaging, they may struggle with customers. Use the interview as a screening tool. Some shop owners view the interview as simply a formality – especially for those candidates who look good on paper. Don’t make that mistake. Even great candidates may not meet your hiring criteria. The first step is to prepare questions in advance so you stay focused on your goal.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions that aren’t related to their job experience. I always ask candidates to list some adjectives to describe themselves both professionally and personally. I also target individuals who share my values. I work hard and I expect my employees to do the same, so I look for fellow workaholics. That is why I ask about hobbies and activities outside of work. If a candidate is a die-hard motocross racer, then I know that hobby will take priority over the job. It’s also important to evaluate more than just a candidate’s answers to the interview questions. Did they smile when they greeted you? Were they well groomed? Do they have energy? For me, personality is paramount, especially for managers and front-counter personnel. Finally, try to make hiring an ongoing part of your job – even if you don’t have any openings. My experience is that you find the best people when you don’t need them, so keep a log of potential candidates and try to set aside time each week to conduct interviews. If you only hire when you are short staffed, then you are bound to make a bad decision because you’re just looking for a body. Have someone in your back pocket, and next time an employee leaves, you’ll be ready with a strong replacement. 1)   Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 25 repair shops across the country. Follow Mudlick on Facebook: /www.facebook.commudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail   automotive, greg, hiring, interviewing, motor age, repair, resumes, sands, shops nonadult false How to Hire text blog automotive,greg,hiring,interviewing,motor age,repair,resumes,sands,shops 3205 1 5.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States GA Acworth 30101 1 Motor Age 0 6135379 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Use-Your-Time-Wisely/blog/6042193/31710.html Time management is one of the biggest challenges most shop owners face. There simply aren’t enough hours in the day to manage all of the tasks involved in operating a successful shop.  I’ve found that the only way to stay on top of everything is to make a plan and prioritize.   The approach that works best for me is what I call the 60-30-10 rule.  I spend 60 percent of my time on staff issues, 30 percent on sales and 10 percent on profits. Here’s a look at why I’ve chosen those particular allocations and why they work:   People: I spend the majority of my time on this area because I truly believe it’s the most important ingredient in the success of my shops.  Think about a professional sports team. If a football team has the best players, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be Super Bowl bound, but it certainly gives them an advantage. So, that’s why I dedicate time to interviewing – I want to be sure I land the best players. Of course, any coach who wants to see his or her players win will give them a great game plan and that’s where training comes in. I’ve spent a great deal of time developing a training manual to guide my employees in the practices that I know are most effective. I also test them to see how well they are retaining the knowledge in my guides and evaluate employee performance regularly to identify potential issues.  I know some shop owners who would prefer to leave the hiring, training and evaluating of employees to somebody else. But to me, that’s like an NFL coach skipping draft day.   Sales: I view sales as a function of customer service. If you walk into a business and the manager doesn’t even look at you, you’ll take your business elsewhere. I would never let that happen in my shops. We open doors for customers. We greet everyone who walks through the door. And we always say yes. If a customer calls about an oil change and all our bays are full, we find a way to fit that customer in.  I spend a lot of time researching better ways to serve customers because I know I’ll see that effort reflected in my sales.   Profits: Many shop owners spend all of their time on profits, painfully analyzing costs and cutting minor expenses in the hopes of boosting the bottom line. Don’t worry about saving money, worry about pushing sales.  I do profit and loss statements every month and they serve as my report card, indicating which areas of the business are thriving and which need attention. This type of approach allows me to focus on the big picture without getting bogged down on specific line items. Instead of pouring over financial reports for hours, I am able to use that time to look for top-notch employees or craft new strategies to better serve customers.   Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 25 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick Mail on Facebook: /www.facebook.com/mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail
 Time management is one of the biggest challenges most shop owners face. There simply aren’t enough hours in the day to manage all of the tasks involved in operating a successful shop.  I’ve found that the only way to stay on top of everything is to make a plan and prioritize.   The approach that works best for me is what I call the 60-30-10 rule.  I spend 60 percent of my time on staff issues, 30 percent on sales and 10 percent on profits. Here’s a look at why I’ve chosen those particular allocations and why they work:   People: I spend the majority of my time on this area because I truly believe it’s the most important ingredient in the success of my shops.  Think about a professional sports team. If a football team has the best players, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be Super Bowl bound, but it certainly gives them an advantage. So, that’s why I dedicate time to interviewing – I want to be sure I land the best players. Of course, any coach who wants to see his or her players win will give them a great game plan and that’s where training comes in. I’ve spent a great deal of time developing a training manual to guide my employees in the practices that I know are most effective. I also test them to see how well they are retaining the knowledge in my guides and evaluate employee performance regularly to identify potential issues.  I know some shop owners who would prefer to leave the hiring, training and evaluating of employees to somebody else. But to me, that’s like an NFL coach skipping draft day.   Sales: I view sales as a function of customer service. If you walk into a business and the manager doesn’t even look at you, you’ll take your business elsewhere. I would never let that happen in my shops. We open doors for customers. We greet everyone who walks through the door. And we always say yes. If a customer calls about an oil change and all our bays are full, we find a way to fit that customer in.  I spend a lot of time researching better ways to serve customers because I know I’ll see that effort reflected in my sales.   Profits: Many shop owners spend all of their time on profits, painfully analyzing costs and cutting minor expenses in the hopes of boosting the bottom line. Don’t worry about saving money, worry about pushing sales.  I do profit and loss statements every month and they serve as my report card, indicating which areas of the business are thriving and which need attention. This type of approach allows me to focus on the big picture without getting bogged down on specific line items. Instead of pouring over financial reports for hours, I am able to use that time to look for top-notch employees or craft new strategies to better serve customers.   Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 25 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick Mail on Facebook: /www.facebook.com/mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail
 Thu, 03 May 2012 20:09:39 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Use-Your-Time-Wisely/blog/6042193/31710.html MudlickMail 2012-05-03T20:09:39Z Motor Age AutoPro Workshop Time management is one of the biggest challenges most shop owners face. There simply aren’t enough hours in the day to manage all of the tasks involved in operating a successful shop.  I’ve found that the only way to stay on top of everything is to make a plan and prioritize.   The approach that works best for me is what I call the 60-30-10 rule.  I spend 60 percent of my time on staff issues, 30 percent on sales and 10 percent on profits. Here’s a look at why I’ve chosen those particular allocations and why they work:   People: I spend the majority of my time on this area because I truly believe it’s the most important ingredient in the success of my shops.  Think about a professional sports team. If a football team has the best players, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be Super Bowl bound, but it certainly gives them an advantage. So, that’s why I dedicate time to interviewing – I want to be sure I land the best players. Of course, any coach who wants to see his or her players win will give them a great game plan and that’s where training comes in. I’ve spent a great deal of time developing a training manual to guide my employees in the practices that I know are most effective. I also test them to see how well they are retaining the knowledge in my guides and evaluate employee performance regularly to identify potential issues.  I know some shop owners who would prefer to leave the hiring, training and evaluating of employees to somebody else. But to me, that’s like an NFL coach skipping draft day.   Sales: I view sales as a function of customer service. If you walk into a business and the manager doesn’t even look at you, you’ll take your business elsewhere. I would never let that happen in my shops. We open doors for customers. We greet everyone who walks through the door. And we always say yes. If a customer calls about an oil change and all our bays are full, we find a way to fit that customer in.  I spend a lot of time researching better ways to serve customers because I know I’ll see that effort reflected in my sales.   Profits: Many shop owners spend all of their time on profits, painfully analyzing costs and cutting minor expenses in the hopes of boosting the bottom line. Don’t worry about saving money, worry about pushing sales.  I do profit and loss statements every month and they serve as my report card, indicating which areas of the business are thriving and which need attention. This type of approach allows me to focus on the big picture without getting bogged down on specific line items. Instead of pouring over financial reports for hours, I am able to use that time to look for top-notch employees or craft new strategies to better serve customers.   Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 25 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick Mail on Facebook: /www.facebook.com/mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail
 america's, greg, mail, motor age, mudlick, owner, sands, service, service street, shop, station nonadult false Use Your Time Wisely text blog america's,greg,mail,motor age,mudlick,owner,sands,service,service street,shop,station 652 1 5.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States GA Acworth 30101 1 Motor Age 0 6042193 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Sunny-Skies-for-Repair-Shops/blog/5906753/31710.html Rising gas prices haven’t diminished demand for new cars, as evidenced by the fact that sales of new cars rose by more than 23 percent in February over the previous year. That’s the kind of statistic that typically strikes fear in the heart of  shop owners, because new cars require less maintenance and that usually means less business for repair shops. You might be surprised to hear that the increase in new car sales doesn’t worry me. In fact, I think there’s never been a better time to be in the automotive service business. Here’s why: Dealerships don’t have time for maintenance. The jump in new car sales means dealerships will spend more of their time dealing with warranty service and less time on maintenance of older cars. Most consumers don’t want to wait a week to have an oil change or other routine service done, so unless a vehicle is still under warranty, many will take their business to independent shops. The economy is improving. Unemployment is declining, retail spending is increasing and consumer credit is expanding, allowing car owners to address repairs they may have delayed last year. With consumers getting back to work, having transportation becomes even more crucial, so I expect maintenance to rise. Less competition. Unfortunately, many shops couldn’t withstand the recession and shuttered their doors. There are also fewer dealerships than there were five years ago, leaving many formerly loyal customers searching for new service shops. The surviving shops that are committed to building long-term relationships with customers should be in a perfect position to take advantage of the situation. Older cars abound. Despite the increase in new car sales, the average car on American roads is now close to 11 years old – an all-time record, according to statistics released in January from R.L. Polk Co.  Those cars clearly require more maintenance and repairs than their newer counterparts. And since most of those cars aren’t under warranty, their owners won’t be flocking to dealerships for service. Make those owners of older cars frequent customers by offering them incentives to come to your shop for repairs. We offer a warranty on all major repairs, which provides customers with great peace of mind when dealing with a vehicle that’s prone to breakdowns.   Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 25 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick Mail on Facebook: /www.facebook.com/mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail
 ·               Rising gas prices haven’t diminished demand for new cars, as evidenced by the fact that sales of new cars rose by more than 23 percent in February over the previous year. That’s the kind of statistic that typically strikes fear in the heart of  shop owners, because new cars require less maintenance and that usually means less business for repair shops. You might be surprised to hear that the increase in new car sales doesn’t worry me. In fact, I think there’s never been a better time to be in the automotive service business. Here’s why: Dealerships don’t have time for maintenance. The jump in new car sales means dealerships will spend more of their time dealing with warranty service and less time on maintenance of older cars. Most consumers don’t want to wait a week to have an oil change or other routine service done, so unless a vehicle is still under warranty, many will take their business to independent shops. The economy is improving. Unemployment is declining, retail spending is increasing and consumer credit is expanding, allowing car owners to address repairs they may have delayed last year. With consumers getting back to work, having transportation becomes even more crucial, so I expect maintenance to rise. Less competition. Unfortunately, many shops couldn’t withstand the recession and shuttered their doors. There are also fewer dealerships than there were five years ago, leaving many formerly loyal customers searching for new service shops. The surviving shops that are committed to building long-term relationships with customers should be in a perfect position to take advantage of the situation. Older cars abound. Despite the increase in new car sales, the average car on American roads is now close to 11 years old – an all-time record, according to statistics released in January from R.L. Polk Co.  Those cars clearly require more maintenance and repairs than their newer counterparts. And since most of those cars aren’t under warranty, their owners won’t be flocking to dealerships for service. Make those owners of older cars frequent customers by offering them incentives to come to your shop for repairs. We offer a warranty on all major repairs, which provides customers with great peace of mind when dealing with a vehicle that’s prone to breakdowns.   Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 25 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick Mail on Facebook: /www.facebook.com/mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail
 ·               Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:43:24 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Sunny-Skies-for-Repair-Shops/blog/5906753/31710.html MudlickMail 2012-03-28T10:43:24Z AutoPro Workshop Rising gas prices haven’t diminished demand for new cars, as evidenced by the fact that sales of new cars rose by more than 23 percent in February over the previous year. That’s the kind of statistic that typically strikes fear in the heart of  shop owners, because new cars require less maintenance and that usually means less business for repair shops. You might be surprised to hear that the increase in new car sales doesn’t worry me. In fact, I think there’s never been a better time to be in the automotive service business. Here’s why: Dealerships don’t have time for maintenance. The jump in new car sales means dealerships will spend more of their time dealing with warranty service and less time on maintenance of older cars. Most consumers don’t want to wait a week to have an oil change or other routine service done, so unless a vehicle is still under warranty, many will take their business to independent shops. The economy is improving. Unemployment is declining, retail spending is increasing and consumer credit is expanding, allowing car owners to address repairs they may have delayed last year. With consumers getting back to work, having transportation becomes even more crucial, so I expect maintenance to rise. Less competition. Unfortunately, many shops couldn’t withstand the recession and shuttered their doors. There are also fewer dealerships than there were five years ago, leaving many formerly loyal customers searching for new service shops. The surviving shops that are committed to building long-term relationships with customers should be in a perfect position to take advantage of the situation. Older cars abound. Despite the increase in new car sales, the average car on American roads is now close to 11 years old – an all-time record, according to statistics released in January from R.L. Polk Co.  Those cars clearly require more maintenance and repairs than their newer counterparts. And since most of those cars aren’t under warranty, their owners won’t be flocking to dealerships for service. Make those owners of older cars frequent customers by offering them incentives to come to your shop for repairs. We offer a warranty on all major repairs, which provides customers with great peace of mind when dealing with a vehicle that’s prone to breakdowns.   Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 25 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick Mail on Facebook: /www.facebook.com/mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail
