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ROANOKE, Va. & DALLAS, Tex.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 12, 2017-- Advance Auto Parts, Inc. (NYSE: AAP) and Interstate Batteries announce a strategic partnership to better serve the changing needs of the automotive aftermarket with premium quality products, expanded availability and enhanced customer service. Interstate Batteries, the leading replacement battery brand with the largest independent battery distribution system in North America, will become the exclusive automotive and specialty battery brand to Advance Auto Parts stores and customers in the spring of 2018.
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ELIGIBILITY: The Advance Professional Availability Challenge (the “Promotion”) is open only to professional customers (not consumers) of Advance Auto Parts, who are legal residents of Florida, Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia, who are 18 years of age or older at time of participation (“Participant”). All other individuals residing outside of the eligible area are ineligible to participate and will be disqualified if attempting to participate. Void outside of Florida, Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, and where prohibited or restricted. Employees of Advance Auto Parts (“Promoter”), Genesco Sports Enterprises ("Administrator"), Advantage Hole In One, and their respective advertising and promotion agencies, parent companies and the members of their immediate families (spouses and parents, siblings, children and their spouses and in-laws) and persons living in the same household with such individuals (whether related or not) are not eligible to participate or win.
Visit website for more details: http://advanceauto.us/vroom/challenge/
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Sunbelt Business Brokers of Dallas presents this well-established auto repair and sales business for sale in Metro Dallas, Texas. In operation for over 10 years, this auto repair and sales business ha
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Long established (36 years) auto repair shop. 3 bay repairs, certified mechanics do hi end north shore repair. Property with repair shop a two family house offered for sale by PMTG Realty for $1m. Res
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Being a good decision maker can help you in business and life. It’s been said that highly confident people make decisions clearly and stick to them rather than changing their minds or being indecisive. And even if decision making doesn’t come naturally to you, it is a skill which can be built on.
Here are a few tips to help you:
#1 – Start small. Even making small everyday decisions will help you accomplish the bigger goal. Small decisions such as what food to eat at a restaurant are not to be underestimated. A good way to start is the next time you’re eating out, look at the menu and decide what you’d like to eat. Then put the menu down and don’t change your mind. Don’t ask your companions what they’re having and base your decision on that – make the decision on your own and then stick to it.
Small steps like this can be empowering and help you to tackle the bigger decisions to come in the future.
#2 – Approach decisions logically. Many of us tend to make emotion-based decisions rather than logical ones. In business this can spell disaster. A good way to help you approach decisions in a logical manner may be to write down a list of pros and cons.
Simply grab a sheet of paper and label one side pros and one side cons. Then list all the good and bad points of your choice. Logically think through your comments and then make your decision. This way you can leave emotions out of the equation and concentrate purely on the facts.
#3 – Cut yourself some slack. Making decisions is a skill which can be learned but even pros don’t always make the right choices. Realize that making decisions effectively takes confidence and is a great first step, but your decisions may not always be the right decisions. If you happen to make the wrong decision, give yourself a break and take comfort in the fact that you thought out your decision clearly and logically and made the best choice possible at the time.
Being a good decision maker takes time and practice. However, it’s a worthwhile skill to develop. Making decisions regularly may help build your confidence level and also help people know where they stand with you – two great entrepreneurial qualities.
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Being in the auto repair business, you’re eventually going to get some negative feedback from your customers or other people you work with or for. While your initial reaction is probably to get mad or upset, negative feedback is actually a good thing. It means that your customers are giving you an opportunity to improve your business.
The most important thing to remember when getting negative feedback is to not get mad. Sure, getting mad may give you an energy burst to be more effective and get more things done, but it’s more likely going to get you worked up over nothing and make you waste time.
There are two things you can do instead of getting angry or upset, and which one you choose depends on what kind of negative feedback you got. Negative feedback can pretty much be divided into two categories: useful and mean spirited.
If someone sends you feedback that simply says they disagree with you and says nothing more than that, your next step is simple – ignore it. There’s nothing you can do to change their opinion and acknowledging them is simply going to waste both your times. Just forget about it and move on.
Just because feedback is negative doesn’t mean it’s bad. Negative feedback should be looked on as an opportunity for improvement. And while this person may have been upset and not have been the nicest person in sending their feedback, the first thing to do is thank them.
It doesn’t have to be big, just a quick email letting them know that you value their opinion and will look into the issue. If you already know, you can let them know how you’re going to fix the issue at hand. This will not only help you keep a customer (and possibly make more by referrals), it will also encourage them to send more feedback so you can make further improvements in the future.
Once you have helpful negative feedback, the first step is to analyze whether or not it matters. Just because a suggestion gives a good idea, doesn’t mean it’s worth the time and money you have to put in to it. If a problem is difficult to fix but only affects a few of your customers, it’s probably not worth it to spend your resources making it better.
After you’ve decided you need to take action, it’s time to brainstorm what action to take. This could take a few minutes, or even a few weeks. If you are getting stuck, you can even ask customers (or the person who gave you the feedback) what they think would be a good fix.
For each possible action, also go back and weigh it based on how much the negative effect matters. While you may agree that the problem needs fixing, you may not agree that you need to make a substantial investment to fix it and opt to go for a cheaper, but less effective fix. Once you have all your options laid out, it should be much easier to choose a solution.
Once all this is done, you can finally implement your solution, but don’t forget to let your customers know about the changes – particularly the one who inspired the changes in the first place.
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You spend a lot of time in your office. It should be that this space is not only inviting but also energizing, healthy and creative. One way to do this is by simply creating a positive flow of air and mood throughout the space.
Here are some quick and easy tips:
#1 – Keep the air flowing. One thing you don’t want is stale air in your creative space. Regularly open windows at either end of your office space to allow a clear path of air to flow through at all times. It’s important to keep the air flowing even during the winter months. You don’t have to open your windows very much to get a good flow of air – a little will do.
#2 – Keep the office green. Plants do a lot more than look attractive. Having plants in your office space will help reduce the static energy in the air. This is energy that comes off computers, telephones and other electrical outlets. Green leafy plants will help reduce the amount of toxins in the air and help you breath easier.
Stay away from spiky or thorny plants as this is said to stop the positive energy flow in the Feng Shui of your space.
