Dealership Parts & Service Takes Aim at the Aftermarket
Would you sell parts to your competitor? In all probability, you already do. While your driver delivers aftermarket parts through the OE dealership service department’s front door, OE parts are going out that same dealership’s backdoor to your best installer customers.
Pep Boys Remodels Stores, Adds New Brands and Product Categories
Yesterday, Pep Boys celebrated grand re-openings at five newly remodeled stores in Jacksonville, Fla. The re-openings — which featured special retail and service promotions, ribbon-cutting ceremonies, remote radio broadcasts and a market-wide sweepstakes promotion — are part of a major “retail renewal” initiative that the company has undertaken.
Car Care Council Women’s Board Awards Two High School Scholarships
The Car Care Council Women’s Board has selected the recipients of its inaugural Women’s Board high school scholarship program. Rebecca Evans of Toledo, Ore., and Beth Weckesser of Fenton, Mich., competed with female students from across the nation for the two scholarships.
Executive Interview with Eric Sills, Director of Headquarter Operations, Standard Motor Products
Our latest edition of “Executive Interview” features Eric Sills, director of headquarter operations at Standard Motor Products. It’s been just about one year since Standard acquired Dana’s Engine Management division. Join us as Sills brings us up to speed on the integration, and shares some of Standard’s goals and plans for the coming years.
“DST Asks”: What Ordering Methods Do You Offer to Customers?
Forecasting the future isn’t a task restricted to tabloid psychics or your TV weatherman. Whether we like it or not, running a successful business today that will remain successful in the future requires forecasting skills.
“DST Asks”: Adding Service/Installation as an Additional Profit Center in a Parts Enterprise
How many readers know that Starbucks, the ubiquitous coffee retailer, actually began operating as a coffee roaster in Seattle, selling bags of whole bean coffee in Pike Street Market? It took a visionary leader, Howard Schultz, coupled with an ambitious operating plan and enterprise management technology to morph the business into the worldwide coffeehouse chain and merchandising success story we see today. And this all happened in an incredibly short period of time…with growth from 17 outlets in 1987 to 7,225 outlets today. All of this was based on the simple premise, “We already have customers who buy our coffee beans — what if we brewed the coffee for them, too?” We see a similar opportunity in parts distribution.
Executive Interview with Rich White, Vice President of Marketing & Communications, AAIA, and Executive Director of the Car Care Council
Rich White is vice president of marketing and communications for the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA). He oversees marketing, public relations, media relations, publications, Web sites and most recently, the Car Care Council and the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign. With National Car Care Month just around the corner, White provided aftermarketNews.com with an update on the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign and the Car Care Council’s plans for this year. He also shared how aftermarket companies can become more involved in the campaign.