MMG May June 2013

Leaders in the sale of quality Mopar Parts.

The exchange of information by like size dealers

in a non-competitive environment. Mopar Masters Guild

In This IssuePresident Steve Hofer ............................... 2

Member Input: Phone Skills Update .... 3

New Car Sales Expected to Get Back on

Track ............................................................ 5

Chrysler Quality Chief: Little Difference

now with Toyota ........................................... 6

ASA Opposes PARTS Act ....................... 7

State Farm Rolls Out PartsTrader in the

Southwest .................................................... 9

MMG Supporting Vendors .............10-11

ADP ......................................................12-13

UPS .............................................................14

FenderBender/Ratchet+Wrench .........15

Elite Extra...........................................16-17

OEConnection ....................................18-19

AutoBody News .......................................20

Reynolds & Reynolds..............................21

GuidePoint ................................................22

Magneti-Marelli ......................................23

TracyIndustries .......................................24

Mopar .........................................................25

Cold Calling Sales Techniques .......26-27

Safety Assessment .............................28-29

2013 MMG Committee..........................30

May - June 2013

Balancing Work with the Rest of Life

Page 4-5

SCRS says Insurer-Mandated Parts Programs S ll Failing to Show Benefi ts to Collision Repairers

Page 8

OEConnec on Earns “Top 20” Call Center Dis nc on

Page 27

2

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

May - June 2013

Welcome to another edi on of the Mopar Masters Guild Magazine. The past few months have brought addi onal changes to our business and this issue can provide insight into some of those changes. The Guilds’ members have again worked hard to provide you with informa on that is benefi cial to the success of your business.

As our business and personal lives become busier we have to look at new ways to ensure that communica on stays at the highest possible level. While it could be argued that some technological advances such as e-mail cut down on face-to-face communica on I have found a welcome solu on. Recently I have found myself using Skype both in my personal and professional life to bridge a commu-nica on gap I believe e-mail causes.

I know many of us may have used Skype to chat with a family member in another State but there is so much more to the applica on. For instance a few months ago we started using Skype to communicate between the dealer-ships and other businesses in our small group. This is not only useful for quick face-to-face mee ngs, which have greater benefi ts than an e-mail that is sim-ply glanced over, but it can also be a training tool. If just one Skype user on a

group call has a premium account (about $90 annually) screens can be shared. This is useful when you need to display a process within an applica on or review sales goals. Skype essen ally replaces shared mee ng applica ons and adds the element of being able to see those that you are communica ng with.

In our wholesale parts opera on we are planning to replace instant messaging services with Skype. By doing this we will retain instant messaging features that our customers have come to love as well as bring addi ons. The addi onal items will include the face-to-face chat, screen sharing of parts diagrams, on screen video of needed parts otherwise diffi cult to specify and many other features.

From a personal standpoint I have been traveling between stores quite a bit lately. Skype and its screen sharing features have allowed me to con nue to help my kids with homework even when I cannot be si ng beside them. The premium account also allows for group calls so family members in various loca ons around the world can all chat. Also consider this. My wife and I are hos ng an exchange student next year. With Skype we have been able to have conversa ons with the student and her parents. We will con nue doing this all summer long. By the me this student travels to stay with us for the next year she and her parents will have a higher comfort level than we previously would have been able to achieve.

How are you using technologies in your personal and professional life to improve the way you communicate? Consider sharing new applica ons and ways you have improved communica on within your organiza on. If you would like to share some of your success stories please e-mail [email protected] along with a brief statement approving your submission to be used in the next Mopar Masters Guild Magazine. Un l next me, thank you again for your con n-ued support of the Mopar Masters Guild.

Steve Hofer

President

Mopar Masters Guild

Letter from MMG President

3

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

Phone Skills UpdateRecording Tool Raises Awareness for Better Customer Relations

Submitted by Gerry Oakes - Baxter CJDR

Last May in the MMG magazine I had wri en an ar cle about the purchase of a phone recording system for our parts department. The need for such a tool was realized a er I had taken a phone skills class with Chrysler Academy. Our staff had lost focus on their phone skills. And, there were problems arising with miscommuni-ca on between our advisors and the customer. Training and accountability were in order to correct the prob-lem. Hence, our department purchased a phone recording system to act as a training device and a tool which would verify the exact communica ons between employee and customer.

With the system in place by late summer we were able to start our process to re-train parts advisors. This began by reviewing with our parts advisors what is expected of them while answering and speaking to our customers. Our requirements were to answer the phone the same way every me iden fying our dealership name, the parts advisor name and a “How may I help you?” This sounds like basic stuff we should all know. However, some of our advisors were running through it and in some cases, just said “Parts”! Also, we wanted our advisors to become more of a sales person instead of an order taker. There are always opportuni es for addi onal parts sales when speaking to a customer. An example would be quo ng re price and availability if a re replacement is needed when a collision shop requires certain components such as wheels, suspension, and steering parts. The parts advisors have discovered these types of addi onal sales are available to them, just as long as they ask!

The system has a great recording component along with a real me feature. Listening in on calls as they take place can some mes defuse a situa on before it happens. On a weekly basis our parts manager will listen to a random sampling of parts advisors and phone calls. The call is played back while the parts manager and parts advisor listen. The fi rst me our advisors listen to themselves on the phone, they can hardly believe how they sound. What comes across in their mind and how it sounds over the phone to the customer can be dras cally diff erent. Once the call is completed we go over where good quality interac on was in place and where im-provements can be made. If there is a dispute between advisor and customer on what was said on a par cu-lar call, we have the ability to bring it up and listen to the exact conversa on for any verifi ca on.

