Pine Aire Truck Service Hosts Management Success! TOP 20 Group in Bay Shore, New York

August 2, 2015

Bay Shore, N.Y.

Photo credit: Pine Aire Truck Service

From July 31 to August 2, truck shops from around the country gathered in Bay Shore, NY for a Management Success! Truck TOP 20 Group meeting, hosted by Dave Bloom at Pine Aire Truck Service. Moderated by Truck TOP 20 Consultant, Desirae Smith, this meeting was held to network, learn more about business systems, discuss issues faced by truck shops, and develop solutions to common concerns. By the end of the three days, the shop owners created a nationwide directory of the TOP 20 Group shops to help promote each other.

The group spent the first day visiting other businesses to observe and learn about their systems. One of the businesses was ABLE Weldbuilt Industries, an equipment and tow truck manufacturer; there, the attendees observed their processes and products. They also visited a Kia dealership to study their flow lines and had the opportunity to spend time with the service manager. They concluded the day with a visit to a local microbrewery and an evening at the beach in the Hamptons.

The following day was spent in-house, where the owners reviewed their knowledge of KPIs. They also discussed different issues that affect their businesses and how to solve these issues. The evening was spent at a local restaurant, Ciao Baby.

During the final day, the group focused on the financial side of business with a profit and loss study, discussing points of profitability, and learning how to improve profits.

Robert Spitz, Senior Vice President of Business Development at Management Success! remarked, “I am always impressed with the level of professionalism and dedication demonstrated by the members of this group, not only to their respective businesses, but to the trucking industry as a whole.”

Desirae Smith, Truck TOP 20 Consultant at Management Success! is thrilled with how the meeting went: “This meeting was our best Truck TOP 20 meeting yet! We covered important topics that were sequitur and popular for the TOP 20 shops. This meeting really was for them. Further, the special camaraderie that already exists within this group was taken to another level due to all the social/group activities and networking. Everyone enjoyed the meeting and took something new back with them to implement at their respective shops. We are looking forward to the next one already.”

One of the most valuable aspects of the TOP 20 meetings is the opportunity to network and learn from other group members. It is a chance to acquire new knowledge and to encourage each other in achieving future goals. In response to this, Evan Lang from E.L.M. Repair and Refrigeration commented, “I always learn from others’ experiences, and it helps my perspective on my and others’ businesses. The meetings are a great time to share our experiences and help ourselves and others.”

For more information on Management Success! or the Truck TOP 20 Group, please contact Morgan Scott at morgan.scott@managementsuccess.com. 

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Management Success! Launches New Advanced Service Writer School: Taking Sales Skills to the Next Level

On June 17 and 18, 2015, Management Success! launched its new Advanced Service Writer School. Attendees were shop owners and service writers who had already completed Service Writer School and wanted to take the next step to further improve their sales skills.

Advanced Service Writer School takes a more detailed approach to understanding sales by digging into sales fundamentals and the entire sales process. It expands on topics covered in Service Writer School and ingrains all service writing skills for smooth delivery and heightened professionalism. Starting from the moment the customer walks in the door, Advanced Service Writer School teaches step-by-step what to do in order to obtain customers for life and be profitable.

Some topics covered are how to overcome customer fears, understanding different types of customers, and successfully handling challenging situations. Combined with drills, these lessons push students’ service writing skills to a higher level.

The students who attended Advanced Service Writer School were very satisfied and eager to return to work to implement all they learned. Donald Cisco from Webster Tire & Auto Service thought it was an “excellent follow-up to Service Writer School [with] another great supervisor.” Caleb Hancock from Randy’s Auto Care commented, “The drills are where it actually helped me become confident on how to use the information and when to use it. I definitely recommend this class to the other shops who have attended Service Writer School.”

After a successful first run, Management Success! is excited to continue Advanced Service Writer School with many more shop owners attending in the future.

For more information on Management Success! or Advanced Service Writer School, please call (818) 546-5836 or contact Morgan Scott at morgan.scott@managementsuccess.com.

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NAPA Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada

From Tuesday, May 5^th, to Friday, May 8^th, 2015, National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA) invited Management Success! to attend NAPA Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada to deliver talks on truck shop management.

On Wednesday morning, Robert Spitz, Senior Vice President of Business Development at Management Success!, led a discussion with truck shop owners David Saline (2^nd-to-None Service), Dave Bloom (Pine Aire Truck Service, Inc.), and Eddie Lawrence (Mobile Transport Repair). With the packed room, Spitz and the three panelists discussed techniques and strategies for marketing a truck shop. The audience learned many useful skills and valuable knowledge that could be implemented once they returned back to their shop. That evening, Spitz and Saline led a second discussion on how to improve the bottom line of a truck shop.

