Mobile Electronics Magazine April 2017 by Mobile Electronics

April 2017

me-mag.com

! b o J pin g in e K t d i le s s e ir n h An Idoors and non-industryying environment bu d e s Locked u c o f r e m create a custo

ISSUE

Triple Assist: Cedarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 3 Brands keep drivers informed and aware

PLUS:

Looking for Installers? 3 Steps to Landing Top Talent - p. 6 SoReal Panamera: Stealth Sound for a Speedster - p. 56

optimize your senses

RVC910

RVC1100

RVC1500

RVC180B

Wide Viewing, 120º view, 0.3 Lux

OEM look, Stick On mount super wide, 160º view

Mini Surface Mount Camera Incredible Low Light !

Split Screen 180º Rear/Front Camera

BACKUP CAMERA TECHNOLOGY ! IR LICENSE PLATE CAMERA WITH “DRS” ACTIVE PARKING ASSIST LINES

NEW !

No OBD Connection Required !

RVCLPM (Chrome) RVCLPMB (Black Chrome)

RVC800LPWIRB (Black) RVC800LPWIR (Chrome)

License Plate Camera 120º view

IR License Plate Camera 120º view

“DRS” active parking assist lines !

“DRS” active parking assist lines show car turning trajectory

TLP100IRBL

High sensitivity 1/3″ DSP color CCD Lux 0.3 @ F2.0 140° viewing angle

UNIVERSAL HEADS UP DISPLAY NEVER TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD

ON STAR ! OE STYLE REARVIEW MIRROR WITH BUILT IN 4.3” LCD (MANUAL DIMMING)

• 4.3” LCD Rear View Mirror with OnStar ! • Manual Dimming • Includes Cable Adaptor • Adjustable Parking Lines

NEW ! Adjustable Parking Lines

RVMMMDOS

OE STYLE REARVIEW MIRROR with Built In 4.3” LCD (Auto or Manual Dimming)

NEW !

Auto Dimming !

Rear View Mirror Monitor

RVM430NG

RVM430MMD RVM430MAD

Adjustable Parking Lines

5” Display with bluetooth to android smartphone function HUD500BT

OEM GRADE MICROWAVE BLINDSPOT SENSOR SYSTEM

3” Display

HUD300

USB POWERED PODS AND EXTENTIONS

• Installs behind bumper so no holes • OEM Quality • Clean Look • Waterproof IP67 • Easy to Install Not Ultrasonic

Microwave Radar will work in rain, snow and even through mud !

Dual USB Power Output

Dual USB Power POD with Mount

12 VDC Input

Round flush mount

Dual 2.1A / 2.1A Output

USBD12V

1 amp & 2.1 amp USB output

USBR12V

Indicator LED Lights

BSS300R

Volt Meter

DVM100/DVM200

HDMI / USB Extension

USBRHDMI

u o y e Ar

. . . y d Rea

10.2” OR 17” WIDESCREEN FLIPDOWN WITH WIFI STEAMING

10.2” MOTORIZED FLIPDOWN MONITOR WITH WIFI • Built in Wireless Wifi HD receiver • USB Input • AV + HDMI inputs • Wireless FM transmitter • Led Dome lights • IR Remote control • Wireless IR headphone transmitter • Motorized Auto (Up / Down)

( ( ( ((

Wirelessly Stream !

1080 HD Content from your smartphone

NEW ! (

• Built in Wireless Wifi HD receiver • Built in SD card player • Audio Video inputs • Wireless IR headphone transmitter • Wireless FM transmitter • Led Dome lights • IR Remote control

10.2”

1080 HD Content from your smartphone

(

AXFD102MHDWF

17900 Crusader Ave, Cerritos, CA 90703 USA (800) 788-1212 (562) 809-5090

NEW !

9”

Your HDMI Cable Here

((

(((

DVD9850

(

IR Transmitter

AH-IRXHDMI

IR Receiver

(

Interchangeable color skins (Gray & Tan)

IR REPEATER OVER HDMI CABLE

(( (

NEW !

10.2”

17”

AXFD102HDWF

CAR ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM WITH BUILT-IN DVD PLAYER / GAME CONTROLLER • High Resolution Digital Panel • Works in all type of Cars • Multimedia DVD Player • Supports 3-In-1 SD Card Slot, USB, DVD • HDMI Input • Game Controller and remote • Slim Design • Touch Button Controls • Dual IR Wireless Headphone Transmitter Built-in

( ( ( ((

Wirelessly Stream !

Volume 34// Issue 4

Ad Index

14 FEATURES 14 // What’s Happening: KnowledgeFest Manufacturer Trainings

Retailers from around the country flock to KnowledgeFest every year for networking and educational opportunities, but one of its best aspects lies in the manufacturer trainings offered. This year’s trainings offer insight into the latest products and services that retailers can use to boost sales in 2017.

28 // Real World Retail: Kingpin Car & Marine Audio

Accele Electronics...................................... p. 2 & ®3 Alpine ........................................................................ p. 9 AudioControl ....................................................... p. 21 EchoMaster ......................................................... p. 12 Elettromedia : Hertz ....................................... p. 43 Escort ...................................................................... p. 11 Firstech: DroneMobile ...................................... p. 5 Harman: Infinity ................................................ p. 59 InstallerNet .......................................................... p. 51 JL Audio ................................................................. p. 25 K40 Electronics ................................................. p. 31 Kicker ..................................................................... p. 27 Kenwood ................................................................. p. 7 Orca: Focal/Mosconi/Illusion ..................... p. 13 Memphis Audio .................................................. p. 15 Metra: Axxess .................................................... p. 17 Mobile Electronics .......................................... p. 49 Scosche ................................................................ p. 34 SiriusXM ............................................................... p. 35 Sony ....................................................................... p. 37 Soundskins.......................................................... p. 45 Voxx: Advent ...................................................... p. 60 Wirez ..................................................................... p. 44

Staying true to oneself is arguably the cornerstone of a retailer’s business model. For Jason Kranitz and his award-winning shop, that idea couldn’t be more true, with the concept reflected in his appointment-only and grassroots employee training strategies.

38 // Behind the Scenes: Cedar Electronics (Cobra/Escort/Beltronics)

The multi-branded company has made its name with high quality electronics, including its popular Escort radar detectors. This year it makes its play to enhance its brand even further with innovative new products designed to change the game.

42 // Strategy & Tactics: Getting The Most From Tax Refunds

Everyone who pays taxes knows the stress involved in preparation and submission of their W-2’s. But there’s a great feeling when you get that tax return check in your hand. Retailers share their strategies on how to get consumers to put those checks to good use.

46 // Tech Today: The Showcase Build, Part 4

Installation expert Joey Knapp complete four-part feature on his 2016 SEMA Show Porsche Cayenne build by explaining his fabrication of a surfboard holding assembly, rear bracket installation and final steps.

42 ARTICLES 18 Retail News/Who’s Who 54 Installs

On the Cover

Great covers come from unique identities and concepts, which always stems from strong people. Jason Kranitz makes that easy by being such a strong personality, along with his shop and staff at Kingpin Car & Marine Audio. Retailers should take notes from Kranitz, who has built his brand from his personality and beliefs, which include the concepts of continuous improvement and innovation. Kranitz will be at KnowledgeFest Spring Training to further those causes. COVER DESIGN: ROBIN LEBEL

4 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

DEPARTMENTS 6 Editor’s Forum 8 Feedback 10 Stats 12 Helpful Stuff 22 Hot Sellers 58 From The President

facebook.com/MobileElectronics

editor’s FORUM YOUR NEXT GREAT INSTALLER

Want to solve your bay shortage? The answer may have just walked through your door. What is the No. 1 concern for just about any retailer in this industry? Finding qualified people; particularly qualified installers. I’ve got the answer for you. But you’ll need to read on. We used to have a plethora of schools and vocational programs that taught installers the basics. Guys could (relatively) easily get loans or grants to attend these schools and walk out with MECP certification, and barring those few “I ‘m certified -I know everything” types, could find a job at a shop. Today, the economy has dictated that only those who can strongly impact a store’s bottom line through high-level installation expertise are worth spending money to train. Even KnowledgeFest fails at getting entry level installers because storeowners don’t see the cost benefit. Add to this that those entry level training programs were never replaced with anything and we have an industry in which the ladder to success starts 20 feet off the ground and goes up. We have no structure to teach new people coming in. So that gets us where we are today: catering to an ever-decreasing field of highly skilled installers who want more of the store’s margin to do work. We have a seller’s market in which installers, some who actually may not be qualified for the jobs in question, can demand high guarantees, moving expenses and other perks to just consider the job. And storeowners, seeing jobs walk out the door due to short staffing, must acquiesce and hope that it works out. How would you like to get staff members and technicians with great attitudes, work ethic and willingness to do things the “Joe’s Car Stereo” (insert your own store name) way? Like I said, I’ve got the answer for you. Here it is:

#1: Don’t have time? Make time.

If human nature tells us anything, it’s that we will always find the time to do the things we really want to do. So making time to train will require some reallocation and not a little sacrifice. Maybe it means getting to the store an hour earlier or staying later, or having management step in to cover while a trainee gets one-on-one time with a training staff member. It’s not ideal, but it is possible. You can make the time in your store.

#2: Beg, borrow or steal a structure.

Whatever you think about MECP, the program has done a good job of providing a logical curriculum to take properly motivated (and humble) newbies to competent tech status. But you still need an in-house program to implement it; a standardized series of steps that transcends personnel changes, and provides ongoing assessment and evaluation. The good news is, there are stores in this industry with working training programs. It’s up to you to network at events like KnowledgeFest, find a store with a program that works, then buy rounds of beers until you can get every detail of how it’s structured.

#3: Spend some money to do it right.

As perfectionists, we know that the perfect job means no corners cut. So don’t cut corners when it comes to investing your time in—and entrusting your brand to—someone you will groom to grow your business. Build binders. Create forms. Film videos. Offer incentives. Create a structure that shows you are serious about having your people do things the right way. Also, take advantage of pre-hire personality testing to ensure you’re hiring someone who will fit with your team.

Suck it up and train them yourself. We recently competed a survey on the training capabilities of stores. Of the respondents, 37 percent said their store was actively looking for two or more full-time installers. More than half of respondents identified “highly experienced technicians” and “competent security specialists” as top targets. Yet, when asked about the ability to train, most said they had only a “small” to “decent amount” of time to train and a “small” to “decent amount” of structure to train. But unsurprisingly, most respondents said they had a “good amount” to “a lot” of in-house expertise to train. What does this tell is? The tools are in the toolbox. So here are the steps to find and train your own people.

6 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

That’s right – there is no painless fix to this issue. It’s going to require us all getting off our butts and employing our entrepreneurial energy to bringing the success ladder down to ground level. Every day some app developer or tech company comes up with a product or feature that will enhance a customer’s drive with more information, connectivity, control or entertainment. So we’ve got to get back to being hungry and re-learning how to learn. And that also means we must get back to learning how to teach.

 feedback

Transshipping: Cheaters Never Prosper Over half of retailers polled on the current state of transshipping believe the problem is solvable if manufacturers had better policing. To explain further, retailers like Jeff West share their thoughts on ways to combat the problem, including selecting manufacturers that share their views and don’t force product lines upon them. “Transshipping has been an issue in our industry for a long time and will probably never go away. Many companies turn the other way and pretend they don’t notice because they are moving boxes. Too many dealers are using this method to gain extra discounts, trips and better pricing. I think this is one of the major issues with Internet pricing and being able to find product so cheap. I don’t believe in it, I wish it didn’t exist but as long as most companies worry about the bottom line no matter what the cost, it will continue.” Sean Davis, Grundy County Auto Salon LLC, Morris, Ill. “My sheltered lines of product, those being Kenwood Excelon, Phoenix Gold and DB Drive ‘Euphoria,’ are very active in policing transshipping issues with strong action to the offenders. A lesson to be learned by all manufacturers. I also don’t allow any vendor to ‘force feed’ me products of any kind for a multitude of reasons.” Jeff West, Benchmark Audio, Inc., Springfield, Ill. “It’s the manufacturers’ dirty little secret. They tell us they’re looking out for us while they give us stupid, unrealistic quotas. So we are bullied into buying more than we really need. What do they expect is going to happen?” Anonymous

actually get what they pay for.” Kimberly Trainer, Car-Tunes, Inc., Greenville, Miss. “If you do business with US based distributors, you feed this problem. The marketplaces are simply flea markets and they are fed by distributors.” Andy Weymeyer, Audio Frog “This is a real issue that the manufacturers don’t want to talk about because many of them actively participate in it! Chad Wilbanks, Jimmy’s Car Stereo, Auburn, Ala. “The issue isn’t the manufacturers, it’s the reps that make deals with known violators! This helps his regional numbers, and hurts the rest of the country! We need more manufacturers to evaluate the sales force they have, and make sure integrity is their best virtue.” Pete Daley, Marketing Pro’s “If someone is moving old dead stock that’s out of date, fine. Current products need to be policed.” Charles Bellia, The Stereo Shop, Winston Salem, N.C. “It will never go away, so we have to learn how to work with it.” Anonymous

“Good companies have it under control; others need it for business.” Doug Dobson, Signature Audio/elettromedia-USA, Scottsdale, Ariz.