The cost for implemen ng the recording system was not cheap. New phones had to be added and a quality so ware program purchased. In retrospect, it has been money well spent. Especially, with the ability to keep our advisors on task and the advantages the system off ers for crea ng be er employees and more sa sfi ed customers.

4


May - June 2013

Balancing Work With the Rest of Life

Set clear boundaries and manage your energy with healthy habits.K E V I N R A I N S F E N D E R B E N D E R

When I think about shop-life balance, there are two things I have found that really help: having clear boundar-ies and managing my energy by establishing healthy habits. Of course, these interrelate, but let’s look at them separately.

Have Clear BoundariesWhen you’re at work, be fully at work. When you’re at home, be fully at home. We all know what it’s like to bring work home with us, right? We do this literally by carrying fi les home or making work-related calls from home. But what about the more subtle way we bring work home, by thinking about the shop long a er we have le it?

If you’re anything like me, you typically won’t just be thinking about it; you’ll be worrying about it. You might get worked up about a situa on that happened earlier in the day, or wonder how that huge part bill is going to be paid, or feel angry that a certain insurance company seems to be dragging their feet on paying a fi nal bill.

The opposite challenge is not to let home invade your shop. At work, be careful to not have an ongoing conver-sa on with your wife, kids, buddies, etc. Save those conversa ons for lunch, predetermined break mes during the day, a er work, or weekends.

Here’s some advice for se ng boundaries at home and at work:

Be fully present at homeWhen you are at home and those nagging thoughts about work start to surface simply write them down and forget about them. I keep an ac ve to-do list on my iPhone on an app called Things. There are dozens of other apps and most of them are free. Or just simply pull out a piece of scrap paper and jot down a reminder to look into that insurance payment, talk to that tech, or follow up with that parts vendor tomorrow. There is nothing you can do about it now anyway, so get back to your family or hobby. Rest assured, the challenge will be wait-ing for you tomorrow. The upside is you will be more ready to tackle it the following day if you give yourself a break from worrying about it at home.

It is also important to mark the transi on from work to home with some kind of boundary event. So, before going home, some mes I will work out fi rst. It’s amazing how much a short, 30-minute workout a er work can help clear the mind. Other mes, I will have an at-home happy hour with my wife before dinner. We just open a bo le of wine and catch up before the rest of the evening starts.

Be fully present at workFirst thing in the morning, as soon as you get to work, write down three things you want to accomplish that day. You will likely accomplish many more than three things, of course, but if you start with three highly im-portant, strategic tasks, you will likely feel be er going into all of the interrup ons and crises—real and per-ceived—of the day. Continued on Page 5

5



Continued from Page 4

An example of a high leverage and strategic “to do” that regularly hits my short list is to audit some aspect of our overall shop with a manager. Some mes we review an es mate for accuracy. Some mes we look over a job with a tech and see if anything was missed on the supplement. On other days, we make sure our offi ces are clean and organized and appealing to customers, and make a list of improvements we want to make to various spaces around the shop.

Manage Your EnergyWe are all used to the idea of managing our me but what about our energy? If we are not bringing energy to the me we have then we will constantly be underperforming and not using our available me well. Here’s a healthy habit example:

Develop a morning ritualImagine the drama c improvements to your energy every day if you started each day with some exercise and a healthy breakfast. Even taking a 20-minute walk around the neighborhood will clear your head, force you to breathe deeper and jump-start your metabolism. Follow that up with a healthy breakfast and your day is off to a great start.

Now if you can maintain that li le rou ne for a few weeks, it will become a habit, and you can move on to establishing another one.

Kevin Rains is the owner of Center City Collision in Cincinna , an industry consultant and founder of marke ng website Body Shop 2.0. Rains can be reached at [email protected].

Ar cle reprinted with permission from FenderBender Magazine - www.fenderbender.com

New Car Sales Expected to Get Back on Track in MayEdmunds.com is forecas ng that 1,420,937 new cars and trucks will be sold in the U.S. in May for an es mated Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR) of 15.1 million light vehicles. The projected sales will be a 10.6 percent increase from April 2013 and a 6.5 percent increase from May 2012.

“May sales quickly chased away any of last month’s concerns that the auto recovery is stalling,” says Edmunds.com Senior Analyst Jessica Caldwell. Edmunds.com es mates that retail SAAR will come in at 12.2 million ve-hicles in May, with fl eet transac ons accoun ng for 18.9 percent of total sales.

Edmunds.com projects that in May Nissan saw a bigger jump in sales than any other manufacturer. Its nearly 110,000 sales this month will be a 19.6 percent increase over May 2012, and would easily make it Nissan’s big-gest May sales performance ever.

On the other end of the spectrum, Toyota will be the only manufacturer that won’t show any year-over-year increase. Edmunds.com projects that Toyota’s market share will be down one percentage point year over year, even as it climbs a half a point from April.

Source: Automo ve news

6


May - June 2013

DETROIT -- The quality gap between Chrysler Group’s vehicles and those of Japanese automakers has become so small that it no longer should ma er to consumers, Chrysler’s quality chief says. “We s ll benchmark Toyo-ta,” says Doug Be s, Chrysler’s senior vice president of quality. “Toyota’s very good at reliability. I believe that we have go en close enough on reliability to Toyota that it shouldn’t be a reason for somebody not to buy our cars.” Last week, Chrysler Group vehicles earned top honors in four of 21 categories in Strategic Vision’s annual Total Quality Index survey. The Dodge Dart and Durango, Chrysler 200 conver ble and Town & Country minivan scored highest among vehicles in their categories in a survey of 17,568 buyers of 2013 vehicles. Toyota topped one category and ed for fi rst in another.