With all the information shared with the audience, Management Success! sparked the interest of many NAPA Expo attendees. Truck shop owners were interested in gaining more knowledge and skills to apply to their shops, improve their own management skills, and take advantage of all the benefits Management Success! has to offer.

During NAPA Expo, attendees also had the opportunity to browse through the booths of other automotive-related companies and vendors to obtain more information on them.

"The Expo was fun, and I got lots of useful information at the discussions. The location was huge, so it was nice to interact with people from all over and see what each booth had to offer. I enjoyed the Management Success! discussions because we got to hear the personal experiences of truck shop owners and the changes they've made in their shops to become successful. Aside from that, spending time in Vegas was an awesome getaway from the daily stress of our lives." – E.M.

For more information on Management Success!, please visit www.managementsuccess.com, call (818) 546-5836, or contact Morgan Scott at morgan.scott@managementsuccess.com. For more information on NAPA, visit www.napaonline.com or call (818) 246-1711.

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Management Success! Truck TOP 20 Group Meet in Ridgefield, WA

From April 24 to 26, Members of the Management Success! Truck TOP 20 Group, along with invited guests from the Management Success! Automotive TOP 20 Group, gathered at Ultimate Truck Service in Ridgefield, WA to network, discuss best practices, and enjoy three days of comradery.

The event was hosted by shop owners, David and Debbie Jennerjohn, and moderated by Management Success! consultants, Jim Smith and Desirae Smith. 

On Day 1, group members toured Pacific Truck Centers, a local big truck dealership, as well as Accurate Motorwerks, a local general repair shop owned by Automotive TOP 20 Group member, Michael Gallagher.

On Saturday and Sunday, the group spent time sharing advice, exchanging ideas, and discussing problems and solutions related to the daily work of shop owners, especially the unique situations facing truck shop owners.

TOP 20 Group meetings are a great way for shop owners to network and gain new knowledge and skills to apply to their shops. Lynnetta Rogers from 2^nd to None Service commented, “I love the networking! We always come away with new ideas.”

Steve Valenta from S&D Truck Service had this to say: “I found it interesting that no matter where on the scale you are, all shops deal with similar issues.” As for strategies addressing these issues, Nicole Ledford from Aaron’s Semi Repair thought the “statistics analysis discussion was informative and very helpful, and the profit and loss discussion assisted in knowing how to adjust and make improvements in managing our money.”

The group had some fun too, with dinner on Friday and Saturday evening and custom coffee drinks from an in-house barista on Saturday morning.

For more information on Management Success! or the Truck TOP 20 Group, please contact Morgan Scott at morgan.scott@managementsuccess.com. You can also check out Ultimate Truck Service at their website, www.ultimatetrucksvc.com.

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Keeping the Game Fresh and Maintaining a High Level of Excellence by Robert Spitz

Robert Spitz
Snr VP Business Dev
Management Success!

Business is dynamic – as technology progresses, businesses must keep up with the latest innovations in order to appeal to their current customers. This is especially true in the automotive industry, in which vehicles have dramatically advanced in the last 20 years. One of the newest developments is the autonomous Mercedes-Benz, which was displayed at the Consumer Electronics Show 2015 and recently seen cruising around San Francisco.

In the automotive industry, the demographics, as well as the needs, wants, and attitudes of customers have changed. It is important to take all these changes into account when moving your business forward because what appealed to your past customers may not appeal to your current customers.

Recently, I conducted a sample survey of the next generation of auto repair buyers, and it validated that we are in a major transitional period in how we communicate with customers. When asked how they would like a shop to communicate specials or deals, the majority said by email. When asked how they would go about finding a shop if they needed one, the top responses were to ask a friend or to use social media sites such as Facebook or Yelp.

The lowest response in the survey was flyers in the mail. It seems the younger the person, the more this applies. One young adult told me she checks her mail once a week; another does not check the mail at all. In their mind, if something is important, they will be reached online, through email, or by text. Those are the most convenient and efficient forms of communication. It is clear that the majority of today’s networking is through technology. It is imperative to have a strong online presence – otherwise, you do not exist in the minds of the next generation of customers.

Moving back to the traditional side, word-of-mouth is still one of the best ways for businesses to get their name known and acquire new customers. Networking groups such as BNI and LeTip, along with Chamber of Commerce groups, are vital and necessary in a marketing plan.

Many business owners sigh in relief when they realize they no longer have to shell out large amounts of money for print advertising, like in the Yellow Pages. This may be true, but that money must be allocated in other methods of advertisement.

