NOLN - December 2023 by EndeavorBusinessMedia-VehicleRepairGroup

PUT LEADERSHIP INTO PERSPECTIVE

PAGE 37

KNOW YOUR CUSTOMERS

5-Star Framework Top Notch Oil Change may be a newer shop, but owner Chris Torres says the positive online reviews speak for themselves.

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A SINGLE-BAY SUCCESS STORY

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TAKE IT TO

THE TOP Creating a high quality shop PAGE 18

DECEMBER 2023 � NOLN.NET

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VOLUME 38, ISSUE 12

12.23

CONTENTS 7 ONLINE

Leadership news from FullSpeed and Mighty 9 BY THE NUMBERS

Oil changes by SAE grade

QUICK HITS 11 INDUSTRY INSIGHT

SpeeDee fundraises for breast cancer research 14 AROUND THE INDUSTRY

OSHA finds safety violations at GM plant 18 SHOP LOOK

Top Notch Oil Change of Kingston, New York

SERVICE 37 PIT STOP

The many sides of management 39 CUSTOMER SERVICE

Defining customer personality types 43 CASE STUDY

Operating a single-bay shop

FE ATURE 22 FEATURE STORY

Reaching Out

Three shop owners highlight how they connect customers to their quick lube businesses. BY HANNA BUBSER

Neighborhood Network For TJ Brough’s shop in Hamilton, Montana, good service leads to good business by building rapport with local drivers.

COLUMNS 20 FROM THE SHOP

Setting goals BY A DA M TAT U M

50 LEADING EDGE

Finding a cause BY LENNY SAUCIER

NOLN (USPS PERMIT 23608), (ISSN 1071-1260 PRINT) IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY ENDEAVOR BUSINESS MEDIA, LLC. 1233 JANESVILLE AVE., FORT ATKINSON, WI 53538. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT FORT ATKINSON, WI, AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO NOLN, PO BOX 3257, NORTHBROOK, IL 60065-3257. SUBSCRIPTIONS: PUBLISHER RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REJECT NON-QUALIFIED SUBSCRIPTIONS. SUBSCRIPTION PRICES: U.S. ($90 PER YEAR). ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE PAYABLE IN U.S. FUNDS. SEND SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES TO NOLN, PO BOX 3257, NORTHBROOK, IL 60065-3257. CUSTOMER SERVICE CAN BE REACHED TOLL-FREE AT 877-382-9187 OR AT NATIONALOILLUBENEWS@OMEDA. COM FOR MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION ASSISTANCE OR QUESTIONS. PRINTED IN THE USA. COPYRIGHT 2023 ENDEAVOR BUSINESS MEDIA, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS, ELECTRONIC OR MECHANICAL, INCLUDING PHOTOCOPIES, RECORDINGS, OR ANY INFORMATION STORAGE OR RETRIEVAL SYSTEM WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE PUBLISHER. ENDEAVOR BUSINESS MEDIA, LLC DOES NOT ASSUME AND HEREBY DISCLAIMS ANY LIABILITY TO ANY PERSON OR COMPANY FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE CAUSED BY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN THE MATERIAL HEREIN, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER SUCH ERRORS RESULT FROM NEGLIGENCE, ACCIDENT, OR ANY OTHER CAUSE WHATSOEVER. THE VIEWS AND OPINIONS IN THE ARTICLES HEREIN ARE NOT TO BE TAKEN AS OFFICIAL EXPRESSIONS OF THE PUBLISHERS, UNLESS SO STATED. THE PUBLISHERS DO NOT WARRANT EITHER EXPRESSLY OR BY IMPLICATION, THE FACTUAL ACCURACY OF THE ARTICLES HEREIN, NOR DO THEY SO WARRANT ANY VIEWS OR OPINIONS BY THE AUTHORS OF SAID ARTICLES.

DECEMBER 2023

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PHOTO: REBECCA SAMPSON, ENCHANTMENT PHOTOGRAPHY

F E AT U R E

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ADVERTISERS/PRODUCT INDEX American Petroleum Institute (40, 45)________________________________________________ AutoCenter Sales (15)__________________________________________________ 800.874.5793 BG Products (46)_____________________________________________________________________ BP Lubricants USA (4)________________________________________________________________ Chevron Lubricants (2, 31, 47)__________________________________________ 866.354.4476 Corporate Consultants (6)_____________________________________________ 518.469.0983

EDITORIAL

CONTENT DIRECTOR Matt Hudson

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Hanna Bubser

ASSISTANT EDITOR Kacey Frederick CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Lenny Saucier, Adam Tatum, Carol Badaracco Padgett

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Devon (16)_____________________________________________________________ 888.500.0353

Lenny Saucier, DIRECTOR OF RETAIL TRAINING,

ISI Software (52)_______________________________________________________ 800.922.3099

Pete Frey, OPERATOR, TAKE 5 OIL CHANGE Adam Tatum, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, VIRGINIA GROUP Bill Floyd, OPERATOR, LUCAS OIL CENTERS

ITW Global Brands (32, 38)____________________________________ 863.665.3338, ext. 219 Kafko International (17)______________________________________________________________

FULLSPEED AUTOMOTIVE

SALES

Lucas Oil (10, 33)_______________________________________________________ 800.342.2512

PUBLISHER Greg Smith

Mighty Distributing Systems (8, 34)____________________________________ 800.829.3900

ASSOCIATE SALES DIRECTOR Mattie Gorman-Greuel

Milton Industries (44)___________________________________________________800.231.1525 RelaDyne (35, 51)______________________________________________________ 317.696.3009 Roth North America (41)_______________________________________________ 888.266.7684 Royal Purple (48)_____________________________________________________________________ Run-Rite (13, 30)_____________________________________________________________________ Solid Start (3, 36, 49)___________________________________________________ 877.290.3950 Valvoline (21, 27)_______________________________________________________ 859.357.7303 Wrenchers (12)________________________________________________________ 800.261.7729

gsmith@endeavorb2b.com

mgorman@endeavorb2b.com

DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Cortni Jones

cjones@endeavorb2b.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Diane Braden

dbraden@endeavorb2b.com

Marianne Dyal

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Chad Hjellming

chjellming@endeavorb2b.com

Lisa Mend

lmend@endeavorb2b.com

Michael Parra

mparra@endeavorb2b.com

Martha Severson

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Kyle Shaw

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Sean Thornton

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ART AND PRODUCTION

ART DIRECTOR Erin Brown

PRODUCTION MANAGER Mariah Straub AD SERVICES MANAGER Jen George

ENDEAVOR BUSINES S MEDIA, LLC

CEO Chris Ferrell

PRESIDENT June Griffin CFO Mark Zadell

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CRO Reggie Lawrence

CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER Jacquie Niemiec

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGAL OFFICER Tracy Kane EVP ENDEAVOR BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE Paul Mattioli EVP TRANSPORTATION Kylie Hirko

VICE PRESIDENT–VEHICLE REPAIR GROUP Chris Messer

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12.23 VISIT

NOLN.NET TODAY

EVENT COVERAGE: AAPEX AND SEMA 2023

PODCAST

NOLN attended the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo and the SEMA Show in November. Check out photo galleries from the show floors and on-the-scene coverage from the events at noln.net.

THE NOLN PODCAST

NEWS: FULLSPEED AUTOMOTIVE APPOINTS JIM BOSWELL TO CFO Jim Boswell has been promoted to the role of chief financial officer for FullSpeed Automotive, according to Franchising.com. Boswell has been with FullSpeed (which has a family of brands that includes Kwik Kar, Grease Monkey, and SpeeDee Oil Change & Auto Service) since 2021 when he started as the company’s vice president of finance. Boswell became interim CFO for FullSpeed in December 2022. Now, the title will become official. Boswell said he has enjoyed his time at FullSpeed thus far and looks forward to continuing the impact as brand expansion grows across the country.

PHOTO: HANNA BUBSER

NEWS: MIGHTY AUTO PARTS ANNOUNCES NEW DIRECTORS Mighty Auto Parts has announced two new executive directors to its team, according to a press release. Lamar Russo has been appointed as the company’s director of franchise development. Russo brings over 30 years of experience working in the franchise industry and has previously held roles with Coca-Cola, GreatAmerica Leasing Corp, and Reynolds and Reynolds. Tina Thomas has been named as Mighty’s director of training, having most recently served as director of training and development at US Auto Sales. She holds over 20 years of experience in training and learning development and has an extensive background in customizing training programs.

NATIONAL OIL AND LUBE NEWS

@OILLUBENEWS

Head online to check out NOLN’s library of podcast interviews. Hear from quick lube leaders about new strategies, service stories, and innovative operations that push the industry forward. Listen to all the episodes and subscribe at: noln.net/podcasts.

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N O L N . N E T/ P O D C A S T S

N O L N . N E T/ V I D E O S

DECEMBER 2023

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Our backroom shelves have never looked better – and neither have our sale sales! – Car Care Manager

At Migh Mighty, hty, we’re here to help your business make the most of every e day and every bay. That includes in-person inventory management m customized to your service needs. Have the rig ght products, at the right time, without having right money sitting on the shelf. We’ll be there to help make it happen and to make sure you’re thrilled with the results. MightyAutoParts.com MightyAutoP

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NUMBERS

12.23

MAKING THE GRADE SAE Viscosity Grades are an informative way to categorize the types of oil changes being performed at quick lube shops. Keeping track of each grade’s popularity can provide a helpful overview of operations. In the 2023 NOLN Operatory Survey, NOLN asked about the percentage of oil changes categorized by a particular grade. Here are the most popular answers.

0W-16 1%-5%

5W-40 1%-5%

of oil changes

0W-20 40%-50%

10W-30 1%-5%

PHOTO : GETTYIMAGES�1677545490

of oil changes

5W-20 20%-30% of oil changes

FIND OUT MORE

of oil changes

5W-30 15%-20% of oil changes

15W-40 1%-5%

of oil changes

The demand for synthetic oil changes has risen over the years, and there are some important considerations that go along with that trend. Search “Selling Synthetic Oil” on noln.net to understand the industry impact.

DECEMBER 2023

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INDUSTRY INSIGHT

MAKING A TEAM EFFORT

How SpeeDee Oil Change & Auto Service launched its inaugural breast cancer treatment fundraiser

FOR MANY BUSINESSES IN THE INDUSTRY, THEIR mission is not only to perform vehicle maintenance, but to serve their communities. When one SpeeDee Oil Change & Auto Service franchise owner in the New Orleans area saw an opportunity to help her community by fundraising for breast cancer treatment, it sparked what is soon to be a nationwide campaign to help others struggling with the disease. SpeeDee Marketing Manager Vicki Ocken spoke with NOLN about how this one owner’s story has snowballed into a company-wide effort to fundraise for the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

for her campaigns, this year, the company decided to see if other franchisees would like to come on board for one, region-wide initiative. “We just took this to a different level this year,” says Ocken. “We took it to our ad agency, we took it to the other franchisees, and they all enthusiastically jumped on and worked together to ... to craft the whole program and what they wanted to do.” This year for Breast Cancer Awareness month, eight SpeeDee franchises in the New Orleans area donated $2 for every oil change performed, with funds amounting to over $10,000 going to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Doing Their Part The idea for the initiative first began with a SpeeDee owner who survived breast cancer twice. Wanting to use her position to help benefit others struggling with the disease, she began holding fundraisers each year. Though SpeeDee would assist her each year with outreach

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work Development on the campaign moved quickly, with plans first being discussed just this past August. When the idea was presented to other SpeeDee franchise locations, they were all more than willing to participate. “We put the initial idea on the table and frankly, they just DECEMBER 2023

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COURTESY OF SPEEDEE OIL CHANGE & AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE

BY K AC E Y F R E D E R I C K

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INDUSTRY INSIGHT

ran with it,” Ocken recounts. “They took it and said, ‘Yes, we can do this’ ... ‘No, that’s not going to work because of whatever local restrictions they might have’–and they helped craft the whole thing.” Even within such a brief time frame, participating locations were able to acquire pink uniforms for their staff members throughout the month of October to raise awareness of the campaign, complete with black brims on the hats to prevent them from getting dirty. Each store was adorned with pink ribbons, balloons, and other decorations, and each received a visit from the 12-foottall SpeeDee blowup mascot throughout the month. As the campaign was first organized, SpeeDee contacted the Susan G. Komen Foundation to partner with them: a nationally recognized name active in the New Orleans market. In return, the foundation helped raise awareness of the campaign to drive in customers interested in benefiting the cause. SpeeDee’s advertising agency put announcements out through both television and radio. Participating franchisees made TV appearances to promote the campaign, doing live events with local news stations. Additionally, the end of October saw Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure event, which SpeeDee became involved with.

Based in New Orleans, the company’s vice president and his family decided to join the race, and soon formed a team of franchisees and vendor partners. The SpeeDee mascot could also be seen participating in the race, and a table offering merchandise and supplies to help runners in the race was set up by SpeeDee at the event. SpeeDee locations across the country often hold their own fundraising campaigns to benefit causes, but this year saw multiple SpeeDee locations came together behind one cause.

Only the Beginning When the company first announced plans for the campaign, SpeeDee franchises nationwide expressed interest in becoming involved. Though it was limited to just the New Orleans area this year, the $2 donation for every oil change initiative is slated to rollout to more than 75 stores across the U.S. in October 2024. “We have franchisees who are very excited about it across the country. They’re waiting so that they can jump on next October,” says Ocken. “We wanted to make sure that we got all the pieces in place this year, and that things went smoothly before we rolled it out to the other 75-plus locations.”