 ·               auto, auto service center, automotive, car, car dealerships, greg, maintenance, new, repair, sales, sands, service, shops nonadult false Sunny Skies for Repair Shops text blog auto,auto service center,automotive,car,car dealerships,greg,maintenance,new,repair,sales,sands,service,shops 2103 1 5.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States GA Acworth 30101 1 0 5906753 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Finding-the-Right-Advertising/blog/5797927/31710.html It’s a simple fact: most shop owners don’t like to spend money on advertising. It’s not hard to see why.  Advertising can be expensive and often doesn’t result in the increased exposure (and higher sales) that most shops expect. In my view, part of the problem comes from failing to choose the right advertising vehicle for your business.Over the years, I tried nearly every form of advertising available. I did television and radio commercials, newspaper advertisements, even monthly newsletters. But since my shops tend to be located in suburban areas near major markets, advertising through such broad-based mediums didn’t really help me reach the customers located closest to my stores. The newsletter I distributed was more targeted and went to current customers or contacts I cultivated through my business. Unfortunately, it took too long to produce and I failed to understand that my target customer didn’t have time to read the information I was sending out.As I’ve discussed before, direct mail turned out to be the magic bullet for my business. Through direct mail, I was able to target higher-income households within two miles of my shop and create offers specifically geared towards those households.Before you can determine what advertising channel is right for you, to need to ask some tough questions. Here are a few that I suggest: Who do you want to reach? The answer to this question may depend on the kind of shop you run. If you cater to imports, you’ll want to target customers with those types of vehicles. If you’re a general repair shop, your customer base might be broader. Geography also comes into play. If you have more than one location, a broad-based medium (such as radio) might make more sense because you could be attempting to reach households across different cities. Figuring out who your target customer is, is a key component in solving the advertising puzzle. Who’s your competition? Your advertising methods will clearly vary depending on whether you’re in a market saturated with other shops or located in a rural area with little competition.  If there are five stores between you and your target customers, then direct mail might not be cost-effective, because your penetration will be less and you’ll be paying more to attract fewer customers. In rural areas, a local newspaper might be a safe bet if it’s well read by the households in your community. What is your budget?  Your choices might be limited based on the funds you have to dedicate to advertising. You can use various social media tools for free to market your business, but keep in mind that it is often difficult to drive customers to your business using only Facebook or Twitter. At a minimum, I think having a well-designed, search optimized website is essential.  What are your goals? Are you simply trying to raise awareness of your business or are you looking to increase sales by a certain percentage? The answer to these questions will help guide your advertising decisions. A sponsorship of a local charity might increase brand recognition for your shop, but may not translate into more business. Conversely, offering a promotion through a daily deal site, such as Groupon, could lead to a spike in business, but may not expand your profile in the market over the long-term. ·     ·           Whatever vehicle you choose, I highly recommend creating a mechanism to track your results. You’ll want to evaluate your campaigns on an ongoing basis to ensure that the advertising method is helping you achieve your objectives.    Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates 25 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick Mail on Facebook: /www.facebook.com/mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail
        It’s a simple fact: most shop owners don’t like to spend money on advertising. It’s not hard to see why.  Advertising can be expensive and often doesn’t result in the increased exposure (and higher sales) that most shops expect. In my view, part of the problem comes from failing to choose the right advertising vehicle for your business.Over the years, I tried nearly every form of advertising available. I did television and radio commercials, newspaper advertisements, even monthly newsletters. But since my shops tend to be located in suburban areas near major markets, advertising through such broad-based mediums didn’t really help me reach the customers located closest to my stores. The newsletter I distributed was more targeted and went to current customers or contacts I cultivated through my business. Unfortunately, it took too long to produce and I failed to understand that my target customer didn’t have time to read the information I was sending out.As I’ve discussed before, direct mail turned out to be the magic bullet for my business. Through direct mail, I was able to target higher-income households within two miles of my shop and create offers specifically geared towards those households.Before you can determine what advertising channel is right for you, to need to ask some tough questions. Here are a few that I suggest: Who do you want to reach? The answer to this question may depend on the kind of shop you run. If you cater to imports, you’ll want to target customers with those types of vehicles. If you’re a general repair shop, your customer base might be broader. Geography also comes into play. If you have more than one location, a broad-based medium (such as radio) might make more sense because you could be attempting to reach households across different cities. Figuring out who your target customer is, is a key component in solving the advertising puzzle. Who’s your competition? Your advertising methods will clearly vary depending on whether you’re in a market saturated with other shops or located in a rural area with little competition.  If there are five stores between you and your target customers, then direct mail might not be cost-effective, because your penetration will be less and you’ll be paying more to attract fewer customers. In rural areas, a local newspaper might be a safe bet if it’s well read by the households in your community. What is your budget?  Your choices might be limited based on the funds you have to dedicate to advertising. You can use various social media tools for free to market your business, but keep in mind that it is often difficult to drive customers to your business using only Facebook or Twitter. At a minimum, I think having a well-designed, search optimized website is essential.  What are your goals? Are you simply trying to raise awareness of your business or are you looking to increase sales by a certain percentage? The answer to these questions will help guide your advertising decisions. A sponsorship of a local charity might increase brand recognition for your shop, but may not translate into more business. Conversely, offering a promotion through a daily deal site, such as Groupon, could lead to a spike in business, but may not expand your profile in the market over the long-term. ·     ·           Whatever vehicle you choose, I highly recommend creating a mechanism to track your results. You’ll want to evaluate your campaigns on an ongoing basis to ensure that the advertising method is helping you achieve your objectives.    Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates 25 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick Mail on Facebook: /www.facebook.com/mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail
        Wed, 22 Feb 2012 04:12:21 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Finding-the-Right-Advertising/blog/5797927/31710.html MudlickMail 2012-02-22T04:12:21Z Motor Age AutoPro Workshop It’s a simple fact: most shop owners don’t like to spend money on advertising. It’s not hard to see why.  Advertising can be expensive and often doesn’t result in the increased exposure (and higher sales) that most shops expect. In my view, part of the problem comes from failing to choose the right advertising vehicle for your business.Over the years, I tried nearly every form of advertising available. I did television and radio commercials, newspaper advertisements, even monthly newsletters. But since my shops tend to be located in suburban areas near major markets, advertising through such broad-based mediums didn’t really help me reach the customers located closest to my stores. The newsletter I distributed was more targeted and went to current customers or contacts I cultivated through my business. Unfortunately, it took too long to produce and I failed to understand that my target customer didn’t have time to read the information I was sending out.As I’ve discussed before, direct mail turned out to be the magic bullet for my business. Through direct mail, I was able to target higher-income households within two miles of my shop and create offers specifically geared towards those households.Before you can determine what advertising channel is right for you, to need to ask some tough questions. Here are a few that I suggest: Who do you want to reach? The answer to this question may depend on the kind of shop you run. If you cater to imports, you’ll want to target customers with those types of vehicles. If you’re a general repair shop, your customer base might be broader. Geography also comes into play. If you have more than one location, a broad-based medium (such as radio) might make more sense because you could be attempting to reach households across different cities. Figuring out who your target customer is, is a key component in solving the advertising puzzle. Who’s your competition? Your advertising methods will clearly vary depending on whether you’re in a market saturated with other shops or located in a rural area with little competition.  If there are five stores between you and your target customers, then direct mail might not be cost-effective, because your penetration will be less and you’ll be paying more to attract fewer customers. In rural areas, a local newspaper might be a safe bet if it’s well read by the households in your community. What is your budget?  Your choices might be limited based on the funds you have to dedicate to advertising. You can use various social media tools for free to market your business, but keep in mind that it is often difficult to drive customers to your business using only Facebook or Twitter. At a minimum, I think having a well-designed, search optimized website is essential.  What are your goals? Are you simply trying to raise awareness of your business or are you looking to increase sales by a certain percentage? The answer to these questions will help guide your advertising decisions. A sponsorship of a local charity might increase brand recognition for your shop, but may not translate into more business. Conversely, offering a promotion through a daily deal site, such as Groupon, could lead to a spike in business, but may not expand your profile in the market over the long-term. ·     ·           Whatever vehicle you choose, I highly recommend creating a mechanism to track your results. You’ll want to evaluate your campaigns on an ongoing basis to ensure that the advertising method is helping you achieve your objectives.    Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates 25 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick Mail on Facebook: /www.facebook.com/mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail
        advertising, automotive, direct, greg, mail, marketing, marketing strategy, motor age, repair, sands, shop nonadult false Finding the Right Advertising text blog advertising,automotive,direct,greg,mail,marketing,marketing strategy,motor age,repair,sands,shop 1204 0 0.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false 0 Motor Age 2 5797927 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Pay-Per-Click-advertising/blog/5745001/31710.html   I am always looking for new ways to spread the word about my shops. While direct mail has allowed me to effectively target customers, I know that consumers receive messages through more than just their mailbox. That’s why I also make sure that my stores have user-friendly websites that are search engine optimized to drive traffic. Another avenue that I’ve been curious about is something called “paid search advertising.” With this approach (also referred to as pay-per-click advertising), advertisers pay to have their listings show up when a consumer searches for certain key phrases, such as “auto repair.” Now, I am no expert on paid search advertising, but luckily I know someone who is. Alan Koifman is an Internet marketing guru who handles all my SEO needs, so I asked him to explain a little more about how paid search works. I threw out a few questions about the advertising practice and here’s what Koifman, who is CEO of the firm VastVision, had to say:   When does a Pay Per Click campaign make sense for an automotive repair center?  Koifman: PPC campaigns make sense for any kind of repair center in any geographic area. With PPC, the advertiser (repair center) could control many aspects of
 the campaign. They could target audiences based on interests, keywords, topics, geographic area, type of services they offer.  For example, with a successfully launched campaign, a customer could go to Google and type in just "oil change" and the results that are returned will be repair centers offering "oil changes" that are targeting that geographic area.   Who offers pay-per-click advertising? Today there are only two major players in this space - Google and Microsoft. 
 They also syndicate the PPC ads to syndicated search engines and websites. 
 Between the two platforms, an advertiser can reach 98 percent of the U.S. market.   How much does a PPC campaign cost? There is no minimum or maximum budget with PPC.  The advertiser is in full control.  The repair shop owners will set the amount they are willing to pay per visitor to the website and how much they are willing to spend per day on the campaign. Once the campaign reaches its limit, the ads will turn off for the rest of the day. 
   I understand that advertisers can either pay a flat rate every time their ad is clicked on or they can bid on how much they are willing to pay for a certain advertising spot or keyword. Which approach is most advantageous for shop owners? 
 Bid-based. This way, the repair center owners control the price, not the PPC provider.   Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates 25 repair shops across the country. Follow Mudlick on Facebook: /www.facebook.commudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail   I am always looking for new ways to spread the word about my shops. While direct mail has allowed me to effectively target customers, I know that consumers receive messages through more than just their mailbox. That’s why I also make sure that my stores have user-friendly websites that are search engine optimized to drive traffic. Another avenue that I’ve been curious about is something called “paid search advertising.” With this approach (also referred to as pay-per-click advertising), advertisers pay to have their listings show up when a consumer searches for certain key phrases, such as “auto repair.” Now, I am no expert on paid search advertising, but luckily I know someone who is. Alan Koifman is an Internet marketing guru who handles all my SEO needs, so I asked him to explain a little more about how paid search works. I threw out a few questions about the advertising practice and here’s what Koifman, who is CEO of the firm VastVision, had to say:   When does a Pay Per Click campaign make sense for an automotive repair center?  Koifman: PPC campaigns make sense for any kind of repair center in any geographic area. With PPC, the advertiser (repair center) could control many aspects of
 the campaign. They could target audiences based on interests, keywords, topics, geographic area, type of services they offer.  For example, with a successfully launched campaign, a customer could go to Google and type in just "oil change" and the results that are returned will be repair centers offering "oil changes" that are targeting that geographic area.   Who offers pay-per-click advertising? Today there are only two major players in this space - Google and Microsoft. 
 They also syndicate the PPC ads to syndicated search engines and websites. 
 Between the two platforms, an advertiser can reach 98 percent of the U.S. market.   How much does a PPC campaign cost? There is no minimum or maximum budget with PPC.  The advertiser is in full control.  The repair shop owners will set the amount they are willing to pay per visitor to the website and how much they are willing to spend per day on the campaign. Once the campaign reaches its limit, the ads will turn off for the rest of the day. 
   I understand that advertisers can either pay a flat rate every time their ad is clicked on or they can bid on how much they are willing to pay for a certain advertising spot or keyword. Which approach is most advantageous for shop owners? 
 Bid-based. This way, the repair center owners control the price, not the PPC provider.   Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates 25 repair shops across the country. Follow Mudlick on Facebook: /www.facebook.commudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:18:16 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Pay-Per-Click-advertising/blog/5745001/31710.html MudlickMail 2012-02-01T08:18:16Z Motor Age AutoPro Workshop   I am always looking for new ways to spread the word about my shops. While direct mail has allowed me to effectively target customers, I know that consumers receive messages through more than just their mailbox. That’s why I also make sure that my stores have user-friendly websites that are search engine optimized to drive traffic. Another avenue that I’ve been curious about is something called “paid search advertising.” With this approach (also referred to as pay-per-click advertising), advertisers pay to have their listings show up when a consumer searches for certain key phrases, such as “auto repair.” Now, I am no expert on paid search advertising, but luckily I know someone who is. Alan Koifman is an Internet marketing guru who handles all my SEO needs, so I asked him to explain a little more about how paid search works. I threw out a few questions about the advertising practice and here’s what Koifman, who is CEO of the firm VastVision, had to say:   When does a Pay Per Click campaign make sense for an automotive repair center?  Koifman: PPC campaigns make sense for any kind of repair center in any geographic area. With PPC, the advertiser (repair center) could control many aspects of
 the campaign. They could target audiences based on interests, keywords, topics, geographic area, type of services they offer.  For example, with a successfully launched campaign, a customer could go to Google and type in just "oil change" and the results that are returned will be repair centers offering "oil changes" that are targeting that geographic area.   Who offers pay-per-click advertising? Today there are only two major players in this space - Google and Microsoft. 
