-
Welcome to Auto Parts Forum
Whether you are a veteran automotive parts guru or just someone looking for some quick auto parts advice, register today and start a new topic in our forum. Registration is free and you can even sign up with social network platforms such as Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.
Auto-Wares Customer Cruise Sails Through Caribbean
-
Similar Topics
-
By Counterman
MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers announced that Brad Beckham, CEO of O’Reilly Auto Parts, will deliver the customer keynote at the
link hidden, please login to view on April 2, 2025 at the Loews Chicago O’Hare Hotel in Chicago. Beckham will share insights from the customer perspective. Serving as CEO since 2024, Beckham’s journey in the O’Reilly organization began in 1996 at the age of 17 as a parts specialist. From that first role, Beckham progressed through the roles of store manager, district manager, region manager, divisional vice president, vice president of eastern store operations and sales, senior vice president of central store operations and sales, executive vice president of store operations and sales, executive vice president and COO, and, finally to Co-president before becoming CEO. With this breadth of experience, he has a vast knowledge of retail automotive operations and a deeply rooted dedication to the O’Reilly company culture,
link hidden, please login to view said. “We are honored to have Brad as the customer keynote speaker for this year’s Vision Conference,” said Paul McCarthy, president of MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers. “Brad’s long career with O’Reilly has been defined by exceptional leadership, operational expertise, and an unwavering commitment to delivering industry-leading customer service. O’Reilly has set the recent customer standard for success and his insights into what drives that success will offer invaluable lessons to attendees as we navigate the future of the aftermarket together.”
Who Should Attend Vision, According to MEMA?
Suppliers seeking to connect with peers and key customers. Channel partners looking to collaborate on innovations and growth strategies. Private equity investors eager to explore opportunities in the dynamic aftermarket industry. The MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers Business Technology Council, Modern Industry eXpertise (MiX) and the Aftermarket Suppliers CEO Council will hold meetings immediately before Vision on April 1 at the Loews Chicago O’Hare Hotel. The Marketing Executives Council and Mobility Technology Council will hold a meeting right after the conference on April 3.
The post
link hidden, please login to view appeared first on link hidden, please login to view.
link hidden, please login to view -
By Counterman
Valvoline has been recognized for providing excellent customer service and has been ranked by Forbes on its “Best Customer Service 2025” list.
link hidden, please login to view was the top-ranked instant oil change company and placed 18th among the 300 brands on the list. The Forbes customer service list was based on surveys of 181,000 people in the United States who rated their interactions with more than 3,500 brands. Only the top 300-rated companies were included in the list. “Every year we serve millions of guests, and our goal is to deliver the very best customer service with each oil change and preventive automotive maintenance service,” said Laura Carpenter, Valvoline’s chief customer officer. “Our team members and franchise partners are focused and committed to go above and beyond for our guests each and every day. I’m proud of our franchise partners, teams and our retail service center managers who are delivering for our guests.”
A news release from
link hidden, please login to view explained that customers gave the company a 4.7 out of 5-star rating* for its service. That’s based on a survey of more than 1 million Valvoline Instant Oil Change customers. The post
link hidden, please login to view appeared first on link hidden, please login to view.
link hidden, please login to view -
By Counterman
link hidden, please login to view and link hidden, please login to view shop owners and auto parts professionals set sail this June on the link hidden, please login to view, where over 60 attendees visited the Last Frontier – Alaska. Departing from Seattle, Washington, trip attendees experienced an all-inclusive VIP experience on the Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas cruise ship from June 14-21, traveling up the Alaskan coastline with stops in Sitka, Skagway, Juneau and Victoria, British Columbia Canada.
During the months of September, October and November 2023, professional technicians and shop owners had the opportunity to earn entries on MyPlace4Parts with every qualifying invoice and a chance to be a grand-prize winner. Each winner and their guest joined Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper hosts as they got ready to depart on their exciting adventure, beginning with a welcome reception and dinner in Seattle. Once onboard, guests had a 7-night, 8-day adventure packed with activities and shore excursions, the
link hidden, please login to view said. Entries were earned with every qualifying invoice worth $150 from an Auto Value or Bumper to Bumper parts supplier. In addition, MyPlace4Parts users earned automatic bonus entries each day for every $150 increment made through MyPlace4Parts. Beyond the grand prize adventure cruise, there was also a total of $45,000 in gift cards given to 240 other lucky winners.
