Mobile Electronics Magazine May 2016

Industry Awards: Your resource to stay up-to-date – page 29

May 2016

me-mag.com

Spring Swings

750!

KnowledgeFest records doubled attendance as the industry comes out to train on new products, tech tips & business tactics

Peer Production:

Kingpin and Perfectonist go beyond retail to equip & educate installers – page 44

Automotive Mix:

JC Motorsports combines audio, performance and restyling to rake in $1.5M – page 30

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Volume 33// Issue 4

Ad Index ®

14 FEATURES 14//KnowledgeFest Spring Training Now in its second year, KnowledgeFest Spring Training has more than doubled its attendance and manufacture presence, achieving its goal of expanding industry knowledge to more retailers than ever.

22// KnowledgeFest Booth Coverage

Accele Electronics...................................... p. 2 & 3 American Road Products ............................. p. 18 Arc Audio .............................................................. p. 38 AudioControl ....................................................... p. 12 First Integrated Technologies .................... p. 43 Focal ........................................................................ p. 19 Image Dynamics ................................................. p. 5 InstallerNet .......................................................... p. 51 JBL .............................................................................. p. 7 Mito ......................................................................... p. 39 Mobile Electronics ................................ p. 37 & 59 Mobile Electronics Industry Awards .......... 29 SiriusXM ................................................................ p. 13 Sony .......................................................................... p. 9 Voxx ....................................................................... p. 60

On the show floor, manufacturers put on their best faces to showcase new and expanded products and services in the hopes of winning over new and current retailers with their brands.

30// Real World Retail: JC Motorsports In this age where OEMs are becoming a true threat to in-car tech, this New Jersey-based retailer is selling every automotive product and service it can think of to remain competitive. The best part? It’s working.

40// Business Feature: You’ve Got Mail Experts weigh in on how retailers can utilize their customer database to turn email marketing into a viable profit center.

44// Behind the Scenes: Micro Manufacturers What happens when being one of the most profitable shops in the industry isn’t enough? You become a manufacture. That’s just what several 12-volt veterans did, and not only did it work, it provided a service to the industry in the process.

52

52// Tech Today: Passenger Footwell Subwoofer Enclosure, Part 2 Installation expert Joey Knapp completes the second part of building a different kind of enclosure in the in this month’s tech feature.

ARTICLES 26 Retail News/Who’s Who 48 Installs

On the Cover

Despite the low turn-out the first year, manufacturers and retailers alike believed that KnowledgeFest Spring Training was a viable resource for learning and turned out in record numbers. With over double the original number of retailers attending at 750+, vendors made every effort to represent the industry with top-quality product trainings and solid product offerings at the booths. Networking also dominated the event, with people commenting regularly about the value of simply being around.

COVER DESIGN: ROBIN LEBEL

4 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

DEPARTMENTS 6 Feedback 8 Editor’s Forum 10 Stats 11 Helpful Stuff 12 External Effects 58 Guest Editorial

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 feedback

Certification And Your Business: What Would Make It More Valuable?

Pete Daley of Marketing Pros believes certifications can help shops to be more professional and increase their value, while Chago Betes of Mobile Technical Training feels manufactures should help advertise certifications to help promote the industry as a whole.

“If there were classes one could take, outside of my store and that I’m not the one teaching, where interested potential employees could seek education specific to our field. I realize that there are a few such places in the country, but local options are needed for everyone. A curriculum for local trade schools, or even high schools for a section of an existing class would be great. These could be paid for by the students, schools, or potentially by sponsoring vendors or retail stores.

Scholarship programs could also be made available.” Jeff Cantrell, JC Audio, Jackson, Tenn.

“Certification already plays a huge role in our business by giving the customers peace of mind when dropping off their vehicles, knowing the vehicle is in good hands.” Aron Roberts, Axxis Audio, Durango, Colorado “Certification is useless without awareness. The only real industry-wide certification we have is MECP, and MECP is failing us badly. Customers DO NOT care if someone is MECP certified because they have no idea what that means or what kind of qualifications that brings. I could tell my customers that we are all certified in a program that doesn’t even exist and it would mean equally as much as MECP does. Anyone want to be MECT certified? Send me $20 and I’ll send you a certificate that means the same thing.”

Lucas Fidler, Audio Expert Car Stereo, Clearwater, Fla. “More recognition by the industry and more customer awareness.” Chaz Guyton, Best Buy, Roy, Utah “I proctor the MECP testing in North Texas, I assist Car Toys monthly

6 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

with maintaining their certifications that they mandate. It makes all locations more professional with the ability to talk about it with clients and add value to themselves.” Pete Daley, Marketing Pros Inc., Arlington, Texas “Our state as a whole doesn’t care much about certification of any kind.

If people had a reason to value the proof of knowledge it would make a world of difference. People see a dealership or even a mechanic as the end-all around here with no certifications or proper schooling. Yet, they look down on the typical car stero shop or employee as having no real knowledge of the car... even though the vehicle is being brought to that shop for a reason.” Brandon E, Best Buy, Ames, Iowa “A practical test and a continuing duty to maintain standards. If a certified technician doesn’t meet the standards for the certification it should be revoked. We need to maintain the quality standard and show that the certification means more to the client, gives them peace of mind.”

Nicholas Frazier, iNNovative Concepts, West Springfield, Mass.

“Manufacturer advertising would help make businesses more valuable.

If manufacturers would promote MECP-certified installs it would greatly help the industry.” Chago Betes, Mobile Technical Training, Westwood, N.J. “It shows we care enough that we educate ourselves to be better and stay on top of the latest trends and techniques.” John Schumacher, Audio Solutions StL, St. Louis, Mo.

ADVERTISING SALES Kerry Moyer 703.598.3733 • kerrym@mobile-electronics.com ®

EDITORIAL Solomon Daniels 213.291.7888 • solomond@mobile-electronics.com Ted Goslin 800.949.6372 ext. 466 • tedg@mobile-electronics.com Creative Layout and Design: Robin LeBel Contributing Editors: Jamie Sorcher, Laura Kemmerer and Rosa Sophia.

Published by

®

Chris Cook, President 978.867.6759 • chrisc@mobile-electronics.com Kerry Moyer, VP Strategic Partnerships 703.598.3733 • kerrym@mobile-electronics.com Solomon Daniels, Dir. Media and Communications 213.291.7888 • solomond@mobile-electronics.com Richard Basler, Dir. Technology Solutions 978.645.6449 • richb@mobile-electronics.com Karin Drake, Events Manager 978.645.6478 • karindrake@mobile-electronics.com Robin Lebel, Creative Director 978.645.6456 • robinlebel@mobile-electronics.com 1)Title of publication: Mobile Electronics. 2) Publication No.: 957-170 6. 3) Date of filing: Oct. 1, 2015. 4) Frequency of issue: Monthly except FEB/MAR & APR/MAY 5) No. of issues published annually: 10. 6) Annual subscription price: $35.00. 7) Complete mailing address of known office of publication: 85 Flagship Drive, Ste F, North Andover, MA 01845. 8) Complete mailing address of the headquarters or general business offices of the publisher: 85 Flagship Drive, Ste F, North Andover, MA 01845. 9) Full names and complete mailing address of Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor: Publisher: Chris Cook, 85 Flagship Drive, Ste F, North Andover, MA 01845; Editor/Managing Editor: Solomon Daniels/Ted Goslin, 85 Flagship Drive, Ste F, North Andover, MA 01845 10) Owner. MERA, Mobile Electronics Retailers Association, 85 Flagship Drive, Ste F, North Andover, MA 01845. 11) Known bondholders, mortgages, and other security holders owning or holding 1% or more of total amounts of bonds, mortgages or other securities: None.

12) Tax Status: Not applicable. 13) Name of Publication: Mobile Electronics. 14) Issue date for circulation data below: August 2015. 6. a) Total no. copies (net press run) Average: 12,484 Single Issue; 12,826. B1) Paid/Requested mail subscriptions Average: 6834, Single Issue: 6826. B3) Paid sales through dealers, etc.; Average: 0. Single issue; c. Requested distributed by other classes of mail: Average: 531, Single issue: 520. Total paid and/or requested circulation; Average 7365. Single issue: 7346. d) Non-requested distribution by mail; Average: 4382 Single issue: 4223. Free distribution through other classes of mail: Average: 0, Single issue: 0. e) Nonrequested distribution outside the mail; Average: 325. Single issue: 750. f) Total non-requested distribution; Average 4707, Single issue: 4973. g) Total distribution; Average: 12,072. Single issue: 12,319. h) Copies not distributed; h1) Office use, leftovers; Average: 412. Single Issue; 507 j) Total; Average: 12,484. Single issue; 12,826 Percent paid and/or requested circulation; Average: 61.01%. Single issue 59.63%.

me-mag.com   7

 editor’s forum

A Big Ol’ Hole

What’s my perfect car audio system? One that I can change like underwear.

When I was 12, my brother and I spent the entire summer at Radio Shack. Every morning we would walk the three blocks down Hobart Blvd. to Wilshire, and stand there at the door until Winston and the guys opened up. Then, we would stroll in like we worked there. And while Winston chatted up the ladies and sold gadgets to the hobbyists, we would sit in front of the coolest device to ever grace the earth: The TRS-80.

The specs were awesome: 4K of memory. Massive 12-inch, sharp black-and-white screen. Super-fast cassette drive. And it only weighed 22 pounds.

The sales guys were awesome. They never kicked us out. In fact, we probably helped them sell a few — “If these kids can use it, so can you!” I credit them with my love of computers today. In fact, I loved that computer so much that when my brother and I lay in our bunk beds at night after listening to Mystery Radio Theater, we would fantasize about buying a house with a TRS-80 pre-built into every room.

Yeah, what a mistake that would have been. And I don’t just mean buying a house with my brother.

Technology just evolves too fast. Two years in and I would have been ripping out walls. But amazingly enough, this exact tactic has been widely marketed. Remember those TVs with VCRs built in? Besides the fact that the VCRs were crap, video tech evolved to hi-fi stereo, then better freeze frame, then Laser Disc. More recently, you’ve got refrigerators with built-in tablets.

Who in their right mind would pay a premium for an appliance meant to last 10 to 15 years, with an embedded device that only has a realistic technology life of two to three years?

The funny thing is, that’s exactly what’s going on in cars today.

Back in the day (not my day; I’m not that old), automakers didn’t include radios in cars at all. But then they started once they felt the technology was stable. AM/FM could give drivers an unheard of amount of content. And everyone just knew that this would remain the pinnacle of in-vehicle entertainment for-ever.

And even though car technology evolved, it was a slow, controlled evolution. The carmakers told the public what experience they should and would get, and they’d like it or else.

Fast-forward to today, when the entertainment focal point has switched from the car to the pocket. This has not only changed the entertainment experience but it’s changed

8 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

customer expectation as well. A new device hits the market, and right behind it is another one that’s thinner, lighter, with a better processor, denser screen and five more color options. We as consumers have been trained to buy bigger numbers—55 over the 50, S7 over the S6—even if those numbers don’t improve the user experience. We expect to get a new phone every year, or a new TV every two or three Black Fridays.

And yet, in the vehicle, as technology change swirls around us, the carmakers are sticking to the same dated practice they started back in 1930, even though it no longer applies: putting short-term technology into a long-term buy. They haven’t changed because that’s the way things have always been done.

It’s time for carmakers to evolve their ways and follow the trend of the rest of the world. Focus on making things that last, and simply accommodate things that change frequently. Sure, you can point to their joint ventures with software companies, over-the-air updates and the like as their efforts to change with the times. But more features means more processing power, storage space, bandwidth and an enhanced user interface: physical things that can’t be upgraded with a software patch. But they try. It’s because of those customer satisfaction ratings, and the desire for car companies to want their customers to think they are cool. And of course, there’s the profit margin.

But customer satisfaction with in-vehicle entertainment is already slipping. Even today, factory car systems can’t keep up with new processor-heavy features that consumers demand, and they deliver a slow, clunky experience that is at exact odds with the zippiness of a customer’s cell phone or tablet. Carmakers no longer control consumer expectation; consumers do. So despite their best efforts, those customer satisfaction numbers are going to dip when these systems—for all practical purposes—become obsolete. My Volvo is a year old and the connectivity tech is already so slow it’s unusable.

Provide true customer satisfaction by letting customers have an evolving entertainment experience within the vehicle they plan to keep for 10 years or more. You can still have your partnerships, but let your part be about providing safe, immersive connectivity so that aftermarket product developers can connect seamlessly.

As for the products themselves? Just leave us a big ol’ hole in the dash. We’ll know what to do with it. 

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me-mag.com 9

 stats

CERTIFIED: DOES IT MATTER? How do shops promote it, and does it help sales?

