These days, good customer service can go a long way in securing repeat business. In the world of call centers and Internet ordering, getting customers into your store is not always easy. Although you offer advice and suggest add-on purchases, how much of your effort is reaching that most important customer — the professional technician? Are you focusing any in-store marketing efforts on getting wholesale customers into your stores? Certain strategies may ensure repeat business and increased loyalty and will help foster a solid customer relationship with your technicians.
Offering them chances to win a free lunch or inviting them to visit your store to view new products — without the pressure to purchase them — builds comradery. And if you keep your eye on the pin, professional customers will be lured by your quality service.
An enticing scramble
To get techs in the stores, some jobbers have developed ways to show their appreciation with special events.
“With the invention of hot shot delivery, (technicians) never go to the store,” says Craig Bond, senior vice president of marketing for Bond Auto Parts. “And I don’t see that going anywhere.” He notes that if techs want an accessory or tool for their own personal use, they’ll often get it on a delivery, and therefore may never see the new accessories and products available in the store.
“They might not see the different types of additives or new accessories — simple things like Harley Davidson floor mats for their truck,” Bond explains. “Our salesmen wouldn’t think to go and talk to them about that, but these guys are big purchasers of accessories. So when they do come in the store, they see we have (these items) and want to buy them.”
To solve this problem and get their professional customers into the store, Bond Auto Parts, which has 33 company-owned locations in Vermont and New Hampshire, tries to host service dealer appreciation days once a year at all their locations.
During the event, professional customers are encouraged to visit the store, enjoy a barbecue lunch and meet with key salespeople.
“We let them tool around the store, which is a great way to get them in there and show them some of the newer products we have,” Bond says.
And responses to the event have been very positive, he adds. “It’s a good day, a good bonding experience. We go out to their place a lot, but they rarely come to ours. It’s good to walk a mile in everybody’s shoe.”
Bond Auto Parts, a member of the Alliance, is 50 percent wholesale, 38 percent true retail and 12 percent walk-in business, which is charge account holders who don’t get deliveries from the store.
The right course
The Automotive Consulting Group, based in Ann Arbor, Mich., is a management consulting firm that provides business improvement services to the automotive industry. President Dennis Virag says when serving technicians, “There is the issue of availability first. It’s especially critical on the part of the professional: When they need a part, they need it now. The second thing is the service that the store provides to the professional.
“In terms of information, a lot of people purchase parts based on past experience or reputation,” he continues. “For the store clerk to provide information to the professional customer when new products are available, and when improvements are made, is very critical. Because trying to move certain product is the key to success here.”
Readily available information is the best way to serve technicians, who are looking to get in and out of the store quickly.
“I think having information available, either in a display or in some type of electronic form where the customer can print it out, or the clerk can provide it to the customer on the spot, is critical,” Virag declares.
Show me the green
Taurus Display Corporation, based in Moorestown, N.J., designs and manufactures customized POP displays and packaging for products. David McBride, vice president of sales, says interactive displays are a strategic way to entice both your retail and wholesale customers.
“Where I see things going in other industries is there are less salespeople in the stores,” he comments. “And the real key is how to get the people to stay, to interact with the company, the people, the products. One way to do that is through interactive displays: computers, touch screen monitors — these items are less expensive with DVDs and flash memory sticks.”
Displays can range from a few hundred dollars to $4,000 or $5,000. The simple displays, says McBride, show customers a picture and allow them to press a button for a demo of a new product or technology.
He explains that the units can list half a dozen products and associated problems, allowing customers to press a button and get a solution for their particular issue. For example, a technician can push the brake button and see options on different tools, new pad or rotor options and other products associated with the job.
“These are the products that can help,” he says. “You have an opportunity to sell something more that they might not have thought about.”
McBride also suggests that screens running specific product announcements be placed in the lobby, by the registers or at the service counters.
“While I’m standing in line waiting to pick up the products I’ve ordered, you can have the screen billing with the loop advertising products,” he says. After purchasing a screen or display, an auto parts store can then offer manufacturers a chance to “rent” time on the screen, paying the auto store for a three-minute loop that runs for one month and reaches a targeted audience.
“The retailer thinks it’s great,” McBride notes, because, not only can store owners control the advertisements in the store, but they get a return on their investment.