“This trip has been nothing but amazing, exceeding all our expectations. We are extremely fortunate to be a small part of the Auto Value & Bumper to Bumper family with our parts supplier, Moog Louisville Warehouse,” said Steve Morton, of Morton’s Auto and Truck Repair in New Albany, IN. “We love the 32-year business relationship we have with Moog who are our main supplier for all our parts. We couldn’t do what we do daily without their support and thank them, Auto Value & Bumper to Bumper and their industry partners for this amazing trip!”
Once on the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship, guests were treated to all-inclusive amenities and celebrated the first night on the ship with a group reception and private dinner seating. Each winner and their guest had a unique selection of port excursions, including whale-watching boat tours, ziplining, 4x4s and e-bikes adventures, helicopter rides, dog-sledding experiences, and much more. Each port offered an opportunity for shopping and dining before setting sail to the next destination.
“This was a magical experience and one my wife and I would not have been able to take without the help of our parts supplier, everything from start to finish was amazing,” said Tony Spraggins of Spraggins Auto Repair in Longview, TX, and customer of ABC Auto Parts. “We are so thankful to everyone who helped make this trip possible, including the manufacturers who sponsored our Alaskan Adventure.”
“The Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper promotional sweepstakes events showcase the power of business partnerships,” said Jim Holik, director of marketing for Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper. “The professional shop owners and guests who came on this promotion have a chance to experience once in a lifetime adventures, but also create and build friendships with each other. Our manufacturing channel partners who help with these customer experiences deserve a lot of appreciation and once again we thank them for their continued support.”
The post
link hidden, please login to view appeared first on link hidden, please login to view.
link hidden, please login to view -
By Counterman
The importance of collaboration in the automotive aftermarket can’t be overstated. Distributors, manufacturers, training institutions, associations and service providers all help automotive professionals stay ahead in a market that is constantly evolving with new technologies, trends, and customer demands.
There’s no better place that fosters vital industry connections than
link hidden, please login to view, held annually in Las Vegas. AAPEX serves as a nexus where industry professionals come together to forge new relationships, strengthen existing ones, and stay abreast of the latest industry developments. Training is a cornerstone of AAPEX’s offerings, reflecting its commitment to elevating the industry standards. By participating in these sessions, businesses can ensure that their teams are knowledgeable about the latest technologies, products, and best practices.
This not only helps in improving service quality but also fosters a culture of continuous learning and improvement within organizations. Beyond training, AAPEX provides countless networking opportunities. These events enable professionals to meet new people and companies, opening doors to potential collaborations and partnerships. By leveraging these opportunities, industry professionals can ensure they remain at the forefront of industry developments, driving growth and innovation in the process.
This year’s AAPEX will be in Las Vegas November 5-7 and promises to be a vital gathering for those looking to strengthen their business connections and stay ahead in the rapidly evolving aftermarket landscape.
The post
link hidden, please login to view appeared first on link hidden, please login to view.
link hidden, please login to view -
-
By Counterman
This is always an important topic to discuss, because I consider excellent customer service one of the most important tools you can have to earn trust, respect and repeat business from the customers that come through your door. Whether that customer is do-it-yourselfer from across town or the professional repair shop across the street, your business depends on a solid relationship.
It’s a subject that I am passionate about, and it’s one that many people are losing touch with. Whether you are communicating to someone in person, on the phone or using some type of social media, good customer service and bad can both exist. You can’t afford the latter, so this is the first in a series of topics which can and should be shared from the front of the shop to the back. No matter which role you hold, you represent the shop and yourself. Customer service should be your number one priority.
First on the list is the greeting. From the second a customer walks in the door, they need to know you appreciate them coming in and how important they are to your business. First impressions are everything and here’s the correct way to do it each and every time: look them directly in the eye, smile and say hello!
