Mobile Electronics Magazine - October 2019

October 2019

me-mag.com

Catering is Big Business!

AZ Motor Trends serves a performance-packed automotive menu to drivers & off-roaders in the Southwest Claiming Customers High-powered distributors take the role of vendors with representation, training and support

PLUS RPM: Accelerating Dealer Success Elevated 11: Top Fabbing Tools Stocking to Score: 4th Quarter Prep

optimize your senses

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• Digital Wireless 7” LCD Camera • New 600 TV Lines • Microphone Built In

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

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RVCLPM (Chrome) RVCLPMB (Black Chrome) License Plate Camera 120º view

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LITTWORKS LIGHTING IR / RF / WIFI CONTROLS AVAILABLE

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“DRS” active parking assist lines show car turning trajectory

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TLP100IRBL

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PANORAMIC 7” WIDESCREEN REAR VIEW MONITOR WITH 3 VIDEO INPUTS 3 Video In for rear and side cameras

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

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Volume 47 // Issue 10

Articles

24 12 Retail News/Who’s Who 26 Hot Sellers 62 Installs

14

Departments

FEATURES 14// What’s Happening: The Changing Role of Distribution DOW Electronics, Velocity Distributing and Davis Distribution share how they view the role of distribution in 12-volt, where it’s been and where it will go from here.

34// Real World Retail: AZ Motor Trendz In Peoria, Ariz., AZ Motor Trendz has revitalized sales by slowing down the process and connecting with customers on a deeper level.

48// Difference Makers: Reliable Product Marketing Scott Baughman took a lifelong love of car stereo and put down roots with Reliable Product Marketing.

52// Strategy & Tactics: How to Enter the Radar and Laser Category Before venturing into the radar and laser category, it’s important to understand not only the technology, but also these key factors that will help a shop formulate its market position.

56// Tech Today: Fabulous Fabrication Tools A look at 11 fabrication tools that many technicians have come to love and rely upon.

On the Cover COVER DESIGN: Manny DeJesus AZ Motor Trendz has increased profitability by responding to local needs and networking with other businesses. Due in part to the diversity of its product offerings, revitalizing customer service practices, and remodeling the showroom, the shop’s revenue has increased from last year.

4 Mobile Electronics October 2019

6 Editor’s Forum 8 Feedback

Ad Index Accele Electronics….................................p. 2 & 3 Alpine….................................…..........................…p. 23 Arc Audio…….................................…...................p. 37 AudioControl….................................…...........…p. 25 Audison…….................................…......................p. 12 Author Alarm….................................…..........…p. 51 Car Keys Express….....................................…p. 55 Cobra Electronics….....................................…p. 33 Firstech….........................................................…p. 67 Full Throttle Battery…................................…p. 54 Harman: JBL…….................................…............p. 19 HD Radio….................................…....................…p. 21 InstallerNet….................................…..............…p. 45 JL Audio….................................…......................…p. 7 MEA: KnowledgeFest...................................p. 43 MECP….................................…..........................…p. 41 Metra Electronics: Axxess…...................…p. 27 Morel America…............................................…p. 51 MSC America: Brax…..................................…p. 11 Orca: Focal….................................…................…p. 17 Powerbass…...............….................................…p. 29 Race Sport…...............….................................…p. 47 Rockford Fosgate….....................................…p. 39 Rostra Accessories….................................…p. 53 Rydeen Mobile Electronics…..................…p. 47 SiriusXM…........................................................…p. 13 Sony…….............…...................................................p. 5 SounDigital………................................................p. 9 SQL Audio…..................................................…p. 65 VAIS Technology…....….................................…p. 31 VOXX Electronics; Code Alarm….............p. 68 Waylens….................................…....................…p. 65

Discover the Sony XAV-AX7000 high power digital media receiver with built-in 180W RMS Class D amplifier, anti-glare screen and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto™ support.

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sony.com/car ©2019 Sony Electronics Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Sony and the Sony logo are registered trademarks of Sony Corporation. Bluetooth is a trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc. Android, Android Auto and its logos are registered trademarks of Google Inc. Apple, Apple CarPlay, Siri and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners. Features and specifications are subject to change without notice.

facebook.com/MobileElectronics 5

editor’s forum

I’m Celebrating!

You are cordially invited to my birthday party, and presents are an absolute requirement.

When you’re a kid, the anticipation of your birth “day” is something that builds up as it gets closer but doesn’t really hit until the actual day. But as an adult—with more freedom, more capability maybe, and definitely more obligation— the annual self-celebration becomes less about a day and expands to include the preceding and/or following weekend.

In my case, it becomes the entire month. So yes, I am already feeling the birthday glow.

If you want to get me something for my birthday, I’ve provided a list. Tops on that list is an all-expense-paid trip to Europe. But if that’s not in the budget, the rest of the list is more doable.

There are two things that give me fulfillment. First is helping people in a way that truly benefits them. Second is empowering people with knowledge, tools, and encouragement so they can continually help themselves. This magazine and my profession give me the opportunity to do both, and I hope I’ve been able to make a positive impact somewhere in our industry.

So, it stands to reason that the remainder of my list of most-desired birthday presents falls along these lines. To celebrate my special day, I want something that makes you better.

Pick something from my list below, complete it in the next 30 days, and then let me know how it went.

Sol’s Presents List 1. I want you to send me to Europe. (We already discussed this. Feel free to move on.)

2. I want you to have a stronger sense of empathy. Empathy is the ability to prioritize a point of view other than your own. Fast food is the perfect example. A customer comes back saying the restaurant forgot his fries. The lack-of-empathy response is to replace the fries and get him out quickly to keep the customer lines short. Strong empathy is to realize the customer now must wait to eat. He spent gas and time coming back, and the remainder of his food is probably cold.

When a situation occurs, the very first thought for many people is, “How does this affect me?” Flip this around. Think about how it affects others first. You’re apt to show more caring and make a better decision as a result.

3. I want you to identify your procrastinating behaviors.

We all have things we love to do. But for the tasks we really

6 Mobile Electronics October 2019

dislike, our response is to put them off by doing something else we justify as necessary. After enough times, we don’t even realize we are doing it. Start by identifying the tasks you dislike and think about the things you’ve done instead. These are your procrastinating behaviors. Knowing this creates a mental red flag that you can use to re-focus and power through those less-attractive tasks.

4. I want you to ask for help. We’ve gotten to a certain point in our lives based on our own will, smarts and guile. This is great, but we start thinking self-reliance is the only solution.

Changes in life—and us as well—can leave one feeling direction-less. Ask for directions. It’s illogical to think we possess all the information necessary to solve previously unencountered issues. Move past the ego born of your accomplishments and reach out to someone who has been there and can provide guidance.

5. I want you to rediscover the idea of new. Wonder why teenagers act like they know everything? Because they do.

Within their limited worlds they’ve experienced it all. It happens to us in life and work as well. Remember your last, real new experience? The feeling brought with it injections of creativity and excitement, and reawakened your desire to learn.

Add a new challenge to your life to bring this back. The great karma this creates will also seep into your mundane tasks to add welcome change.

6. I want you to give someone the benefit of the doubt. We have three measuring sticks when it comes to people: what other people say about them, our past experiences with similar people, and our direct interactions. Problem is, we tend to rely more on the first two, and we act accordingly. Throw it all out.

Make time to interact directly with someone whether you’re resolving a problem or getting to know them. That one time when someone feels you’re seeing them with your own eyes instead of through others’ can raise their self-esteem and be the catalyst for other positive life changes.

If anything I’ve ever said or done has helped you, given you pause, made you angry, caused you to look inside, given you a laugh or made you feel a bit better, do one of these and let me know how it works for you. Send me an email or call me.

Knowing that we’re becoming better people is the best present anyone can ask for. Happy Birthday to me, and the best of everything to you!

Simplify.

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S O F T W A R E

© 2018 JL AUDIO, Inc. For more information on our complete line of products, please visit your local authorized dealer or www.jlaudio.com.

 feedback

Against All Odds Store owners and managers prevail during difficult times by staying focused on their passion for the industry and the services they provide.

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

“A little over eight years ago, I lost my voice to throat cancer. I had an employee at the time who really helped. But later that year, I had to let him go. What I learned through all of this: You can never give up. I have had people hang up on me, cuss at me and a few other things. I am the owner, installer, bookkeeper, fabricator, salesperson and janitor. Why do I keep doing it? I love what I do. I love this industry. And there’re not many other jobs where you can wear shorts and a t-shirt, play music and make people happy.” Mike Stoeckmann, Tune Time Stereo & Alarm, Redlands, Calif.

“Continue to provide great customer service. It can be difficult at times—especially when dealing with customers who want to talk about what they found online, comparing it to your products and pricing.” Mike Phillips, Audiowave Car Stereo, Gautier, Miss.

“We generally don’t lose sales to the Internet. [We focus on] constant training and staying informed on the latest trends. Knowledge relating to the most popular cars and a full demo of product makes for great referrals and very high Google ratings. I give demonstrations, and our customer are very happy paying a bit more for our installs. We offer free tune-ups, lifetime warranty on installs and install parts, including fuses if the product was purchased from us.” Raymond Crawford, Bayou Autosound & Security LLC, Slidell, La. “Carry fewer brands. Focus on them, and you will not only get better support, but your salespeople will be more confident selling products they know and believe in.” Shane Douet, Lafayette Custom Automotive, Lafayette, La. “I recently went through a rough streak in the garage—broken panels, damaged wiring in vehicles, bad fit of amp rack. I had a really rough week, but I just kept my head up. [Remember things] can only get better.”

