Management: Can Blood and Guts Save the Aftermarket?
Too many aftermarket marketing professionals concentrate on creating "brand messages" that have warm fuzzy feelings that do not do much for creating a compelling case why technicians and consumers should buy and install their parts. If a marketing professional is concerned that using blood and guts to harvest fear is ….
Tech Tip: The Ups and Downs of Jacks
If we were to start assigning personalities to tools in the shop, jacks would definitely be the Rodney Dangerfield of the automotive world. These tools are asked to lift things that weigh 100 times their own weight, we complain because they are too heavy, we keep them stuffed in corners and under workbenches when not using them, they are too short, too tall, not short enough, not tall enough. We don’t use them for weeks or months at a time and then complain if they are a little slow to react, make any funny noises or leak any fluid. Sheesh! Talk about no respect!
Mitch Schneider: A Lesson in Choosing Words Wisely
I’m the last person in the world to minimize the power of words. They’ve been a recurring theme in my life since I was a small child and shared a single bedroom with my two younger brothers. Then, the words came together in stories about distant worlds and unusual, if not unlikely, super-heroes; and, my brothers wouldn’t sleep until they were quite satisfied there were no more words left to share.
Viewpoint: Pricing Out Fear
For 2008, I changed my health care insurance from a traditional plan to a Health Savings Account (HSA). Basically, it means that the first $2,000 (pre-tax) of medical expenses are on me. I was scared at first, but I soon found that it did have some entertainment and educational value. I have found myself pricing
Mitch’s World: Shifting Into Second
This isn’t going to be a long diatribe about something that happened in the shop yesterday or the day before. It isn’t going to be another rant about customers who don’t understand or suppliers who don’t care. This column is about today. Perhaps, more important, it is about tomorrow. This column is all about you.
Mitch’s World: Stuck in First…
This isn’t going to be a long diatribe about something that happened in the shop yesterday or the day before. It isn’t going to be another rant about customers who don’t understand or suppliers who don’t care. This column is about today. Perhaps, more important, it is about tomorrow. This column is all about you.
Carley’s Corner: Fuel Pump Warranty Returns Still an Issue
About a year ago, I attended a meeting of the Fuel Pump Manufacturers Council (FPMC) in Chicago. The members of FPMC are the companies who manufacture and supply fuel pumps to the aftermarket (as well as the auto makers). The purpose of the meeting was to address a serious problem that has been plaguing the
Jacks: The Ups and Downs of Jacks
The famous actor/comedian Rodney Dangerfield was well known for his routine about respect. You couldn’t watch him for more than a few minutes before you heard his signature line: “I can’t get NO respect!” If we were to start assigning personalities to tools in the shop, jacks would definitely be the Rodney Dangerfield of the
Point of View: The Power of Price
Most tool and equipment surveys that I have seen always ask the question of the technician or shop owner, “How important is price when you consider a purchase?” Answers usually include other comparison points, like quality, availability, warranty, convenience, selection, service, made in USA and payment options. And the price factor usually comes after quality,
Delphi and Tomorrow’s Technician Magazine Bring the Vehicle Electronics Revolution to Tennessee School
Delphi Corp. and Babcox Publication’s Tomorrow’s Technician magazine are bringing the future of the automotive aftermarket to life for a class at the Tennessee Technology Center in Jackson, TN. Tomorrow’s Technician selected the class as the winner of the magazine’s monthly pop quiz, and Delphi awarded the class with $3,500 in tools and equipment.