Mobile Electronics Magazine June 2019

June 2019

me-mag.com

PLUS

Coming Up Roses Sony & The Sellers Tozzi and crew add MECP testing to meeting of distributors’ front line

MacKinnon pushes pink noise to optimize audio performance

3 Letters are Better Wehmeyer Shares his experience on getting to Yes

Living Up to the Name Progressive evolves its biz but keeps its focus on partnerships

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Volume 43 // Issue 6

Articles

16 16 Retail News / Who’s Who 54 Installs

12

Departments

FEATURES

6 Editor’s Forum 8 Feedback 58 From The President

12// What’s Happening: Sony Bootcamp Sony Car Audio brings its distributor sales professionals together for the fourth annual Sales Boot Camp, with a little MECP on the side.

24// Real World Retail: Mobile Toys, Inc. Mobile Toys, Inc. continues to experience rapid growth year over year, attributed to its application of manufacturing processes and procedures on every aspect of the business.

38// Difference Makers: The Progressive Group By executing simple things well, The Progressive Group grew from a one-car garage operation to a $30 million-plus business.

44// Strategy & Tactics: Getting to “Yes” Expert salespeople and the right props can quickly transform your business and your customers’ experiences.

48// Tech Today: Amplifier Power, Frequency and Speaker Power Ratings Here’s what you need to know about pink noise and speaker power ratings to optimize the performance of a mobile audio system.

On the Cover COVER DESIGN: Manny DeJesus Speed and efficiency are main focus points for Mobile Toys in College Station, Texas. As the business expands from the main retail store into manufacturing and e-commerce, team members always think of the next install as the best install—no matter how large or small the job is.

4 Mobile Electronics June 2019

Ad Index Accele Electronics....................................…p. 2 & 3 Alpine........................................................................p. 15 AudioControl .......................................................p. 29 DD Audio................................................................p. 46 DS18.........................................................................p. 42 Escort.......................................................................p. 19 Firstech...................................................................p. 59 Harman: Infinity...................................................p. 21 HD Radio..................................................................p. 17 Hertz........................................................................p. 45 InstallerNet...........................................................p. 41 K40 Electronics..................................................p. 27 Kenwood...................................................................p. 7 Kicker.........................................................................p. 5 MEA: KnowledgeFest......................................p. 37 MECP.......................................................................p. 39 Metra: Axxess.....................................................p. 33 Orca: Focal/Mosconi/Illusion........................p. 11 Race Sport Lighting.........................................p. 43 Rockford Fosgate...............................................p. 31 SiriusXM.................................................................p. 47 Sony............................................................................p. 9 SounDigital...........................................................p. 23 Voxx Electronics................................................p. 60 Wet Sounds.........................................................p. 35

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editor’s forum

The CX Effect

Big or small, your place can be the place they can’t forget.

“Wanna eat?” I said through the car’s hands-free system.

“Of course!” came the response in her typical musical tone. My mother-in-law loves a good meal.

So I pick her up and we do our usual place: Foxy’s in Glendale. It’s an allday joint that reminds you of a house you’d see if you hung out with Hansel and Gretel. Waiters and waitresses are dressed old-school with crisp white tops and black bottoms, and look like they grew up and went to school just to do this job.

As we sat at the bar with identical plates of carne asada in front of us, her telling me how she’s coping with her recent retirement and me telling her how to avoid elderly-targeted “Microsoft tech support” scams, I took a good look around.

Why do we always come back here? I mean, the food is good, but this is L.A. There’s good food everywhere. And then I knew.

Walking into Foxy’s is like taking a step into a world of their own creation. From the people to the décor and the service, you literally feel like you are somewhere else. You don’t hear personal conversations between staff members or see signs about making sure to count the register before ending your shift. Everything is focused on creating and maintaining the customer experience they want you to have.

I realized I place a value on that as a consumer, and I’m willing to pay for it.

And based on the continual crowd of regulars, I’m not alone.

Disney is the shining jewel when it comes to delivering an extraordinary customer experience. Thousands of amusement parks have rides, but none of

6 Mobile Electronics June 2019

them transport you to another world like Disneyland. Foxy’s success with this same concept is proof that you don’t need to be big to do the same.

Customer experience has become so vital in competitive markets that it now has its own acronym: CX. It works as a selling tool for one reason: Selling has very little to do with money; every buyer has money. It has more to do with influencing a buyer to place a higher priority on what you’re offering. Controlling the experience gives you more control over that influencing process. It moves your business outside the dimension of competitors and introduces a new value system that goes beyond product price.

Can you buy into this? Or do you believe your customers only value price and can’t afford your better products?

Take a look outside and see what your customer is driving. Unless it’s a mountain bike, it’s a purchase that represents several thousands of dollars and lots of hard work. Another business created and delivered an experience that influenced them to buy better. If someone else can create that experience for them, so can you.

How do you move your store from ordinary to extraordinary? It starts with a philosophy. For most of us, we want to create “World of Enhancement Possibilities Land” (anyplace that ends with “land” is cool). We want to remove preset notions for “this brand at this price” and start them thinking about all the ways their drive can be better. Fulfillment of that philosophy starts in the parking lot.

The storefront should stand out by first being clean, then promise a new experience inside by being vibrant and inviting.

The more unique we can make this first impression, the better.

Inside, the showroom needs to live up to its name: show. Whether you use POP, kiosk displays, a demo car, sound board or combination, customers should be able to walk a tastefully-designed path through your store to experience audio, security, safety, convenience, video, customization and integration. Signage should focus on consumer benefit, using images of happy people. Any signage meant for staff should be moved to staffonly locations.

Next: your people. Uniforms are essential to an immersive customer experience. Staff are like actors. They play a role in representing the store, not themselves—one in which they are neat, polite, informative, personable, helpful and experienced. Uniforms reinforce this role and create a visual of consistency. In addition, personal interaction should take place outside the customer’s sight and sound range. Everything customers hear and see should be related to the task of representing the business.

For our customers, interaction needs to start with something we want to show them, rather than asking what they want us to show them. We can’t control the experience if the customer has the lead.

Introduce a just-received product, offer a quick tour, show off a recently completed installation. The proactive approach transfers control of the experience from them to you.

Finally, our work needs to deliver. Just like Foxy’s has great food and The Magic Kingdom has great rides, customers should be able to recount their extraordinary experience every time they use what we installed. For some reason, they will want to come back. They might not know why, but you will.

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www.kenwood.com/usa Š2019 Kenwood and Kenwood eXcelon are registered trademarks of JVCKenwood in the United States and may be a registered trademark, or trademark, in other countries. All other third-party product names, brand names and logos are trademarks of their respective owners.

 feedback

Nothing Worth Doing is Easy

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

EDITORIAL Solomon Daniels Editor-in-Chief 978.645.6463 • solomond@mobile-electronics.com Rosa Sophia Managing Editor 978.645.6466 • rosas@mobile-electronics.com Creative Layout and Design: Manny DeJesus Contributing Editors: Jamie Sorcher, Joey Knapp and Laura Kemmerer

Published by TM

Retailers and owners note that continued training, empowering teammates and staying current with certifications are essential factors when it comes to investing in a business or a career.

“Never stop learning. And don’t look at trainings and events as an expense, but rather as an investment.” German Schulmeister, Custom Sounds, San Isidro, Buenos Aires “I am a new business owner and have been an installer for the last 20 years. I wish I had done this years ago. I was so afraid of failing. I was unhappy [at work], but knew I had a guaranteed paycheck at the end of the week. Looking back, I wish I had listened to friends and family and opened my own shop sooner. Nothing worth doing is ever easy. I have made a lot of mistakes, which in turn means I have learned a lot. I look forward to attending a KnowledgeFest event this year.” Moe Collins, Mobile Electronics Solutions, Belmont, NH “Business owners: Empower those around you. Empowerment not only gives your team the ability to fix things or make judgment calls, but doing so also frees you up to worry about the bigger picture. Empowering your team helps with job performance and overall job satisfaction.

Your team will feel like they can make a difference, because they can. And make sure you are training them on how to handle situations. That’ll help with their comfort level and again, free you up to run the business.

It’s a win-win for you and your team.” Joe Cassity, Tunes-N-Tint, Lakeland, Fla. “Stay current with MECP, MPS and vendor trainings. Knowledge is power. The more well-rounded and well-versed you are, [the more you can] tailor your presentation to clients.” Adam Devine, Devine Concepts, Naples, Fla.

8 Mobile Electronics June 2019

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 Tony Frangiosa, Chairman of the Board, MEA 1) Title of publication: Mobile Electronics. 2) Publication No.: 957-170 6. (ISSN# 1523-763X) 3) Copyright © 2018 by the Mobile Electronics 4) Date of filing: Oct. 1, 2018. 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/Rosa Sophia, 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: October 2018. 6. a) Total no. copies (net press run) Average: 10,237 Single Issue; 12,826. b) Paid/Requested mail subscriptions Average: 6039, Single Issue: 7346. c) Paid sales through dealers, etc.; Average: 0. Single issue; d) Requested distributed by other classes of mail: Average: 435, Single issue: 520. Total paid and/or requested circulation; Average 6039. Single issue: 7346. e) Non-requested distribution by mail; Average: 3593 Single issue: 4223. Free distribution through other classes of mail: Average: 0, Single issue: 0. f) Non-requested distribution outside the mail; Average: 267. Single issue: 750. g) Total non-requested distribution; Average 3860, Single issue: 4973. h) Total distribution; Average: 9,899. Single issue: 12,319. i) Copies not distributed; h1) Office use, leftovers; Average: 338. Single Issue; 507 j) Total; Average: 10,237. 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

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 What’s Happening

My View: Leave the Bosses at Home Sony Car Audio brings its distributor sales professionals together for the fourth annual Sales Boot Camp, with a little MECP on the side.