Brandon Brown, Columbus Car Audio and Accessories, Columbus, Ohio

8 Mobile Electronics October 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 © 2019by the Mobile Electronics 4) Date of filing: Oct.1, 2019.5) Frequency of issue: Monthly. 6) No. of issues published annually: 127) Annual subscription price: $35.00. 8) Periodical postage paid at LawrenceMA and additional mailing offices. 9) Complete mailing address of known officeof publication: 85 FlagshipDrive, Ste F, North Andover, MA 01845.

10) Completemailing address of the headquarters or general business offices of the publisher:85 Flagship Drive, Ste F, North Andover, MA 01845. 11) Full names and completemailing 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 0184512) Owner: MERA, Mobile Electronics Retailers Association, 85 Flagship Drive,Ste F, North Andover, MA 01845. 13) Known bondholders, mortgages, andother 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 ofPublication: Mobile Electronics. 16) Issue date for circulation data below: October2018. 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) Paidsales through dealers, etc.; Average: 0. Single issue; d) Requested distributed byother classes of mail: Average: 435, Single issue: 520. Total paid and/or requestedcirculation; Average 6039. Single issue: 7346. e) Nonrequested distribution bymail; Average: 3593Single issue: 4223. Free distribution through other classesof mail: Average: 0, Single issue: 0. f) Non-requested distribution outside the mail;Average: 267. Single issue: 750. g) Total nonrequested distribution; Average3860, 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; 507j) Total; Average: 10,237. Single issue; 12.826Percent paid and/or requestedcirculation; Average: 61.01%. Single issue 59.63%. 17) POSTMASTER: Please sendaddress changes to Mobile Electronics, 85 Flagship Drive Suite F, North AndoverMA 01845-9998

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 stats

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4th Quarter: Fight or Fumble?

Ample stock and bad weather are on retailers’ minds, but most predict a profitable 2019 year end.

Biggest Impact on 4th Quarter Sales Product Availability - 33% Weather - 51% Local Happenings - 9% Seasonal Sales or Shows - 37% Staffing - 12% Cash Flow - 19% Something Else - 19%

Projected 4th Quarter Hiring Yes – 18% No – 57% Unsure – 25% 10 Mobile Electronics October 2019

4th Quarter Projection vs Last Year Up 10 percent or more 35% Up 5-9 percent - 30% Up 1-4 percent - 12% Even - 15% Down 1-4 percent - 3% Down 5 percent or more - 5%

4th Quarter Staffing

Adequate – 65% Down 1 person - 28% Down 2 people - 7%

Projected 4th Quarter Hiring Maintain stock levels – 55% Add brand(s) – 13% Increase stock levels – 45%

facebook.com/MobileElectronics  11

 helpful stuff

Where Have All The Leaders Gone?

BY LEE IACOCCA

Lee Iacocca may not be a recognizable name to many, but I know it well. Iacocca was a generous contributor to my alma mater—and his—Lehigh University. He recently passed away at the age of 94, and he was a major icon in the auto industry. Iacocca is credited with introducing the Ford Mustang in the 1960s, which changed how cars were purchased. “We wanted to develop a car that you could drive to the country club on Friday night, to the drag strip on Saturday and to church on Sunday,” he once said. He also masterminded a turnaround of the Chrysler brand in the 1980s which was boosted by the introduction of the minivan. His bestselling book asks tough questions like, are we too fat and satisfied for our own good? Who will save the middle class? He asks citizens of all ages to vote, get involved, and choose leadership wisely. Not only does he share some of the lessons he’s learned, but he also issues a call to action to summon Americans back to their roots of hard work, common sense, integrity, generosity and optimism. Even though it was written over a decade ago, this book is a timeless read.

WiFi Alliance Wi-Fi is going to get faster with Wi-Fi 6, but not just yet. It’s the new super fast standard for wireless networking, but as is the case with any new technology, it will be a bit longer until more than a handful of Wi-Fi 6 gadgets make their way to the marketplace. Device shipment isn’t expected to be much this year, but once it is certified by the WiFi Alliance and ratified, it is expected to have strong market adoption. In the meantime, keep up to date with what is happening right here. Chances are pretty good that Wi-Fi 6 will be inside your next phone or laptop.

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FORD F150 SOUND PACK

The Sound Pack solutions dedicated to the Ford F-150 are the final audio upgrade for this iconic Pick-Up. You can create the Sound Pack that best suits your needs through the online configurator: *https://www.audison.eu/sound-pack-configurator/

| Elettromedia USA | 16691 Noyes Ave. Irvine CA 92606 | (877) 567-3030 | 12 Mobile Electronics April 2019

Protection Plus from MEA JOIN-MEA.COM

The Mobile Electronics Association (MEA) and Centricity have partnered to enable MEA members to offer extended service plans to their customers. The service option, Protection Plus from MEA, can be integrated with MEA’s point-of-sale software program, TSS, and is also available as a standalone purchase option. Service plans are available nationwide and include removal and re-installation of covered mobile products for up to three years. Protection Plus from MEA launched at MEA’s KnowledgeFest event in Dallas last month.

Installer Institute INSTALLERINSTITUTE.EDU

Good news for people who are thinking of going back to school. The 26-Week Comprehensive Installations Program offered at Metra Electronics’ Installer Institute is now eligible for Title IV funding, meaning it offers Federal Student Loans and Pell Grants for those who qualify. The 12-Week Mobile Electronics Installations Program is also eligible for Title IV funding. Students may submit a free application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with the Installer Institute’s federal code, 042742, to determine eligibility for U.S. federal financial aid. Student financial aid for the 26-week program may include Pell Grants, student loans and more. These loans may be applied to tuition costs for the Comprehensive Installations Program (900 hours / 26 weeks) or the Mobile Electronics Installations Program (400 hours / 12 weeks) at the Installer Institute. Currently, the 12-week program is not eligible for Pell Grants, only federal student loans. Visit the website for more information.

Everything You Love To Hear. Right Here.

Kelly Clarkson on

SiriusXM subscription sold separately by SiriusXM. facebook.com/MobileElectronics 13 © 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.

 What’s Happening

The Changing Role of Distribution DOW Electronics, Velocity Distributing and Davis Distribution share how they view the role of distribution in 12-volt, where it’s been and where it will go from here.

WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA

Over the last few years, the line between retail and distribution has grown fuzzy, according to Dave Elkin of DOW Electronics. “Eight or nine years ago, it was still very much rules-driven— restocking fees and that sort of thing. We were just a wholesale step between the manufacturer and the dealer.”

But what changed? Elkin added that dealers wanted more of a retail experience for themselves. “If we want a high level of customer satisfaction, we have to adapt in that area for sure.” Elkin began his career with DOW in 1995, and the company itself has been in business since 1959. However, it wasn’t until 2012 that DOW began growing and expanding the 12-volt side of the business.

14 Mobile Electronics October 2019

“It’s not just moving boxes anymore,” he said, adding it’s about “the education of both our internal staff and then helping our dealers stay up to speed on all the different technological advances.” There’s a lot going on, he noted, and cars aren’t getting easier to work on when it comes to installing aftermarket equipment. “It’s not only the equipment you have to train on, it’s the installation of the equipment.”

Elkin said part of the reason distribution has shifted so much in recent years is because shipping logistics were a lot different. “A lot of independent reps had to become the just-in-time distributor for some product lines,” he explained. “That’s run its course a little bit.” Today, DOW is able to ship product to most of the company’s territory with next-day service.

“Our reach from a shipping standpoint is

a lot broader than it was 18 years ago.”

Meeting the Needs of the Industry About six months ago, Velocity Distributing opened its doors. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, founder Gary Wermuth recognized the need and answered it, according to Director of Marketing Chris Greenfield. “There were some holes in the Houston market specifically that needed to be filled, and that’s where we’ve stepped in,” Greenfield said. “Certain companies wanted a stronger presence in the area. There are a lot of shops here in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas, that might not be big enough to buy manufacturer direct from everyone, and we felt like that was a need. [We hope to offer] a stronger more modern approach in this area.” Velocity is still in

The Changing Role of Distribution

DOW Electronics attends retailer events, such as this one at Sound Pro in Conyers, Ga. The distributor will often bring a demo vehicle along to help support the event.

its beginning stages of rolling out services for retailers.

In the near future, dealers will be able to log on to the Velocity Distributing website and look up any products they’ve purchased that have serial numbers. “If their shop gets broken into, for example, and the product that was stolen is tracked by serial number, they’ll always have access to it and they can log in and look it up,” Greenfield explained. “You can see the things you’ve ordered, you can reorder and you can see what other people have ordered.” The website is a continued work in progress, something Greenfield himself is working on. Velocity will also handle factory returns.

“On some stuff, if you have a problem, you can return it to us and we handle the return,” he said. “Our Houston marketplace is really big. We have a lot of dealers who will call in the morning or afternoon and do an in-store pickup.”