In 2008, before Chrysler was acquired by Fiat S.p.A., Chrysler won one of 19 categories in the survey.

Strategic Vision’s survey tracks consumers’ percep ons of quality. Key a ributes measured are performance, driving characteris cs and styling. Another survey that measures percep ons of quality, the Ini al Quality Study by J.D. Power and Associates, is due in June.

Genera ons of Chrysler execu ves have promised that quality and reliability would rival that of industry leader Toyota. But produc on, supplier and ownership turnover issues kept Chrysler at the back of the pack. Be s said the cultural shi that began in the wake of Chrysler’s 2009 emergence from bankruptcy has become in-grained in the company’s 56,000 employees.

For instance, under the World Class Manufacturing system installed by Fiat, Chrysler’s line workers are expect-ed to fi x build-quality issues as they occur, even if it means a delay.

Be s said he is not ready to declare victory. But he said that day is ge ng closer. “There are third-party metrics out there that say we are s ll short of where [Toyota] is, and I don’t disagree with those,” said Be s, a former quality execu ve with Toyota and Nissan. “But is it a big enough diff erence that you would not buy the car over that” gap? Be s asked. “Or would you then turn to other things, like how the car feels, how it drives, how it sounds, how it looks?”

Source:Larry P. Velleque eAutomo ve News

Source: www.automo venews.com

Chrysler quality chief: Little difference now with Toyota

7



ASA Opposes PARTS ActU.S. Reps. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) in the U.S. House of Representa ves, and U.S. Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) in the U.S. Senate, recently introduced legisla on tled the “Promo ng Automo ve Repair, Trade and Sales Act of 2013.’’

Known as the ‘‘PARTS Act,’’ this legisla on provides for an excep on from infringing U.S. design patents for cer-tain component parts of motor vehicles. The bill would amend the U.S. design patent law to change the period of design patent protec on for automakers from 14 years to 30 months.

The Congressional Research Service reports that the bill makes it not an act of infringement with respect to a design patent to: 1) make, test or off er to sell within the U.S., or import into the U.S., any ar cle of manufac-ture that is similar or the same in appearance to the component part claimed in such design patent if the pur-pose of such ar cle is for the repair of a motor vehicle to restore its appearance to as originally manufactured; and 2) use or sell within the U.S. any such same or similar ar cles for such restora ons more than 30 months a er the claimed component part is fi rst off ered for public sale as part of a motor vehicle in any country.

The Automo ve Service Associa on (ASA) asked members of Congress to oppose similar legisla on in the previous congresses in which the bill was introduced. ASA joined a coali on of OEMs, new car dealers, labor unions and other trade associa ons in sending a le er to Reps. Howard Coble (R-N.C.), chairman, and Mel Wa (D-N.C.) ranking member, of the House Judiciary Commi ee’s Subcommi ee on Intellectual Property, Compe on and the Internet, asking that they oppose H.R. 1663.

The le er outlined the following concerns:

“Manufacturers of unlicensed automobile parts have to meet only one basic threshold: to produce a copy that passes off as an original part. Those who produce such parts incur no costs a ributable to original design, research and development and most importantly, product safety tes ng. Accordingly, the manufacturer of the original product for whom such unlicensed replacement parts are made does not know how these parts will perform with the rest of the vehicle and how their use will impact the quality and integrity of the original prod-uct. Automo ve collision repairers are very concerned about the quality of replacement crash parts. Permi ng this intellectual property infringement also exposes consumers to signifi cant safety, performance or durability risks without their knowledge.”

Source: www.Bodyshopbusiness.com

8


May - June 2013

SCRS Says Insurer-Mandated Parts Programs Still Failing to Show Benefi ts to Collision Repairers

The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) is sta ng that neither State Farm nor PartsTrader has provided a “well-constructed explana on” of how their parts procurement program provides benefi ts to collision repair-ers more than one year a er manda ng the use of the program in certain U.S. ci es.

“While PartsTrader has made various so ware updates to address the plen ful concerns expressed by their end users, correc ng and enhancing so ware issues is a necessary func on of being in a technology business, and the industry s ll expects that technology companies should be able to provide a be er value proposi on for why we should be using their product than, ‘Because we got the insurance company to tell you to’,” said SCRS Chairman Ron Reichen. “Perhaps the best ques on to ask PartsTrader and other companies similarly posi oning their products through insurer-mandated programs is, ‘If your pla orms can benefi t the market enough, could or would they grow organically without insurer infl uence over the end user?’”

Other similarly mandated programs have begun to receive more a en on as well, as insurers involved con- nue to require the use of programs despite what SCRS states is a recogni on that there is “growing frustra on

from shops that are obligated to change their internal business prac ces to accommodate the changing rules of the DRP rela onships.”

SCRS cites one email from an American Family fi eld adjuster to a group of repair businesses on the program that said, “I’ve received lots of feedback from almost everyone about APU [Solu ons]. There is some good with it, and then there is some very frustra ng/diffi cult stuff to deal with. One of the major concerns I’m hearing about right now is APU recommending all these li le outlying suppliers that are requiring credit cards before you can order a part. Shops are not set up to be dealing with credit cards all over the country, and truly local suppliers such as Keystone don’t require them. Another concern is freight and, more specifi cally, how returns are handled. None of these are making things easier for you, and that’s frustra ng for everyone.”

According to SCRS, another concern men oned was APU recommending parts located in mul ple diff erent states, or from mul ple vendors. SCRS states that if there are 15 parts on an es mate, a repair facility could po-ten ally be expected to purchase parts from 15 diff erent vendors in 15 diff erent states based solely on APU’s recommenda ons.

