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Advance Auto Parts Communicates Its Commitment to the Aftermarket Independent Shops

Joe Marconi
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KenV Rookie

KenV

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Hi Joe, Fred and I were just wondering why were not finding out about this meetings until after there over? Who is letting you know and how do we get put on the list?

Thanks Joe

John Pearson Collaborator

John Pearson

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Please keep us informed Joe, I am starting to have more parts problems since the change over from carquest to advanced. Also we are having problems with the warranty process, how come the original installer can only be reimbursed for up to 1 year but if another shop takes care of a warranty concern they are reimbursed with in a 2 year window? I have reached out to my TechNet reps and never hear anything in return. Do you have any contacts that would talk to me and answer any questions that I may have?

Charlie Contributor

Charlie

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As an owner of three shops here in Virginia and a TECHNET member I too had my reservations. I was concerned when I saw friendly CARQUEST faces disappear and new ones show up, I was concerned when the Gates line of belts was dropped and replaced with Dayco but I must say, what I have learned is that Advance wants to grow their commercial sector and they are willing to invest in the growth of TECHNET substantially to make it happen.

Like you Joe I voiced my concerns in a respectful manner and what that gave me was intelligent responses to my questions and a better understanding of the work and organization required to blend two multi-billion dollar companies.

JimO Collaborator

JimO

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I was a former Technet member and did very well with Carquest. As the changeover took place I noticed our costs went up and list prices went way up in most Advance lines. It is very easy to look at tremendous profit margins from false, inflated list prices and think everything is great, don't be fooled. Belts, hoses, wipers and exhaust pricing seemed to be ok but all other lines were distorted with elevated cost and greatly exaggerated list prices. Numerous stocking Carquest lines were never changed over to Advance and sat fallow with no ability to efficiently sell since my shop management interface to Carquest evaporated after the changeover. I forwarded item by item price comparisons to my sales rep who in turn forwarded them to his superiors and nothing changed. The Advanced rep stopped coming in so one by one each stocking line was changed over to Napa. The Napa shop management interface is not as good as what I had with Carquest but the prices are back to normal. I truly miss Carquest and would be with them today if possible, what a shame. I would like to see how many concerns on Joe's list align with issues that I experienced, some of which are noted above.

Charlie Contributor

Charlie

Posted
Posted

I was a former Technet member and did very well with Carquest. As the changeover took place I noticed our costs went up and list prices went way up in most Advance lines. It is very easy to look at tremendous profit margins from false, inflated list prices and think everything is great, don't be fooled. Belts, hoses, wipers and exhaust pricing seemed to be ok but all other lines were distorted with elevated cost and greatly exaggerated list prices. Numerous stocking Carquest lines were never changed over to Advance and sat fallow with no ability to efficiently sell since my shop management interface to Carquest evaporated after the changeover. I forwarded item by item price comparisons to my sales rep who in turn forwarded them to his superiors and nothing changed. The Advanced rep stopped coming in so one by one each stocking line was changed over to Napa. The Napa shop management interface is not as good as what I had with Carquest but the prices are back to normal. I truly miss Carquest and would be with them today if possible, what a shame. I would like to see how many concerns on Joe's list align with issues that I experienced, some of which are noted above.

Jim, what shop management system are you using? I do remember a time when several parts were priced way out of line back in early 2014. After some investigation I learned that there were some computer glitches as the Advance inventory management tool was absorbing CQ parts. If I remember correctly AAP has stuck with the CQ inventory system because it was better designed for wholesale distribution.

Have you found a replacement for TECHNET tools and support, mainly CTI training?

JimO Collaborator

JimO

Posted
Posted

I use Baymaster shop management software for almost five years and it works great for my needs.