Used To s n io t a c ifi t r e C Store Promote Your..................... 44%

........................ .. 40% MECP .................. rse ........................ u o C g in in a Tr r Vendo ......... 26% ol ........................... o h c S n o ti lla 23% ta Ins lf-training ........ e S / g in in a Tr e In-hous ........... 11% .............................. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . .

4% ASE ........................... 2 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

None ...........

Methods To Pr o ote Certificationm s Wall plaques .....

.............................. ................ 76% Verbally .............. .............................. ... .............. 71% Social media ... .............................. .................. 41% On advertising ................................ .............. 25% On store signa ge .......................... ............... 24% On store litera ture ..................... ................. 24% Customer new sletter ............... ................... 2% Uniform patch es .......................... ................. 10%

Amount That C ertific Required At A ny Position Ination Is Your Store Ye

s, re No, but preferred Installation quired Not required 30% 47% Management 23% 22% 48 %

Sales 30% 19% 43 %

Other 38% 4% position 40% 57%

10 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

ifications t r e C e Th f O t Impac iness On The Bussto mers ........ 65%

t from cu Increases trus mpetitors ... 51% co r e v o e g d e n ..... 37% Provides a .............................. ... ... ... s le a s s e % s Increa ......................... 33 . . t c a p im o n l/ 4% Has minima nfidence ............ co e e y lo p m e s Increase

 helpful stuff

Books: Hug Your Haters by Jay Baer www.jaybaer.com/hug-haters/

Unhappy customers can be the worst kind of advertising for your business. Just deliver outstanding customer service and you should be all set, right? Well, 80 percent of companies say they do just that—deliver outstanding customer service—but only eight percent of their customers agree. So how do you make sure your customers get that knockout experience that will translate into repeat business, positive comments and posts, “likes,” and just general good will?

For starters, it isn’t as easy as it used to be. What has changed the whole customer service equation so dramatically in the last few years is the ubiquity of smartphones and obsession with social media. It has forever changed the dynamic of complaints.

Critics (or “haters”) can now express their displeasure immediately and more publicly than ever. They can spread the word and take their anger viral. But the unhappy customer presents an enormous opportunity, according to author Jay Baer.

In his new book, Hug Your Haters, he reviews the two types of complainers. Offstage haters are those who simply want a solution to their problem.

They complain by phone, e-mail, and company websites. Onstage haters are typically dissatisfied with interaction through traditional channels, so they turn to social media, online review sites, and discussion boards. Onstage haters don’t just want a solution—they want to share their beef with an audience.

Hug Your Haters shows you how to deal with both types using researched case studies. There are playbooks and formulas along with a fold-out poster of “the Hatrix,” which summarizes the top strategies for different situations. Whether you have one store or a chain of 10, this book teaches you how to embrace complaints and haters for a positive outcome.

Software/apps: Logo Foundry Free Android and iPhone

www.logomakerapp.com/index.html If you’re thinking about branding efforts, one great way to distinguish your store, product, service, or company is with a catchy logo which you use on logos, shopping bags, giveaways, or other promotional items. Getting an agency or marketing firm to create a logo can be costly, but a new app gives you creative control. Logo Foundry is a professional logo design suite that provides you with a template and more than 3,000 preloaded fonts, shapes, icons, and symbols which you can then configure into your own logo. It even supports advanced text layouts for circular and wavy text rounded logos, and lets you manage layers.

There’s also a handy search function so you can look for symbols by keywords. Everything from the finished product to the text is resizable.

Services: Mail Chimp www.mailchimp.com/

Sites to See:

United States Patent and Trademark Office www.uspto.gov/ If you are creating a new product, or you develop a logo, or have a new process for doing something, do you apply for a patent or register for a trademark? What is the difference between the two? This site is a great resource for understanding how a federal trademark registration can help you protect your rights to a brand name or logo, and how federal trademark registration will enhance your rights. If you are developing a new product, find out if a patent is right for you and what the process is for application. A handy resource to have at your fingertips.

Marketing means different things for each retailer, but email is still the bread and butter for many. It’s a proven way to reach out to customers and keep them updated on store events, upcoming sales, and new products. Sending effective emails with a concrete goal in mind is what MailChimp can help you do better. More than 10 million people and business around the world use it. An email service provider, MailChimp gives you various options for designing, sending, and saving your emails. You can create newsletters which can be shared to Twitter or Facebook. There are even e-commerce integrations so you can learn what your customers are purchasing and create targeted campaigns around that. Above all, you get advanced analytic features. With solid stats and detailed reports at your disposal, you can track how many people opened your email and what they clicked so you can improve your email campaigns going forward. There are different pricing plans but if you have less than 2,000 subscribers, you can send up to 12,000 emails per month for free.

me-mag.com 11

 external effects

Free, But At A Cost

What’s Going On:

Americans are ok to share sensitive information with businesses in the name of safety and efficiency, a new study found, but they’re not comfortable giving out personal details in exchange for better advertising or offers–-especially if those details reveal their physical location. It all comes back to cyber-security and a premium on securing one’s identity and personal information.

How It Can Affect You: The Pew Research Center found in recent years that users of mobile and desktop computers are increasingly concerned about their online privacy. Many times users accept the deal of free services for personal data, but service providers can’t assume this trade-off will always work. Yet, more products seek this arrangement. Take some of the gadgets shown at the recently held CES. Nest, for example, connects smart items in the home like thermostats and lights into a system that collects data to coordinate its operations. Lights switch on when a door opens indicating that someone is home. Privacy definitely comes into play. In some cases that works for people; in others it doesn’t. The Pew Report reveals that adults found it “acceptable” for a doctor to upload their health records to a vendor that helped schedule doctor appointments online, but more than half of the respondents said it was “unacceptable” if a home senor—one that could help them reduce energy costs—monitored when residents were at home and how they moved from room to room. According to the report, cars and homes are off-limits. Consumers want their privacy no matter how sweet the deal.

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12 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

The Fourth Industrial Revolution Is Now

What’s Going On:

According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), which had its annual meeting just a few short weeks after CES, things like implantable mobile phones or 3D-printed organs for transplant aren’t viable today, but will be by 2025 as the world enters an era of advanced robotics, artificial intelligence, and gene editing. Nearly half of those surveyed in the report also expect an artificial intelligence machine to be sitting on a corporate board of directors within the next decade. According to the Forum’s Chief Economist Jennifer Blanke, “Our lives are being shaken to their very core by technological change, with the Fourth Industrial Revolution transforming economies as never before.”

How It Can Affect You: This “Fourth Industrial Revolution,” after steam, mass production and information technology, will prompt even faster cycles of innovation creating major challenges to companies, workers, governments, and societies. Plenty of good will come of it including cheaper goods and services paving the way for economic growth, but the downside is mass unemployment and a further complication of the relations between corporations and the public. “The unprecedented speed of change, as well as the breadth and the depth of many radical changes unleashed by new digital, robotic and 3D technologies, is having major impacts on what we produce and do, how and where we do it and indeed how we earn a living,” Blanke said. “And while the transformation will proceed differently in advanced and developing parts of the world, no country or market will be spared from the tidal wave of change.”

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 knowledgfest 2016

Bouncing Back To Spring

After a well-received but loosely attended first year, KnowledgeFest Spring Training has become a rousing success in its second, shattering its previous attendance and adding more vendors to help train dealers on new products for the coming selling seasons.

WORDS BY TED GOSLIN

S

ometimes in life, you need a trial run. You get an idea, try it out and learn from it to improve for next time. Such was the case for KnowledgeFest Spring Training when it was first introduced to the 12-volt industry in April 2015.

Since then, the show-runners at Mobile Electronics Group have listened to their audience and made adjustments to craft an experience worthy of the precedent that its namesake event set in Dallas.

In its first year, the event drew around 350 attendees and had a turn-out that was below expectations for its Mobile Electronics show, where industry manufacturers set up booths to mingle with current and future

dealers. This year, the threeday event which took place April eighth to April 10 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Ind., drew over 750 retailers and 40 manufacturers. In comparison, KnowledgeFest in Dallas has drawn around 1,000 retailers on average each year.

The event featured three elements for retailers to take part in: educational seminars, taught by various experts in and around the industry, manufacturer trainings and the Mobile Electronics Show, where manufacturers set up booths to showcase the latest products and mingle with attendees. The latter represents what the event has become since its inception— an opportunity for networking

14 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

between everyone in the industry, to share ideas and help progress the industry as a whole.

“We are extremely pleased with the turnout of the event,” said Chris Cook, Mobile Electronics Group president. “We had a steady presence of retailers during exhibit floor hours and workshop attendance was strong. Exhibitors we’ve spoken to are pleased with the traffic they received, both in their booths and their individual product training workshops. In fact, onsite we received strong commitments from exhibitors to come back to Indy next year.”

The seminars and trainings were housed in eight meeting rooms that rotated throughout the show. Attendees

received peer-based instruction, tips and advice through 18 workshops segmented for owners and managers, sales professionals and installation technicians.

Exhibitors hosted 40 workshops to focus on brand-specific instruction, with most opening their workshops to prospective and current authorized retailers.

On the last day of the event, the exhibit floor hours were moved to the morning and educational workshops finished off the day, resulting in more face time between manufacturers and attendees.

Talking Points The number of attendees per educational seminar ranged between 30 and 100

on average. In a post-event survey, most attendees found the classes extremely helpful and would recommend that others attend given the amount of information that can be obtained. One of the most helpful things at the event was the ability to interrupt the presentation of any presenter to ask a question. This was encouraged by most presenters to ensure all attendees got all the information they needed.

“Congrats to you guys for coming out.

A lot of guys have the mentality that they don’t have anything more to learn, like ‘I’m an expert because I’ve been doing it for 30 years,’ and that’s the wrong attitude to have,” said Bryan Schmitt, owner of Mobile Solutions during his seminar, “The Business of Installation: Operations, Managements and More.” “The right mentality is that you can learn from anyone, good or bad. If we don’t refine what we do and have the willingness to take in

new ideas, we just keep doing the same thing over and over again.”

Part of what makes the seminars so impactful for attendees is not just the learning and sharing of new information, but the reaffirmation of established ideas. “I’m in the process of expanding to a nicer location. I’ve always worked out of small shops but have come to realize that I need to make improvements in presentation to do more business,” said Erick Freeman, Columbus, Ohio business owner and first-time attendee. “It’s funny because a lot of the stuff he talks about I was planning on doing at this new place.

Apparently I’m on the right track.”

Regardless of where an idea comes from, Schmitt emphasized the importance of always keeping an ear to the ground to learn a new lesson. Lessons can be gathered from all walks of life when you least expect it.

“I had dinner with my wife at Morton’s Steakhouse after a training one night. We

were both really hungry and they have an interesting approach to selling you the food. They tell you the specials, recommend certain dishes and take your order.

But before they go, they bring out a tray of desserts and tell you if you want to order any of them you have to do it now since it takes time to prepare them,” said Schmitt during his first seminar of the conference. “They did something very smart. They sold us the dessert when we were still hungry. I asked the manager how their sales in desserts compare to other restaurants and he said it doesn’t even come close. They were heads above the competition. Sell the dessert first.”

First Time Thrills Freeman wasn’t alone as a first-timer.

Many attendees who had never attended a KnowledgeFest before made use of the event’s proximity to their shop, which was the intention. When surveyed in the past, many attendees to the Dallas event

me-mag.com 15

 knowledgfest 2016 who traveled from the coast would mention how difficult traveling so far can be for them every year. While plenty of people still make the trek, some simply can’t for financial reasons. That’s where the spring event fills a need.

That’s especially true when it comes to attending manufacturer trainings. Since it takes place in the spring, the event provides an opportunity for retailers to brush up on new products, with most of the industry’s top brands gathered in the same place at once.

“We’re a startup business that opened up this month [April]. I’ve been training and preparing for this since 2010. I’m looking to take out being more efficient with processes,” said Miguel Hernandez,

16 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

owner of Audio Dynamics, and first-time attendee during the event. “It’s been a passion of mine since high school. I’m looking forward to the tuning seminar.

I went to Focal’s manufacturer training and it was very impressive.”

Focal wasn’t the only company impressing retailers with information.

Steve Witt, former vice president at Alpine Electronics and current co-owner of safety product manufacturer American Road Products, taught a seminar focusing on the power this emerging category can have on 12-volt shops if the right approach is taken.

“A year-and-a-half ago, I made a conscious decision based on our industry.

The downturn in the sales of aftermarket

car audio and video as we all know it was becoming alarming,” Witt said. “Part of my responsibilities at Alpine were to be part of the Global Strategic Planning team. We gathered hundreds of thousands of dollars in data to look at where our industry was going. One thing started to become abundantly clear about four years ago. There’s a new category emerging: the safety category.”