Added SCRS Immediate Past Chairman Aaron Clark, “Despite the obvious recogni on of the hardships these mandates are poten ally crea ng, and despite the rapidly evolving marketplace where it appears more and more online parts procurement solu ons are entering into the marketplace, it is baffl ing why carriers con nue to dictate process, rather than seeking a results-driven rela onship with repairers. It certainly leaves the im-pression that there is more to gain for the insurance industry than the desire for increasingly informed selec- on of parts choices from reasonable vendors and more effi cient processing.”

Source: www.bodyshopbusinessnews.com

9



State Farm to Begin Offi cial Rollout of PartsTrader in Southwest

State Farm has announced that it plans to embark on an ini al phase to roll out electronic parts ordering to Select Service repairers star ng in May 2013 and con nuing into 2014. The ini al phase will include major metropolitan areas in Texas, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.

State Farm recently sent this email to shops in areas par cipa ng in the market areas where the insurer was pilo ng its PartsTrader program:

Your par cipa on and feedback throughout the pilot has been valuable and we appreciate your contribu ons to the development of this program. We are aware that implemen ng new processes or workfl ows like this represents change for you, and we appreciate your business rela onship with State Farm.

As part of our ongoing eff orts to provide you with informa on about the Select Service program, I would like to inform you about our plans to roll out electronic parts ordering to Select Service repairers. The ini al phase will include major metropolitan areas in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. Rollout will start in May and con nue into 2014.

An applica on change that may impact some of your suppliers relates to the elimina on of the fax-only op on. This will be eff ec ve when the ini al markets go live in August. If any of your suppliers are par cipa ng as fax-only, we recommend you contact them about par cipa ng.

As one of the pilot market areas, your con nued use of the applica on remains a requirement under provision 4.f. of the Select Service agreement.

The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) claims another version of the email that didn’t include the change to eliminate the fax-only op on went to other Select Service repair facili es around the country, which SCRS Execu ve Director Aaron Schulenburg found perplexing.

“To be clear, PartsTrader off ered a ‘fax-only’ op on. State Farm, not PartsTrader, is now advising that suppliers and shops are not allowed to use that op on presented by the technology company off ering the service,” said Schulenburg. “Did State Farm just change the rules of the program? State Farm has said all along that you can use any supplier you want; but based on their decision above, is this an indica on that they can change their mind at a future date and instruct both what system to use, and how they expect you to use it?

BodyShop Business will release more informa on as it becomes available.

Source: www.bodyshopbusinessnews.com

10


May - June 2013O

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11


Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar PartsO

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12


May - June 2013

ADP Dealer Services, Inc. / 1950 Hassell Road / Hoffman Estates, IL 60169-6308 / adpdealerservices.com / 888.424.6342 © 2012 ADP Dealer Services, Inc. / ADP is a registered trademark of ADP, Inc.

Inspect – (Includes Appointments & Lane)

Appointments

ADP ServiceEdge℠

The Most Advanced Service Selling System Ever Created

Capitalize on Customer Pay Opportunities With consumers holding on to vehicles longer than ever, a continued decline in warranty work, and customers defecting to independents, dealerships across the country are looking for ways to utilize technology to help bolster their service revenue, improve customer satisfaction, and loyalty to keep customers coming back time after time.

ADP ServiceEdge: One Solution to Do it All

ADP ServiceEdge can help you take your fixed operations to new heights of profitability by using innovative technology to meet your customers needs like never before. There’s no need to rely on one vendor for appointments, another for reception, and yet another for technician inspections ― it’s all right there from ADP ServiceEdge, letting you manage the complete vehicle ownership lifecycle to drive more profits in your Service department.

To learn how ADP ServiceEdge can help you drive more Service Customer Pay, call 888.424.6342 or visit us at www.adpdealerservices.com/adpserviceedge.

Lane – (Includes Appointments)

Give Service Advisors the ability to meet your customers as they drive into the lane. Perform walk around with your customer in the same time it takes most systems to pull up the customer. Take pictures of damage, note concerns and upsell services with a tap of a finger.

Automates the entire inspection, approval, and Parts procurement process. Parts and labor integration, powered by Mitchell®, combined with a state-of-the-art direct DMS interface, packs a powerful 1, 2, 3 punch.

Harness appointment entry from multiple avenues with complete control and synchronization. It allows for first and ongoing customer appointment scheduling via the Dealership website, MyVehicle Customer Portal, and as a Sales person. All of this can be done with complete visibility and accountability.

13



ADP Dealer Services, Inc. / 1950 Hassell Road / Hoffman Estates, IL 60169-6308 / adpdealerservices.com / 888.424.6342 © 2012 ADP Dealer Services, Inc. / ADP is a registered trademark of ADP, Inc.

CA$H Discovery Program

Turn Your Idle Parts Inventory into CA$H

Industry experts estimate that there is $1 to $2 billion of idle parts inventory sitting on dealers’ shelves in the U.S. If you’re like thousands of other dealers, you’re likely to have idle parts in stock.

According to the NADA:

A part that has not sold in 9 months has only a 15% chance of ever selling

A part that has not sold in 12 months will probably never be sold for a profit

CA$H Discovery Program (CDP) is an online marketplace that brings together buyers and sellers. Your idle inventory becomes someone else’s quick-turning stock.

How It Works

SELLER ACCEPTS

BUYER ACCEPTS

TRANSACTION OPPORTUNITY

MATCH

SELLING DEALER

PARTS INVENTORY

SELLER PREFERENCES

CDP Filter

BUYING DEALER

BUYER PREFERENCES

PARTS INVENTORY

CDP Filter

CDP has helped over 6,000 dealers buy and sell parts – that’s over $146 million in parts transactions since 2005. Call us to find out how we can help you sell your idle inventory and buy the quick-turning parts you need at a discount.