“It should be stopped. Manufacturers should support REAL brick and mortar shops.” Byron Smith, Distinct Beat Car Audio, Gastonia, N.C.

“I’m worried more about Amazon than transshipping.” Anonymous

“Not sure anybody is still worried about transshipping. Amazon is the real enemy.” Anonymous

“It can be stopped by the manufacturers if they want to and ALL of us will be more profitable, including customers who will

8 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

“The manufacturer/rep cares about one thing: selling boxes!!” Jason Maron, Osprey, Norwood, Ma.

ADVERTISING SALES Kerry Moyer 978.645.6457 • kerrym@mobile-electronics.com ®

EDITORIAL Solomon Daniels 978.645.6463 • 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 TM

mobile electronics association

Chris Cook, President 978.645.6434 • chrisc@mobile-electronics.com Kerry Moyer, VP Strategic Partnerships 978.645.6457 • kerrym@mobile-electronics.com Solomon Daniels, Dir. Media and Communications 978.645.6463 • solomond@mobile-electronics.com Richard Basler, Dir. Technology Solutions 978.645.6449 • richb@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. (ISSN# 1523-763X) 3) Copyright © 2017 by the Mobile Electronics 4) Date of filing: Sept. 1, 2016. 5) Frequency of issue: Monthly. 6) No. of issues published annually: 12 7) Annual subscription price: $35.00. 8) Periodical postage paid at Lawrence MA and additional mailing offices. 9) Complete mailing address of known office of publication: 85 Flagship Drive, Ste F, North Andover, MA 01845. 10) Complete mailing address of the headquarters or general business offices of the publisher: 85 Flagship Drive, Ste F, North Andover, MA 01845. 11) 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 12) Owner: MERA, Mobile Electronics Retailers Association, 85 Flagship Drive, Ste F, North Andover, MA 01845. 13) Known bondholders, mortgages, and other security holders owning or holding 1% or more of total amounts of bonds, mortgages or other securities: None. 14) Tax Status: Not applicable. 15) Name of Publication: Mobile Electronics. 16) Issue date for circulation data below: August 2016. 6. a) Total no. copies (net press run) Average: 12,484 Single Issue; 12,826. b) Paid/Requested mail subscriptions Average: 6834, Single Issue: 6826. c) Paid sales through dealers, etc.; Average: 0. Single issue; d) Requested distributed by other classes of mail: Average: 531, Single issue: 520. Total paid and/or requested circulation; Average 7365. Single issue: 7346. e) Non-requested distribution by mail; Average: 4382 Single issue: 4223. Free distribution through other classes of mail: Average: 0, Single issue: 0. f) Non-requested distribution outside the mail; Average: 325. Single issue: 750. g) Total non-requested distribution; Average 4707, Single issue: 4973. h) Total distribution; Average: 12,072. Single issue: 12,319. i) 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%. 17) POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Mobile Electronics, 85 Flagship Drive Suite F, North Andover MA 01845-9998

ACHIEVE THE ULTIMATE SOUND IMAGING

INTRODUCING ALPINE ID SOUND The new premium X-Series speakers, amplifiers and subwoofers are engineered for system matching to achieve the ultimate sound imaging. All the X-Series products are built on sound heritage and authenticity through engineering and materials resulting in the achievement of Alpineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sound philosophy - Alpine ID. To learn more and experience Alpine ID for yourself, join us at the MEA Knowledgefest for a product training or ask your Alpine representative for details.

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 stats

Retailers give insight on how they treat their installation techs, including perks, pay and uniform options.

WAYS YOUR LOCATION MANAGES UNIFORMS FOR TECHNICIANS We supply part of the uniform, they provide the rest

METHODS OF PAYING NON-MANAGEMENT INSTALLATION TECHNICIANS 9%

Commission

We don’t supply uniforms

46%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

21%

Hourly plus bonuses

ITEMS SUPPLIED TO STAFF

ONGOING TRAINING SUPPLIED BY STORES

85% 76%

51%

Scheduled in-store training sessions

20%

Scheduled in-store

48%

18%

Hand tools Hand power Safety tools equipment

Pizza (on occassion)

Daily lunch

training sessions Local or national industry Local or national industry training events training events Sessions conducted by Sessions conducted by suppliers or reps suppliers or reps

73%

Vocational or industry

63%

schools Vocational or industry Certifications like MECP schools

Certifications like MECP 10 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

Ba co

Commission against draw

We supply them and require their use for work

Toolboxes

30%

Basic salary plus commission

We supply them but use is optional

18%

20%

Hourly

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve just raised the bar... Again!

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been 8 years and our new ESCORT MAX Ci 360 is a game changer. Introducing the most advanced, custom-installed detection system in the world.

The ESCORT MAX Ci 360 combines the latest DSP radar and laser detection technology giving drivers the most complete alert system on the road with completely re-designed hardware that is more versatile and faster to install. The game changes April 2017. Call or log on today to qualify and become an Authorized Dealer. 513-870-8490 or escortradar.com/authorizedspecialist

See it live at KnowledgeFest - Booth #222

 helpful stuff

Books: THE KIM KARDASHIAN PRINCIPLE:

Why Shameless Sells (and How to Do It Right) Jeetendr Sehdev • St. Martin’s Press

http://us.macmillan.com/thekimkardashianprinciple/jeetendrsehdev/9781250107527/ Just mention the name Kardashian and it causes a stir. But that’s the point, isn’t it? What is it about this family—about Kim, her husband Kanye, model Kendall, mom Cris—that makes the public clamor for more? What makes a social media star anyway? More importantly, though, what can we learn from these sensations that will help us market our own ideas, products, and services? Jeetendr Sehdev, who has been called the world’s leading authority on celebrity branding, and whom Variety calls “the best in the business,” answers these questions and more in his new book, The Kim Kardashian Principle: Why Shameless Sells (and How to Do It Right). Sehdev explains why successful images today aren’t photo-shopped, but real, and in your face. According to Sehdev, this kind of transparency generates an intimacy with audiences that traditional marketing tactics don’t. He reveals how marketing has evolved over time and what that means for anyone today trying to promote their own ideas. It’s an eye-opening guide to why and how the boldest ideas thrive, it can help you and your business make the right marketing moves, too.

Software/App: Pandora Premium http://pandora.com/premium

For anyone who puts in long hours at the office or on the road, there is a new way to make the time fly. Pandora is launching its first-ever on-demand streaming service that will go head to head with Spotify and Apple Music. At $10 a month, Pandora Premium lets you search for and play any track or album. Once you sign up or start a trial, every song you’ve ever given the thumbs up via Pandora internet radio will be available in a playlist called “My Thumbs Up.” Tapping “Browse” will give you recommendations. If you start a playlist with one or two songs of your choice, by tapping “Add Similar Songs,” Pandora will complete it for you.

12 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

Service:

Seamless

www.seamless.com

It’s not always possible to get out for lunch so Seamless offers a way to order food and get delivery in over 900 cities—Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Philly, San Francisco— across the country. Lo mein, tacos, subs, smoothies—there’s no menu, no phone call, no repeating yourself. Part of GrubHub, the Seamless service is easy. Browse the menus from your favorite local joints, select what you want, and submit the order. Oh—and accept the delivery when it arrives! Cash and PayPal are now accepted, too.

Software/App: Signal

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.thoughtcrime.securesms&hl=en Everybody is in hyper-communication mode these days, but with Signal you can connect with folks instantly while avoiding SMS fees. Entirely free for both Android and iOS, it’s easy to set up group chats in real time and share media or attachments all with complete privacy. The server does not have access to your communication and doesn’t store any of your data. Signal uses an advanced end- to-end encryption protocol for privacy with every message, every time. It uses your phone number and address book so there are separate logins, usernames, passwords, or PINs to manage or lose. It also lets you make phone calls anywhere with no long-distance fees.

me-mag.com 13

 what’s happening

Knowing Your Products TM

Any retailer knows the value of product knowledge. At this year's KnowledgeFest Indy, manufacturers will offer plenty of learning opportunities on products like remote starters and head units to fabrication and service tips. WORDS BY TED GOSLIN

or any retailer, knowing the ins and outs of product can be the difference between making a large sale and watching their revenue walk out the door. Since its inception, KnowledgeFest has been an event that offers retailers a chance to brush up on product and service knowledge, for both the novice and veteran. Aside from the workshops, networking and Mobile Electronics Show booth reveals, anyone's 12-volt IQ can be enhanced even further with manufacturer

trainings, which are taught by some of TM the biggest names in the industry. Not to mention, there are plenty of goodie bags handed out. Companies offering training this year include Voxx Electronics, DD Audio, Omega Research & Development, Compustar and Alpine Electronics, among others. While most of the companies maintain a focus on specific products, there are some surprises mixed in,TMsuch as how products work with different vehicle models, bettering the customer experience with specific products or how to make installing certain products easier on the installer.

New Innovations In an effort to promote the latest and greatest products that 12-volt has to offer, vendors will be going in-depth on the inner workings of their 2017 offerings. One such company is Omega Research & Development, which will be discussing the Excalibur 70-series, the most advanced remote start line the TM company has yet released. It contains built-in accelerometers and other highend features, according to the company. "We focused on refining the installer experience by adding a very comprehensive vehicle learn routine, and on the user experience by adding

14 Mobile Electronics  April 2017 TM

a BUILT-IN 3D accelerometer for manual transmission, starting without the complicated exit routine, as well as a cold-temperature start included in the 'entry units,'" a spokesman for the company said. "Every single remote start has a built-in Alarm Suite, so let us show you how easy it is to upsell your customer with little or no additional install." TM Remote start manufacturer Firstech will have a similar offering at its training by discussing the latest additions to the Firstech product lineup, including the new in-car dash camera systems, the Momento M4 and M5. "Two new online resources for Firstech dealers are FirstechData.com, an installation resource website, and myFirstech.com, an e-commerce platform where dealers TM can place, track, and manage their orders for Firstech products," said Justin Lee, Marketing Manager for Firstech. "We will open the floor for discussion and review the challenges faced during the 2016 remote start season, followed by our

team’s proposed solutions for 2017." To compliment the brand launch of the Momento dash camera systems, Firstech will reveal an in-store display concept. In addition, the company will discuss its myFirstech Rewards program, which pays owners, installers and salespeople for every DroneMobile activation. "Entering 2017, Firstech remains the only company that is offering every dealer this type of revenue-share opportunity," Lee said. "To further promote awareness for myFirstech Rewards, dealers will be able to register their business and employees for the revenue-share program at Firstech’s booth so that they can get paid for every DroneMobile activation." TM American Road Products hopes to educate its retailers on how best to sell the safety category during its training. Its latest product, the omniDRIVE 2.0, which began shipping in April, is a CES Innovations Award winner that provides great opportunity to tap into the safety category, according to the company.