 They also syndicate the PPC ads to syndicated search engines and websites. 
 Between the two platforms, an advertiser can reach 98 percent of the U.S. market.   How much does a PPC campaign cost? There is no minimum or maximum budget with PPC.  The advertiser is in full control.  The repair shop owners will set the amount they are willing to pay per visitor to the website and how much they are willing to spend per day on the campaign. Once the campaign reaches its limit, the ads will turn off for the rest of the day. 
   I understand that advertisers can either pay a flat rate every time their ad is clicked on or they can bid on how much they are willing to pay for a certain advertising spot or keyword. Which approach is most advantageous for shop owners? 
 Bid-based. This way, the repair center owners control the price, not the PPC provider.   Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates 25 repair shops across the country. Follow Mudlick on Facebook: /www.facebook.commudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail automotive, greg, marketing, motor age, paid search advertising, pay per click advertising, repair, sands, shop nonadult false Pay Per Click advertising text blog automotive,greg,marketing,motor age,paid search advertising,pay per click advertising,repair,sands,shop 1314 0 0.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States GA Acworth 30101 1 Motor Age 0 5745001 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_2012-Success-Strategies/blog/5698999/31710.html   January is a great month to evaluate your business and determine what you want to achieve in the new year. With 2012 just a few weeks old, I thought I’d share a few strategies for future success.   Develop a budget: Writing a budget gives you the opportunity to review the past year and see where your successes and failures were on a monthly basis. The budget process also sheds light on your expenses and helps you figure out where you can make cuts and where you might need to invest more.  For example, most of us have fixed costs such as rent and utilities, but there are also variable costs, such as insurance, that are worth examining closer. Maybe you can negotiate a lower insurance rate or buy in bulk to save on supplies. Once you have a budget, you have your game plan for the year. The key is continuing to use your budget as a guide.  I suggest comparing your monthly profit and loss statements to your budget and making adjustments as necessary. Set goals: Whether you want to drive sales or improve customer service, writing down your goals will help you commit to achieving them and increase your chances of success. Once you establish your goals, think about the steps you’ll need to take to meet them. If you want to increase sales by 20 percent, that might require hiring another technician so you can handle more service requests. Or, you may need to increase advertising to drive more customers to your shop. Your budget will help dictate what’s possible. Pledge to say yes: The automotive repair business is a crowded arena, but becoming a shop that says yes to customers will help separate you from the competition. So, how do you make that transition? First and foremost, make sure you’re staffed for the volume of business you hope to achieve. It’s also important to train your front counter staff to say yes. Don’t ask customers to schedule a service for a specific time of day, instead ask them: “Is now a good time to bring in your car?” This approach offers customers more flexibility and provides customers with a stronger sense of control over the situation. Lastly, don’t be afraid to say yes to an oil change or other simple maintenance service, even if your bays are full. You can always move a car that’s waiting on parts to perform those services. Advertise: The number of shop owners I encounter who say they can’t afford to advertise always surprises me. The reality is you can’t afford NOT to advertise. Even if you’ve got a great location, without advertising, you’re simply depending on drive-by traffic to generate sales.  As I’ve discussed before, I think direct mail is the best advertising vehicle because it allows me to reach the highest-caliber customers located closest to my shops. The key is to think of your advertising budget as an investment in your business and to allocate funding based on how much you’d like to see your sales grow. I suggest a minimum of 7,500 pieces per month to have an impact on your store. Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 25 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick Mail on Facebook: /www.facebook.com/mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail
   January is a great month to evaluate your business and determine what you want to achieve in the new year. With 2012 just a few weeks old, I thought I’d share a few strategies for future success.   Develop a budget: Writing a budget gives you the opportunity to review the past year and see where your successes and failures were on a monthly basis. The budget process also sheds light on your expenses and helps you figure out where you can make cuts and where you might need to invest more.  For example, most of us have fixed costs such as rent and utilities, but there are also variable costs, such as insurance, that are worth examining closer. Maybe you can negotiate a lower insurance rate or buy in bulk to save on supplies. Once you have a budget, you have your game plan for the year. The key is continuing to use your budget as a guide.  I suggest comparing your monthly profit and loss statements to your budget and making adjustments as necessary. Set goals: Whether you want to drive sales or improve customer service, writing down your goals will help you commit to achieving them and increase your chances of success. Once you establish your goals, think about the steps you’ll need to take to meet them. If you want to increase sales by 20 percent, that might require hiring another technician so you can handle more service requests. Or, you may need to increase advertising to drive more customers to your shop. Your budget will help dictate what’s possible. Pledge to say yes: The automotive repair business is a crowded arena, but becoming a shop that says yes to customers will help separate you from the competition. So, how do you make that transition? First and foremost, make sure you’re staffed for the volume of business you hope to achieve. It’s also important to train your front counter staff to say yes. Don’t ask customers to schedule a service for a specific time of day, instead ask them: “Is now a good time to bring in your car?” This approach offers customers more flexibility and provides customers with a stronger sense of control over the situation. Lastly, don’t be afraid to say yes to an oil change or other simple maintenance service, even if your bays are full. You can always move a car that’s waiting on parts to perform those services. Advertise: The number of shop owners I encounter who say they can’t afford to advertise always surprises me. The reality is you can’t afford NOT to advertise. Even if you’ve got a great location, without advertising, you’re simply depending on drive-by traffic to generate sales.  As I’ve discussed before, I think direct mail is the best advertising vehicle because it allows me to reach the highest-caliber customers located closest to my shops. The key is to think of your advertising budget as an investment in your business and to allocate funding based on how much you’d like to see your sales grow. I suggest a minimum of 7,500 pieces per month to have an impact on your store. Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 25 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick Mail on Facebook: /www.facebook.com/mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail
 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:23:08 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_2012-Success-Strategies/blog/5698999/31710.html MudlickMail 2012-01-09T03:23:08Z Motor Age AutoPro Workshop   January is a great month to evaluate your business and determine what you want to achieve in the new year. With 2012 just a few weeks old, I thought I’d share a few strategies for future success.   Develop a budget: Writing a budget gives you the opportunity to review the past year and see where your successes and failures were on a monthly basis. The budget process also sheds light on your expenses and helps you figure out where you can make cuts and where you might need to invest more.  For example, most of us have fixed costs such as rent and utilities, but there are also variable costs, such as insurance, that are worth examining closer. Maybe you can negotiate a lower insurance rate or buy in bulk to save on supplies. Once you have a budget, you have your game plan for the year. The key is continuing to use your budget as a guide.  I suggest comparing your monthly profit and loss statements to your budget and making adjustments as necessary. Set goals: Whether you want to drive sales or improve customer service, writing down your goals will help you commit to achieving them and increase your chances of success. Once you establish your goals, think about the steps you’ll need to take to meet them. If you want to increase sales by 20 percent, that might require hiring another technician so you can handle more service requests. Or, you may need to increase advertising to drive more customers to your shop. Your budget will help dictate what’s possible. Pledge to say yes: The automotive repair business is a crowded arena, but becoming a shop that says yes to customers will help separate you from the competition. So, how do you make that transition? First and foremost, make sure you’re staffed for the volume of business you hope to achieve. It’s also important to train your front counter staff to say yes. Don’t ask customers to schedule a service for a specific time of day, instead ask them: “Is now a good time to bring in your car?” This approach offers customers more flexibility and provides customers with a stronger sense of control over the situation. Lastly, don’t be afraid to say yes to an oil change or other simple maintenance service, even if your bays are full. You can always move a car that’s waiting on parts to perform those services. Advertise: The number of shop owners I encounter who say they can’t afford to advertise always surprises me. The reality is you can’t afford NOT to advertise. Even if you’ve got a great location, without advertising, you’re simply depending on drive-by traffic to generate sales.  As I’ve discussed before, I think direct mail is the best advertising vehicle because it allows me to reach the highest-caliber customers located closest to my shops. The key is to think of your advertising budget as an investment in your business and to allocate funding based on how much you’d like to see your sales grow. I suggest a minimum of 7,500 pieces per month to have an impact on your store. Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 25 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick Mail on Facebook: /www.facebook.com/mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail
 automotive, customer, direct, greg, mail, motor age, repair, sands, service, shop, strategies, success nonadult false 2012 Success Strategies text blog automotive,customer,direct,greg,mail,motor age,repair,sands,service,shop,strategies,success 1990 0 0.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States GA Acworth 30101 1 Motor Age 0 5698999 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Making-Groupon-Work-for-You/blog/5489160/31710.html Do Groupon, Living Social and other daily deal sites drive business to a shop or place businesses in a financial bind? Even though I oversee Internet marketing efforts for more than 20 auto repair shops, I struggled for an answer to that question.  I’d read both success and horror stories about daily deals and realized the only way to really determine the effectiveness of this particular marketing vehicle was to try it. So, this past spring, I began to consider deals for one of my chief clients, SRSANDCO, which owns shops in four states.  In May we inked a Groupon deal for SRSANDCO’s two Atlanta-area Service Street stores. The deal provided a package of five oil changes for $40 – half off the already discounted price we offer in the shops. Service Street sold 238 five-packs and provided buyers with one year to redeem the offer. So far, 181 of the packs have been redeemed.Encouraged by that response, I decided to do another Groupon deal for the 10 America’s Service Stations stores SRSANDCO has in Georgia. Instead of doing one deal, we gave buyers three options: a $14 oil change; two oil changes for $24 or a fall maintenance package for $44. We sold 818 deals total, with 321 redemptions so far. Like the Service Street offer, we’ve given buyers one year to redeem the deal. In addition to pushing sales, Groupon delivered exposure.  On the days our offers we’re featured, the Service Street and America’s Service Station websites experienced a ten-fold increase in traffic. That’s great for brand awareness. The stores were getting people to become aware of their services, even if the browsers didn’t buy a deal. On the downside, we were heavily discounting our services to attract new customers. Groupon (like many other daily deal sites) asks sellers to offer a deal of at least 50 percent off and then also takes a cut of the profits. And as we suspected, many of the Groupon shoppers were less apt to make additional purchases during their first visit.Despite those cons, I still plan to use Groupon and other daily deal sites as a marketing tool in the future. My team and I have learned some valuable lessons from our Groupon experience, so here are a few tips to guide your foray into the world of daily deals.1)    Create a deal that encourages repeat business. Instead of offering a single service, consider a package of oil changes or other routine services that require a repeat visit.  This approach gives you several opportunities to turn that bargain hunter into a regular customer. In our business, we know repeat customers are worth more. The average ticket for a first time customer is  $100 in our shops, while the average ticket for a repeat customer is $200Selling a package of services might also appeal more to Groupon buyers. Of the three deals we offered for America’s Service Station, the two-pack of oil changes was most popular.2)    Don’t be afraid to negotiate. Groupon approaches most businesses with the idea of a 50/50 split of profits. However, in both the America’s Service Station and Service Street deals, I was able to get the company to accept less. Having multiple locations is a big bargaining chip because Groupon is guaranteed to make more profit due to a larger volume of business. 3)    Plan appropriately. We definitely saw an immediate increase in business after running our Groupon deals. While an increase in traffic is always welcome, be sure you can handle the higher customer count. Having the staff, supplies and systems in place to provide the services you advertised is essential. If you need to purchase additional materials, consider whether you’ll be able to cover those costs until you receive payment from Groupon. The company provides its payments in three separate installments, rather than one lump sum, which could cause problems for some operators looking for an instant pay day from their offers.Ryan Monson serves as the executive account director at Mudlick Mail, which provides targeted direct mail campaigns for automotive repair shops. He also oversees Internet market efforts for SRSANDCO, which owns more than repair shops in four states. Ryan works with 150 repair shops nationwide, helping to market their businesses and managing their Internet marketing campaigns. He began his Internet marketing career while still in high school, creating websites for car dealerships to manage inventory online. He holds a degree in finance from Valdosta State University. Do Groupon, Living Social and other daily deal sites drive business to a shop or place businesses in a financial bind? Even though I oversee Internet marketing efforts for more than 20 auto repair shops, I struggled for an answer to that question.  I’d read both success and horror stories about daily deals and realized the only way to really determine the effectiveness of this particular marketing vehicle was to try it. So, this past spring, I began to consider deals for one of my chief clients, SRSANDCO, which owns shops in four states.  In May we inked a Groupon deal for SRSANDCO’s two Atlanta-area Service Street stores. The deal provided a package of five oil changes for $40 – half off the already discounted price we offer in the shops. Service Street sold 238 five-packs and provided buyers with one year to redeem the offer. So far, 181 of the packs have been redeemed.Encouraged by that response, I decided to do another Groupon deal for the 10 America’s Service Stations stores SRSANDCO has in Georgia. Instead of doing one deal, we gave buyers three options: a $14 oil change; two oil changes for $24 or a fall maintenance package for $44. We sold 818 deals total, with 321 redemptions so far. Like the Service Street offer, we’ve given buyers one year to redeem the deal. In addition to pushing sales, Groupon delivered exposure.  On the days our offers we’re featured, the Service Street and America’s Service Station websites experienced a ten-fold increase in traffic. That’s great for brand awareness. The stores were getting people to become aware of their services, even if the browsers didn’t buy a deal. On the downside, we were heavily discounting our services to attract new customers. Groupon (like many other daily deal sites) asks sellers to offer a deal of at least 50 percent off and then also takes a cut of the profits. And as we suspected, many of the Groupon shoppers were less apt to make additional purchases during their first visit.Despite those cons, I still plan to use Groupon and other daily deal sites as a marketing tool in the future. My team and I have learned some valuable lessons from our Groupon experience, so here are a few tips to guide your foray into the world of daily deals.1)    Create a deal that encourages repeat business. Instead of offering a single service, consider a package of oil changes or other routine services that require a repeat visit.  This approach gives you several opportunities to turn that bargain hunter into a regular customer. In our business, we know repeat customers are worth more. The average ticket for a first time customer is  $100 in our shops, while the average ticket for a repeat customer is $200Selling a package of services might also appeal more to Groupon buyers. Of the three deals we offered for America’s Service Station, the two-pack of oil changes was most popular.2)    Don’t be afraid to negotiate. Groupon approaches most businesses with the idea of a 50/50 split of profits. However, in both the America’s Service Station and Service Street deals, I was able to get the company to accept less. Having multiple locations is a big bargaining chip because Groupon is guaranteed to make more profit due to a larger volume of business. 