Citing recent data he collected from various government agencies, Witt explained how the category has grown

The To Carter, Ma

own Hall presentation, hosted by Chris Cook, featured (left to right on stage) Ken Ward, Eric att Schaeffer, Brian Layton and Josh Mojica.

to such a degree that the federal government passed a law that will require all vehicles on the road to have backup cameras by the year 2018. Despite that aspect, he claimed it’s not enough to make the category truly shine with retailers. “We built our business on selling entertainment. That’s got a whole different catch phrase than selling safety,” Witt added.

“We’re helping people have a better experience in their vehicles. I’m here to tell you that if you care about your business, you had better embrace the safety category.”

Based on what Witt, Schmitt and others said during their seminars, keeping an open mind to new information was a consistent theme at the show, as it has been at past events. That kind of perceptiveness was evident in Witt’s

audience, as 14-year-old Joey Lewis of Lewis Electronics formulated some thoughts about how to improve his father’s business while at the show.

“I’m here with my dad learning about how to improve the business. At the shop, I give out complimentary things to customers like tea and donuts. I also do stuff on my own like designing a digital flier and a poster. I’m interested in business,” Lewis said.

“We’re getting a lot of information and coming up with a lot of ideas here at the convention. One cool thing

that we saw was Brandsphere. So I thought, ‘Hey, what if we got our own Brandsphere page and had people able to have an in/ out appointment option?’ It would help so they know how long the service would take so they aren’t waiting around in the waiting room so much.”

The show was his father’s first in eight years, and his first ever. Lewis agreed

me-mag.com 17

 knowledgfest 2016 that the gap was likely due to the distance his dad had to travel to attend the show in Dallas from his shop in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Thanks to a closer show option, Lewis and his dad were able to attend the show, allowing new ideas to be formed from the experience.

This year’s classes also included a firsttime seminar on what retailers shouldn’t do with their businesses. Jason Kranitz, owner of Kingpin Car & Marine Audio, Kingpin University and former Installer of the Year, spoke in an open format class about his “10 Business Lessons I Learned The Hard Way (So You Don’t Have To).”

Straying from the traditional style of presentation, Kranitz spoke directly to the class without a slideshow to guide them.

Instead, he went through topics that included dealing with unpaid employee loans, having a W-9 for every subcontractor to avoid an IRS audit and how to deal with government safety inspections.

“Anybody here ever get inspected by OSHA? I was. I got a notice in the mail

18 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

from them that I didn’t take seriously and threw away. The next thing I know they are at my shop when I’m away demanding to inspect the facility,” Kranitz said.

“They are looking for any kind of safety infractions. Minor things. They told me I was being fined $600 per issue. One thing was that I needed a sign above the fire extinguisher. I asked him why, wondering why that would be such a big deal. He pointed out that if I had a new employee who didn’t know where it was and a fire broke out with only him able to reach it, he wouldn’t know where to go. It seemed small but it made sense.”

To avoid that particular issue, Kranitz explained that a retailer could simply ask their insurance company to send over an inspector, which the insurance company must pay for.

Speaking Engagements To help facilitate interaction between attendees, a networking event hosted by Sony took place on opening night at the

High Velocity bar, located inside the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis. The hotel is in a prime location due to its connecting walkways to the convention center.

Several distribution firms were on-hand to meet various retailers and manufacturers on potential deals. Drinks and appetizers were included to help facilitate the meetings.

Having a bar nearby was a helpful tool for the event as a whole, as it helped encourage conversations amongst people who may not have otherwise engaged with each other. That was the case prior to the Town Hall presentation, which got people talking before listening to top retailers discuss overcoming common retail issues.

The theme of the panel discussion centered on how retailers can break through the ceiling to be truly successful. Topics discussed included training practices, shop mindset and challenges to growth.

“We opened in the middle of a reces-

sion and over time grew the company to be one of the most successful shops of its kind. After learning about some improvements, we eventually changed the look of the store interior significantly,” said Ken Ward, co-owner of Musicar Northwest.

When asked about hiring staff, Installer of the Year Runner-up Matt Schaeffer chimed in with a popular sentiment for audience. “When I saw what all you guys were doing, that’s when I started to learn and embrace that. Seeing the work being done by all you guys and getting that excitement, you want to immerse yourself with positive people,” he said. “The first thing I look for is passion with new employees. You’ve got to surround yourself with those people. Everyone has to want to be better.”

Learning Never Ends Once the sessions ended, the hallways and rooms cleared to conclude another beneficial show for the 12-volt industry.

The most common themes resonating

with retailers included the need to train and learn continuously, to try new categories and product strategies and network with others whenever a question arises.

Schmitt of Mobile Solutions was adamant on what he believed the industry needs to stay profitable amidst the ongoing OEM threat.

“The old school of selling car audio needs to change. We need to talk more about the value aspect and how to be better with that experience,” he said. “I think the consumers are more savvy and more educated today. We need to be more professional as an industry. It’s about having less product; less is more so we can be super efficient at what we do.”

The next KnowledgeFest event takes place August 20 to 22 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas. Now in its seventh year, the Dallas conference will feature more classes, a larger show floor and the finale of the Mobile Electronics Industry Awards. For more information, visit KnowledgeFest.org. 

me-mag.com 19

 knowledgfest

20 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

me-mag.com â&#x20AC;&#x201A; 21

 knowledgfest 2016

IT’S

NEW GEAR SEASON

KnowledgeFest’s Spring event gives exhibitors the opportunity to show off just-shipped products, and they didn’t disappoint.

AAMP GLOBAL

www.aampglobal.com REPRESENTATIVE: CLIFTON BROWN Featured Product: The TR12-PRO is a trigger delay for virtually any application within the vehicle, including camera control, signal control, shutting off daytime running lights, and others.

ACCELE ELECTRONICS

www.accele.com/ REPRESENTATIVE: BRIAN PAILLE Featured Product: The Beuler Heads Up Display projects onto the windshield and rests on the dash to provide easier viewing of important vehicle information like speed, water temperature and oil level. The device comes at two price points: $114 for the five-inch model and $79.95 for the three-inch model.

22 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

ADS

www.idatalink.com/ REPRESENTATIVE: Matt Yerger Featured Product: The iDatalink Maestro RR has integrated with K40 to function altogether on a Kenwood CarPlay-enabled head unit. The integration makes the radar stealth in the truest sense since nothing needs to be installed.

AMERICAN ROAD PRODUCTS

www.americanroadsafety.com REPRESENTATIVE: Steve Witt Featured Product: The Reverse Guard is a backup sensor that beeps more frequently the closer the object is in distance. It also shows the distance left to travel. The company also sells the Omnivue 360 camera as part of its lineup.

AUDIOCONTROL

www.audiocontrol.com REPRESENTATIVE: Chris Kane Featured Product: The GUI DSP software interface allows installers to save time by tuning the vehicle accurately through the a Windows interface. Processors are available for $600, $700, and an $800 amp with processor built-in.

BRANDMOTION

www.brandmotion.com REPRESENTATIVE: Jeff Varick Featured Product: The 360-degree Omnivue system provides a complete view of the vehicle exterior with four cameras feeding to almost any aftermarket head unit.

DD AUDIO

www.ddaudio.com REPRESENTATIVE: Aaron Trimble Featured Product: The new D series amplifiers will include two five-channels, two mono blocks and a four-channel. MSRP begins at $209 and ends at $579 for the amps.

DEL ELLIS INTERNATIONAL

www.delellisintl.com REPRESENTATIVE: Del Ellis Featured Product: Del Ellis is now conducting webinar trainings for half the price of in-person seminars. The trainings are done via webcam with close instruction by Ellis himself.

me-mag.com â&#x20AC;&#x201A; 23

 knowledgfest 2016

Escort/Beltronics

www.escortradar.com REPRESENTATIVE: Everett Morss Featured Product: Escort’s MAX360 is a portable radar unit that includes directional intelligence, DSP technology, long and shortrange radar capabilities.

FAST SOLDER

www.fastsolder.com REPRESENTATIVE: Eric M. Carter Featured Product: Designed for use in tight spaces, this soldering device heats up in five to seven seconds and isolates the heat to only the tip to prevent any melting of wires from the edge of the device.

FIRSTECH

(COMPUSTAR) www.compustar.com REPRESENTATIVE: Tanner Wilson Featured Service: Cash For Car Alarms is a trade-in program for retailers who have alarms that are broken, new or used, but are perhaps collecting dust on a shelf somewhere. The program pays retailers a $15 credit to be used towards new alarm products.

FOCAL

www.focal.com REPRESENTATIVE: Nalaka Adikari Featured Product: The company is releasing brand the new 2830KX subwoofers. Subs are $1,000 each for the 12-inch model.

JL Audio

www.jlaudio.com REPRESENTATIVE: Rob Haynes Feature Product: JL has released its first head unit, the Media Master MM100S, designed to compliment any JL Audio system. The IP66rated source unit is designed for outdoor use. Features include SiriusXM-ready, USB input, full search abilities with folders and screen brightness adjustability.

KINGPIN UNIVERSITY

www.kingpincaraudio.com/contact-us/ REPRESENTATIVE:Jason Kranitz Featured Product: The Art of Tuning is a three-day course that teaches installers how to find signals in a car, build active systems and how to EQ a car. The event will take place at the Kingpin shop for a total of $999.99 and will include hotel, breakfast, lunch and snacks every day.

24 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

MECP

www.mecp.com REPRESENTATIVE: Todd Ramsey Feature Product: MECP has released its latest rules. The books will help anyone looking to be master certified to study for their test.

METRA ELECTRONICS

www.metraonline.com REPRESENTATIVE: Stephanie Carver Featured Product: The Axxess Infolink is a personalized linking experience through the CANBUS of the vehicle. The system interacts with different functions in the car and can be programmed to control things like heated seats, seat controls, and windows.

MOBILE SOLUTIONS

www.mobilesolutions-usa.com REPRESENTATIVE: Bryan Schmitt Featured Product: The Smart Frame System is a new, flexible template design that will allow more options and opportunities for creativity with fabricators. MSRP: $250, $400 and $700.

SONY

www.sony.com/electronics/car-marine REPRESENTATIVE: Mike Rundel Feature Product: The Sony MEX-XB 100BT high-powered marine deck allows users to run an entire system of four speakers and a sub without the need for an amplifier. The device is one of Sony’s top decks.

SOUND SKINS

wwwsoundskinsusa.com REPRESENTATIVE: John Schwartz Featured Product: Soundskins Pro is the initial design for the company, with a sound deadener that is thicker than other aftermarket product offerings. The product comes packaged in a sleek tube that includes product specs.

VOXX INTERNATIONAL

www.voxxelectronics.com REPRESENTATIVE: Joe Dentamaro Feature Products: Prestige Pro-Core is an all-in-one remote start and alarm system module that can be programmed per the users preferences. The company also launched CarLink BT, a remote start system that gives consumer the ability to use telematics without having a monthly or annual fee. me-mag.com 25

 retail news

Matt Lipnick has worked for Sounds Fast for around one year as a window tinter, helping to bolster the shop’s need for quality staff.

Unconventional Methods Seeking motivated and competent employees meant exploring new avenues for 12-volt retailer, Sounds Fast.

WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA

W

hen Sounds Fast in Bend, Ore. was understaffed, Jamie Lewis—president— and his business partner were working 12- to 14-hour days before hiring three new personnel. “He would work in installation, and I would work in sales,” Lewis said. “It was a lot of stress on both of us for a while. We were questioning whether this was what we really wanted to do, even though we made good numbers. It was becoming daunting. If something didn’t change soon, it was a consideration that it might not be the right thing for us to do.” Soon, things turned around and Sounds Fast hired the ambitious staff members they’d been seeking—in unusual places.

26 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

Currently, the company has nine employees, including owners’ Jamie Lewis and Colin Mecey. Now that they’ve found the help they need, things are going smoothly. August Conte joined the team recently, along with Sean Lea, store manager. Matt Lipnick, full-time window tinter, has been working at Sounds Fast for one year. Chris Allard, installation tech, has been with the company for a little over a year. Other employees include Todd Dement, lead installation tech; and Tim Rank, installation tech and head fabrication technician. “Sean, last May. August came on last July,” Lewis said.

“David Vance, our third new hire, we hired around October.”

While word of mouth has been the best way for Sounds Fast to gain reliable employees, unconventional hiring methods have proved fruitful. “Sean used to own his own business in town.” At one time, the current store manager “did suspension work, wheels and tires, and we used him for our personal vehicles. We became friends.” When someone offered to purchase his business, Sounds Fast jumped at the chance to hire him due to his business sense and customer service.

The local connection proved to be valuable, as August Conte had been one of Sean Lea’s customers. “In this industry, we’re always looking for a good automotive background.” According to Lewis, Lea is “very personable, young, outspoken, outgoing. Fits in very well with the guys.” Lea’s knowledge of social media will be useful for the business going forward, and he is also involved in local car culture.