Steve Witt (pictured) gives tips on how to sell the safety category atTM KnowledgeFest Spring 2016. "Retailers will take away knowledge that will help them 1) increase their gross margin per ticket, 2) build a new category business foundation that will expand sales and 3) learn new business and installation skills that will help them in the overall Active Safety category," TM

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me-mag.com 15

 what’s happening we get could easily be answered by using our TM tried-and-true DD Box system." TM The DD Box system has been developed over several years of subwoofer and enclosure design, according to the company. One of the major things that the enclosure design system different from what other TM manufacturers offer is that they started off by engineering a highefficiency type of ported enclosure, then they set about engineering their subwoofers to optimize the box energy. TM "This order of design is the reverse of most TM manufacturers' TS The event will take place at the Indianapolis parameter driven, Convention Center, April 9 through 11, 2017, the speaker then box, design same venue as past years. approach. Our subwoofer designs are intended to said Steve Witt, president and Chief handle much more than 1w so we keep Technology Executive at American Road the moving mass low, energy high and Products. The ARP Dealer Training will add a suspension with high restoring TM focus on why a retailer should sell active force to help control cone motion. This safety products, how to sell omniDRIVE means that our subs will not have to rely and what to sell that is relevant to both on the box for their loading," Doyle said. commercial and consumer customers, "The DD Box training will explain why according to Witt. our no-nonsense approach to enclosure design works in real world applications Ease of Installation allowing installers to consistently Finding the balance between and efficiently design great sounding installation knowledge and product subwoofer enclosures. We will also be TM knowledge for installation techs is a expanding on the basic DD Box system to strong focus for DDTMAudio this year as help designers tailor enclosures to their they offer a tech vs. product session. customer's specific needs." "Our goal with the training we’ve Also looking to simplify the installation developed is to demystify the dark art process is Metra, who's staff will of subwoofer enclosure design for DD provide basic install and programming Audio's products. Our customer service techniques to be performed with their department receives several requests popular products. Those products will daily for subwoofer enclosure design include the AX line with built-in SWC assistance," said Kevin Doyle, service, and the ADBOX line. "We will be going TM sales and support representative for DD into detail the functionality of our Axxess Audio. "These requests not only come App and PC updater program," said from inexperienced end users but from Stephanie Carver Axxess Technology seasoned dealers and installers as well. Specialist and Trainer. "For the AX-DSP Many of the enclosure design questions and turbo touch kits, I will be going over

the features of both of these products in our trainings. As well as the mobile app for the AX-DSP." The company believes that retailers will leave the training with a better understanding of new products released for the year and get insight on how to easily install and initialize their products. "They will benefit by being able to easier sell these products to their customers by being knowledgeable with the specifics of TM each product that will be discussed in the training," Carver added.

Enhancing The Customer Experience Crafting an effective product training relies on several factors, including how to teach retailers about maximizing the information their customers get from each interaction. Alpine Electronics is planning to address this issue by discussing premium solutions for various types of customers with targeted lifestyles. The company's main product focus will be its wireless Apple CarPlay head unit, the iLX-107 with 7-inch touch screen. The device, which debuted at the 2017 CES, is the only one of its kind currently on the market,TMwhich uses WiFi to connect smartphones to the head unit. Given the popularity of the item and the opportunity retailers have to maximize its sales potential, Alpine has directed its training focus towards showcasing ways to best highlight the product, its features and the broader concept of sound imaging. To highlight the sound imaging concept, the company will also be showcasing its new premium X-series speakers, amplifiers and subwoofers. The training will also focus on educating specialists about Alpine's sound philosophy (“Alpine ID”) and how to maximize the listening experience with regard to sound imaging. "Our 2017 lineup has fresh new products with increased profitability, TM and features which are what the 12-volt specialists have requested. We’re covering a wider variety of product type for various lifestyles," said Steve Piceno, product marketing supervisor of Alpine Electronics. "Specialists will be able to apply their expertise in these areas to

16 Mobile Electronics  April 2017 TM

successfully sell the products to their customers." Educating customers seems to be a common solution vendors are promoting to retailers at this year's show. This is considering radar companies like Escort and K40 Electronics will be highlighting technological improvements and statistics on why radar detectors offer more than just an option for TM those with lots of disposable income. "To help dealers start more conversations on this product category and close more sales, K40 will train them to ask their customers 'One Simple Question: Have you ever gotten a speeding ticket?'" said Grant Dahlke, brand evangelist at K40 Electronics. "With 41 million tickets issued annually TM costing U.S. drivers $6.2 billion in fines, it’s not a matter of if but when mobile electronics retailers’ customers will get a speeding ticket." Escort will be training on its latest

improvements for the new Max CI and Max CI 360 radar detectors. "The new Max CI technology replaces the outgoing 9500ci and offers improvements to every aspect of the product from installation efficiency to the latest digital false alert filtering," said Chris Kooistra, senior director, Global Marketing Services. "We will be training extensively on every facet of this system from install techniques to component configuration to advanced performance capabilities." Voxx Electronics seeks to enhance the customer experience with a remote starter training and certification program, which retailers can use as a selling tool to demonstrate their TM expertise in the category. "In addition to learning the art of installation, those that attend the VOXX certification program will also benefit from getting priority placement on our dealer locator, and the acknowledgement of being 'factory' trained and authorized," said

Joe Dentamaro, vice president, vehicle security, Voxx Electronics. "We will be launching our Gentex Full Display Rearview Mirror as well as the full assortment of replacement auto dimming mirrors and Homelink products at the spring Knowledgefest." TM company will also be displaying The its Power Liftgate products that have application with Honda, Toyota, Jeep, Mazda, Nissan and Ford vehicles. "This is a new and exciting product category that brings new opportunities to our customers," Dentamaro added. Retailers will have plenty more TM opportunity to learn about how to enhance the customer experience, elevate their skill sets and have face-to-face interactions with their vendor partners at KnowledgeFest Spring 2017. There will be over 40 vendor trainings spread out over the course of three days, April 9 through 11. Visit KnowledgeFest.org for more information. 

me-mag.com 17

 retail news

EASY MONEY

By executing a whopping 550 GPS tracking device installs into local police vehicles, Drops Mobile Electronics has opened itself into a much larger market with more opportunities for fleet work. WORDS BY TED GOSLIN

DeShawn Howard (left) started Drops Mobile Electronics with one plan but developed a new one once he saw how profitable fleet installations, like the one seen here, can be.

n 2003, Deshawn Howard opened his shop, Drops Mobile Electronics, with the intent of selling his products and services mainly to consumers. But as he discovered the business to business (B2B) market in his

18 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

local region of Norcross, Ga., and the high margins it offered, he began to change his tune. “We started out on the consumer side, then I learned about the process of bidding on fleet projects. We do both now,

but I lean more towards the B2B side,” Howard said. “We work with insurance and rental car companies doing things like vehicle inspections and stolen equipment replacement installations. People get their radios stolen, we’ll go put a new radio in for them. We got into that business through an older gentlemen who reached out to us years ago. He showed me the way with that, how to find the contracts and bid on them. Now we use bidding services and a lot of companies just know about us.” As the shop’s foothold in the market grew, so did its reputation, which grabbed the attention of the Savannah police department, in desperate need of a large number of GPS installations. Thanks to a long-standing partnership Howard’s shop had with CalAmp, a leading GPS manufacturer, it was an appropriate time to make things happen. “We sell with CalAmp on the contract to complete the installation. It’s been hard with the GPS market because smaller companies get bought out by bigger companies like CalAmp,” Howard said. “We did 550 vehicle installations of GPS devices for the city of Savannah’s police department. We are a minority certified company, so we’re listed on the

Who’s Who Keith Price

Custom Cars Unlimited Salem, Va. Years of Industry experience:20 Hobbies: Family What you’re really good at: Customer service

On the company’s Facebook page, campaigns like this are run constantly to remind customers of the shop’s mobile installation capabilities, which are used regularly on fleet installs. Department of Transportation’s website. They needed a company for this project and reached out to us.” The epic install took a full week and involved a great deal of planning on both Howard’s part and on the part of the police department to coordinate all vehicles being out of operation in time for Howard’s team to get the job done. “It took us two trips. On the first trip, we did 450 installs in five days with four installation techs, including myself. We did 125 in two days on the second trip. We were pretty much pumping the vehicles out steadily,” Howard said. “It was a three-wire install, with 12-volt and ground. Pretty standard. The GPS device tracks the vehicle’s speed, destination and route for the day.” While this type of work isn’t widely publicized in 12-volt forums, Howard maintains that it has become quite popular in recent years and could provide retailers a steady flow of work in the future. “A lot of shops do this kind of work. It isn’t just for B2B business. Consumers want to keep track of their teenagers with these

devices,” Howard said. “It’s about 30 to 40 percent of our business. I expect it to go up this year. If this next project goes through according to plan, it’ll probably be 70 percent of our income this year. We’re talking huge numbers, man.” To tap into the market, retailers can look into bidding services like Find RFP, which charges monthly subscriptions, according to Howard. These services allow companies to bid on large-scale installation jobs for government entities like local police departments. In addition to bidding, retailers who don’t get the contract from their bid, can still reach out to those companies to ask about other work, which often proves to be quite lucrative, Howard explained. “Retailers should reach out to the GPS manufacturers that are out there and let them know that they’re looking for work. They’re always looking for quality companies to partner with,” Howard said. “Stay on top of pricing also. Stand your ground. If everyone stands their ground as a whole, whether it’s in this world or the consumer world, we all get to making money.” 

Jeff Teare

Sound 2 Performance™ LLC Chandler, Ariz. Years of Industry experience:35 Hobbies: Racing my NHRA Super Comp Dragster, guitar, building custom guitars, artwork What you’re really good at: ANY form of Fabrication!

Elias Ventura

Safe and Sound Mobile Electronics Chantilly, Va. Years of industry experience: 12 Hobbies: Football and basketball

Christopher McNulty Driven Mobile Electronics Chantilly, Va.

Years of industry experience: 24 Hobbies: Facebook What you’re really good at: Social media

me-mag.com 19

 retail news

FAMILY VACATION After gaining inspiration from a leadership guru, Omar Jawad felt the urge to treat his shop to a special picnic. The trip would prove to be beneficial in more ways than expected. WORDS BY TED GOSLIN

A successful car audio shop can do many things to blow off steam in its down time. Some owners treat their staff to free snacks, lunches, annual parties and even trips to events like KnowledgeFest or Las Vegas. While he does much of that, Omar Jawad, owner of Sound Depot and Performance in Gainsville, Fla., chose to go one step further. He treated his staff and their families to their first annual company picnic at local adventure park, Zip Canyons in Ocala, Fla. "We took our entire team and their families, as well as our sales reps and their families. We had 65 people at the event," Jawad said. "It's an old lime stone quarry. Since the late 1800s, they were using dynamite to create these cliffs and

20 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

canyons and basically ended up with this sweet little place. A company bought it and realized how beautiful it was, then decided to make it a zip lining facility. They also do horseback riding. The reason I chose to go there is because I went there with my kids and had a great time." Believing in continuously improving himself and his store, Jawad regularly attends educational events. At one such event, hosted by leadership guru Dave Ramsey, Jawad learned about the concept of the company picnic and how it works for his company when they do it every year. "I thought I'd like to mimic that and do the same thing," he said. The total bill was around $7,500, with 90 percent of the bill covered by the shop's vendor partners. That kind of help,

Jawad noted, requires a strong relationship to pull off. "I always compromise on my end with vendors. If they ask me to try something or do something I always step up for them." The event featured a brick oven pizza company that made whole pizzas to order, a bounce house for small children, face painting, balloon artists, giant Jenga and Connect Four, and a snow cone machine. An awards ceremony was also conducted for the employees and vendors where trophies made of beer mugs and vinyl were given out, along with envelopes containing $200 in cash, each. "We had a Loan Officer award for the person who sold the most financing in a 12-month period, a Bedazzling award for the person who sold the most accessories, and others, including Top Vendor, which went to Pioneer," Jawad said. Since the event took place during a high stress season, the idea that stress would be relieved is pure fiction, according to Jawad, who acknowledged the common thought behind having such an event. Instead, the event did something

For small children seeking another option outside of the main activities, a bounce house was set up, along with several games like giant Jenga and Connect Four. else: it solidified the bonds of family and made all employees grateful for being part of a business that treats them so well. "They enjoyed being together. This is a high stress time for us. No matter how efficient we are, customers are really difficult this time of year. It definitely got the guys together and away from work and got them to spend some time together,"

Jawad said. "It'll be annual at least but I'd like to do two a year." For owners looking to offer their crew a similar experience, Jawad recommends taking a creative approach. "I would say, try to do something that's different. If you just show up for dinner with good food, that might be something they like. But actually having an event, like horseback riding or ziplining; have something they

can do together," he said. "I always recommend getting vendor support. But you have to be a partner to them. They aren't just going to give it to you. You have to be the guy that's there and treat them like a partner. They have the money to give but you just have to make sure you're holding your end up as well." 