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AROUND THE INDUSTRY

YANG HOLDING FUNDRAISER FOR AACF

The Young Auto Care Network Group (YANG) is holding a fundraiser to benefit the Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation (AACF), according to the Auto Care Association website. The fundraiser is offering exclusive T-shirts to anyone who makes a $20 donation to the AACF. The shirts may then be claimed in person at any Auto Care Association events. The fundraiser kicked off during the 2023 AAPEX Industry Week in Las Vegas, Nevada, and will continue to run year-round. More T-shirt pickup stations will be offered at various Auto Care Association events and select YANG regional meet-up locations throughout the year.

WHITE HOUSE HOLDS RIGHT TO REPAIR ROUNDTABLE

A White House roundtable event held in October by the National Economic Council (NEC) brought together key administration officials, state legislative leaders, and industry representatives nationwide to discuss the growing support for right-to-repair legislation, according to a press release. Participants included NEC Director Lael Brainard, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan, and Allstate (CAR Coalition member) Senior Vice President Don Jones, who spoke on how repair restrictions from original manufacturers hamper the work independent shops are able to perform. Speakers highlighted not only the impact on independent businesses but the growing bipartisan support that right-to-repair legislation, such as the SMART and REPAIR Acts, has garnered. Specific issues addressed included restrictions such as patent abuse, which Khan and Brainard described as needlessly increasing the cost of repairs, making vehicles less safe, and preventing independent shops from being able to fairly compete in the industry. 14

“As both the FTC’s work and public reporting have documented, companies all too often will use a whole set of restrictive practices including limiting the availability of parts and tools, using exclusionary designs and product decisions that make independent repair less safe, and making assertions of patent and trademark rights that are overbroad,” Khan stated. Jones, representing the CAR Coalition, also referenced patent abuse as holding back aftermarket production of parts and preventing consumers from having a wider range of options for vehicle repairs. “One way to increase consumer choice is to bolster aftermarket part manufacturing,” Jones said. “Unfortunately, the manufacturing of aftermarket parts has been severely limited due to OEM use of design patents on basic cosmetic car parts.” As vehicles continue to become more technologically advanced, Jones argued that right-to-repair legislation is needed to create a level playing field for independent businesses and empower consumer choice.

TAKE 5 OIL CHANGE CELEBRATES GROWTH, 300TH FRANCHISED LOCATION

Take 5 Oil Change has been recognized for its growth in franchised locations, according to a press release. The company ranked much higher on this year’s Franchise Times Top 400 list, coming in number 87 after ranking at number 137 in 2022. It was the fifth fastest-growing franchise by sales growth with a 47.6% increase and the eighth fastest-growing franchise by store count with a 20.2% increase. Additionally, the company also saw itself climb Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list, rising by over 50 spots to number 106 on the list this year. Since opening its first franchise location in 2017, Take 5 Oil Change has expanded rapidly, having recently celebrated the grand opening of its 300th

franchise location in Decatur, Georgia. The store is operated by Toxaway Automotive Group and marks the 11th Take 5 Oil Change location opened by the franchise group since it joined the brand in 2020. The company operates over 900 total locations in the U.S. and Canada and plans to open 300 more locations that will be predominantly franchised. “Our growth and recognition in the industry are a testament to our commitment to excellence, innovation, and delivering top-notch service,” said Mo Khalid, EVP and Group President, Maintenance, at Driven Brands.

BURLESON CASTROL PREMIUM LUBE EXPRESS SUPPORTS LOCAL FESTIVAL

Castrol Premium Lube Express of Burleson, Texas, sponsored the ninth annual Hot Rods and Heroes Motor Festival on October 22, according to shop owner Brett Morrison. Morrison told NOLN via email that the event raised over $15,000 for the Chisholm Trail 100 Club, which supports first responders in Johnson, Hood, and Somervell counties. The club provides up to $80,000 in line of duty-related accidental death and dismemberment benefits. In addition, the club gives benevolence disbursement to the family members impacted by the death of an active off-duty first responder. All benefits are paid by the club members and are at no cost to over 1,985 law enforcement officers, firefighters, correctional officers, and emergency medical personnel. At this year’s Hot Rods and Heroes Motor Festival, Morrison’s Castrol Premium Lube Express hosted a “Sasquatch Hunt.” Multiple “sasquatches” were hidden in vehicles at the event concourse, and attendees were instructed to find them. The winner was awarded $150, and Morrison’s Castrol Premium Lube Express made an additional $150 donation to the Chisholm Trail 100 Club. The event was held at The Depot baseball field in Cleburne, Texas.

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INDUSTRY INSIGHT

OIL CHANGE FRANCHISES SAW SALES INCREASE IN 2022

Many oil change franchises saw an increase in their sales in 2022, Franchise Times reports. Franchise Times’ Top 400 list, which ranks franchises by systemwide sales, saw Take 5 Oil Change break into its top 100, making its way from number 134 to number 87. Take 5 Oil Change experienced a 47.6% growth in its earnings in 2022 from the year prior, jumping from $625 million to $923 million. Mo Khalid, executive vice president of Take 5 and Meineke at Driven Brands, credits this to the company expanding to new markets and locations, and predicts that it will continue to expand. It’s not only Take 5: all five oil change brands listed in Franchise Times’ Top 400 saw an increase in their sales last

year. The brands altogether accounted for $5.75 billion in sales overall, marking an increase of 15.1%. Two of these brands saw their sales surpass $2 billion in 2022, with Jiffy Lube earning $2 billion across 2,199 units and Valvoline Instant Oil Change raking in $2.4 billion across 1,622 units. In 2021, neither of these brands had sales succeeding $2 billion. Valvoline, which experienced a 21.8% increase in its sales, credits this growth to acquiring new units as well as strong same-store sales growth, according to CEO Lori Flees. The brand opened another 106 stores in 2022, marking a 7% increase, and has also been heavily collaborating with its franchise partners on investments in technology that can help efficiency and profitability. The brand also struggled with increased oil prices in 2022, resulting

in the company raising the price of its services. “We increased our pricing. I think the entire industry did,” said Flees, according to Franchise Times. “Managing pricing relative to cost was a significant focus last year.”

VIOC LOCATIONS FUNDRAISE FOR AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY

During the month of October, some Valvoline Instant Oil Change locations raised funds for American Cancer Society’s Road To Recovery program, according to a press release. Participating VIOC locations in California, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, and Virginia allowed customers the chance to donate at the time of their oil change service. The Road To Recovery

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AROUND THE INDUSTRY

program gives free rides to cancer patients to their treatment appointments. Not having access to reliable transportation is a big factor in patients missing these important appointments. Since 2017, VIOC has raised over $493,000 for American Cancer Society, including access to over 9,800 rides for patients. “We are excited for the opportunity to once again partner with the American Cancer Society. They are a powerful organization on the front lines of fighting cancer, both locally and nationally,” said William Smelley, vice president of marketing for the VIOC franchisee.

OIL CHANGERS LAUNCHES CAR WASH BRAND

Oil Changers has announced the launch of its new car wash brand,

The Wash Shop, according to a press release. As of now, there are five Wash Shop locations in Austin, Texas, and Racine, Wisconsin. Other locations in Kentwood, Michigan, and Merced, California, will also be transferring over to the new brand shortly. Onboarded as previous acquisitions, Wash Shop locations offer both express and flex express car wash models. “We’re very excited about the launch of The Wash Shop as our entrance into car wash,” CEO Eric Frankenberger stated. “Our team has worked tirelessly to bring an elevated brand and guest experience to these sites, and we are eager to continue to grow in this segment of the industry. Our unwavering commitment to a quality wash coupled with stellar customer service means that our guests can ‘drive thru happy’.”

OSHA DISCOVERS NEARLY 20 SAFETY VIOLATIONS AT GM PLANT

A General Motors (GM) battery plant in Ohio is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) due to several alleged health and safety violations that would cost the company more than a quarter of a million dollars in penalties, the Detroit Free Press reports. OSHA announced today that it would be investigating the cause behind an explosion and fire at the Ultium Cells LLC factory in Warren, Ohio, that took place this past March. The facility is a joint venture between GM and LG Energy Solution and produces batteries for GM’s electric vehicles. Battery cell production at the plant began in August 2022.

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AROUND THE INDUSTRY

Since then, OSHA has cited the plant 11 times. OSHA opened four separate inspections between April 24 and May 5, and in less than two weeks discovered 19 safety and health violations. The plant is now being cited for 17 serious and two other-than-serious safety and health violations. The company was found to have failed in fulfilling several obligations it has for its employees, including but not limited to: providing respiratory protection from exposure to hazardous chemicals; storing chemicals in labeled containers; providing eye wash stations, emergency showers, and hand protection; and allowing an employee to freely report an injury. OSHA is looking to fine the company $270,091 in penalties and issued a hazard alert letter warning that the

company must reduce its employees’ exposure to metal dust.

HIGHLINE WARREN CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

Highline Warren has announced that Chief Operating Officer of Lubricants Curt Knapp will be retiring at the end of the year, according to a press release. Since starting his career at Texaco Chemical Additives in 1980, Knapp has held senior executive roles with Castrol North America, Sunoco, Safety- Kleen/ Clean Harbors, and Highline Warren, the latter of which he has been with for over 12 years. Highline Warren’s leadership team has worked with Knapp to initiate a smooth transition. Knapp will advise the

team through the end of the year before taking up the position of Board Chair for First Tee of Phoenix in January. “Over my career, I have been very fortunate to work with dedicated teams that have rolled up their sleeves to tackle difficult challenges and deliver solutions,” said Knapp. “It’s because of the strength of the Highline Warren team and the confidence I have in the company’s future that I am ready to step away and begin this next chapter of my life.”

Get more industry news at noln.net

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S H O P LO O K

TOP NOTCH OIL CHANGE LOCATION:

KINGSTON, NEW YORK

OPERATOR:

CHRIS TORRES

STAFF SIZE:

SHOP SIZE:

3 BAYS

BY H A N N A B U B S E R P H O T O S B Y D AV I D L E I F E R P H O T O G R A P H Y

TOTAL TRANSFORMATION

Chris Torres opened Top Notch Oil Change in July 2023, having transformed a shop that was originally built in 1980 by Jiffy Lube. In another previous life, the building was also owned by a Jeep Chrysler Dodge dealership. It was closed when Torres moved in. “We just rehabbed the building, cleaned everything up and got ‘er 18

shined up and operating again,” Torres says. “So, it’s pretty cool to see an old building that was closed to the community for a while come back to life.” Renovation of the shop touched nearly every corner, from the lobby to bulk storage, lighting and the outside of the building—everything but the driveway, Torres says. It was a group effort. “I hired some good people that were able to help me from the beginning, cleaning up the shop, painting and

everything,” Torres says. “Those are the same guys that are here helping change the oil and work on customer’s cars.” ACCESS TO OPTIONS

Torres says the shop stands out with its “nice bright building” aesthetics. Additionally, he says customers respond positively to having access to a lobby with a television and coffee available.

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H AV E A N O U T S TA N D I N G S H O P T O S H A R E ? E M A I L N E W S @ N O L N . N E T

Top Notch gives customers the option to wait in their car, wait inside the building, or drop off their vehicle and spend time elsewhere for the duration of the service. “We’re really customer service focused,” Torres says. “However the customer wants to receive our service, that’s how we give it to them. We don’t stick to one specific thing.” This method seems to be paying off. At the time of this reporting, Top Notch has over 50 five-star Google reviews.

NEED A LIFT?

One of the main reasons Torres was interested in the building was because it has established pits, ideal for quick oil changes. One of the bays at Top Notch has a pop-up lift that lies flat in the pit and can be brought up for mechanical use, tire rotations and inspection services. “We’re still able to push oil changes in the other two bays while we have

mechanical or inspection, so it doesn’t tie anything up,” Torres says. Overall, Torres describes the shop environment as having an “old school barbershop mentality” wherein everyone is always welcome to stop in, either to get their vehicle serviced or even just to say hello. “We’re really just trying to give people an affordable option (with) good customer service … no need to reinvent the wheel, just try to treat everybody with respect,” Torres says. DECEMBER 2023

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FROM THE SHOP

Setting Attainable Goals in 2024 Are you pointing your teams in the right direction?

TATUM

Adam Tatum is director of operations for the Virginia Group, a Jiffy Lube franchisee with 11 locations. He has over a decade of experience in the industry with a proven track record of building customer counts and sales, as well as using innovative ways to bring a new look to the automotive field for both the customer and the employee. Performance comes from growing your business through people.

ATAT U M

@V A L U B E .COM

Proper Growth We are in a period of growth in our industry. Many of your markets may be experiencing population increases, which leads to more customers on the roads. But there are some of you out there that are experiencing the other growth in our industry: competition coming into your markets. On average, when a new facility opens in your area, you will lose around 20% of your customer base at the start. This is usually due to aggressive discounting and marketing to build their business. Some of these customers may return, but many may not. Look at your markets and set your goals as such. Don’t set your teams up to hit car counts that are not attainable and thus negatively affect the confidence of your team. One easy way to do this is by setting up quarterly budgets. Set a budget up for three months and when you get to the second quarter, you will have a good base of growth/ decline to set up after that. This has worked well for us this year as we had multiple competitors enter our markets. We altered them each quarter based on the performance to get proper labor and costs in line. If you start out with the right base, you can set yourself up for the right results. Increase Your KPIs When you don’t have as many cars coming into your bays, you can lose a lot of profit if you just keep doing what you always did. Use this time to work on increasing your sales rather than focusing wholly on your car counts. You may never get all of those cars back. However, you can train your teams to build the sales back to where they were before.