“Dave was working for another shop here in town that was going through ownership changes,” Lewis said of David Vance. “He reached out, and we needed

»

Who’s Who Pete Daley Marketing Pro’s Inc. Arlington, Texas Years of industry experience: 25 Hobbies: Work What you’re really good at: Technical help and getting past obstacles The company has nine employees, all gathered thanks to unconventional thinking.

another tech and got him. He’s been happy ever since.”

Businesses may search locally for a qualified technician and find none. Sometimes it helps to look in unusual places, even at far distances. “I’m three hours away from a large city, and people will navigate to larger cities for jobs, so it’s hard for me to get qualified people,” Lewis said. “We brought our window tinter all the way in from Philly … posted an ad on [a] window tint Facebook page, he saw the ad, he was looking for a change. We flew him out for a couple days, tried him out, he packed up and moved his family out here. That was probably the most interesting way I’ve hired someone.”

Lewis continues to use the Eddy Kay Training Guide to train his sales staff. “We work with them before we let them go out on their own,” Lewis said. As a MESA member, Sounds Fast implements what is learned at trainings, so staff members are continually educated. The business has also created its own installation manual, complete with photographs of how installs should appear.

A previous hire—six or seven years ago—had been educated at a trade school but had difficulty grasping day-to-day tasks. He’d learned fabrication in school, but struggled with other assignments.

It didn’t work out. Lewis stated that fabrication is a small percentage of their business. “Trade schools … need to focus on the day-to-day, like wiring a relay, and the way to feel for a clip without breaking or cracking,” Lewis explained. “The everyday stuff we do, that’s what they need to focus on.”

Sounds Fast has also sent their techs to schools. “Last year, we sent our fabrication tech to a Mobile Solutions class, and that was very valuable,” Lewis said.

“We’re going to send another guy down in June, just so we start getting more people in fabrication.”

Sounds Fast has tried numerous methods when seeking employees, according to Lewis. “I think the one thing we’ll start looking more and more at are the [online] forums.” Various Facebook pages can also connect businesses to motivated installers looking for work. “I’m going to look less and less at conventional ways … and more at unconventional ways.” 

Matt Cropper Stereo King Portland, Ore. Years of industry experience: 18 Hobbies: Family What you’re really good at: Exceeding customer expectations

Nik Edmonds Handcrafted Car Audio Chandler, Ariz.

Years of industry experience: 10 Hobbies: Hiking, golf, tinkering with electronics.

What you’re really good at: Remote starts and wire management

Larry Frederick CV & DA Holdings, Inc. Los Angeles, Calif.

Years of industry experience: 44 Hobbies: Car audio, photography, graphics, Hot Wheels and comic book collecting What you’re really good at: Everything (that’s what my wife says)

me-mag.com 27

 retail news I have now is tremendous, a great work environment,” he said. At one location, Audio Works has eight employees including Thomas.

The business’s latest hire, Tim Foltz, previously worked at a local dealership and has brought with him a knowledge of automotive parts that will be helpful to Audio Works going forward. He applied for a job at Audio Works when he found a Now Hiring campaign on social media. “He was working in the parts and wholesale department [at the dealership],” Thomas said. “We’re Tim Foltz, pictured here, has been with Audio Works training him in for three months (as of this printing) and adds valuable remote start install, automotive experience to the shop. auto upgrades, wheels and tires, and so forth. With his prior knowledge of automotive parts, in general, it helps him in our industry … for already having the knowledge.”

Thomas noted the new hire has been working at Audio Works for about three Audio Works in Newark, Del. months. Foltz’s expertise lies in his comprehension of parts, rather than invests time and training installation, so his training involves shadin employees, which owing another tech. “[It is] anywhere results more loyalty and from eight months to a year before they do [an install] on their own,” Thomas commitment. said of new employees. The amount of WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA time for training depends on the kind of installation, as well. It will take a new Very often, it seems a strong work ethic tech more time to learn a remote start can be difficult to find. At Audio Works, installation, for example. “More basic in Newark, Del., owner Darren Thomas installs don’t take that long [for training]. stated that work ethic and ensuring the We are troubleshooters, we need to figure employee will be around for the long out why something doesn’t work. Dealterm are two very important aspects of erships need to figure out how to replace hiring a new technician. “The work force something,” Thomas added regarding

The Long Haul

28 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

the differences between the two types of businesses.

When it comes to working with dealerships, “it is just another aspect of our work. It’s just basically expeditor work,” Thomas stated, which is another part of what Audio Works does. “Working with dealerships focuses on quality and service more than anything else,” he stressed.

“Your installations have to be perfect, your timeliness, and those are the main things.” Tim Foltz, who is in his early twenties, has amassed a great amount of information at his previous job which he can apply to his position at Audio Works.

The business seeks only those who are dedicated and willing to learn. “What we’ve noticed is the industry has no new additions … we haven’t seen a lot of young kids interested, so my goal is to have the younger individuals trained and get them in,” Thomas said. “The main techs have been in a long time. They can handle anything custom or standard.

The younger crowd has interest but they don’t have interest in work. You find those young people who have that drive to work, and also to get into the field.

There’s nothing better than a hands-on job and becoming part of the crew.”

According to Thomas, work ethic, willingness to learn and following directions are the most important aspects to look for in a prospective hire. Employees must also “follow our way of top quality service and the best in installations.”

Audio Works prides itself on having great employees. “We only hire to add, not to replace and that’s important,” Thomas said. “You’re not a number, you’re an employee and that’s important especially in our business. We teach and invest time.” Though employees always receive technical training on all the products Audio Works sells, it is rare that an employee is sent away for training.

“Most of the reps we work with educate us on new products available and product installation. My window tinters and car audio guys have been doing it a long time. All of my current employees have been with us from three to 30 years.” The company doesn’t hire often, but when they do, Thomas makes sure they’ll be in it for the long haul. 

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real world retail

Renaissance Men

Utilizing every element available to them, JC Motorsports turns a profit by catering to clients through a mixture of 12-volt and aftermarket automotive services.

WORDS BY TED GOSLIN

JC MOTORSPORTS

I

n any given field, knowledge is power. The more you know, the more you power you have to serve and influence others. Such was true of many people throughout history.

Leonardo Da Vinci was a man of great fame during the late 1400s. He was a painter, sculptor, musician, mathematician, inventor, writer and astronomer, among other talents. Many historians refer to Da Vinci as the prime example of a “Universal Genius,” otherwise known as a “Renaissance Man.” Another example that fits this description is U.S. founding father Benjamin Franklin, credited with discovering electricity, inventing the bi-focal and co-writing the declaration of independence, among other achievements.

While it’s most common for so-called “geniuses” to receive this title, a “Renaissance Man” can be found in most professions, with successful men and women who develop knowledge in multiple areas in an attempt to achieve

30 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

FAST FACTS www.jcmotorsportsnj.com

greatness. Such is true for JC Motorsports, a one-stop-shop specializing not only in 12-volt products and services, but aftermarket automotive services as well.

After concluding its first year of sales with gross of $300,000, JC Motorsports followed the path it set forth by continuing to sell both 12-volt products—like car stereos, amps and speakers—and automotive products typically sold at maintenance shops like truck accessories, tires, wheels and lift kits. The shop also provides window tinting and graphic wrap services, which can produce high profit margins.

Today, the store generates $1.5 million in sales annually, despite being located in a region that’s seen dramatic business changes in recent years. Operating out of Egg Harbor City, N.J., only about a half-hour drive away from Atlantic City, JC Motorsports has had to overcome the hurdle of a fluctuating economy due to the problems associated with casino closures. Not to mention the $2 billion

JC Motorsports is a traditional retail store located at 831 West White Horse Pike, Egg Harbor City, NJ, 09215. The store is located next to a major highway that sees around 12,000 vehicles per day and is about 20 minutes outside of Atlantic City. The shop’s main marketing methods are radio, social media and word-of-mouth. The location has 7,200 square feet of space, with 6,000 dedicated to the installation bay. The company employees six full-time and two part-time staff.

KEY STAFF Joe Chiarolanza (JC) - Owner Jerry Connely - Salesman Rob Lancaster - Marketing Manager

“It’s become the store where someone can come in with a brand new Jeep, put in a full system, rhino line the entire interior, put in a lift kit, get window tinting and we’re done.

We can do everything here in one shot.”

Joe Chiarolanza, Owner, JC Motorsports

me-mag.com 31

real world retail dollar resort that recently closed due to bankruptcy, after only being open for two years.

Thanks to strong remote start sales on the 12-volt side, and an effective combination of aftermarket automotive offerings, the company has grown its staff to eight employees (six full-time, two part-time) and a building that owner Joe Chiarolanza (JC), built from the ground up with 7,200 square feet of space (6,000 of that dedicated to the installation bay, which can house up to 12 vehicles at once).

By pushing its company slogan, “If you want it, we got it!” the shop attracts a fair amount of its customers through strong radio advertising and word-of-mouth.

Although walk-ins are welcome, the shop books the majority of its business by scheduling appointments.

Located next to highway 30, which sees around 12,000 vehicles pass by per day, the store has its fair share of walk-in traffic as well.

Despite the effectiveness of his operation, JC can’t claim to have always had it all figured out. That’s especially true given the state in which he left his parents’ car after attempting his first install.

If At First You Don’t Succeed...

“I blew up my mom’s car. They went to Florida for a week. I wanted to put subwoofers in the car but fried the whole computer,” Chiarolanza said. “When they came home, the car wasn’t there. It was a brand new 1994 Honda Accord. When they came back, my dad wasn’t even mad.

He thought it was kind of neat what I was trying to do.”

His parents’ support would extend throughout his career as he pursued a degree in business and economics before opening his own video store. His parents loaned him $15,000 to open the store. “This was before Blockbusters were everywhere. Then I heard that one showed up in town and I sold it right away.”

32 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

Chiarolanza has always prided himself on his talent with handling money.

After traveling for a bit, he settled down and rented a store to try his hand running it. But due to inexperience handling employees, he decided to close the shop.

“I probably could have made it young but was more interested in girls, drinking and having fun,” he said.

After traveling for a while, in 2005 he eventually went back to N.J. to open his

own store. After selling his condo, getting another loan from his parents and a second mortgage on their home, he built his own building, where the shop resides today. “I couldn’t have done it without my parents,” he said. “It took a year and a half. We went over budget. There’s a lot you don’t think about when you’re that young.”

The shop, located near the popular convenience store Super Wawa, officially opened in the middle of 2006. The location was far enough from the three competitors in the area, but close enough to a central customer base to avoid major conflict.

“Wawas are out here and are huge. If you find a Super Wawa near you, it’s a guarantee you’ll do well,” he said. “They do so much homework on whether foot traffic and car traffic opens, that when they open, you just open next to them.”

On Display JC Motorsports has a diverse customer base, made up of about 75 percent men

and 25 percent women, with ages ranging between 16 and 75, according to Chiarolanza. Part of the customer strategy involves never turning anyone away in order to maximize profits. “If you turn them away, they may go somewhere else.

You gotta do your best to take everyone.

If it’s something big, we set everything up and then schedule an appointment,” he said.

Every visit begins with a consultation to learn what each client is looking for. Depending on the products, different approaches are taken. Consistently, the vehicle is inspected first to confirm what will and won’t work with it technologically. Sound boards are used for those seeking audio with the standard good, better, best layout for selling. Double-DIN is pushed the most for head units.

A tour is also offered occasionally, but due to the way the installation bay doors face the parking lot, that isn’t necessary, according to JC. “On normal days, our bay doors are open to the parking lot. We try not to let people wander around in there. I’ve heard too many scary stories of things going wrong.

It’s too big.”

The bay entrance consists of four 15by 12-foot wide doors. Visitors can see all that happens within the bay from the outside. “Part of the experience when you pull up is exciting. There’s lots going on; it’s not just a square building. People watch outside sometimes.”

The 6,000 square-foot installation bay includes one lift bay, a rhino booth and a wood shop and fabrication room. The bay can house six cars comfortably at one time and max out at nine vehicles if needed. “We have another shop behind the wall where the rhino bay is to fit two vehicles back there and another spot for long-term projects, which is out of the way.”

The 1,200 square-foot showroom can easily fit 30 people, with space to move around. It includes stacked products and displays throughout, with various wheels

Left to right: Salesman Jerry Connelly, Owner Joe Chiarolanza and Marketing Manager Rob Lancaster. me-mag.com â&#x20AC;&#x201A; 33

real world retail

AN ARMY OF HELP

“We are a mobile electronics shop that realized years ago that customers want to come to one store to have everything done for their vehicle.

We started Rhino Linings spray-on bedliners because they are a trusted brand name in the industry. We were able to grow the truck accessory side of the business exponentially to the point now we have more accessory business than tradition 12-volt. Tires, wheels and lift kits have become our specialty when it comes to truck accessories.