WORDS BY SOLOMON DANIELS

It wasn’t the sales meeting I was expecting. There were no suits, no polite conversations, no corporate feel. Then again, maybe I should not have anticipated a snooty affair. We’re talking about Sony Car Audio after all.

It was this kind of banter that set the tone for an informative, educational and occasionally raucous fourth annual Sony Boot Camp. Held at the Chicago Marriott Suites O’Hare, the event welcomed 52 attendees from the brand’s specialty distribution partners. (If you didn’t know, Sony uses distribution for 100 percent of its specialty sales.) Distribution sales manager Anthony Tozzi and head of sales Rick Kojan hosted for the event, backed by six members of the Sony car audio team.

The two-day meeting opened like old friends getting together. Though many were competitors, in this room they were all colleagues. Kojan counted 11 first-year attendees, who were welcomed by 17 twoyear, 14 three-year and eight four-year veterans. The emphasis of the event was

12 Mobile Electronics June 2019

on learning while having fun, he said.

And that’s what happened. Jokes and laughter often interrupted speakers, with playful insults flying back and forth. Then Tozzi got up and attendees “bet” on how long he would go over the two-day event before saying a certain four-letter word during his presentations. (Was there money involved? I don’t recall.)

Boots on the Ground There were two aspects of this event that caught my attention. First was the audience. It wasn’t a gathering of distributor presidents, general managers and owners. This wasn’t meant to be a schmooze-fest. These were people on the front lines—the sales staff who work the phones and beat the street to interface directly with retailers on behalf of the Sony brand.

While that is unique, it’s also a good thing whenever distributors are involved.

They are often the forgotten entity of our industry, much less their sales professionals. God Bless Mike Van Horn for being one of the few to tell their stories, even posting an annual distributor show

calendar that has become a staple in our small industry. But the blame for this can be evenly dispersed, as most distributors prefer to quietly rep their brands, sell their products and service their local dealers.

It’s been only in the past few years that distributors have begun to join the herd. Davis Distribution made the first official appearance for a distributor at a KnowledgeFest event at the Indianapolis KnowledgeFest in 2016, and did so in a big way, inviting clients and show attendees alike to its after-hours event. That trend is continuing with two distributors attending this year’s Dallas show. (A point of order: distributors don’t actually show product at KnowledgeFest events per the rules, but instead act as concierges for their dealers, taking them around the show floor to visit their client vendors.)

And the Mobile Electronics Association (MEA), which owns KnowledgeFest, is working to make it easier for distributors to become a significant part of the show series.

The second thing that caught my attention was the announcement that, for

My View: Leave the Bosses at Home

the first time, attendees would be taking the Mobile Product Specialist Certification test from MECP. And throughout the sometimes-spontaneous hilarity of the first day, there was an undercurrent of worry: The group would receive only a cursory crash course training session from Kris Bulla, national trainer for Sony.

Bulla, like a few other multi-talented professionals in our industry, chooses to spread his value beyond his employer— with his employer’s blessings, of course.

He currently heads the Mobile Electronics Certified Professional program. He

and Tozzi concocted the idea to provide attendees with exposure to the test, with those who passed receiving real-life certification.

MECP is at a crossroads, in my opinion. Though it’s been around for more than 25 years and, for most of that time, has been the industry’s only certification body, it has struggled to gain acceptance among specialty retailers and technicians, which means there is even less brand awareness among consumers. What’s worse, since it has been adopted by big-box stores like Best Buy—which are not known for doing anything complicated beyond the typical radio or alarm install—it’s received an unfair reputation of being worthless for representing true talent and expertise.

Of course, that was never its intent.

Bulla, who has held MECP Master-level certification for 15 years and took over in 2018, hopes to change the perception.

And as a magazine, we support the effort.

The May 2019 issue of Mobile Electronics saw the re-emergence of the MECP page, which lists newly-certified professionals and provides information on the value of certification. But for consumer awareness, there is no pot o’ gold that will pay for nationwide, targeted campaigns. We all know the means of creating awareness and value for MECP lies with the people with whom consumers interface: the dealers.

Which is why it was pretty cool to have distributor salespeople take the test.

Even as a recipient of this non-technical certification, they could use their dealer relationships to relay the value of the program. facebook.com/MobileElectronics

13

 What’s Happening

No Runners From the Real Deal Prior to the review and test, Tozzi and Kojan presented a frank sales outlook for 2019. No rosy pictures were painted as the duo outlined the fallout from shortage of high-quality seven-inch screens, as well as other circumstances that could make for a challenging year.

And this is when you could see the fruits of the team’s labor. I’ve only been at one other event—the M.E.S.A. (Mobile Electronics Specialists of America) Summit in Denver—where the camaraderie among all participants was this strong. M.E.S.A. has a unique structure in which all participants must do well for any of them to do well. In contrast, this boot camp had a vendor talking to a bunch of salespeople who could choose to offer anything on their warehouse shelves, including competitive products.

Yet, the nodding heads showed they were all in. Conversations didn’t dwell on what other brands they would sell more easily, but how they would put forth the effort to defy expectations with THIS brand. It was a sign of the strong rapport built between the Sony Car Audio team and their dealer representatives.

Bowling, Building, Try Not to Bomb Outside the meeting room, attendees got to experience Sony’s upcoming XAV-AX7000 radio—which is known for its impressive internal amplification—in a 2018 Subaru Impreza built by

14 Mobile Electronics June 2019

team member and accomplished fabricator Jared Bahley.

In addition to front components and rear coaxials, a pair of 10-inch subwoofers were run off the radio’s internal power, and to my ears, it was an impressive step up from factory. Beer and bowling were part of the evening agenda, and while I was getting schooled on arcade hoops, I managed to meet a lot of cool, passionate industry professionals.

On day two, attendees were treated to other presenters from the Sony Car Audio team, and I was honored to be included in the roster as guest speaker. Prior to the event, I sent a survey out to all attendees asking about their jobs, traits of best and worst customers, and where they felt their rapport levels were with each customer. My presentation comprised evaluating survey results and keying in on strategies to build retailer rapport by taking an active part in the problem-solving process.

And then there was the MECP test, for which three hours were allotted.

Sony footed the bill for the exam fees, which run $85 per person for the Product Specialist test. Bulla wouldn’t share the results with me—or anybody, for that matter—no matter what promises I made or how well I spoke of the Tennessee Titans. But he did say that 54 percent of test-takers passed with only the short

review. Each was immediately informed of their pass / fail status upon completion, and those who did not pass can take the test again…though on their own dime.

The Niche Works It turns out Tozzi lasted only six hours and 50 minutes before dropping the F-bomb, to the delight of all those who wagered. From what I’ve been told, he’s failed every year, which means free money for those who bet—allegedly, of course. If I’m invited back next year, I may add some alleged thickness to my wallet in anticipation.

I’m always highly supportive when anyone in our industry reaches out to help another. Most of us started as hobbyists and learned the business side from people who were willing to put our industry ahead of personal concerns. Sony didn’t have to do this. They could have just hounded or incentivized distributor principals to perform and let them deal with their own staff performance. The team’s often brash, no-punches-pulled, non-PC approach raises the eyebrows of outsiders, but seems to bring brings those in the fold even closer. It doesn’t work for every brand, but with the right combination of insight and personality, it does with this team.

My View: Leave the Bosses at Home

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15

 retail news WORDS BY LAURA KEMMERER

Personal Move Benefits Business for Vibe Car Audio

Installation technician Christopher Labonte has been in the mobile electronics industry for 25 years, and recently moved to Red Deer, Alberta, where he now works for Vibe Car Audio. The shop has been open for 15 years. Labonte went from Winnipeg for a long vacation in California, and then headed to Red Deer to work for Vibe.

In terms of product divestment, Labonte, who has been with Vibe Car Audio since October 2018, noted that it boils down to reliability. Labonte himself is working on upgrading the shop’s installation bays, among other things.

“We had two rooms: one was for cutting wood and another room just for painting, so now it’s just going to be one large room for all of our woodworking,” said Labonte.

Agoura Autosounds Welcomes Two New Hires

Agoura Hills, California-based Agoura Autosounds recently welcomed the addition of two new hires: Eric Palafox, 22, and Rolando Palafox, 21. Their father, Jaime, who opened the shop two years ago, brought them on board to both teach them a craft and to help them move forward with their next steps in life. Jaime has been in the industry for over 20 years.

“I wanted to teach them some kind of craft, some kind of trade,” Jaime said. With his sons’ schooling not turning in the

16 Mobile Electronics June 2019

direction he’d hoped for, and both young men working “oddball jobs,” Jaime wanted to provide his sons with some incentive.

The decision to bring Eric and Rolando on board will also allow Jaime to look toward his own future and what role he maintains in the business.

Rolando has one full year of experience, while Eric is new to the industry. Eric did not immediately express interest in the industry, but both sons have taken to the work. Jaime also emphasized that having his sons working with him also breaks down to trust; he knows they will tell him if something goes wrong.

Some of their early work has included leather interior, a full audio system, building speaker boxes, full rewires on classic cars and other work. His sons have enjoyed working on new projects every day, and that no two days are exactly the same.

“We’re getting paid for it, but we’re making people happy,” Jaime said. “I think they’re learning an appreciation for the business.”

The Car Audio Shop Implements Custom-Built Displays

For Brandon Green of St. Louis-based The Car Audio Shop, implementing custom-built displays was a way for the shop to own the space, to make something unique. “We just wanted to do something different,” Green said.

The shop has been open for over seven years. Green himself has been in the industry for roughly 23 years.