 

You are correct that there were many incorrect prices blamed on computer glitches. I am bad with time but I believe it was in 2013. These "glitches" caused me to investigate all pricing and compare. Almost every price comparison resulted in the Advance pricing having a higher cost and a greatly exaggerated list price. My shop management information would indicate everything was ok because my profit margin was ok. In fact my profit margin looked better than average due to the exaggerated list price of the Advance parts. Non professionals walking into an Advance store never paid anything near the list prices that Advance was supplying me with. I feel the prices were falsely inflated to hide or conceal the increase in our cost price. I supplied endless printed price comparisons and finally gave up since no corrections were being made. I still have access to Advance pricing and purchase from them occasionally but the prices continue to have higher cost/list pricing.

 

The interface with Carquest was the best. For my requirements no other supplier comes close to matching that but unfortunately it is gone. Back when my Advance sales rep would stop in he said that Advance would be changing over to the Carquest system but that has not happened. I have not seen my Advance sales rep in 6-12 months so if change is coming I am not aware of it. Advance uses something else or an altered version. My Napa supplier does not use the Napa interface and instead uses Nexpart which is at best ok and not even close to Carquest.

 

I am now a Napa Car Care center and I find the benefits, training and support are all similar to Carquest so no loss in that area.

kslade Rookie

kslade

Posted
Posted

At a TECH NET meeting this past March in Westchester County New York, a heated discussion erupted over the acquisition of CARQUEST by Advance. And the comments by the shop owners was not good. We decided to list all our concerns and present these concerns to our sales rep. To be honest, we all felt that this list would fall on the deaf ears of a corporate giant.

 

I drafted a letter and sent it on its way. The letter spread through the company and it was only a few days later when my phone was ringing. Advance got the message and wanted to talk. After a few informal meetings with people from the Advance Auto and reps who were formally from CARQUEST, we all agreed that we need to break bread at a round table discussion and air out these concerns.

 

The TECH NET shops, along with people from Advance met in the same room last Thursday in Westchester to discuss the concerns we had listed in March’s meeting.

 

The meeting started with a detailed presentation on all the programs Advance has for the independent TECH NET shops and the things that Advance are working on. Programs all designed to help Repair shops become more successful. Then we engaged in an open and honest (and sometimes heated) discussion. We discussed everything from our concerns that Advance was too aligned with the DIYer to the issue that shops felt that our cultures are not aligned as they once were with CARQUEST.

 

Well, we may have entered that meeting with guns drawn and cocked, but the words and actions from the Advance reps resonated to all of us that Advance is a company that recognizes that the future of Advance and the future of the Independent Auto Repair shops is dependent on the relationship we create. One by one the people from Advance spoke to us, asked questions, answered questions and at the end we witnessed a different side of a company we once thought as Too Big to listen.

 

More importantly, this meeting set into motion and new-found relationship between the professional automotive repair shops and Advance. Our future looks a little brighter.

 

Hi Joe, I also would like to know what they had to say. I have been a Tech Net member for 2 years and would like to find out more on how they going to treat their best customers, the independent repair shops. Thanks.

Mike Walter Explorer

Mike Walter

Posted
Posted

I to am a Tech net shop and a little worried about parts quality.

My independent CARQUEST is now stocking BWD electrical components such as ignition parts, sensors, switches, etc.

I have an Oreilly parts house up the street from us and have used BWD in the past that we got from them and have had nothing but trouble with them.

Also the Wearever brake pads CQ is now selling have me a little worried also.

We do ALOT of brakes because 70% of my customers commute 40 miles or so to Denver daily from my rural town and its all down hill

Quality of parts is very important to a shop like mine and always has been.

We are not the cheapest shop in town because we use quality parts ( or used to ) and hire the best techs to get the job right the first time.

If a parts fail because of quality that gives us a black eye, even if it isn't out fault or even if its covered under warranty.

Customers want convenience, bringing their vehicles back to have the same problem fixed again isn't convenient not to mention what it does to shop flow and profitability.

Time will tell whether this whole Advanced deal comes back to bite me in the rear diff.