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY.

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me-mag.com 21

 hot sellers

Fire With Fire

Retailers share how they overcome objections with products like remote starters, safety and OEM integration modules, among others. February 2017 Issue Corrections: We mistakenly printed incorrect information regarding the Scosche MagicMount Charge. The correct MSRP is set at $59.99 with a shipping date yet to be determined. Wrong images were also used for Alpine and Kicker.

PRODUCT

EchoMaster Vehicle-Specific Blind Spot Elimination Kits

Submitted by: Sean Davis, Grundy County Auto Salon LLC, Morris, Ill.

Unique Aspects of Sales Presentation: It meets a need not offered by the OEMs on certain vehicles. It’s a product that customers are looking for. Primary Customer Objection To Product Pitch: Price and labor cost to install. Methods To Overcome Main Objections To Product: By showing the value in our installation processes used.

PRODUCT

iSimple Tranzit Blu FM 2351 Bluetooth Module

Submitted by: Kenny McCardie, Auto Sound Tint World, Union City, Calif.

Unique Aspects of Sales Presentation: Customers just want to add Bluetooth without changing their radio or being hardwired in. Primary Customer Objection To Product Pitch: Price Methods To Overcome Main Objections To Product: Explain the quality vs. what they think something should cost. 22 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

PRODUCT

Compustar Remote Starters

Submitted by: Harry Lichtman, Depot Autosound, White Plains, N.Y.

Unique Aspects of Sales Presentation: Practical showing options. Primary Customer Objection To Product Pitch: Price Methods To Overcome Main Objections To Product: Explain why it’s worth so much more than the price offered due to its features. PRODUCT

Sony XAV-AX100 Media Receiver with Bluetooth Submitted by: Rick Miller, Sound On Wheels, Rock Hill, S.C.

Unique Aspects of Sales Presentation: Pushing safety, convenience and ease of use. Primary Customer Objection To Product Pitch: Additional parts required Methods To Overcome Main Objections To Product: Because the unit has the option of adding a back-up camera and you can see the icon for it, many customers think the unit should come with a camera. We just let them know that the camera can be added at anytime. PRODUCT

Pioneer AVH-4200NEX Apple CarPlay Receiver

Submitted by: George Smith, Mobileworks, Santa Maria, Calif. Unique Aspects of Sales Presentation: Safety Primary Customer Objection To Product Pitch: Price Methods To Overcome Main Objections To Product: We ask how they drive and if they get text messages. If they use their car for commuting and business it’s well worth the price.

PRODUCT

JL Audio FiX-82 OEM Integration DSP

Submitted by: Joey Schultz, Eminent Hi-Fi, Rexburg, Idaho Unique Aspects of Sales Presentation: The ability to have awesome sound from the factory head unit. Primary Customer Objection To Product Pitch: Price and labor cost to install Methods To Overcome Main Objections To Product: Give a live demo. We have a demo vehicle with an on/off switch. me-mag.com 23

 hot sellers PRODUCT

Gladen 8to12 AEROSPACE DSP Submitted by: Chris Pate, Mobile Toys, Inc., College Station, Texas

Unique Aspects of Sales Presentation: We show a customer a demo of a system using an aftermarket head unit with the described system, then a demo with the system set up as an active system with a properly tuned DSP. Once the customer hears the difference, they are hooked. Primary Customer Objection To Product Pitch: Price Methods To Overcome Main Objections To Product: We explain to our customers that you get what you pay for. We show them the difference in component selections and features when compared to less expensive DSPs.

PRODUCT

KENWOOD eXcelon DDX9903S Double-DIN Receiver with Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™

Submitted by: Jeff West, Benchmark Audio, Springfield, Ill. Unique Aspects of Sales Presentation: Picture quality and tons of audio processing power with 13-band EQs, time alignment and more. Primary Customer Objection To Product Pitch: Not having on-board navigation system at the current $799 price point. Methods To Overcome Main Objections To Product: Being able to use Garmin navigation system apps.

PRODUCT

Oracle Lighting LED Headlight Bulbs Submitted by: Luke Farley, Lynx Customs, Centennial, Colo.

Unique Aspects of Sales Presentation: The usability of these appeals to everyone. There are usually not permanent modifications needed to install them and most auto manufacturers are behind on this. Enthusiasts are constantly looking for new things to do and these go overlooked. Primary Customer Objection To Product Pitch: Price Methods To Overcome Main Objections To Product: We have a side-by-side demo and really try to present is as a premium option.

24 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

See it all.

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Test drive TüN™ 2.0 for free and see it all on your Windows PC.

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S O F T W A R E

* FiX™ 82 and 86 require firmware updates to connect with TüN™ 2.0. DSP that makes sense! Whether you are setting up and tuning a basic, everyday system or a sophisticated full active setup, JL Audio® TüN™ control software adapts to the complexity of your project. Now you can profitably sell DSP into systems that fit all kinds of budgets and time constraints.

 hot sellers PRODUCT

Code Alarm CA5054 Remote Start System Submitted by: Jeff Stevens, Stevens Auto Glaze, East Lake, Ohio

Unique Aspects of Sales Presentation: Showing the customer that they can have a hot, toasty vehicle in the morning. Better than a hot cup of coffee! Primary Customer Objection To Product Pitch: We just need more store traffic and calls. More buyers than “tire kickers.” Methods To Overcome Main Objections To Product: A better mix of advertising/marketing.

PRODUCT

CrimeStopper RS4-G5 Remote Starter

Submitted by: Edward Honeywill, Honeywell Tech, Wexford, Pa.

Unique Aspects of Sales Presentation: Explain that I’ve installed for 39 car dealerships in 41 years. Primary Customer Objection To Product Pitch: None. It works, period. Methods To Overcome Main Objections To Product: We do not sell a headache.

PRODUCT

Viper 4105V Remote Starter Submitted by: Anonymous

Unique Aspects of Sales Presentation: It starts and warms up your car. Primary Customer Objection To Product Pitch: None, it’s a starting point to upsell. Methods To Overcome Main Objections To Product: Explain how it will make their life easier.

26 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

KICKER has a Vehicle-Specific Solution for anywhere your ride takes you.

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See us at KnowledgeFest and ask us about this high-performance aftermarket solution for ordinary factory audio! /kickeraudio

real world retail

Jason Kranitz has built a fierce reputation as one of the best retailers in the business. He did it by being true to himself and his unyielding quest for greatness. WORDS BY TED GOSLIN

Looks can be deceiving. As Western culture took over as the popular culture in the world, people’s looks became indistinguishable from the personality of their cultures. If you dressed like a cowboy, that must have meant you were from Texas and liked to ride horses. If you were a guy with long dreadlocks, wore flip flops, tie-dyed shirts and shorts you must have been a hippie. But after meeting Jason Kranitz, owner of Kingpin Car and Marine Audio, you’d quickly learn that there’s more to a person than their sense of fashion. With spiked hair, a no-nonsense attitude and a sleeve of flame tattoos, one might relegate Kranitz to that of a punk-rocker. While he shares many traits with that sub-culture, including his refusal to play by the rules of hiring only established installation technicians,

28 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

Kranitz’s views on industry topics, his shop’s appointment-only business model and high standards of excellence prove that he’s much more than a rebel with a cause. “We do things so differently, we expect perfection. A lot of experienced guys come over to our shop, get going and realize it isn’t for them,” Kranitz said regarding his decision to train workers from scratch. “People inside the industry tend to view training as punishment, but new hires view training as a way to learn and grow and welcome it.” Due to the large growth period the company is experiencing as of late, Kranitz had to make an executive decision on his company’s employment strategy—either hire experienced staff, pulling from other parts of the country and potentially spending large sums of money to bring in a hired gun quickly, or start fresh with enthusiastic newcomers.

Choosing the latter has been a game changer, according to Kranitz. The only concern now, is how to not grow too fast. “We’re looking to expand and to own our own building in two years. The problem is everything is on the upswing of the real estate market. I’d rather purchase on the down side to get a better deal,” Kranitz said. “When it comes to employees, I’m done trying to find only seasoned people in the industry. There are too many shops that will take people with experience and pay too much for them. I decided to go to an all rookie staff. My most recent hires have all been rookies. It’s more work to train from scratch but it’s working out better already.”

Taking Up The Cause Although the company has had its fair share of struggles in recent years, including the loss of seasoned

employees, Kranitz knows that sometimes the way forward is by reviewing the past. After spending time at Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon with law enforcement as his career path, Kranitz realized it wasn’t for him after seeing the same criminals being caught repeatedly. Soon enough, he found himself in another career that had been in front of him the whole time. “I got started way back in the day as a consumer. A local shop I bought all my stuff from asked me if I wanted to hang around and sweep floors and do some work. So I continued to sweep floors and stuff. I was hanging out in the back with installers and started running wires. That’s where I started,” Kranitz said. “Kevin Cornutt, who’s currently with Stereo King, was the installer at Focus Electronics where I swept floors. They decided to get out of car audio. Kevin went to work for Car Tunes. He called me up one day, said they had an opening. That was my first paid install job. I did nothing but come-backs—all the repair work. It sucked but it was the best thing for me because it taught me how to troubleshoot.” He would go on to work

for Phoenix Gold for a year before returning to retail with Car Toys for seven years. “At the time I liked it. Their business model didn’t change. I thought I was going to work there forever. They went from 21 stores to 56 stores. Eventually, the focus changed to being about numbers and not necessarily on sound quality stuff,” Kranitz said. “I would talk to my mom on the way home every day and talk to her about how they’re doing things wrong and how there are better ways to serve clients. My mom told me one day to just do it. I said ‘What if I fail?’ She said ‘What’s the worst that could happen? Just get a job someplace else. Show them how you think it should be done.’ I had a plan to start my business three weeks later.” With $30,000 in savings behind him, Kranitz opened Kingpin Car Audio and Marine in August of 2006. The facility was chosen by finding a balance between price and location, eventually landing in the small town of Wilsonville, a suburb of Portland, Ore., where there were no other car stereo shops. “Hindsight 20/20, I wouldn’t have done it. I would have chosen an area that has a stereo shop. If you have another shop nearby,

me-mag.com 29

real world retail

FAST FACTS

KINGPIN CAR & MARINE AUDIO www.kingpincaraudio.com www.kingpinuniversity.com

Location: Wilsonville, Ore. Number of Stores: 1 Address: 10965 SW Commerce Circle Suite A, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070 Facility Square Footage: 8,000 Store Type: Boutique Number of Employees: 7

KEY STAFF Jason Kranitz

Director of Operations

Susan Kranitz

Part-time Bookkeeper

Zane Wilcox

Lead Film Technician

T.J. Carlson

Lead 12-volt Technician

Katy Reitenbach System Designer

Alyssa Schwab System Designer

Brittany Tapia 12-volt Apprentice

30 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

you let their advertising dollars bring clients to the area, then when they don’t live up to the clients’ expectations, the client would come to me. It would get them into my facility.” The shop operates out of an 8,000 square foot facility, with 2,000 square feet dedicated to the sales floor and the rest used for installation bay, wood, metal, fabrication and upholstery. As a boutique specialist in an area filled with big box retailers, the challenge was creating a market in the area and beyond. Thankfully, Kranitz doesn’t operate his business or life by the book.