“We are the only shop in the area that you can have a Rhino liner, any truck accesoory and 12-volt product completed under the same roof.

“We purchase most of our truck accessory products through Rough Country, Toyo, Meyer and Keystone distribution.

“We will never forget about the 12-volt side of the business as we are a direct dealer for Alpine, JL Audio and Morel. We have started an aggressive advertising campaign to increase our mid to high-end car audio sales. We are currently advertising on six radio stations with over 200 spots for the next three months.

“We have a close relationship with all of our vendors including , Dominick Butta from Focused Marketing (Alpine and Audiovox rep), Casey Thorton from Morel and Angelo Cordero from Bravo Marketing (JL Audio rep).

“New products we like include Morel’s new elite titanium components, Alpine’s new 9-inch navigation unit for Jeep, and JL audio’s Micro sub enclosures.”

34 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

and tires hanging from the walls as well. A small waiting area is in place and includes four chairs, newspapers and charging stations for cell phones. “It’s not a full waiting room.

We don’t want people to sit here for five hours. They tend to have lots of questions and are constantly asking if the car is done,” Chiarolanza added. “We give them rides home or to other places as long as the destination is within a 20-minute drive.”

The shop previously had a loaner car for customers to use, but due to the high cost of New Jersey insurance regulations, JC has since stopped that practice. Instead, customers are taken home in a 2012 Chevy HHR, which is fully wrapped in the brand logo and features a solid sound system, anchored by an Alpine head unit.

During servicing, customers are offered drinks. Once work is complete, a sticker is place on the back of the vehicle, pending customer approval.

Students Of The Game In order to create the experience he wanted, Chiarolanza focused on bringing in experienced, versatile employees, rather than those who were simply experts in one particular thing. That strategy allows the shop to be more versatile with both service and staff hours, so staff can take time off when needed.

“Everyone here can do 12-volt. We hired guys who can do everything.

My background is that I can do anything except motors,” Chiarolanza said. “The idea is that anyone can be moved at any given time.”

The employees consist of five installation technicians and three sales staff, with JC acting as a floater, helping out wherever needed.

“Joe is at the store every day selling, installing and tinting. After the day is under control, he puts on his accounting hat to make sure all the T’s are crossed and I’s are dotted,” said Rob Lancaster, marketing

manager for JC Motorsports. “Joe’s advice to all 12-volt shops is that if you haven’t already, diversify into truck accessories, tires and wheels.

If you can install 12-volt, these additional categories are a no-brainer.”

Aside from JC’s vast experience in the business, Lancaster’s expertise is formidable in comparison, thanks to his 29 years in the automotive business. The experience levels at the shop also extend to the sales side, with salesman Jerry Connely having 14 years of experience as well.

Based on the variety of work the shop performs, having versatile, experienced staff pays off. While double-DIN head units, four speakers and an amp are a mainstay element, lift kits have become the shop’s bread and butter, mainly due to the mark-up profits that come with that type of work.

“It’s great money. It’s become the store where someone can come in with a brand new Jeep, put in a full system, rhino line the entire interior, put in a lift kit, get window tinting and we’re done. We can do everything here in one shot,” JC said. “That’s been the big difference where we can offer more than other shops that can only do a radio. How many places can you go and get a full-blown system and put a super charger on a car? I love doing 12-volt but a lot of these cars coming in are tough to work on.”

To prevent a competitive culture between employees, all full-time staff are salaried employees, with no commission given to sales or installation staff. However, health insurance is provided to employees along with holiday bonuses. The incentives have helped the shop maintain its core staff for the last three years.

If It Ain’t Broke...

In an age where social media campaigns represent a powerful and free option for businesses to market themselves, it might seem odd that a shop would choose to continue

me-mag.com â&#x20AC;&#x201A; 35

real world retail paying for radio advertising. But in some places, like New Jersey, broadcast advertising is still a worthwhile investment.

That may also have something to do with how the message is presented.

“We’ve been pretty happy with using radio ads for years now. It’s tough trying to pick out what’s going to get to a customer’s ear,” JC said. “But radio has by far given us our biggest reach.”

Outside of radio, the shop is trying out Google Adwords, a paid service through Google that places an ad every time a search is made that includes keywords the user can set that trigger the ad.

Aside from paid advertising, the shop reaches its considerable client database through Facebook promotions. The next such marketing campaign will focus on window tint due to the coming of summer.

“We put on a summer sidewalk sale in the parking lot. Sometimes we open up m the bay and have a live DJ and food from the local sports bar,” Chiarolanza said.

“We had a live band a couple years ago.

The install bay doors remain open during business hours to show potential customers arriving in the parking lot what work on their vehicles will look like.

A GOOD FRIDAY “One of our best marketing experiences was Black Friday last year.

It was our first time running that promotion and we did over $25,000 in sales.

“We started to plan for it in August and started by advertising with the same inserts as Best Buy. The strategy was to create urgency with the ad and design pricing to get people in the door. We had free giveaways, including free Christmas trees with a $250 purchase and free burger and beer with a $50 purchase.

“Overall, we almost doubled our goal and plan on running it every year.

We wouldn’t have done anything differently given the success of the promotion but need to change it up each year to keep it fresh.”

36 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

To sidestep any potential limits that a 12-volt-only shop might encounter, the shop expanded its product offerings to include tires, wheels and other automotive aftermarket services like window tinting and vehicle wraps.

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real world retail We try to do something different every year. A lot of customers come back to buy stuff on blowout.”

Room To Grow Since opening its doors ten years ago, JC Motorsports has made continuous improvements to its staff, facilities and business offerings. One such improvement was the addition of its first Black Friday sale this past November. “It worked a lot better than expected. I would have been happy with a random sale; we did 29K. We had people here in the lot at five in the morning. I wasn’t expecting that,” Chiarolanza said.

The shop also added vendor partners JL Audio and Alpine. “Alpine is very specific on who they’ll make a dealer.

You have to fill out a lot of paperwork and they check out every aspect of your business.”

Despite the shop’s continued growth, its biggest challenge has been staffing, according to Chiarolanza. “Getting the right people in here has been difficult. I had installers in this industry for a long time that know a lot, but attitudes were poor and didn’t mesh.”

“The Internet has been a problem as well. There’s only so much you can do,” he added. “Sell yourself, sell your store. If you have a problem, is the Internet gonna help you? Some people are so dead-set on buying it online. Everyone in our industry has the same problem with the Internet. We give no warranty for outside products.”

The store even has a code built into its computer to denote products purchased elsewhere. The code is called NBH (Not Bought Here).

The code appears in the records of all purchases to inform the staff in case a client tries to call in a warranty after six months. The company gives clients a lifetime warranty on all labor.

“Whether it’s six years, if a wire breaks, we’ll take care of you within reason. Whatever manufacturer

38 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

warranty is on a product, we’ll take care of that,” Chiarolanza said. “You’re not out of pocket on anything. But if you buy online, you’re paying more. That makes them buy from you.”

As customer loyalty grows from the shop’s good practices, so will the company, as JC hopes to expand the business in the near future by purchasing the land next door. “This is mean, but the lady that owns the house next to us is 101 years old. Her son said when she goes, we can buy it,” Chiarolanza said. “We’re going to expand to include a used car license, buy a car at an auction, deck it out and sell full finished cars. We get calls from out of state all the time asking for a specific car build. We want to go buy a car, outfit it and sell it to that customer.”

Plans are already in place for the facility to grow another 10,000 square feet.

The added space will include two more mechanical bays, engine shops, a larger parking lot, showroom and woodshop. A second location, however, isn’t part of the planning, due to how hands-on Chiarolanza is with his business.

“I want bigger. We’re bigger than the other shops in our area by four times right now. I don’t think we’d open a second location. I can’t be in two places at one time,” he said.

“I think you have to be able to do more than 12-volt anymore in this industry. You can’t just rely on the 12-volt side anymore. A lot of cars are coming with factory Bluetooth and factory nav. We have to do more things like window tint.

Some places are so set on just doing stereo. You won’t survive. Own your building, your property; the investment alone is your 401k. If I want to cash out, I can sell the whole thing and go away. When you own your own, you can do anything you want. If you have the means to own your property or building, that’s the way to go.”

Customers who need a ride home or back to work during installations receive rides in the company car, a 2012 Chevy HHR, complete with a solid sound system and wrap job with the company logo on it.

me-mag.com 39

 business feature

You’ve Got Mail Email marketing and utilizing a solid customer database to attract new business might seem like a daunting task—but it isn’t. Experts and retailers share how to keep a business at the top of your client’s minds.

WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA

I

n online marketing, it’s best to strike at the heart of the matter.

Irish playwright Oscar Wilde once said, “Don’t use big words, they mean so little.” When crafting email marketing campaigns to keep your brand top of mind, it’s important to consider simplicity so that your emails stand out.

Every day, inboxes are flooded. A catchy headline is important to increase the open rate of your emails.

Kathy Sipple of My Social Media Coach has over 20 years of marketing experience. She recommended testing email campaigns using multi-variant testing.

“That’s where you change one thing about your email campaign, a headline or graphic, or a headline inside the email itself,” she said. “Change one element of your email campaign, and you can tell

40 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

over time which version worked better for you. You can release your emails slowly over time so it will optimize your results so you know which one is performing better.”

Using a sample group and sending out carefully worded emails is a good way of researching how each email performs, and seeing which approaches are most effective. But what if you just don’t have the time?

Make The Time Jon Kowanetz of Handcrafted Car Audio in Chandler, Ariz. utilizes a database management program offered by BusinessWORX, a company that works with small retailers to help make marketing easier. Kowanetz uses QuickBooks to store customer information and

inventory. “And we’ve also been very adamant about getting every piece of information about the customer, contact info, year, make and model of their vehicle … we want everything we can get,” he said. “Then all that information stays in QuickBooks.” BusinessWORX collects the data and syncs it with their own system.

“They give us a portal so we can choose between templates or type our own, and then send it out to a customer list we define. That’s the big way we use our email lists. We don’t do any direct mailing. We’ve looked into it before—that’s one of the reasons we’ve always gotten physical mailing addresses—but we’ve done all electronic.”

With the right management system, making time for new approaches to marketing becomes much easier.

BusinessWORX supplies templates for email newsletters, many of them already written with a catchy subject line. Kowanetz simply customizes the email and schedules it for the date he wants it sent out. “I think the biggest thing is the subject line,” he added.

“And that’s one of the reasons why we are using BusinessWORX so much.

I can write fairly well, but I feel like writing to get your point across and writing to get people excited to perform an action are two different things. These guys, their subject lines are on point and we get a good response rate.”

Features That Make It Easier “Many programs have good statistics and reporting,” Sipple said, which means a business can collect information about how effective their emails are, and aim to improve them in the future. “Make sure you’re giving something of value … it’s not just an email strategy … it’s getting into the heads of the people you’re trying to serve, making sure you’re getting to know who your target audience is.”

Marketing campaigns should offer useful information to readers. Kowanetz of Handcrafted Car Audio often utilizes pre-made templates provided by BusinessWORX to send out email campaigns. “They have a lot of emails that are already written,” he said, noting how this feature makes marketing easier.

“We’re about to run one [email campaign] next month for remote starters, and it’ll have text already filled in.” The body of the email provides information on how remote starters can make life easier, and educates the consumer. “I’ll go and look at the list and say, ‘It’s going to be 100 degrees in Arizona, so people will be interested in remote starters.’ I make changes [to the email] then select date and time to schedule when the email will be sent. The dashboard shows all

the emails you’ve sent, and you can see how each one performs in comparison to the others.”

Kathy Sipple noted the importance of being respectful about what a business’s clients have opted in for. “They’ll get burnt out if they keep getting what’s perceived as wrong messaging,” she said. “Be very intentional about designing an opt-in form [if you use one], so it doesn’t feel generic, asking periodically, what do they want?

Going back through your own reporting to see what got the highest rates of open, what’s the content people want, and do more of what’s getting the high marks.”

Targeted Marketing

Handcrafted Car Audio utilizes Businessworx and Quickbooks to keep a finger on the pulse of his customers with email marketing.

Left to Right: Mike Timmins (installer), Rachel Serakas (window tinter) Dave Clews aka 12-Volt Dave (owner) and Chris Stevenson (shop manager).

In Pottsville, Pa. 12-Volt Dave’s is Schuylkill County’s only car stereo specialist, according to their Facebook page. The business also provides window tinting, remote start systems, installs interlock devices, alarms, and backup cameras. “It’s an older community here. They are more traditionally driven,” said Dave Clews, owner of 12-Volt Dave’s. The business also works with boats and ATVs, which are popular in the area.