No long-term contract to sign

No set-up or maintenance fees

No charge unless we sell your parts

Works with any Dealer Management System

For more information on ADP’s CA$H Discovery Program, email us at [email protected], call 866.598.4077 (option 2), or visit www.sellmyidlestock.com.

14


May - June 2013Copyright ©

2013 United Parcel Service of A

merica, Inc.

3 WAYS LOGISTICS CAN HAVE YOU RUNNING MORE EFFICIENTLY

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For more information, contact UPS at 800-567-9989 or visit the Chrysler MarketCenter site within DealerConnect.

UP11051_Mopar_Ad_1of3_041513.indd 1 4/16/13 1:52 PM

15



DO YOU want to GROW YOUR Mopar Wholesale Parts Business?

We are a proud supporter of the Mopar Masters Guild.©2013. All rights reserved.

Find out how we can personalize your marketing message to help grow your parts business:Contact: Chris Messer, Publisher 651.224.6207 ext. 14 e [email protected]

16


May - June 2013

www.eliteextra.com

The Story of EXTRA

Seamless integration aut omatical ly feeds your orders int o Elite EXTRA. Fr om there, your del iveries and drivers can be easily dispatched, monit ored, and managed.

Routes, manifests, and alert messages get sent r ight t o your driver’s smart phone or tablet. Quick, safe communication with your drivers keeps them focused on del iveries.

What’s Your Story?Steve HoferFixed Operations DirectorPark Chrysler Jeep

Since adopting the Elite EXTRA software, Park Chrysler Jeep

I would add to any delivery operation where it was not present and it would be the last thing I would ever remove from my processes.

17



www.eliteextra.com

For moreinformation visit

www.eliteextra.comor call

1.888.484.8729C omprehensive and cust omized reporting puts operational business intel l igence r ight at your f ingertips.

Real-time tracking tel ls you exact lywhere your driver is located, while central ized dispatch contr o l lets you easily manage any on-demand chal lenge.

Y our cust omers have the abil ity t o quickly look up thier E T A and del ivery status, freeing up your team, while stil l pr oviding superior cust omer service.

Digital signature capture gives you pr oof of del ivery, aut omatical ly af f ixed t o your inv oices.

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May - June 2013

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May - June 2013

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21



reyrey.com/rms | 800.853.2617© 2013 The Reynolds and Reynolds Company. All rights reserved. 1006542 5/13

Ralph Cumston

Parts and Service Director

Germain Ford

Columbus, OH

“ Our CSI score jumped 14 points.”Part of Reynolds Retail Management System… transforming the way consumers experience your dealership.

22


May - June 2013

Pre-Loading the Key to Selling Electronic Vehicle Tracking System

In 2012, dealers in the Southwest Business Center region sold more Mopar Electronic Vehicle Tracking Systems (EVTS) than the rest of the country combined. The secret is that a select num-ber of dealers have begun pre-loading the system and have learned how to eff ec vely show the benefi ts to customers, according to Bruce Weiner, the SW center’s Retail & Wholesale Parts Marke ng Manager.

“The system is more diffi cult to sell in volume a er the fact, but very few customers want it removed if it is already installed and they are shown the advantages,” Weiner said. Thirteen SW area dealers are fully engaged in pre-loading and each recorded gross sales of more than $50,000 on the units last year, with three of them topping $400,000.

Weiner said that Guidepoint, which manufactures the system and provides its customer call center, works directly with dealers to train sales staff and the technicians who install EVTS. Area managers and representa ves from JRSI, Mopar’s accessory specialists, also play an im-portant role in helping dealers realize the benefi ts of the system. EVTS provides stolen vehicle recovery assistance and online vehicle tracking, and off ers premium services such as 24/7 emergency service dispatch, excessive speed no fi ca on and concierge services.

Jimmy Thompson, VP-Sales for Guidepoint, said the fi rst store to pre-load the system was actu-ally a Texas dealership that wanted to stop a rash of vehicle the s from its own lots. It turned out the dealer was then able to sell most of the systems. Thompson said Guidepoint is working with other regions to expand sales.

Tomball Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge/Ram in Houston sells about 85 percent of the EVTS units that are pre-installed in both new and used vehicles, said Parts Director Dwain Barber. “The product has real value,” said Barber, who added that both the dealership and its customers have recovered missing vehicles through the system. Barber said the EVTS program has helped the dealer both in profi tability and in Dealer Awards.

While most dealers sell an average of 70-75 percent of the units that are pre-installed, oth-ers like Tomball a ain higher penetra on levels, said T.J. Embree, Regional Sales Manager for Guidepoint. “There’s defi nitely a recipe for success that comes down to the dealer ge ng everybody behind it,” he said.

23



MAGNETI MARELLI OFFERED BY MOPAR®

THE BIG BRAKE EXPANSION, PLUS EXCEPTIONAL REBATES FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS

251 NEW BRAKES

Magneti Marelli is pleased to announce that, as of May 6, 251 new part numbers have been added to the popular Magneti Marelli

Offered by Mopar® brake pad product line. This expansion achieves wide coverage for the brake line, and includes 2012 and earlier

model years and many applications for fleet, HD and German vehicles.

Stock up on these and other fast-moving Magneti Marelli Offered by Mopar parts so that your dealership can use them to prepare used

vehicles for sale, service non-Chrysler Group vehicles and provide a one-stop source for wholesale customers. Especially since, for a

limited time, you can offer top-dollar cash back to both retail and wholesale customers!