“We’re just trying to provide a different experience for our clients,” he said. “That’s kind of our goal here.”

Green noted that as a person, he’s very indecisive, so it took him a while to choose what he wanted to do. “Building displays, you know they’re going to be in your showroom for a number of years, and you’ve got to come up with something on your own.”

Customer response so far has also been good.

“We’ve had a lot of compliments, a lot of good feedback,” Green said. The displays the shop has been building are mainly intended for high-end products as well as show off some custom options. “We want to be able to demonstrate that goal in some way, shape or form in the shop itself.”

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Who’s Who

 retail news

Faces in the Industry

Tunes-N-Tint Expands Offerings in Motorcycle and Power Sports

Jonathan Mercado MRI Distributors Position: Sales representative City: Plainville, Connecticut Years of Industry Experience: 22 Hobbies: Drag racing, gear head, customizing oddball things and problem solving.

What you’re really good at: Trouble shooting, selling and going fast.

Brandon Green The Car Audio Shop Position: Owner City: High Ridge, Missouri Years of Industry Experience: 22 Hobbies: Learning new skills.

What you’re really good at: Shop organization and cleanliness.

John Brettle Store: Cartunes Position: Bay manager/installer/ fabricator City: Atlanta, Georgia Years of Industry Experience: 27 Hobbies: Cooking and home projects.

What you’re really good at: System design/implementation and fabrication.

18 Mobile Electronics June 2019

Business growth requires investment, and for Lakeland, Florida-based Tunes-N-Tint, this meant investing in expanding the offerings in both the motorcycle and power sports sectors, as well as allowing the team to further engage with the industry.

Sales lead Chris Rossi has been in the mobile electronics industry for just over four years, and the shop has been open for a little over 11 years.

Rossi noted that both the motorcycle and powersports segments are growing markets that almost no one is tapping into. “There’s a lot of untapped potential in that part of the industry because everybody loves their toys and, especially in our area here, everybody is really into going mudding and going out to into the woods. And of course, when you’re going out into the woods, there’s not much other noise out there, so you want to make your own.”

Investing in attending more industry events has continued to bring in customers for these segments, Rossi said. A customer consistently bringing in work for side-by-sides and other toys made Rossi and others think, “What else can we do?” This also meant reaching out to relevant shops and events in the area.

“The more shows we go to, the more we can show customers everything we can do,” Rossi said. “We do a lot more than car audio and tinting.”

Tunes-N-Tint has had a particularly good response to the Rockford Fosgate line of speakers for Harley motorcycles.

“Motorcycle guys are a tight-knit group, so once you gain the trust of one, you’re able to gain the trust of many,” Rossi said. This also extends to gaining the trust of dealerships, which also provides a nice boost to business.

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 hot sellers

It’s not just the product that makes the sale—retailers note warranties, demonstrations, installation techniques and the additional features help the customer come to a final decision.

6.5-Inch Mojo Subwoofer MJM644 Submitted by: Bret Hall, Mobile Sound Solutions, Angola, Ind. Main Selling Features: “This is a small subwoofer, and it’s great for tight install areas.”

Primary Objection: Compatibility.

How to Overcome: “With my installation background, I am able to make proper modifications. We also have a good product lineup in the store, and so we’re able to overcome most problems and objections.”

Kenwood DMX905S eXcelon Touchscreen CarPlay Unit Submitted by: Kimberly Trainer, Car-Tunes Inc., Greenville, Miss.

Main Selling Features: “This unit looks amazing in the display!

It has a large, colorful display that’s easy to navigate. I have a USB port linked to it so my customers can plug their phones in and see their apps on the screen, as well as an iDatalink Maestro demo to show vehicle interfacing capabilities. I seal the deal with high-end specs like 5-volt outputs and a two-year warranty.”

Primary Objection: Additional parts required.

How to Overcome: “I explain our professional installation techniques in terms the customer can relate to, emphasizing we would never leave their vehicle missing features or functions that it came with, and I seal the deal with our in-store warranty.”

BLAM 165 RS High-Efficiency Component Speaker Submitted by: Ron Hoser, Tier One Motoring, Oaks, Pa. Main Selling Features: “We are able to demonstrate a clear difference in output for low power applications with these speakers on our showroom display.”

Primary Objection: Lack of brand recognition.

How to Overcome: “We briefly explain the history of the company and the owner.”

20 Mobile Electronics June 2019

Mosconi Pico 8-12 Amplifier with DSP Submitted by: German Schulmeister, Custom Sounds, San Isidro, Buenos Aires Main Selling Features: “We first focus on the value of the products and features rather than discussing price with the customer.”

Sony XAV-AX5000 CarPlay / Android Auto Submitted by: Bryan Turvaville, 806 Autoworks, Amarillo, Texas Main Selling Features: “This product offers functionality and a user-friendly interface.”

Primary Objection: Missing features and labor cost to install.

How to Overcome: “I show the customer how they really don’t lose features with this product, but they actually gain some, and I also show them the quality of our installations.”

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 hot sellers

Alpine ILX-W650 Mechless CarPlay / Android Auto Submitted by: Moe Collins, Mobile Electronics Solution, Belmont, NH Main Selling Features: “This product is user-friendly, and offers an easy installation.”

Primary Objection: Missing features.

How to Overcome: “We upsell.”

JL Audio VXi Multi-Channel Amplifiers with DSP Submitted by: Odin Mattes, Earmark Car Audio, Plano, Texas.

Main Selling Features: “Our customers appreciate that the VXi amplifiers are high-quality, reliable, and great sounding amplifiers that offer us the flexibility to fine tune the sound for their vehicle and their ears.”

Primary Objection: Price.

How to Overcome: “We give a demonstration of how DSP can improve the listening experience, and how the VXi amplifiers are the most cost efficient and compact, easy to integrate amplifiers that offer the best of all things. If the cost is still an objection, we offer a less expensive DSP and amplifier combination, or a system design with no DSP.”

NAV-TV Zen-V OEM Audio Interface

Submitted by: Moe Collins, Mobile Electronics Solution, Belmont, NH Main Selling Features: “The NAV-TV Zen interface gives us the best and the only way to reliably integrate.”

Primary Objection: Price.

How to Overcome: “We simply explain this product is necessary to be able to do what the customer is asking.”

Rockford Fosgate TMS69BL14 Speaker Kit

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Main Selling Features: “This is a fantastic and easy upgrade to an OEM audio system. This one piece addresses every [problem with the OEM system] and makes a great upgrade for individuals, or at the dealer level.”

Primary Objection: Price.

How to Overcome: “We haven’t had any objections.”

22 Mobile Electronics June 2019

Submitted by: Joe Cassity, Tunes-N-Tint, Lakeland, Fla. Main Selling Features: “We have continued to do bike shows and events. This, combined with word of mouth marketing, has caused motorcycles to become a very consistent, very profitable part of our business. We have partnered up with the local bike dealers, including Harley, on events and shows, and we even do co-branded advertising together.”

Primary Objection: Price and labor cost to install.

How to Overcome: “We’re selling premium audio packages on premium motorcycles. Often, the objections can be satisfied simply by showing the customer the value. A lot of motorcycle riders are DIY customers, but most still prefer us to install the products, especially when we discuss the flashing, care and responsibility we take for all disassembly and installation process.”

facebook.com/MobileElectronics   23

real world RETAIL

It’s All Part of the Process Mobile Toys, Inc. continues to experience rapid growth year over year, attributed to its application of manufacturing processes and procedures on every aspect of the business.

WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA

Mobile Toys in College Station, Texas currently has two locations—a traditional brick-and-mortar store and a full-fledged production facility that houses the manufacturing side, MTI Acoustics. The company approaches everything they do with a manufacturing mindset, according to owner Christerfer Pate.

“The people who work here helped grow the business,” Pate said. “At any one point, there are 10 different big custom jobs in line, waiting to be worked on, and our retail side is constantly booked out two to three weeks. From the production standpoint, there are always 100 to 150 enclosures waiting to be built and shipped.”

The speed at which things have to happen, he explained, makes this an unusual workplace. “Everything here is approached as a manufacturing process.

How can this be done faster? How can we do this better, so it’s more profitable?”

Mobile Toys Inc. isn’t run like an ordinary installation bay. “We understand that and we want guys to adjust to it and get better, so we push them to be better,” Pate added. “We want them to grow.

We’re training all the time.”

Manufacturing Mindset Leads to Rapid Company-Wide Growth The shop began as a subsidiary of Audio Video in College Station, according to Pate. “It has been in business for over 40 years,” he said, adding that the

24 Mobile Electronics June 2019

IT’S ALL PART OF THE PROCESS

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real world RETAIL

The focus is always the customer’s happiness. If there’s an issue with an install, the vehicle comes back and the issue is fixed. Mobile Toys also honors warranties. The retail side of the business has grown steadily 15 to 20 percent each year. company focuses on high-end home audio and custom installation.

“I worked for them in college, and when they wanted to build a new location, I talked them into building a car-only side of the business. A third of the building was dedicated to that and had a separate entrance. That’s where Mobile Toys came from. That was over 15 years ago.”

Pate left town for a while to follow other job opportunities, but returned three or four years later. “They wanted to get out of the car audio business and offered to sell it to me,” he said. Pate purchased Mobile Toys with his business partner, Lou Le. It’s been about 10 years since then. Audio Video is still in business as a separate entity.

“Every year has been a fun experience.”

In the last four years, he added, growth has been tremendous. “Each year, we look at the previous year and analyze what went right and what went wrong. If it’s something we can continue and learn from, we stay with it. If it’s not viable, we dump it and move to something new.”

Pate attributes their success to staying on the cusp of what’s trending in the market. “We want to be at the forefront.”