At their location, Velocity has also set up a “hand-picked area” to showcase available products. “We have multiple displays, the majority of what we have

in stock. A lot of dealers might not know we have a particular new dash kit, or new lights from Heise, but it’s available in our handpicked area.”

Davis Distribution offers a lot of training opportunities for retailers, according to Nate Taliani, the company’s vice president of sales. “We also offer webinars several times a month. We’re very active on social media, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We encourage our dealers to get active on social media. It’s very obvious that the dealers who are active on social media are successful,” he said. “We try to hit it from all angles. We use social media as a sales and marketing tool, and we also use social media to give tech updates and we encourage them. A lot of our dealers will take the stuff we post on social media and repost it also.”

Since its inception, DOW Electronics has supported the independent dealer, according to Elkin. “It doesn’t necessarily matter what we’re selling, you just have to know how to sell to them and understand their needs,” he explained, adding that a lot of the businesses the company deals with are mom-and-pop stores. “We tell our salespeople to recognize that their time is very, very important, so let’s make sure we’re cognizant of that

and bringing value to them at every step of the transaction and every step of the customer experience,” Elkin said. “We’ve really focused on being a value-add. We’ve focused on that customer experience.”

DOW has several graphic artists and a marketing department that assists dealers in ad and content creation. “We do a lot of logo redesigns, shop redesigns and car and truck wraps,” Elkin added. “If dealers want to do any television, radio or billboard promotion, we have resources and contacts.”

For DOW, Davis and Velocity, training is paramount. Velocity Distributing intends to offer additional training in the future, according to Greenfield. The company also plans to offer training sessions in Spanish. “We have a training facility here in Houston in our main location where we can seat between 20 and 25 people,” he said. “We are also considering different creative ways of helping shops to better brand themselves. We’re leveraging better pricing for our clients, and that can be done multiple ways.”

On the Road—Supporting Retailers at Industry Events Davis Distribution gets the most interaction with its dealer base at KnowledgeFest Indy, according to Taliani. “We also do Jeep events and events at marinas. If it’s an anniversary sale a dealer’s having, we’ll participate in that.” The company offers in-house remote start facebook.com/MobileElectronics

15

 What’s Happening

As a new company, Velocity Distributing is still rolling out services for retailers and recently hosted an open house which offered training sessions from Waylens, Rockford Fosgate and Kenwood. This past August, they interacted with retailers at KnowledgeFest Dallas.

Velocity Distributing has its own location in Houston, Texas where training sessions can be held. Pictured is a recent training with Rockford Fosgate. tech support and will help market events for retailers. “Sales support is just a matter of us trying to keep them educated on everything that’s coming out, keeping them up to date, letting them know what options they have. If there’s a promo, we send it out so they can put their logo on it, distribute it to their customers, create their own eblast, or take that and put it out on their forms of social media.”

Recently, representatives from Velocity Distributing attended a grand opening party for the shop Extreme Off-Roading Performance, according to Greenfield.

They were also present at KnowledgeFest

16 Mobile Electronics October 2019

Dallas where they connected with dealers as a new distributing company.

“We have sales staff who are on call,” he said. “They call our dealers daily, weekly and monthly. We also make sure our dealers let us know how they like to be contacted. Part of our sales staff is dedicated to texting information and receiving orders via text.” Currently, the team consists of about 10 to 15 people, and they are looking to hire a marketing assistant.

Representatives from DOW Electronics will also attend retailer events. “We have a couple demo vehicles and we’ll do

events at dealers’ showrooms,” Elkin said.

“The marketing team will help promote it in their local area. Other times, they just want a body there for a grand opening.

Much of the time, we’ll support them with one of our DOW vehicles at their event.”

According to Elkin, DOW has “an internal grand champion” for all its core lines and also offers in-house tech support which acts as “the liaison between the vendor and our salespeople and customers.” The distributor is able to offer additional trainings when vendor training resources are tied up elsewhere. “For example, while Compustar is focused on remote start season in the north part of the territory, we don’t see a lot of remote start season down here in the south, but we could still have some Compustar webinars or some training for some new dealers. We can help apply a little assistance while Compustar is busy with remote start season.”

The team operates both inside and outside the office. “They’re inside about two to three weeks out of the month, and then they travel one to two weeks, determined by growth and what’s needed in their territory,” Elkin said. “Most of them are 50/50 right now because we’re in a growth mode. I have a four-person inside sales support team that helps back them

The Changing Role of Distribution

facebook.com/MobileElectronics

17

 What’s Happening

up when they’re traveling. When one is traveling, the others are helping cover for him.”

A Vision for the Future Distributors continue to find new ways to support retailers, and they predict the role of the distributor will also continue to adapt as the industry changes. DOW Electronics has launched Smart Services, which offers dealers a fixed shipping cost, according to Elkin. “We launched it

18 Mobile Electronics October 2019

about two years ago. Our dealers on our Smart Services program pay us 50 dollars a month for the subscription. Once they’ve paid the subscription, they get everything shipped for free—whether it’s a single wire harness or a whole pallet of subwoofers. We’ve given the dealer a fixed shipping cost. They can count on 50 dollars being the most they’ll ever pay for shipping an entire month from DOW.” An addition to this service—called Smart Courier—allows dealers within

25 miles of a DOW Electronics location to have same-day delivery. “We’re getting ready to expand it even further, and we have a couple other things we’ll be launching very, very soon. We feel we have a really good base of support that we can provide for dealers from the marketing side.”

Taliani remarked that continued growth depends on distributors staying on top of opportunities and “keeping the finger on the pulse of how business is changing out there.” Davis Distribution got involved in marine and powersports in the mid-2000s, which brought in a lot of new business, he said. “I think the future is really bright when it comes to premium amplifiers, speakers and DSP,” Taliani added.

At Velocity Distributing, Greenfield said the company is also looking into web-based solutions such as hosting more online trainings. The need for training classes in Spanish is evident, and Greenfield remembered another Spanish language class hosted by a different company which was standing-room only.

“We’re looking into every [opportunity],” he added.

To help forge connections and provide education to the industry, Velocity recently hosted an open house. “Rockford Fosgate, Kenwood and Waylens held classes,” Greenfield said. “They were all standing-room only. It was a day-long event.”

DOW Electronics continues to grow, Elkin said. “We’ve been around for a very long time, but we’ve only really been focused on 12-volt for about the last six years. We’ve been able to make waves. I think our dealers are proud of the growth were bringing them. We recognize the symbiotic relationship we have with them. If we can help them concentrate on selling, they’ll be successful and in turn we’ll be successful.”

Elkin added that DOW Electronics will continue to focus on the customer experience. “Dealers have choices of where they can buy product most of the time, and there are very few lines that are exclusive to us,” he added. “So, we have to win those customers on our service and keep them there.”

The Changing Role of Distribution

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 retail news

Who’s Who Faces in the Industry Aaron Joseph

WORDS BY LAURA KEMMERER

Musicar Northwest Welcomes New, Veteran Team Member Musicar Northwest, located in Portland, Ore. recently welcomed a new addition to its team: industry veteran Pierce Barrett. Shop founder Tom Miller noted that the shop has been open since 2010, and currently is going from six team members to seven with Barrett’s hiring. (Miller himself has been in the mobile electronics industry for 30 years.)

“Our tag is ‘World Class Audio and Electronics,’” Miller said, “so we’re really highly focused on high-performing audio systems and electronics. We’re not a traditional retailer in any sense.” The business is also largely focused around consultations, mainly appointment only.

What makes hiring Barrett unique is that Miller had the blessing of Barrett’s previous boss, Dan Ungaro. Soundscape (Barrett’s former employer) was Retailer of the Year in 2016.

Barrett was named Rookie of the Year in 2017, and Miller won Installer of the Year in 2014. The shop was Retailer of the Year Runner-Up in 2015.

“I’ve known Pierce now for a few years, through industry events,” Miller said. Ungaro and Barrett spent a week at the shop filming as part of a larger project chronicling industry shops. “I told Dan I was very impressed with Pierce, [that he was] a very sharp young man, really intelligent, super passionate about the industry.”

Barrett also loved the Portland area and wanted to work for Musicar. So far, the change has been positive for everyone.

“I absolutely needed to get Dan’s blessing before I approached the subject with Pierce,” Miller said.

Pictured in the back, from left to right: Sean Pham, Kai Miller, Patrick Rollins, Nick Akin, TJ Carlson and Tom Miller, with Barrett in the hot seat.

20 Mobile Electronics October 2019

Horizon Audio Position: President City: North Canton, Ohio Years of Industry Experience: 15

Hobbies: Spending time with family. Going to sporting events with my son.

What you’re really good at: Adapting to new situations.

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City: Kelowna, British Columbia Years of Industry Experience: 10 Hobbies: DJ, concert promoter and nightclub designer.

What you’re really good at: Being a DJ.

Mike Stoeckmann Tune Time Stereo & Alarm Position: Owner, installer, bookkeeper and janitor City: Redlands, California Years of Industry Experience: 29 Hobbies: Golf What you’re really good at: Jack of all trades, master of none.