#3 – Keep things natural. The more natural materials you can use in your office space the better. Opt for natural wood, stone and paints where possible. The key is to reduce as many toxins as possible in your office. Go for simple renewably sourced products. When decorating, opt for a “greener†eco-friendly paint that doesn’t release toxins into the air.
#4 – De-clutter often. The less cluttered your environment, the better the overall energy flow. Keep your office space tidy and neat. If you don’t need something, find a good home for it. A clutter-free office space may also help you think clearer and more creatively.
#5 – Add feel-good items. Feel-good items like favorite sculptures, art and wind chimes will all contribute to the positive mood of your space. Add these sparingly without cluttering your space for a feel-good vibe.
#6 – Balance your color scheme. Colors can set a mood instantly. Blues, greens and yellows (yellow in moderation) can create a creative, airy, light mood – perfect for offices. Reds and oranges are fiery and may be a little too bright for most office spaces. Having said that, if you’re in a very dynamic, creative type business this may just be the color scheme for you.
Take a little time to look into colors to see which make you feel good and will create the mood you’re after.
Creating a healthy office space doesn’t have to be difficult. It’s simply about creating a more relaxing, happy, energetic space. When you walk into your office and instantly feel good you know you’ve achieved just that.
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The problem with many small business owners is that when they get started they’re all gung-ho and working hard, but after they reach some disappointment, they lose sight of their vision and often stop trying as hard and peter out. To run a successful business, it is essential to keep your vision alive.
The first step in keeping your vision alive is to have a clear vision in the first place. If you haven’t already, try sitting down and writing a clear vision statement, for your business and yourself. Think about why you started your business, and what you hope to achieve.
While it’s important to have a vision statement, you have to keep it in mind if you’re going to actually achieve it. Having an idea of what you want doesn’t really matter if you throw it in a drawer and only think about it once every six months. Try posting it somewhere in your office or having it written down where you will see it regularly.
It might also help you to do more than just post your vision. Most people know the phrase that a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, why not use this to your advantage? Find pictures that make you think of what you want and what your goals are in life, and post them in places you’ll see. If may be posters around your office or even just your computer desktop. They’ll serve as a constant reminder of what you’re working for.
To keep your vision going, it’s important that your work reflects your vision. That means not only working towards your goals, but associating with people who feel the same. Sure, you’re not always going to be able to choose who you work with, but you can still try to make business contacts who have similar vision and beliefs as you. These people will help you stick to what you want and become successful.
It’s a generally accepted fact that if you’re surrounded by negative people, you’ll probably start thinking negatively eventually. Attitude is something that permeates to the people around us. To help keep your vision on track, surround yourself not only with positive people, but with those that share your vision, or a similar one. They will help keep you on track when you get discouraged.
If you’re having trouble focusing on your vision statement, maybe it’s not you that needs help, maybe it’s just your vision. You are not the same person you were when you opened your business, so why is your vision statement the same? If your vision statement doesn’t reflect what you want anymore, considering reviewing and revising it. Just be sure not to do it too often, or you’ll find yourself going from focus to focus without actually accomplishing anything.
What’s most important is not to lose faith in yourself and your business. Great businessmen aren’t the ones who have never failed, they’re the ones who failed and kept on going.
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There are all kinds of devices and technologies around to help you save time. But the more things there are to save time, the more it seems like we don’t have enough. Everyone could use a little help getting more done, so here are a few tips on help you manage your time wisely and fit more into your day.
To be the most productive, try making a plan. Each project you take on, be sure to plan it out ahead of time. Include each step you’re going to need to take, and who and what you need to get it done.
Once you have an overall plan, use this to make a plan at the beginning of each day. Before you do anything in the morning, make a list of what you need to get done that day.
They say that if you start each day by eating a live frog, nothing else you do that day will seem that bad. While you’re probably not going to actually eat live animals, this is a great philosophy to use in your life.
Start each day by picking the hardest thing on your to-do list, the thing you’re really dreading. Once you get that thing done, everything else in the day will seem much simpler. Plus, the feeling of accomplishment will energize you and help keep you focused throughout the day.
If you’re easily distracted and nothing seems to be working to stop that, try removing the distractions totally. If you keep playing video games, go somewhere without internet access or a TV. If you keep getting distracted by the kids, work while they’re at school or when someone else is there to take care of them. The whole point is that not having distractions is much easier than ignoring them.
If you have trouble starting work or keeping on task, get a buddy to help you. The biggest problem most people have is keeping to deadlines. If you don’t have someone to report to, like a boss or manager, then you have less reason to get things done. Ask a friend or family member to check on your work and push you to keep going or get started. If you feel accountable, you’ll get more done in less time.
One of the best things you can do to get more done in your day is to take breaks. While it seems counter-intuitive, giving yourself a rest every so often helps you re-energize and make better use of the time you do have. Whether it be taking the occasional weekend off, doing some yoga or deep breathing during the day, or just sitting in a quiet room drinking your coffee, you need to take some time to recharge.
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There are all kinds of devices and technologies around to help you save time. But the more things there are to save time, the more it seems like we don’t have enough. Everyone could use a little help getting more done, so here are a few tips on help you manage your time wisely and fit more into your day.
To be the most productive, try making a plan. Each project you take on, be sure to plan it out ahead of time. Include each step you’re going to need to take, and who and what you need to get it done.
Once you have an overall plan, use this to make a plan at the beginning of each day. Before you do anything in the morning, make a list of what you need to get done that day.
They say that if you start each day by eating a live frog, nothing else you do that day will seem that bad. While you’re probably not going to actually eat live animals, this is a great philosophy to use in your life.
Start each day by picking the hardest thing on your to-do list, the thing you’re really dreading. Once you get that thing done, everything else in the day will seem much simpler. Plus, the feeling of accomplishment will energize you and help keep you focused throughout the day.
If you’re easily distracted and nothing seems to be working to stop that, try removing the distractions totally. If you keep playing video games, go somewhere without internet access or a TV. If you keep getting distracted by the kids, work while they’re at school or when someone else is there to take care of them. The whole point is that not having distractions is much easier than ignoring them.