This desire led them to become more than just a car audio shop. “Now we’re a manufacturing company. We do e-commerce, upholstery and high-end hot rod interiors. We had a staff of three people [in the beginning]. Now we have 18 people. It’s a company that’s changed a

26 Mobile Electronics June 2019

The Mobile Toys team works quickly and efficiently. Every build is triple-checked by other technicians to ensure it fulfills what the customer is expecting. Pictured is Project Manager Matt Vowell.

lot in the time we’ve owned it. I think it’s because of the continuous progression of wanting to get better—wanting to be better.”

The business’s installations set them apart from the rest. “We build some of the best cars in the industry,” he said, adding that he constantly pushes to be the best by practicing everything he both teaches and learns at Mobile Solutions and other industry training sessions.

“Think of the next install as your best install,” Pate said. “No matter what it is—whether it’s a radio install, or a full custom build. Everything is done in a very specific way according to our installation practices. That way, if anyone takes it apart, it’s easy to service.”

Because of the mindset they apply to everything they do, the company has been growing rapidly, “almost to the point of having to hold on for dear life.”

A car audio shop has grown into a business with various divisions, all centered around manufacturing, he added.

Ensuring everyone is growing in the same direction is probably the biggest challenge.

For those who join the team, it takes a period of adjustment to get accustomed to the procedures. “It’s like wrangling an alligator,” Pate added. “A really fun alligator that just drives you insane.”

Mobile Toys Inc. Focuses on Speed, Precision and Top-Tier Training Though salespeople have a base salary, they can also earn a commission. “All installers are salary as well,” Pate said.

“All our production people—the guys who build the enclosures—are hourly employees. We have five people just for production, and there are two people who swing back and forth. I bounce around wherever I’m needed, and Edgar Diosdado does, too. Seven of us are on and off production, and five are permanent production-only employees.”

IT’S ALL PART OF THE PROCESS

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real world RETAIL

FAST FACTS Location: College Station, Texas Number of Locations: 2 Retail Store Square Footage: 2,600 Facility Square Footage: 10,000 Type: Traditional, and Production Center Number of Employees: 18

KEY STAFF Owner / Designer: Christerfer Pate Owner / Accounting: Lou Le General Manager: Adam Pate Production Manager: Edgar Diosdado Project Manager: Matt Vowell Logistics / Online Sales: Samantha Pate Online Sales: Jim Skaggs Sales: Ethan Attkinson Installers: William Coats, Lance Coffman, Ryan “Skillet” Window Tint: Brian Perez Upholstery: Tucker Moon, Hunter Brewer, Frank Nieto Assembly: Clifford, Sam White Shipping: Vladimir Hardy

MAIN FOCUS 20% Manufacturing 30% Retail Sales 20% Custom Fabrication 10% e-Commerce 20% Installation

28 Mobile Electronics June 2019

The Aggieland Invitational World Class Sound Quality Tournament, held at the Mobile Toys store location, draws a large crowd. Cash prizes are given to the best-sounding cars. Hosting local car shows, and attending out-of-state events, often attract new clients from far distances.

Those who work in production are different in that they were never in the industry before they came to Mobile Toys, Pate added. “They were hired specifically for that,” he said. Two work in upholstery, while the others work on the assembly line. “They are trained from the ground up. They’ve never built car audio sub boxes before.”

This helps ensure the production employees are working exactly according to their standards and building the boxes to their

specifications, though Pate noted they’ve had difficulty on the assembly line side.

“For upholstery, it’s worked out really well. I think we got lucky and found guys who were good with their hands,” he said.

“We have a solid group now in assembly who can work in a timely manner, but we’ve had a high turnover rate [in that department].”

The reason, he said, is because of the speed at which orders need to be filled.

Each department has an incredible amount of work to complete, Pate added.

The average staff tenure for the entire company is two to three years, and employees get paid time off, sick time and vacation time. Training means starting fresh and going over all of the company’s procedures, which might be different than what a new hire has become accustomed to at other shops. “We have them shadow a senior installer or salesperson,” Pate said, “so they can visually connect the dots: This is how it’s expected, and

IT’S ALL PART OF THE PROCESS

AC-BT24

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real world RETAIL

Movie-Goers Drawn to Mobile Toys Through Theater Advertising “We advertise at both the movie theaters here in town. It was a gamble, but it worked. The cool thing about the movie theater is [our advertisement is always shown] in conjunction with a hot new release, and movie theaters are always packed here. One theater is more upscale with a bar and full restaurant inside, and the other is more of a standard movie theater.

“With the new Avengers movie being released [for example] you’ll have 300 people in one seating, and they’ll see our commercial. We get a fair amount of data. When we’re not getting a return on something, we shut it down and move on to some other form of advertising. The biggest aspect is identifying which movies will be huge with our customer base, and then making sure we are in those movies and not in films that we feel our client base won’t watch.

“People do tell us, ‘We saw your ad at the movie theater.’ We get messages online. That’s how we knew it was really working. We get a lot from movie theater advertising, and it’s our favorite. A lot of times, people will message us while they’re sitting in the theater!”

this is how long it should take. They get a good idea of the correct way to do it.”

Once the employee has been on board for a year, they are sent to KnowledgeFest or Mobile Solutions for more in-depth training. “As they stay longer, we send them to more trainings. We probably send six guys a year to Mobile Solutions, and we pay for it,” Pate added. But because they’re paying for the training, employees are required to sign a contract stating they’ll stay with the company for at least two years.

In-house training, especially with fabricators, is always ongoing. “We have three guys we trained to use CAD and our machines. We run three CNCs and three lasers—two of each in the production

30 Mobile Electronics June 2019

department, and a CNC and laser at our retail store.”

Staff Triple-Checks Installations to Ensure the Client is Happy Much of the work the shop does is focused on high-end custom, and the production side of the business is geared mainly toward trucks and SUVs. “We have the largest fabrication center in the state of Texas. There’s no doubt about it,” Pate said. “Although we have an assembly line, we also have a woodshop.”

The woodshop is fully stocked with every tool they could possibly need, he added, along with large router tables. All vehicles go through a careful check-in procedure, during which they’re taped off to protect

them. A vehicle isn’t moved unless it’s being sent to another department.

“We have installation facilities at both locations, and all high-end fabrication happens at our production center,” Pate added.

A careful triple-check system is included with every job to ensure each customer gets exactly what they wanted.

“When the install is done, it is immediately cross-checked by another installer.

They do a complete check, and from there the installation manager looks at it.

Then it goes to the salesperson who made the sale. Three people check it before it leaves.”

If there are any problems, or the customer isn’t satisfied, it goes back and

IT’S ALL PART OF THE PROCESS

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real world RETAIL

Television Advertising Fails to Reach Target Demographic “I will never do TV advertising again. It was expensive and didn’t do anything for our clients.

We tried to do a run in summer, and through Christmas. Every time I do something, it has to be for at least six months if we’re going to see any results. We never had any luck with television.

“We had a plan. We wanted to try something new. For whatever reason, TV wasn’t a good outlet for our customers. I don’t think you can get in front of them enough for it to matter.

It’s hard to say whether I would have done anything differently. If the customers don’t see the ads, it doesn’t work. There’s no way they would get an attachment to our brand and what we offer.”

the issue is taken care of, Pate said. “At custom fabrication, it’s the same practice, but there are three of us who do that at the production center [including me]. We are the three builders and designers, so we cross-check each other’s work. There are no big jobs that one person did from start to finish.”

The company focus is that everything works better as a team. “You design better as a team, and things go better as a team.

It takes a special group of guys to work as a team and to realize the end product, and seeing a customer happy, is the most important thing—not your ego,” Pate said.

Due to the company’s customer-focused policies, Pate stated that warranties are always honored if there’s a problem with a product. “Whatever that product is, as long as it’s not been physically damaged by the customer, we warranty it right then and there. I swap that product

32 Mobile Electronics June 2019

out for the client. That way, the customer is never without the product they had during the time of the manufacturer’s warranty,” he explained. “I do tech support for Orca Design, so I’m pretty familiar with what most companies will accept.”

Pate said this has been a part of the company’s process since the very beginning. “Whenever I bought something outside the car audio realm, it always aggravated me when you had a warranty and the manufacturer tried to find a way to not stand behind their product,” he said. “We built our business around taking care of our clients.”

Additionally, Mobile Toys has clients who live outside of town—sometimes a few states away. “We have cars that get shipped to us,” he added. If there’s an issue, they’re more than willing to fly someone out to look at the vehicle if

the customer can’t return for whatever reason. “Or, we’ll pay to have it serviced at another shop.”

It doesn’t happen much, he said, “but that’s how serious we are. We don’t have a lot of failures. We want the customer to be taken care of, even if they’re three states away.”

Traveling to Car Shows Raises Awareness Beyond College Station Car shows are a main focus, Pate said, and they even do a monthly meet in their own parking lot and invite local car enthusiasts. “About once a quarter, we also have a meet called Wheels and Wings. We’re right next door to a wings place, so we cater in two or three hundred hot wings and invite regional car clubs.”

Pate attends 20 to 30 car shows per year. The shop will either have a booth,

IT’S ALL PART OF THE PROCESS

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real world RETAIL

Multiple Vendors Provide Solid Partnerships Year After Year

“Our key vendors are JL Audio—we’ve sold their products for over 10 years, our entire time in business—Orca Designs, Focal, Mosconi and Illusion Audio. We’ve been an Alpine dealer for 10 years, and Kenwood for the last four years. We’ve also worked with Stinger and AAMP America for over 10 years.

“I have a great relationship with my reps. I don’t ask for a whole lot, and we sell a bunch of product. JL Slim woofers are huge. They sound good, are easy to install, and they work great in our enclosures. Focal—especially new Beryllium M Profiles—I think we sold more Beryllium M Profiles than any store in the country. We’ve done over $40,000 in that product with them in the past quarter. That’s going to be the hottest thing out now, period.