3)    Plan appropriately. We definitely saw an immediate increase in business after running our Groupon deals. While an increase in traffic is always welcome, be sure you can handle the higher customer count. Having the staff, supplies and systems in place to provide the services you advertised is essential. If you need to purchase additional materials, consider whether you’ll be able to cover those costs until you receive payment from Groupon. The company provides its payments in three separate installments, rather than one lump sum, which could cause problems for some operators looking for an instant pay day from their offers.Ryan Monson serves as the executive account director at Mudlick Mail, which provides targeted direct mail campaigns for automotive repair shops. He also oversees Internet market efforts for SRSANDCO, which owns more than repair shops in four states. Ryan works with 150 repair shops nationwide, helping to market their businesses and managing their Internet marketing campaigns. He began his Internet marketing career while still in high school, creating websites for car dealerships to manage inventory online. He holds a degree in finance from Valdosta State University. Sat, 19 Nov 2011 05:00:42 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Making-Groupon-Work-for-You/blog/5489160/31710.html MudlickMail 2011-11-19T05:00:42Z AutoPro Workshop Do Groupon, Living Social and other daily deal sites drive business to a shop or place businesses in a financial bind? Even though I oversee Internet marketing efforts for more than 20 auto repair shops, I struggled for an answer to that question.  I’d read both success and horror stories about daily deals and realized the only way to really determine the effectiveness of this particular marketing vehicle was to try it. So, this past spring, I began to consider deals for one of my chief clients, SRSANDCO, which owns shops in four states.  In May we inked a Groupon deal for SRSANDCO’s two Atlanta-area Service Street stores. The deal provided a package of five oil changes for $40 – half off the already discounted price we offer in the shops. Service Street sold 238 five-packs and provided buyers with one year to redeem the offer. So far, 181 of the packs have been redeemed.Encouraged by that response, I decided to do another Groupon deal for the 10 America’s Service Stations stores SRSANDCO has in Georgia. Instead of doing one deal, we gave buyers three options: a $14 oil change; two oil changes for $24 or a fall maintenance package for $44. We sold 818 deals total, with 321 redemptions so far. Like the Service Street offer, we’ve given buyers one year to redeem the deal. In addition to pushing sales, Groupon delivered exposure.  On the days our offers we’re featured, the Service Street and America’s Service Station websites experienced a ten-fold increase in traffic. That’s great for brand awareness. The stores were getting people to become aware of their services, even if the browsers didn’t buy a deal. On the downside, we were heavily discounting our services to attract new customers. Groupon (like many other daily deal sites) asks sellers to offer a deal of at least 50 percent off and then also takes a cut of the profits. And as we suspected, many of the Groupon shoppers were less apt to make additional purchases during their first visit.Despite those cons, I still plan to use Groupon and other daily deal sites as a marketing tool in the future. My team and I have learned some valuable lessons from our Groupon experience, so here are a few tips to guide your foray into the world of daily deals.1)    Create a deal that encourages repeat business. Instead of offering a single service, consider a package of oil changes or other routine services that require a repeat visit.  This approach gives you several opportunities to turn that bargain hunter into a regular customer. In our business, we know repeat customers are worth more. The average ticket for a first time customer is  $100 in our shops, while the average ticket for a repeat customer is $200Selling a package of services might also appeal more to Groupon buyers. Of the three deals we offered for America’s Service Station, the two-pack of oil changes was most popular.2)    Don’t be afraid to negotiate. Groupon approaches most businesses with the idea of a 50/50 split of profits. However, in both the America’s Service Station and Service Street deals, I was able to get the company to accept less. Having multiple locations is a big bargaining chip because Groupon is guaranteed to make more profit due to a larger volume of business. 3)    Plan appropriately. We definitely saw an immediate increase in business after running our Groupon deals. While an increase in traffic is always welcome, be sure you can handle the higher customer count. Having the staff, supplies and systems in place to provide the services you advertised is essential. If you need to purchase additional materials, consider whether you’ll be able to cover those costs until you receive payment from Groupon. The company provides its payments in three separate installments, rather than one lump sum, which could cause problems for some operators looking for an instant pay day from their offers.Ryan Monson serves as the executive account director at Mudlick Mail, which provides targeted direct mail campaigns for automotive repair shops. He also oversees Internet market efforts for SRSANDCO, which owns more than repair shops in four states. Ryan works with 150 repair shops nationwide, helping to market their businesses and managing their Internet marketing campaigns. He began his Internet marketing career while still in high school, creating websites for car dealerships to manage inventory online. He holds a degree in finance from Valdosta State University. america's service station, daily, deals, groupon, livingsocial, marketing, online, service street nonadult false Making Groupon Work for You text blog america's service station,daily,deals,groupon,livingsocial,marketing,online,service street 1045 0 0.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States CO Acworth 30101 1 0 5489160 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Finding-Your-Market/blog/5324573/31710.html I get asked frequently about how far shop owners should cast their nets when starting a direct mail campaign. Unfortunately, there’s no magic formula to help determine whether it is most effective to target customers five miles away from your store or only two miles away. Figuring out what makes the most sense for your shop requires a bit of research as well as some trial and error. The first step is to decide what kind of customers you want to target. I’m always interested in drawing the middle-to-upper income households located closest to my stores. If you are unsure about who to target, look at your database of past customers. That data will offer guidance about where the bulk of your business is coming from and can help guide your future mailings. I also examine the competition in my target area. If there are five stores between you and your target customers, then direct mail might not make sense because you’re penetration will be less and you’ll be paying more to attract fewer customers. Density is also an issue. Ideally, you should have about 10,000 households to justify a direct mail campaign. If there are fewer households than that located within three to five miles of your store, you’ll need to expand your search. In rural communities, you might have to go as far as 20 miles away to reach that 10,000 figure. Once you’ve established your target area, invest the money to reach as many potential customers as possible. I find that shop owners are always shocked by number of direct mail pieces they need to send to get a good response. Some people want to get by on sending 500 or 1,000 pieces a month. But if your market includes 10,000 households, why would you limit yourself to reaching just 10 percent of them?  I suggest a minimum of 7,500 pieces per month to have an impact on your store. Don’t limit yourself by budget. Instead, think of direct mail as an investment and try to fund your program based on how much you’d like to see your sales grow. Finally, remember that finding the right market takes patience and experimentation. A good direct mail company will work with you to help build a solid database of potential customers. Don’t be afraid to tweak your mailing list as you start to see a return on investment. In some of my stores, I get a good return just by mailing within a mile of my store. Tracking postcards and sales after you launch your campaign will help uncover trends and show where the fall-off in your investment occurs.   I get asked frequently about how far shop owners should cast their nets when starting a direct mail campaign. Unfortunately, there’s no magic formula to help determine whether it is most effective to target customers five miles away from your store or only two miles away. Figuring out what makes the most sense for your shop requires a bit of research as well as some trial and error. The first step is to decide what kind of customers you want to target. I’m always interested in drawing the middle-to-upper income households located closest to my stores. If you are unsure about who to target, look at your database of past customers. That data will offer guidance about where the bulk of your business is coming from and can help guide your future mailings. I also examine the competition in my target area. If there are five stores between you and your target customers, then direct mail might not make sense because you’re penetration will be less and you’ll be paying more to attract fewer customers. Density is also an issue. Ideally, you should have about 10,000 households to justify a direct mail campaign. If there are fewer households than that located within three to five miles of your store, you’ll need to expand your search. In rural communities, you might have to go as far as 20 miles away to reach that 10,000 figure. Once you’ve established your target area, invest the money to reach as many potential customers as possible. I find that shop owners are always shocked by number of direct mail pieces they need to send to get a good response. Some people want to get by on sending 500 or 1,000 pieces a month. But if your market includes 10,000 households, why would you limit yourself to reaching just 10 percent of them?  I suggest a minimum of 7,500 pieces per month to have an impact on your store. Don’t limit yourself by budget. Instead, think of direct mail as an investment and try to fund your program based on how much you’d like to see your sales grow. Finally, remember that finding the right market takes patience and experimentation. A good direct mail company will work with you to help build a solid database of potential customers. Don’t be afraid to tweak your mailing list as you start to see a return on investment. In some of my stores, I get a good return just by mailing within a mile of my store. Tracking postcards and sales after you launch your campaign will help uncover trends and show where the fall-off in your investment occurs.   Tue, 18 Oct 2011 03:14:40 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Finding-Your-Market/blog/5324573/31710.html MudlickMail 2011-10-18T03:14:40Z Motor Age AutoPro Workshop I get asked frequently about how far shop owners should cast their nets when starting a direct mail campaign. Unfortunately, there’s no magic formula to help determine whether it is most effective to target customers five miles away from your store or only two miles away. Figuring out what makes the most sense for your shop requires a bit of research as well as some trial and error. The first step is to decide what kind of customers you want to target. I’m always interested in drawing the middle-to-upper income households located closest to my stores. If you are unsure about who to target, look at your database of past customers. That data will offer guidance about where the bulk of your business is coming from and can help guide your future mailings. I also examine the competition in my target area. If there are five stores between you and your target customers, then direct mail might not make sense because you’re penetration will be less and you’ll be paying more to attract fewer customers. Density is also an issue. Ideally, you should have about 10,000 households to justify a direct mail campaign. If there are fewer households than that located within three to five miles of your store, you’ll need to expand your search. In rural communities, you might have to go as far as 20 miles away to reach that 10,000 figure. Once you’ve established your target area, invest the money to reach as many potential customers as possible. I find that shop owners are always shocked by number of direct mail pieces they need to send to get a good response. Some people want to get by on sending 500 or 1,000 pieces a month. But if your market includes 10,000 households, why would you limit yourself to reaching just 10 percent of them?  I suggest a minimum of 7,500 pieces per month to have an impact on your store. Don’t limit yourself by budget. Instead, think of direct mail as an investment and try to fund your program based on how much you’d like to see your sales grow. Finally, remember that finding the right market takes patience and experimentation. A good direct mail company will work with you to help build a solid database of potential customers. Don’t be afraid to tweak your mailing list as you start to see a return on investment. In some of my stores, I get a good return just by mailing within a mile of my store. Tracking postcards and sales after you launch your campaign will help uncover trends and show where the fall-off in your investment occurs.   advertising, automotive, customers, direct, direct mail campaign, direct marketing, greg, mail, motor age, repair, sands, shop, target nonadult false Finding Your Market text blog advertising,automotive,customers,direct,direct mail campaign,direct marketing,greg,mail,motor age,repair,sands,shop,target 827 1 3.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States GA Acworth 30101 0 Motor Age 0 5324573 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Avoid-the-Fall-Sales-Slide/blog/5188057/31710.html Fall may bring relief from the heat, but the season also marks the beginning of a cool down in business for many shop owners.  Auto repair simply becomes less of a priority in the autumn months as car trips decrease and consumers get strapped for time with school activities and work obligations. That’s why developing a plan to combat these seasonal slumps is absolutely crucial. After 19 years in business, I’ve learned that simply waiting for a spike in business during the holidays isn’t the best guarantee of success. Here are the strategies that have helped me continue to grow and expand – even during traditionally slower months.         •    Invest in advertising : Marketing is usually the first thing shop owners cut when business starts to slow – a common mistake that can result in thousands in lost business. Instead, you should remain consistent with your advertising campaigns or even consider increasing your ad budget during declining sales periods. Specifically, I recommend implementing direct mail because it allows you to target the customers you most want to reach. Direct mail is also more cost-effective than other types of advertising, such as newspaper or radio ads which are aimed at a larger audience that may tune out your message.  The key with direct mail, however, is remaining consistent. It typically takes weeks to get an ad mailed out and another week or so to see significant traffic in the store.  So, if you take a month off, it can translate into six weeks of slow or no business. Avoid that fate by figuring out which customers you want to connect with and creating a compelling offer to drive them to your store. 
      •    Build your service business: It’s no secret that routine maintenance jobs such as oil changes and replacing air filters don’t generate much revenue, which is why shop owners have traditionally focused their efforts on bigger repairs. While taking the time to do service jobs won’t result in a large short-term gain, it will help build business for years to come. If you treat that $20 oil change customer like a $1,000 repair job customer, he or she will come back later when they require a major repair. Better yet, if your service customers become regulars, then they’ll be more inclined to set up a maintenance schedule, which will help prevent them from becoming the types that only come in when there’s a problem. The result? Happier customers who have a better handle on upcoming repairs and can better plan for them.     •     Manage customer flow: Improving the flow of traffic in and out of your shop can make a huge impact on the bottom line. For example, too many shops service cars on a first come first serve basis. That works well for a restaurant, but for auto repair it doesn’t make much sense.  There’s no point making a customer wait for an oil change, while a technician works on a brake job that doesn’t need to be done until the end of the day. Prioritizing jobs based on when they need to be delivered rather than when they came in, will allow you to service more cars and increase sales.  The only caveat: you must have skilled technicians who feel comfortable stopping a job midway through to work on a car that needs to be repaired more quickly.  Likewise, some shops completely stop the flow of traffic when all their bays are full. Don’t be afraid to push a car out to address a more immediate job. Employing this strategy – though unconventional to some technicians – will improve your car count and help you avoid turning down business.     •    Focus on customer service: Providing exceptional customer service will help you lock in customers for life.  While it sounds simple, shop owners forget that offering conveniences such as a customer shuttle and extended hours go a long way toward building customer bonds. Communication is also key. Greeting  every customer when they walk in the door and keeping them consistently abreast of the progress of their cars will make it clear to customers that you value their time and patronage.  Fall may bring relief from the heat, but the season also marks the beginning of a cool down in business for many shop owners.  Auto repair simply becomes less of a priority in the autumn months as car trips decrease and consumers get strapped for time with school activities and work obligations. That’s why developing a plan to combat these seasonal slumps is absolutely crucial. After 19 years in business, I’ve learned that simply waiting for a spike in business during the holidays isn’t the best guarantee of success. Here are the strategies that have helped me continue to grow and expand – even during traditionally slower months.         •    Invest in advertising : Marketing is usually the first thing shop owners cut when business starts to slow – a common mistake that can result in thousands in lost business. Instead, you should remain consistent with your advertising campaigns or even consider increasing your ad budget during declining sales periods. Specifically, I recommend implementing direct mail because it allows you to target the customers you most want to reach. Direct mail is also more cost-effective than other types of advertising, such as newspaper or radio ads which are aimed at a larger audience that may tune out your message.  The key with direct mail, however, is remaining consistent. It typically takes weeks to get an ad mailed out and another week or so to see significant traffic in the store.  So, if you take a month off, it can translate into six weeks of slow or no business. Avoid that fate by figuring out which customers you want to connect with and creating a compelling offer to drive them to your store. 