If you have trouble starting work or keeping on task, get a buddy to help you. The biggest problem most people have is keeping to deadlines. If you don’t have someone to report to, like a boss or manager, then you have less reason to get things done. Ask a friend or family member to check on your work and push you to keep going or get started. If you feel accountable, you’ll get more done in less time.
One of the best things you can do to get more done in your day is to take breaks. While it seems counter-intuitive, giving yourself a rest every so often helps you re-energize and make better use of the time you do have. Whether it be taking the occasional weekend off, doing some yoga or deep breathing during the day, or just sitting in a quiet room drinking your coffee, you need to take some time to recharge.
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The term “mojo†can mean different things to different people. For some, it means being “in the swing of things†or on top of their game. When a business owner has marketing mojo, they are on top of their marketing efforts and are having fun with them. Having this mojo is very desirable. When a business owner is having fun with their marketing, it won’t seem like a chore at all.
One of the easiest ways to develop marketing mojo is for a business owner to fully know their product. What are the product’s best features? What can the product do that the competition’s product can’t?
Setting mini marketing goals can be a fun way to stay on track. Constantly setting and meeting new deadlines will help raise confidence and that will definitely get your mojo running.
These mini goals can be based on tasks that need to be done, such as writing your monthly newsletter or spending an hour doing some social networking. They can also be based on new things you would like to learn.
Learn By Doing
One of the best ways to build your marketing mojo is to just do it. Instead of spending hours of your time reading up on the latest marketing techniques and then debating over which will benefit your business, try different ideas out as you go.
By testing the waters yourself, you can better judge what is going to be worth your time and what needs to be tweaked to suit your product.
Don’t be afraid to experiment or modify marketing ideas that you have discovered. Changes to the standards are what give companies an edge in their marketing strategies.
Even if the tactics you test out do not work for you, analyze why they didn’t quite pan out and see where you can build on the strengths and weaknesses. Those with real marketing mojo learn from their mistakes and downfalls, creating a better plan for the next effort.
Watch Pros In Action
Feed off the marketing mojo of others to help build your own. Watching the marketing strategies of those who have already found success is a great way to build your business’ arsenal. What works for them just might work for you as well.
Networking with other business owners both in and out of your own industry can really pay off with new marketing tips and ideas. Ask for their advice or just keep an eye on what they are doing to present their own product to the world.
Set goals for yourself, try out new ideas, learn from others and above all, have fun with your marketing efforts. Before you know it, you’ll have your own marketing mojo working and will be reaping the benefits of your success.
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The term “mojo†can mean different things to different people. For some, it means being “in the swing of things†or on top of their game. When a business owner has marketing mojo, they are on top of their marketing efforts and are having fun with them. Having this mojo is very desirable. When a business owner is having fun with their marketing, it won’t seem like a chore at all.
One of the easiest ways to develop marketing mojo is for a business owner to fully know their product. What are the product’s best features? What can the product do that the competition’s product can’t?
Setting mini marketing goals can be a fun way to stay on track. Constantly setting and meeting new deadlines will help raise confidence and that will definitely get your mojo running.
These mini goals can be based on tasks that need to be done, such as writing your monthly newsletter or spending an hour doing some social networking. They can also be based on new things you would like to learn.
Learn By Doing
One of the best ways to build your marketing mojo is to just do it. Instead of spending hours of your time reading up on the latest marketing techniques and then debating over which will benefit your business, try different ideas out as you go.
By testing the waters yourself, you can better judge what is going to be worth your time and what needs to be tweaked to suit your product.
Don’t be afraid to experiment or modify marketing ideas that you have discovered. Changes to the standards are what give companies an edge in their marketing strategies.
Even if the tactics you test out do not work for you, analyze why they didn’t quite pan out and see where you can build on the strengths and weaknesses. Those with real marketing mojo learn from their mistakes and downfalls, creating a better plan for the next effort.
Watch Pros In Action
Feed off the marketing mojo of others to help build your own. Watching the marketing strategies of those who have already found success is a great way to build your business’ arsenal. What works for them just might work for you as well.
Networking with other business owners both in and out of your own industry can really pay off with new marketing tips and ideas. Ask for their advice or just keep an eye on what they are doing to present their own product to the world.
Set goals for yourself, try out new ideas, learn from others and above all, have fun with your marketing efforts. Before you know it, you’ll have your own marketing mojo working and will be reaping the benefits of your success.
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One goal of any auto repair business is to provide quality auto repair service that people want to buy. We’ve all seen or heard about what can happen when people get lousy service and complain about it. Class action suits are filed all the time against companies for unethical practices and faulty products. Earning more money is not to be gained at the expense of proper customer service.
How important is customer service? It is a vital part of your auto repair business. Satisfied customers keep coming back. They will tell their friends about you and they will buy from you. It is the way that business owners ensure that their business will continue.
I try to put myself in the customer’s shoes. Actually, I am not just a business owner but a consumer as well. I know what constitutes excellent customer service to me and anyone I do business with deserves no less than that.
One thing about customers; you never know who they know. Any one of them could be a person with a lot of influence in their town or city. A word from them could send people to your website. On the other hand, their job could allow them the opportunity to tell others of influence that you don’t provide good customer service.
All right, so it could be a hundred to one shot that one of your customers is someone like this. But, the average customer who is concerned about customer service can post a bad review on forums, eBay, and other places where you may be looking for new customers. And, the truth is, people flock to bad news. They will think twice about using your services if it is floating around in the ether that you are a bad egg.
As your business grows, so will your customer service responsibilities. The people who purchase goods or use your services are more than dollar signs. They have lives and spheres of influence. Treating each one like gold is our responsibility.
It is a mistake to think that your business could ever get so big that one customer doesn’t count. It is also a mistake to think that providing a cheap product just to make money won’t come back to haunt you. It is a fact that it will. You could be on the receiving end of a suit. This is not a good way to do business.
But, neither profits nor customer service has to be suspended to have a successful business. It you feel that customer service is getting lax because you are spending most of your time marketing the business, consider outsourcing parts of the operation. Set up email drafts and use other features to handle emails effectively and in a timely manner.
There is always a way to make it work. Consistently providing good customer service will help expand your customer base and your image on the Internet. This is vital to continued growth in your industry.