They can’t even keep it in stock. We stock a lot of it because I don’t want to run out. It’s in all our big builds. “[Our reps] are really good about keeping us up to date on sales. Specials are a big thing for me. You can’t sell it if you don’t have it. If you have to make a customer wait, you might lose the sale, so I stock a lot more products than most guys do. The money is either going to be in the bank drawing a low percentage rate, or I can have product I know I will sell and usually double my money on. I’d rather my money be [invested] in product I can sell.”

or bring vehicles to show off. “[We go to shows both in] our territory and across the nation,” he said. “I’ll be in Alabama for a car show [soon], then Ohio for hot rod shows. We travel a lot to car shows.”

Often, out-of-state clients will come to them because they saw them at an event.

The Internet also helps to draw clients from great distances. Pate said he often encourages others in the industry to attend car shows if they want to broaden their market. “It makes the difference between you and the people down the street,” he added.

34 Mobile Electronics June 2019

Mobile Toys doesn’t increase marketing efforts for holidays, but they do focus on long-term marketing and advertising, which Pate said requires at least a six-month commitment to find out whether or not it will have any impact. “I find a more consistent approach works better for me,” he said.

“Customers have to hear about something four or five times before it even sticks in their minds. We do a consistent, thorough approach throughout the year.”

The shop’s most lucrative months tend to be May, June and July. “We do a lot of high-end car audio and big upholstery

jobs during those times. We get big boat jobs, too, with full interiors and lighting and audio.”

Most recently, the shop hosted its annual Aggieland Invitational World Class Sound Quality Tournament in late April. “We invite car audio enthusiasts from all over the country, and we give cash to the best sounding cars.”

Future Growth Expected in Hot Rod Interiors and e-Commerce Mobile Toys has experienced a number of accomplishments in recent years, including being named Retailer

IT’S ALL PART OF THE PROCESS

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of the Year for a Chain Store by Mobile Electronics magazine this past year.

Additionally, Edgar Diosdado was named Rookie of the Year, and two years ago, Christerfer Pate himself was named Installer of the Year.

“We were also number one retailer for Orca Designs, Focal America and Mosconi for the entire country,” Pate said. “For our area, we were number one retailer for AAMP of America and Stinger.”

The business’s focus continues to be doing the best possible build every single time, and exceeding the expectations of the customer. “That’s our mantra,” Pate said. “We want to provide the best possible product and take care of our clients.”

For the coming year, Pate hopes some of his employees will make either the Top 50 or Top 12 Installer list. Additionally,

36 Mobile Electronics June 2019

they’ll be taking the 1968 Chevy C10 they had at SEMA to high-end hot rod shows.

“Building our hot rod interior business is a big focus for us,” he said. “There’s no reason we can’t accomplish it. We just have to have the time to do it.”

Soon, the company will be launching their e-commerce side of the business, which will allow dealers all over the country to purchase their products online. “I see us going from 2.5 million a year to north of five million,” he added.

“For what we do, there are less and less installers who can do it in-house. We provide a high-quality product that provides an easy solution at a great margin.

We build as many boxes as we can, and I foresee that growing.”

Additionally, the retail side has grown steadily 15 to 20 percent each year, while

upholstery and custom has also grown exponentially in the last four years. “It comes down to how far we want to take it,” Pate said. “Every year, it grows. Some years, we thought we’d be down, but it never happened.”

Pate feels it’s mainly the company’s installation practices that brought them to this point of recognition, along with their focus on the customer. Staffing, though, has been the only stumbling block.

“I think staffing is the biggest thing facing every company now because there aren’t enough installers,” he added, noting that their manufacturer-mindset does make hiring more difficult. “If I could get two more high-end fabricators, I would take them right now. We’re always looking for people.”

IT’S ALL PART OF THE PROCESS

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 Difference Makers

Do The Right Thing By executing simple things well, The Progressive Group grew from a one-car garage operation to a $30 million-plus business.

WORDS BY JAMIE SORCHER

Everybody knows Detroit is the car capital of the country, but it’s in America’s furniture capital, Grand Rapids, Mich. where The Progressive Group, a fusion of three companies, makes its home.

Progressive Sales & Marketing (PSM) offers manufacturers representation of high value product lines in the mobile and home electronics industry. Progressive Automated Distributing (PAD) distributes quality home audio, video and integration products servicing the retail, custom integration and commercial channels. R&D Distributing fulfills “just in

time” supply of mobile product lines and offers high value, high profit mixes.

In business for almost 30 years, Dave Russell and Bob Walker founded Progressive and in 1997, they brought on Jason Dubie who now serves as Eastern Business Manager of The Progressive Group, PSM-R&D. He handles sales management for the Midwest and upper Midwest as well as operations for the whole company.

“I was offered an opportunity to buy part of the company a few years later,” Dubie said. “And since that time, Dave and I have grown the company together so we’ve been business partners and close friends for about 20 years.”

Jason Dubie is the Eastern Business Manager of The Progressive Group and handles sales management for the Midwest and upper Midwest, along with operations for the whole company.

Creating a Win-Win-Win Situation

Progressive employs 34 people including Brad Rachoza (left) and David Leathers here at the company’s front desk.

38 Mobile Electronics June 2019

The backbone of Progressive is its set of core values. “We run our company based on making decisions to form longterm, profitable partnerships with both our customers and our vendors,” Dubie said. “When we are faced with decisions day to day, we focus on what’s going to be the best way to continue our relationships on both sides of the fence.”

Today, Progressive employs 34 people and has six different warehouses. “The strength of our team—of any company—is the people,” Dubie added. “From the top down, we are putting in the hours.”

Having started out as a rep firm, the company’s core pattern favors the rep

Do The Right Thing

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Visit MECP.com to learn more!

 Difference Makers

Communication is key for Progressive with its vendors and retailers. Nothing, according to Dubie, beats a face-to-face interaction whether it’s stopping in to see a retailer every week or at events such as KnowledgeFest. side. “Today, we are both a rep firm and distribution company, and our distribution company has grown significantly over the years,” he said.

Its transition from a stocking rep to becoming a distributor started out in the late 90s with Eclipse. “You might remember how tight-knit the brand was, where it exclusively went, and how they were very conscious of the way the product was distributed,” Dubie said. “That was when our distribution company started, with Eclipse, and then we added Rockford and basically grew from there.”

Aligning with vendors and dealers, he added, is the most important thing that Progressive can do. “We want to be sure everyone understands we are in this together,” he said. “For any business relationship it has to be a win-win-win.

It has to make sense for everybody—the vendors, the retailers and for us. If the relationship isn’t good for one of the parties, then it’s not a sound relationship.

When you add profitability into the picture, and you’re working with a retailer, distributor and vendor, if the relationship

40 Mobile Electronics June 2019

isn’t profitable for any one of the three, then it is not a solid relationship.”

Starting the Conversation For a vendor to be considered a potential partner by Progressive, the requirements are upfront and uncomplicated. “We want to work with companies who share our core values,” Dubie said.

“We pretty much have Rockford Fosgate in every territory that we’re in as well as AAMP of America and Audiovox.

All of our vendors are very important to us, but these three have the widest area coverage.”

For retailers interested in working with Progressive, there are many options.

“With the breadth of products we have, there is something for everyone,” Dubie said. “Our vendors, however, have a specific way they want to go to market and we want to honor that. Everything is worth a conversation, though, and that is one of our strengths. We can sit down with smaller retailers and in a lot of cases we are both the rep and the distributor.

We can break it down and give them the

pros for both sides. They can make a decision that is best for their business today which might be quite different from a decision they make a year from now. We can adjust with them accordingly.”

Whether it is vendors or retailers that Progressive is communicating with, there is no replacement for face-to-face interactions, according to Dubie. “We have always invested in the cost and expense of having people on the road and making sure we’re in with retailers regularly,” he said. “Depending on the retailer, we might see them once a week. Some we visit twice a month or every 60 days. It varies based on both the vendor’s and retailer’s needs.”

Looking Toward the Future of the Industry Events are another area in which Progressive believes that it pulls ahead of the pack. “We have outfitted vehicles with demo systems,” Dubie said. “We stepped up and bought two Rockford Fosgate Sound Lab vans which are incredible. We also have reps who own Harleys with full

Do The Right Thing

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facebook.com/MobileElectronics 41 www.InstallerNet.com • 800-444-1644

 Difference Makers

Progressive’s Playbook www.teamprogressive.com

Mobile Electronics Vendor Partnerships: AAMP Global, Harman, JVCKenwood, Rockford Fosgate, VOXX International

Team Progressive territories Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Colorado, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona, Western Pennsylvania, Southeastern Idaho and West Texas.

Company philosophy We are more of a catalyst than a creator—a market generator, not a responder. We maintain constant contact with retailers, custom installers, and distribution partners. Our sensitivity to market changes is a valuable asset to the principals we serve. We are intimately familiar and proficient with the territory we cover.

Company Timeline 1995: Progressive Sales and Marketing Founded by Dave Russell and Bob Walker 1997: Jason Dubie joins the firm 1999: R&D Distributing founded with one location to service the Michigan market 2000: Dubie receives equity ownership in Progressive Sales and Marketing 2001: Progressive Sales diversification into Home/Custom Audio Video 2005: Expands into Home/Custom Audio Video distribution 2012: Acquires Excel Marketing and Excel Distributing, servicing the Rocky Mountains 2013: Addition of Phoenix, Ariz. location 2014: Acquired CTD Distributing, servicing Indiana and Kentucky, and the Ohio Valley Markets, expanding the company’s reach to 23 states.