      •    Build your service business: It’s no secret that routine maintenance jobs such as oil changes and replacing air filters don’t generate much revenue, which is why shop owners have traditionally focused their efforts on bigger repairs. While taking the time to do service jobs won’t result in a large short-term gain, it will help build business for years to come. If you treat that $20 oil change customer like a $1,000 repair job customer, he or she will come back later when they require a major repair. Better yet, if your service customers become regulars, then they’ll be more inclined to set up a maintenance schedule, which will help prevent them from becoming the types that only come in when there’s a problem. The result? Happier customers who have a better handle on upcoming repairs and can better plan for them.     •     Manage customer flow: Improving the flow of traffic in and out of your shop can make a huge impact on the bottom line. For example, too many shops service cars on a first come first serve basis. That works well for a restaurant, but for auto repair it doesn’t make much sense.  There’s no point making a customer wait for an oil change, while a technician works on a brake job that doesn’t need to be done until the end of the day. Prioritizing jobs based on when they need to be delivered rather than when they came in, will allow you to service more cars and increase sales.  The only caveat: you must have skilled technicians who feel comfortable stopping a job midway through to work on a car that needs to be repaired more quickly.  Likewise, some shops completely stop the flow of traffic when all their bays are full. Don’t be afraid to push a car out to address a more immediate job. Employing this strategy – though unconventional to some technicians – will improve your car count and help you avoid turning down business.     •    Focus on customer service: Providing exceptional customer service will help you lock in customers for life.  While it sounds simple, shop owners forget that offering conveniences such as a customer shuttle and extended hours go a long way toward building customer bonds. Communication is also key. Greeting  every customer when they walk in the door and keeping them consistently abreast of the progress of their cars will make it clear to customers that you value their time and patronage.  Mon, 26 Sep 2011 18:22:03 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Avoid-the-Fall-Sales-Slide/blog/5188057/31710.html MudlickMail 2011-09-26T18:22:03Z Motor Age AutoPro Workshop Fall may bring relief from the heat, but the season also marks the beginning of a cool down in business for many shop owners.  Auto repair simply becomes less of a priority in the autumn months as car trips decrease and consumers get strapped for time with school activities and work obligations. That’s why developing a plan to combat these seasonal slumps is absolutely crucial. After 19 years in business, I’ve learned that simply waiting for a spike in business during the holidays isn’t the best guarantee of success. Here are the strategies that have helped me continue to grow and expand – even during traditionally slower months.         •    Invest in advertising : Marketing is usually the first thing shop owners cut when business starts to slow – a common mistake that can result in thousands in lost business. Instead, you should remain consistent with your advertising campaigns or even consider increasing your ad budget during declining sales periods. Specifically, I recommend implementing direct mail because it allows you to target the customers you most want to reach. Direct mail is also more cost-effective than other types of advertising, such as newspaper or radio ads which are aimed at a larger audience that may tune out your message.  The key with direct mail, however, is remaining consistent. It typically takes weeks to get an ad mailed out and another week or so to see significant traffic in the store.  So, if you take a month off, it can translate into six weeks of slow or no business. Avoid that fate by figuring out which customers you want to connect with and creating a compelling offer to drive them to your store. 
      •    Build your service business: It’s no secret that routine maintenance jobs such as oil changes and replacing air filters don’t generate much revenue, which is why shop owners have traditionally focused their efforts on bigger repairs. While taking the time to do service jobs won’t result in a large short-term gain, it will help build business for years to come. If you treat that $20 oil change customer like a $1,000 repair job customer, he or she will come back later when they require a major repair. Better yet, if your service customers become regulars, then they’ll be more inclined to set up a maintenance schedule, which will help prevent them from becoming the types that only come in when there’s a problem. The result? Happier customers who have a better handle on upcoming repairs and can better plan for them.     •     Manage customer flow: Improving the flow of traffic in and out of your shop can make a huge impact on the bottom line. For example, too many shops service cars on a first come first serve basis. That works well for a restaurant, but for auto repair it doesn’t make much sense.  There’s no point making a customer wait for an oil change, while a technician works on a brake job that doesn’t need to be done until the end of the day. Prioritizing jobs based on when they need to be delivered rather than when they came in, will allow you to service more cars and increase sales.  The only caveat: you must have skilled technicians who feel comfortable stopping a job midway through to work on a car that needs to be repaired more quickly.  Likewise, some shops completely stop the flow of traffic when all their bays are full. Don’t be afraid to push a car out to address a more immediate job. Employing this strategy – though unconventional to some technicians – will improve your car count and help you avoid turning down business.     •    Focus on customer service: Providing exceptional customer service will help you lock in customers for life.  While it sounds simple, shop owners forget that offering conveniences such as a customer shuttle and extended hours go a long way toward building customer bonds. Communication is also key. Greeting  every customer when they walk in the door and keeping them consistently abreast of the progress of their cars will make it clear to customers that you value their time and patronage.  advertising, auto, customer, declining, direct, greg, mail, marketing, motor age, repair, sales, sands, seasonal, service, slump nonadult false Avoid the Fall Sales Slide text blog advertising,auto,customer,declining,direct,greg,mail,marketing,motor age,repair,sales,sands,seasonal,service,slump 2510 0 0.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States GA Acworth 30101 1 Motor Age 0 5188057 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Scouting-for-Talent/blog/5080143/31710.html Entrepreneur Ray Kroc, who built McDonald’s into the world’s largest fast-food empire,  once said that “you’re only as good as the people you hire. “ I couldn’t agree more. That’s why I am constantly on the hunt for good talent. While I recruit staff through the usual methods – referrals, online job postings, help wanted signs in my shops – I also scout for potential employees to serve as service representatives or managers whenever I dine out, shop or stay at a hotel. It may seem like an unconventional approach, but I’ve had great luck spotting quality people while observing them on the job.  I’ve hired an appliance salesman, a Waffle House manager and an account manager from a direct mail company after seeing them in action.  They may have come from outside the automotive repair industry, but these “outside the box” hires have turned into some of my best and most productive employees.Here are a few tips for spotting quality staffers and keeping them happy once they join your team.Look for exceptional customer service: If someone does an outstanding job serving you dinner or selling you shoes, they’ll likely perform just as well selling automotive repair.  I look for people who are outgoing, helpful, approachable and willing to go the extra mile to provide the customer with a good experience. You can teach people about automotive repair, but you can’t teach personality.Provide opportunities for advancement: I’ve convinced people to leave stable careers to join an industry that many of them had no experience working in and knew little about. If you’re going to ask potential employees to make that kind of jump, you have to be willing to offer the chance to grow as your company grows. That approach automatically encourages employees to become more invested in the company and motivates me as an owner to work harder to ensure the company’s success.  After moving up the ladder in my shops, some of my former employees have gone on to own shops of their own. Establish good systems: There’s no point in having a talented staff if you don’t provide a solid structure to help guide them.  We have policies and practices in place that cover everything from how we greet customers to what causes we support in the community. All of our employees also undergo training to ensure that they understand how we operate and what’s expected.  Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 20 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick Mail on Facebook: /www.facebook.com/mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail
 Entrepreneur Ray Kroc, who built McDonald’s into the world’s largest fast-food empire,  once said that “you’re only as good as the people you hire. “ I couldn’t agree more. That’s why I am constantly on the hunt for good talent. While I recruit staff through the usual methods – referrals, online job postings, help wanted signs in my shops – I also scout for potential employees to serve as service representatives or managers whenever I dine out, shop or stay at a hotel. It may seem like an unconventional approach, but I’ve had great luck spotting quality people while observing them on the job.  I’ve hired an appliance salesman, a Waffle House manager and an account manager from a direct mail company after seeing them in action.  They may have come from outside the automotive repair industry, but these “outside the box” hires have turned into some of my best and most productive employees.Here are a few tips for spotting quality staffers and keeping them happy once they join your team.Look for exceptional customer service: If someone does an outstanding job serving you dinner or selling you shoes, they’ll likely perform just as well selling automotive repair.  I look for people who are outgoing, helpful, approachable and willing to go the extra mile to provide the customer with a good experience. You can teach people about automotive repair, but you can’t teach personality.Provide opportunities for advancement: I’ve convinced people to leave stable careers to join an industry that many of them had no experience working in and knew little about. If you’re going to ask potential employees to make that kind of jump, you have to be willing to offer the chance to grow as your company grows. That approach automatically encourages employees to become more invested in the company and motivates me as an owner to work harder to ensure the company’s success.  After moving up the ladder in my shops, some of my former employees have gone on to own shops of their own. Establish good systems: There’s no point in having a talented staff if you don’t provide a solid structure to help guide them.  We have policies and practices in place that cover everything from how we greet customers to what causes we support in the community. All of our employees also undergo training to ensure that they understand how we operate and what’s expected.  Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 20 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick Mail on Facebook: /www.facebook.com/mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail
 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 02:50:03 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Scouting-for-Talent/blog/5080143/31710.html MudlickMail 2011-08-31T02:50:03Z AutoPro Workshop Entrepreneur Ray Kroc, who built McDonald’s into the world’s largest fast-food empire,  once said that “you’re only as good as the people you hire. “ I couldn’t agree more. That’s why I am constantly on the hunt for good talent. While I recruit staff through the usual methods – referrals, online job postings, help wanted signs in my shops – I also scout for potential employees to serve as service representatives or managers whenever I dine out, shop or stay at a hotel. It may seem like an unconventional approach, but I’ve had great luck spotting quality people while observing them on the job.  I’ve hired an appliance salesman, a Waffle House manager and an account manager from a direct mail company after seeing them in action.  They may have come from outside the automotive repair industry, but these “outside the box” hires have turned into some of my best and most productive employees.Here are a few tips for spotting quality staffers and keeping them happy once they join your team.Look for exceptional customer service: If someone does an outstanding job serving you dinner or selling you shoes, they’ll likely perform just as well selling automotive repair.  I look for people who are outgoing, helpful, approachable and willing to go the extra mile to provide the customer with a good experience. You can teach people about automotive repair, but you can’t teach personality.Provide opportunities for advancement: I’ve convinced people to leave stable careers to join an industry that many of them had no experience working in and knew little about. If you’re going to ask potential employees to make that kind of jump, you have to be willing to offer the chance to grow as your company grows. That approach automatically encourages employees to become more invested in the company and motivates me as an owner to work harder to ensure the company’s success.  After moving up the ladder in my shops, some of my former employees have gone on to own shops of their own. Establish good systems: There’s no point in having a talented staff if you don’t provide a solid structure to help guide them.  We have policies and practices in place that cover everything from how we greet customers to what causes we support in the community. All of our employees also undergo training to ensure that they understand how we operate and what’s expected.  Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 20 repair shops in four states. Follow Mudlick Mail on Facebook: /www.facebook.com/mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail
 automotive, customer, direct, employees, greg, hiring, kroc, mail, quality, ray, recruitment, repair, sands, scouting, service, shops, staffers, talent, training nonadult false Scouting for Talent text blog automotive,customer,direct,employees,greg,hiring,kroc,mail,quality,ray,recruitment,repair,sands,scouting,service,shops,staffers,talent,training 1105 0 0.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States GA Acworth 30101 0 0 5080143 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_How-to-Choose-an-SEO-firm/blog/5049541/31710.html A few weeks ago, I outlined the basics of Internet marketing.  Having a well-thought out website, optimizing it and spreading the word about your services through Facebook and other social media sites will help you start the process of creating an online presence. If you want to take your efforts a step further and get the edge on the competition, focus on improving your search rankings.    Increasing your visibility with Google, Yahoo and other search engines is a complicated process and one that I find, is best handled by experts. So, I suggest hiring a firm that specializes in Search Engine Optimization to help you improve your search rankings. Here’s a quick guide to finding the right company to catapult your company to the top of the list.   See how they rank: One of the easiest things you can do when searching for an SEO firm is to plug in some keywords (i.e. SEO consultants or SEO experts) and see who pops up at the top. The firm we ended up using for our chain of shops came up fourth on the list, which proved they were fairly capable of generating good results. Sites that rank Internet marketing agencies, such as TopSEOS.com, can also serve as a good source of information.   Consider the approach: In order to choose an SEO firm, you need to know a little about how search results are generated. There are basically two methods for driving traffic to your site: paid searches and organic searches. Paid searches will send visitors to your site based on keywords you purchase. Organic searches pull traffic based on the relevance to search terms. While both approaches yield results, I’ve found that it’s usually better to avoid relying solely on paid advertising. If the firm you’re considering only uses a pay for click model, it may be wise to look elsewhere. You want to work with a company that is multi-faceted.   Do your homework: The SEO area is a crowded space and not every company is reputable.  We mystery shopped no less than 15 providers before settling on a firm. While a good number responded to our inquiries within an hour, many failed to get back to us after 24 hours, which raised a red flag. To protect yourself, ask for references and request a ranking report on past clients to determine how good they are at achieving results. It’s also wise to look for online reviews of the company’s services. Picking a firm with a solid track record is key.  Set your budget in advance: SEO firms offer a variety of packages, which can be overwhelming. Having a budget will help you sort through the options. I advocate setting a budget based on your market (if it’s a large market with a huge amount of competition, it may cost you more to improve your rankings) and the amount of traffic you want to generate.   Follow up: Once you hire a firm, check in regularly to make sure the company is achieving the goals you set. You should see progress every month.   Ryan Monson serves as the executive account director at Mudlick Mail, which provides targeted direct mail campaigns for automotive repair shops. Ryan works with 150 repair shops nationwide, helping to market their businesses and managing their Internet marketing campaigns. He began his Internet marketing career while still in high school, creating websites for car dealerships to manage inventory online. He holds a degree in finance from Valdosta State University.  A few weeks ago, I outlined the basics of Internet marketing.  