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One goal of any auto repair business is to provide quality auto repair service that people want to buy. We’ve all seen or heard about what can happen when people get lousy service and complain about it. Class action suits are filed all the time against companies for unethical practices and faulty products. Earning more money is not to be gained at the expense of proper customer service.
How important is customer service? It is a vital part of your auto repair business. Satisfied customers keep coming back. They will tell their friends about you and they will buy from you. It is the way that business owners ensure that their business will continue.
I try to put myself in the customer’s shoes. Actually, I am not just a business owner but a consumer as well. I know what constitutes excellent customer service to me and anyone I do business with deserves no less than that.
One thing about customers; you never know who they know. Any one of them could be a person with a lot of influence in their town or city. A word from them could send people to your website. On the other hand, their job could allow them the opportunity to tell others of influence that you don’t provide good customer service.
All right, so it could be a hundred to one shot that one of your customers is someone like this. But, the average customer who is concerned about customer service can post a bad review on forums, eBay, and other places where you may be looking for new customers. And, the truth is, people flock to bad news. They will think twice about using your services if it is floating around in the ether that you are a bad egg.
As your business grows, so will your customer service responsibilities. The people who purchase goods or use your services are more than dollar signs. They have lives and spheres of influence. Treating each one like gold is our responsibility.
It is a mistake to think that your business could ever get so big that one customer doesn’t count. It is also a mistake to think that providing a cheap product just to make money won’t come back to haunt you. It is a fact that it will. You could be on the receiving end of a suit. This is not a good way to do business.
But, neither profits nor customer service has to be suspended to have a successful business. It you feel that customer service is getting lax because you are spending most of your time marketing the business, consider outsourcing parts of the operation. Set up email drafts and use other features to handle emails effectively and in a timely manner.
There is always a way to make it work. Consistently providing good customer service will help expand your customer base and your image on the Internet. This is vital to continued growth in your industry.
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Customer service requires the use of the long-standing principle of being nice and the "do unto others" creed – and of course a courteous attitude. Nothing is worse than bad service at a restaurant, or a grumpy and inattentive associate at a store. It is moments like these that create a bad experience for a customer and makes a customer think twice about returning. Bad experiences also get around by word of mouth twice as fast as a good experience; too many of the bad experiences being talked about puts your company in immediate jeopardy.
When in a service-oriented position, take the time to smile and offer assistance. This will immediately let the customer know that you are aware that they are in your store. Customers will feel more welcomed and appreciated and the likelihood of them returning is much greater. That’s exactly what you want, repeat customers.
Active listening is also a must for good service skills. If a person does not listen to the customer, chances are that they will not fully comprehend what the customer is trying to convey, thus leading to a potential problem that could have been solved by listening. Active listening requires a person to focus and be present in the moment. Inactive listening can cause a company to lose customers, receive a bad reputation – and depending on the severity of the issue, potentially can lead to a lawsuit.
There are the occasions where problems arise that an associate cannot handle for one reason or another. Be honest about this. Let your customer know that you do not know the answer, but also make sure to explain the choices available to them and to obtain the help they are seeking. This could be as simple as calling another associate or in-store manager. Maybe you will have to locate the phone number to your headquarters so that it can be offered as a possible avenue of resolving customer conflict. Just know that for the most part, the more helpful you are, even if the customer is agitated, the higher chance you stand of having that customer return – they will remember the help that they were receiving.
In dealing with customers of any kind, look at yourself objectively and ask yourself if you would like to be treated in the manner that you just treated that customer. If the answer is yes, then you are using good customer service skills. If the answer is anything but yes, then it is strongly suggested that whatever it was that bothered you, you change. If you don’t like yourself at that moment, then what makes you think anyone else will like you?
Smile, greet, offer assistance, be courteous and find creative ways to solve conflicts. Attend any conflict resolution classes offered as well as other additional service classes. Don’t make assumptions about people by the way they dress or don’t dress, as this is nothing more than a stereotype and more often than not in today’s world, stereotyping will backfire on you.
As an added incentive, take an extra 20-30 seconds to go out of your way to help a customer. Maybe you can lead them in the right direction for what they are seeking, or find out, before a lot of time is wasted, that you don’t carry the product being looked for. Maybe simply helping them to sit down, stand up or out to their vehicle is what is needed. If that is the case then just do it. Those minimal seconds in your life can impact another person’s life in a variety of positive ways.
Lastly, when a customer leaves, tell them to have a good day or night. I myself tell them to have a better one. I believe that if their day has been crummy then the better day comment will have more effect. It stands out more and in little ways shows that much more of a caring personality behind the associate tag, which of course comes back in positive waves.
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Customer service requires the use of the long-standing principle of being nice and the "do unto others" creed - and of course a courteous attitude. Nothing is worse than bad service at a restaurant, or a grumpy and inattentive associate at a store. It is moments like these that create a bad experience for a customer and makes a customer think twice about returning. Bad experiences also get around by word of mouth twice as fast as a good experience; too many of the bad experiences being talked about puts your company in immediate jeopardy.
When in a service-oriented position, take the time to smile and offer assistance. This will immediately let the customer know that you are aware that they are in your store. Customers will feel more welcomed and appreciated and the likelihood of them returning is much greater. That’s exactly what you want, repeat customers.
Active listening is also a must for good service skills. If a person does not listen to the customer, chances are that they will not fully comprehend what the customer is trying to convey, thus leading to a potential problem that could have been solved by listening. Active listening requires a person to focus and be present in the moment. Inactive listening can cause a company to lose customers, receive a bad reputation - and depending on the severity of the issue, potentially can lead to a lawsuit.
There are the occasions where problems arise that an associate cannot handle for one reason or another. Be honest about this. Let your customer know that you do not know the answer, but also make sure to explain the choices available to them and to obtain the help they are seeking. This could be as simple as calling another associate or in-store manager. Maybe you will have to locate the phone number to your headquarters so that it can be offered as a possible avenue of resolving customer conflict. Just know that for the most part, the more helpful you are, even if the customer is agitated, the higher chance you stand of having that customer return - they will remember the help that they were receiving.
In dealing with customers of any kind, look at yourself objectively and ask yourself if you would like to be treated in the manner that you just treated that customer. If the answer is yes, then you are using good customer service skills. If the answer is anything but yes, then it is strongly suggested that whatever it was that bothered you, you change. If you don’t like yourself at that moment, then what makes you think anyone else will like you?