Look at where you stand on individual sales goals. How are your percentages on air filters and cabins, wiper blades, additives, and lights? These are all very easy things to increase with the proper training and accountability for checking and pulling. You can make up 10% or more of your sales per day just by hitting the little things. Many of your teams are looking for that one big ticket to save their day. However, “nickel and diming” each invoice with proper recommendations and sales can increase the numbers more consistently, making that big ticket the icing on the cake. A great way to do this is by setting up bi-monthly contests. Two months, you do a filter contest, then you do something like additives and wipers the next. This will create a competitive feeling amongst your team and will increase your sales without much effort. There are lots of ways to do this, either by contests or by bonus programs and spiffs. What you do is up to you, but don’t just sit back and keep doing it as you always did.

Right People, Right Seats Another thing that you should be doing is looking at your team. Do you have the right people in the rights spots? There are three things you should evaluate: get it, want it, and compacity to do it. Do your managers embody all three of these things in the expectations that you have set? Do you have a store where the assistant is hitting all three, but the manager just doesn’t “get it”? Don’t be afraid to make the flip. Some are great captains, but not all are generals. We evaluate our people like this every few months and we make changes as needed. What you may find is that the big man is happy to take that weight off their shoulders and hand it over to the up-and-comer. With people in place and in the right seats, you will see increases across the board. In conclusion, putting your people in the right position to be successful in the coming year will set you up for a good year! Give them the tools and let them work. This means attainable budgets, KPI goals and more. If a team fails early on, it will have lasting consequences for the rest of the year. When a team has lost its motivation or belief that they can succeed in what you have put in front of them, you may find yourself in a revolving door of changes that take your time away from being a successful operator!

PHOTO: LUCAS MOORE

ADAM

AS WE HEAD OFF INTO THE SUNSET OF another year, we all prepare for the new beginnings of the next. At this point, many of you already have goals and budgets set for the next year or are compiling those numbers now. Although we would all like to see huge increases each year, with the current environment out there it may be more prudent to work on building the confidence in your teams by setting the right goals going into the year. I will go over a few things that we look at when setting our goals and budgets so that we not only hit them but can motivate ourselves to exceed them!

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2310NO

804 QUICK LUBES ACQUIRED SINCE JANUARY 2014, AND COUNTING!

WE BUY QUICK LUBES

Valvoline is seeking ™

single and/or multiple locations performing 7500+ oil changes per year.

Contact the Valvoline Quick Lubes Team

(859) 357-7303 SM

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F E AT U R E

Outstanding

Outreach Reaching customers the right way

t’s important to know how people are seeing and hearing about your shop. With a solid strategy, you can stand out and gain loyal customers. The right marketing tactics are essential. It’s all about doing what it takes to reach people. In the 2023 NOLN Operator Survey, respondents were asked about certain customer details and some of the ways customers are reached, including through social media usage. That data is reflected in these pages, as well as input from three shop owners who have their own perspective on various marketing strategies.

THE LOCAL LEVEL

Involvement in your shop’s community simultaneously advertises your shop and makes an impact on a local level. For Ryan Frisby, owner of Spanish Fork Oil-N-Go and Payson’s Oil-N-Go Valvoline Express Care locations in Utah, he does this by sponsoring local sports teams and putting up banners at sports fields. Additionally, his shops participate in some local events like car shows by offering free oil change coupons or discounts for participants. Frisby says it can sometimes be difficult to put a dollar value on these marketing efforts because people won’t 22

always come in and identify exactly where they heard about the business. But it is still beneficial because his shops can do things like support local sports teams. “The return on investment is really hard to find there, but I do think that it does help with exposure marketing where you’re just putting your name (and) your brand out there to where people are seeing that part of your business … (it’s) not going to make you thousands of dollars but at least it puts that visual in people’s minds,” Frisby says. TJ Brough of Lube Quick and Reliance Automotive in Hamilton, Montana, says his shop does “as much local advertising as we can,” including through school calendars and ads in the newspaper. “Anything that is really local … with the schools or anything like that, we have had really good luck with because we feel like it’s mutually beneficial,” Brough says. “For one, it does get our name out there and we do get a good ROI, and secondly even if it’s not the greatest ROI you’re supporting the people who live locally in your town.” Brough says his shop also often accepts donations for various causes around the community. He sees community involvement as a crucial part of supporting the

customers who support his shop. In Ruston, Louisiana, SpeeDee Oil Change & Automotive Service shop owner Lynn Malone opts for some local advertising through signage at sports stadiums for the high school and even with nearby Louisiana Tech. Malone is also part of the Ruston Rotary Club and supports the Salvation Army as well as an emergency and disaster relief organization called Rolling Hills Ministry. Malone also supports Buddy Ball, a local non-profit that organizes softball games for special needs children. “We’re a relatively small community even though we are a college town,” Malone says. “It’s a community of about 20,000 people. And to have that community presence and have your name and logo in visible places in the community is meaningful to the people in the community.”

DIGITAL HORIZONS

Social media and other elements of digital marketing can be viable platforms for reaching customers. There are various techniques to explore. Sometimes, online engagement can happen organically. For example, Frisby says that he’s seen people recommend his shops through Facebook.

PHOTO: 4962662 © CAMMERAYDAVE | DREAMSTIME

By Hanna Bubser

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Honesty is Policy

PHOTO CREDIT: ANGIE HARWOOD

Ryan Frisby says online reviews that include positive and negative comments are valuable as they won’t come off as manufactured.

“Every once and awhile you’ll see the Facebook post from somebody who’s like, ‘Hey, I’m new to the area. Where would you guys recommend for an oil change?’ And I try to stay out of those, I don’t put my own … but it’s always good to see when someone else throws your business name out there,” Frisby says. As for his shops posting on social media, Frisby says they’ve tried being consistent in the past, but for his audience he doesn’t think it makes sense to diligently post. Although they had a core group of engaged customers, he says it doesn’t see a need for his shop to be posting every week to customers who only visit the shop every few months. “I think in this industry somewhat, social media is a little difficult just because trying to interact with your customers on a weekly or daily basis is probably a little overkill for us just because of the type of services we offer,” Frisby says. For Brough, social media usage signifies a shift. Before Brough took over the business, his father Tim was in charge. Tim didn’t use social media much for the shop, but Brough says he and his wife JeNette are trying to change that. The shop has what are affectionately called “Becky signs.” These are displayed on the shop signage out front. DECEMBER 2023

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F E AT U R E

The Right Combination

TJ Brough (second in from right) promotes the work of his team through marketing tactics that combine ideas old and new. REBECCA SAMPSON, ENCHANTMENT PHOTOGRAPHY

Family Matters

As family owned businesses, Lube Quick and Reliance Automotive have built up their customer bases throughout the years. REBECCA SAMPSON, ENCHANTMENT PHOTOGRAPHY

Wise Investment Becky is Brough’s mother, and the signs outside the shop often have fun phrases that include her name. Customers respond well to these signs, so the shop took it a step further. “We connected those with our social media,” Brough says. “So, we post our Becky signs on there. People comment on them. They’re always commenting saying they’re waiting for the next Becky sign. And so, we try to tie it together and have had good luck with that.” Brough says posting on social media is essentially free advertisement. The shop uses Facebook and even Instagram to an extent. But Google reviews are a big component of their digital presence. 24

“When people ask if they can leave a tip, that’s actually what I tell them (is) a good review is the best tip you can leave,” Brough says. “Because in our world today, reviews do mean so much.” Frisby also recognizes the importance of online reviews, as they help the shop rank higher in Google’s algorithm. He says it’s important for potential customers to see that there have been recent reviews when they go to look up a shop online. Frisby responds to every review. He takes the good feedback in stride with the bad. “That, I think, creates some realness to our lifting. Because if everything was five stars, people would be like, ‘Hey, there’s no way these guys are

Although tracking the return on investment for some marketing efforts isn’t always cut and dry, one sure-fire way to promote a shop is by providing quality service.

REBECCA SAMPSON, ENCHANTMENT PHOTOGRAPHY

that good,’” Frisby says. “So, I think it actually helps to have a few negative reviews on there as well because people just realize, ‘Yeah, they’re not perfect. They make some mistakes and things happen.’ But we try to take care of them and work with it that way.” Malone says SpeeDee corporate handles social media posts for the company and also responds to any applicable online reviews. But Malone does get a report from corporate about how his shop is performing through

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SOCIAL MEDIA USE BY PLATFORM Facebook Google My Business Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Snapchat Pinterest TikTok None

2% 2% 8%

21% 17%

35%

54%

75%

21%

* Google My Business is now known as Google Business Profile

Spark Conversation

Word-of-mouth marketing can play a significant role in recruiting customers to a shop. REBECCA SAMPSON, ENCHANTMENT PHOTOGRAPHY

Tune Up, Tune In

Lynn Malone says many customers share that they have heard about his shop through local radio advertising. COURTESY OF LYNN MALONE

reviews on Google and Yelp, and he currently sits at 4.7 stars. His shop is also able to do search engine marketing through Throttle, which also does his mailers. He sees the direct influence of these efforts daily. “We probably get one-to-two coupons a day that are the search engine marketing coupons, and so that’s having some impact,” Malone says. “I think that’s money well spent. As long as I see an SEM coupon at least once a day, then I know it’s getting some traction somewhere.”

A DIFFERENT TAKE

It can pay to think outside the box with advertising. Taking advantage of unique opportunities can be a lucrative approach. Brough has explored advertisements on streaming services like Netflix or Hulu. Using zip codes, these advertisements are able to be locally targeted. Brough explains that the first couple of commercials they ran on streaming platforms were about him taking over the business from his father. He’s received a lot of positive feedback from customers on these ads, which helps him get an idea of the ROI. “It’s been really nice because you can pick the zip code that you get and so

then as you start to get information back, you (can) widen or narrow that down depending on what people (are) saying how it was tracking,” Brough says. At Malone’s shop, there is value placed in local radio advertising. Malone advertises on community radio stations on a regular basis, including two special programs that are run on Sunday mornings. Additionally, he sponsors high school football game coverage on a couple of stations. “I certainly believe that our radio advertising on the specialty programs has been particularly effective,” Malone says. “We have customers coming in all the time that say they hear us on those programs and so we DECEMBER 2023

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F E AT U R E

MILES BETWEEN OIL CHANGES Average is approximately:

We try to put up funny sayings or jokes or riddles … just something to get people’s attention instead of marketing materials …

�RYAN FRISBY, OWNER OF SPANISH FORK OIL�N�GO AND PAYSON'S OIL�N�GO

know that those two programs have driven traffic.” Frisby says something his shop does differently is shown on their marquee. In a similar vein to Brough’s use of the “Becky signs,” Frisby doesn’t use these marquees for promotions or advertisements. Frisby says it’s enticing to a passerby because the content changes as his team members come up with new phrases to display and it keeps people’s eyes on the business. “We try to put up funny sayings or jokes or riddles … just something to get people’s attention instead of marketing materials because I think it gets people to pay attention to our sign,” Frisby says. “So, we put stuff up there that is usually not related to our business or shop at all. I’ll have people saying, ‘Oh you’re the place with those funny signs.’”

TRIED AND TRUE

Despite various marketing trends and innovative efforts, there is something to be said for sticking with what works. More traditional marketing efforts are familiar territory for all three of these shop owners. While Malone personally sees local advertisement and involvement as more effective, he does still run mailers and sends emails. “Certainly, we send emails ... we send reminder emails and that sort of thing,” Malone says. “I mean, that that sort of forms the foundation of our retention program in terms of existing customers.” Offers on mailers such as “free brake inspection” tend to draw people in. He sees about eight to 10 of those customers come through each month. But Malone is quick to answer when asked about his most impressionable marketing tool: word-of-mouth. He’s been running the shop since 2021, but the 26

building has been bringing in customers for much longer. “The shop itself has been in the community for 23 years, and so it’s a known entity in the community,” Malone says. “And the loyalty of our customers is just incredible.” Frisby runs mailers too, including reminder cards and reminder emails. He also runs new customer acquisition wherein their customer database is checked, and mail is sent to addresses that are not in the shop database. “The reminder cards by far (are) our best return on investment, if you will,” Frisby says. “It’s the one that’s bringing people back. I have right now between 23% and 25% of our customers that bring that reminder card back with them with the coupon.” What’s helpful with these cards is that the company Frisby works with to send them out uses an algorithm that determines when a customer should get a reminder, based on their service history. Brough’s family shop is well established in a small town, and he admits that advertising wasn’t always necessary. But times have changed. He sees the influence of word-of-mouth marketing and putting yourself out there. For example, he reaches out to bigger companies in town to offer fleet services, which can translate into consistent business. “I think sometimes, going out and addressing some of those bigger fleet accounts and bringing them to you is good for business,” Brough says. Whether it comes down to sending someone a mailer or talking to them about a commercial that he’s run, Brough says hearing from the people he serves has the greatest impact. “So, I think that trying to track return on investment is important, but I also think sometimes it’s just about the feedback you get,” Brough says.

5,269 Most common answer in 2023 survey:

5,000 Miles between oil changes in 2022:

5,155 AVERAGE VEHICLE AGE (IN YEARS)

15%

0-5

6-10

11-15

16 and older 2%

60%

23%

AVERAGE MILES ON CUSTOMER VEHICLE Average is approximately

92,217

Most common answer in 2023 survey:

100,000

REPEAT CUSTOMERS

49%

50%-75% (Most common answer)

SHARE OF FLEET BUSINESS

44%

5%-10%

(Most common answer)

This story uses data from the 2023 NOLN Operator Survey. Special thanks for Valvoline for sponsoring this year's survey.