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 retail news

Sound Wave Customs Works On Custom Box Truck for Charity Sound Wave Customs, based in Virginia Beach, Va., recently worked with a local non-profit to build a custom box truck for the homeless. The non-profit, known as 99 for the 1, had previously worked to create a couple of bread trucks that were outfitted with stand-up showers, water tanks, generators, snack station and sometimes a change of clothes for the less fortunate in the Hampton Roads community.

Sound Wave Customs opted to do the audio install on the new truck, which included a custom-built audio system.

In the custom install, Sound Wave used Sony products—specifically a high-powered single DIN radio, as well as two pairs of 6-inch-by-9-inch boxes.

“We did a Sony single 12-inch sub in the back for low-frequency response, and we’re going to do some LED interior lighting. In these trucks,” said shop owner Ethan Blau. “They have a full shower, clothing racks, food racks and a barber’s chair.

“The local artist who painted it paints a lot of huge buildings and hotels on the oceanfront. These are huge hotels that he has

22 Mobile Electronics October 2019

murals on, and he did these trucks for the non-profit as well.

They’re hand-painted, and they’re bread trucks that they buy cheap or are donated.”

Blau emphasized that the custom install would help those using these trucks to enjoy their favorite music again, something they likely have not had the chance to do in a while.

Products used in this build include: • A Sony MEX-GS820BT high-power CD Receiver; • Two pairs of Sony XS-R6946 6-inch-by-9-inch speakers in Attends 6-inch-by-9-inch enclosures mount to the truck, front and rear; • A Sony- XS-GSW121 12-inch subwoofer in an Atrends slotported enclosure; and • Heise Cree LED White Accent lights for interior lighting.

As of this writing, the truck is currently 90 percent complete, with LED work just needing to be finished. Moving forward, Sound Wave Customs plans to do another install for the non-profit.

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 retail news

Sommer Sound Systems Taps into Education for Business Whenever possible, businesses should tap into additional education to help their own bottom line. Bill Sommers, president of Sommer Sound Systems, based in Panama City, Fla., did just that: He attended an Orca Mobile Solutions course focused on high-end fabrication,

DSP tuning, OEM integration and identifying flaws in OEM systems when one is integrating into those systems.

“It was a four-day class,” Sommers noted. “One day was dedicated to the DSP.” The other three days of the class were dedicated to Mobile Solutions,

which included covering production education and other topics.

As far as implementing the lessons for his own business, Sommers plans to use the techniques and tools he learned while he attended the class. Sommers also plans to pay special attention to flaws in OEM system integration.

“Even after 30 years in this industry, I’m always constantly learning,” Sommers said. “The day that I stop is the day that I’m no longer in this industry, quite frankly.”

Sommers also found learning the tuning procedures to be particularly useful. During training, they used multiple laptops and software that he plans to use in his own business for real-time analysis. Sommers also learned about the class at KnowledgeFest, a sign that one learning opportunity begets another.

Soundcrafters Celebrates 41 Years In Business

Soundcrafters, located in South Daytona, Florida, recently celebrated its 41st year in business, according to shop president Paul Papadeas. Within the last year this meant a shop relocation while not missing a beat for business—the shop’s third location.

24 Mobile Electronics October 2019

“Recognizing the shape of industry, especially over so many years, influences our movements forward, Papadeas wrote.

“Recently, after obtaining additional workshop space, our company has ventured into sales of performance related items that require installation. Our workshop has the appearance of being able to ‘eat off the floor,’ [which means it’s] brightly lit and air conditioned.”

The shop also installed a lift to mirror the dedication demonstrated to the showroom space. This also allowed the shop to take clients to see their vehicles.

The shop’s byline was also change from “mobile and home electronics” to “Performance – Style – Sound,” which highlights a “new dimension for the business,” according to Papadeas. The shop also branded a new Transit mobile installation van and Jeep Wrangler keeps the brand visible on a local level. The shop has also continued to invest heavily in raising visibility through engagement with partnering with a national event held locally called Jeep Beach as a sponsor.

“Our legacy began with the Car Stereo category and had developed over the years as the best shop (among many) to do business with,” wrote Papadeas. “I attribute this to representing only great brands. Performing the best quality installations (guaranteed) and implementing excellence in customer service.

With such a strong following in automotive over the years, it made sense to add another 1300 square feet, rearrange the showroom and dedicate to all things automotive installed.”

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 hot sellers

Favored Feature Highlights Installation solutions, ease of use and additional features help sell products, according to retailers. Additionally, KnowledgeFest highlights from the show floor continue in this segment of Hot Sellers. iDatalink HC3452A Two-Way Long Range Remote Start Main Selling Features: “Offers long range in a small, easy to use remote. This unit is future forward and well-thought out to ensure continued use down the road.”

Primary Objection: “This product is new to the market, so that can be a hurdle.”

How to Overcome: “We bring up the history of building interface modules for 10-plus years.”

Alpine iLX-W650 7-Inch CarPlay/ Android Auto Head Unit Submitted by: John Haynes, Al & Ed’s Autosound, Los Angeles, Calif.

Main Selling Features: “This offers good representation of Apple CarPlay and excellent screen resolution to support reverse cameras.”

Primary Objection: Labor cost to install.

How to Overcome: “We stress smartphone integration over CDs.”

Compustar CS1900-S All-in-One Two-Way Remote Start Submitted by: Chris Hilbert, Sound Decisions – Racine, Mount Pleasant, Wis. Main Selling Features: “At Sound Decisions, we [focus on] our 47 years in business.”

Primary Objection: Price, compatibility and installation time.

How to Overcome: “We go through what will and will not work on the customer’s car. We create value so the price becomes less of an issue. When it comes to installation time, we just do the best we can do. The introduction of more t-harness solutions allows us complete more cars in a shorter time and keeps the quality of installation up to our standards.”

Sony Head Units / Sony XAV-AX5000 CarPlay / Android Auto Submitted by: Rick Miller, Sound on Wheels, Rock Hill, SC Main Selling Features: “We offer a quality installation.”

Primary Objection: Learning curve.

How to Overcome: “We give the customer a hands-on demonstration.”

26 Mobile Electronics October 2019

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 hot sellers Vision X XPL Curved LED Bar Submitted by: Steve Vincent, Auto Trim Design of Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska Main Selling Features: “It lends itself well to custom in-grille installations that reduce theft issues.”

Primary Objection: Labor cost to install.

How to Overcome: “We explain to the customer that it’s less apt to be stolen than a standard-mounting LED bar, since Vision X lighting is a top-end product.”

JL Audio VXi Amplifiers with Built-In DSP Main Selling Features: “This is an all-in-one solution [with a] quality name, lots of power, DSP built in and an amazing warranty.”

Primary Objection: Price.

How to Overcome: “I sell them on the longevity of the product and their reputation, as well as our quality of installation.”

Alpine ILX-F309 Halo9 Head Unit Main Selling Features: “Quality, visual appeal of larger screen, ease of use, fits all cars.”

Primary Objection: Price and labor cost to install.

How to Overcome: “Compare to cost of factory system that does much less, show screen size difference compared to standard screen.”

Audison APF8.9 Multi-Channel Amplifier with Processor Main Selling Features: “Offers great sound in a small footprint.”

Primary Objection: Price and labor cost to install.

How to Overcome: “We demonstrate the value in both our product and our expertise.”

JL Audio Fix 86 Processor Submitted by: Ron Venable, Traffic Jams Motorsports, Buford, Ga. Main Selling Features: “Demonstrating the product with my own vehicle helps sell it.”

Primary Objection: Labor cost to install.

How to Overcome: “Explaining how well this product will work and sound in their vehicle”

Alpine iLX-W650 Double-DIN Multimedia Receiver Submitted by: Keith McCumber, SoundsGood Auto, Coquitlam, BC, Canada Main Selling Features: “We cater to the customer’s interests, not their wallet. Getting people excited about a product that will impact their lives in a positive way makes a much bigger impact than saving $20.”

Primary Objection: Price, learning curve, additional parts required and labor cost to install.

How to Overcome: “We ask them the questions that will provide an emotional response, then we capitalize on it!”

28 Mobile Electronics October 2019

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 hot sellers Viper DS4 Digital Remote Start with Bluetooth Submitted by: Jose Sanchezian, J’s Alarms and Car Audio, Fresno, Calif.

Main Selling Features: “We promote compatibility integration of aftermarket components.”

Primary Objection: Learning curve and additional parts required.

How to Overcome: “We incorporate [our] training of the latest integration products from manufacturers.”

Alpine iLX-F259 Digital Multimedia Receiver Submitted by: Michael Truong, Extreme Car Audio LLC, Marrero, LA Main Selling Features: “Offers a large [9-inch] screen with CarPlay. It’s like having an iPhone 10 compared to an iPhone 4.”

Primary Objection: Labor cost to install.

How to Overcome: “The larger screen [is a selling tool].”

SounDigital 800.4D EVO 800-Watt 4-Channel Amplifier Submitted by: Carlos Ramirez, NVS Audio, Roselle, NJ Main Selling Features: “[Higher] output [in a smaller] size.

Offers speaker level input and adjustable crossovers.”

Primary Objection: Labor cost to install.

How to Overcome: “We offer a live demo in one of our cars.”