“I’m rather infamous in some cases. I am very good friends with the publisher of the local paper, so I know the numbers they’re doing in circulation, which is why I got away from advertising with them.” Clews explained that the majority

of his clients—a targeted audience of 50-plus—aren’t interested in better sound. “They have a broken speaker they want replaced,” he said, or when it comes to backup cameras, “They’re tired of having someone back into the hedge [in their yard].”

Clews knows exactly who his target audience is, and he utilizes the marketing tools that work best for him—though he doesn’t delve into email marketing yet. The staff often discusses using it in the future. “I primarily use, and have been rather successful, with Facebook.

I’m in a small marketing area, a town of 13 to 14,000,” he said. “Word of mouth is probably one of the best things in our

me-mag.com 41

 business feature their brand top of mind.

After customizing a template BusinessWORX provides, he can schedule or begin an email camBusinessworx is a 12-volt-centric company that helps retailers paign in with database management, making ease customer retention minutes. work.

“I choose which list market area. I also have the luxury that of cusI’m the only car audio independent shop tomers I want it to go to, and it saves and in Schuylkill County.” There were others, sends it on the date and time I specify,” but they went out of business quite some he said. “We have a car show on the 16th, time ago, and now Clews “owns the so we’ll use that same interface to type up market in that sense.” a custom email and send it out. We can “I’m no newbie at it…and I’ve managed talk to Ben from BusinessWORX and say, two other locations in the area. I’ve got ‘Hey, this is our idea but we don’t know over 30 years in car audio in Schuylkill how to do it, can you do it for us?’ And County. Most people don’t know my real he does.” name,” Clews added. “I’m 12-Volt Dave. I Kathy Sipple of My Social Media Coach go out places … introduce myself as Dave suggests “a call to action that will always Clews and someone within earshot says, exist on your website,” such as a sign-up ‘That’s 12-Volt Dave!’ I’m gonna legally link to opt-in to monthly newsletter conchange my name.” tent. Follow-up emails can also be set up, To mix with the community, Clews to be sent perhaps four or five days after participates in car shows and co-chairs the initial email in a drip campaign. “You The Great Pottsville Cruise, which brings can do a lot with segmenting or customthousands of spectators and hundreds izing which email gets sent as a follow-up of vehicles. “It lets ‘car people’ know we based on open rates and clicks.” Rather understand the value of vehicles, and than thinking of the newsletter as nothowners’ love and pride in their ride,” he ing but an email, think of it as content said. “It presents the opportunity for us you’re providing your target audience. to work on classic cars and street rods Always offer value. and show vehicles. These folks usually When it comes to revenue managewant someone not only car audio edument, “the buyer is having their own cated but car enthusiast, also. It makes experience and you need to be cognizant them more comfortable knowing their of that,” Sipple said. “They just discovered prize possession is being worked on by you. They’re not ready to buy, you have someone who understands that.” to earn their trust. I want to explore your Knowing a business’s target audience website or watch a video or learn someand understanding the marketing tactics thing, and only after I’ve satisfied myself that work best for that audience is key. that you’re credible, then I’m ready to buy.”

Call To Action In Pottsville, Pa. television advertisKowanetz of Handcrafted Car Audio ing is still effective for 12-Volt Dave’s. uses a monthly email schedule to keep “I do local radio, I do some TV, and I’m

42 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

probably going to do more TV than in the past,” Clews said. “It has been effective, some of it I can sense immediately in the register. Again, it’s a small community.”

When Clews goes out, people will mention they’ve watched his ad on television.

Things are a bit different in Schuylkill County, according to 12-Volt Dave. “We’re a little behind the curve here.”

Engaging Content A marketing campaign should provide valuable information that keeps a business’s brand top of mind. “After the sale, I might want to remain engaged,” Sipple said. “If there was a cool tip I didn’t know, I’d want an email from them to let me know.” When discussing revenue management, Sipple pointed out that the marketer or business owner must attract the buyer and capture the lead.

Keep them coming back. “A one and done sale is silly,” she said. “If you know you sold equipment to someone three years ago, and that needs an upgrade, why not segment your list?” Send a note to prior customers letting them know about an upgrade. “That would be a very helpful email to people who purchased it.”

Sipple said that sending the same generic message to everyone, rather than ensuring you are targeting the proper audience and providing engaging content, may cause some recipients to ignore the email. “That wouldn’t make me want to open it,” she said. “That would make it too generic.” Tailoring emails to specific lists and providing valuable information shows you care and that “you’ve done your homework.”

It is recommended that a group of emails be released slowly over a period of time. “It will optimize your results so you know which one is performing better,” Sipple explained. “See which headline is working better. Send out one and then another with a variation … a sample set.

Optimize based on that sample set, which version should be mailed to the rest of the people. Use a sample group rather than everyone [on your list].”

Jon Kowanetz agreed that subject lines are essential. “When you’re scrolling through your emails, that’s the only opportunity you have to entice someone

to open your email,” he said. “If I see something about how I can save money or I can do something that indicates you’re selling, I almost immediately delete it. For me, the most beneficial subject lines for emails are about information, how you can help somebody with a problem, not how you can save them money or [offer] some kind of special deal. I don’t think that’s an appropriate way to market.”

But how does a business create engaging content? By providing valuable information and educating customers in every message, while avoiding the overt sales pitch. “Don’t call it an email newsletter,” Sipple advised. “Think about what value you’re creating. If you’re providing tech tips, why not just say ‘Subscribe to tech tips’? Not ‘Give me your email so I can send you sales information.’”

Marketing Strategies Many programs offer the option to share content, and if the content is truly engaging, customers will forward it to their friends. “You’ve got the opportunity to Tweet the URL or put it out there on Facebook,” Sipple explained. “You as the marketer can repurpose your email content and share it via an archive on your website, or share it yourself on social sharing. Add social sharing tools to the email itself to make it easier for people to forward or share.” Sipple also recommends utilizing the ‘Call to Action’ button available on Facebook Fan Pages so that customers and potential clients can sign up to receive content simply by clicking the button. Google Analytics can also help to show how people are finding a business.

BusinessWORX also provides these tools to shops like Handcrafted Car Audio. “We can see how effective the campaign was, track links in the email, see how those do,” Kowanetz said. “They go one step further than any company I’ve ever seen, and they give you an idea of where your customers are, which amount spends the most amount of money. It looks like Doppler radar … colors are associated with how much money they spend. It gives you an idea of where they come from, too, so you know where to

spend your marketing dollars.” Handcrafted Car Audio has a monthly email schedule, and it doesn’t take as much time as one might think. Topics are scheduled that are relevant to the time or season.

“January and February, that’s motorcycle audio,” Kowanetz said. “Marine audio is in March. Special events, like the car show on the 16th, we use that to get people in the door. It’s critical to success, being in front of your customers and always being top of mind. I don’t ever have time for that. If I sit in front of the computer, one hour, one day, I can schedule out six months of email marketing and be done with it.”

Handcrafted Car Audio enjoys steady word of mouth business. “We tried to do an incentive program before, but it didn’t seem to work, and it almost seemed to have a negative effect with people,” Kowanetz said. “Some businesses have a lot of success with that, but nobody used it in this case. We simply stay top of mind with our existing customers so if their friend happened to be talking about remote starters, they can forward the email to their friend. They don’t have any problem recommending people to us, they just don’t want to be incentivized to do it.”

For 12-Volt Dave’s, boosted advertising on Facebook, word of mouth, and television advertising is most effective.

Handcrafted Car Audio is in a large location with millions of people in surrounding cities.

“Make sure you’re giving something of value … it’s not just an email strategy … it’s getting into the heads of the people you’re trying to serve, making sure you’re getting to know who your target audience is.”

Kathy Sipple, My Social Media Coach

Both businesses work to remain top of mind.

Kathy Sipple noted that not every customer is at the same stage. “Serve up content that’s appropriate for what they need,” she said. “Not every prospect needs the same information at various stages of their journey. People who can correctly give valuable information—bearing in mind where customers are in their decision making—[they] are making it easier for people to buy from them.” 

me-mag.com 43

 behind the scenes

Building for Brothers Prominent retailers leverage their brands and reputations to offer products and services that benefit both peers and competitors.

WORDS BY JAMIE SORCHER

The simple formula of retailers operating only their stores as part of their business plan is becoming a strategy of another economic era. Today, retailers are diversifying their options from not only doing installations and selling sound products, but to operating training organizations and launching their own branded products.

What is driving this new way of doing business is a passion for the industry and the hope of reinventing and reinvigorating one’s business and oneself, as well as giving back to the 12-volt world.

The Right Fit Back in 2011, Perfectionist Auto Sound, based in Anchorage, Alaska won the coveted Mobile Electronics Retailer of the Year award. According to owner John Schwartz, it was this honor that put the retailer on the map along with being the number one Compustar retailer in the world. The next year when Schwartz taught a business class at Mobile Solutions in Tempe, Ariz. a few guys from Australia were there.

“First question they asked was why they didn’t have Compustar in Australia,”

44 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

Schwartz said. “Good idea, I told them, let’s make it happen. Daniel Gardner, owner of a retail shop called Carbon Car Systems, which is right outside of Sydney, and I talked about it and worked on it.

We formed Compustar Australia.”

It was Gardner who discovered a sound deadening product which he was successfully selling in his shop. The product, branded under the Carbon Car Systems name, was intriguing to Schwartz. “It was a beautiful product,” Schwartz said.

“And I wanted to do the same thing for Perfectionist—just bring it in and brand it under our name. The only problem was no one was going to buy it because it would have our name on it. Why would they want our name on it when they would rather have their own name on it?”

After discussions, Gardner and Schwartz knew that to sell it to other retailers, the product had to be global.

That is how SoundSkins USA was born.

With a global plan and a product that every shop could comfortably sell, it was time to bring it here to the States. Today, SoundSkins USA is a full production house. “We have a distribution point in Dallas so we can ship to everyone in the

country,” Schwartz said. “We’ve gotten a lot of traction.”

Not only is it easy for retailers to place orders and get product, but since it is a rep-less model without the need to pay commissions, Schwartz can keep the costs low.

Exciting Possibilities “Okay, we’re talking about sound deadening which is pretty boring,” Schwartz said. “It’s the first thing that goes in a car. It gets covered up with carpeting and you never see it again.”

To entice retailers to think about what the product could do for them, Schwartz opted to ship first, ask questions later.

“We shipped samples last December,” Schwartz said. “But instead of cold calling everyone and saying ‘Hey, I’ve got this new sound deadening product. It’s really unique. What do you think?’ … I made a big investment.”

The first shipment brought into the country was 100 rolls. “I shipped a roll to each of the top 100 shops in the country,” Schwartz said. “I didn’t call them. I didn’t tell them. I just shipped it to them. When the next shipment came in, we did that

with another 100 guys. For retailers, I sent them exactly what comes out of the box.

For do-it-yourself customers, we created a folder and cut up a sample 8- by 8-foot square. Once retailers and these other customers saw Perfectionist was attached to it, it gave the product some credibility.”

The response has been positive, according to Schwartz.

A big reason is because the product is truly unique. “It combines three layers of material—butyl rubber, foil, and acoustic foam,” he said.

“When you get serious about sound deadening—and it is the foundation of the sound system—it allows you to make the environment quieter so you can control more things.”

By combining the three elements in one product, Schwartz said, he is ultimately helping installers save time. SoundSkins also comes in large 20- by 79-inch sheets.

“Instead of laying down rolls one at a time, you only have to do the install once,” Schwartz said. “We made really large sheets so you can almost go on the floor from the front wall to the back seat in one run instead of doing square, square, square, square.”

For marketing, Perfectionist is relying on the old principle that a picture says a thousand words. Nowhere is that better employed than on Instagram where Schwartz said he is getting exposure for the product.

“I love giving shout-outs,” he said. “Every shop that sends me pictures, I shout them out. We had a dealer in California who sent me a picture that I posted on my Facebook page and he got 881

likes. So now 881 folks know who he is. So what does that do for the retailer? Well, they get super excited because they get all these likes. And for the big picture, when is the last time you got excited about sound deadening? So we’re making sound deadening cool, and everyone wants to be part of the club.”

Another big selling point for retailers is the hassle-free nature of the product. “We are dealing with a consumable product,” Schwartz said.

“Once it goes in, it’s stuck to the floor. You’re not going to have someone rip it up, send it back, and say it’s broken. It doesn’t break.”

For now, Schwartz is excited to continue getting the product out in the market. “I’d love to see us hit 1,000 stores and it doesn’t have to be only in the U.S.,” he said.

SoundSkins was created for installers by installers. It features denser foam to block more outside noise while still eliminating echo and vibrations.

Spreading The Sound Gospel Looking ahead, he’s already got some new products in development. All of them are within the same category.

“One thing that keeps Perfectionist unique is that we haven’t expanded into a lot of different areas,” Schwartz said. “A lot of shops around the country get worried when things get slow. So they start bringing in something else.