Guarding the Gates Since starting his business, Kranitz and his facility have achieved many milestones, including winning Mobile Electronics Retailer of the Year, Installer of the Year and altering its business model from an open store to appointment-only operation. “We do everything completely different from everyone else. It’s consultation only. You use a buzzer to get in. If you don’t have a consultation we send you on your way. It was something I’ve always wanted since the day I opened. I wanted to give them time to make a better decision,” Kranitz said. “When we lost our main person up front about two years ago we were backlogged on installs that I had to help with. I printed up a sign, put it in a frame, put it on the door to explain what we’re doing. Business went up 30 percent.” The model does have its downside, but not in a way one might think, according to Kranitz. “There’s always the tire kicker that’s looking for the cheapest deals. I carry no dash kits or wire harnesses in-house anymore. We have lost this type of clientele; however, this isn’t the clientele we are going after, anyway.” he said. “We have a standard audio display, museum displays that take out the

small categories, five head units on display, five remote starts on display, a security on display and a Porsche 911 showroom car on display which has been a huge sales tool for us.” The shop deals primarily in highend clientele, ranging from regional locals to customers who ship their vehicles in from other parts of the country, like Texas. During initial consultation, clients meet with the sales staff to discuss the type of system design they want. This is done in either an office or classroom, which Kranitz uses to conduct trainings with staff and for Kingpin University, a 12-volt industry training company he runs. The state-of-the-art facility includes a recently-remodeled client restroom, that features high-end hand towels and a granite counter top. Employees are provided their own restroom in the back of the building, next to the classroom and kitchenette. Clients are taken on tours through all aspects of the facility, including the kitchenette, where drinks, cookies and candies await them if they choose. How customers are treated is of the utmost importance to the shop, not just for direct sales revenue, but reputation, which is even more important, according to Kranitz. “Our client interaction is the biggest thing we’ve got. They’re walking dollar bills. I want to nurture that,” Kranitz said. “I’ve always had a sit-down consultation area. It slows down the process, gets people at eye level. We want to educate the client and destroy the competition by giving people education that no one else will give them. It’s also doing due diligence to make the industry better. I want them to make a good decision.” Once the client decides on their system design, they can leave the car and get a rideshare service like Uber to take them to another destination while their vehicle is being worked on. “We also do a concierge dropoff and pickup service for extra

Travel a road paved with protected profits, unmatched independent retailer commitment, and a category that will never go OEM. Call 800-323-4458 to learn how other retailers put their businesses into overdrive with K40 Electronics.

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real world retail money. We make it a fun and enjoyable experience rather than make them feel like they’re buying something,” Kranitz added. The company’s main demographic is male, ages 30 to 60 years old, with most being affluent with more than one car to their name. The shop specializes in car audio

In addition to its other awards, installation technician TJ Carlson (pictured) made the Mobile Electronics Top 12 Installers list in 2016.

Hand of the King “Two of our key vendors are elettromedia and K40 Electronics. We don’t do a lot of brands in our store. One speaker amp brand, one radar brand, one head unit brand. My philosophy is: order small, order often. “Elettromedia has been with us since day one. We were one of the first few dealers on the Hertz side. They’ve always treated me very well. As long as you have communication, they will help you out any way they can. They really care about their dealers. No reason to shop around to other vendors. I’m happy with what I have and am making a tremendous amount of profit with them. “I’m good with Phil, Steve and Rob Wempe. You have to have that personal relationship so it doesn’t just to have to be about business. “K40 Electronics’ a la carte model has allowed us to build our own systems with the highest profit margins. Their concierge service falls in line with how we treat our clients. “Besides profitability, elettromedia [and K40] have the highest customer service of any manufacturers out there. They really care. If you need something special for any reason, they’ll jump through hoops for you.”

32 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

serious re-evaluation due to changes in staffing last year. They are currently looking to hire an apprenticeship film technician, outside sale and two more 12-volt technicians. “We lost three people in 40 days, starting in October 2016. The new employees started in February and March,” he said. “It was probably one of

“If you have another shop ne advertising dollars bring cl then when they don’t live expectations, the client wo would get them into m

Jason Kranitz, Owner, Kingpin

installations, remote starters, custom fabrication, safety and window tinting. “They trust us so much because they know we’ll do it right,” Kranitz said.

The King’s Court Using an unconventional approach to his management style, Kranitz does not use titles for his supervisors. Mainly, this is due to the wide array of tasks performed by all staff. Lead staff are in place for both sales and installation departments, with both conducting continuous training with new employees. Staff consists of Kranitz as director of operations, a lead service bay technician, one window film technician, two system designers, an apprenticeship tech in back, and his wife, Susan, handling part-time bookkeeping after hours. With the new year, Kranitz had to do some

the better things that could have happened. It made me re-evaluate what’s happening in the industry and show people how we can change.” To train from scratch, Kranitz utilizes his built-in training system with Kingpin University to teach staff shop specifics. “The cool thing about having a classroom for Kingpin University is I have a lot of PowerPoints,” he said. “The first two weeks, new employees spend the first four hours in the classroom. In between, we train on procedures and how we do things. We teach the sales techniques before the nuts and bolts of audio. They don’t need to know all the product. The technician training in back will focus on upper end detailing work. They will have basic training the first two weeks. Everybody in my store needs to know both sides,

sales and installation.” Ongoing training is conducted regularly with trips to KnowledgeFest, manufacturer trainings and regular in-house training to revisit the basics of installation and fabrication work. Due to the difficulties of having a small staff and the rules for health care exchanges, health insurance is not provided to employees. But Aflac insurance is offered, which provides

earby, you let their lients to the area, up to the clients’ ould come to me. It my facility.”

n Car and Marine Audio cash benefits when an employee is sick or hurt to help with expenses. To help employees further, six days of personal time off are given to new employees 90 days after hiring. “I want people to use it right away. I want them to be home when they’re sick. I don’t want them to share it,” Kranitz added. Employees are either on salary, plus monthly bonuses for hitting specific goals, or hourly-paid. Quarterly perks for employees can include steak dinners, go-kart racing and trips to the shooting range. “We’re going to bring back a fourmonth program we used to do where if we hit our goals for the month, I’ll take everyone to Vegas for the weekend with hotel and air paid for. That’s the big bonus we’re going to shoot for this year,” Kranitz said.

Noble Messengers To elevate a company’s status from local hot spot to national treasure, it takes more than a stellar reputation in 12-volt circles to do the trick. Internet marketing offers that solution. Kingpin utilizes two companies for that purpose,

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real world retail

Part of the Kingpin difference is showing off all the vehicles that come in to the shop, whether that be boats or the shop’s own show vehicles, like the classic Rat Rod pictured above, owned and rebuilt by Kranitz himself.

34 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

Kingpin offers special customer retention perks like water bottles and concierge ride services.

1Sixty8 Media for Internet marketing and Modern Media Geeks for Search Engine Management. “I own Modern Media Geeks and have been in the 12-volt industry since 1988. I was a rep for a long time,” said Jon Dewar, owner of the company. “We’re celebrating our 10th year in business as an Internet marketing company. We’re an accredited Google agency. We focus on local search, making businesses mobile compliant.” The company enhances a retailer’s digital footprint so that it can appear more frequently in Google searches. Social media is also a specialty, thanks largely to Dewar’s expertise in 12-volt. “Our client base is all over the country. 12-volt guys are our sweet spot. We cater to any industry you can think of— daycare, law firms and restaurants,” Dewar said. “We formed a strategic alliance with Mitch Schaeffer at 1Sixty8 Media. They do websites but are mainly a content marketing company. It’s a peanut

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real world retail

All templates used for fabrication are supplied by Kingpin University, which is owned by Kranitz. The shop has separate areas for wood working, fabrication, metal and upholstery work. butter and jelly thing.” The Kingpin strategy involves a great deal of demographic-centric campaigns, according to Dewar. Campaigns have been designed to fish in different parts of the country, as well as search for bigger fish. “Sometimes he’ll go bigger. He’ll say ‘I want to crush it.’ He does $10,000 radar installs.” To maintain its customer base, the shop does up to three callbacks per year, in addition to the one-week-gone jobs to check on any questions the customer might have. “We send them a thank you letter, leave a windshield hanger in car that says ‘Welcome to the Kingpin family,’ and a bottle of water in the car with our logo,” Kranitz said.

Keys To The Kingdom Becoming a 12-volt powerhouse took everything Jason Kranitz had and more. Nothing happens without great effort. Part of that is the mental game, which involves strong planning and one good idea. “Our company’s mission statement

36 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

is Jim Rohn’s quote: ‘If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.’ No one likes change. There’s great fear in change,” Kranitz said. “Don’t be scared of change. Always be inspired. It’s on the door of our fab room. You can’t be scared. You always have to have that philosophy to reach outside our industry to learn how to be better.” Kranitz has grown his business largely with his fearless nature and curiosity to enhance his and his staff’s knowledgebase. Attending trade shows from other industries is part of that strategy, which has worked in key ways over the years. “I go to other trade shows to see how businesses run. They are similar but different,” he said. “When we had a flood in 2012, we shut down for two months. I went to a show to find out how other retail shops run and it changed my philosophy and how the facility is run. I based my whole outlook on other highend shops like clothing stores

instead of what a traditional car audio shop is.” To maintain the level of quality he’s come to expect, Kranitz believes that you should never settle, always keeping the goal of perfection and an unwillingness to compromise that belief. “Our goals this year are to continue with steady growth, to hire on and get them properly trained. If I don’t get people proper trainings they will not do their jobs properly and [will] cost the company money. Our other goal is winning Retailer of the Year because we don’t like second place,” Kranitz said. “I think we’ve been a leader in this industry for a long time. Also, we’re never complacent. We’re constantly changing to make things better. A lot of times it doesn’t mean big dollar amounts, but does mean moving things in the store. We’re pushing the envelope to be better, bigger, stronger and willing to take chances and change.” 

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 behind the scenes

k c i r T t a H e l i b Mo The entire sales team gathered at the Cedar Summit held in Chicago the first week of March for the company’s national sales meeting.

With three popular brands under its umbrella, Cedar Electronics is poised to continue its upward trend with a record number of product releases for 2017. WORDS BY JAMIE SORCHER

Back in 2015, Cobra and Escort merged under the Cedar Electronics umbrella and since then, the company has been building its product lineup, cultivating a consumer following, and developing its brand strategy. This year, in 2017, Cedar will roll out more products in one year than in any of the brands’ entire histories. Creating synergy among Escort, Cobra, and WASPcam is a key focus as the

38 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

company ramps up for what it expects to be a stellar 2017. “Across the board with our three brands we’re creating a greater synergy,” said Mark Karnes, vice president of product marketing and business development for Cedar Electronics. “The focus is on the car market where we expect to intensify our efforts in the 12-volt market itself, and to bring more connected car products across three brands than we ever have in the past.”

The good news is there is something for everyone—from those on the aftermarket side to those in the off-road business. “We have products for every environment from power sports to motor sports to the traditional 12-volt—and all of them will help drive traffic as well make retailers money.”