KnowledgeFest Showcase USA Spec BSM200 Radar Sensor Multi-channel technology means the device is always monitoring, and it can detect other vehicles from any angle—front and back. The system knows when to alert the driver, and when not to. It’s easy to install and has an OBDII connection for accurate speed detection. Additionally, it is the only multi-channel OEM-like system on the market. The BSM200 is shipping now.

30 Mobile Electronics October 2019

Author Alarm IGLA-231 This device offers digital protection from theft. It locks the engine and other systems using the CAN bus. When the key fob is within a certain distance from your vehicle, authorization with a PIN-code can be entered. It is small enough to be installed anywhere and easily hidden.

Wāvtech Link6 The link6 is a 6-channel summing LOC with an auxiliary input and a remote level control.

Suggested retail is $199.95. It will begin shipping in the 4th quarter.

Wāvtech IRAD Ignition/Remote Generator + Delay The IRAD provides solutions for 3 very specific problems installers face today. This easy to program device allows you to add a switched 12-volt output, a remote output with adjustable delay or relay/solenoid control for vehicles with start/stop systems.

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31

 hot sellers

D’Amore Engineering T-Series Mini Amplifiers D’Amore Engineering offers new T-Series mini audio amplifiers, in particular the T300.2 model. There will be a total of eight models in the line-up ranging in price from $599 to $1,699. They offer a small footprint, very low distortion and noise, 300 watts class A/B with Mirror Image Technology.

Cedar Electronics Cobra Road Scout The Road Scout is a two-in-one driver alert system with accurate, long-range radar detection. It has a high-definition dash cam which allows the driver to capture and share incidents.

MMATS Pro Audio MMA4150 Amplifier MMATS Pro Audio showcased a number of new products at KnowledgeFest, including the MMA4150 amplifier, which will be made in the MMATS factory in West Palm Beach, Florida.

At 4 x 150 watts RMS, it will run any loudspeaker to its fullest output capability. It will be available in the fourth quarter.

Radenso Radar Detectors The RC M is a custom installed radar detector. It provides a discreet display with advanced laser defense and integrates with the AL Priority laser defense system, providing a one-year ticket-free guarantee. Radenso offers three windshield mount detectors and custom install stealth detectors, as well, with a good, better and best approach at different price points—including the SP, XP and Pro M with False Alert Filtering technology.

In the Classroom: At KnowledgeFest, CEO Jonathan Dandrow and CSO Mindi Lane presented an in-depth training on radar detectors and the RC M custom detector.

Installation best practices and sales strategies were among the topics discussed.

32 Mobile Electronics October 2019

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real world RETAIL

AZ Motor Trendz’s product mix meets the needs of a unique work and play clientele.

WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA

In Peoria, Ariz. in 2007, Randy Flora decided it was time to open his own shop after starting a business in his home garage. “I got tired of working out of my house, so I decided it was time to try to open a car audio shop. We did it and here we are 12 years later,” he said, adding that he started with a business partner but became full owner in 2010.

Currently, the bay can hold about four cars. The shop has a lift, a small woodworking area and a tire machine area. All employees are cross-trained to work with customers and answer phones, as well. “Both of my main guys can do audio, video and suspension work,” Flora added. “I have one guy who does tires, mostly. In Arizona, the big market is trucks. If I expanded, I would add another lift and probably go after dealership work, which is tough, but that way we could ensure we always have vehicles.”

Continued training for team members and increased staff tenure has helped contribute to recent accomplishments, too. “The longer they’re here, the more they absorb. There’s just less pressure on me, and I don’t have to be the main salesperson,” Flora said.

34 Mobile Electronics October 2019

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real world RETAIL

While anticipating continued growth, the shop hopes to expand and add to its team in the future. From left to right: Antonio Mendevil, owner Randy Flora, Eddy Ponce and Carlos Mendez.

While anticipating continued growth, the shop hopes to expand and add to its team in the future. From left to right: Antonio Mendevil, owner Randy Flora, Eddy Ponce and Carlos Mendez.

The shop stays informed by attending vendor trainings. “I haven’t been able to send the team to Mobile Solutions or KnowledgeFest, but I have sent them to audio trainings by JL Audio and Pioneer.

We have a couple big distributors out here that offer training all the time. I’ve been to KnowledgeFest. Some companies can afford to fly their crew out, but we aren’t in that position yet,” Flora said,

36 Mobile Electronics October 2019

adding, “I would love to be able to do that in the future.”

Networking with Local Businesses Helps Increase Profitability After responding to local demand, AZ Motor Trendz became mainly truck-focused, with about 30 percent of revenue coming from suspension. The second largest category remains car audio and

video, followed by wheels and tires, accessories and lighting. Sales are up, Flora noted, compared to last year.

“We remodeled the whole showroom.

It took about a year and a half to really get it done. We built our own audio walls.

We created more business to business awareness.” Local body shops often call on them, he said. “We have a few body shops in the area that don’t really know the aftermarket, so they’ll have a car that’s crashed and the lights aren’t the same lights that came with the vehicle,” he explained. “The customer wants their lights—they don’t want factory lights.

So, the shops we work with know we can figure it out. A lot of times I can look at the light and tell what brand it is.”

The business operates with a small team of five, including Flora, and an essential series of checks and balances to ensure all the work is up to standard. “When something is done, we have another person look it over to review critical areas. Especially [when it comes to] suspension.” With audio, he added, “the biggest thing is making sure you give the car back to the customer the way they gave it to you. Don’t leave fingerprints, check obvious areas like headliners—anything you might have been touching.” The

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real world RETAIL

AZ Motor Trendz revitalized its customer service practices, taking business cards off the counter so salespeople could focus on connecting with the client, therefore increasing the likelihood of closing the sale. and customers often come back for more.

The majority of the shop’s improvements have been due to revitalizing sales processes and responding to local needs.

Customer Service and Outreach: It’s All About the Numbers

car is inspected when it first comes into the shop, as well as before the customer picks it up.

The hope is to either move into a larger facility, or expand the current one in the next few years, according to Flora.

“We’re in an industrial suite here. In this building, I always wanted an extra 1,000 square feet. We have 3,000 now.” With expansion, an off-shoot of the current business—such as a location that focuses only on wheels and tires—might be a

38 Mobile Electronics October 2019

possibility, he added. “We might want to do a second location just for that.”

AZ Motor Trendz is a diverse business with multiple categories which Flora described it as fun and challenging. This past year has been especially fruitful.

“Our numbers are up. I’m always diligent in marketing and trying to figure out what people are thinking and how they want to shop,” he said, noting that most of the business’s advertising happens through word of mouth or social media,

Because customers are sensitive about small business, Flora said, the shop focuses on brand awareness to stay topof-mind. The business’s email list has about two thousand contacts, and both the website and work invoices are used to collect contact information.

“I have a weekly newsletter that either will showcase a product or some type of sale. Most people never really act on the email, and I’m fine with that. I just want them to see my name, and it works.” He added this is important because people know how hard it is for a small business to remain open. “People I haven’t seen in five years will pop back up and say, ‘Wow, you’re still here.’”

Instagram and Facebook provide much of the marketing. On social media overall, the shop spends about $300 a month boosting posts and promoting services.

“We sell all the time on Instagram,” Flora said. “The only downside is that social media is never turned off. I’m the only

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real world RETAIL

FAST FACTS Location: Peoria, Arizona Number of Locations: 1 Square Footage: 3,000 Type: Hybrid Boutique Number of Employees: 5

MAIN FOCUS 30% Suspension 25% Car Audio and Video 20% Wheels and Tires 20% Accessories 5% Lighting

KEY STAFF President/ CEO: Randy Flora Sales/ Operations Manager: Eduardo Ponce Lead Technician: Carlos Mendez 12 Volt Technician: Antonio Mendevil Shop Intern: Kaleen Scott

one who gets the direct messages on Instagram, so at 10:00 PM I might reply to someone asking me about a product. Just recently, we sold a whole set of wheels

40 Mobile Electronics October 2019

just chatting back and forth with a guy on Instagram.”

This is made easier by a no credit financing program. The customer is able to fill it out and get approval prior to their visit—even late at night. “Once you know [whether they want to pay in cash

or finance it] you have another opportunity to close the sale. We instituted that about a year ago.” So far, it’s been very successful, and Flora said he wished he’d implemented it sooner.

The shop is able to entice a sale through Instagram, at which point the customer can fill out the financing application on their phone. “They’re done, and

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real world RETAIL

JL Audio a Desired Brand From the Beginning “From day one, I’ve always been a fan of JL Audio even before I opened the business. It took a year before they would consider selling to us. We have a good relationship [with all our reps]. The JL Audio line, the stealth boxes, are top sellers [and provide] a factory fit woofer. The JL Audio customer service department is great, too.”

Continued training of the team helps contribute to overall improvements in the business. The shop takes advantage of vendor trainings, and hopes to be able to send staff to more training opportunities in the future, such as KnowledgeFest.

I say, ‘Okay, I’ll see you in the morning,’” Flora added. Another great boon to the business has been Craig’s List. Ads might cost about three dollars, and AZ Motor Trendz spends roughly $100 per month on these ads. For the most part, he said, they advertise truck-related accessories and lift kits on Craig’s List. ATVs and UTVs are also a main focus, Flora said.