VISIT DEALERS-MOPAR.COM FOR FULL PROMOTION DETAILS, REBATE FORMS AND COMPLIMENTARY MARKETING SUPPORT

WHOLESALE INCENTIVES

Available for all dealers:

A 20% rebate on all Magneti Marelli All Makes parts orders for independent repair facilities, fleets, non-Chrysler Group LLC dealers and warehouse distributors (not valid with any other warehouse distributor offer or incentive)**

A $25 rebate on each Magneti Marelli brake pad replacement kit (per axle) for your independent repair facilities and service customers, plus a $5 rebate for their shop**

RETAIL INCENTIVES

Exclusively for Magneti Marelli Hubs and Spokes, plus Express Lane dealers with Magneti Marelli stock of more than $600 in filters and $3,000 in brakes:

A $10 discount on Magneti Marelli Four-Pack Oil Change Service Contracts for non-Chrysler Group vehicles (price: $55 — normally $65 — that’s just $13.75 per oil change)*

Available for all dealers:

A $25 consumer mail-in rebate for each Magneti Marelli brake pad replacement (per axle)** Consumer mail-in rebate form

Service Advisors and Technicians receive $5 for every All Makes Brake Pad replacement sold (awarded through MSER)**

Part numbers eligible for $5 IRF and $25 Consumer Brake Pad Kit Rebate

*Eligible dealers must use Magneti Marelli parts in the performance of Essential Care LOF services, as availability allows, to be eligible for the $10 service contract rebate. To certify that Magneti Marelli parts will be used as availability allows, dealers must enter "MM" in the "Optional Promotional Code" field when entering the service contract sales on the MVP DealerConnect VIN Driven system. Service contract discount and associated personnel incentives end June 30, 2013.

**Magneti Marelli brake pad rebate offer and associated personnel incentives, as well as 20% rebate on wholesale orders, end June 30, 2013. All rebate requests must be postmarked by August 1, 2013, and received by August 15, 2013.

Offers exclude Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge, Ram, SRT® and FIAT® vehicles. Rebates are subject to audit. Dealers are subject to chargeback if Magneti Marelli parts are not used when available for the applicable make/model.

17916_Mopar_Masters_Guild_Magazine.indd 1 5/22/13 4:55 PM

24


May - June 2013

25



17927 ©2013 Chrysler Group LLC. All Rights Reserved. Mopar is a registered trademark of Chrysler Group LLC. Printed in U.S.A.

Mirror DanglerTent CardsPoster &

3-Percentage Stickers

VIP Test Drive CardSales Flyer

DRIVE SALES FROM THE FRONT AND BACK ENDDRIVE REFERRALS & RETURN VISITS

DRIVE SERVICE CUSTOMERS TO

TEST DRIVESD BACK END

SHOWCASE SERVICE PROMOTION PILOT CONSIDERED A SUCCESSThis spring, nearly 200 dealers from the Southeast and Midwest Business Centers enrolled in the first service promotion, piloted in these BCs, in conjunction with the national Showcase Sales event.

Dealers received up to a 20% purchase discount on over 700 fast-moving parts, including brake parts, starters, alternators, spark plugs, headlights, tail lamps, and electrical parts.

To participate, dealers were asked to commit to a personalized On-Demand mailing promoting the Showcase Event in their service lanes. Special service offers were sent to 500 active and inactive customers of each dealer, including discounts on parts and service, and a bigger discount if they took a test drive while they wait.

Next, the dealers were required to purchase the promotion parts at the required levels to receive up to a 20% purchase discount.

Each dealer received a Showcase service event point of sale kit to help activate their store’s front and back end to drive service traffic and test drives.

Overall, there were a total of 162,000 mailers ordered across 180 participating dealers which helped to drive incremental service traffic at those dealerships. The response rate for the mailings was 6.4%.

Don’t Miss Out on the National Rollout coming with the Summer Clearance Promotion!

Parts Purchase Discounts Available: June 1-June 30Mail and POS Campaign: July-August

t.

26


May - June 2013

Cold Calling Sales TechniquesMany a young salesperson has sat frozen with fear in the parking lot trying to get up the courage to get out of the car and make a cold sales call. The uncertainty of how you will be received, how what you are selling will match the customer’s current needs and how you will handle the fear of rejec on are all anxie es that can be relieved by becoming confi dent in cold calling sales techniques.

Cold Calling Defi ned There are basically two types of cold calling. The fi r st takes place on the telephone when the salesperson calls

a prospec ve client and tries to generate either a face-to-face appointment for a sales presenta on or actually tries to close a sale during the call. The second type of cold call is when salespeople appear at a customer’s place of business with no prior appointment, introduce themselves and their company and also a empt to make a presenta on and close a sale.

Overcoming the Fear One of the most fearful aspects of cold calling is the feeling of rejec on. As a salesperson, there is no doubt you

are going to be rejected by some customers some of the me, but if you are well-prepared when you make the cold call, you will lessen that chance. Sales people must possess a thorough understanding of the product they are trying to sell so they can answer any ques ons or objec ons the customer may have. A salesperson must always be cognizant of the fact that the customer may have pressing ma ers demanding his me when a sales-person shows up or calls. Simply accept this situa on as an opportunity to make an appointment to return at a more convenient me.

Cold Calling Obstacles

Many companies and purchasing departments purposely create obstacles to discourage the unannounced sales call. O en a secretary will tell the cold caller that Mr. Customer only works by appointment. Because you are there, make an appointment on the spot.

Some companies set aside specifi c mes during the week when they will see salespeople. Keep track of these windows of opportunity and be sure show up at the me set aside for sales calls; at least you will know you’ll get an audience with a buyer.