Smile, greet, offer assistance, be courteous and find creative ways to solve conflicts. Attend any conflict resolution classes offered as well as other additional service classes. Don’t make assumptions about people by the way they dress or don’t dress, as this is nothing more than a stereotype and more often than not in today’s world, stereotyping will backfire on you.
As an added incentive, take an extra 20-30 seconds to go out of your way to help a customer. Maybe you can lead them in the right direction for what they are seeking, or find out, before a lot of time is wasted, that you don’t carry the product being looked for. Maybe simply helping them to sit down, stand up or out to their vehicle is what is needed. If that is the case then just do it. Those minimal seconds in your life can impact another person’s life in a variety of positive ways.
Lastly, when a customer leaves, tell them to have a good day or night. I myself tell them to have a better one. I believe that if their day has been crummy then the better day comment will have more effect. It stands out more and in little ways shows that much more of a caring personality behind the associate tag, which of course comes back in positive waves.
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Good times, bad times, auto repair business ups and downs. Profit gains and money loss in a merry-sales-go-round. Oh yeah! Finding new customers is not always easy, and you can suffer for it during those times when it's not.
You can keep putting out the deals in expensive advertising, but when that fails does that mean you go broke? Absolutely not!
Not if you have already built up a customer base, and have provided those customers with good auto repair service and good products. What you have built up by doing this is your company's number one asset.
Do you know how much that asset is worth? Do you know the lifetime value of your customers? That is how much a customer spends a year on average with you, times the number of years they stay a customer, times the number of customers you have.
It can add up to a lot, if you are doing things in the right way.
Do you have marketing geared toward your current customers?
Do you take the trouble to find out things they specifically and generally like and dislike? Do you ask what you might do to serve them better? Do you publicize a solid guarantee and honor it?
With the right customer service you can keep your customers for LIFE!
Find out information about your customers. Keep a list of their names and addresses so you can keep in constant communication with them by sending a heads-up on deals, new stock, and anything that would make them feel special. Postcards are perfect for doing that. Even get their month and day of birth so you can send them birthday cards giving them their own special discount on anything they want.
Give away things to your customers. Make promotional items freely available like pens, pencils, pocket planners, calendars, calculators, key-chains, mugs, you name it. All those things will have your business name, address, and phone number on them. Sending something like that to them in the mail would even give it more value in your customer's eyes. The more useful the item, the more you will be in the customers sight and mind. That is a good thing!
If you have a clothing store, get to know your customer's sizes. As soon as they walk in the door, greet them by name and say you have saved something for them that you know will look great on them. Then pick the newest most expensive piece of clothing to show them. Say that they simply must try it on, and while they will be in the changing room anyway, fix them up with everything to go with it for trying on as well. You will collect sales for more items once they see how good they look in them. Throw them over the edge by giving them a break in price if they get the entire outfit with accessories.
If you do not have a clothing store, find a way to get samples of what you do have to your customers that they can try. Get them to use something on a trial basis. Once you do that, their ownership of it is practically assured! Once someone is in possession of something, giving it up creates the painful emotion of loss.
A happy customer is a loyal customer. Loyalty comes by your customers knowing you care about them, are actively educating them in the things they are interested in, and knowing you will continuously be able to meet their needs in the best way for them.
The customer is always right in that they know what they want. You are always on top of it by presenting what you have as not only something they want, but something they've got to have. And not just something they themselves got to have. Maybe they have a husband, wife, or children. Compel your customer to treat the family too.
Here is something to jump on. Perhaps your customer is a business owner. Get that person to send the customers for their business over to your business. Beyond word of mouth referral, they can do that by giving coupons good for things in your store, or maybe you can get permission to put a raffle box in their store that gives prizes given by your store. You can either pay them to do it or return the favor. There can be many ways to help each other in cooperation, even paying each other commissions, and also bundling your two company's products and services together at favorable prices for customers. You will find that such arrangements, called Joint Venture Partnering, can be very lucrative as it quickly builds your customer base.
It pays to know your customer, and to know how to supplement and expand your products and services with things like go-along additions, deluxe automatic maintenance service, special package deals, premium upgrades, complimentary products, etc. Think of anything you can.
Give your customer something to put in their purse or wallet, something that equals money to them. A discount card that gives discounts on purchases, or a buyers card that gives rewards after a determined amount of purchases accumulated from multiple visits are two examples. The surest way to get your customer to spend more with you is getting them a charge card. Your own store credit card in your customer's possession is guaranteed to spike sales.
You will have a solid relationship with the customers you have already gotten, and through that relationship, your business will evolve!
This gives lifetime value of a customer a whole other meaning. You are finding ways to improve yourself and your business. Take periodic customer surveys. That way the customer is giving intellectual input as well as money into your business, and if you are innovative enough to make use of them, the customer will more than likely also be giving you new customers by recommending you to their friends.
Other things you can do: offer your customers incentives for making referrals & collect testimonial stories from them to use in your ads because the best advertising comes from satisfied customers. Not only that, a customer that gives a testimonial for you will become even more loyal by doing it. Imagine that! It just goes to show how things get solidified when written down. Do you write down the goals you have for your business? How about the goals of your business?
Write a Service Pledge to your customers. Post it up where you do business so your customers know what great service they can expect. Find the greatest benefit that solves the most major concern to your customers, perhaps something unique that no other business in the area offers. Make a catchy slogan out of it. Use it wherever the name of your business is displayed so that your business will be known by the slogan. When employees eagerly answer the phone, have them not only say the name of the business, but the slogan as well, followed by giving their name and asking "how may I help you?"
If you spruce up your business enough to make it an interesting topic of conversation, your customers will even talk you up to strangers they meet. Your reputation will travel by work of mouth.
Instead of you looking to find new customers, they will be finding you. And on top of that, their lifetime value will be much greater by your building the greater value into your business. This happens just by catering to your current customers rather than doing the usual routine of chasing after new ones.
That is why you will never lack if you keep your auto repair customers coming back.
