Are Empty Streets Around the Corner?
Lately, I have been reading and hearing reports that could cause us all to question what we are doing. Perhaps news has been slow as of late (I really doubt that), but thereseems to be a ground swell of alarm emanating from my peers in themedia that kids aren’t interested in driving anymore. One columnist
Are You Ready for More Business?
There are a lot of positive economic signs that consumers are becomingmore comfortable with their financial situation and are beginning toopen their wallets. A recent report states that department stores, grocery chains and eventoy stores are seeing consumers move toward higher-priced andhigher-quality items. As an example, cashmere is gaining in popularityand a New York coffee
The Way You Want It or The Way They Want It
Facebook, Twitter, Instant message, e-mail, e-Newsletter, Website, Print, Phone, Fax. There are many ways to communicate with an audience these days.Depending on the month, day or year, some are more popular than others.But popular does not always mean efficient. Some of these options aremore cost efficient than others, but cost efficient also does notalways equate
A Larger Sweet Spot
What made Callaway Golf’s Big Bertha and the Prince tennis racket so successful in the marketplace? A larger sweet spot. The sweet spot is the area on a club, racket, bat, etc., where a ballis most effectively hit. A larger sweet spot allows you to hit the ballwith power even when conditions do not allow
Questioning a Trip to Las Vegas?
Starting on Tuesday, Nov. 3, many thousands of people working in theautomotive industry will join together in Las Vegas as participants inthe AAPEX, SEMA, NACE and CARS shows, (and Big R Show Nov. 1-2). Combined, these five shows are the largest celebration ofeverything automotive, from hard parts, accessories and paint, to toolsand equipment and anything
Ten ‘Must-have’ Features of a Shop Website
Research conducted among our readership indicates that only about half of you have a shop website. For those of you who haven’t unleashed the power of the Internet as ashop tool, what are you waiting for? You already know that it’s aneasy, fast way to find the information and answers you need to help youdo
10 Ways To Recruit New Employees for Your Shop
You never know when you’ll be in the market for a new employee. You maybe fully staffed right now, but what if you were to expand your shop,offering additional services, and needed the extramanpower to handle the increased service volume? Or, what if you were to lose an employee to the competition? In eithersituation, would
Management: 10 Areas of Your Business to Examine for the New Year
After a crazy 2008 with gas prices ranging from more than $4 per gallon to below $1.50, a presidential election, a financial meltdown, a drop in miles driven and a federal loan to the Detroit Three, we are now into 2009 with great hopes of good days ahead. These tough times make every owner take
10 Benefits Valued Most by Employees
Asyou work harder, smarter and faster to overcome the effects of theeconomic downturn, you need all hands on deck. Everyone at your shopneeds to be working together toward a common goal — providing thehighest quality repairs and top-notch customer service so that yourshop traffic continues to increase and profits follow along anupward path. Thisunified front
10 Ideas To Increase Customer Loyalty
A solid customer base is not something that grows overnight. It takestime to cultivate a database of customers who return for servicetime and time again, and who also recommend your shop to others.Several factors work together to enable you to earn their trust andrespect, which translates into satisfied customers and highly soughtafter repeat business. Things
10 Ideas to Improve Employee Retention
In research we’ve conducted on this subject, wefound that roughly one-third of shop owners are looking to hire a“qualified” technician. Once you find that coveted technician, you wantto have the right features in your shop to make him or her say, “Yes, Iwant to come work for you.” Now the new hire is an employee,