“But right now it’s so hot we are promoting remote starts.”

For the back to school season, the shop focuses on the video market—including products like headrest monitors.

42 Mobile Electronics October 2019

Promotions will also include encouraging customers to treat themselves now that the kids are back in school, Flora said.

Additionally, the shop keeps a close eye on both positive and negative reviews online, making sure to follow up on both.

Revitalize the Sales Process: Don’t Sell a Business Card When customers weren’t buying, Flora started to notice a trend. “Instead of looking at the salesperson, the customer would start looking for a way out. They would look down and find a business

card,” he said. “The business card was the way out. So, I told the guys we were taking the business cards off the counter.

When they asked why, I said, ‘Because we don’t sell business cards.’ Sales is a lost art, and because we’re so used to getting things instantly online, sometimes people don’t know how to slow down a bit.”

Slowing down, he said, is essential when it comes to finding out what the customer really needs. “When someone comes in and says, ‘I need a stereo,’ you have to do a lot of qualifying questions before you get there,” he said. “I teach my

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real world RETAIL

The Soft Approach to Local Car Clubs “When we host an event here, it goes well. I have a show car—a project car we play around with at the shop—and we found a Lexus club. I noticed they were doing things here and there, so I told one of my guys, ‘Let’s go to this car meet.’ We rolled up with no advertising and no t-shirts [with our logo]. People said, ‘Your car is badass. Who did it?’ That was the invitation to say that we did, and we have a shop. But the difference is they approached us, instead of us going out and advertising to them. It doesn’t work like that with the car clubs. We hung out the whole night. They let us into their world. We got to talking, found out who the president of the club was, and next thing I knew we were having a car meet at my shop. It was a very successful networking campaign.”

Suspension, truck accessories and lift kits are popular at AZ Motor Trendz. Advertising on Craig’s List has helped increase revenue in these categories. guys to slow down and ask. Get to the basics.”

The first thing they do, he added, is look at the customer’s car. “Compliment it. Even if it’s a work in progress. ‘Hey, I noticed you have new wheels,’ or, ‘That’s a nice wrap.’ That slows it down and then you can get back to why they’re there.”

The process helps build rapport, Flora said. “You have to build rapport with the customer. If you don’t, you’re going to be selling business cards—and we don’t do that here. If you just spent 15 to 20 minutes with a customer and you gave

44 Mobile Electronics October 2019

them a business card, you just sold them a business card.”

However, Flora added that if customers ask for a card, they will give them one. “But now you have an opportunity to find out why they really want the card,” he added. “Slow it down. I always say you have at least two or three opportunities to close a sale.”

After a sale, the shop always follows up with the customer—especially for suspension work. “We make sure they come back in for a recheck,” Flora said. “We do that for audio, too. When we put a new audio

system in, we ask them to come back [so we can check it].”

Leveraging Internet Partnerships and Continuing to Grow With a focus on mid- to upper-end products, AZ Motor Trendz has built a reputation for providing high quality installation. “People bring their $71,000 F-150s and leave them here with us. They have confidence in us. We have built that reputation. We get referrals, and I love it,” Flora said, adding that in the coming year, he hopes to drive more business into

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Traveling to Car Shows Prove Less Effective Than Expected “I’ve been to some big car shows. One time I spent $1,500 on a booth. I brought three of my customers’ cars in, but it didn’t turn into any sales. It was basically a day to hang out. Over the years, I’ve scaled it back. I’ve spent a few hundred years here and there. Last year I spent a few hundred on a booth at an import car show. You don’t expect immediate sales on that because it usually takes a month or two. But for us, none of them worked. I learned the best way to do it is let the customer whose car is in the show to handle it, and then to take a back seat. I might tell the customer, ‘Hey, if you want to go, I’ll pay for your ticket.’ I can get the customer involved and it’s easier for them to go and represent us.”

the car audio and video category. “We want to find niche markets, things like blind spot monitoring systems, cameras and more business with dealerships.”

Additionally, Flora sees the Internet as an issue that can’t be ignored. “We’ll probably team up with bigger online stores that sell only products, and provide installation service for them,” he said.

“We’re already set up with another thirdparty company for installation.” When someone purchases a stereo, for example, the third-party company will email AZ Motor Trendz to let them know the customer has chosen them as their installation facility.

“You have the ability to say yes or no,” Flora added. “You know where the product is coming from, but the labor rate might not be what you want. The other

46 Mobile Electronics October 2019

day there was a light bar installation and we charge a minimum, and they wanted to pay less, so we said no.”

Flora said he sees this category getting bigger and bigger. “There are a few companies out there that sell products online,

and they want their products installed by reputable shops,” he explained, adding that if someone buys something, the chances of them keeping it rely on whether or not it was installed properly. “If they have to ship it back, [the

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company] just made zero on the sale. But if you have a shop that can do the installation properly, it just makes more sense.”

Flora said he feels this will also build on brand awareness. A customer who arrives for an installation will see the shop offers other products and services, as well. “It’s another way of cross-marketing, and it doesn’t cost anything. The customer is just referred to us when they buy a stereo. The online categories are going to get bigger and bigger.

People are very comfortable spending thousands online on something they haven’t even touched, but they’ll still want someone to install it,” he explained. “We make money on labor. We don’t make money on boxes. That went away years ago.”

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 Difference Makers

WORDS BY JAMIE SORCHER

From Fan to Founder Scott Baughman took a lifelong love of car stereo and put down roots with his firm, Reliable Product Marketing.

It’s not an unfamiliar tale in the car stereo world. A hobbyist who loves car audio ends up working in his dream retail store. And so the story goes for Scott Baughman, founder and owner of Stockton, Calif.-based Reliable Product Marketing (RPM).

“I was the ultimate fan boy of the industry,” Baughman said. “I was the kid who would drive around to different car stereo stores to see what other shops were doing. I was the kid who went to every car stereo contest and every car show. I was just living the lifestyle. I eventually went to work for the shop that I bought all my stuff from.”

When he was working at Sears, the owner of the car audio shop in which he spent a lot of time came in and asked him if he wanted a job. “Two weeks later, I was working for the shop,” he said. “I was hired originally as a gopher. I had rudimentary installation skills, but a strong woodworking background, so I could fabricate and do things like that. I also had some sales skills from my days at Sears

48 Mobile Electronics October 2019

because they put me through some intensive sales and customer service training. “ While Baughman started in retail in the early ‘90s and worked his way up to managing the store, he ultimately ran his course at retail. “It’s a pretty typical story—and then you can either buy a store, open a store or become a rep. And I chose to become a rep,” he added. “I went to work for a rep company and then there was the big crash of 2007. I had an opportunity to open my own company, and now I am 10 years into it.”

Not just the “A” game Reliable Product Marketing (norcalrpm.com) covers northern California (north of what is known as the Grapevine) up to the Oregon border. The southernmost city in the company’s territory is Porterville.

What Baughman finds both challenging and interesting is the unique mix of retailers. “The dealer base available to me is vast—probably one of the most diverse in the country,” he said. “We’ve

got ‘stack ’em high, let ’em fly’ shops, flea market-style shops, guys who are selling at the actual flea market, mom-and-pops, multi-store chains and regional chains.”

Along with these different types of stores are varying levels of ability which Baughman classifies as A, B, C and D dealers. “An A dealer is competent at selling product and offers a great customer experience. Or maybe that A dealer is a shop with a super cool fabricator who pumps out great work that ends up in the magazines all the time,” he said.

“Then you go down the line. Maybe that D dealer is the kind of shop that tends to rip people off and has zero yelp reviews.

The way my lines come together, I tend to deal with the A and B dealers. I currently don’t have a product mix that fits the C and D stores.”

Helping Retailers Move Beyond Comfort Zones The qualities that Baughman looks for in retailers doesn’t follow a steadfast rule, he said. “I’m looking for an opportunity

From Fan to Founder

to sell my wares, and in the Bay area, I have some awesome dealers,” he said.

“If a retailer is asking me to add them to the mix, they have to show me they’re going to add value to that market and to my business. Conversely, I’ve got some territories in the fringe areas like Porterville, for example, where I don’t write any business. There isn’t a whole lot going on down there. If someone stepped up, they could potentially become a dealer.”

Even so, Baughman remains selective.

He recalled how much the 12-volt business changed even in the last few years.

“When I was in retail back in the 90s and 2000s, some of the majors would come in and demand a retailer commit to buying a certain number of amps, boxes, and so on if they wanted to buy direct,” he said.

“That has definitely changed. Certain

vendors now open retailers without any buy-ins because in some markets that’s what you have to do if you want to get the business. The old guard way of doing things is changing.”

RPM represents a select group of vendors including the Orca family of brands—Focal, Mosconi, Gladen, Illusion and Blackhole—as well as Arc Audio, Wet Sounds, Nav-TV and Compustar.

Baughman is pleased with his lines and would only consider taking on another vendor if certain conditions were met.

“The manufacturer has to have a marketable product,” he said. “It has to be something I see value in—and not just dollar for dollar. Because of the line card I have and the dealers I do business with, retailers have an expectation from me that I won’t bring them any junk or waste

their time. There has to be a clear path to market—and it doesn’t necessarily have to jive with my existing dealer base.”