Good, Better, Best A key focus has been to make sure each brand is more clearly defined. For

Mark Karnes, Vice President of Product Marketing and Business Development, Cedar Electronics instance, Escort offers products and a brand experience geared for the most passionate of drivers, according to Karnes. “It’s for people who don’t look at driving as something they have to do, but something they like to do. They spend a lot of time doing it—it’s their hobby.” Everything from Escort across the board—from the product experience to the purchasing experience—is being revisited to make sure it all comes together to ultimately accentuate its particular position with its specific type of consumer. “You’ll see this as our new custom installed product, the MAX Ci 360, comes to light,” said Karnes. “It’s an amazing product; something we’ve had in the works for years. We’re extremely proud of it. It answers all the questions consumers have about the future of radar/laser technology in their vehicle. It also addresses all of the concerns that the installing specialist has. We listened to both groups of people—and we got this one right.” Unveiled at CES, the flagship MAX Ci 360 and its series components are being rolled out at successive shows throughout the year, including April’s KnowledgeFest

Spring Training. Carrying an MSRP of $3,499.95, it is being hailed by Escort as the most advanced detection system for the ultimate in driver alert and ticket protection. With its complete redesign, the MAX Ci 360 has smaller, more powerful laser shifters that defeat the latest in laserbased speed detection technology, according to the company. It includes updatable IVTTM filters that reject false alerts from the latest in-motion vehicle safety systems like collision avoidance and lane departure systems. It also features GPS and Bluetooth for connectivity to the Escort Live Community and the DEFENDER database of red light and speed camera locations. Installers should appreciate its sturdy components and the need for less connectors, meaning fewer holes to drill. According to Karnes, there will be plenty of information about the MAX Ci products on the company’s website, but when consumers are ready to purchase they will only be able to buy it at a certified retailer. “Our website will act as a direct place to send people in their local area to experience it in the flesh and to work with somebody who understands it and can install it correctly in their car,” said Karnes. To support this flagship product rollout, a comprehensive nationwide training is planned. “We’re investing in the specialists by creating an Escort specialist program in a unique way to let the consumers know where the best places are to shop for this product,” said

Shoot 4K footage, time-lapse videos and 20 megapixel photos with the WASPcam 9907 4K. With a caseless, waterproof design, the camera can go underwater up to 98 feet. Karnes. “It all comes together to accentuate the Escort brand.” Karnes is quick to add that it is more than just a training program. “It’s a training, certification, and awards program,” he said. “If a retailer sends [their] team through and gets them certified, then that store becomes an Escort Specialist Store. It is recognized on our website as an authorized place to shop because it has a certain level of expertise.” One of the key ingredients at the retail level is all new POP coming out for each and every product, according to Brady Siebert, director of 12 Volt Sales. “The flagship of our display program is going to be an actual video display,” Siebert said. “It will be available to all of our retailers. Right now the idea is to have those video displays show Escort, Wasp,

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 behind the scenes and Cobra products with all of their complexities. It will be an easy-to-use, upgradable video display." With Cedar Electronics offering a broad range of products in several distinct categories, Seibert understands that for each retailer, the depth of products they carry and where and how they are merchandised will be different. “Every retailer is different,” said Siebert. “And every customer is different in terms of how they need to see a product and understand it. The video display gives a nice uniform approach for each type of retailer—even a car dealer or someone along those lines. Some retailers may require more intricate materials so there will be different levels, but it will depend on the type of retailer.” For training, there is a dedicated in-house expert, said Siebert. “The trainer can conduct programs in person, via Skype or by video,” he said. “We also have the media and video portals we will be able to offer throughout our network. We have a comprehensive group of reps who are able to assist us so that is a developing plan as well.”

to jumpstart a car, truck, or boat. One uses traditional jumper cables while the second allows the vehicle to be started through the 12-volt plug inside the

Shoot It, Share It, Prove It Meanwhile, the Cobra brand continues its goal as a value innovator. One of the new Cobra products is the Cobra JumPack XL H2O (MSRP of $169.95). Designed to jump-start large V8 gasoline and diesel engines, it is UL listed (Underwriters Laboratories, a safety certification organization) and aimed at keeping vehicles running in all-weather conditions. Rugged and waterproof, it is designed to be the perfect portable power device for any trip—on the road, off-road, or out on the water. It offers two ways

40 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

The new CDR 895 D Dual Channel dash cam includes a 1080P front camera and a 720P rear camera. The secondary camera can be setup to record inside the car or truck by mounting it on the front windshield to record in-car activity or it can placed on the rear window to be record from behind. car. Even at the $199 price point for Cobra and with the company’s new power

products, like the JumPack line, there is opportunity for all retailers whether they’re big box or specialists, noted Karnes. In cameras, Cedar debuted what it’s touting as a first-of-itstype complete wireless back-up camera solution using a person’s smartphone with immediate access to your screen. Developed with Lightwave Technologies, the Drive HD Wireless Backup Cam, with MSRP of $249.95, powered by LOOK-ITTM, is engineered to help change the way drivers park their vehicles and improves their safety. The five-minute installation, coupled with four-year replaceable battery and no manipulation of the smartphone for viewing, are said to an industry first. Especially exciting for Cedar is its WASPcam brand of action sports cams. “Just look at the fact that 12-volt retailers typically work with some of the most action-oriented consumers,” said Karnes. “They pull in [to a store] with their trucks, SUVs, or their cars, but on the weekends they’re dirt bikers, motorcycle touring people, and boaters. They are involved in activities in which they want to film and then they want to share their experiences. This is a unique way for retailers who are specialists to get involved in selling

something that can make them money and that pleases their consumers.” The WASPcam 9907 4K, available now with an MSRP of $329.99, is the company’s most technically advanced camera system featuring 4K video resolution and 20MP photo quality. It lets users shoot 4K footage, time-lapse videos, and sharp photos. The caseless, waterproof design allows for the camera to be submerged underwater up to 98 feet. It comes with various add-ons like the Mini Side Bracket so users can mount optional accessories directly onto the camera. “With our products, even starting at the $149 price point with WiFi, you’re connecting immediately and posting,” Karnes said. “You can edit right on the products. We’re really trying to push sharing your experiences [using the PROVE IT hashtag when posting] in our whole campaign as the ‘PROVE IT' technology.” According to Senior Director of Global Marketing Services Chris Kooistra, social media is part of the Cedar’s marketing strategy as well. “We have a social media calendar internally so there is a schedule for everything,” he said. “All of our posts—and we have several a day for each brand—along with blogs and images,” are scheduled. “With the WASPcam brand, we are building more of an Instagram following and we’re now starting to build a Snapchat following given that it is such a visual product category. With breaking news, we turn it around and get it out on all of our social channels instantaneously at this point. Social media is a big push for us in 2017.”

Fast Forward Looking ahead, Karnes sees a huge opportunity for Cedar Electronics to propel the aftermarket and driver assisted technology for the future.

“While Uber wants to be able to have a car that can actually drive itself, pick up things, deliver food, basically be a drone, what we’re looking at is much different,” Karnes said. “Imagine all the distracted driving that’s becoming almost an epidemic. It’s becoming the largest cause of fatalities and crashes out there, but what if you had cars smart enough to know that you weren’t paying attention— and could actually help to correct that? Just making those kinds of improvements could save lives and could provide certain benefits to consumers that they wouldn’t ordinarily have.” Karnes said that just reflecting back to when seat belts weren’t even a standard shows how far the industry has come.

“Then we went to air bags and then to automatic braking systems, but now we provide technology that helps consumers with their poor judgment yet still remain safe and in control of their driving. What you will see coming in stages are ways to provide the consumer a better driving experience with improved habits or safety controls. As a company, between our camera technology and our radar

technology, this is just made to order for Cedar Electronics.” While driverless cars and Uber vehicles that deliver your take-out might not be on tomorrow’s roads, Cedar is readying for the next three to five years. “You will see us providing more connected technology into all our devices than ever before,” said Karnes. “It will be a pervasive amount this year and more next year. We expect to be pervasive in both the passenger vehicle market as well as the commercial space and we’re going to be investing in camera technology, radar assistance, cloud based location data, and in power because the one thing this is all going to take is more power on the vehicles than ever before.” Above all, the team at Cedar Electronics is excited about the road ahead. “We are passionate and focused on our areas of business, our channel partners, and we’re realigning ourselves to be more dynamic with them than ever before,” said Karnes. “We expect the level of engagement that we’ll be having with our channel partners, retailers, and distributors to be elevated to a high degree this year. It is important for us to make sure we advocate for where we are going. There are more exciting opportunities than ever before.” In the next few months, Cedar Electronics has one more rollout that involves the rebirth of the Beltronics brand. It will not be an average, ordinary product release, according to Karnes. “We expect that not only will Beltronics come back, but it’s going to come back in a huge way,” he said. “It’s like the muscle car—it went away and now everywhere you look someone wants kick-ass power. When you see what we’re going to unveil with Beltronics, it will be a very exciting looking and innovative product launch. It’s more than just radar! And it will all happen in 2017.” 

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 strategy & tactics

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF TAX RETURN SEASON Every retailer hopes clients will spend tax return money in their store. How can a business succeed in attracting customers during tax return season? Retailers share their strategies. WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA

When a tax return is on its way, the first thought a person has is usually, “What should I do with the money?” At tax season, retailers everywhere see a spike in sales as consumers find places to spend. In 2016, almost $125 billion in tax returns were sent out, according to the IRS. Retailers can get the most out of tax season through targeted marketing and promotional efforts.

42 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

In Anchorage, Alaska, Perfectionist Car Audio and Security utilizes social media heavily throughout the year. “We push a lot of content out on our Facebook page,” said John Schwartz, owner, adding that they’ve partnered with two companies— including 168 Media—which aid in social media outreach. “We push a lot of content out so we’re kind of hitting everything people look for. Navigation, Bluetooth, backup cameras. For us, what’s been successful is we’re not really offering a discount or a call to action type of thing, but we have so much frequency that we’re creating top-of-mind awareness. Our customer acquisition is high and our retention is really high.” Schwartz noted that in Alaska, there are two times during the year—not just one—when residents look forward to checks from the government. “Here in Alaska, we have the Permanent Fund Dividend,” he explained. “It happens

in October, and every single resident of Alaska gets paid to live here. It’s a percentage of the proceeds from the oil companies.” This means every October, each person receives a check. “It’s a huge burst of cash right in the middle of the season and again at the end.” Schwartz explained the year round trends of the business; around Thanksgiving, things slow down, while in December people are purchasing Christmas presents. January is also slower, and in February people begin spending tax money. “All our marketing is tailored to that trend,” Schwartz said. “People spend. February, we’ll start shifting to audio and backup cameras. Everyone starts thinking about spring.” When the brand has been built and kept top-of-mind year round, customers and clients will come anyway, according to Schwartz. “When they know they’ve got the money, they already know what

Safe and Sound Mobile Electronics in Va. has utilized special promotional materials specifically for tax refund season.

they want,” he said. However, businesses that are less established when it comes to word-of-mouth may discover that tax season promotions help raise awareness of their brand.

Promotional Store Displays At Safe and Sound Mobile Electronics in Va., the company has utilized special promotional materials provided by M.E.S.A. (Mobile Electronics Specialists of America) that help promote products during tax season. Special tags and signage at both shop locations read “Get the Max from Your Tax” and can be associated with any products the company is trying to sell more of. “When it comes to that, specifically, a lot of promotional items we have or we’re trying to push have that signage blasted throughout the store,” said Elias Ventura, store manager of the Chantilly location. The signage gives customers an idea of what they can do with their tax return, while Safe and Sound uses it as a way to push a category or a closeout item. “It’s effective enough to start a sale or start somewhere and if the customer wants to upgrade, by all means. It’s a conversation starter,” Ventura added. Throughout the year, Safe and Sound receives other promotional literature and signage from M.E.S.A. “Makes it easier for owners. For me, as a store manager, I already have a template that I go on. Everything has a theme, not just a sales tag. It looks very uniform. It’s the

aesthetic of the presentation; makes it easy.” Safe and Sound doesn’t invest much into marketing. As a well-established business, many of their customers come to them through referrals and word-ofmouth, according to Ventura. “We don’t dump a lot of money into marketing throughout the year. We do market a little bit in-store,” Ventura said. Rich Pietraszko, owner of Safe and Sound Mobile Electronics, said the shop wouldn’t have done this kind of promotion if it hadn’t been for M.E.S.A. putting the materials together. “They do a sale in a box which includes price tags, three different sizes, banners, everything you need to have a sale and online template, banners—everything you need to tie a theme together,” Pietraszko said. “They [also] do print ads that we don’t use. It’s a sale I never would’ve done if it wasn’t for M.E.S.A. putting it together for me and making it easy.” Signage in-store that is geared toward tax return season gets customers thinking about their tax return, and how they might spend it in the shop.

Social Media Outreach Facebook and other social media outlets can aid in sharing special tax season promotions. A photo of a promotional display shared on Instagram, for example, helps keep the business topof-mind when customers are considering what to do with their tax return.