They do window tints or bed liners or truck accessories.

They start spreading their business wide. So then the problem is you’re really wide, but you have no depth. So with Perfectionist, I never opened a second store. We never did window tints or bed liners. We stick to what we know. We’re really good at audio. We’re really good

Founded in 2014, SoundSkins is designed to improve the sound quality of a vehicle’s speakers.

me-mag.com 45

 behind the scenes at remote start. And we’re really good at lighting. So we stay very pure to who we are. And we have a lot of depth.”

With two new products set for introduction soon, Schwartz is excited to expand the product line and keep the momentum going. “My goal right now is to get more exposure for SoundSkins and get people to love it as much I love it,” he said.

training business started simply because guys were asking questions at events and Car audio dealers can always benefit reaching out to him for advice. from training, but who better to teach “They wanted to know more about them than someone who knows the tricks how we do things at our store,” Kranitz of the trade and how to avoid those nasty said. “Then it turned into people asking pitfalls? if I could come train them in their stores Kingpin University, founded by Jason and then that blossomed into starting Kranitz, owner of Wilsonville, Ore.-based a full-fledged training company within Kingpin Car and Marine Audio, said his Kingpin.”

From there, Kranitz said, folks at the trainings saw the templates the installers were using and wanted to know if they sold them.

“It just naturally spun off into people coming to my trainings, seeing the templates that I used, and then wanting to know if we sold them—which at the time we didn’t,” Kranitz said. “The templates were just what we used in-house. But then I started reproducing and selling them which has created a whole other category where I am now continuing to look at improvements and what shops need. We’re getting into offering more of the tooling aspects—parts and pieces, consumables—that guys are having a hard time sourcing out.”

Kranitz said the trainings have been well received and can benefit retailers.

Many shops, he said, shy away from doing Kingpin University is offering quarterly training classes at the retailer’s custom work because they don’t believe headquarters. Here, some attendees are learning essentials about trunk builds. they can make any money.

“Guys don’t know how to bid the jobs properly and to stay within their budgets,” he said. “People have a tendency to overbill instead of billing just for what was built out. We can teach them a faster, more productive way of doing the installations and that can include the products, materials, techniques and time management.”

With a serious rollout at April’s KnowledgeFest, Kranitz said he was ready to take the Kingpin University concept to the next level and start heavily promoting it.

“We’re remodeling the store to facilitate a larger classroom so we will have a dedicated area,” Kranitz said. “When we first started these sessions, it snowballed very fast. To manage the issue of being gone all the time doing trainings at other shops, it was easier to do it on site here Hard work has paid off for these students at the Advanced Trunk Build Class. and have more scheduled classes.”

46 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

All The Right Tools

Kingpin University is now holding trainings once a quarter and Kranitz said that having them at his location benefits the attendees much more than when he visits them at their shops. “It is definitely a hard cycle to break because folks typically want you to come to their store, but then you’re working with equipment you’re not used to, with a different set-up, and you have to end up bringing stuff in … and they’re trying to run a retail store while doing this onsite training,” Kranitz explained.

For the quarterly classes, Kranitz expects between 15 to 25 attendees. He plans to max it out at 25 so the proper attention can be given to each student.

Also new are two-day, three-day and fourday options with guest teachers part of the mix as well.

“It’s more than just fabrication,” Kranitz said. “Sales is part of it too, so we show them what to do and how to sell the products. So it’s all-encompassing—sales, billing and fabrication in one shot.”

Kranitz also has some templates that retailers can reproduce. “I’ve got some circle jigs and a small selection of templates. That is expanding and we will have some prototypes that will be introduced. Then we have some things with tooling in the works. I’m talking about supply things. Metal mesh, for example.

Some guys are having a hard time getting involved in that so we’re going to offer metal mesh and some basic install parts and pieces. Down the line, there will be some router bits and router bit sets.”

Passing The Push-Back Just back from KnowledgeFest where he held two classes and manned a booth, Kranitz is working on the new Kingpin University website with class information and an online store with a shopping cart to make it easier for retailers to get the info and get signed up. Scheduled launch time was May 1.

Then he just has to figure out how to battle the objections and old-school mentality that holds some installers and owners back from doing trainings like this.

“When it comes to owners, some of them can’t see the value,” Kranitz said.

“They’re so concerned that their technicians are going to leave and, yes, that is a valid concern. Maybe the technicians need to sign some kind of document that if they do this kind of training and leave the company within a year, they would have Jason Kranitz, owner of Kingpin University, teaches a to pay the money class at KnowledgeFest Spring Training. back.”

An even bigger concern for shop owners is that they’re going to lose a technician for four or five days of production. Add to that the airfare, cost of the classes, and the wages that have to be paid even though the employee is not technically working, and it is an expensive proposition.

But Kranitz said the hurdle has to be overcome. “Owners have to understand the value of investing in their crew,” he said. “The easy heydays of the 90s and early 2000s are gone. We are in an industry that is moving toward more skilled John Schwartz, owner of professionals. Owners need to get on Soundskins, speaks about his board with that because investing in their product on the floor of the Mobile employees makes their stores better.”

Electronics Show at KnowledgeFest Once owners pull the trigger and send Spring Training. someone out to training, Kranitz said the results speak for themselves. “They come which I can’t really talk about, but I back motivated, rejuvenated and excited. am creating something from scratch.

All of a sudden they’re selling more stuff Something like a speaker and amplifier, and their tickets are going up because something down that path, for a category they have a passion about it.” in our industry. I can sell it not only to 12-volt stores or technicians, but also it And For His Next Trick will be completely launched out as a conBesides Schwartz and Kranitz, several sumable to the general public. It has been other retailers have made the leap to two years in the making.” manufacturing products, including Eric But for now, the trainings are what M. Carter of Cartronix, who has patented Kranitz is most excited about. “I have a new type of soldering device called, been in this industry for 22 years and “Fast Solder”. Considering the number I love that I have been able to make a of possibilities available in the industry career of it,” he said. “The trainings have for new products, business owners like taught me how fulfilling it is to take the Kranitz are already working on expandthings I have struggled with and share ing their operations on new products and that knowledge that no one shared with services. me. There is nothing more fulfilling than “I have some pokers in the fire,” he being able to teach what I have said. “I am working on a consumable learned.” 

me-mag.com 47

 installs

Built To Impress

SUBMITTED BY JEFF CANTRELL, JC AUDIO, JACKSON, TENN. JC Audio participated in an annual car show put on by the local radio station group this past March. The show had 107 registered cars and drew in several thousand people from the area who came to see some of the nicest rides around. To impress the crowd, the shop showcased a 1990 Chevrolet Silverado build, that featured a full active system with iPad integration and custom install including dash plates, kick panels, full console, and rear wall panel. Due to time constraints, Cantrell got help from past Installer of the Year, Jason Kranitz to complete the build, which took only five days to finish.

Amplifiers were mounted on a steel amp rack inside the console, highlighted by pressed metal grills that match those in the kick panels and dash panels. Audio equipment used included a Sony MEXX100BT receiver, Audison BitOne amplifier, JL Audio XD800/8 and JL Audio XD600/1 amps, Phoenix Gold SX110D4 subwoofer and Hertz HSK163.4 component speakers. Stinger wiring and interconnects were used with a SPP1500DC Stinger Battery. A Compustar 7000 Alarm/Remote Starter was also installed.

48 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

me-mag.com â&#x20AC;&#x201A; 49

 installs

MONSTER FROM MEXICO SUBMITTED BY RICARDO RANGEL, MONSTER BY RANGEL, MEXICO CITY, MEXICO Mexican shop, Monster by Rangel, needed a demo vehicle that captured its shop’s theme. To do so, it created the “Monster Wagon,” from this Volkswagon sedan.

It features an Audiofrog three-way active frontstage GB10, GB25 and GB60 running from two JL audio Slash 300/4v3 amplifiers. The trunk features two Audiofrog GB12 subwoofers running from a JL audio 1200/1v3 amplifier. The head unit is a Pioneer DEX-P99RS.

50 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

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me-mag.com â&#x20AC;&#x201A; 51

 tech today

PART

2

PASSENGER FOOTWELL ENCLOSURES

The second part of installation expert Joey Knapp’s discussion of footwell enclosures covers the back half of the process, including construction, installation and finishing touches.

WORDS BY JOEY KNAPP

Joey Knapp, Installation Expert

I

n the previous article we discussed adding bass to an audio system and the challenges that go along with that. We zeroed in on the footwell enclosure, an often overlooked option for adding bass to a car with limited space.

Now let’s look at construction of a footwell enclosure. We are going to look at a

52 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

build from start to finish in a BMW 135i Convertible. As we discussed in the last article, convertibles can be excellent candidates for footwell enclosures. This car was a perfect example.

We had the client’s permission to cut the carpet in this car, so it was time to do a little reconnaissance. I took apart the

necessary trim pieces so I could pull back the carpet in the footwell area. Typically, removing the passenger kick panel trim and a fastener or a clip or two will let you pull the carpet back. If the carpet is very difficult to pull back, and you know you have all of the fasteners removed, there is a possibility that it has a large piece

of foam attached to the back of it. That was the case in this car.

While it is more of a headache initially, the space the foam takes up ends up paying dividends in available airspace. Once the carpet is pulled back, make sure there is nothing in the area that would hinder you from using that location. I haven’t run across anything yet, but always look. You never know what you might find.

At this point I usually decide how the carpet will need to be cut. In the case of one of the NSX enclosures, I was able to cut two lines in the carpet and have it lay flat.

In the event that the enclosure was ever removed, the carpet could be repaired. I don’t think it would look perfect, but both cuts were in molded corner seams, so it wouldn’t be too bad. For this car I cut out a conservative area of carpet and foam. The foam ended up being even thicker than I initially thought!

Determining Factors With the carpet addressed, it was time to bring the subwoofer in the car. Now I had a good idea of what I was dealing with.

The main goal at this point is to determine how far out the enclosure will have to be molded to fit the subwoofer. Check with the client to see what their expectations are when it comes to subwoofer orientation. I had a client that wanted the baffle for the subwoofer to be completely perpendicular to the floor. I was not very excited about this, as angling the baffle gives the enclosure more of a factory look. We always have to keep in mind that it is the client’s car and not ours, and sometimes what they want isn’t what we would want! This BMW was really a best case scenario. The subwoofer fit almost completely in the cutout area.

The enclosure only had to extend the footwell area about an inch

and a quarter. Now that I had determined roughly how far out the subwoofer would have to be, it was time to get to work.

The most space—and time— efficient method of fabrication I have found is to fiberglass the back side of the enclosure, and use a wood baffle for the front.

The first step of the fabrication process is to tape up the area that will be fiberglassed. I normally use two-inch Green 3m autobody tape. Tesa also sells a wide, green protective tape that is supposed to be a faster way to protect surfaces for fiberglassing. I have not had a chance to work with that yet, however. Tape up the area that will be fiberglassed thoroughly. Make sure the tape overlaps at least ¼-inch 3/8-inch to keep the area sealed.

This is not the time to try and cut corners by skimping on tape.

One leak through the tape can be disastrous. Take your time. Make sure everything in the immediate area is completely covered. If the shape is more complex, sometimes I will go back and add an additional layer of tape just to be safe. The pocket left by the foam in this BMW was taped over twice because of the large gap between the carpet and the floor. I wanted the additional protection and rigidity that two layers of tape provides. Once you have the area taped well, expand your tape area by a few inches. This will provide a good surface to tape down the protective plastic. You probably guessed it already, but the next step is to apply protective plastic to the area. There are a number of different products that work well for this. We typically use an autobody grade plastic which comes in large rolls. The plastic uses static electricity to cling to the panels it rests on. It is important to tape it sealed in the area around the fiberglass zone, though. I will add a few pieces of

I was surprised to find such a large area hiding behind the carpet!

It can’t get much better than this. The speaker fit in the space that was left after cutting the carpet and foam out.

It is critical to make sure all the areas of the car that might come in contact with resin are protected. me-mag.com 53

ď&#x192;Ž tech today

Black resin tint is used to give the fiberglass a more finished look.

Duraglass is used to fit the enclosure to the car for a perfect fit. tape to spots where I might be concerned about it coming loose.

Stepping Back This is normally the part of the build where I step back and take a look at the area. I get a rough idea of where the

54â&#x20AC;&#x201A; Mobile Electronics ď&#x201A;Ť May 2016

outer boundaries of the enclosure will be and how it will be shaped. I knew that this car was going to use a flat, angled baffle, and that it only needed to protrude out about 1.25-inch. I then take a sharpie and draw a line on the taped area, outlining where I will want the box to extend

to. Note, use a black Sharpie marker if you are using nontinted resin. If you are tinting the resin black, use a silver Sharpie marker. This line accomplishes two things. First, it lets you know how much to fiberglass in the car. Without the line, you are just guessing how far you need to fiberglass. If you guess that it needs to come out further than necessary, you have just wasted some fiberglass. If you guess it will be shorter than it really is, you will have to go back and add more fiberglass. Neither is a good result.