Having a well-thought out website, optimizing it and spreading the word about your services through Facebook and other social media sites will help you start the process of creating an online presence. If you want to take your efforts a step further and get the edge on the competition, focus on improving your search rankings.    Increasing your visibility with Google, Yahoo and other search engines is a complicated process and one that I find, is best handled by experts. So, I suggest hiring a firm that specializes in Search Engine Optimization to help you improve your search rankings. Here’s a quick guide to finding the right company to catapult your company to the top of the list.   See how they rank: One of the easiest things you can do when searching for an SEO firm is to plug in some keywords (i.e. SEO consultants or SEO experts) and see who pops up at the top. The firm we ended up using for our chain of shops came up fourth on the list, which proved they were fairly capable of generating good results. Sites that rank Internet marketing agencies, such as TopSEOS.com, can also serve as a good source of information.   Consider the approach: In order to choose an SEO firm, you need to know a little about how search results are generated. There are basically two methods for driving traffic to your site: paid searches and organic searches. Paid searches will send visitors to your site based on keywords you purchase. Organic searches pull traffic based on the relevance to search terms. While both approaches yield results, I’ve found that it’s usually better to avoid relying solely on paid advertising. If the firm you’re considering only uses a pay for click model, it may be wise to look elsewhere. You want to work with a company that is multi-faceted.   Do your homework: The SEO area is a crowded space and not every company is reputable.  We mystery shopped no less than 15 providers before settling on a firm. While a good number responded to our inquiries within an hour, many failed to get back to us after 24 hours, which raised a red flag. To protect yourself, ask for references and request a ranking report on past clients to determine how good they are at achieving results. It’s also wise to look for online reviews of the company’s services. Picking a firm with a solid track record is key.  Set your budget in advance: SEO firms offer a variety of packages, which can be overwhelming. Having a budget will help you sort through the options. I advocate setting a budget based on your market (if it’s a large market with a huge amount of competition, it may cost you more to improve your rankings) and the amount of traffic you want to generate.   Follow up: Once you hire a firm, check in regularly to make sure the company is achieving the goals you set. You should see progress every month.   Ryan Monson serves as the executive account director at Mudlick Mail, which provides targeted direct mail campaigns for automotive repair shops. Ryan works with 150 repair shops nationwide, helping to market their businesses and managing their Internet marketing campaigns. He began his Internet marketing career while still in high school, creating websites for car dealerships to manage inventory online. He holds a degree in finance from Valdosta State University.  Fri, 19 Aug 2011 23:20:05 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_How-to-Choose-an-SEO-firm/blog/5049541/31710.html MudlickMail 2011-08-19T23:20:05Z Motor Age AutoPro Workshop A few weeks ago, I outlined the basics of Internet marketing.  Having a well-thought out website, optimizing it and spreading the word about your services through Facebook and other social media sites will help you start the process of creating an online presence. If you want to take your efforts a step further and get the edge on the competition, focus on improving your search rankings.    Increasing your visibility with Google, Yahoo and other search engines is a complicated process and one that I find, is best handled by experts. So, I suggest hiring a firm that specializes in Search Engine Optimization to help you improve your search rankings. Here’s a quick guide to finding the right company to catapult your company to the top of the list.   See how they rank: One of the easiest things you can do when searching for an SEO firm is to plug in some keywords (i.e. SEO consultants or SEO experts) and see who pops up at the top. The firm we ended up using for our chain of shops came up fourth on the list, which proved they were fairly capable of generating good results. Sites that rank Internet marketing agencies, such as TopSEOS.com, can also serve as a good source of information.   Consider the approach: In order to choose an SEO firm, you need to know a little about how search results are generated. There are basically two methods for driving traffic to your site: paid searches and organic searches. Paid searches will send visitors to your site based on keywords you purchase. Organic searches pull traffic based on the relevance to search terms. While both approaches yield results, I’ve found that it’s usually better to avoid relying solely on paid advertising. If the firm you’re considering only uses a pay for click model, it may be wise to look elsewhere. You want to work with a company that is multi-faceted.   Do your homework: The SEO area is a crowded space and not every company is reputable.  We mystery shopped no less than 15 providers before settling on a firm. While a good number responded to our inquiries within an hour, many failed to get back to us after 24 hours, which raised a red flag. To protect yourself, ask for references and request a ranking report on past clients to determine how good they are at achieving results. It’s also wise to look for online reviews of the company’s services. Picking a firm with a solid track record is key.  Set your budget in advance: SEO firms offer a variety of packages, which can be overwhelming. Having a budget will help you sort through the options. I advocate setting a budget based on your market (if it’s a large market with a huge amount of competition, it may cost you more to improve your rankings) and the amount of traffic you want to generate.   Follow up: Once you hire a firm, check in regularly to make sure the company is achieving the goals you set. You should see progress every month.   Ryan Monson serves as the executive account director at Mudlick Mail, which provides targeted direct mail campaigns for automotive repair shops. Ryan works with 150 repair shops nationwide, helping to market their businesses and managing their Internet marketing campaigns. He began his Internet marketing career while still in high school, creating websites for car dealerships to manage inventory online. He holds a degree in finance from Valdosta State University.  auto, google, internet, mail, marketing, motor age, mudlick, organic, paid, repair, search, search rankings, search., seo, seo firm, shops nonadult false How to Choose an SEO firm text blog auto,google,internet,mail,marketing,motor age,mudlick,organic,paid,repair,search,search rankings,search.,seo,seo firm,shops 1965 0 0.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States CO Denver 80206 7 Motor Age 0 5049541 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Internet-Marketing-101/blog/4997523/31710.html The Internet holds huge potential as a marketing vehicle for your business. New and exciting online tools are emerging everyday that can help you more effectively reach your audience and raise your profile. But with technology evolving so quickly, it may be difficult figuring out where to start. Rather than trying to incorporate everything available, I advocate a fairly simple approach.  Here’s a look at the elements of the Internet marketing plan that I consider essential.  I recommend having these core pieces in place whether you’re opening a new store or have been in business for years.•    Website:  Without a website in this Internet age, you’re dead in the water. Your website will serve as the main point of contact for many of your customers, so you want to make sure it well-designed, user friendly and has the same look and feel as your other marketing materials. Your website should include your hours of operation, your phone number and location with a link to a Google map. I also suggest listing your services and any specials you offer. Once you’ve got the basics down, you can consider adding more interactive features, such as an online scheduling system (our customers submit scheduling requests through an easy-to-complete form) and a mechanism for customers to share reviews. Another option is to gather testimonials from long-standing customers and feature those on the site. It’s also nice to add any awards you’ve won and articles that have been written about your business.  Lastly, don’t forget to update your website to reflect changes in your business, such as expanded store hours or the addition of new services.•    Search Engine Optimization:  Google has a specific formula that determines which pages will rise to the top when a search is performed. To drive traffic to your site, you can embed relevant keywords and phrases into your website, online documents, multi-media and social media properties. Links from other sites (such as Yelp or Google Places) that mention your business can also improve your ranking and increase traffic to your site.There are some aspects of SEO – such as submitting your business to Google Places – which you can perform on your own. You can also research your competitors to see what keywords they’re using to attract traffic, identify how many people are searching those terms and the competition level of those terms. However, if you want to employ a more sophisticated approach to your SEO, it pays to hire a professional firm that can help you sort out the difference between paid and organic searches and will help build the right kind of links to push you ahead of your competition.  I am planning another post on how to choose a company for SEO, link building & social media services.•    Social Media – Social media is another great way to connect with customers. Social media platforms offer a forum to promote your business and help improve your visibility. You can use sites such as Facebook to advertise specials, events and other news that might be relevant to your target market. Social media also offers the opportunity to engage with your customers, receive feedback and can potentially help with recruiting. When done properly, social media can have a viral effect on your business – with your customers helping you grow your followers and community. Ryan Monson serves as the executive account director at Mudlick Mail, which provides targeted direct mail campaigns for automotive repair shops. Ryan works with 150 repair shops nationwide, helping to market their businesses and managing their Internet marketing campaigns. He began his Internet marketing career while still in high school, creating websites for car dealerships to manage inventory online. He holds a degree in finance from Valdosta State University. The Internet holds huge potential as a marketing vehicle for your business. New and exciting online tools are emerging everyday that can help you more effectively reach your audience and raise your profile. But with technology evolving so quickly, it may be difficult figuring out where to start. Rather than trying to incorporate everything available, I advocate a fairly simple approach.  Here’s a look at the elements of the Internet marketing plan that I consider essential.  I recommend having these core pieces in place whether you’re opening a new store or have been in business for years.•    Website:  Without a website in this Internet age, you’re dead in the water. Your website will serve as the main point of contact for many of your customers, so you want to make sure it well-designed, user friendly and has the same look and feel as your other marketing materials. Your website should include your hours of operation, your phone number and location with a link to a Google map. I also suggest listing your services and any specials you offer. Once you’ve got the basics down, you can consider adding more interactive features, such as an online scheduling system (our customers submit scheduling requests through an easy-to-complete form) and a mechanism for customers to share reviews. Another option is to gather testimonials from long-standing customers and feature those on the site. It’s also nice to add any awards you’ve won and articles that have been written about your business.  Lastly, don’t forget to update your website to reflect changes in your business, such as expanded store hours or the addition of new services.•    Search Engine Optimization:  Google has a specific formula that determines which pages will rise to the top when a search is performed. To drive traffic to your site, you can embed relevant keywords and phrases into your website, online documents, multi-media and social media properties. Links from other sites (such as Yelp or Google Places) that mention your business can also improve your ranking and increase traffic to your site.There are some aspects of SEO – such as submitting your business to Google Places – which you can perform on your own. You can also research your competitors to see what keywords they’re using to attract traffic, identify how many people are searching those terms and the competition level of those terms. However, if you want to employ a more sophisticated approach to your SEO, it pays to hire a professional firm that can help you sort out the difference between paid and organic searches and will help build the right kind of links to push you ahead of your competition.  I am planning another post on how to choose a company for SEO, link building & social media services.•    Social Media – Social media is another great way to connect with customers. Social media platforms offer a forum to promote your business and help improve your visibility. You can use sites such as Facebook to advertise specials, events and other news that might be relevant to your target market. Social media also offers the opportunity to engage with your customers, receive feedback and can potentially help with recruiting. When done properly, social media can have a viral effect on your business – with your customers helping you grow your followers and community. Ryan Monson serves as the executive account director at Mudlick Mail, which provides targeted direct mail campaigns for automotive repair shops. Ryan works with 150 repair shops nationwide, helping to market their businesses and managing their Internet marketing campaigns. He began his Internet marketing career while still in high school, creating websites for car dealerships to manage inventory online. He holds a degree in finance from Valdosta State University. Fri, 05 Aug 2011 00:31:31 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Internet-Marketing-101/blog/4997523/31710.html MudlickMail 2011-08-05T00:31:31Z Motor Age AutoPro Workshop The Internet holds huge potential as a marketing vehicle for your business. New and exciting online tools are emerging everyday that can help you more effectively reach your audience and raise your profile. But with technology evolving so quickly, it may be difficult figuring out where to start. Rather than trying to incorporate everything available, I advocate a fairly simple approach.  Here’s a look at the elements of the Internet marketing plan that I consider essential.  I recommend having these core pieces in place whether you’re opening a new store or have been in business for years.•    Website:  Without a website in this Internet age, you’re dead in the water. Your website will serve as the main point of contact for many of your customers, so you want to make sure it well-designed, user friendly and has the same look and feel as your other marketing materials. Your website should include your hours of operation, your phone number and location with a link to a Google map. I also suggest listing your services and any specials you offer. Once you’ve got the basics down, you can consider adding more interactive features, such as an online scheduling system (our customers submit scheduling requests through an easy-to-complete form) and a mechanism for customers to share reviews. Another option is to gather testimonials from long-standing customers and feature those on the site. It’s also nice to add any awards you’ve won and articles that have been written about your business.  Lastly, don’t forget to update your website to reflect changes in your business, such as expanded store hours or the addition of new services.•    Search Engine Optimization:  Google has a specific formula that determines which pages will rise to the top when a search is performed. To drive traffic to your site, you can embed relevant keywords and phrases into your website, online documents, multi-media and social media properties. Links from other sites (such as Yelp or Google Places) that mention your business can also improve your ranking and increase traffic to your site.There are some aspects of SEO – such as submitting your business to Google Places – which you can perform on your own. You can also research your competitors to see what keywords they’re using to attract traffic, identify how many people are searching those terms and the competition level of those terms. However, if you want to employ a more sophisticated approach to your SEO, it pays to hire a professional firm that can help you sort out the difference between paid and organic searches and will help build the right kind of links to push you ahead of your competition.  I am planning another post on how to choose a company for SEO, link building & social media services.•    Social Media – Social media is another great way to connect with customers. Social media platforms offer a forum to promote your business and help improve your visibility. You can use sites such as Facebook to advertise specials, events and other news that might be relevant to your target market. Social media also offers the opportunity to engage with your customers, receive feedback and can potentially help with recruiting. When done properly, social media can have a viral effect on your business – with your customers helping you grow your followers and community. Ryan Monson serves as the executive account director at Mudlick Mail, which provides targeted direct mail campaigns for automotive repair shops. Ryan works with 150 repair shops nationwide, helping to market their businesses and managing their Internet marketing campaigns. He began his Internet marketing career while still in high school, creating websites for car dealerships to manage inventory online. He holds a degree in finance from Valdosta State University. automotive, direct mail, engine, internet, mail, marketing, media, motor age, mudlick, optimization, repair, search, shops, social, websites nonadult false Internet Marketing 101 text blog automotive,direct mail,engine,internet,mail,marketing,media,motor age,mudlick,optimization,repair,search,shops,social,websites 1236 0 0.