NOLN.NET

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2305NO

Is it time to grow or sell your business? Deciding when to make a change – and what kind of change to make - is difﬁcult. Valvoline offers two exceptional solutions for the future of your quick lube:

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Valvoline has acquired more than 700 quick lubes since 2014 and offers owners a straight-forward valuation. Our ownership transition aims to protect your legacy by focusing on you, your employees and your customers.

EXPRESS CARE When the time is right to make a change, call Gayle McMillin at (859) 357-7303 or visit www.valvolinequicklubes.com. US-DIG-2541-EN

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G U I D E

T O

ADDITIVES & CLEANERS In the fast lube game, the skillful presentation and marketing of chemical additives and cleaners can be one steadfast stream of unexpected revenue. With myriad products on the market from fuel injector cleaning systems to modifying automotive transmission fluid, chemical additives and cleaners can be a valuable source of extra revenue to savvy lube operators. This is why NOLN presents this guide to additives and cleaners. Use this guide as a resource to identify sales opportunities or to shore up unsold revenue sitting on your shop shelves in bottle after bottle. NOLN hopes this resource will lead to more sales (and a more robust bottom line) for operators everywhere. For a more complete list of this year’s additives guide, visit noln.net. In the charts that follow, A = Additive, C = Cleaner.

DECEMBER 2023

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2 0 2 3

N O L N

A D D I T I V E S

G U I D E

Run-Rite

570.402.1154 run-rite.com PRODUCT NAME

TYPE

PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION OF CAPABILITIES

2 Step GDI Mantenance Kit

A/C

THE 2 step kit with Nano technology to clean and improve performance. Hybrid Safe. Part of the GBB program

Sledgehammer

A/C

A Double Espresso shot of rapid cleaning detergents that delivers results! Exceeds OEM standards.

TMK-Targeted Maintenance Kit

A/C

A unique 3 step kit that Targets each area with specific chemistry for performance. Hybrid safe.

3 Step GDI/PFI Kit

A/C

The complete Kit for GDI/PFI engines, restores performance, fuel economy and power.

2 Step Fuel System Cleaning Kit

A/C

Quick Kit for Fuel & Induction cleaning to restore performance.

Kleen-Rite Oil System Cleaner

This concentrated formula is deisgned to quickly remove oil system deposits as it circulates through the engine, allowing these to be drained with the used engine oil during the oil change.

Kleen-Rite Ultimate Engine Cleaning Detergent

Improve your oil change! Improves performance of VVT engines. Restores power and reduces oil consumption.

Run-Rite Premium Oil Stabilizer

Provides the extra protection your car needs! Helps eliminate dry starts. Seals worn cylinders to slow oil consumption. Cools and quiets engines and gear boxes.

Premium Synthetic Oil Stabilizer

Improves fuel economy reduces engine wear and extends engine life. Helps protect against Low-Speed Pre-Ignition by improving oil stability and reducing oil flash off. Formulated for all engine oils, and viscosities, including all low viscosity oils. Specially designed for GDI and Turbo/Supercharged engines.Protects oil film strength and lubricity.Helps increase fuel economy and reduces friction and wear

Forcefield Engine Protectant

Unique organic friction modifiers reduce wear and improve fuel mileage! No teflon or solids.

Steer-Rite Premium Power Steering Fluid

Keeps your car steering and performing rite while reducing wear and noise and (whining). Conditions seals.

Steer-Rite Power Steering Fluid

A premium power steering fluid designed to provide superior performance in extreme conditions.

Steer-Rite Power Steering Kits

Removes varnish and sludge deposits. Improves fluid circulation.Improves steering performance .Reduces wear and noise (whining).Conditions seals. Extends steering system life.

Steer-Rite Synthetic Power Steering Fluid Kit

A/C

A Full Synthetic power steering fluid for all vechicle applications. Simplify inventory.

Shift-Rite Transmission Service Kit

A/C

Extend the life and reliability of your transmission. Improves Performance. Maintain Warranty Requirements. Promotes a more complete drain of used ATF and contaminants.Improve ATF circulation.Reduce Heat - the number one enemy of a transmission! Improves shift quality. Reduces wear. Improves lubrication of all transmission parts. Clean and condition seals.

Cool-Rite Cooling System Kits

A/C

Rapidly remove rust and scale and mineral deposits.Dissolve and disperse sludge, silical gel and oil residues Condition and restore coolant.Increase the RA.Neutralize acids.Prevents corrosion. Extends coolant system life. Adds value and profit to cooling system services.

Battery Maintenance Kit

A/C

Makes battery service profitable! Cleans and protects against corrosion on battery and cables. Protects electrical components.

Professional Headlight Restoration Kit

A/C

Designed to quickly restore and protect headlight surfaces, renewing the appearance and performance of the headlight. NO UV cure, no multiple sanding!

A/C

F.A.Q. Cabin Air Cleaning Solution the fast and easy way to clean and freshen the HVAC system. Ask us about our Cabin Air Filter program to increase sales! FAQ produces no harmful by-products for the technician or the environment. It is free from ozone-harming VOC’s and is 100% biodegradable. It is classified as a “Broad Spectrum Disinfectant-Cleaner” that is non-corrosive, non-irritating to skin, and requires no special handling instructions on its label.

FAQ Service Solution

10 Forcefield Engine Protectant 11 Steer-Rite Premium Power Steering Fluid 12 Steer-Rite Power Steering Fluid 13 Steer-Rite Power Steering Kits 14 Steer-Rite Synthetic Power Steering Fluid 15 Shift-Rite Transmission Service Kit 16 Cool-Rite Cooling System Kits 17 Battery Maintenance Kit 18 Professional Headlight Restoration Kit 19 FAQ Service Solution

A A A A A/C A/C A/C A/C A/C A/C

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Chevron Techron 866.354.4476 techronclean.com PRODUCT NAME

TYPE

PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION OF CAPABILITIES

Techron Concentrate Plus, Complete Fuel System Cleaner

Helps maximize fuel economy and restores lost power and performance in gas-powered passenger cars and light duty trucks. This one-tank solution cleans the entire fuel system, dissolves gum and varnish buildup and helps prevent new deposit formation. Safe to use every season.

Techron High Mileage Fuel System Cleaner

Specially formulated to clean and protect from corrosion, restore power and performance, and maximize fuel economy in classic cars and vehicles with over 75,000 miles. It also helps stabilize fuel for up to 24 months.

Techron D Concentrate, Diesel Fuel System Cleaner

One-tank cleanup solution for diesel-powered autos, pickups, sprinter vans or RV’s. Clears clogged fuel injectors and removes carbon deposits throughout the fuel system to maximize fuel economy, restore power and boost cetane. Use every 3,000 miles.

Techron Fuel Injector Cleaner

Removes harmful deposits from fuel injectors to help restore lost fuel economy. Safe to use every 1,000 miles to keep fuel injectors in like-new condition.

ESSENTIAL RESOURCES FOR ALL YOUR QUICK LUBE NEEDS ACCESS OUR FREE INDUSTRY GUIDES AND REPORTS!

• BUYERS GUIDE • NOLN OPERATOR SURVEY • SPECIALTY MOTOR OIL GUIDE • GUIDE TO ADDITIVES AND CLEANERS

www.noln.net/industry-guides SCAN FOR GUIDES NOLN-2738.indd 2

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N O L N

A D D I T I V E S

G U I D E

ITW/Full Throttle 863-665-3338 ex t.219 fullthrottleproducts.com PRODUCT NAME

TYPE

PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION OF CAPABILITIES

Full Throttle® Engine Treatment & High Mileage Enhancer improves the lubrication, protection and cleaning properties of engine oil. This premium oil additive combats engine wear, reduces friction and inhibits rust and corrosion. • Reduces engine wear • Dissolves varnish and removes deposits • Extreme pressure and lubricity • Neutralizes harmful acids • Contains Ashless Anti-wear Protection • Extends engine life and performance • Prevents oil breakdown

Full Throttle® Internal Engine Cleaner is essential to providing a complete oil change maintenance service. Its specially formulated viscosity is equivalent to SAE 20 Motor Oil. • Improves Compression and Reduces Blow-By • Ensures a Complete Drainage of Used Oil • Removes Abrasive Wear Metal and Dirt Particles • Contains ZDDP for Added Wear Protection • Extends Engine Life and Performance • Reduces Cross-Contamination With New Oil

Full Throttle® Oil System Cleaner, formulated with ZDDP, is eﬀective on breaking down and dissolving engine oil deposits while adding extra protection against engine wear. • Protects Internal Engine Components • Dissolves Highly Oxidized Sludge and Varnish Deposits • Use With Synthetic, Semi-Synthetic and Traditional Oil • Prevents Cross-Contamination with New Oil

Baked-on sludge, gum, varnish and carbon deposits form on key fuel system components making engines work harder, resulting in eroding engine performance and a reduction in fuel economy. Full Throttle® Complete Fuel System Cleaner aggressively treats key components – Combustion Chambers, Intake Valves, Ports and GDI Fuel Injectors with a proven, advanced formula containing Polyether-amine (PEA) for deep cleaning. The new and advanced formula restores power, performance and fuel economy. • Eﬀective on All Fuel Delivery Systems • Increases Air Flow • Restores Gas Mileage and Power • Safe for All Fuel and Induction Components • Restores Power, Performance and Fuel Economy • Cleans Fuel System Components from Gas Tank to Exhaust • Reduces Exhaust Emissions

Fuel System Cleaning (2 Step Kit) FTPKS2

Full Throttle® Fuel System Cleaning Kit* is a 2-step process that provides eﬀective cleaning to improve engine performance, increase fuel economy and reduce vehicle emissions. • Removes Deposits On Fuel Injectors and PFI Intake Valves • Reduces Exhaust Emissions • Eliminates Rough Idling, Misfiring and Power Loss • Safe For Use In All Gasoline Engines • Cleans the Entire Fuel System * This is NOT for use in GDI engines.*

GDI + Fuel System (2 Step Kit) FTPK21

Full Throttle® Complete Fuel System Cleaner aggressively cleans critical system components – Combustion Chambers, Intake Valves, Ports and GDI Fuel Injectors with a proven, advanced formula containing Polyether-amine (PEA) for deep cleaning approved tooling. This new and advanced formula restores power, performance and fuel economy.

Full Throttle® Limited Slip Friction Modifier, a gear oil fluid enhancer, is specially formulated to protect limited slip differentials, the bearings and gear surfaces. • Protects All Limited Slip and Posi-Traction Differentials • Enhances Gear Oil Fluid Performance • Inhibits Rust and Corrosion • Eliminates Differential Squeaks, Chatter and Other Noises • Reduces Differential Temperatures • Provides Smooth Engagement of Clutch Surfaces

High Mileage Oil Enchancer FT83401

Full Throttle® High Mileage Oil Enhancer is specifically formulated for GDI, PFI, Hybrid, and Turbo-Charged engines over 75,000 miles. This product conditions seals and gaskets, improves engine compression, reduces and stops oil leaks, and reduces exhaust smoke due to oil burning. Help protect high mileage vehicles from damage due to oil depletion and extend the longevity of the engine by using Full Throttle® High Mileage Oil Enhancer at each oil change interval. • Improves Fuel Economy • Refreshes Seals & Gaskets • Reduces Oil Consumption • Reduces Friction & Wear • Reduces Sludge, Deposits, Corrosion, and Rust with • Enhances Power & Acceleration Added Detergents - Keeps Motors Clean Inside • Reduces and Stops Oil Leaks and Exhaust Smoke Due to Oil Burning

GDI+ Intake and Induction Cleaner FT3001

• Cleans Away Carbon, Gum & Varnish • Improves Air Flow for Smooth Idle • Eﬀective on All Fuel Injection Systems

Engine Treatment & High Mileage Enhancer FT40206

Internal Engine Cleaner FT40203

Oil System Cleaner FTP040

Complete Fuel System Cleaner FT2001A

Limited Slip Friction Modifier FT30301

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Lucas Oil 800.342.2512 lucasoil.com PRODUCT NAME

TYPE

PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION OF CAPABILITIES

Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer

Lucas Oil Stabilizer is a 100% petroleum product formulated to eliminate dry starts and reduce friction, heat and wear in any type of engine.

Transmission Fix

Lucas Transmission Fix is a non-solvent formula that stops slip, hesitation and rough shifting in worn transmissions and completely eliminates most seal leaks.

Low Viscosity Stabilizer

A low viscosity, synthetic formulation designed to amplify both the life and performance of your vehicle!

Power Steering Stop Leak

It is 100% GUARANTEED to stop seal leaks in power steering units or your money back. Totally corrects rack and pinion problems.

Slick Mist Speed Wax

Lucas Oil Slick Mist is a polymer paint gloss intensifier, which can be used on other surfaces such as glass, chrome and vinyl decals. Use Slick Mist as a traditional wax.

Complete Engine Treatment

Lucas Complete Engine Treatment is a unique formulation that cleans and lubricates multiple systems in your vehicle. When added to fuel, it cleans and lubricates all components from the fuel tank to the cylinders.

Engine Oil Stop Leak

Lucas Engine Oil Stop Leak is an all new formulation of Lucas additives and very specific base stocks designed to stop seal leaks in engines!

Fuel Stabilizer

Lucas Fuel Stabilizer prevents fuel degradation during storage that causes gum and varnish deposits. It cleans, lubricates and maintains fuel pumps, carburetors, fuel injectors and compression rings.

Slick Mist Tire and Trim Shine

Lucas Slick Mist Tire & Trim Shine is a treatment spray exclusively formulated by Lucas Oil Products designed to give Tires and Trim a long lasting “like-new” shine.

Upper Cynlinder Lubricant

World’s #1 fuel additive for both gasoline and diesel engines.