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Direct Marketing has to be the most exciting area of marketing. The results of a winning mailing are truly thrilling. Few things can compare with opening your mailbox to find a flood of emails or envelopes filled with orders and checks made out to you! And if you can increase the response to your offer by just a fraction of a percent, you can turn a slight profit into windfall profits.
So one of the key questions marketers have always ask is, "How do I increase the response to my mailings?" In this first part of a two part article, you'll learn 25 of the 55 excellent techniques for making sure your mailings pull a stronger response.
Not all of these techniques will work for every mailing you create. The key is to review the techniques whenever you're planning a mailing. Pick the ones that apply to your situation and put them to work. Your bank account will be glad you did!
1. Carefully target your audience.
Sales volume can be directly connected to your ability to accurately identify your most likely customers. If necessary, create different versions of your package tailored to each specifically targeted audience.
2. Solve your customer's most irritating problems.
Most customers don't buy products, but they do buy solutions to problems that plague them. If your product solves a critical problem, pull out all stops to let your customers know.
3. Help your customers achieve significant goals.
This is the complement of the prior point. If you can clearly show that your product or service will make your customer's lives easier or better, your sales volume should shoot straight up.
4. Focus on your customer's needs, not your product.
Customers have limited interest in your product or company. But they have unlimited interest in their needs, solutions to their problems, and making their lives better. Concentrate on fulfilling their needs through the use of your product or service.
5. ALWAYS stress benefits.
Always concentrate on how your product will benefit your customers-both logically and emotionally. Hit the right hot buttons and your sales will skyrocket.
6. Repeat your key benefits in the beginning, middle, and end of your email, letter or brochure.
Tell your readers once, tell them again, and then tell them one more time. Remember, people buy benefits, not products.
7. Use the "4 to 1" rule.
Your sales copy should contain four "you's" to every one "I." Customers want to hear about their number one priority-themselves. One of the best ways to convey that you understand your customer's needs is to use plenty of "you" language.
8. Use a stop-them-in-their-tracks headline or first sentence.
Some letters and emails benefit from a headline while others don't. Either the headline or first sentence must be very powerful in order to convince your prospects that your letter is worth reading.
9. Use sub-headings liberally.
Subheads help break up long blocks of copy. They also act as a "hot point" outline to pull the reader through the key ideas of your email or ad.
10. Seize the reader's attention immediately.
Don't waster space building up to your blockbuster points. Start with them. You have only a paragraph or two to convince your prospects to keep reading your letter. Give them what they need to make sure they continue.
11. Flatter your reader.
These days people are much more sophisticated when it comes to advertising. They know that you got their name from a mailing list. You can turn this fact to your advantage by suing this kind of copy.
12. Share some "inside" information.
Direct mail offers a perfect opportunity to appeal to a person's need to feel special. An ideal way to do this is to share some exclusive information. Make it clear that this offer is being made only to them.
13. Issue a personal letter from the President.
People like to deal with the person in charge. Using this type of personal message builds confidence.
14. Never end a sentence at the bottom of a page in a sales letter.
Always use a broken sentence to carry your reader forward onto the next page of your letter or email.
15. Feature the offer.
Everyone loves a good deal. Your job is to design an irresistible offer and make it a key focal point of your letter or email. A strong offer can often be the extra incentive that will convert your "maybes" to real live orders.
16. Give something away for FREE.
Free samples, trials, demonstrations, consultations, or information are all exceptional ways of getting customers to give your product or service a hands-on try. Sometimes that is all it takes to close the sale.
17. Run a contest.
Give away a free enrollment in your seminar, a free subscription to your newsletter, or anything else that appeals to your buyers.
18. Use a special "before the price increases" offer.
If you plan to raise your prices, make your regular customers a special offer at the old price for a limited time.
19. Repeat your offer.
An irresistible offer can overcome customers reluctance. State it at least twice in your email or letter, and again on your order form.
20. Make a time-limited offer.
Offer a special deal for a limited period of time. And do just that-legally you can't continue a time-limited offer indefinitely.
21. Base your offer on a limited supply.
A close-out of your inventory can create strong demand. A limited supply offer can be used to designate exclusivity and prestige.
22. Offer a special deal to the first 100 people who order.
Or the first 25, 50, 250 and so on. But remember, the key here is to keep it to a meaningful limit as an incentive for customers to act quickly.
23. Make a charter offer.
This approach is ideal for new products, subscriptions,and service agreements. If your product isn't new, consider starting a membership club and offering charter members special benefits.
24. Make a "last chance" offer.
Last chance at this price, inventory close-outs, and last chance before a model change can all be used to successfully win more orders.
25. "Buy 1 get 1 FREE" always outpulls "2 for the price of 1."
Although the savings are precisely the same, the first format sounds like the customer is getting a better bargain.
As mentioned in the beginning, not all of these techniques will work for every mailing you create. The key is to review the techniques whenever you're planning a mailing. Pick the ones that apply to your situation and put them to work.
In part two you'll learn about boosting the pulling power of your mailings.
In the meantime you have plenty of ideas to apply in your marketing. So go to work and try them out!
-
Auto Repair Direct Marketing has to be the most exciting area of marketing. The results of a winning mailing are truly thrilling. Few things can compare with opening your mailbox to find a flood of emails or envelopes filled with orders and checks made out to you! And if you can increase the response to your offer by just a fraction of a percent, you can turn a slight profit into windfall profits.
So one of the key questions marketers have always ask is, "How do I increase the response to my mailings?" In this first part of a two part article, you'll learn 25 of the 55 excellent techniques for making sure your mailings pull a stronger response.
Not all of these techniques will work for every mailing you create. The key is to review the techniques whenever you're planning a mailing. Pick the ones that apply to your situation and put them to work. Your bank account will be glad you did!
1. Carefully target your audience.
Sales volume can be directly connected to your ability to accurately identify your most likely customers. If necessary, create different versions of your package tailored to each specifically targeted audience.
2. Solve your customer's most irritating problems.
Most customers don't buy products, but they do buy solutions to problems that plague them. If your product solves a critical problem, pull out all stops to let your customers know.
3. Help your customers achieve significant goals.
This is the complement of the prior point. If you can clearly show that your product or service will make your customer's lives easier or better, your sales volume should shoot straight up.