For example, he continued, “I am looking for a line right now that would allow me to get into those C- and D-type dealers. I am saturating my big guys and I will get to a point where I can no longer grow that business. So, I am actively looking for a line that isn’t super high-end, one that is cost effective and one that would allow me to go into those C and D dealers and have conversations with them that aren’t entirely different from the conversations I have with my A and B dealers.”

What Baughman wants to achieve is more than just opening a new account.

He enjoys the opportunity to nurture and grow these types of retailers—and to facebook.com/MobileElectronics 49

 Difference Makers

As founder of Reliable Product Marketing, Scott Baughman focuses on helping retailers grow, gain knowledge and increase profitability.

hopefully help them move up to premium brands one day.

“I don’t just want to go in there and say, ‘Here’s an amplifier that is two dollars cheaper than every other amplifier you’re buying,’” he said. “I want to go in and say, ‘Check out this line. It’s priced right. It fits into what you’re doing but gives you some better dealer training and will give you a different opportunity, maybe more profitability, maybe it’s going to protect you from online sales. I want to bring them a different story than what

50 Mobile Electronics October 2019

they have with the 19 other lines they might already carry.”

In fact, Baughman said, helping retailers get out of their comfort zones is a specialty of his. “It’s something that I am relatively good at,” he said. “If you asked my dealers why they work with me or what I bring to the table, you would hear things like, ‘He helps me grow my business.’”

Baughman cited Wet Sounds, a premium marine product line. “It’s expensive,” he said. “There are guys who are putting eight to 10 pairs on their boats.

Just a few days ago, I went into a dealer I’m trying to get on board, and he said to me, ‘No one comes in my store asking for $2,000 tower speakers. There’s no way I can sell this stuff.’” Baughman asked the retailer to trust him.

“Customers weren’t asking this dealer for $2,000 tower speakers because he didn’t have any. It’s a build-it-and-theywill-come mentality. He came to the training a few nights later and then I got a text from him. He’s now asking a ton of questions. And that’s all I am asking of the dealers—to give me a chance,” he added. “I will help them grow their business, get them into profitable categories and into areas they may be uncomfortable or unfamiliar with, but it will ultimately be good for them.”

Continued Growth Through Training For RPM, there is one thing above all else. Baughman believes strongly in professional training. “I probably hold close to 30 manufacturer-based trainings

From Fan to Founder

a year,” he said. “I get every one of my major vendors to come into the territory and we will train four to five nights once a year.”

At the end of July, for instance, Baughman finished four nights of trainings with Wet Sounds which brought out 70 people.

Compustar and Nav-TV trainings took place in August, and Orca is slated for this month.

A big turning point, though, came when Baughman collaborated with instructor Ken Ward of Educar. Ward’s popular OEM integration training program has been given at many industry conventions and events. “About five years ago, I saw what he was doing at these events and asked him what it would take to get him to come to my territory and do this training for my dealers,” Baughman said. “This was before KnowledgeFest had anything on the west coast. It took us a while to get the details together, but it was the first OEM integration training for dealers out in the field. It was $250 a head. We packed the room, and it was just incredible. It started the next wave for me.”

Dealers, Baughman added, really do appreciate the additional training once they commit. They’re hungry to learn more. “It’s different when it comes from someone else. It’s the same with your kids. When you tell them something as their parent, they won’t listen. But they’ll listen to someone else. Now, when guys call me and ask me how to do something, instead of spending hours on the phone, I tell him it’s best to come to one of the trainings,” he explained. “It’s teaching dealers to fish—not giving them a fish.”

Baughman is still learning how to fish every day, too. Being a smaller firm has allowed him to adapt and make changes quickly when it’s called for, especially with an ever-changing 12-volt industry.

“When I get that call from a dealer, it’s because he truly needs an answer and he is calling me because he is confident I can get that for him,” Baughman said.

“I strive to be dependable and reliable— and that’s why it’s in the name of the company. I truly believe in bettering my dealers. That’s what it’s about. It’s playing the long game.” facebook.com/MobileElectronics 51

 strategy & tactics

How to Enter the Radar and Laser Category Before venturing into the radar and laser category, it’s important to understand not only the technology, but also these key factors that will help a shop formulate its market position.

WORDS BY KEN WARD

It’s important to note that radar and laser speed enforcement has become a significant source of income for cities, counties and towns across the continent.

They’re not trying to make the road safer, they’re trying to make your wallet lighter.

The town I live in issues six times more traffic citations than a similarly-sized town next door, and those citations pay for three police officers which otherwise wouldn’t be in the budget. They aren’t walking a beat, though. They are in the Traffic Enforcement division.

Educar Training, my training company, isn’t regularly engaged in radar-laser as a category, but at Musicar Northwest (my old store), it was a key part of our business. Musicar is still known as a leader in this field. Musicar’s owner, Tom Miller, had a roster of radar/laser customers when we started. Every new car they bought got a full installed radar-laser system. I was the newbie in the category, and it took me quite a while to get my arms around it. Once I did, the technology changed, and the threats changed, and we had to learn over and over. Now Nick Akin and Tom Miller at Musicar are the most knowledgeable staff I’ve ever seen on radar and laser. The photos in this article show a Musicar Northwest installation using Escort radar and AL Priority laser systems. The vehicle is a 2019 Mercedes G63 SUV. I’ve had friends and colleagues ask me about the keys to entering this category.

Here they are.

Understand Enforcement Technology Radar is still important to understand.

Laser hasn’t replaced it. Ka-band is what the newest guns use. Some small jurisdictions still use older X or K guns, but

52 Mobile Electronics October 2019

Custom pod for an Escort display. The vehicle is a 2019 Mercedes G63 SUV. those bands are more often used by radar devices which aren’t speed-detecting (such as gate openers and supermarket automated doors). We call detectors triggering off of these devices “falses,” but Front AL Priority modules built into the grille with they really aren’t.

IR-transparent lenses.

They are legal radar emitters, too. That’s why Ka-band is more important to a driver than X-band or K-band.

It’s more likely to be an enforcement threat.

There is some talk about “sensiRear AL Priority laser modules mounted flush into a bumper. tivity” of a radar detector, and that’s an important topic. In the radio-fredetector triggers. The detector may have quency world, “sensitivity” refers to a features which prevent a trigger which measurable aspect of a receiver. In the have nothing to do with its actual RF senconsumer-facing radar-detector world, sitivity, so don’t be confused. Owning a “sensitivity” often refers to how often the radar detector which triggers all the time

How to Enter the Radar and Laser Category

is a pain in the neck, and you want to be able to explain to your customers why your systems will be livable.

GPS “tagging” of the precise location and frequency of these devices is a new feature which many vendors have adopted. The way these locations are entered into the system varies from brand to brand, and at least one manufacturer has a patent on how their system “autolearns” the location of these false triggers.

Make sure you understand how this really operates with the products you carry.

Many law-enforcement departments have installed “always-on” radar guns in patrol cars, so the officer always knows how fast oncoming vehicles are traveling.

Some have also installed “following-distance” upgrades to their handheld guns, allowing them to issue “tailgating” citations, using radar as the evidence. While I’m against tailgating, in stop-and-go traffic, cars are pretty clumped together, and this sort of organized ticketing seems unfair to me. These recent changes have made radar detection even more relevant.

Radar detection works on the principle of detecting RF “leakage” emitted when the gun is used on another driver, before it’s aimed at your car. Once the radar detector triggers, you slow down, before your vehicle can be acquired. Installed detectors have receivers with larger antennas, and they can detect radar from farther away.

Laser, or lidar, has no leakage to detect.

A laser detector only triggers if the lidar gun is actually aimed at your vehicle.

By then, it’s too late to slow down. This is why windshield-mount radar detectors with laser detection built in are not useful in the real world. You also have to delay the acquisition. Detection and delay are both required; there’s really no value in laser alone.

Laser “shifters” or “defusers”—basically, laser jammers with detection built in—give you that time to slow down. It’s important to users to slow down after a laser trigger, because the closer you get to the lidar gun, the more likely it is to acquire your vehicle (despite your countermeasures) and get a reading. The single biggest performance difference between various systems in this category

is the effectiveness of the laser countermeasures in various scenarios.

There’s a lot of information out there now, from manufacturers and on the Internet. Don’t just depend on manufacturer training or your rep’s explanations.

Understand that before a consumer spends thousands of dollars, they will probably spend a few minutes on Google.

If you don’t do the same, you won’t know what they think they’ve learned.

Regularly reviewing consumer-facing radar/laser forums and groups is essential if you’re looking to be a leader in this category.

Know Local Speed Enforcement Technology Lidar guns send laser pulses at a high rate of speed—hundreds or thousands of pulses a second. Laser jammers match the pulse rate and jam the returns. The

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 strategy & tactics

Escort and AL Priority control panels in the center console.

Lenses prior to installation on the vehicle.

The status LED shown here was installed in a ring around the OEM tweeter grille. newest lidar guns use a technique called Variable Pulse Rate, or VPR, which varies the pulse rate.

Since the gun knows its pulse rate, it’s much easier to detect the pulses amid the jamming “noise” (a version

of this technique was used with Allied radar stations in WWII).