Voice mail is a recent innova on that can be a blessing. The recorded message will probably ask you to leave a message, usually adding that someone will return your call. This is a great way for the buyer to screen salespeo-ple. If they do call you back, you know you have a prospect that has shown interest in what you have to sell, so it is important that the message you leave contain informa on that will spark the customer’s interest.

Be Aware When you do make it into your customer’s offi ce, make yourself totally aware of the surroundings. No ce if the

customer has pictures of grandkids or family; you might comment on them. If there are deer horns and mounted fi sh on the wall, you might want to break the ice by talking about hun ng or fi shing. You also should be alert to any of your compe tor’s products or literature lying around the offi ce. Continued on Page 27

27



Do Your Homework Making successful cold calls requires not only that you have a thorough knowledge of the products you are

selling but also that you have a thorough knowledge of your customer’s needs. If you go in asking what do you need today, you will most likely not do any business. However, if you can intelligently talk about some aspect of your customer’s opera on and how a product of yours will make his work easier or less expensive, you are much more likely to walk out with an order.

Source: www.ehow.com

Peggy Epstein – ehow contributor

OEConnection Earns ‘Top 20’ Call Center Distinction

OEConnec on LLC, a leading provider of online solu ons for original equipment manufacturers (OEM) distribu on net-works, announced today that its Customer Care Department placed in the top 20 in the Small-Sized Centers Category of the Top 100 Call Center award for 2013 from BenchmarkPortal. The Top 100 compe on compares the performance of contact centers throughout North America by evalua ng their key metrics against industry peers. Entries are all cross-checked, validated and approved by cer fi ed call center experts, and the resul ng submissions are scored on the basis of both quality and cost effi ciency. In addi on to this award, the OEConnec on Customer Care Department, having consis-tently ranked among the top 10% of all call centers surveyed worldwide, has earned the Center of Excellence designa on by BenchmarkPortal for fi ve consecu ve years.

“This award acknowledges the hard work of our talented Customer Care team as well as our company’s ongoing com-mitment to excep onal customer service,” said Paul Johnson, Senior Vice President, Sales/Service & Chief Administra ve Offi cer at OEConnec on. “Whether it’s providing one-on-one product training, answering inbound phone calls within 20 seconds of receipt, off ering mul -lingual and mul -solu on support, or launching a new, state-of-the-art online help tool, OEConnec on is dedicated to pu ng our customers at the center of our business as we strive to help make their busi-nesses more successful.” The Top 100 process is based en rely on sta s cal comparison to the world’s largest and most respected database of call center metrics, enabling the compe on to objec vely iden fy centers that are achieving superior results both in fi nan-cial and qualita ve terms.

The Top 100 contest grouped submissions into three categories according to size for this awards program. Each center was compared with its own industry and assigned numerical ra ngs. “OEConnec on’s ranking of Top 20 shows that it has achieved outstanding results when compared with centers from a wide variety of industries, which is a great accomplishment for this center,” said Bruce Belfi ore of BenchmarkPortal.

Source: www.autobodynews


28


May - June 2013

Safety AssessmentAssessing repair processes that aff ect the performance of vehicle safety systems ensures quality workmanship and prevents costly legal claims.

A N D R E W J O H N S O N F E N D E R B E N D E R

Collision repair is all about safety—ensuring that customers are sent home with vehicles that have the same crash-worthiness as when they were new. What some repairers don’t know, however, is the impact that their work can have on modern vehicle safety systems, even on the most basic of jobs.

Many technicians are quick to reinstall vehicle components without any thought about the eff ect on other systems, says Will Latuff of Latuff Brothers Auto Body in St. Paul, Minn.

They don’t know that incorrect methods may cause vehicle safety systems, such as airbags, to func on improperly in a future crash.

“There is no such thing as a straigh orward repair anymore. Vehicle safety systems are interconnected more than people think, and repairers must understand the rela onship between repair processes and safety system performance,” Latuff says. “Even simple things like PDR work can have safety system implica ons. You have to be rigid about assessing proce-dures that aff ect safety components because assump ons open you up to costly mistakes.”

Mistakes are common, says Billy Walkowiak, owner of Belmont, N.C.–based Collision Safety Consultants, a fi rm that conducts post-collision repair inspec ons. He says eight out of every 10 cars inspected have safety-related problems, and roughly half of them have errors with safety system components.

“It’s absolutely a problem. I’m fi nding more and more of those problems every day,” Walkowiak says, problems that can lead to signifi cant legal issues for shops.

Professional NegligenceNeglec ng to ensure performance in every safety component during vehicle repairs can be bad news for repairer facili- es.

If the problem causes a subsequent crash or results in occupant injury, shops—and in some cases technicians—can be held liable for professional negligence and personal injury, says John Parese, a orney with New Haven, Conn.–based law fi rm Buckley & Wynn, and general counsel for the Auto Body Associa on of Connec cut.

“If you disrupt the ming of an airbag because of a repair you performed, and you neglected to follow OEM specifi ca- ons in the process, you undoubtedly can expose yourself to liability and can get sued,” Parese says.

Parese says auto body technicians should uphold a certain “standard of care.”

Generally speaking, they should demonstrate that they did everything possible to ensure that all vehicle systems work properly prior to delivery, Parese says.

Courts iden fy whether guidelines exist that outline what should have been done in a par cular circumstance, whether technicians referred to the informa on, and whether technicians are up to date with modern technology, processes and procedures.

Although every case is diff erent, the damages for negligence claims can be signifi cant if technicians can’t prove that “standard of care.” Courts look at several types of compensa on such as medical bills, loss of wages, pain and suff ering, loss of enjoyment of life ac vi es, and permanent disability.