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 strategy & tactics

During seasonal promotions, like tax season, Safe and Sound has special price tags on product displays to align with the sale. Pietraszko uses this approach the most when it comes to reaching out to clients. “We do specific targeted Facebook advertising for just about everything because it’s so easy to do,” he said. “I can do it from my phone, take a picture of an item with a Max Your Tax tag, boost it,

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spread it out over weeks, change it on the fly. It’s amazingly easy.” Schwartz stated that since everyone is on their cell phone these days, social media has become an increasingly strong tool. “I always tell people ‘Be your own customer,’” Schwartz said. “[When] you’re driving to your next meeting, how much are you really paying attention to the music on the radio? If a commercial comes on, how much time are you spending on that commercial?” Schwartz said. “That’s what I tell people. What kind of ad can I make that’ll make you go to Perfectionist right now? That’s what I think of. I try to put myself in that position because I am that client. How do I get me to come to my own place? Think like the customer.” At Eminent Hi-Fi in Rexburg, Idaho, owner Joey Schultz also stated that his business began harnessing the

power of social networking and spending much less on advertising overall. By putting out quality content, word-ofmouth became the main marketing factor. “We get an up-kick in business from [tax return season] but I don’t do anything anymore,” Schultz said. “I used to, back in the day, but I haven’t for the past three years. I have all the business I could handle.” Now, the business has been open for almost 17 years and instead of calling it “car audio,” Eminent Hi-Fi uses the slogan “noise for your toys,” which Schultz said helps to define what they do and set them apart.

Appearance and Themes Ventura stated they use different themes throughout the year at Safe and Sound. “We just run deals from say, January to end of April and advertise that theme. [Then] we move on to a different theme,” he said. “We don’t really target or go after a heavier marketing scenario. We do it all in store. We might do that on Facebook. We do paid Facebook ads.” Safe and Sound also does specials for holidays. Schwartz agreed that there’s a different approach during various times of the year. The marketing approach changes for each theme. “When remote start season’s coming up, we stop pushing audio. All our online content gets us ready for remote start,” Schwartz said. “Tax season’s coming, spring, February, we switch everything over—planting the seed a couple months early.” How businesses approach marketing and promotions during tax season may of course depend on their location and demographic, as with any other marketing. According to Schultz, Eminent Hi-Fi is located in a very rural area. “People don’t make a ton of money here. We’re also in a college town.” When the business was new, Schultz said they were trying to get whatever business they could. Because they were located in a rural area, Eminent Hi-Fi once focused on the entry-level customer. “I would bring in a couple higher-end pieces, but I wasn’t expecting anyone to buy them,” Schultz said, recalling when he served customers who were just looking for the cheapest amp they could

buy. “We used to put out newspaper ads and radio around tax season that would say ‘make a sound investment with your tax return.’” The business also used flyers to advertise. “Then a weird thing happened. We redid our signage. We started plastering that everywhere. We changed it to ‘noise for your toys.’ We changed all that about three years ago. That was when our business went to the next stratosphere. I bought out the place next to me, expanded and worked on having a nicer fabrication facility.” Special promotions during tax season are only effective if marketing and promotions are kept up throughout the rest of the year, as well. Schwartz recommended considering who is specifically making the buying decisions in a family unit. “Females are the buying decisions in most relationships. I think everything we do is written and tailored to focus on women, anyway,” Schwartz said. “Everything we look at is really women influenced because we want them to feel comfortable.” Schwartz added that because the industry is so male-dominated, many shops get stuck in the same old decoration motifs. “I say, ‘You got a wife?’ Okay, well, you need to get them down here and let them pick the colors,” he said. “[Then] you’re making your spouse part of the business. She feels important. Every aspect of my business, branding and signage, walking in the showroom— every single part of that process we think about. Even afterward, we have our own bottled water, all part of that experience which ties us into our marketing. They [the customers] already feel comfortable.”

used to have a customer come in and go, ‘I want to get a radio install, an amplifier, a sub and a box and I have like 300 dollars. What can you show me?’ Now we have people who say, ‘I was hoping to replace my radio and maybe change out my speakers, but I only have $1,200, so is there anything you can do for me?’” Word has spread, and those who have less money are more likely to save up and spend more when they can afford it. “It makes our job more fun. That person enjoys what we’ve done for them,” Schultz said. “The repeat business is almost built into it as well. They get their taxes and already know what they want to do with it.” In Anchorage, remote start season lasts from September to the end of May. Schwartz noted that clients are willing to wait over a month for a remote start. “All things being equal, the customer’s going to buy on price. The customer feels they will get value and service and they’re

willing to wait and pay more. Just like I would,” Schwartz explained. He added that he goes to the same place for lunch, and while the food costs more, the quality is higher and so it’s worth it. “People want it to be smooth and easy and that’s what we try to do. I look at the whole thing as how we can get people in. We want generational customers. They get their tax money and they already know. We don’t have to give anything away to get them here.” Pietraszko stated their business is steady year round. “Our typical day is ten invoices, which I think is a huge factor when comparing stores,” he said. “Some guys do 60, 70 or 80 transactions a day. For us to notice a huge change, it’s going from 10 to 12 invoices per day. You hear people say it all the time: ‘When I get my tax return, I’m going to do this,’ so there’s no doubt people are spending their tax return money.” 

Quality First A focus on quality as the number one priority naturally shows customers and clients what a business is all about. When Eminent Hi-Fi rebranded and altered its focus, the rewards increased. “We almost just sit back and reap the rewards,” Schultz said, now that word-of-mouth has taken off for them. “Going after this high-end clientele, the entry-level or middle of the road market craves your work and your craftsmanship more. We

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 tech today

the SHOWCASE

BUILD

PART W

e have finally arrived at the last article of the fourpart series on a recent build I worked on at Simplicity In Sound. This build was a Porsche 911 that was to be featured in the Arc Audio booth at the 2016 SEMA show. The car arrived at Simplicity In Sound looking fairly stock. Quite a bit of work had been done to the car before it got to us, though. The motor had been completely rebuilt. A number of performance modifications were added in the process. Time was spent increasing the performance of the motor, as well as the aesthetics. Pieces were painted, plated and coated, resulting in an engine that looked better than stock. The engine was beautiful. The exterior sported a fresh paint job and a few little upgrades, such as drilled door handles and a leather gas filler protection flap.

46 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

Installation expert, Joey Knapp, completes his four-part feature on the Porsche 911 shown at the 2016 SEMA Show. Final steps discussed include the fabrication of a surfboard holding assembly, rear bracket installation, painting and other finishing touches. WORDS BY JOEY KNAPP

The interior of the car was also treated to a complete rebuild. The car had upgraded Recaro seats that were upholstered in the same leather used throughout the car. The backs of the seats were carbon fiber, and the brackets were polished stainless steel. The seats were beautiful! The rest of the interior was basically stock, but upholstered in new leather. The dash did have an upgraded carbon fiber overlay. One area I did not work on in this car was the doors. The car came to us with 911 RS-type door panels. If you are familiar with the 911 door panel, you know there is typically a protruding pocket assembly that leads to a door pull. These panels were more of a minimalist design. They were flat with a single pull handle. The client had ordered some carbon fiber replacements for these panels. The replacement panels were flat with the majority of the mounting points

and cutouts already there. Because time was so tight on this build Bing offered to help with the doors. The doors were housing a simple setup of the Arc Audio Black series components. Bing was tasked with arranging the layout and cutting the holes for the speakers. He also made sure all of the mounting holes were proper, as well as soundproofing the doors. To help reduce any vibrations, he added some thin foam to the back of the carbon fiber panel. Once he had the speaker wires run into the door, he was able to assemble the pieces and complete the door portion of the project. I was a little unsure of how a large piece of carbon fiber would look for a door card, but once it was all together, it looked great!

The carbon fiber doors ended up looking great thanks to the help from Bing.

The last part of this build to be fabricated was the surfboard holding assembly. As I mentioned in previous articles, the client owns the Vast surfwear company. He was going to use this Porsche for promotional purposes. The result was one of the most unique requests I have ever worked on: to be able to secure a surfboard in the passenger seat area of a car. The client wanted to be able to remove the passenger seat and have an assembly that would easily bolt in, and allow a surfboard to be mounted. In addition, he wanted a storage area for surf-related items, such as towels, wetsuits, wax and fins. Also on the list was a secure “locker” for keys and cell phones. When I am building something I like to put whatever I am mounting in its location, to get an idea of the space around it. In this build, I was unable to do that. The client was having a custom board bag made for the car, and it wasn’t going to be ready until after the car would be leaving us. In addition, the client was going to have a variety of different boards that could possibly be carried in the car. So, I got the dimensions of the largest parts of the board bag and made a cardboard template of it. I knew

A cardboard template was made to check the fitment of the surfboard in the car.

if I made the largest possible board fit, the smallest would definitely fit. I was also going to have to devise some sort of flexible mounting system to accommodate the variety of board sizes. Once the template was in the car, I saw what little spare room there was. It was going to be a tight fit. I worked on a number of possible design ideas until I came up with one that would work. The design of the assembly would be a base that bolted to the floor using the factory seat bolts. Coming up off the base would be an arm that had two perpendicular assemblies bolted to it. The two assemblies would have attachment points for leather straps that would secure the board. I started the project by building the base first. The floor of the Porsche was not level, nor flat. None of the mounting holes were symmetrical, either. I decided to make a framework to fit inside the mounting holes and weld tabs onto the outside of it to provide spots for fastening. The inner framework was made from 1-inch square tubing in the shape of a rectangle. I added an additional piece of tubing off to one side, 1 inch away from the perimeter of the frame. The additional piece would create a slot for the vertical part of the assembly to fit into. I

The metal frame was mounted to the floor with a number of metal brackets.

would also then have more surface area to weld to, to help make the vertical arm more rigid. Because of the angle of the upcoming vertical piece, the front of the frame would deal with the most stress. The longest part of the surfboard would be constantly pulling on the front two mounting bolts. I knew I needed to make the front mounting of the frame very secure to endure the pressure. Looking at the front two mounting spots, I found they were on the same plane. I cut a piece of 2-inch x 3/16-inch flat bar to fit the width of the front mounting holes. I then marked and drilled out the two holes that would allow it to bolt onto the floor using the seat bolt points. Now that I had the first bracket in place I was able to position the mounting frame in place and get it square and level. I protected the carpet and the interior of the car with cardboard and pieces of ¼-inch MDF and then tack-welded the frame to the front mounting brace. I unbolted the assembly and welded the rest of the contact points, to securely attach the brace to the frame.

me-mag.com 47

 tech today The hard part of attaching the frame to the floor was now done. What was left was just two attachment points on the sides in the back. I measured and cut two brackets out of 1-inch x 1/8-inch flat bar for the sides. I then measured and drilled the mounting holes. The two brackets were then bolted in place on the floor and, with the interior protected, I tackwelded them into place. The assembly was unbolted and came out of the car once more for some more welding. The next step was to make the vertical arm that would hold the surfboard. Because of the close clearances between the board template and the car, I was had to get the angle and the length of the arm perfect. I cut a few sample pieces out of ¼-inch MDF and mocked them up in the car before I found one that would be perfect. I transferred the wood measurement to a piece of 1-inch square tubing and cut that piece using our metal chopsaw. One end of the piece was cut to the angle of the bottom of the frame. This angle would help me locate the correct orientation of the arm when welding it. The other end had a 45-degree angle cut. That end would be visible, and I thought it would look better cut at an angle. This end would also have a plate welded over it to seal it off. The two arms that would actually hold the surfboard would attach to this angled arm. I had some ideas about incorporating different hardware in the upper part of the arms, so I decided the top part of the arms would bolt on. This project started for me even before I left Florida to fly out to Simplicity In Sound. A few weeks before I left for California, the client and I were talking about the build. We knew once I got started, there would be a minimal amount of time, and a hard deadline of when the car had to leave. A part of the build I wasn’t going to be able to do was make the leather straps that held the board to the rack. I talked with the client about how I was thinking of building the assembly. The client wanted to use brass hardware with the leather to keep with the color scheme of the build. After doing some research on hardware, and knowing a rough idea of what I was building,

48 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

I provided the client with measurements for the leather straps. The width was dictated by the buckle size of 1.75 inches. The client sent the measurements to the upholsterer and The point of a caliper blade can be used to score a centerline they started workin metal, wood or plastic. ing on the straps, to be sent to Simplicity In Sound when completed. I knew I needed a little bit of room when drilling metal, either on a drill between the arms for the straps, so the press or with a hand-held drill, to secure plan was to have a 2-inch opening on the the metal. It is very common for a bit to vertical arms. To make the attachment “catch” the metal and then try and spin points for the arms, I cut four pieces of 1-inch square Always make sure to secure metal before drilling it, tubing to 4 inches regardless of what you are drilling it with. long. These would be welded together and then welded onto the angled arm. But first, I needed to make the holes for the bolts. The two parts of the arms were going to bolt together on each side of the attachment points. That meant all four pieces of tubing needed to have fairly precise holes the piece. If you are holding the metal drilled in them. To mark the center of the with your hand, the results can be disastubing I used a caliper set to ½-inch. I trous. I clamped and drilled each piece then used the point of the caliper to score of tubing until I had all eight pieces with the metal, giving me a perfect centerline. corresponding holes. Once all the pieces were scored I measured where the two bolt holes had to be on each piece and marked the intersection point on the centerline. I used a straight pick to mark the center line, and then a center punch to make a starting divot. It is importA quick and easy way to draw a line around a cylinder is to ant to make sure roll a piece of paper up around the cylinder. If the paper edge

is flush after a solid wrap and a half, and it is tight, the line will be straight.