Of course, you can say “Good morning” or “Welcome to Joe’s Autocare,” but it should be a formal greeting and the most important thing is that you have smiled, looked them in the eye and recognized that they have walked through the door.
You should always retain a formal greeting until you are on a first-name basis with a customer. Only once you have established that level of relationship is it OK to use the less formal greeting of “Hi,” followed by the person’s name.
This greeting does more than just indicate respect and appreciation for someone walking through the door. Most likely there are customers both new and old who are in earshot of your conversation. For newer customers, this continues to build rapport and reinforce their positive view of your shop; they see that you demonstrate respect and treat everyone in the same manner. For repeat customers, even ones that have been coming for years, the greeting is important because the way you treat them is the reason they continue to come.
And when a long-time customer comes in and you greet them with “Hi [First Name],” this indicates your appreciation for them and that you’re glad to see them as a person, more than just a customer. New customers that witness this will see that your repeat customers are comfortable enough to be on a first-name basis, another indication of the trust they have in you.
If you impress someone with remembering their name and what you did last to their car, you just built a skyscraper of rapport.
There are certain situations where you will always greet someone by Mr., Mrs. or Miss., and that is usually after you have seen them often enough to remember their name, but before you know them on a first-name basis. Many people will say, “Just call me [First Name],” letting you know it’s OK, but until then it’s a sign of respect to use a formal greeting. In some cases, you may always use the formal; it can vary from person to person.
When thinking about the greeting, keep in mind that many people are uncomfortable walking into an unknown situation. They are probably already stressed because their car is broken, and they know it’s going to cost them money. And they may have never been to your shop or been there too often. Your greeting puts them immediately at ease and indicates, especially if there are other people waiting (and this is very important), that you have acknowledged they are there. They’ll be comfortable knowing that you’ll get to them as soon as possible.
It’s going to happen, often enough, that you will either be on the phone, right in the middle of explaining something to a customer or have your back turned at the moment someone walks in. If you’re on the phone, it’s easy. Simply smile and wave. That’s all it takes. Don’t use a phone call as an excuse to ignore and not initiate a greeting. You’ll probably even have coworkers that do this, hoping they won’t have to wait on this person. Advice for you: don’t. It’s a sign of weakness.
Once you’re off the phone, be sure to make an audible greeting and let them know how long it will be until you are available to help. If you’re currently talking to a customer when someone walks in, you don’t have to stop abruptly or cut them off to make a greeting, but don’t take too long. Wait just until you finish a thought and squeeze in a quick audible greeting, such as, “I’ll be with you in just a couple minutes, sir.”
One of my favorite tricks as a service writer is to always be alert and pay attention to cars as they pull up. Try to jot down the license if possible. There’s a good possibility that you will recognize cars before you remember someone’s name. You may remember that the car was in and you may recognize the person, but that’s it. If you’re quick on the fingers, before they get in the door, you can do a license plate search and bring up their name and also see what was done last.
If you impress someone with remembering their name and what you did last to their car, you just built a skyscraper of rapport. They’ll never know you “cheated.”
Heres’ another trick, even if you only had time to jot down the license number and you greeted someone, “Welcome to Joe’s Autocare, I’ll be right with you,” this indicates to someone that you are finishing something up and will let them know when you are ready. Even if you buy yourself 10 seconds, you can look up the license plate, then you can say, “I can help you now Mr. Smith. We did brakes just last month, right?”
Perhaps the most critical is that you always smile and greet your customers, no matter what. I don’t care how bad a day you are having, or if you had a difficult situation with the last customer. It doesn’t matter. Let it go and concentrate on whomever just walked in the door.
Your greeting is your first impression. Just like a strong handshake, dressing nicely and being on time for a job interview, this is your chance. Don’t blow it. You are, for all practical purposes, walking into a job interview. You are looking for a job and your customer is doing the hiring.
Customer service. That’s how it’s done.
The post
link hidden, please login to view appeared first on link hidden, please login to view.
link hidden, please login to view
-
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.