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Mighty Auto Parts

800.829.3900 m i g h t y a u t oAuto p a r t s . c oParts m Mighty 800.829.3900 m iPRODUCT g h t y a uNAME topar ts.com

TYPE

A/C Refresher Kit CL120

PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION OF CAPABILITIES Mighty VS7 A/C Refresher Kit cleans mold, mildew and bacteria from the evaporator, then cleans and eliminates odors from the interior of a vehicle. PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION OF CAPABILITIES Mighty VS7 Battery Cleaner and Acid Detector is designed to help protect battery terminals, clamps and connectors. It Mighty VS7 A/C Refresher Kit these cleansareas mold, mildew and bacteria evaporator, then cleans and eliminates odors from the interior of a vehicle. removes corrosion from and can also locatefrom acidthe leaks.

PRODUCT NAME Battery Cleaner/Acid A/C Refresher Kit CL120Detector MN112

TYPE CC

Battery Protector/Corrosion Battery Cleaner/Acid Detector MN112 Inhibitor MN113

Mighty VS7 Battery Cleaner andProtector Acid Detector is designed to help terminals, and connectors. removes Mighty VS7 Battery Terminal is designed to protect vitalprotect batterybattery components andclamps also inhibit corrosion onItbattery corrosion from these can also locate leaks. terminals. This soft areas pliableand formula flows into acid cracks and crevices for the ultimate protection.

Battery Protector/Corrosion Complete Engine Clean OL106 Inhibitor MN113

Mighty VS7 Battery Terminal Protectorvirtually is designed vital battery components and also corrosion on battery Mighty VS7 Engine Clean removes all oldtooilprotect and sludge deposits from the engine andinhibit promotes smoother terminals. This soft formula flows crevices for the ultimate protection. performance andpliable extended engine life.into It iscracks safe forand all oil changes, including synthetics and semi-synthetics.

Complete Engine Clean OL106 Coolant & Conditioner Kit CL108

Mighty VS7 Engine Clean removes virtually all old oil and sludge from the engine and promotes smoother performance Mighty VS7 Coolant two-step treatment is designed to clean anddeposits condition all cooling systems. The formulas are compatible with and C engine life. It isregular safe for allextended-life oil changes, antifreeze. including synthetics and semi-synthetics. A/C extended all coolants including and Step one thoroughly cleans the cooling system and step two lubricates the water andtwo-step conditions the system by providing additional corrosionallinhibitors, which help scale. with all Mighty VS7 pump Coolant treatment is designed to clean and condition cooling systems. Theminimize formulasrust areand compatible

Coolant & Conditioner Kit CL108

A/C

Engine Shield OL150 Engine Shield OL150 Foaming Throttle Plate Cleaner FL110 Foaming Throttle Plate Cleaner FL110 Fusion 2-Step Ultimate Fuel System Fusion 2-Step Ultimate Fuel System Cleaning Service SB500 Cleaning Service SB500 GDI Solution SB600 GDI Solution KitKit SB600

coolants regular extended-life antifreeze. StepTechnology one thoroughly cleansformulated the coolingtosystem and step two lubricates Mightyincluding VS7 Engine Shieldand with advanced Fluoro-Ceramic is specially provide unsurpassed extreme the water pump and conditions the system by providingabove additional corrosion inhibitors, which help rust and scale.oils. protection of vital engine parts and components and beyond Synthetic, SYN-Blend andminimize Conventional engine Cermilon is a Fluoro-Ceramic Polymer that treats porous areas in metal surfaces creatingtoa provide Fluoro-Ceramic Shield providing Mighty VS7 Engine Shield with advanced Fluoro-Ceramic Technology is specially formulated unsurpassed extreme protection reduction. of for vitalextreme engine friction parts and components above and beyond Synthetic, SYN-Blend and Conventional engine oils. Cermilon is a Fluoro-

Ceramic that treats porous areas in metal creating a Fluoro-Ceramic Shield providing extreme MightyPolymer VS7 Foaming Throttle Plate Cleaner is asurfaces special blend of solvents that quickly remove gums,forresins andfriction varnishreduction. from both VS7 sidesFoaming of the throttle help correct rough idleofand stalling problems. Uniquegums, foaming action penetrates Mighty Throttleplate Plateto Cleaner is a special blend solvents that quickly remove resins and varnish fromhard-toboth sides of areas without thereach throttle plate to helpscrubbing. correct rough idle and stalling problems. Unique foaming action penetrates hard-to-reach areas without scrubbing.

A C

Mighty VS7 Complete Intake System Cleaning; removes carbon build-up and cleans the upper engine and intake systems. A/C Mighty VS7 Complete Intake System Cleaning; removes carbon build-up and cleans the upper engine and intake systems. Dual Tech A/C Dual Tech Tank Additive removesdeposits. fuel-related deposits. for GDI engines. Tank Additive removes fuel-related Ideal for GDI Ideal engines. Mighty VS7 GDI Solution Kit is designed to safely and effectively clean carbon and build-up GDI fuel systems using cutting Mighty VS7 GDI Solution Kit is designed to safely and eﬀectively clean carbon and build-up in in GDI fuel systems using cutting edge A/C enhanced edge enhanced technology. thevalves, intake,pistons, valves, pistons, fuel injectors and oil system. Addresses problems and A/C technology. Targets Targets the intake, fuel injectors and oil system. Addresses inherentinherent problems and restores restores loss of power and drivability issues throughout the entire fuel system. loss of power and drivability issues throughout the entire fuel system.

High Mileage Treatment OL107 High Mileage OilOil Treatment OL107

Hood and Door Latch Lubricant MN111 Hood and Door Latch Lubricant MN111

Mighty VS7 High Mileage Treatment helps restore performance older cars. Reduces consumption and exhaust smoking. Mighty VS7 High Mileage Treatment helps restore performance in in older cars. Reduces oiloil consumption and exhaust smoking. Helps quiet noisy engines. Restores compression, helping seal worn rings. Reduces fouling spark plugs. Helps quiet noisy engines. Restores compression, helping to to seal worn rings. Reduces oiloil fouling of of spark plugs. Mighty VS7 Hood and Door Latch Lubricant penetrates deep into tightest areas. this product dries, it turns into a gel Mighty VS7 Hood and Door Latch Lubricant penetrates deep into thethe tightest areas. AsAs this product dries, it turns into a gel that that hood keepsand hood andlatches door latches lubricated ease opening and closing. keeps door lubricated to easetoopening and closing.

Professional Fuel Injector Cleaner Professional Fuel Injector Cleaner FL135 FL135

Mighty VS7 Power cleans total system, including intake seats, compression chambers, fuel injectors andlines in Mighty VS7 Power 2D2D cleans thethe total fuelfuel system, including intake valvevalve seats, compression chambers, fuel injectors and fuel A/C twofuel lines in two easy2Dsteps. helps return factory levels, power and performance while and A/C easy steps. Power helpsPower return2D compression tocompression factory levels,toincreasing powerincreasing and performance while reducing emissions reducingagainst emissions andbuild-up. protecting against carbon build-up. protecting carbon Mighty VS7 Professional Fuel Injecton Cleaner cleans fuel injectors, combustion chambers, intake valve seats and spark Mighty VS7 Professional Fuel Injecton Cleaner cleans fuel injectors, combustion chambers, intake valve seats and spark plugs; CC plugs; power restores power and performance; reducesemissions; harmful emissions; oxygensafe. sensor safe. restores and performance; reduces harmful oxygen sensor

Supreme Fuel System Cleaner FL108 Supreme Fuel System Cleaner FL108

Power 2D 2-Step Engine Revitalizer Power 2D 2-Step Engine Revitalizer SB400 SB400

Synthetic 2-Step Power Steering Clean Synthetic 2-Step Power Steering Clean & Protect System KitKit SB105 & Protect System SB105 Synthetic 2-Step Synthetic Synthetic 2-Step Transmission Clean Synthetic and Fluid Transmission Clean and Fluid Protectant Kit SB100 Protectant Kit SB100 Synthetic Limited Slip Diﬀerential Synthetic Supplement Limited SB106 Slip Differential Supplement SB106 Synthetic Power Steering Fluid PS111 Synthetic Power Steering Fluid PS111 Syntramax Dual Tech Fuel System Syntramax Dual Tech Fuel System Cleaner SB304 Cleaner SB304 Total Intake System Cleaner SB300 Total Intake System Cleaner SB300

Mighty VS7 SupremeFuel FuelAdditive Additivereduces reducespings pingsand andknocks. knocks.Cleans Cleansfuel fuel and and valve valve intake Mighty VS7 Supreme intake deposits. deposits.Helps Helpstotoreduce reduceemissions. emissions. Mighty Power Steering & Protect Kit is a process two-step cleanthe andpower protect the power Mighty VS7VS7 Power Steering CleanClean & Protect SystemSystem Kit is a two-step to process clean andtoprotect steering system.steering Step onesystem. safely cleans A/C A/C theStep oneand safely cleans the system and deposits. process canmachine. be doneStep withtwo or without flushing system removes harmful deposits. Thisremoves process harmful can be done with or This without a flushing protects aand prolongs fluid life. machine. Step two protects and prolongs fluid life. Mighty VS7 Synthetic Transmission Clean and Fluid Protectant Kit is a 2-Step process to clean and protect the transmission system. Mighty VS7 Synthetic Transmission Clean Fluidclutch Protectant Kit issurfaces. a 2-Step Step process clean the andsystem protectand the transmission A/C This unique synthetic technology is safe forand internal and seal onetocleans can be used with or A/C without system. This unique syntheticand technology safe forinternal internaltransmission clutch and seal surfaces. Step oneand cleans the system and can be exchange equipment step two is protects parts, reduces heat extends fluid life. used with or without exchange equipment and step two protects internal transmission parts, reduces heat and extends fluid life. Mighty VS7 Limited Slip provides superior protection against metal-to-metal wear and resists thermal breakdown. A Mighty VS7 Limited Slip provides superior protection against metal-to-metal wear and resists thermal breakdown. A It will extend the life of the gear oil and help eliminate rear end chatter. It will extend the life of the gear oil and help eliminate rear end chatter. Mighty VS7 Synthetic Universal Power Steering Fluid is truly universal. It is designed for use in ALL power steering services/ C Mighty VS7 Synthetic Universal Power Steering Fluid is truly universal. It is designed for use in ALL power steering services/ C exchanges requiring regular power steering fluid or specialty high-performance lubricating fluids, such as CHF+ applications. exchanges requiring regular power steering fluid or specialty high-performance lubricating fluids, such as CHF+ applications. Mighty VS7 Syntramax Advanced Dual Tech features PEA and PIBA microencapsulation cleaning soft and hard carbon deposit Mighty VS7 SyntramaxinAdvanced Dual Tech features PEA and PIBA microencapsulation cleaning softand andcombustion hard carbonchambers. deposit improving performance one application. Removes performance robbing deposits from fuel systems C improving performance in one application. Removes performance robbing deposits from fuel systems and combustion C Reducing the Octane Requirement Increase (ORI) helps reduce the need for high-octane fuel. Helps return fuel system performance Reducing the Octane Requirement Increase performance. (ORI) helps reduce the need for high-octane fuel. Helps return fuel to chambers. factory levels while reducing emissions and increasing system performance to factory levels while reducing emissions and increasing performance. Mighty VS7 Total Intake Cleaners advanced GDI technology provides complete intake system cleaning by safely and eﬀectively Mighty VS7 Total Intake Cleaners technology provides intake cleaning by safelyconverter. and C removing carbon build-up, cleaningadvanced a vehicle’sGDI upper engine and intakecomplete systems from thesystem plenum to the catalytic C Application effectivelyisremoving a vehicle’s upper engine and intake systems from the plenum to the catalytic quick andcarbon safe forbuild-up, all levelscleaning of technician. converter. Application is quick and safe for all levels of technician.

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DuraMAX, Powered by RelaDyne 888.292.5080 DuraMA X .com PRODUCT NAME

TYPE

PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION OF CAPABILITIES

DuraMAX Chlorinated Brake Cleaner

Removes grease, oil and brake fluid and other contaminants.

DuraMAX High VOC Non-Chlorinated Brake Cleaner

Removes grease, oil and brake fluid and other contaminants.

DuraMAX Low VOC Non-Chlorinated Brake Cleaner

Removes grease, oil and brake fluid and other contaminants.

DuraMAX Carb Cleaner

Cleans and frees linkages, cables and fuel injection intake systems.

DuraMAX DOT 4 Brake Fluid

For use in DOT 4 applications.

DuraMAX Penetrating Lubricant

Professional-grade rust release penetrating lubricant.

DuraMAX Power Steering Fluid

Protects and conditions power steering system.

DuraMAX Super Heavy Duty Brake Fluid

For use in DOT 3 applications.

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Solid Start / True Brand 877.290.3950 solidstar t .com PRODUCT NAME

TYPE

PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION OF CAPABILITIES

FUEL JUELS

C/A

The ONLY time-released fuel treatment in the world! Restores fuel mileage up to 7%, increases compression, fights ethanol problems, safely removes water, lubricates & cleans, boosts octane, and saves you money for up to 12 tankfuls of fuel!

FUEL SYSTEM CLEANER

C/A

Cleans the entire fuel system using detergents combined with surfactants, while improving combustion, increasing fuel mileage, reducing exhaust emissions, and safely removing water through the combustion process.

ADVANCED INTAKE CLEANER 2-PART KIT

Surface Science Technology combines two of our hottest, most aggressive formulas to clean and attack tenacious hard carbon deposits that build up and choke performance. Can be used via S-Hook or Vacuum Source service. Ideal for today’s direct injection (GDI) engines. (Also sold separately.)