There are some advantages, like their new Nationwide warranty is now 3yr/36,000 mile. You have to pay an extra $83 a year to get it.

There labor claim program is quicker but now its more of a fight than before to get it approved.

Updates to come about this Advance Auto Parts adventure.

Charlie Contributor

Charlie

Posted
Posted

I to am a Tech net shop and a little worried about parts quality.

My independent CARQUEST is now stocking BWD electrical components such as ignition parts, sensors, switches, etc.

I have an Oreilly parts house up the street from us and have used BWD in the past that we got from them and have had nothing but trouble with them.

Also the Wearever brake pads CQ is now selling have me a little worried also.

We do ALOT of brakes because 70% of my customers commute 40 miles or so to Denver daily from my rural town and its all down hill

Quality of parts is very important to a shop like mine and always has been.

We are not the cheapest shop in town because we use quality parts ( or used to ) and hire the best techs to get the job right the first time.

If a parts fail because of quality that gives us a black eye, even if it isn't out fault or even if its covered under warranty.

Customers want convenience, bringing their vehicles back to have the same problem fixed again isn't convenient not to mention what it does to shop flow and profitability.

Time will tell whether this whole Advanced deal comes back to bite me in the rear diff.

There are some advantages, like their new Nationwide warranty is now 3yr/36,000 mile. You have to pay an extra $83 a year to get it.

There labor claim program is quicker but now its more of a fight than before to get it approved.

Updates to come about this Advance Auto Parts adventure.

Mike, Have you brought these concerns to your Advance account manager? Reliability is a huge concern for us and we must have confidence in the parts we install, a failed repair may mean a lost customer and that is a price we can not afford.