Taurus is currently working on projects for Lowe’s and Home Depot, although McBride could not disclose the details. These stores offer good examples for the aftermarket to effectively gear displays and messages to both retail and professional customers.
Wal-Mart is another example of a chain that is using television screens to sell advertising space, says Tim Buchholz, vice president of corporate communications with Point-Of-Purchase Advertising International (POPAI), a nonprofit association whose 300 member companies buy, make or design retail marketing displays and programs.
“Digital signage is a big thing coming up,” offers Buchholz. “With the reduction in cost of larger LCD panels, they’re being incorporated more. In some cases, large chains sell ad space to their brands. So you can run a very specialized in-store advertisement on these large-screen displays and direct people to the shelf where the product is. Dealing with electronic (materials) gives you a lot more flexibility.”
Staying on par
In addition to the new technology, age-old techniques like separate doors, counters and phone lines and free soda or coffee all help time-crunched professionals get in and out of the store quickly.
“Separate phone lines for the professional is again very important,” Virag states. “Time is money to them and they can’t be waiting on hold. Most technicians don’t go to the store and will typically call in their order.”
Reggie Denney, owner of Reggie Denney Auto Repair in Eden, N.C., says he looks first for availability and promptness when ordering parts.
“Finding where I need to go and getting in and out is key,” he says. “Usually, when I pick something up, the parts are laid out; so I walk in, pick them up, sign for them and leave. That’s convenient for you.”
And while techs can’t spend loads of time in the store, that face-to-face contact with the clerk is important.
“Having the service that interfaces directly with (technicians) is very important,” asserts Virag. “The walk-in customer — the do-it-yourselfer — they generally are not as hard-pressed for time as the professional is. They’re more inclined to wait in line to be serviced. Although they also need information in regard to new products, they don’t buy nearly as much as the professional technician does.”
Scott Bennett, director of operations with Bennett Auto Supply, which has 23 locations in Florida, agrees the time at the counter is their chance to say, “Hey, here’s the face that’s behind the phone,” and strengthen their relationship with the tech.
And according to Entrepreneur.com, follow-up is yet another key to serving customers and generating repeat business. The website suggests sending thank you notes, birthday cards and mailing out newsletters to keep customers abreast of your services. They even suggest saying, “I appreciate your business,” which means more than a simple “thanks for the order.”
Competitive advantage
When it comes to certain products or brands that are popular among your tech customers, check with manufacturers to see if you can secure product samples. Many manufacturers, such as Federal Process Corporation, offer such services.
Marc Spector, automotive products manager with Federal Process, which supplies thread sealants, lubricants, penetrants and more, says they often give product samples to their jobber customers as part of their buying deal and have had good responses. For example, if a jobber places a certain size order, Federal Process will send samples of their individually packaged Tub-O Towels cleaning cloths.
Helping attract interest in the product, they can be placed on a counter or packaged as a bonus with deliveries.
Besides samples, be sure you have new promotional material from manufacturers too. Blue C Communications is a California-based marketing communications company that develops brand recognition through direct mail campaigns, promotions and posters. Their clients include American Racing, Mobis and Advantex, a brand of replacement parts from Toyota.
“It’s a two-sided communication process,” Eric Morley, co-principal at Blue C Communications, notes. He says it’s important for retailers to keep in contact with suppliers to find out what’s available for them.
Stroke of genius
To focus on the customers who can’t make time to browse your aisles, there’s no harm in taking your in-store best practices out of the store. In fact, most techs welcome visits that offer them more than their order.
Dan Nagy, owner of Nagy’s Body & Frame Shop, Inc. in Doylestown, Ohio, says TSBs or new product information is helpful — just don’t disguise it as a sales call, he requests.
Virag suggests taking any information on new products and leaving it with an order.
“What you want to do is interact with the customer on a face-to-face basis,” he offers. “Although they are busy repairing vehicles, take a few minutes to update them on new products or services that you are offering.”
And there’s no need to stop there: Don’t be afraid to show your customers how important their business is with coupons, free lunches and other customer recognition programs for the technician who bought the most product that month.
“You really want your customers to know that they are special, and any means of doing that will help your business.”
Taking the time to build in-store relationships with these special customers just might help you stay the course.