2016: The Progressive Group acquired by Patrick Industries Inc. 2018: Launches its OEM Marine and Electronics Sales Division 42 Mobile Electronics June 2019

Do The Right Thing

Based in Grand Rapids Mich., The Progressive Group is a subsidiary of Patrick Industries. systems so those can be brought to events and then demoed especially as we are seeing motorcycle-audio becoming more popular. We are also looking at possibly buying an ATV demo vehicle. We are all about supporting events for retailers.

We aim to be the first ones there and the last ones to leave.”

Looking ahead, Dubie said he sees OEM integration continuing to grow.

“When we first started in this, all the new technology was introduced by the aftermarket, and after it was proven by the aftermarket, it gradually made its way into the OEM vehicles,” he said.

“Nowadays, it’s almost the opposite direction. The auto manufacturers have the technology first and it works its way back. So we may ultimately end up moving into more of a used car business. Years ago, you would drive the car off the lot—no speakers, no radio, no antenna—and you would be installing the whole system and taking what would be outdated products and updating everything. Nowadays that new technology is already in the vehicle.”

The year ahead has Dubie keeping those same core values in play at home as well as at work. “For me, right now it’s about continuing to be there for my kids,” Dubie said. “I have one graduating and one going into high

school. So it’s about spending quality time with them and teaching them the core values of how to be a good person.

On the business side, it’s not much different. Sometimes people just don’t do the

simple things as well as they could. At the end of the day, you have to get out there, do the right thing, put in the time and do the simple things well—and then you will succeed.”

facebook.com/MobileElectronics 43

 strategy & tactics

Getting to “Yes”

WORDS BY ANDY WEHMEYER

Expert salespeople and the right props can quickly transform your business and your customers’ experiences.

It’s 1995 and I’m sitting in my “Installation Manager” office in the retail store where I used to work. I notice a couple of the salespeople standing by the door waiting for the next customer as a guy gets out of his late model BMW and fiddles with his alarm remote as he walks to the front door. He keeps pressing the button to activate the alarm. Nothing happens. He presses again. Nothing happens.

Just as he makes it to the front door, Carl, the newbie sales guy, says to Rich, the senior sales guy, “Hey, I have to use the restroom. This guy is yours.” Carl heads to the toilet, leaving Rich with what appears to be a worthless “up.”

“Hi,” Rich says to the customer. “Looks like you’re having some trouble with your remote.”

“Yeah, it isn’t working. The red light doesn’t come on and nothing happens.”

The customer hands the remote and the keys to Rich.

“Oh, a Clifford Avant Guard! Nice alarm. I think we installed this for you.

44 Mobile Electronics June 2019

Let me check.” Rich heads to the computer behind the sales counter.

[For those of you who don’t remember an Avant Guard, this was the most advanced and expensive alarm at the time. We sold them for about $1,400 installed].

At the computer, Rich says, “Sir, what’s your name?”

“Jesse [Something-or-other].”

“I found you. Yes, we installed this about a year ago. It’s probably just the battery. We can take care of this for you right away.”

Just then, Carl emerges from the restroom wearing a smirk.

“Hey, Carl, do me a favor and put a battery in this remote.” Rich shoves the remote and keys into Carl’s chest. Sensing he’s been bested, Carl catches the keys and slithers away to find a screwdriver and a battery. “While Carl is replacing your battery, can I show you something really cool?” Rich asks the customer.

“Sure!”

“We just finished this system in my car.

It’s so great. I can’t wait for you to hear

it.” Rich disappears into the parking lot with the customer.

Ten minutes pass.

Rich and the customer come back in and head to the sales counter where Rich grabs a work order. Carl hands Rich the remote and the keys. “It’s working now.”

Rich scribbles on the work order while he says, “Hey, Carl, find Robert and let him know Jesse needs a ride to work.”

Rich and Jesse shake hands. Robert comes to the counter, grabs the keys to the shop van and summons the customer.

“Come on. I’ll give you a lift. Where are we going?”

With Robert and the customer on the way out, Rich hops and skips into my office laughing and slaps the work order and the keys on my desk. There are no details. No description of anything—just a number at the bottom: $12,000.

“Hey! What the hell is this?” I ask indignantly.

“Do whatever you want. The customer doesn’t care. He just wants it to sound like my car. You can use half the trunk.

I told him you were the expert. Figure it

Getting to “Yes”

out. If you need more money, I can probably get it.”

We Don’t Have Customers Asking for That I hear this all the time. Every day.

Everywhere. When I hear this, my brain rearranges it into, “We don’t have salespeople.” Jesse didn’t even ask for a battery. He certainly didn’t ask for an audio system.

If you’re in business to sell people what they ask for, you’re a grocery store.

There’s no margin in handing someone a run-of-the-mill cucumber. If you’re Kroger’s Car Audio, your customer isn’t likely to fight you for a better and more expensive cucumber. If your salespeople say, “Cucumbers are in aisle 12,” they aren’t salespeople, they’re clerks. Carl was a clerk. If you don’t step up, Alexa is going to bury you. She has everything in stock.

A great salesperson like Rich knows his opportunity is to help a customer discover something he doesn’t even know

he wants or needs. A great salesperson’s job is getting a customer to “Yes” for something he’s going to love. Every great salesperson has a process for getting to “Yes” for a system that can be installed predictably and profitably, but the gift that makes the process work is empathy. A great salesperson puts himself in a customer’s shoes to help the customer discover something he can’t live without.

A gifted salesperson does this without thinking about it.

Did Rich know Jesse might want a cool system for his car? Jesse had a nice, new expensive car. Jesse bought the most expensive alarm and remote start available to protect it and to make driving it more pleasurable. Rich had a story. Rich had a prop to help him tell his story. Rich and Jesse had ten minutes to kill and Rich had a gift.

You Gotta Educate the Customer Every day I read this in some Facebook post about lost opportunity. Someone

complains that the customer didn’t buy.

Someone else suggests the salesperson’s job is to provide an explanation, and the explanation provided wasn’t sufficient.

“You didn’t give them enough information. You gotta educate the customer!”

“Sir, you need a DSP because installing the system in your car is really difficult.

It’s really complicated because the factory system includes a whole bunch of signal processing and the idiots who designed it also integrated the air conditioning controls and all the warning chimes into the radio. I don’t know why they decided to do this. I think they want to put us out of business. Anyway, it’s really hard and this DSP will make it possible to integrate the audio signals because the factory audio system is like a computer network and if you know anything about networks, you know they can be really difficult. Hell, I can’t even figure out how to get Netflix over Wi-Fi and I waited on hold with Comcast for over three hours!

We finally had to run a bunch of wires

facebook.com/MobileElectronics 45

 strategy & tactics all over the house. So, the DSP also gives us a bunch of tools we need to make the car sound good. It includes a crossover and a really powerful equalizer and time alignment. The better ones have time alignment. This allows us to adjust down to the millimeter so the sound from all the speakers will arrive at your ears at exactly the same time. And the equalizer is important because we have thirty-one bands for each channel and eight channels and that makes 248 controls that we can use just to fix the frequency response! The factory system also has special protection that turns it off if a speaker is disconnected so it doesn’t blow up and we have to figure out what value of resistor we need to install to fool the system into working. All this takes time and we’ll need time to make sure the job is done right. We don’t use any tapping screws, either. Everything we do includes nutserts and machine screws and welded metal brackets that are powder coated so nothing will interfere with the proper operation of critical vehicle functions.”

46 Mobile Electronics June 2019

Yeah, I wouldn’t buy that either. Customers don’t buy when they’re confused and that explanation is confusing. Sounds risky to me. Rich didn’t explain. He sold a $12,000 system in ten minutes.

No, wait. What did Rich sell? Did he sell a system? The work order didn’t include the details of any system. No, Rich didn’t sell a system.

Okay. Uncle. I give. What did Rich sell?

Demos: It’s All About the Experience If you’ve made it this far, then you know what’s coming. Rich did a demo. He played a great sounding car for Jesse. The system in Rich’s car was pretty high-end.

He had a Sony ES system. That was one of the first systems to include a DSP. The system included a 12-inch subwoofer and components in the front, with rear speakers. The sound was great. I know that because I tuned it.

Rich had several songs he used to play and some other tracks, too. One of them wasn’t a song at all. It was from an old Steve Martin comedy sketch. He used it

because Steve was recorded dead center.

That was how Rich demonstrated an image.

“Check this out. It’s like Steve Martin is sitting on the dashboard.” Rich didn’t explain time alignment. He made his customer experience it while the customer was laughing. No confusing explanation was necessary.

We could stop there, but that would be a mistake. The audio system wasn’t the only thing Rich demonstrated. Rich also demonstrated power and confidence.

Huh? What does that mean?

Remember Carl and the keys? As soon as the customer walked in, Rich took charge. He directed Carl to handle the mundane task of replacing the battery.

Rich put Carl to work. Rich elevated his stature and proved that he was on the customer’s side. Rich was the most powerful person on the sales floor. He was in charge and he was focused on Jesse.

Rich also demonstrated enthusiasm.

While Carl was off replacing the battery, Rich and Jesse had time to kill. Rich

Getting to “Yes”

didn’t offer Jesse a Coke while he waited.

He offered him an experience that would completely change how Jesse enjoyed his car. Why did Jesse agree to the demo?

Because Rich was enthusiastic about his own car and because Rich was in charge.

The fact that they had ten minutes to spare made it nearly impossible for Jesse to say “No.”

car. He recognized the details of how to make that happen were outside his expertise, but that someone else knew how to do it. Rich was eager to turn the rest of the job over to experts who’d also installed and tuned the system in his car. Did he have to explain it? Did I have to explain it? No. The demonstration— all of the demonstrations—made our expertise apparent.