Continued on Page 29

29



“It only takes one instance to drama cally hurt your business,” Parese says. “The amount of those damages could put you out of business.”

Safety TriggersLatuff says the number of safety modules in vehicles increases every year. It’s common to see about a dozen computer modules in new vehicles, and up to 30 in high-end cars. It’s a lot, he says, and technicians are responsible for proper performance of each one. It’s essen al to put forth eff ort to research, perform and document all necessary repairs, Latuff says.

With so many safety components, how do you know when something might be aff ected? Latuff developed a series of fi ve safety triggers that prompt a “go see” event, requiring technicians to look up the procedures.

1. Restraint system components. Technicians automa cally look up procedures any me they deal with a restraint sys-tem. They assess torque specifi ca ons and guidelines for the reuse of components.

2. Wheel alignments. Latuff says all vehicles today have electronic stability control, steering angle sensors and electronic power steering. Each piece must be recalibrated a er alignment using a diff erent method.

3. Front seats. Safety procedures should be assessed any me you repair or replace the front seats of a vehicle, Latuff says.

The passenger seat is the most sensi ve because it includes the occupant classifi ca on system, which controls whether to deploy the airbag and to what level. Each OEM has various posi ons regarding when that system should be checked and recalibrated.

Latuff says that procedure requires use of scan tools to complete. Possessing necessary scan tools allows repairers to acquire snap shots of vehicles before and a er the repair to iden fy whether it had any eff ect on the safety module.

4. Pillar trim. Procedures must be assessed any me you remove A, B, C or D pillar trim, Latuff says. Know whether those pieces can be reused, and whether certain clips are needed to ensure proper performance of a side curtain airbag, if there is one.

5. Suspension. Procedures must be assessed during replacement or repair of all suspension components, Latuff says. Those components e into the performance of stability control systems, steering angle sensors and re-pressure-moni-toring systems. Those components are all interconnected, so an error in one causes an error in all of them.

“To do this, shops need access to OEM informa on. Research is key,” Latuff says. “You have to learn to speak the lan-guage of each manufacturer, learn their terms for safety systems, and learn what resources to use. Once you set that habit in place, that’s how you achieve the best and safest repair.”

No ExcusesParese says responsibility for repair quality ul mately falls on repair shops when it comes to the law. You have to put forth your due diligence because there are a couple of defenses that just won’t fl y in the courtroom:

“The insurer wouldn’t pay for it.” There are mes when an extra step in the repair process is necessary, and occasion-ally, insurers won’t pay for the eff ort. But if the shop elects to skip the step, they can’t put the blame on the instruc ons of the insurance company, Parese says. The majority of DRP contracts specifi cally indemnify and hold insurance carriers harmless.

“I didn’t know.” Most technicians wouldn’t inten onally make a mistake that nega vely impacts a safety component. It’s o en caused by lack of informa on and training. But ignorance is never a successful defense in court. “You’ll lose the case every me if you say you just didn’t know something,” Parese says. “You’re responsible for the vehicle when it leaves your shop. You have liability over everything that you’ve touched or aff ected.”

Ar cle reprinted with permission from FenderBender Magazine - For more info visit: www.fenderbender.com


30


May - June 2013

2013 MMG Committees2013 MMG Committees President Steve Hofer Park CJ – Burnsville, MN Vice President Rick Cutaia Rick Hendrick DCJR - Charleston, SC Treasurer Mark Skinner Power CJD – Phoenix, AZ Secretary Joe McBeth Dallas DCJ – Dallas, TX Executive Committee All of the above as well as: Gerry Oakes Baxter CJD – Omaha, NE Marvin Windham Benchmark CJD – Birmingham, AL Dan Hutton Tom O’Brien CJD – Greenwood, IN Paul Allred Stateline CJD – Fort Mill, SC Committees: Vendor Chairman Dan Hutton Tom O’Brien CJD – Greenwood, IN Newsletter Don Cushing Bald Hill DCJ – Warwick, RI Nada 2014 Planning TBA Membership TBA Finance Committee Steve Hofer Park CJ – Burnsville, MN Rick Cutaia Rick Hendrick DCJR - Charleston, SC Mark Skinner Power CJD – Phoenix, AZ Joe McBeth Dallas DCJ – Dallas, TX Vendor Committees ADP Gerry Oaks Baxter CJD – Omaha, NE Paul Allred Stateline CJD – Fort Mill, SC Andy Reed Allen Samuels DCJ – North Richland Hills, TX Rick Monteiro Jack Powell CJD – Escondido, CA R&R Rick Cutaia Rick Hendrick DCJR – Charleston, SC Ken Kokoszka Christopher’s Dodge World - Golden, CO Rich Schott Moore CJ – Peoria, AZ OEConnection Snap-On Dan Hutton Tom O’Brien CJD – Greenwood, IN Paul Allred Stateline CJD – Fort Mill, SC Steve Hofer Park CJ – Burnsville, MN Dealer Tire Paul Allred Stateline CJD – Fort Mill, SC Susan McDaniel Bill Luke CJD – Phoenix, AZ Joe McBeth Dallas DCJ – Dallas, TX Elite Extra Rick Monteiro Jack Powell CJD – Escondido, CA Ken Kokoszka Christopher’s Dodge World - Golden, CO J.D. Ipsen Ken Garff West Valley CJD – West Valley, UT UPS Marvin Windham Benchmark CJD – Birmingham, AL Glen Hojnacki Milosch’s Palace CJD – Lake Orion, MI TBA

Tracy Industries TBA TBA TBA

GuidePoint TBA TBA TBA

Katzkin TBA TBA TBA

MMG May June 2013

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Transcript of MMG May June 2013