GDI FUEL SYSTEM CLEANER

C/A

Provides aggressive 2-stage cleaning for GDI engines from the gas tank to the exhaust; dissolves gums, varnish, and carbon deposits.

GDI EMISSIONS CONTROL CLEANER

Cleans oily deposits and debris from the PCV emissions system and safely address issues associated with modern, deposit-sensitive engines; dissolves crankcase varnish, sludge and carbon deposits and improves oil drain.

GDI COMPLETE CLEAN 2-STEP KIT

C/A

Formulated for GDI and PFI fuel systems; protects against deposits, removes water and fights ethanol, cleans emissions control systems, and removes harmful deposits from induction systems, intake valves, injector tips, and combustion chambers. Requires NO ENGINE TEARDOWN. (Also sold separately.)

GDI COMPLETE CLEAN 3-STEP KIT

C/A

Our GDI COMPLETE CLEAN 2-STEP KIT with the added power of True Brand GDI Emissions Control System Cleaner to also clean the PCV emissions system and intake valve deposits, dissolve crankcase varnish & sludge, and improve oil drain. Requires NO ENGINE TEARDOWN. (Also sold separately.)

THROTTLE BODY & AIR INTAKE CLEANER

Cleans the throttle valve, throttle body, idle air control valves, PCV valves, and other parts of the air induction system that have deposit accumulation.

DIESEL RESTORE 2-PART KIT

C/A

Cleans diesel-fuel system by removing deposits from fuel injectors and combustion chambers. Helps improve fuel flow and spray patterns. Helps reduce emissions, diesel knock, and exhaust smoke. Increases horsepower and torque through improved diesel fuel combustion, and fights moisture damage.

TRUE DIESEL MAX

C/A

Increases horsepower and torque through improved diesel fuel combustion; also cleans the fuel system, and fights moisture damage.

ENGINE MAX

GF-6 compliant, patent-pending formula with friction-reducing technology bonds to the engine’s metal friction surfaces to help reduce maintenance, improve performance, and extend engine life. Also helps prevent oil breakdown. and reduces friction wear by 50% - 90% as shown by oil analysis.

ENGINE CLEAN PLUS+

"As effective as a ONE Gallon Engine Clean Service – save money, save service bay time, and space! Deep cleans and removes harmful deposits, gums, varnish, abrasive wear metals and dirt particles from your engine’s oil system. Removes carbon deposits that clog piston rings and reduce compression."

OIL SYSTEM CLEANER

Helps improve oil circulation and extend engine life by removing oils system deposits, gums, varnish, abrasive wear metal and dirt particles.

HIGH MILEAGE TREATMENT

GF-6 compliant formula fortifies all grades of engine oil with a concentrated blend of antioxidants, detergents, dispersants, and lubricants.

POWER STEERING FLUID 2-PART KIT

Multi-Vehicle Power Steering Fluid (meets OEM performance requirements for General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Acura, and most automobiles) and leave-in power steering treatment designed to reduce wear, foaming & squeal, and extend power steering system life. (Also sold separately.)

PREMIUM SYNTHETIC POWER STEERING FLUID 2-PART KIT

Premium Synthetic Power Steering Fluid suitable for use in ALL power steering fluids and leave-in power steering treatment designed to reduce wear, foaming & squeal, and extend power steering system life. (Also sold separately.)

COOLANT CLEAN & PROTECT 2-STEP KIT

C/A

Formulated to break down and suspend rust, scale and sediment without needing a neutralizer and is safe for plastic and aluminum. Unique corrosion and rust inhibitor technology enhances protection of cooling system metals such as iron, aluminum, copper and solder. Safe for ALL types of coolant. (Also sold separately.)

TRUE BLUE WASHER FLUID SUPER CONCENTRATE

Makes up to 550 gallons of washer fluid! Engineered with Advanced Hydrophobic Technology to repel water and powerfully clean dust, dirt, road grime, and bugs from the windshield under the most demanding conditions for streak-free driving visibility.

TRUECOLD A/C PERFORMANCE BOOSTER

C/A

The ONLY product of its kind. Boosts A/C performance – A/C gets colder faster. Cleans and protects the A/C system to extend compressor life and reduce fuel usage, while also helping diagnose A/C system leaks.

TRUE BRAND HEADLIGHT RESTORATION KIT

Patent-pending formula renews aged, hazy headlights to like-new clarity and increases visibility by up to 50%! Advanced ultraviolet drying agents to leave the clearest, hardest lens coating available for superior chemical, water, heat, and abrasion resistance.

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PI T STOP

BALANCING LEADERSHIP AND LIFE SMARTS

Adopting helpful shop management habits

B Y C A R O L B A D A R A C C O PA D G E T T

MARLOS CHENAULT’S BUSINESS experience in the automotive industry could best be described as all-terrain, and his personal approach as a smooth ride. “Automotive has always been in my background,” he says. “And quick lube is something I’d thought about for years.” While he has owned and managed a successful auto glass shop for the past 20 years, he says adding a Grease Monkey franchise into the mix was like an answer to a prayer, one that unfolded comfortably, like most things that are meant to be. “November (2023) makes five years and everything has been pretty smooth so far,” Chenault says. “I mean, business has been decent and there’s really nothing that’s a negative.” At his Grease Monkey shop as well as in his auto glass business, quality of workmanship is the first thing he’ll say he consistently offers and fosters as a manager. Another hallmark of his work that he pays special attention to is customer service. When you press him for a personal description of himself and what it takes to be a successful manager in quick lube, he says: “I’m well-rounded (in technical skill) and a people person. And I get along with the majority of people.” While his self-assessment may seem simple at face value, navigating people today—whether employees or customers—can be touch-and-go, as every human knows. “It’s a balancing act,” Chenault admits. “There’s a thin line to balance (on) between the management side and

having a good rapport with everyone, including employees, as an owner and manager.”

Experience and Perspective

Something he has learned in life is that a strong manager must be both an encourager and an enforcer. And at the end of the day, he finds, “You can’t be the bad person all the time.” A kind expression is as impactful and necessary as the stern countenance that each day can etch upon a person’s face. “The unknown is the hardest thing. Will all my employees show up? Are we going to have a problem with a car today? These can be a manager’s worst fears,” Chenault says. On the flip side, as a seasoned business owner and manager, he has gained the perspective through the years that no problem lasts forever—and in fact, most are probably fleeting in the grand scheme of things. “The best thing about being in management is that every day is a different experience,” he states. One may be tempted to think that Chenault’s laid-back business vibe comes easily for a small-town business owner in the South. While Chenault’s Grease Monkey location is in small Griffin, Georgia, a one-time railroad boom town of just 23,000, it’s nevertheless a microcosm of life in all the markets where quick lube shops sit today—one that rests in the midst of enormous metropolitan Atlanta, the eighth largest metro area in the country, and just minutes off the nonstop nationwide traffic of I-75.

“It’s actually a small town, but our business sees a lot of (those) people,” Chenault describes. “And (in Griffin) everyone knows everyone. It has an old-time hometown feeling, a small-town feel, but all the amenities—the shopping and the restaurants—of the city.”

Everybody Talks

Consider, too, that in a little town where everyone knows everyone, everybody talks to everybody else. And with wordof-mouth (whether face-to-face or through social media) being so important to business success, it’s critically important that customers leave a quick lube with something good to say. At Chenault’s Grease Monkey, he does everything in his power to make sure their words are positive. In his dealings with employees, too, whose business attitudes can often be a mirror of the management’s, he minds that thin line he mentioned—the one between being a good business manager and being a good person, in general. “You must have good rapport,” he emphasizes. For Chenault, the old expression “easy does it” seems to be part of his successful business approach. No need to unduly stress. If something goes wrong—which will on certain days because that’s inevitable—Chenault has the experience of knowing that tomorrow is a brand new day. In quick lube as in life.

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C U STOM E R S E RVIC E S

In the Know

Knowing the people who drive the vehicles can help with service in the bays.

THE ART OF IDENTIFYING CUSTOMER TYPES

Understanding personalities and evaluating needs

ABOVE: PHOTO: LINN IMAGES; BELOW: COURTESY OF MARK SEAWELL

B Y C A R O L B A D A R A C C O PA D G E T T

THE DIZZYING NUMBER OF different vehicles on the road today is probably outnumbered by the sheer multitude of people-and-personality makes and models you’ll find out there. And while the automobiles can be tuned up and lubed to run right, humans, on the other hand, are much more temperamental. So, just as shop owners, managers, and technicians need ongoing training to successfully service all types of sophisticated vehicles, they also need training to deal with complex customer personality types. Consider what follows to be a crash course.

Recognize These Familiar Faces?

Mark Seawell, director of service advisor training at the Institute for

The Right Type

Mark Seawell uses the DISC scale to categorize personality types.

Automotive Business Excellence, teaches service advisors to identify four main types of customer personalities, using what is known as the DISC personality profile scale. The first type, D, is made up of Dominant people. “These are Type A, ‘getter-doners’, and they want to

be treated a certain way,” Seawell describes. “They like it when people give them authority.” In making a service presentation to this type of customer, Seawell advises, “You need to be short, quick, and brilliant as a salesperson, and then you need to be gone. Be exact.” The next type, I, is Influential—and as an aside, they may also be irritating. “They always have a goofy smile on their face,” Seawell notes. “They’re impulsive and you have to guide them down the right path.” All an Influential personality type really wants is to be able to trust the person who’s making the presentation to them. “They don’t care about details most of the time,” Seawell adds. The “S” in DISC stands for Steady. According to Seawell, this person is stable, sincere, and slow to react. “They mostly care about everyone else around them,” he notes. As such, a Steady personality type might say, “I need to make sure I have my car back so I can pick up the kids from school or take my mom to the doctor.” Seawell says, “These are the lovers of the group. They drive a minivan they can fit a lot of people (inside).” The final main personality type according to the DISC scale is Compliant, or C. “Nobody but a Compliant person understands a Compliant person,” Seawell says. “They’re CEOs and engineers and they want to do their own research, and they need data to make a decision.” They will only make a decision, however, if you give them a deadline, Seawell adds. These people are conscientious and careful. “They can come off as condescending and they’re not,” Seawell says. “They’re just constantly trying to figure things out and totally understand them before they make a decision.” DECEMBER 2023

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API-licensed oils display an API certification mark to signify the highest performing oils.

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© 2023 – American Petroleum Institute, all rights reserved. API and the API logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of API in the United States and/or other countries. API Marketing & Communications: 2023-093 | PDF

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C U STOM E R S E RVIC E

DOUBLE-WALL CONTAINMENT For all your automotive oil and lubricant storage needs.

Customer-Facing

Roneil Prash uses the power of information and patience when communicating with customers.

In real world application, Roneil Prash, owner and operator of Chevron xpress lube in Cypress, Texas, says no matter what personality type a service advisor is dealing with, one particular caveat remains the same. “You’ve got to be patient with customers, all the time,” Prash states.

PHOTO: LINN IMAGES

A Mixed Bag of Tricks and Tools

While there is truth to the existence of these four personality types, it’s also true that everyone has some percentage of all these personalities within their makeup. “Some people have more of one or two (of the four),” Seawell finds. “But the key is, once you understand who you are on the chart, you can understand what you need to modify to interface with the others.” In essence, by understanding the DISC personality types, including one’s own, a quick lube service advisor will be able to communicate and connect with their customers better and “in the way they want to be connected to,” as Seawell puts it. As an example, if a sales advisor is speaking to a person with a highly Influential personality type, or High I,

and the presentation gets too detailed, the High I will get bored. They don’t want to hear all the details. If a customer’s personality type is not readily apparent, though, how do you figure out who you’re dealing with? Seawell says the answers lie in questions—both in listening to the types of questions a person is asking you as a service advisor, and in asking them questions so you can listen to their responses and get a clear read. For example, a highly Compliant person, or C personality type, is going to ask “why” and “how” questions. Prash finds that as he provides information to this personality type, as well as others with some degree of C, their appreciation swells and their trust increases. “I try to give the customer the etiquette of (knowing) what’s going on with their car,” Prash notes. “Customers appreciate that. They tell me that they go other places and don’t get this.” A highly Stable personality type, or High S, on the other hand, might ask questions centered around how long it will be before they can get their car back. “An S person wants to go do the things they had planned,” Seawell explains. Sometimes an Influential personality type, or High I, impulsive as they may be, can turn into a tough customer in the face of a problem with their vehicle or their service.

• Designed to store diesel and bio fuels, motor oil, used oil, ATF, DEF and heating oil, class II and class III combustible fluids • Outer tank holds 110 percent of inner tank for maximum protection • Up to 50 percent lighter than conventional steel tanks • Easy to install • Compact design • Exceeds industry standards • UL2258 Certified • Compliant with NFPA 30/30A • Low-cost • 30-Year warranty • Leak-proof and will not corrode

www.RothLubeTanks.com 1.888.266.7684 DECEMBER 2023

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Congratulations

TO THE 2023 ADS OF THE YEAR WE ASKED YOU, OUR NOLN READERS, TO PICK YOUR FAVORITE ATTENTION-GETTING, INFORMATIVE AND MEMORABLE ADS.

Winners were chosen from eligible national print ads in the August 2023 issue. Participating advertisers include: American Petroleum Institute, AutoCenter Sales, BendPak, BG Products, Chevron Lubricants, Corporate Consultants, Devon Industries, ExxonMobil, ISI Software, Jiffy Lube, Kafko International, Mighty Distributing System, Robert Bosch LLC, Roth North America, Royal Purple, Solid Start and Valvoline.