4. Focus on your customer's needs, not your product.
Customers have limited interest in your product or company. But they have unlimited interest in their needs, solutions to their problems, and making their lives better. Concentrate on fulfilling their needs through the use of your product or service.
5. ALWAYS stress benefits.
Always concentrate on how your product will benefit your customers-both logically and emotionally. Hit the right hot buttons and your sales will skyrocket.
6. Repeat your key benefits in the beginning, middle, and end of your email, letter or brochure.
Tell your readers once, tell them again, and then tell them one more time. Remember, people buy benefits, not products.
7. Use the "4 to 1" rule.
Your sales copy should contain four "you's" to every one "I." Customers want to hear about their number one priority-themselves. One of the best ways to convey that you understand your customer's needs is to use plenty of "you" language.
8. Use a stop-them-in-their-tracks headline or first sentence.
Some letters and emails benefit from a headline while others don't. Either the headline or first sentence must be very powerful in order to convince your prospects that your letter is worth reading.
9. Use sub-headings liberally.
Subheads help break up long blocks of copy. They also act as a "hot point" outline to pull the reader through the key ideas of your email or ad.
10. Seize the reader's attention immediately.
Don't waster space building up to your blockbuster points. Start with them. You have only a paragraph or two to convince your prospects to keep reading your letter. Give them what they need to make sure they continue.
11. Flatter your reader.
These days people are much more sophisticated when it comes to advertising. They know that you got their name from a mailing list. You can turn this fact to your advantage by suing this kind of copy.
12. Share some "inside" information.
Direct mail offers a perfect opportunity to appeal to a person's need to feel special. An ideal way to do this is to share some exclusive information. Make it clear that this offer is being made only to them.
13. Issue a personal letter from the President.
People like to deal with the person in charge. Using this type of personal message builds confidence.
14. Never end a sentence at the bottom of a page in a sales letter.
Always use a broken sentence to carry your reader forward onto the next page of your letter or email.
15. Feature the offer.
Everyone loves a good deal. Your job is to design an irresistible offer and make it a key focal point of your letter or email. A strong offer can often be the extra incentive that will convert your "maybes" to real live orders.
16. Give something away for FREE.
Free samples, trials, demonstrations, consultations, or information are all exceptional ways of getting customers to give your product or service a hands-on try. Sometimes that is all it takes to close the sale.
17. Run a contest.
Give away a free enrollment in your seminar, a free subscription to your newsletter, or anything else that appeals to your buyers.
18. Use a special "before the price increases" offer.
If you plan to raise your prices, make your regular customers a special offer at the old price for a limited time.
19. Repeat your offer.
An irresistible offer can overcome customers reluctance. State it at least twice in your email or letter, and again on your order form.
20. Make a time-limited offer.
Offer a special deal for a limited period of time. And do just that-legally you can't continue a time-limited offer indefinitely.
21. Base your offer on a limited supply.
A close-out of your inventory can create strong demand. A limited supply offer can be used to designate exclusivity and prestige.
22. Offer a special deal to the first 100 people who order.
Or the first 25, 50, 250 and so on. But remember, the key here is to keep it to a meaningful limit as an incentive for customers to act quickly.
23. Make a charter offer.
This approach is ideal for new products, subscriptions,and service agreements. If your product isn't new, consider starting a membership club and offering charter members special benefits.
24. Make a "last chance" offer.
Last chance at this price, inventory close-outs, and last chance before a model change can all be used to successfully win more orders.
25. "Buy 1 get 1 FREE" always outpulls "2 for the price of 1."
Although the savings are precisely the same, the first format sounds like the customer is getting a better bargain.
As mentioned in the beginning, not all of these techniques will work for every mailing you create. The key is to review the techniques whenever you're planning a mailing. Pick the ones that apply to your situation and put them to work.
In part two you'll learn about boosting the pulling power of your mailings.
In the meantime you have plenty of ideas to apply in your marketing. So go to work and try them out!
-
Auto Repair Direct Marketing has to be the most exciting area of marketing. The results of a winning mailing are truly thrilling. Few things can compare with opening your mailbox to find a flood of emails or envelopes filled with orders and checks made out to you! And if you can increase the response to your offer by just a fraction of a percent, you can turn a slight profit into windfall profits.
So one of the key questions marketers have always ask is, "How do I increase the response to my mailings?" In this first part of a two part article, you'll learn 25 of the 55 excellent techniques for making sure your mailings pull a stronger response.
Not all of these techniques will work for every mailing you create. The key is to review the techniques whenever you're planning a mailing. Pick the ones that apply to your situation and put them to work. Your bank account will be glad you did!
1. Carefully target your audience.
Sales volume can be directly connected to your ability to accurately identify your most likely customers. If necessary, create different versions of your package tailored to each specifically targeted audience.
2. Solve your customer's most irritating problems.
Most customers don't buy products, but they do buy solutions to problems that plague them. If your product solves a critical problem, pull out all stops to let your customers know.
3. Help your customers achieve significant goals.
This is the complement of the prior point. If you can clearly show that your product or service will make your customer's lives easier or better, your sales volume should shoot straight up.
4. Focus on your customer's needs, not your product.
Customers have limited interest in your product or company. But they have unlimited interest in their needs, solutions to their problems, and making their lives better. Concentrate on fulfilling their needs through the use of your product or service.
5. ALWAYS stress benefits.
Always concentrate on how your product will benefit your customers-both logically and emotionally. Hit the right hot buttons and your sales will skyrocket.
6. Repeat your key benefits in the beginning, middle, and end of your email, letter or brochure.
Tell your readers once, tell them again, and then tell them one more time. Remember, people buy benefits, not products.
7. Use the "4 to 1" rule.
Your sales copy should contain four "you's" to every one "I." Customers want to hear about their number one priority-themselves. One of the best ways to convey that you understand your customer's needs is to use plenty of "you" language.
8. Use a stop-them-in-their-tracks headline or first sentence.
Some letters and emails benefit from a headline while others don't. Either the headline or first sentence must be very powerful in order to convince your prospects that your letter is worth reading.
9. Use sub-headings liberally.
Subheads help break up long blocks of copy. They also act as a "hot point" outline to pull the reader through the key ideas of your email or ad.