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 tech today

The brass tubing was a perfect fit for the outside of the steel tubes.

three spacer pieces for each arm. One at the top, and two towards the bottom, for the strap to thread between. I cut the six necessary pieces out of both the brass and the steel tubing, and slid the brass sleeves over the steel tubing. Then I measured and marked all of the holes necessary for the spacers. In addition,

I went ahead and cut the threaded rod into the six pieces I would need. Using the threaded rod allowed easy length adjustment, because with the closed-end acorn nuts I was using, there wasn’t as much leeway in the length. After a bit of fine filing and adjustment, I had all of the pieces where they would bolt together

Thanks to careful measuring and marking, all of the holes for the cross members were straight.

50 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

The next thing I needed to do was to add the cross braces that would hold the leather straps. At this point I felt I only needed one more bolt-through spot at the top of the vertical arms, to hold them securely. I took a trip to the local Orchard Hardware store to look for what hardware I would use to put the pieces together. I also needed the round tubing that I was going to make the spacer pieces for the strap out of. I got very lucky on my trip to the store. I was able to find not only some ½-inch round steel tubing, but also some brass tubing that slid perfectly over the ½-inch steel tubing. I also was able to buy enough brass washers and nuts to be able to bolt the whole assembly together. I knew the additional bits of brass would really help solidify the surfboard holder into the overall design of the car. I needed squarely. To make sure the reassembly went together using the same pieces, I marked each piece and corresponding attachment piece side with a number of dots. This ensured if the piece was ever disassembled, reassembly would be easy and precise.

Numbered dots were made with a punch tool to label the correct location of each arm.

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 tech today

Fitting and positioning the lockbox onto the floor frame.

A test fit of the arm assembly with the leather strapping.

SEM self-etching primer is used to prepare the metal for paint.

The final pieces assembled and installed.

The final step was to clean, prime and paint all of the pieces. Because of the constant contact that these pieces would be having with removing and installing the surfboard, I would have liked to have had them powder-coated. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the car long enough to get this done. Part of the beauty of the bolt-together arms, though, is that if the client wants to have the assembly powder-coated, he can. I went about painting the pieces like I do all metal work I build. I started with the SEM self-etching primer, and then moved onto the Transtar trim paint. Sometimes I will use the Rust-Oleum texture paint, but I have found that it gets dirty and holds dirt

52 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

very easily. In addition, the texture makes it difficult to clean. The final step, once the paint was dry, was to assemble all the pieces. A last-minute request from the client was to have some sort of padding for the surfboard to sit on against the frame. I found some pipe insulation that was a perfect fit for the metal tubing. The client then could have the client making the board bag also make nylon covers for the padding. After the pieces were all assembled, I added some plastic end caps to seal off the exposed ends of the tubing. These caps really helped to give the whole piece a “finished” look. In some of the pictures you can see

different parts of the covers and storage pieces I previously mentioned. Those were simple wood parts that were covered in a layer of fiberglass mat, for weatherproofing. They were simple pieces that dropped in to trim out the board mounting assembly and hold the storage containers for the surfing gear. Shortly after I left California to go back home to Florida, the car was shipped down to LA. There, the car was transformed in the hands of Akira Sakai. I thought it would be a fitting end to the article to close with thoughts from the car owner about his vision for the build. In addition, enjoy the behind-the-scenes look at the RWB conversion. 

“Working with the master, Akira Sakai of Rauh-Welt Begriff (RWB), and building one of his wild wide body creations has been a dream project of mine for over 10 years. The 964 platform was the most aesthetically pleasing to me for the theme of the build: a Southern California surf inspired drop-top cruiser, tying in my

surf brand, VAST. From these ideas, the concept for the 1990 Porsche 911 Cabriolet C4, RWB x VAST surf car was born. We call her, ‘Between Waves,’ the first and only surf-themed RWB

911. We choose all the best components for the car: the aerodynamics, hot-rod engine, track ready suspension, custom wheels using vintage components, brakes, the full interior

treatment, stereo installation, etc.—a mix of old-school and newschool, like the 1992 Alpine CD player with the top-of-the-line Arc Audio equipment. She’s a beach cruiser that’ll keep up (and likely outrun) any modern day super car, and bang out some mean tunes while doing it.” - Sam Yang me-mag.com 53

 installs

STRIPED ENCLOSURE SUBMITTED BY JP JONES, AUTOSOUND OF LEXINGTON, LEXINGTON, KY.

The team at Autosound had the opportunity to enhance the factory trunk of a brand new 2017 Camaro with a custom enclosure. The installation included two JL 13TW5 subwoofers and a JL Audio XD1000/1 amplifier. The design shapes were pulled from the dash and doors, and SS racing stripes were built into the enclosure.

54 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

me-mag.com â&#x20AC;&#x201A; 55

 installs

Best Sound Challenge SUBMITTED BY STEVEN SANCHEZ, SOREAL SOUNDS, STONEHAM, MASS.

A returning client came into the shop with his Porsche Panamera. The previous vehicle the client brought in was a Porsche Carrera, which had a two-way active front stage, custom subwoofer enclosure in the passenger’s footwell, and digital sound processor powered by a five-channel amplifier. The client wanted to do the same kind of audio system in the Panamera but did not think the install team could get the Panamera to sound better than his Carrera. The team took the challenge seriously by enhancing the system to include a three-way active front stage, rear fill, dual custom subwoofer enclosures for the corners of the cargo area, digital sound processor and three amplifiers. The client was blown away at the sound and had no issues spending 50 percent more than his Carrera system. 56 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

me-mag.com â&#x20AC;&#x201A; 57

Create

then

Cultivate

If your business is going in circles, here’s how to put it on the right track.

Are you leading your business, or is it on auto-pilot? And if you are leading, are you taking it in a defined direction or simply picking paths that others say may be the right one? In today’s business climate, and especially for small business retailers in a niche industry, we don’t have the luxury of guessing. There are too many competitors as well as competitive industries that are strategizing daily to take your customers. Good or bad, you need to stand for something. Then, structure your business, your people and your procedures so that everything you do feeds into the vision and direction you’ve chosen. I want to share with you what I’ve found to be the four principles of a successful business framework. Define who you are. Managers don’t make a business. Employees, as great as they are, can’t create a sustained culture of success. That’s the leader’s job. But to be clear, leading is not the same as being the boss. A boss’ job is to ensure that given directives are followed out according to a plan. A leader’s job is to create that plan in the first place. Everything your business does must derive from—and aspire to—a single point. Who are you, and what differentiates you from your competitors? What makes you stand out? What do you want customers to remember about you? And more important, what do you want your customers to tell their friends about you? These seemingly simple questions are the framework for your mission statement. I know you’ve heard the term before over and over, but it’s vital to any business that wants to grow in a predictive, efficient manner. Understanding who you are as a business allows you to drive all your energy, passion, expertise and knowledge in a single direction. Asking yourself these questions could net you a mission statement like: Audio World will always go one step further to exceed the expectations of friends and neighbors who patronize our business. Our staff will be the most knowledgeable and the most prepared to accommodate client needs, in an environment that is comfortable, informative and welcoming to all. THAT’s who you are. Now, you can live up to it. Find great examples to model after. On this, there is no need to re-create the wheel; great examples are everywhere. The easiest way to create a successful model is to follow the model of a similar company that has succeeded. But I use the word ‘similar’ loosely. Nordstrom is in no way similar to a car stereo business, but its customer service model may be similar to how you want

58 Mobile Electronics  April 2017

to treat your customers. Also, you may look to your local wireless phone store or grocery chain for creating a merchandising plan that engages customers. That said, there are a lot of great retailers within our industry who have found the right models for their environments. (Many of these retailers will be at KnowledgeFest!) Some of their ideas may not work for you due to differences in customer base, staff size, etc. But you can still pick up certain pieces of their structure and ignore others, putting them together to build a customized plan for your business. Put the pieces together. This is the part where you work with your leadership staff to create the structure that delivers your mission statement. Order lunch and get in front of a big whiteboard. Go over every element of business and determine how you will do it the Audio World way. How will staff present to customers? What’s our greeting in person and over the phone? What are our service offerings? How will we communicate internally among different departments? There are a lot more that can be added to this list, and every decision made is a brick laid in the foundation of your mission statement. The second component to this is defining the roles of the staff who will implement your vision. Each of your managers needs to fully understand his or her responsibility so that they are confident in how they carry out their jobs. Finally, be a leader (not a boss). As an owner or store manager, your role is to ensure that others perform their roles to deliver on the promise of the mission statement. You’ve defined the vision, incorporated the right structure, and gotten the buy-in of your managers. Now let them work! Continue to educate them. Constructively correct their mistakes in private, and offer praise in public. Do the same with your employees without undermining your managers’ authority. Being an inspiration to your team makes the mission real. Regardless of what you promise on the wall, customers can tell when employees are happy and the workplace is cohesive, and when it’s not. And in their eyes, if they see you are living up to your promise, they will be willing partners in growing your business.

INTRODUCING THE ALL NEW KAPPA PERFECT COMPONENT SYSTEMS

DEFINING THE STANDARD FOR COMPONENT SPEAKERS. AGAIN. What happens when leading audio engineers with world-class resources develop uncompromising component speaker systems without cost constraints? Audio perfection. Introducing Kappa Perfect, Infinity’s flagship line of super-accurate, super-high performance speakers. Kappa Perfect component speakers deliver high power handling, high SPL capability, and unparalleled response. They also feature high-end industrial design and available three-way configuration. With just the flick of a switch, you can transform a 2-way system into a 3-way system by adding the Kappa Perfect midrange speaker. Any audio company can aspire to perfection. But only one with Infinity’s engineering, manufacturing and testing resources can achieve it. To Learn More Visit: www.infinityspeakers.com Or Please contact: Christopher Dragon at 203-328-4203 / Chris.Dragon@harman.com

© 2017 HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated. All rights reserved. Infinity is a trademark of HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated, registered in the United States and/or other countries. Features, specifications and appearance are subject to change without notice.

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PAT GERARDO Auto Action Group We have had success with the new power lift gate product from VOXX. The fact that it is so close to an OE solution, as well as the ease of install has made it a home run for us here at Auto Action. We have been able to add this product to our mobile install line and increasing our overall product offering. For more information or to become a dealer, visit us at: adventproducts.com/become-dealer ©2017 VOXX Electronics Corporation A VOXX International Company