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C A S E S T U DY

RUNNING A SINGLE-BAY SHOP, IN A SNAP

Considerations for shops with one bay B Y C A R O L B A D A R A C C O PA D G E T T

SMALL TOWN EATON, COLORADO, with about 6,000 residents, has a drive-thru business that’s helping people save some gas and a little cash: a Costa Oil 10 Minute Oil Change single-bay shop. And they have a young businessman with a vision to thank for it.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF BRANDON KAMMERZELL

The Backstory

Brandon Kammerzell, a hometown guy working a full-time job for an agricultural lending institution for the past 11 years, is that businessman. And when he came upon the Costa business model, the appeal was immediate. “A cool plug for Costa is that he did this,” Kammerzell says of his desire to have an investment business and side gig that he could grow into full time and one day manage for a living. “Costa went the same path, and it made me intrigued with them as a franchise,” he shares of his initial drive to find an investment that went beyond the stock market. Kammerzell also realized that Eaton had the right market for a Costa Oil quick lube, because its residents and

others nearby didn’t have many options for the service before. “We’re pretty new, but in this town where I grew up and live currently, people say they’re so glad we came to town,” the owner, operator, franchisee and fiancé-soon-to-be-newlywed says. “So, they don’t have to drive to the next biggest town. And we’re cheaper, on average, than the competition.”

The Challenge

For Kammerzell, there are two distinct hurdles he has come up against in the operation of his Costa single-bay business. “You can’t keep a ton of inventory due to (the tight) space, but you can’t buy one-off from the parts store because that’s too expensive,” he says. “So, I must be on top of inventory.” It’s a skill he’s learning and that did not come naturally, he admits. The other test Kammerzell has faced: staffing. “I have three guys—two full time and one part-time,” he notes. “In a two-bay, if you have three guys and only two show, it’s not a big deal. But in

a single bay, if I have two and only one shows, we’re in trouble.” So, while three are required, it’s important, too, that each stay busy throughout the day. The idea, according to Kammerzell: “Don’t pay people to just sit there.”

The Solution

Since Kammerzell is already working a full-time job, he relies on an experienced local manager as one of the three-man team inside his Costa Oil 10 Minute Oil Change. “My guys are everything to me. I’m there weekends and I was there handholding at first, but I’ve turned the reins over to my guys,” he notes. “Two are very young (but) the manager has 10 years’ experience working in a dealership and is a car guy, which is really helpful.” These days, Kammerzell is busy working to develop two to three more Costa locations in his area of the state, which he says is part of how his franchise agreement reads. It’s Costa’s goal to be well-known in Colorado, where right now many people who would drive by a Costa DECEMBER 2023

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C A S E S T U DY

within the pre-designed space of his franchise, which is basically a square building with a pit, a wrap-around drive, and a garage door on either side. “We want everything to be quick, so oil filters and air filters are just steps from the car,” he gives as an example. The bulk oil is on the passenger side of the car when people drive in, and there’s a point-of-sale machine and computer stand on the driver’s side – along with storage for air filters that every customer’s vehicle needs. “We’re (only about) 528 square feet, so space is limited,” Kammerzell says. “Keeping it tidy and things in their place are important to us.”

The Aftermath

With a single-bay shop in a small town, a well-run business can overcome the lack of population, the entrepreneur has found.

“Two weeks ago on a Monday, we did 29 cars, which is phenomenal,” Kammerzell says. As he continues to sift through Colorado land in search of locations he plans to open in Loveland, Greeley, and Fort Collins, he admits, “It’s tough to find the right real estate.” And yet, finding it is among his immediate goals. “I’d love it if all (of them became) successful so that if I decide to work full-time it’s because I want to, and not because I have to,” he notes.

The Takeaway

As well as his affinity for Costa Oil and its business model, the young businessman who grew up on a farm understands his customer base well and knows the lay of the local land like the back of his hand. And both things are aces up his sleeve when it comes to steering his business toward success. “People still want to do things locally when they can,” Kammerzell notes. “A one-bay shop is perfect for Eaton, usually, but of course, weekends are busy with three to four cars stacking up,” he says. But Kammerzell and his employees at Costa Oil 10 Minute Oil Change give patrons personal and personable service, no matter how quickly they must deliver to keep the cars funneling through. “We greet them and talk to them, and that’s huge for us,” he notes of the setup where patrons remain inside their cars during service. And they do it all with the speed of a Colorado dust devil. As Kammerzell says, along with the 10-minute part, the franchise has another cardinal caveat that involves 10. “Costa has a 10-second rule: Make eye contact and thank them for coming within 10 seconds of pulling in,” he notes. Kammerzell’s single bay, as it turns out, is spawning multiple opportunities for the investor with each car that pulls through Costa Oil 10 Minute Oil Change in Eaton.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF BRANDON KAMMERZELL

quick lube would ask, “Who the heck is this?” Kammerzell says. “But (as) we open more stores, people will know us when they hear Costa Oil. Each store in our area helps with brand awareness,” he adds. Circling back to the issue of inventory, Kammerzell is figuring it out and learning to place his supplies

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API Adopts Ultra-Low Viscosity Grades SAE 0W-8 and SAE 0W-12 in Service Category SP Preparing for the Future as Oil Viscosities Trend Downward BY JEFFREY HARMENING, SR PROJECT MANAGER, ENGINE OIL LICENSING & CERTIFICATION SYSTEM (EOLCS), AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE

In September, the American Petroleum Institute (API) formally adopted SAE 0W-8 and SAE 0W-12 viscosity grades into API Service Category SP, the most current gasoline engine oil category, and in October, opened licensing in these viscosity grades to oil marketers. Accordingly, the 22nd edition of API 1509 Engine Oil Licensing and Certification System (EOLCS) - API’s standard defining how the API Engine Oil Service Categories and Quality Marks are licensed and displayed - has been published. Adoption of SAE 0W-8 and SAE 0W-12 into API Service Category SP is a crucial step in establishing licensing requirements, aftermarket conformance and enforcement procedures for these viscosity grades globally. These engine oil viscosity grades are currently recommended by some global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and this update will provide OEMs the ability to recommend API-licensed engine oils, assisting consumers in finding engine oils recommended by their vehicle manufacturer, especially in North America.

API’s stance that consumers are best served by having access to engine oils that are both a licensed “fingerprint,” which is a products’ specific elemental composition and other category requirements that may indicate product compliance and are independently reviewed, and audited in the aftermarket.

Use of API Certification Marks for Ultra-Low Viscosity Oils The API certified ultra-low viscosity oils (SAE 0W-8 and SAE 0W-12) will be eligible to display the API Donut with the API SP Service Category and Resource Conserving designation. As such, the oils will be certified for modern engine designs where the OEMs have recommended using SAE 0W-8 and SAE 0W12 viscosity engine oils. This will denote engine protection and fuel economy performance for the API certified ultra-low viscosity engine oils. Ultralow viscosity oils will not use the API Shield designating ILSAC GF-6B at this time. The API Shield will continue to denote oils licensed in the SAE 0W-16 viscosity grade only.

“Ultra-Low” Viscosities are New in North America These viscosity grades, informally termed “Ultra-Low,” are relatively new to North America. SAE first defined new viscosity grades within SAE J300 in 2015. Before their formal definition, a few ultra-low viscosity oils in the market had no defined SAE viscosity grade. Notably, in Japan, engine oils were marketed without an SAE J300 viscosity specification using names like “LightViscosity” or “0W-10,” which have never been defined in the specification. At the time, these low viscosity oils were primarily used in Japan for very specific applications.

Why is API adopting 0W-8 and 0W-12 viscosity grades into API Service Category SP now? It has taken time for automotive OEMs to specify ultra-low viscosity oils for use in vehicles. Still, there is a developing need for SAE 0W-8 and SAE 0W-12 certified gasoline engine oils in the marketplace. Several years ago, Japanese OEMs like Honda started designing engines to allow the use of ultra-low viscosity oils to improve fuel economy. Since then, Toyota and Nissan have also offered small, high-speed engines that recommend ultra-low viscosity oils in some vehicles. Move forward a few years, and several OEMs globally now recommend 0W-8 and 0W-12 viscosity grades, and more OEMs are considering them. It’s

Availability of SAE 0W-8 or 0W-12 Motor Oil Ultra-low, SAE 0W-8 and 0W-12 viscosity motor oils are not readily available in North America. However, some oil marketers are starting to introduce SAE 0W-8 and SAE 0W-12 motor oils into the North American market. Drivers needing these oils should plan ahead and check with their oil change location to see if they are available before their oil change comes due. This will give the operator time to acquire the oil they need. The expectation is that the number of vehicles recommending ultra-low viscosity oil will continue to grow from model year to model year. An API certified ultra-low viscosity motor oil will assure consumers that the oil they purchase provides the engine protection and fuel economy performance required to meet auto OEM recommendations. Having these ultra-low viscosity grades in API Service Category SP protects both consumers and OEMs from potential misapplication by displaying a well-known, visible certification mark - the API Donut. As with any new performance category, it will be important to educate technicians on the new oils and ensure they are correctly labeled to prevent misapplication. For more information about API certified engine oils, contact the API Engine Oil Licensing and Certification System at eolcs@api.org. DECEMBER 2023 45

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FROM OUR PARTNERS

Your Partner Beyond Products™

Establish an Online Presence for Your Shop BY ANDY BALDASSARRE, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND TRAINING

Social media is full of advertisements. Whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, or TikTok, you would be hard-pressed to scroll for more than 15 seconds without being met with an advertisement for something. The question is, do they work, and if so, how can I get them to work for my shop? Compared to traditional marketing efforts, the good news is that social media is more cost-effective, and you can generate new leads and enhance brand awareness independently. By simply having a social media account and posting, you are advertising for your business. There is also the option of paid social media advertisements to reach a larger audience. Whether paid or unpaid, posting on your page will gain you more traction for your website, converting clicks into new business leads. So, where can you start? And, if you are currently doing social media marketing, how can you improve? Consider the following factors and strategies when diving into social media.

Demographics It’s important to know your demographics before committing to social media platforms. Once you know these things about your intended audience, you are good to go: • Age • Income Level • Gender • Education Level • Location • Occupation

Social Media Platforms Now that you have concrete demographics in hand, you will know how to better choose a platform to reach your audience. With an ever-growing and changing number of social media platforms out there, let’s highlight who is using them: • Facebook is the most active social media platform in the United States. Creating a page for your business to build a community around is easy. Facebook is geared to a slightly older demographic. • Instagram has a similar 24-35 age range, with 18-24 close behind. Instagram is great for pictures and short-form videos. In-feed advertisement is available and a considerable focus of the app, but the majority of advertising on Instagram is influencer-based. • Twitter, now renamed “X,” has a slightly younger population of users aged 18-29. Its strength is pushing out concise information to your audience. • LinkedIn is populated by professionals and job seekers. It’s great for recruiting, business-to-business marketing, and cross-pollinating from other social feeds. • YouTube is the king of long-form videos, but you can also do targeted ads on videos that serve your audience’s algorithm. • TikTok is the king of short-form video, also with the option of sponsored ads, with a much younger audience base. It also has a solid algorithm-based marketing strategy. It’s important to note the way that people use these platforms. Are they

logging on to catch up with family, meet new people, check in with colleagues, and are they open to purchasing a product or service? If so, how do we get them to engage?

Engaging Content Finding ways to get attention in the stream of social media noise can be challenging, so focus on creating high-quality, relevant content first. Selling is part of the objective, of course, but the goal should be positioning your business as the trusted source on all things automotive. Some ways to do that would be: • Maintenance tips: Educate your customers on why your products are needed and some things they could accomplish on their own. • Behind-the-scenes stories: To have a genuine brand voice, show off what goes on behind the scenes, your people and what they do, and how your products work in real time. • Customer testimonials: Hopefully, you already have some success stories in the vault. Bring them out and post them on your socials!

Active Engagement Interacting with customers is part of crafting a genuine brand voice on social media. Ensure you are tagging any employees or customers in photos or videos. If you get a comment, comment back! If there are questions about your products and services, make sure you answer them in a timely, professional manner. People want to feel heard. Giveaways or contests are an excellent way to grow engagement. Make sure to have a set of guidelines for what is appropriate when responding to customers. Have a tight set of brand voice guidelines for consistent, positive responses no matter who is replying.

Monitoring and Measuring Success Check to see where you are receiving the most traction. This will help you pivot into the streams that are working best for your business. Focus on any platform that is experiencing increases in: • Generated leads from social media • Brand engagement • Traffic to your website It’s best to focus your energy on one or two channels that you do well instead of doing all of them ineffectively. Your customers’ responses will let you know what you’re doing right!

Conclusion Social media is ever-expanding, and there continue to be new ways to establish a presence for your shop. Don’t be afraid to dive in after doing a little research on the right social media for your demographic. Build a strong brand voice for your platforms. Grow connections in your community, and make sure to follow up with interactions and measurements over time.