The Work Order and the Recognition of Expertise

Thinking About Your Own Store

Rich handed me a work order with no details—no risk-mitigating cover-yourass details. He didn’t tell me how to do my job. He didn’t make any assumptions about what was needed or wasn’t needed.

Figuring that out was my job and he gave me room to do it.

Rich knew his job. He was great at his job. His job was to get the customer to “yes” for a system that could be installed predictably and profitably.

He was so good at his job that he only had to make one promise—the system would sound just like the one in his

Do you have a Rich or just a bunch of Carls? What’s your plan to turn your Carls into expert salespeople? Do your salespeople have props? What’s the story?

Just last week I was in a store and the guy who owned the store introduced me to a new salesperson who had just moved over from a marketing position managing social media.

“Here, please talk to Devin. I’d like him to know more about Audiofrog.”

“Hi Devin. I’m Andy. What do you know about all this tech?”

“Nothing,” Devin said sheepishly.

“Good. I don’t want to ruin you with a bunch of tech. Let’s just listen to some speakers and work on giving a great demo.”

About an hour later, I was driving across town with the rep to see some folks at another store when the phone rang.

“Hey. Shhhhh,” the rep said. “It’s the store we just visited calling. Let’s see what’s up.”

It was Devin. “Thanks so much!” Devin said. “That guy Andy was really helpful.

Let him know I’m feeling much more confident about this. Go Audiofrog!”

Everything You Love To Hear. Right Here.

Kelly Clarkson on

SiriusXM subscription sold separately by SiriusXM. facebook.com/MobileElectronics 47 © 2018 Sirius XM Radio Inc. Sirius, XM and all related marks and logos are trademarks of Sirius XM Radio Inc. All other marks, channel names and logos are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

 tech today

AMPLIFIER POWER, FREQUENCY AND SPEAKER POWER RATINGS

Here’s what you need to know about pink noise and speaker power ratings to optimize the performance of a mobile audio system.

WORDS BY DAVID MACKINNON

Over the years, several amplifier manufacturers have created four- and six-channel amplifiers designed to produce dramatically different amounts of power from each pair of channels.

My first interaction with an amplifier like this was back in 2005 with a Lightning Audio Strike-Series S2.800.4 four-channel.

This amp was rated to produce 50 watts of power from the front channels and 150 watts from the rear channels.

Why Stagger Power Production Capabilities?

It could have been Lightning Audio’s intention that you powered the tiny 3.5-inch speakers in the front of your Monte Carlo or Mustang with the 50-watt channels and a set of 6x9’s from the 150-watt channels. No matter what they had in mind, they were on to something. Read on to find out why this is an idea that could do with some revisiting.

Signal Power Versus Frequency Have you ever sat and stared at a frequency response graph of pink noise? No? Just me? Okay, pretend I didn’t ask.

Pink noise is the test signal we use to make acoustic measurements of an audio system using a real-time analyzer (RTA) and a microphone. A pink noise signal is comprised of sine waves

A frequency response measurement of a laptop computer speaker system. of varying frequencies at very specific amplitudes. What makes pink noise unique is that each octave has the same amount of energy as the adjacent octaves.

When you look at pink noise in the spectral domain (a frequency versus amplitude graph), it slopes downward at a rate of 10dB per decade as frequency increases.

Explained differently, pink noise has the same amount of energy the octave between 100Hz and 200Hz (let’s call that 100 steps) as it does between 1,000Hz and 2,000Hz (which would be 1,000 steps). As there are ten times as many steps, each step has 1/10th the energy.

A frequency response analysis of a pink noise test track created at a 192kHz sampling frequency.

48 Mobile Electronics June 2019

Amplifier Power, Frequency and Speaker Power Ratings

Barbie Girl by Aqua

Thunderstruck by AC/DC

Don’t Phunk with My Heart by The Black Eyed Peas

facebook.com/MobileElectronics 49

 tech today

Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac

A pink noise track divided into frequency bands suitable for our simulated four-way audio system.

Measuring Audio System Response

The Power Required to Reproduce Audio

If you play pink noise through a sound system and measure the results with an RTA, you will see a flat line. Since the human hearing system perceives and compares sound amplitudes in octaves (doubling or halving of frequency), it makes sense that a seemingly ‘flat’ human response to a sound would follow the same octave-based energy distribution philosophy that’s used to create Pink Noise. Said another way—pink noise best represents the way our brain interprets sounds.

Let’s think about the power required to reproduce what we would call a flat audio response from a sound system. Knowing that the energy density in the pink noise test signal drops off at a rate of 10dB per decade means that we need 1/10th as much power to drive our speakers every time the frequency is multiplied by ten. If we have 100 watts a 100Hz, we only need 10 watts at 1kHz to produce the same output (assuming the speaker has flat frequency response). Following that logic, we only need one watt at 10kHz to produce the same output level.

We’ll get into the details shortly of how to put these theories into practice. Suffice it to say, from a perspective of physics, if you had a 1,000 watt amplifier driving a subwoofer that plays below 80Hz, then you would only need 10 watts to power a

Pink Noise and Music It’s not only test tones that follow this philosophy of decreasing energy as frequency increases. The music we listen to in our cars and on the radio follows suit. Below are the averaged frequency response graphs for four different songs. You can see the downward slope.

50 Mobile Electronics June 2019

Amplifier Power, Frequency and Speaker Power Ratings

A graphical representation of sine wave energy verses pink noise energy. super-tweeter (of the same efficiency) playing from eight kHz and up to produce the same perceived output level.

Let’s look at the power distribution required in a semi-realworld four-way audio system design. We’ll use an example of a 500-watt subwoofer amp and set the low-pass filter at 80Hz at -24dB per octave.

Next, we’ll run a mid-bass driver from 80Hz to 300Hz using similar slopes, a midrange speaker from 300Hz to 3kHz and let a tweeter play from 3kHz and up. We’ll make this a worst-case scenario and not boost the subwoofer level by the normal ~10dB that most people enjoy (which is why the mid-bass and subwoofer crossovers can be at the same frequency).

If we look closely at the response graph above, you’ll see that the peak power requirement of the mid-bass driver (orange curve) is down four dB from the peak of the subwoofer. The midrange driver (yellow curve) is down roughly 10.5dB and the tweeter (green curve) is down 21dB. If we convert these numbers to power ratios, our mid-bass driver needs 200 watts, our midrange driver needs 45 watts and our tweeter needs a mere four watts.

This example doesn’t take into account the fact that there are two of each high-frequency driver in the system, nor does it allow for equalizer boost just above each driver’s crossover point. This example also doesn’t take into account cabin gain in terms of subwoofer system efficiency. The sole purpose of this example is to explain the laws of physics in relation to the power required to reproduce audio with respect to frequency.

Once you have a grasp on this, you can continue to the next part of the article.

Let’s Talk About Speaker Power Ratings One of the least understood concepts in the car audio industry is related to how speaker power handling specifications are created, and perhaps, why so darned many speakers are damaged each year—day? Hour? Thanks to Andy Wehmeyer from Audiofrog, we are going to explain how speaker power ratings work.

Speaker power handling specifications typically describe the amount of pink noise (or modified pink noise) a speaker can handle in terms of thermal capacity. The original specifications were created for full-range home audio speakers, and as such, were tested using full-bandwidth (20Hz to 20kHz) pink noise signals.

Of course, if you fed 100 watts of full-bandwidth pink noise into a tweeter, it would last less a half-second before ripping itself apart. It also stands to reason that the thermal capacity of a tiny one-inch diameter by the 0.1-inch tall voice coil in a tweeter won’t be able to dissipate the same amount of heat as a three-inch voice coil that’s an inch tall as found in a large subwoofer. Thermal power handling is directly tied to the physical size of the voice coil assembly.

Speakers, especially smaller ones, are tested using pink noise, and the test is conducted in a specified frequency range. For a tweeter, the test signal may be passed through a high-pass filter at 2,500Hz. All good, right? Here’s where the size of the voice coil and its thermal capacity start to make sense.

How Speakers Get Their Power Ratings Let’s say you have asked a laboratory to test the power handling capabilities of four prototype speakers. The samples facebook.com/MobileElectronics 51

 tech today

Distortion vs. Power of a High-Quality Class AB Amplifier.

include a 10-inch subwoofer, a 6.5-inch woofer, a four-inch midrange and a oneinch tweeter. You want them to test the sub to confirm it can handle 500 watts of power and the rest of the drivers need to handle 100 watts of power.

As part of the test configuration, as a manufacturer, you will have to specify what high-pass filters should be applied to the test signal. For the subwoofer, it can run full range. We’ll choose some arbitrary examples and pick 60Hz for the woofer, 100Hz for the midrange and for the tweeter, you specify 2,500Hz. Finally, you have to specify the length of the test and the pass and fail criteria.

Most companies test for eight to 10 hours, but some extend the test to more than 100 hours. The pass or fail criteria for some companies is a simple matter of the speaker continuing to play or failing.

Other companies have far more stringent quality control standards, such as requiring the Thiele-Small parameters of the driver cannot change by more than 10 percent from the beginning to the end of the test after the speaker has had time to cool off.

Speaker Power Handling Test Procedure

Distortion vs. Power of a High-Quality Class D Amplifier.

For comparison, a distortion vs power output graph of a low-quality Class AB amplifier. This egregiously bad amplifier produces more than one percent distortion below one watt of output.

52 Mobile Electronics June 2019

The test begins with the speaker being mounted on a baffle and connected to an amplifier. The test stimulus will be set with a sine wave that represents the voltage required to produce the power level you want to test for. For our subwoofer, at 500 watts, we need 44.72 volts, assuming the voice coil has a four-ohm impedance.