10. Seize the reader's attention immediately.
Don't waster space building up to your blockbuster points. Start with them. You have only a paragraph or two to convince your prospects to keep reading your letter. Give them what they need to make sure they continue.
11. Flatter your reader.
These days people are much more sophisticated when it comes to advertising. They know that you got their name from a mailing list. You can turn this fact to your advantage by suing this kind of copy.
12. Share some "inside" information.
Direct mail offers a perfect opportunity to appeal to a person's need to feel special. An ideal way to do this is to share some exclusive information. Make it clear that this offer is being made only to them.
13. Issue a personal letter from the President.
People like to deal with the person in charge. Using this type of personal message builds confidence.
14. Never end a sentence at the bottom of a page in a sales letter.
Always use a broken sentence to carry your reader forward onto the next page of your letter or email.
15. Feature the offer.
Everyone loves a good deal. Your job is to design an irresistible offer and make it a key focal point of your letter or email. A strong offer can often be the extra incentive that will convert your "maybes" to real live orders.
16. Give something away for FREE.
Free samples, trials, demonstrations, consultations, or information are all exceptional ways of getting customers to give your product or service a hands-on try. Sometimes that is all it takes to close the sale.
17. Run a contest.
Give away a free enrollment in your seminar, a free subscription to your newsletter, or anything else that appeals to your buyers.
18. Use a special "before the price increases" offer.
If you plan to raise your prices, make your regular customers a special offer at the old price for a limited time.
19. Repeat your offer.
An irresistible offer can overcome customers reluctance. State it at least twice in your email or letter, and again on your order form.
20. Make a time-limited offer.
Offer a special deal for a limited period of time. And do just that-legally you can't continue a time-limited offer indefinitely.
21. Base your offer on a limited supply.
A close-out of your inventory can create strong demand. A limited supply offer can be used to designate exclusivity and prestige.
22. Offer a special deal to the first 100 people who order.
Or the first 25, 50, 250 and so on. But remember, the key here is to keep it to a meaningful limit as an incentive for customers to act quickly.
23. Make a charter offer.
This approach is ideal for new products, subscriptions,and service agreements. If your product isn't new, consider starting a membership club and offering charter members special benefits.
24. Make a "last chance" offer.
Last chance at this price, inventory close-outs, and last chance before a model change can all be used to successfully win more orders.
25. "Buy 1 get 1 FREE" always outpulls "2 for the price of 1."
Although the savings are precisely the same, the first format sounds like the customer is getting a better bargain.
As mentioned in the beginning, not all of these techniques will work for every mailing you create. The key is to review the techniques whenever you're planning a mailing. Pick the ones that apply to your situation and put them to work.
In part two you'll learn about boosting the pulling power of your mailings.
In the meantime you have plenty of ideas to apply in your marketing. So go to work and try them out!
-
This was the coolest car I saw at the SEMA show last fall. It's actually a HYBRID! Can you believe it? You spend between $150,000 and $250,000 on a beautiful car like this AND you're worried about the environment.nbsp; Ronn Motors hs developed a kit to retrofit this and other vehicles so that they can run on water! That's right, h2O. It Technically, it is called a hydrogen-on-demand fuel injection system. They also say it will increase your fuel mileage by 30-40%, even on a Scorpion like this, which has 600 HP twin turbo-chargers! The system burns hydrocarbons completely, so exhaust is turned into hydrogen, and will not pollute the air. One gallon of water will fuel this car for 5,000 miles.
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pI have been diligently reading through all the material the top schools have sent in.nbsp; I wanted to share this from Brian Manley and Scott Seperich, automotive instructors at Smoky Hill High School.nbsp; I found it to be inspirational to me, and I hope you draw inspiration from it as well!/ppquot;I am proud to have the opportunity to apply for the second annual TT/CP School of the Year Award.nbsp; In the pages that follow you will facts, figures and photos about our Automotive Training Program here at Smoky Hill High School.nbsp; We have collected recommendation letters, copied certificates, reproduced photos and rifled through file folders to produce what is in the pages of this binder, all with the goal of showing what we do well here in our school.nbsp; /ppI have to say that, after undertaking this lengthy process for the second year, I have a renewed definition of what we quot;doquot; here as instructors and as a program that serves our communitynbsp; We are here to help our students lead happpy, productive and fulfilling lives, and we are here to show them the steps to get them there through smart choices and by pursuing post-secondary education.nbsp; that may sound simple enough, and I am reminded of this fact while reading what others had to say about our program, and how students feel about their experience while attending our program./ppI am heartened by the fact that what we do as instructors seems to have a profound and far-reaching positive impact on thenbsp;lives of so many young people, and that is what makes my job so incredible.nbsp; This process of applying for your award has helped to re-connect us with some former students, and has enhanced some of the connections that we have in our community, and that makes our program that much stronger.nbsp; Alumni from our program have completed apprenticeships, graduated from Automotive Associate and Bachelor Degree programs and are now employed all overnbsp;our country through various companies.nbsp; this is the legacy that I am most proud of.quot;/ppThis is just the first page of their application!/pp11/pimg src="http://www.tomorrowstechnician.com/cs/aggbug.aspx?PostID=489" width="1" height="1"
Icahn Acquires 19 Independent U.S. Service Locations
in General Automotive Discussion
Posted
Icahn Automotive Group has purchased 19 independently owned service locations across the U.S.
The acquisitions include:
The group also recently purchased BS&F Auto Parts, an aftermarket auto parts distributor in New York City. Its owner and CEO, Joseph Ferrer, is now regional vice president for commercial operations over eight locations in three New York City districts.
“We continue to aggressively expand our national automotive service network, strengthen our full-service capabilities and invest in our most important asset, our people,” said Daniel A. Ninivaggi, CEO of Icahn Automotive Group. “We are excited to welcome new team members to the Icahn Automotive family and provide them, like our 25,000+ existing team members, the opportunity to be part of a dynamic and successful company.”
Icahn, which also owns auto parts chain Pep Boys, operates nearly 2,000 owned and franchised service locations in 49 states plus Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, and Canada.
It most recently acquired American Driveline Systems with approximately 680 locations in October. The company also added 320 corporate-owned and franchised Precision Tune service locations in July.
Source: Tire Review