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Time for a Health Check for Your Business. And Your Well-Being. BY ANGI SCHOOLCRAFT AND BILL BEYERLE

In the month of December, when business typically slows down and the Change starts with making optimal use of the people around you. Some holidays are upon us, it’s a good time to take stock of your business. It is a operators find it difficult to delegate, but it’s essential if you want to take back perfect time to reflect upon the past year, what went well and what could be control of your own time and focus on what you do best. Delegating allows improved. It’s time to start planning for the next year and thinking about what others to have an expanded role in the daily operation which can be empowyou might do differently. It’s also a time to evaluate your employees and think ering. For example, every employee should understand that, in addition to about your staffing plans for the near term. their main job, they also have a responsibility to help keep the work environIt is equally important to check in on your own mental state. Are you ment clean and orderly. still loving the business and feeling the same passion as when you startIf keeping the books is not your passion, hire someone to handle finance and ed? Remember why you started the business in the first place. Is it turning administration, so you can focus on supervising the service side of the busiout to be everything you hoped it would be? Do you ness. Conversely, if you really enjoy marketing or planning have a healthy work/life balance, or is the business for growth, but you are uncomfortable managing people, all-consuming? hire a shop manager to make sure the work is being per“On the other hand, Running your own business can be strenuous and formed up to your standards and customers are satisfied. some owners are stressful. It’s easy to get bogged down in things you Try to lift your head above the day-to-day details of in the business don’t particularly enjoy. It’s common to think you have the business and give yourself some space to think about because they have to be responsible for everything. You might feel oblithe future. Maybe your goals have changed since you gated to be the first one to open the doors in the mornstarted, and it is time to redefine them. Are you in a pothat entrepreneurial ing and the last to turn out the lights at night. Who will sition to expand the business? Do you want to put in anspark—they love keep the place clean if you don’t? Who will look after other service bay? Or perhaps even launch or acquire being their own boss.” the daily cash flow? another location? Setting realistic goals and a plan for A lot of people get into the auto installed business achieving them can go a long way toward re-energizing because they love working on cars. Suddenly they have the business – as well as your spirit. to develop expertise in finance and start worrying about things like the balEach of us defines success differently. If you are making a comfortable ance sheet, bank relationships, purchasing, payroll, and other matters outliving but not enjoying what you do or feeling your time is not your own, it’s side their core skill set and passion. They have to figure out how to market time for a reset. As you start making the new year’s plan for your business, and generate business. Soon they’re spending more time working on adminmake sure your personal happiness and well-being are part of it. istration than on cars, and it dampens their enthusiasm. On the other hand, some owners are in the business because they have Bill Beyerle has been with Chevron Lubricants for more than 25 years and that entrepreneurial spark—they love being their own boss. They have a is currently the Automotive Installed Sales Manager. You can reach him at knack for management and a head for numbers. They experience a taste of BillBeyerle@chevron.com. success and want to grow the business. Or maybe they enjoy the people asAngi Schoolcraft has been with Chevron Lubricants for more than 19 years and pect of the business, interacting with customers and motivating employees. is currently the lead marketing specialist supporting Havoline®, Havoline xpress The point is, whatever your reasons for getting into the business, ask yourlube®, Chevron xpress lube® and Techron®. You can reach her at angi.schoolself if you are really doing what you enjoy, and if not, what can you do about craft@chevron.com. it. How do you get back to what you love? DECEMBER 2023 47

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Fuel Your Profits BY JAY LITSEY

Looking for ways to increase average ticket but not oversell your consumers? The good news is there are a few services in your arsenal that will increase your ticket but also expand the care you offer your consumers. Let’s discuss some options for you to make everyone happier, take better care of your customer base and fuel your bottom line.

“With the average transmission repair running about $1,500 to $3,500 per carservicecosts.com, even $200 for a transmission flush is well worth the money if it helps delay that inevitable repair.”

Saving Gas Is Top Consumer Priority. Everyone knows that pocketbook issues drive elections. One of the most well-known and most discussed topics is the price of gasoline. That (plus gas mileage being the number one new-vehicle purchase consideration per a recent statista.com finding) sets the consumer need table for you to introduce “Fast Fuel System Services.” Consumers are busy and wary of being upsold services of questionable value. The good news is that there are fast pour-in products, which can help you raise your ticket around $20 per transaction. This translates quickly into more money in your pocket. A couple of things are key here, such as ensuring your vendor of choice provides the following: • Products with substantiated claims, such as the average percentage improvement on gas savings: Look for products that (either on the package or in the literature) show a specific percentage of improvement like 6%. If you are lucky with the right vendor, you will see other benefits like reduction in CO2. This helps you and consumers support sustainability. • Point-of-Purchase Materials: Ask your sales representative if they provide free branding sales materials. If they do, put them up. • Promotions that drive trial and repeat: Also, ask your sales representative for any consumer promotions available for free that will drive consumer trial of a fuel product and (if a service certificate) drive consumers back to you for another service. • Free traffic-driving promotional offer media: Want more consumers coming for the promotional offer? Make sure your chemical vendor provides free social media promotional messaging to consumers near your address. • Training: Diagnosing consumer needs at the beginning of a transaction is the key to building confidence in their recommendations. Ask your supplier if they provide free online and face-to-face training as part of their offering. This can allow your greeters and technicians the opportunity to get their learning at their own pace in the way they learn best. You can also hold your own coffee or pizza events to reinforce what they’ve learned, and maybe announce a special spiff for your launch month. Nothing helps us pay attention like a free meal or a little extra cash in our pockets.

Transmission Services Create Another Purchase Occasion. Many services are overlooked because they take time. Many more services are overlooked because of lack of consumer knowledge about the need. Everyone knows consumers are keeping their cars longer, with the average vehicle age being more than 12 years from a recent USA Today

article. Most consumers get to approximately 100,000 miles at around the 7-year point. They are out of warranty but not out of the need to keep their vehicles on the road. With the average transmission repair running about $1,500 to $3,500 per carservicecosts.com, even $200 for a transmission flush is well worth the money if it helps delay that inevitable repair. Transmission service is one of those necessities. With the right consumer assessment when they drive up, this can often be done in 15 to 20 minutes, especially if it’s a pan-drop for a vehicle over 100,000 miles. Many of the same tools that improve take-rates for Fast Fuel System Services apply to transmission flush and pan-drop services. • Products with broad applications to take the guesswork and inventory issues off the table. • Point-of-Purchase Materials: Just like Fast Fuel System Services, ask your sales representative if they provide free branding sales materials. If they do, put them up. • Promotions that drive trial and repeat: Also, ask your sales representative for any consumer promotions available for free that drive consumer trial of a fuel product and (if a service certificate) drive consumers back to you for another service. Anything that provides another reason to visit you is a benefit for consumer retention. • Training: As we previously mentioned, the first point of contact with your consumers is the most important. Understanding how the vehicle is being used (whether or not it was a “new to you” purchase for them or a teen) can inform your greeter recommendations. Getting ready for summer or winter (or a family trip) is also a key driver to ensuring the vehicle is ready for a road trip. If they want to avoid repairs for longer, transmission services are a great solution.

Fuel Your Profits. At the end of the day, you went into business to run a business. The best way to ensure you win over the long haul is to consider new profit streams that also increase customer satisfaction. A valued vendor partner will provide you with all of the tools to help improve your chances of success. Talk to them today about the contents of this article. If you have the right vendor, you will both profit from the discussion. Fast Fuel System Services and Transmission Services provide so much upside to both installers and consumers alike. Everyone is a winner when consumers get the care they need, get it from you and keep coming back on account of your great customer service.

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Boost Your Profits: Unleashing the Power of Package Programs Are you actively thinking about ways to help increase profits? BY AMBER KOSSAK

Raising prices may be a necessary step to fill the gap, though price increases have risks if perceived excessive. Reducing your cost of doing business can increase profits also, though we want to be careful here as well. “Right sizing” is better than downsizing. One of the best ways to grow your business is by attracting new customers. Most of the tactics for doing this are familiar to us, but worth repeating. • Creating a referral program. • Run special promotions such as discounts on specific services such as free gifts with purchase, discounted services, or coupons. • Partner with local businesses. • Get listed in online directories. • Use social media to share news about your business or answer questions from potential customers. • Utilize package programs. For auto service operators, a package program is a set of products or services that are bundled together (creating value). Also, can be known as a GOOD, BETTER, BEST program! Package programs have been a proven way for professionals in the auto service industry to attract new customers, generate repeat business, at the same time increasing profits.

Package Programs Simplify the Ask! Presenting added value: When offering package programs combined with multiple services or products as one sale, at a discounted price compared to purchasing them individually becomes a value to the customer. This incentivizes them to choose the package over individual services, therefore, you increase profit by increasing the number of services. Package programs create up-selling and cross-selling opportunities. When customers opt for a package, you can then suggest additional services or products that complement the package, thereby increasing the overall value. Again known as a (GOOD, BETTER, BEST) program. For example, a typical oil change will include an oil/filter change with inspection. This can be your GOOD package oil change bundled with an Oil System Cleaner, an Engine Additive, or a quality Fuel System treatment for a discounted price. Well-designed package programs can boost customer loyalty and retention. Customers who have a positive experience with a package and find

value in it are more likely to return for future services. Repeat business and a higher customer retention rate are always beneficial for long-term profitability. When customers receive needed products or services while also saving money, they are more likely to return again. Package programs allow auto service operators to plan and allocate resources more efficiently. By knowing in advance, the services included in a package, operators can streamline their workflow, optimize scheduling, and allocate resources effectively. This can lead to increased productivity, reduced downtime, and improved overall operational efficiency. Package programs provide a marketing tool for auto service operators. They can be used as promotional offers to attract new customers, retain existing ones, or target specific customer segments. Effective marketing campaigns and advertisements that highlight the benefits and savings of your package can increase customer awareness and attract more business. Package programs often involve predefined combinations of services or products. This enables service operators to streamline their inventory management processes. By planning and stocking the necessary parts and supplies for package services, operators can reduce inventory costs and minimize waste or excess inventory. There are reasons you can’t buy a T-bone steak at a McDonald’s, but you can get a Happy Meal.

Increase profits up to 25% Research has found that package programs in auto service operations have the potential to increase profits up to 25% by boosting customer value, driving additional sales, simplifying the ask, improving customer retention, optimizing resource allocation, supporting marketing efforts, and enhancing the overall customer experience. Be sure to train your team ask every time. “Would you like fries with that?” That is, make it a habit to have your front-line staff mention the package offer for each customer. Reinforce the message with posters or signage, maybe even a counter display. Measure results of everything you do. When something is working, do it well, and do more. What’s not working, discard. My father has always said “If better is possible, good is simply not enough.! Think about it. DECEMBER 2023 49

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LEADING EDGE

Talking About Philanthropy “Life is like a hurricane, here in Duckburg.” “Racecars, lasers, airplanes, it’s a duck blur!”

LENNY

SAUCIER

Lenny Saucier has been serving the automotive aftermarket and its future leaders since 2000. He serves as the director of retail training for Fullspeed Automotive.

LSAUCIER

@FULLSPEEDAUTOMOTIVE.COM

PLEASE TELL ME YOU KNOW WHAT I AM talking about! Fun fact, if you set your oil pumps to 80 psi and let that oil gun go wide open, it’s about the same tempo and sound as the intro to that song. I loved DuckTales when I was a kid. For all you youth, Google it. Maybe there are some TikTok videos on it. For all you old timers, ask your now greying kids. Now that I have insulted most of the readership (and the others are singing the next lines in the theme song), I wanted to talk about Scrooge McDuck. The Scottish-born American entrepreneur that made his way to the top, and counted every coin on the way up. His famous vault of coins soothed him as he dove in for a swim as the bugle boys schemed to rid him of his glory. Despite his character employing lots of people in Duckburg and taking care of his nephew’s kids for him, Scrooge (named and likened after the main character Ebenezer Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens) is seen as a tight, money hungry cheapskate who clings to the wallet tighter than a fat kid clutching a candy bar around his older brothers when Mom isn’t looking (well, that brings back my childhood trauma). It’s no wonder success is linked with greed. The younger generation has Mr. Krabs from the Krusty Krab, I have Scrooge McDuck, and the generation before me had Jack Benny. Success has been linked to greed and bad deeds almost as long as money has been around. So don’t look so surprised when your technicians look at you with that “must be nice” scowl. They think all the money that came in today just went in your pocket after all. The challenge is you need to adapt to today’s workforce. That’s right, you are not going to change the world, you are going to adapt it and prosper from it. In the beginning, the workers worked to provide. You could appease their contempt with a check that paid for the house and put food on the table. Fast-forward to the next generational lunge and they worked for a title. The world of the Vice President of Operations, Senior Vice President of Project Management, Director of This and

Supervisors of That empowered the employer to latch on to quality workers by giving them a flashier name. Today they work for a cause! Money is still needed and titles are nice, but if you don’t align with their vision of making a mark towards a better world, you are just a job. Philanthropy is a recruiting tool to bring people together to fight for a cause. It is not just about getting talent or tax writeoffs. Donating to the causes in your community builds brand awareness. Giving, participating in, and spearheading events gets your brand in front of people who care about those causes. People who care about causes support people who care about those same causes. One of the aces in this field is Chief Strategy Office for Tidal Wave Auto Spa Jazmin Davis. If you are not following her on LinkedIn, you are missing gold. Jazmin has master planned communications and branding strategies for some of the best companies. Even with a dominant national company like Take 5, Jazmin crafted events to make big corporations appear to be the little mom and pop that cares in many cases. To be seen from the community trumps being seen from the street corner any day. I get it. Times are tough! Budgets are barely in reach. You have to pay more for insurance next year and the strike has played havoc on your ability to lock in the guest for the mechanical repairs due to the parts shortage. Good news, it doesn’t actually take your money to give. In fact, most money donated to the Breast Cancer Foundation and Children’s Miracle Network come from customers donating. Small shops hang those paper balloons, the Walmart self-checkout reminds you to donate. At the end you cut the check and have your name on the donor list. You don’t supply the cans during a food drive, or coats for the coat drive. Your ability to host, teach, and collect go a long way to the causes and people that support them. So, before you do the breaststroke in your money pit tonight, consider why people look at you as the shop on the corner and not “insert your awesome brand.” Work with your team, ask them what is important, and look at bumper stickers of your guests vehicles. Your ability to give is well within your reach.

PHOTO COURTESY LENNY SAUCIER

Giving goes a long way

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11/14/23 1:23 PM

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