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States GA Ac 30101 1 Motor Age 0 4997523 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Building-a-Training-Program/blog/4876123/31710.html Employee training is one of the key ingredients to owning a successful shop, yet I’m constantly surprised at the number of owners who don’t have training programs in place. Without training, employees are left wondering how to do their jobs, which often leads to inconsistency in operations.  Even worse, employees who haven’t been trained can become frustrated by the lack of guidance and communication and may end up quitting – resulting in a revolving door of employees. Providing training can not only alleviate turnover, but help improve sales as well.  A well-thought out training program can assist employees with everything from providing customer service to handling conflict, which will translate into a better experience for clients and more return visits.Establishing a training program, however, takes time and commitment. I wouldn’t recommend buying a training program off the shelf or trying to duplicate a training process used by another shop, because you probably have your own unique systems and ways of doing business. Instead, think about how you like all aspects of your business to run (from the way you greet customers to how you sell repairs). Once you’ve documented your processes, you can create guidelines to serve as a framework for your program.Delivering the goods:  After you’ve figured out what makes your business work, you need to determine how to pass that knowledge on to the troops. Rather than relying on a single manual, our training program consists of seven different modules, that each address a different part of the operation. Our Customer Pathways module covers everything from how the parking lot and waiting area should be maintained to our practice of opening doors for everyone who enters our stores.  In our Phone Skills module, we instruct employees on inviting customers in for an assessment rather than pricing parts over the phone.  Another module details all the benefits we provide customers, such as free pick-up and delivery, same day service and extended hours.Knowledge checks: We test our employees on each module to ensure that they’re grasping and retaining the information we provide. In addition to the seven module tests, there is one final “exam” that covers all of the modules. That test is known as a “validation” and we update it regularly to reflect changes in our business. Each employee takes that final exam annually to stay current on our policies and practices.Taking charge: The person or people you assign to oversee your program may vary depending on your structure. In our shops, we utilize a two-pronged approach. Each employee is responsible for learning the material in our modules. Some tackle the tests in ten days. Others take six weeks. The pace doesn’t matter – I’ve had employees go slow and become top managers within months. Our managers and regional mangers are also evaluated on how they implement training based on turnover. Since ineffective training typically leads to high turnover, our managers have an incentive to make sure their employees know the program.I also support outside training programs and have paid for employees to attend seminars developed by Dale Carnegie and Steven Covey to name a few. My belief is that if you don’t invest much in an employee, you won’t get much back.What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts on how training has helped your shops succeed. Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 20 repair shops across the country. Follow Mudlick on Facebook: /www.facebook.com mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail         Employee training is one of the key ingredients to owning a successful shop, yet I’m constantly surprised at the number of owners who don’t have training programs in place. Without training, employees are left wondering how to do their jobs, which often leads to inconsistency in operations.  Even worse, employees who haven’t been trained can become frustrated by the lack of guidance and communication and may end up quitting – resulting in a revolving door of employees. Providing training can not only alleviate turnover, but help improve sales as well.  A well-thought out training program can assist employees with everything from providing customer service to handling conflict, which will translate into a better experience for clients and more return visits.Establishing a training program, however, takes time and commitment. I wouldn’t recommend buying a training program off the shelf or trying to duplicate a training process used by another shop, because you probably have your own unique systems and ways of doing business. Instead, think about how you like all aspects of your business to run (from the way you greet customers to how you sell repairs). Once you’ve documented your processes, you can create guidelines to serve as a framework for your program.Delivering the goods:  After you’ve figured out what makes your business work, you need to determine how to pass that knowledge on to the troops. Rather than relying on a single manual, our training program consists of seven different modules, that each address a different part of the operation. Our Customer Pathways module covers everything from how the parking lot and waiting area should be maintained to our practice of opening doors for everyone who enters our stores.  In our Phone Skills module, we instruct employees on inviting customers in for an assessment rather than pricing parts over the phone.  Another module details all the benefits we provide customers, such as free pick-up and delivery, same day service and extended hours.Knowledge checks: We test our employees on each module to ensure that they’re grasping and retaining the information we provide. In addition to the seven module tests, there is one final “exam” that covers all of the modules. That test is known as a “validation” and we update it regularly to reflect changes in our business. Each employee takes that final exam annually to stay current on our policies and practices.Taking charge: The person or people you assign to oversee your program may vary depending on your structure. In our shops, we utilize a two-pronged approach. Each employee is responsible for learning the material in our modules. Some tackle the tests in ten days. Others take six weeks. The pace doesn’t matter – I’ve had employees go slow and become top managers within months. Our managers and regional mangers are also evaluated on how they implement training based on turnover. Since ineffective training typically leads to high turnover, our managers have an incentive to make sure their employees know the program.I also support outside training programs and have paid for employees to attend seminars developed by Dale Carnegie and Steven Covey to name a few. My belief is that if you don’t invest much in an employee, you won’t get much back.What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts on how training has helped your shops succeed. Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 20 repair shops across the country. Follow Mudlick on Facebook: /www.facebook.com mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail         Fri, 15 Jul 2011 20:57:14 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Building-a-Training-Program/blog/4876123/31710.html MudlickMail 2011-07-15T20:57:14Z Motor Age AutoPro Workshop Employee training is one of the key ingredients to owning a successful shop, yet I’m constantly surprised at the number of owners who don’t have training programs in place. Without training, employees are left wondering how to do their jobs, which often leads to inconsistency in operations.  Even worse, employees who haven’t been trained can become frustrated by the lack of guidance and communication and may end up quitting – resulting in a revolving door of employees. Providing training can not only alleviate turnover, but help improve sales as well.  A well-thought out training program can assist employees with everything from providing customer service to handling conflict, which will translate into a better experience for clients and more return visits.Establishing a training program, however, takes time and commitment. I wouldn’t recommend buying a training program off the shelf or trying to duplicate a training process used by another shop, because you probably have your own unique systems and ways of doing business. Instead, think about how you like all aspects of your business to run (from the way you greet customers to how you sell repairs). Once you’ve documented your processes, you can create guidelines to serve as a framework for your program.Delivering the goods:  After you’ve figured out what makes your business work, you need to determine how to pass that knowledge on to the troops. Rather than relying on a single manual, our training program consists of seven different modules, that each address a different part of the operation. Our Customer Pathways module covers everything from how the parking lot and waiting area should be maintained to our practice of opening doors for everyone who enters our stores.  In our Phone Skills module, we instruct employees on inviting customers in for an assessment rather than pricing parts over the phone.  Another module details all the benefits we provide customers, such as free pick-up and delivery, same day service and extended hours.Knowledge checks: We test our employees on each module to ensure that they’re grasping and retaining the information we provide. In addition to the seven module tests, there is one final “exam” that covers all of the modules. That test is known as a “validation” and we update it regularly to reflect changes in our business. Each employee takes that final exam annually to stay current on our policies and practices.Taking charge: The person or people you assign to oversee your program may vary depending on your structure. In our shops, we utilize a two-pronged approach. Each employee is responsible for learning the material in our modules. Some tackle the tests in ten days. Others take six weeks. The pace doesn’t matter – I’ve had employees go slow and become top managers within months. Our managers and regional mangers are also evaluated on how they implement training based on turnover. Since ineffective training typically leads to high turnover, our managers have an incentive to make sure their employees know the program.I also support outside training programs and have paid for employees to attend seminars developed by Dale Carnegie and Steven Covey to name a few. My belief is that if you don’t invest much in an employee, you won’t get much back.What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts on how training has helped your shops succeed. Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 20 repair shops across the country. Follow Mudlick on Facebook: /www.facebook.com mudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail         automotive, direct, greg, mail, management, motor age, repair, sands, shop, training, training manual, training module nonadult false Building a Training Program text blog automotive,direct,greg,mail,management,motor age,repair,sands,shop,training,training manual,training module 2275 0 0.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States GA Acworth 0 Motor Age 1 4876123 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Contributing-to-the-Community/blog/3967890/31710.html Do you sponsor your local high school’s baseball team? Repair your town’s fire trucks or other safety vehicles at a discount? It’s easy to overlook these types of community contributions, but they can foster goodwill and help differentiate you from the competition.I consider community involvement essential and make it a priority in every shop I open.  Instead of choosing causes to support at random, I decide once a year what organizations to support. That forces me to really think about which causes I want to invest in and helps me handle the rash of requests I typically receive. My efforts have run the gamut – from sponsoring Little League teams to offering free clinics to educate parents about the proper way to install child car seats. When you’re grappling with what to support, consider what might make the most sense in terms of exposure. I often sponsor local football leagues because in many communities, the games are a huge draw. You may also want to think about what issues most interest you and find organizations that are actively working on tackling those concerns. It’s also wise to avoid underwriting anything too controversial or polarizing. For example, I stay away from affiliating with anything political because I know I’m bound to alienate someone in my customer base.  Remember to pick your battles carefully.Lastly, finding the money or even the time to donate to a worthy cause can be very difficult, particularly in a tough economy. Sometimes being a good neighbor can be as simple as buying goods from other local vendors before purchasing from out of state. Running an environmentally friendly shop can also go a long way towards strengthening community relations. If you’re more focused on providing financial support but don’t have a lot of extra cash to spare, consider partnering with other shops to stretch your dollars.  Whatever route you choose to take, contributing to your community will show that your shop is dedicated to more than just making a buck. Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 20 repair shops across the country. Do you sponsor your local high school’s baseball team? Repair your town’s fire trucks or other safety vehicles at a discount? It’s easy to overlook these types of community contributions, but they can foster goodwill and help differentiate you from the competition.I consider community involvement essential and make it a priority in every shop I open.  Instead of choosing causes to support at random, I decide once a year what organizations to support. That forces me to really think about which causes I want to invest in and helps me handle the rash of requests I typically receive. My efforts have run the gamut – from sponsoring Little League teams to offering free clinics to educate parents about the proper way to install child car seats. When you’re grappling with what to support, consider what might make the most sense in terms of exposure. I often sponsor local football leagues because in many communities, the games are a huge draw. You may also want to think about what issues most interest you and find organizations that are actively working on tackling those concerns. It’s also wise to avoid underwriting anything too controversial or polarizing. For example, I stay away from affiliating with anything political because I know I’m bound to alienate someone in my customer base.  Remember to pick your battles carefully.Lastly, finding the money or even the time to donate to a worthy cause can be very difficult, particularly in a tough economy. Sometimes being a good neighbor can be as simple as buying goods from other local vendors before purchasing from out of state. Running an environmentally friendly shop can also go a long way towards strengthening community relations. If you’re more focused on providing financial support but don’t have a lot of extra cash to spare, consider partnering with other shops to stretch your dollars.  Whatever route you choose to take, contributing to your community will show that your shop is dedicated to more than just making a buck. Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 20 repair shops across the country. Thu, 09 Jun 2011 05:10:49 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Contributing-to-the-Community/blog/3967890/31710.html MudlickMail 2011-06-09T05:10:49Z AutoPro Workshop Do you sponsor your local high school’s baseball team? Repair your town’s fire trucks or other safety vehicles at a discount? It’s easy to overlook these types of community contributions, but they can foster goodwill and help differentiate you from the competition.I consider community involvement essential and make it a priority in every shop I open.  Instead of choosing causes to support at random, I decide once a year what organizations to support. That forces me to really think about which causes I want to invest in and helps me handle the rash of requests I typically receive. My efforts have run the gamut – from sponsoring Little League teams to offering free clinics to educate parents about the proper way to install child car seats. When you’re grappling with what to support, consider what might make the most sense in terms of exposure. I often sponsor local football leagues because in many communities, the games are a huge draw. You may also want to think about what issues most interest you and find organizations that are actively working on tackling those concerns. It’s also wise to avoid underwriting anything too controversial or polarizing. For example, I stay away from affiliating with anything political because I know I’m bound to alienate someone in my customer base.  Remember to pick your battles carefully.Lastly, finding the money or even the time to donate to a worthy cause can be very difficult, particularly in a tough economy. Sometimes being a good neighbor can be as simple as buying goods from other local vendors before purchasing from out of state. Running an environmentally friendly shop can also go a long way towards strengthening community relations. If you’re more focused on providing financial support but don’t have a lot of extra cash to spare, consider partnering with other shops to stretch your dollars.  Whatever route you choose to take, contributing to your community will show that your shop is dedicated to more than just making a buck. Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 20 repair shops across the country. auto, community contributions, community involvement, good, neighbor, owner, repair, shop nonadult false Contributing to the Community text blog auto,community contributions,community involvement,good,neighbor,owner,repair,shop 798 0 0.