On the Road

Worldpac & Carquest Distribution Centre Grand Opening

May 6

The first facility housing a combined Carquest and Worldpac distribution center under one roof has officially opened. The 580,000-square-foot facility in Bolton, Ontario can house 350,000 automotive parts and serve the majority of domestic and import vehicles in Canada. More than 130 Carquest stores and Worldpac branches from central to eastern Canada will be served by the new DC.

The automotive industry is changing at an unprecedented pace. With the rise of e-commerce and large retail chains, smaller shops are facing increasing challenges in recent years.

Your business must continue to both evolve and adapt to meet the needs of younger generations, while also continuing to cater to their existing older clientele to stay relevant. That’s no secret.

Two of the largest and most influential generations in the marketplace today are Millennials and Baby Boomers. While there are certainly overlaps in the way these generations approach servicing their vehicle, there are also significant differences in terms of their attitudes and service needs.

Starting at the very beginning of the repair journey — before the client even walks through your door — it’s important to understand how and where both Boomers and Millennials are searching and landing on your business.

Boomers will most likely land at your doorstep after a wordof-mouth recommendation from a friend. Once arrived, they will begin the service process by immediately wanting to speak directly with a service advisor. They place a high value on connection. When your service advisor catches a Boomer on the phone or in person, they should make sure to settle in and take the time to build rapport and create a relationship.

Millennials are in direct contrast and are much more likely to begin their service journey by looking at sources outside your business. If a Millennial knows they require work on their vehicle they will often first begin their search on a local Reddit group asking the community for reliable service centers near them or searching Instagram for recommendations from others.

They may then turn to YouTube to learn more about the potential work required so they are armed with the necessary information prior to establishing first contact with your business.