Once the level is set, the pink noise track is played and the timer starts.

For the woofer, mid and tweeter, the setup is the same. We want 100 watts, so the test amplifier will be set to produce 20 volts, then the filter is applied and the pink noise is played.

Now, think carefully about the shape of the pink noise signal. It slopes down at 10 dB per decade above 20Hz. The test signal is set with a sine wave at a level representative of the energy produced by the pink noise below 20Hz. If we filter the signal at 60Hz, the peak level is down 3.5dB, which is less than half the power. It’s 44.7 percent, to be exact. So,

Amplifier Power, Frequency and Speaker Power Ratings

Considering our explanation of power testing above, a speaker rated to handle 100 watts of power at 1kHz and up is testing with a mere 3.2 watts of power.

Feeding a 100-watt sine wave into a speaker that’s rated for 3.2 watts is going to smell bad, really fast.

Keep this in mind when using test equipment to set up your audio system.

Setting gains at 1kHz doesn’t always equate to having the right amount of power once the operating bandwidth and power ratings of the speakers are considered.

How bad can a design get? Here’s you answer. Visible issues with the transition from the negative to positive output devices. we are testing this speaker with 44.7 watts of power to give it a 100-watt standardized rating.

When our four-inch midrange is filtered above 100Hz, it receives about 6dB less energy than the sub, which equates to 25 watts. Finally, filtered way up at 2,500Hz, the tweeter level is down 19.5dB from our peak <20Hz level, and only receives 11 watts of power to pass a 100-watt power handling rating test.

Look back at the chart that shows the pink noise energy distribution in our four-way audio system. Remember that the pink noise signal produces a theoretically flat acoustic response.

If you don’t believe me, connect an oscilloscope to a fully active audio system and play pink noise (NOT SINE WAVES!) and look at the average level going to each speaker. You’ll see there’s less and less voltage (and consequently power) as frequency increases.

Setting Up Your Audio System Destroys Speakers We’ve seen countless examples of people using sine-waves to set the sensitivity controls on their amplifier. If you play a 0dB sine wave at 1kHz into your four-inch, four-ohm midrange at a level of 20 volts, that’s 100 watts of power.

Think back to our discussion about how pink noise is shaped.

You have just exceeded the power rating of that speaker by a factor of four. It might continue to play long enough to set up the system, but then again, it might not. Keep reading…

Pink Noise Power Working out the amount of energy in a pink noise signal and dealing with the amplitude of that signal gets a little tricky. I’ve created an image that serves only as a graphical representation of a concept and does not specifically follow the laws of physics.

The image below shows the average energy in a pink noise signal on the blue trace. By comparison, a 1kHz sine wave (green trace) demonstrates the same perceived peak power level. The sine wave signal crosses the pink noise curve at a level of -15dB.

Making the Most of Car Audio Amplifier Power Ratings

Back to our discussion about amplifiers with staggered power ratings. I want to show you two graphs. These are Total Harmonic Distortion versus Amplifier Power Output measurements I performed on two high-quality amplifiers. Amplifier designers and engineers use graphs like these (and many more) to fine-tune their designs. Good product development folks use this information to select vendors, approve designs and help quantify what a particular amplifier will sound like in a specific application or operating range.

As you can see, the distortion produced by these amplifiers decreases as the output level increases. This (completely normal) behavior is due to crossover distortion and noise. Crossover distortion doesn’t have anything to do with the high- and low-pass filters in the amp. It’s a phenomenon associated with the transition of the output signal from the positive output devices to the negative device. Because this distortion is essentially fixed in level, as the signal level increases, the effect of crossover distortion decreases.

When you are designing a high-end audio system, you want to choose amplifiers that produce as little distortion as possible. Every car audio manufacturer rates their amplifiers at their minimum distortion level, and few (if any) have the fortitude to provide graphs like these.

If you know your midrange speakers and tweeters only need 45 or five watts of power, you are better off using a 75-watt per channel amplifier as opposed to one rated for 250 watts. Why? Because in most cases the crossover distortion is lower as the amplifier gets closer to reaching its maximum output level.

Car Audio Physics I know this was a lot of ground to cover in a single article. It would have been easier to spread this information over a few articles, but they’d be small, and really, the information delivered would be the same.

If you have questions or want more examples, track me down on any of the big industry Facebook groups and ask. I’d be honored to help. facebook.com/MobileElectronics 53

ď&#x192;Ž installs

54â&#x20AC;&#x201A; Mobile Electronics June 2019

SUBMITTED BY: OSCAR RODRIGUEZ, OSCAR’S AUDIO DESIGNS, CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS

Our friend Oscar Rodriguez, from Oscar’s Audio Designs, once again shared with us another impressive installation. This submission highlights the trunk build on a 1963 Impala SS. One thing many show cars feature is an air ride suspension. This Impala is no different. It is often difficult for a fabricator to integrate all the tanks, compressors and lines in a way that looks appealing. Oscar took this challenge and nailed it!

The floor of the trunk houses all the air ride systems. Flanking the air ride gear on each side is a Skar amplifier installed in custom trimmed side panels. The front of the trunk features an enclosure for two Skar 12’s. Oscar added an acrylic window to the enclosure to allow viewing of the speaker baskets.

To add to the enjoyment of the passersby at car shows, a set of component speakers was installed in the trunk. The final key element to the trunk transformation was lighting, and lots of it. Green LED lighting was tastefully used to highlight the gear and panels.

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SUPERB SILVERADO

 installs

SUBMITTED BY: TROY BULLOCK, SAFE & SOUND, WASILLA, ALASKA.

It is not uncommon for owners of sports cars to perform a “rear seat delete” in an effort to safe some weight. The owner of this truck decided on a rear seat delete, not to save weight, but to gain bass. To complete this task, he contacted Troy Bullock from Safe & Sound, who incidentally, has admired the owner’s other vehicles at local car shows for years.

The process of removing the rear seat would not only allow the client to have four JL Audio 10TW3’s in a vented enclosure, but also provide a platform for his dogs to ride on. The design for the build included lots of lighting, acrylic and painted pieces. To protect the acrylic windows on top of the enclosure, Troy also built a carpeted panel that could be placed over them for canine passengers.

Other gear in the build from JL Audio include three HD series amplifiers and two pairs of C5 speaker sets. Integration with the factory radio was via a NAV-TV DSP interface.

The completed system is one that the owner can now proudly show, while still retaining daily use of the space, thanks to Troy’s clever design.

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from the President

Your Business Requires a Champion You must be able to tell your story and provide a solution.

At some point in the past, you decided to open a business, or maybe you’re just getting started. Regardless, for your business to succeed there are a few things that should be at the top of your hit list. A business plan should be first on your list. Then, you’ll need a location. One that fits your purpose. If you’re focused on retail, then a high-traffic location increases visibility.

Maybe you’re an expeditor and you need to be strategically located on automobile dealer row. Location is important, so choose wisely. Next you will need money. It’s good to use your own, or you can wisely leverage others. Maybe your next thought will be who to employ to fulfill your purpose. Then it may be time to decide which categories you will deliver, and which vendors will support your mission.

As you can see, the to-do list can go on for some time. The task can take you in many directions and down a few trails.

Even a squirrel or two. Before you get started or go any further, I suggest you go back to the beginning and remember why you wanted to do this.

It’s Not Just a Job Before you decided to be a business owner, you most likely had a job. A job that left you wanting more. Control of your future, the feeling that you could do better if you did it yourself.

A sense of defining your destiny. You wanted more than just a job. You wanted to become an entrepreneur.

Going Through the Motions As an entrepreneur, you have a responsibility to define not only your future, but the futures of those who choose to be with you. This is not a position for the faint of heart. You will no longer have the luxury of just going through the motions. You must remember why you started this journey and dig deep to become the leader who will make your business a great success.

Become the Technology Evangelist Promotion starts with your passion for the business. When you love something, you will want to tell everyone. It’s the same for your business. Before others will believe in what you do, you must take ownership of your mission and establish yourself as the resident evangelist for your cause. Think about any cause or movement regardless of size. One or more should come to mind.

Who leads this movement, and is able to convey the mission, with a passion that makes others want to join in support? Now,

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think about your business (your cause) and put your passion in motion. Start with those in your employ, gift them your history and why you have passion for this cause. If you are believable, they will follow and want to evangelize others (your customers) to believe that you’re the best at what you do.

“

If you believe in what you do and others don’t seem to get it, refine your approach until they understand. Sometimes in our passion we forget the message must be tailored to those we wish to reach.

Never Give Up

”

Once you establish your mission, tell everyone. Tell your family, friends and everyone you meet. If you believe in what you do and the resulting benefits of your mission, then your passion will come through and convince others to follow.

An important part of this approach is that you never give up.

If you believe in what you do and others don’t seem to get it, refine your approach until they understand. Sometimes in our passion we forget the message must be tailored to those we wish to reach. For example, when speaking to someone in our industry, you can use industry terminology. Use the same approach for the average consumer and you will leave them bewildered.

Customize your message to your audience.

Leave a Lasting Impression Your efforts as the evangelist for your business equate to word-of-mouth marketing, in which you develop customers who believe so strongly in what you deliver that they freely try to convince others to do business with you. Your customers will become voluntary advocates, actively spreading the word on behalf of your business. Over time this approach will net great results for your market and thus our industry.

Always believe in what you do, strive to be the best and tell everyone about it. In my opinion, you will be leaving a lasting impression that others will remember and will be eager to broadcast to their circle of influence!

The NEW Prestige Powersports Vehicle Security and GPS Recovery Systems are designed for the most demanding environments.

Š2019 VOXX Electronics Corporation

@voxxelectronics

A VOXX International Company