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States CO Acworth 30101 0 0 3967890 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Assembling-the-Right-Team/blog/3867205/31710.html As a multi-location shop owner, one of the most challenging parts of my job is finding the right people to staff my businesses. Assembling the right team is as important to me as finding the right location. After all, no matter how conveniently located my shops are, if the service is slow or the staff is rude, customers will drive elsewhere for a better experience.Of course, hiring is a very subjective process. What works for me in terms of size and type of staff may not work for you. But after two decades in business, what I’ve found is that if I operate with three managers, four general service representatives and four technicians, I can handle almost anything. Each of those jobs requires different skills, so I keep different criteria in mind when hiring for those positions. Managers: When it comes to managers I always look for people who have been successful in the retail business. I want to know if they’ve been able to post sales increases in past positions or grew the business in other ways. I also want managers who are outgoing and friendly. If I have a hard time having a conversation with them then I know customers will encounter problems communicating with them as well. Service Representatives: Because they’ll be spending some portion of their time working with customers, my service people must also be friendly. I also want well-groomed individuals who won’t have a problem leaving the earrings at home or covering up tattoos while on the job. In fact, I won’t hire anyone who wears an earring to an interview because it shows that they don’t know what’s expected of them in a professional situation. Sometimes I’ll hire service people who are fresh out of training. They’re not ready to work on cars, but I know they have a good background in mechanics and if they’re good with people, they’ll be able to explain complex problems more easily.Technicians: I want my technicians to be experienced. One good way of determining expertise is to ask how valuable a technician’s tool collection is.  The average technician has between $30,000 and $50,000 in tools. But really skilled and veteran technicians may have obtained as much as $100,000 in tools throughout their careers. I also tend to hire techs that are factory-trained or have at least eight to 10 years of experience.  While there are plenty of eager new technicians looking for jobs, I don’t want them practicing on our customers’ cars.I always make a point of checking references for any position I’m hiring. Those who earn glowing reviews from past employers are the ones that really capture my attention. I’ve also started searching Google, Facebook and other online sources for information on potential employees that may not show up on a resume or reveal itself in an interview. Finally, I like longevity in my workers, so I tend to avoid hiring anyone who has had more than two jobs in five years.   I’d love to hear from you and what hiring practices work best for your businesses. Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 20 repair shops across the country. As a multi-location shop owner, one of the most challenging parts of my job is finding the right people to staff my businesses. Assembling the right team is as important to me as finding the right location. After all, no matter how conveniently located my shops are, if the service is slow or the staff is rude, customers will drive elsewhere for a better experience.Of course, hiring is a very subjective process. What works for me in terms of size and type of staff may not work for you. But after two decades in business, what I’ve found is that if I operate with three managers, four general service representatives and four technicians, I can handle almost anything. Each of those jobs requires different skills, so I keep different criteria in mind when hiring for those positions. Managers: When it comes to managers I always look for people who have been successful in the retail business. I want to know if they’ve been able to post sales increases in past positions or grew the business in other ways. I also want managers who are outgoing and friendly. If I have a hard time having a conversation with them then I know customers will encounter problems communicating with them as well. Service Representatives: Because they’ll be spending some portion of their time working with customers, my service people must also be friendly. I also want well-groomed individuals who won’t have a problem leaving the earrings at home or covering up tattoos while on the job. In fact, I won’t hire anyone who wears an earring to an interview because it shows that they don’t know what’s expected of them in a professional situation. Sometimes I’ll hire service people who are fresh out of training. They’re not ready to work on cars, but I know they have a good background in mechanics and if they’re good with people, they’ll be able to explain complex problems more easily.Technicians: I want my technicians to be experienced. One good way of determining expertise is to ask how valuable a technician’s tool collection is.  The average technician has between $30,000 and $50,000 in tools. But really skilled and veteran technicians may have obtained as much as $100,000 in tools throughout their careers. I also tend to hire techs that are factory-trained or have at least eight to 10 years of experience.  While there are plenty of eager new technicians looking for jobs, I don’t want them practicing on our customers’ cars.I always make a point of checking references for any position I’m hiring. Those who earn glowing reviews from past employers are the ones that really capture my attention. I’ve also started searching Google, Facebook and other online sources for information on potential employees that may not show up on a resume or reveal itself in an interview. Finally, I like longevity in my workers, so I tend to avoid hiring anyone who has had more than two jobs in five years.   I’d love to hear from you and what hiring practices work best for your businesses. Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 20 repair shops across the country. Thu, 02 Jun 2011 01:33:14 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Assembling-the-Right-Team/blog/3867205/31710.html MudlickMail 2011-06-02T01:33:14Z AutoPro Workshop As a multi-location shop owner, one of the most challenging parts of my job is finding the right people to staff my businesses. Assembling the right team is as important to me as finding the right location. After all, no matter how conveniently located my shops are, if the service is slow or the staff is rude, customers will drive elsewhere for a better experience.Of course, hiring is a very subjective process. What works for me in terms of size and type of staff may not work for you. But after two decades in business, what I’ve found is that if I operate with three managers, four general service representatives and four technicians, I can handle almost anything. Each of those jobs requires different skills, so I keep different criteria in mind when hiring for those positions. Managers: When it comes to managers I always look for people who have been successful in the retail business. I want to know if they’ve been able to post sales increases in past positions or grew the business in other ways. I also want managers who are outgoing and friendly. If I have a hard time having a conversation with them then I know customers will encounter problems communicating with them as well. Service Representatives: Because they’ll be spending some portion of their time working with customers, my service people must also be friendly. I also want well-groomed individuals who won’t have a problem leaving the earrings at home or covering up tattoos while on the job. In fact, I won’t hire anyone who wears an earring to an interview because it shows that they don’t know what’s expected of them in a professional situation. Sometimes I’ll hire service people who are fresh out of training. They’re not ready to work on cars, but I know they have a good background in mechanics and if they’re good with people, they’ll be able to explain complex problems more easily.Technicians: I want my technicians to be experienced. One good way of determining expertise is to ask how valuable a technician’s tool collection is.  The average technician has between $30,000 and $50,000 in tools. But really skilled and veteran technicians may have obtained as much as $100,000 in tools throughout their careers. I also tend to hire techs that are factory-trained or have at least eight to 10 years of experience.  While there are plenty of eager new technicians looking for jobs, I don’t want them practicing on our customers’ cars.I always make a point of checking references for any position I’m hiring. Those who earn glowing reviews from past employers are the ones that really capture my attention. I’ve also started searching Google, Facebook and other online sources for information on potential employees that may not show up on a resume or reveal itself in an interview. Finally, I like longevity in my workers, so I tend to avoid hiring anyone who has had more than two jobs in five years.   I’d love to hear from you and what hiring practices work best for your businesses. Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 20 repair shops across the country. customer service, employees, hiring, managers, service, service representatives, street, technicians nonadult false Assembling the Right Team text blog customer service,employees,hiring,managers,service,service representatives,street,technicians 2324 0 0.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States GA Acworth 30101 0 0 3867205 24032592 Member 0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Don39t-Say-No/blog/3679484/31710.html Can you imagine walking into a McDonald’s and being told to come back the next day because the staff was simply too busy with other customers to serve you?  Or what if your local gas station suddenly started requiring you to make appointments to fill your tank? Unfortunately, auto repair shop customers encounter those scenarios daily, because too many shop owners haven’t realized that offering consumers convenience should be a top priority. If you say no when a customer calls to inquire about a service, you’ll not only lose that customer’s business, but you’ll also lose any potential referrals that may have resulted from that transaction. But saying no to customers can also lead to an even worse outcome – you could become labeled as the shop that makes customers wait. Remember, bad news travels faster than good news. So, what can you do to avoid saying no? Consider making the following changes, which may take some time to implement, but should allow you to better serve customers. Staff appropriately: Don’t staff for the volume of business you do today, but the amount you hope to do tomorrow.  This is especially key if you decide to send out a direct mail campaign that drives a lot of business to your shop. Being unprepared to serve the increased demand will lead you to say no and will defeat the purpose of your advertising.  With the right amount of staff on hand, you’ll be able to say yes and offer customers the convenience that will keep them coming back. Provide the right training: Your front counter staff needs to be saying yes to customers all day, every day. At my shops, we don’t ask customers to schedule a service for a specific time of day, instead we ask: “Is now a good time to bring in your car?” This one phrase provides customers with more flexibility and provides customers with a stronger sense of control over the situation. Increase your speed of service: How long does it take you to check in an oil change customer, inspect the vehicle and get back to the customer with any safety or maintenance issues? If your answer is longer than 20 minutes, then you just lost money.  To save time, bring the customer’s car into the bay while you are processing paperwork. That way, your technicians can start on the job, while your front counter staff gather contact information.  Many shops also waste time by allowing their bays to get clogged up with cars that are waiting on parts. Move those cars aside to help customers needing more basic services, such as oil changes or battery replacements that can be done relatively quickly. Your technicians may not like moving a car that they’ve already started work on, but they’ll understand the strategy once they see the volume increase and their earnings rise.   Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 20 repair shops across the country. Follow Mudlick on Facebook: /www.facebook.commudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail     Can you imagine walking into a McDonald’s and being told to come back the next day because the staff was simply too busy with other customers to serve you?  Or what if your local gas station suddenly started requiring you to make appointments to fill your tank? Unfortunately, auto repair shop customers encounter those scenarios daily, because too many shop owners haven’t realized that offering consumers convenience should be a top priority. If you say no when a customer calls to inquire about a service, you’ll not only lose that customer’s business, but you’ll also lose any potential referrals that may have resulted from that transaction. But saying no to customers can also lead to an even worse outcome – you could become labeled as the shop that makes customers wait. Remember, bad news travels faster than good news. So, what can you do to avoid saying no? Consider making the following changes, which may take some time to implement, but should allow you to better serve customers. Staff appropriately: Don’t staff for the volume of business you do today, but the amount you hope to do tomorrow.  This is especially key if you decide to send out a direct mail campaign that drives a lot of business to your shop. Being unprepared to serve the increased demand will lead you to say no and will defeat the purpose of your advertising.  With the right amount of staff on hand, you’ll be able to say yes and offer customers the convenience that will keep them coming back. Provide the right training: Your front counter staff needs to be saying yes to customers all day, every day. At my shops, we don’t ask customers to schedule a service for a specific time of day, instead we ask: “Is now a good time to bring in your car?” This one phrase provides customers with more flexibility and provides customers with a stronger sense of control over the situation. Increase your speed of service: How long does it take you to check in an oil change customer, inspect the vehicle and get back to the customer with any safety or maintenance issues? If your answer is longer than 20 minutes, then you just lost money.  To save time, bring the customer’s car into the bay while you are processing paperwork. That way, your technicians can start on the job, while your front counter staff gather contact information.  Many shops also waste time by allowing their bays to get clogged up with cars that are waiting on parts. Move those cars aside to help customers needing more basic services, such as oil changes or battery replacements that can be done relatively quickly. Your technicians may not like moving a car that they’ve already started work on, but they’ll understand the strategy once they see the volume increase and their earnings rise.   Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 20 repair shops across the country. Follow Mudlick on Facebook: /www.facebook.commudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail     Thu, 26 May 2011 00:28:35 GMT http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/_Don39t-Say-No/blog/3679484/31710.html MudlickMail 2011-05-26T00:28:35Z AutoPro Workshop Can you imagine walking into a McDonald’s and being told to come back the next day because the staff was simply too busy with other customers to serve you?  Or what if your local gas station suddenly started requiring you to make appointments to fill your tank? Unfortunately, auto repair shop customers encounter those scenarios daily, because too many shop owners haven’t realized that offering consumers convenience should be a top priority. If you say no when a customer calls to inquire about a service, you’ll not only lose that customer’s business, but you’ll also lose any potential referrals that may have resulted from that transaction. But saying no to customers can also lead to an even worse outcome – you could become labeled as the shop that makes customers wait. Remember, bad news travels faster than good news. So, what can you do to avoid saying no? Consider making the following changes, which may take some time to implement, but should allow you to better serve customers. Staff appropriately: Don’t staff for the volume of business you do today, but the amount you hope to do tomorrow.  This is especially key if you decide to send out a direct mail campaign that drives a lot of business to your shop. Being unprepared to serve the increased demand will lead you to say no and will defeat the purpose of your advertising.  With the right amount of staff on hand, you’ll be able to say yes and offer customers the convenience that will keep them coming back. Provide the right training: Your front counter staff needs to be saying yes to customers all day, every day. At my shops, we don’t ask customers to schedule a service for a specific time of day, instead we ask: “Is now a good time to bring in your car?” This one phrase provides customers with more flexibility and provides customers with a stronger sense of control over the situation. Increase your speed of service: How long does it take you to check in an oil change customer, inspect the vehicle and get back to the customer with any safety or maintenance issues? If your answer is longer than 20 minutes, then you just lost money.  To save time, bring the customer’s car into the bay while you are processing paperwork. That way, your technicians can start on the job, while your front counter staff gather contact information.  Many shops also waste time by allowing their bays to get clogged up with cars that are waiting on parts. Move those cars aside to help customers needing more basic services, such as oil changes or battery replacements that can be done relatively quickly. Your technicians may not like moving a car that they’ve already started work on, but they’ll understand the strategy once they see the volume increase and their earnings rise.   Greg Sands is the CEO and founder of Mudlick Mail in Acworth, GA. The company provides demographically targeted, direct mail programs for automotive service and repair shops nationally. An 18-year veteran of the automotive industry, Greg also owns and operates more than 20 repair shops across the country. Follow Mudlick on Facebook: /www.facebook.commudlickmail or Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mudlickmail     auto, automotive, convenience, customer service, greg, mail, mudlick, repair, sands, service, shops nonadult false Don't Say No text blog auto,automotive,convenience,customer service,greg,mail,mudlick,repair,sands,service,shops 997 0 0.0 http://workshop.search-autoparts.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=24032592&as=31710 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/31710/photos/PHOTO_13932632_31710_24032592_ap_160X120.jpg false United States GA Acworth 30101 1 0 3679484 24032592 Member 0