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

    • Joe Marconi
      The Technician Shortage Is Our Fault, And It's Time We Own It
      By Joe Marconi in Joe's Blog
         0 comments
      The Technician Shortage Is Our Fault, And It's Time We Own It
      Nearly every day, I hear shop owners complain: "There's a technician shortage. We can't find qualified people. There's no one out there." If that's true, then who's to blame?
      The industry? The schools? The government? I don't know how you feel, but who promised us an endless supply of qualified technicians?
      Another common complaint is that young people do not want to work in the trades. Well, if that were true, then why are other trades such as HVAC, electrical, and plumbing growing? What are they doing that the automotive industry is not? 
      Here's the reality we need to face: We do have a problem, but we shouldn't look for someone or any entity to rescue us. Not the government. Not the trade schools. Not the recruiting companies. No one owes us a workforce. If we want great people in our industry, it's up to us. At some point, we need to own up to the truth: Building a pipeline of qualified technicians is our responsibility.
      In this blog article, I will break down the key reasons we are in this situation today and what we, as an industry, can do to solve the technician shortage. Are you ready to look in the mirror?
      Have We Pushed Technicians Away?
      Let's take a look at flat-rate pay. True flat rate, which pays a technician only for the hours they produce, is a controversial pay plan that emphasizes high production levels and creates a competitive work environment that, if not properly controlled, can lead to increased mistakes and a decline in morale and team spirit. Additionally, the stress and physical demands placed on technicians as they age are not favorable to long-term employee retention. What do we do with technicians as they grow older into their fifties and begin to slow down? 
      I have heard all the arguments and pros and cons of flat-rate pay, and I am not going to judge any pay plan. Let the facts speak for themselves. True flat rate has changed in most areas around the country and has evolved into a pay plan that gives technicians some pay guarantee.
      Many shop owners have learned that team morale, along with the opportunity to earn income, is important to technicians and to the company's long-term success. But let me ask you: how many technicians have left or been pushed out over the years because of the old flat-rate pay system?
      Another issue is the workplace environment. I remember being grateful to be hired as a young technician at a local repair shop. While very thankful, the work environment was not ideal. The shop owner kept the bay doors open year-round (I am from New York) unless it rained or snowed. He felt that if the bay doors were closed, customers might think we were closed for business. We had no heat and no hot water. Many of the jobs were done outside, year-round,  in all types of weather. The starting pay was minimum wage, with no benefits, sick days, or vacation pay. 
      Now, again, I need to point out that I was truly grateful for the opportunity this shop owner gave me. I learned a lot working there, and the experience was pivotal in my career. But looking back, I wonder how many people were discouraged by these working conditions?
      While the physical demands of the repair workplace are daunting, perhaps even more critical is the culture. Too many of my generation shop owners preached the mindset of "my way or the highway." We were the business owners, after all. We started our companies, took all the risks, and provided jobs. Why shouldn't we be the ones to set the ground rules our way?   
      Many of us found over the years that the "my way or the highway" mentality was a sure way to isolate employees and make them more likely to look over the fence for greener grass. In other words, it led many technicians to seek employment elsewhere, where they felt they could be appreciated and recognized for their hard work. The issue, however, was that there wasn't much green grass around. Disappointment after disappointment, bouncing from repair to repair shop, eventually led to despair. So, I ask you: were workplace conditions a contributing factor in today's technician shortage?
      Another factor that we are all well aware of is the complexity of the modern automobile. When I started, the work was mostly physical, and you were required to master essentially three vehicle models: General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. Let's fast-forward to today. The evolution of automotive technology, along with the extensive training and tools required, has outpaced the typical technician's pay compensation, with no clear career path. Again, leading to frustration and insecurity about the future.
      Here is the bottom line: people don't leave their job; they leave their experience. We must do a better job. 
      The News Isn't all Bad; Your Next Steps to Fix the Technician Shortage
      To fix the technician shortage, it will take a combined effort from everyone in the automotive industry, particularly automotive shop owners. Shop owners are in the perfect position to make the greatest impact, not only on their businesses but also on the future automotive workforce.
      First, shop owners must become better leaders and understand that their ultimate success is directly dependent on the people they assemble around them. Any shop owner who mistakenly believes they can build an empire solely on their abilities is destined for serious disappointment. Business owners who think like this will eventually plateau. Without the collective contributions from a team of qualified people, your business will stall; it will not continue to grow.
      Create a workplace that attracts top talent: a clean, professional, well-equipped facility designed to support productivity, teamwork, and a career, not just a job. Build a great reputation in your community by getting involved locally. Become the auto repair shop that people take notice of as "the" place to work.
      Next, shop owners must become more financially knowledgeable. Knowing your numbers and what you need to achieve for a strong bottom-line profit is essential to paying technicians the money they need and deserve. Profit will also allow you to compete with other trade industries by providing a benefits package that has real take-home value and security.
      When it comes to culture, this is where the rubber hits the road. People crave recognition, praise, and a sense of purpose. Despite what you hear, people are not just money-motivated. Once people feel secure in their financial situation, retaining and motivating technicians can only be achieved by connecting with them on an emotional level. You cannot show enough appreciation. Give out praise for a job well done as if your business depended on it, because it does.
      As technicians age, we need to have a place for them. Expecting a 58-year-old to perform like a 35-year-old is unrealistic. We need to be more focused on career pathing. Provide training, skill development, and coaching to develop leaders and mentors within our older workforce. While their bodies may have slowed, the knowledge they have gained is priceless. 
      Our future is dependent on young people entering our industry. We need to give more young people opportunities. Every shop owner across the country should consider hiring an apprentice, then build an apprentice training plan and career path for them. If every shop did this, we could solve the technician shortage within five years. Get involved with the trade schools and high schools in your area. Look into the NAPA Apprenticeship Program. Don't sit on your hands with this one. Do it today.
      Lastly, don't get left behind. Commit to ongoing training for all your employees. Keep up to date with tools and equipment tailored to your business model. Don't try to be all things to all people and all vehicles. Identify your core profile customer and the vehicles they drive, and become an expert on those vehicles and the services you offer.

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