Second, when you finish your layup and remove the mold from the car, the line will be visible in the fiberglass, which will let you know where to trim the mold. The last step in this phase of the project is an important one. Double-check the area you will be fiberglassing. Make sure there are no areas that extend outwards further than the opening that you will be pulling the mold out of. Fortunately, I have never run into this problem, but I have heard of people who molded part of an enclosure in a car, and the mold became trapped by the car. That is something you definitely would want to know up front. If it looks like there is part of the mold that would lock it into the car, modify that part. This can be done easily by cutting a piece of cardboard to make the area smaller, taping over it, and then taping it in place. I made sure in this BMW that the carpet and foam was cut so that the outside perimeter larger than the inside.

Protective Layers Depending on whom you talk to, or who taught you, or what you have

developed on your own, the next step could look different.

What I do next is use a mold release wax and coat the area. The mold release wax is different than regular car wax in that it has a higher melting point. This becomes important when we are dealing with the elevated temperatures of curing resin.

It would be horrible to have the wax, which is supposed to keep the resin from sticking to the tape, melt away! Let this layer of wax dry/haze for a while. Then, with a clean cloth or towel, buff the area, like you Always make sure to check and double-check fitment of the enclosure into the car. would buff the wax off a car. I normally repeat this process one or two times, depending on the complexity of the shape I am molding.

With the area prepped and ready for fiberglass, it’s time to prepare to glass! I have used two different ways to fiberglass footwell enclosures. The first is the most basic, and the one I will discuss in this article. Start by tearing up fiberglass mat into three or four square inch pieces.

Make sure to have enough to cover the area with at least seven layers. It is very inconvenient to be in the middle, of fiber-glassing the area and realize you are out of mat. Prepare more than you think you will need. Go ahead and put the squares in a box and take them to the car.

Position the box in a manner that leaves you room to get to the area to be fiberglassed, but is still easily accessible.

During this step, I will put on my respirator and some nitrile gloves. I will put on three or four pairs at the start of the job. Having multiple pairs of gloves they mix in the MEKP. I don’t ever want but for a job like this, there isn’t much on allows you to remove a pair if your to take the chance of getting it wrong, concern about any warping. 1.5 percent hands get too messy. This is a great trick. so I always measure what I am mixing. I isn’t really aggressive enough to cause too All gloved up, it’s time to mix the resin. I normally go for about 1.5 percent ratio. much heat build up anyway. One thing know some people that just guess when 1 percent is the recommended mixture, you can do to look out for your clients

me-mag.com 55

 tech today

A chamfer was added to the inside edge of the speaker opening to create a nice visual effect.

is to use a styrene mask additive with your resin. I have purchased the mask from Mobile Solutions in the past. The mask has a grape flavor that helps to tone down the potentially offensive odor of the fiberglass. It doesn’t get rid of the strong fumes, but it really does help. Another step you can take if you want to make your enclosures look a little nicer is to add a tint to the resin. The resin tints are very concentrated, so it only takes a little bit to tint enough resin for an enclosure. This makes tinting the resin a very affordable and time-saving option to make the back of the enclosure black, when compared with painting.

Mix And Match

The factory carpet used on the enclosure really helps to “sell” this as an OEM looking enclosure.

Tucked away up under the dash, the enclosure is barely noticeable. It adds huge sonic benefits to this audio system.

56 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

With the mixing done, we take our mixture and a 2-inch chip brush and make our way to the car. The first step for me is to always paint the resin over the area I will be glassing. This helps make saturating the fiberglass mat easier. The resin also helps hold the mat on any areas that are vertical or even inverted.

With the area painted I begin sticking on the pieces of mat. I like to start at the top and work my way down. By the time I am toward the bottom of the space, enough resin has dripped down to make saturating the mat below easy. I make sure that I do sections at a time. The mat needs to become completely saturated by the resin. When that has happened, you’ll be able to see it. If you still see parts that are white, they haven’t fully saturated. A great way to make sure the mat gets saturated is to use a resin roller. Resin rollers have a number of ribs on them that help to force the resin into the glass. Fiberglass mat is held together by a binding agent.

The binding agent is broken down by styrene in the polyester resin. The effect of rolling it

helps the styrene efficiently break down the binder. What that means to you is that once the binder releases the glass, it is more pliable and will more smoothly conform to the surface you are applying it to. This results in a nicer fiberglass layup!

Now we should have the surface covered with one full layer of fiberglass mat. Repeat that process six or seven more times.

In situations where the spot is very difficult to access, like the NSX footwell, I have applied three or four layers of mat, and then removed the mold from the car and added more layers outside.

Three or four layers are more than enough for the mold to keep its shape. Adding the layers outside of the vehicle can sometimes be much more comfortable, but it isn’t as efficient.

Over The Hurdle The hard work in the car is now over. Hopefully in a few hours you have a mold ready to remove from the car. Always wait until the mold has cured before trying to remove it. Once out of the car you can remove all of the tape from the back of the enclosure. If you did a good job waxing the area, this should be a fairly easy task.

With all the tape cleaned off you can go ahead and trim the excess fiberglass on the rough cutline left by the Sharpie marker transfer. I normally do this with an airsaw and a fairly rough-toothed blade.

The next step is to make the baffle for the woofer. Since our mold fits the car, the baffle needs to fit within the mold. To make the baffle I will normally place the mold upside down—open side facing down—on a piece of wood and trace the outline of the mold.

Then I will use an AccuScribe tool to reduce the line by the thickness of the fiberglass. I then cut out the piece of wood.

The small size of the enclosure meant that the OEM floormat would still fit the way it had before.

Oftentimes I will need to taper parts of the back side of the piece, if the mold tapers inward. This is easily done with a 3-inch grinder loaded with a 36 grit disc. Once the baffle fits into the mold I place both pieces back in the car. With the mold in place, I center and level the baffle, typically making it perpendicular to the door sill. With the baffle in place, I use a Sharpie to mark the perimeter of the baffle on the mold.

Now we are going to prepare the baffle and attach it to the mold. First, we need to trim the mold to the new perimeter line. Once the mold is trimmed we are going to need a hole in the baffle for the subwoofer. Sometimes we might even need the subwoofer to recess into the baffle. In the case of this build, where we’re using a Illusion Audio Carbon subwoofer, we need an extra recess area.

The Illusion subwoofers have the magnet located on the top of the subwoofer pole piece. The arrangement means the subwoofer can be very shallow, but also that the height above the mounting plane is taller than a normal subwoofer. A few spacer rings and a baffle for the subwoofer to mount on are all that are needed to address this. Always double-check the fitment of the baffle, speaker ring and speaker before going further.

The owner of this BMW now has great sounding bass with the top up or down, without having to sacrifice any useable space.

I have seen the attachment of the baffle to the mold done a few different ways. I have never had any problems with enclosure integrity, so I do it this way, which is quick and easy. I make a mixture of Duraglass and fiberglass resin to glue the baffle to the mold. I add enough resin to make the mixture the rough consistency of pudding. When the mixture is right, I add in the hardener and then apply a thick bead of it around the baffle perimeter on the mold. The baffle then gets pressed into place. You should have the mixture squeezing out of the front and the back of the baffle. I used a gloved finger to smooth the mixture into the corners on the inside of the enclosure.

The front-side excess can be cleaned away with a body filler spreader. This mixture is then given a chance to harden.

was to use the piece of carpet that I had cut from the floor to cover some of the enclosure. So it would look like it blended into the car, I used the carpet on the outer edges. The rest of the enclosure was covered in a matching black vinyl. To match the height of the carpet and vinyl, I added an additional layer of wood to the enclosure face. This created a recess for the carpet to sit in, and a place for the edge of the vinyl to terminate.

The final part of any footwell build is to make a grill to protect the speaker.

This is critical. No matter how good the subwoofer is, none of them sound good with a foot through them. This enclosure got a simple round insert grill. It was made with a few layers of MDF. The backside was rabbeted to allow the grill mesh

Final Fit

to mount from underneath. I added a

With the enclosure and baffle mated together, I now needed to do a final fit of the assembly into the car. I taped up the perimeter of the enclosure area again and installed the enclosure. I then used Duraglass to backfill the enclosure in the areas in which it was contacting the car. This gave me a perfect fit.

We were unable to get a matching carpet for this enclosure, so I came up with a plan that allowed a good match and some additional accents. My plan

chamfer to the opening of the enclosure, around the perimeter of the grill, to give the area more definition.

If you have built a footwell enclosure before, you know what a great tool they can be to keep in your “toolbox”. If you haven’t, I encourage you to keep your eye out for situations where they might be useful. They are not for every client nor every build, but when the time is right they can be a lifesaver. 

me-mag.com 57

µ guest editorial

Employee Motivation – Whose Job is It, Anyway?

“Whose job is it to keep you motivated?”

If someone were to pose this question to any employee at any place of business, you would think that most often, the response would be, "It's my job to keep myself motivated." But, in reality, the most frequent answer is, "It's my boss's job."

Surprised? Don't be. In an ideal world, motivation would come exclusively from within—especially if the employee is a “mobile electronics or sound geek.” More often than not, however, it's up to you as owner or manager to maintain high morale on your team.

Smart to Care This may seem like an overwhelming task. Or, you may feel you can’t be bothered with worrying about whether your employees are happy. But if you are smart, you will care about it.

Motiving Employees – Not a Daunting Task The key to employee motivation is quite simple: Create a great place to come to work each day, and be a great boss. Be the type of person people want to have as their boss!

Why Care?

Regardless of the size of your business, it isn't just the quality of the products you sell, great installation, a smart competitive strategy and a strong cash flow that are vital to its success. To experience long-term, sustainable growth, you need every team member to be motivated to perform like a winning pit crew—in which each member is dedicated to helping you, the driver of the business, to win the race.

In today’s highly competitive world, having a great team is not optional. It’s critical to your success. You don’t have to have a Harvard MBA to know why. Today’s customers have higher expectations, are more discriminating, and more “service-savvy” than ever.

Can You Give Someone Motivation?

Many people believe that it up to an individual to motivate his or herself. But as stated, it’s up to you to keep your team pumped. It takes time, energy, patience and acceptance of the fact that although you are the “boss” it doesn’t mean you automatically get respect from those you hire. You have to EARN it.

Avoid “Bad-Boss” Behaviors To earn respect, avoid the following behaviors: Micromanagement/ bureaucratic management style – Competent and talented people need little supervision. If their boss micromanages, they feel as though they aren’t trusted or respected.

Insincerity – If the boss gives lip service, employees will never gain trust. Most can see right through it.

Do as I say, not as I do – If a boss insists employees treat customers well then that same person doesn’t treat employees well, they will have an unhappy workplace.

58 Mobile Electronics  May 2016

Inaccessibility – Whether an owner or manager intentionally brushes off employee concerns or is too busy, the message is the same: The boss doesn’t care enough about people to give them their attention.

Tolerates bad behavior– If a boss lets an employee get away with negativity, lack of teamwork, lack of professionalism, or other such behaviors they are setting themselves up for far worse problems. Other team members will wonder why the boss doesn’t do something about it.

Unappreciative – Everyone wants to be appreciated.

If they are not, their performance will diminish over time. The boss will wonder why they had a strong work ethic when they first started working at the company, but lost their enthusiasm.

Unequal distribution of work –Bad bosses have a tendency to punish employees for good performance by giving them more than their share of the work.

No conflict resolution – A good boss nips problems in the bud. A bad boss does not.

How to Earn Respect – Five Key “Respect Builders” Unless you have made the mistake of hiring someone with a bad attitude, you can earn respect through key Respect Builders.

1. Display the values of honesty and integrity, and show respect for others.

2. Treat your employees as well as you treat your customers.

3. Set the example for your employees to follow.

4. Ask for and strive for excellence in all you do.

5. Thank people for their hard work.

Heard it All Before?

Sure you have. We all have. But do you do the things that keep teams motivated? Knowing what you should do, and actually doing it are two very different things. Sometimes we have good intentions, and get caught up in the “inertia” of the business and forget these basic principles of good management. But you can’t.

To make a difference in your business, build respect on a daily basis. Consistently strive to build strong management/employee relationships and high morale. Ask for your team’s ideas and opinions, and celebrate every success. Make your team members feel they are working with you and not for you. If your team members feel they are working for you, they will likely consider their mobile electronics job as a means to get a paycheck in a very cool way—nothing more.

Employee motivation involves a great deal more. Far too many business owners and managers are too consumed with the bottom line, and neglect this very important aspect of business success. Don’t be one of them.

For now, simply ask yourself this question: Would you work for YOU?

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