Conducting surveys once in a while or hosting a customer focus group are great ways to learn more about customers’ viewpoints on your product or business, so you can find out what the best way to market your business is. It helps you know what you should keep doing or what you should change so you can stay relevant in consumers’ minds and continue to provide the service they desire.

Online reviews are also critical in molding and strengthening your business into a company that attracts modern customers. A business should always respond positively to both positive and negative reviews. Listen to what customers are saying, and consider it when developing the business.

There is a saying dating back to the ancient Olympic Games: “Don’t rest on your laurels.” This means that, instead of depending on your past successes, it is important to focus on your present goals to continue your success. Keeping abreast of changes in business is paramount to the success of business. Until you have completely turned over the control of your business to a management team, keep this advice in mind and keep your head in the game!

At Management Success! we work hard to stay on top of these changes in the industry. This is reflected in our exceptional services and training material.  I invite you to take a fresh look at your business, and do our free on-line Shop Business Analysis. This tool will show you what you are doing right and point out areas that need to be strengthened to help you achieve your goals.

Wishing you Success!

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Management Success! Spring Convention 2015

Big Fun in The Big Easy

On March 20^th of 2015, 246 automotive professionals arrived in New Orleans, Louisiana for the 18^th Annual Management Success! three-day Spring Convention, held at the Crown Plaza Hotel in the heart of the French Quarter. Attendees enjoyed networking, panel discussions, workshops, an Awards Presentation, a Riverboat Dinner, and a Masquerade Ball.

Pavaune Pearson, Management Success! Client Services Manager, was enthused: “For the Spring Convention, we found ourselves in New Orleans! This was our highest-attended convention to date with over 240 attendees and 120 auto shops. We had some incredible new workshops on PR innovation and maximizing a shop’s professional image. Topping it off, eight shops were awarded Masters of Shop Management, two shops received Competent Shop Manager, and five shops earned Effective Shop Manager. To say our clients loved it is an understatement!”

With the new Management Success! Advanced Consulting and Training (ACT) program, which puts shops on an accelerated path toward Masters, many more shops are likely to achieve Masters at future conventions. Management Success! also announced its new Advanced Service Writers School, which will enable service writers to master the skills necessary to become true sales professionals.

Mandee Bradshaw, VP of Production, says, “We at Management Success! have talked about offering Advanced Service Writer School for some time. It is the finishing touch to take a good service writer and make him or her great. We are very excited that Advanced Service Writer School has finally come to be.”

Management Success!'s Fall Convention 2015 will be held in October in Glendale, California. For more information, please contact Morgan Scott at morgan.scott@managementsuccess.com.

Shops awarded Masters of Shop Management:

Pinkelman Truck & Trailer
Aaron’s Semi Repair
Accurate Motorwerks
Anderson Automotive
Euro Spec
Bernshausen Automotive
Webster Tire & Auto Service
E.L.M. Repair & Refrigeration

Shops awarded Competent Shop Manager:

Galveston Automotive Pros
Concours Motors

Shops awarded Effective Shop Manager:

Dickerson’s Service Center
M&N Absolute Auto Repair
Truck Shoppe
Yokum’s Body Shop
Blue Body & Paint

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A Look Inside Your eMarketing Health: Where Do YOU Rank on Google?

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is crucial in getting more visitors to your website and getting ahead of your competitors. You may have realized – after a while of getting almost no phone calls originating from your website – that first-page rankings are not as simple as they seem. Even if you have a great website, if it is at the bottom of search results, then it is losing you money. So what can you do about this?

FACT: Top-rank listings in search engine results are created by organic search traffic, not “pay per click” or paid-for ads. Website owners always seem to want an SEO “magic bullet” to increase their rankings, but the organic search traffic is what maintains certain websites at the top of the list.

In order to get on the first page, a lot of thought, research, and work must go into your SEO. One vital strategy for achieving this is to use specific keywords and revolve your website’s content around these keywords. Remember, your future clients are out there typing specific words into that search engine – those words should lead straight to your website!

FACT: SEO is constantly evolving. You’ll notice that when you type the same phrase into a search engine one week, and then again on a later week, the results are never the same. It is proactive marketing that always keeps your website ranking high.

The goal is to modify your SEO strategy to make sure your website always ranks high in search results. An extra step would be to have your SEO maintained by a professional who not only understands the changing nature of SEO, but also understands the ins and outs of the automotive industry. That way, he or she will know exactly what needs to be updated in order for the website to remain at a high level and attract customers.

It can take time to get on that first page, but when you do, the payoff is great – increased calls, new clients, and more income for your shop!

If you need help with your website, want to get better rankings, or would like a free analysis of your website, visit us at www.mswebpros.com.

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