Some of these guns are able to change their operation in response to manufacturer firmware updates, so keeping up with the latest technology in already-installed systems requires a partner who likewise generates software updates (and clients who perform them, or have you do it). VPR guns are not inexpensive, and most jurisdictions don’t own one—so while it’s good to be ready, VPR effectiveness is more important in some areas than in others. Some online research can probably help you learn if your area has the latest technology in the hands of law enforcement.

Understand the Customer I used to try to justify the price of these systems using arithmetic. I was wrong. It doesn’t work. Think of it this way: If a buyer of a $180,000 vehicle had the option to check a box for $5,000 or $10,000 for the “Probably Won’t Get a Ticket” feature, they’d do it.

These clients are usually not worried about the cost of the ticket or the cost of insurance. They are worried about getting too many points on their license and getting it suspended. That’s worth some coin to them, but it might be cheaper than a traffic attorney every time they get a ticket.

Who is your target customer? Do they drive a new 911 Turbo, or a used WRX? If they drive a used WRX, they may be a DIY candidate, and you’re competing against their free labor—not my area of focus. You want to find premium vehicles, not mainline vehicles, to justify the highest prices. If you know your clients are driving mainline vehicles, you want

54 Mobile Electronics October 2019

How to Enter the Radar and Laser Category

to make sure you have a product offering that will work for them.

Choose a Clear Market Position These systems cost thousands of dollars wherever someone buys them. Any time clients shop on price for these systems, I’ve found two things: They don’t believe there’s a difference between different installations, so one install to them is the same as another—and they often can barely afford the flash vehicle they drive (putting the best in radar and laser out of reach). Regardless, in some areas there are a lot of clients shopping on price.

That said, some shops charge literally twice as much for a top-of-the-line installed system than other shops charge for a similar system. They do this by making physical integration part of the offering. Fabrication skills and thoughtful design allow them to install a radar/laser system which genuinely appears to be a factory option. Controller location, switch relocations, stealth laser heads, USB port location—all these can be done the way the OEM would have done them.

Trust me, when a client gets a system from a shop like Musicar Northwest, they have a pretty good idea what will differ in their installation compared to one from another shop. That’s the only reason they pay high prices, because of an effective sales presentation.

If you’re in the middle—if you can’t do great-looking physical integration inside and out—then it’s tough. Now you’re competing on price with the lowest-cost shops, and competing on visual integration with the highest-priced shops. I found the most effective way to justify high prices was to convincingly show what we did and why. That’s partly the product you select, but it’s also partly your work.

This isn’t the simplest category. If you decide to be a low-price entrant, decide how you’re going to pay for firmware upgrades and vehicle-specific tweaks to your installation.

It’s also important to decide what your price point is going to be. Some product has lower, Internet-friendly pricing, without the margins we expect for 12-volt product. If you want to charge

a higher price, to earn a more typical margin, you may need to justify your higher pricing with better integration. Either way, be aware that some suppliers offer high-performance product with dealer margins which may not be in line with your business plan.

Note that I didn’t Factory blanks with a mute switch installed. say “choose brand X.” I believe there are some great supproduction-oriented tools to allow you to pliers in this category, and I think that do these installations more efficiently. you can’t go wrong with any of them—as In conclusion: long as you take responsibility for doing • Know the technology. your own homework before you select a • Know what’s used in your area. partner!

• Know your customers.

If you are looking to advance your • Choose your market position. fabrication-based value-add in this Once you’ve done the above, you can area, check out Built-In Radar from confidently and profitably move into the Mobile Solutions USA. They offer several installed radar and laser category.

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 tech today

Fabulous Fabrication Tools A look at 11 fabrication tools that many technicians have come to love and rely upon.

WORDS BY JOEY KNAPP

Last month we took a look at some of my go-to installation tools. This month the list shifts to the fabrication realm. This list represents just some of the items that I place the most value in.

.9 Lead Mech Pencil

I own quite a few mechanical pencils, so I can always make sure I have one available.

Like most everyone, I have used a traditional wooden pencil while fabricating. And, like most everyone, I have experienced the line the pencil draws getting thicker and thicker as the lead wears down. This prompted me to search for a better option.

My father was a small business accountant and always had numerous mechanical pencils around his office. His pencils were .5mm, which provides a fine line, perfect for filling in P&L Statements. In looking for something better to fabricate with, I tried one of those .5mm pencils. The experience was more frustrating than using a traditional wooden pencil. Too much lead sticking out, or too much pressure and SNAP, the lead would break. So, I looked for other mechanical options. There was a .7mm, but it was still too fragile. Then I found the .9mm. It was the perfect width for precision, but robust enough that it wouldn’t snap under normal use. Granted, one still has to keep an eye out to make sure the lead doesn’t stick TOO far out, but otherwise they hold up great.

Drill Gauge This is such a basic tool, but one I value greatly. Almost anytime I find myself needing to drill a hole in something, I also find myself reaching for the drill gauge. The gauge makes picking the perfect drill bit simple. It is easy to gauge the size hole needed for specific hardware by checking the size of the hardware with the gauge. I also use the drill gauge for choosing the drill bit size for when I am using taps. NOTE: The 29 piece Irwin Cobalt drill bit set I mentioned last month contains most of the drill bit sizes found on a drill gauge.

I typically don’t ever find myself needing a size different than those found in that set.

56 Mobile Electronics October 2019

A simple tool, yet very valuable when choosing the right size drill bit.

Fabulous Fabrication Tools

Forstner Bits

This relatively inexpensive set of bits has served me well over the years.

Years ago when I was an elementary school teacher I would spend some of my summers working with my friend Doug Gibson. Doug had been around the Central Florida 12-volt scene for many years. I learned quite a few things during my time working with him. One of the tools I learned about were forstner bits. Up until he introduced them to me, I had maybe seen them, but never used them.

Doug opened my eyes to the uses they provide a 12-volt fabricator. There are some REALLY expensive forstner bits out there. But for our typical substrates varying from MDF to Birch to Acrylic and ABS, I don’t think high-end bits are needed. I started with a few random bits from Home Depot or Lowes, but then ended up with a set I found on Amazon that were very reasonably priced and have served me well over time. The set I got was the Steelex D3573 16-piece kit.

Aircat Airsaw Whether you’re opening up a speaker hole in door metal, cutting an opening for a radio or speakers in a boat, or trimming a bit of plastic, an air saw is a handy tool. Years ago I had a low vibration Matco air saw and loved it. I kept it long enough to need a rebuild, and then a second. The last time it needed a rebuild the parts were no longer available. I then moved to a nice Snap-on dual chuck air saw that was also supposed to be low vibration. The saw worked well, but not quite as nice as my old Matco. Then one day it didn’t. After going to Snap-on for service, the saw worked even worse. It had about half the power of a new saw. Needing something to take its place while I decided if I was going to try to have it fixed again, I turned to Amazon. After looking for some low vibration saws I came across the Aircat 6350 Low Vibration saw. I was skeptical because my history with air saws has been not so great, but the price was reasonable enough to give it a try. Upon receiving the Aircat and loading it with nice blades, I have been cutting with it and haven’t looked back. I still have the old Snap-on in my air tool drawer. The Aircat works so well that I haven’t felt the need to pursue getting the Snap-on repaired. If you need a compact, low vibration, powerful air saw, I can highly recommend this one!

For a compact, powerful air saw, try the Aircat 6350 Low Vibration saw.

facebook.com/MobileElectronics 57

 tech today Calipers

The three different calipers handle precision measuring for almost any job.

I have been pretty part-specific on the items I have talked about so far. For this one, though, I am going to be a little more general. I have three different calipers that I use.

One is a cheap plastic slider from Harbor Freight that cost under two dollars. If I need something a little more precise than a tape measure, or a quick reference of distances, I will use these. The other two calipers I have are digital. They are both by iGaging and came from Amazon. One is 6 inches and the other is 12 inches. They are very reasonably priced, and for the level of precision needed for most car audio fabrication they are perfectly fine. If I spent more on calipers I would be afraid to use them, so these are perfect.

Instead of the cheap plastic of the Harbor Freight set, these are stainless steel. They offer standard, metric or fractional readouts.

One of the nice things about calipers, which I learned from one of Bryan Schmitt’s training classes, is that you can use the points for scoring substrates. Anyone who does any level of fabrication needs to have some sort of caliper at their disposal.

Shapeoko CNC Earlier this year, Tech Today featured a series on high-tech fabrication tools and one of them was the Shapeoko CNC. I am now past the worst of the learning curve with mine and starting to work toward really integrating it into my normal fabrication workflow. It has been a challenge to force myself to use and trust the machine over making parts by hand. The machine has opened up so many avenues for creative design in things that I build. At times I feel like I’m not utilizing it to its potential, which I probably am not, but I am working on that.

Now that I’ve had a CNC for almost a year, I can’t imagine having to go back to not using one. I can only imagine what it’s like for the shops that have CNCs large enough to handle full sheets of stock! I bought mine to see if it was something I could learn how to use. Now that I know I can use it, I look forward to getting a larger one. Until then I will continue to make speaker adapters, engrave acrylic, engrave and cut aluminum, make marketing materials and grow my capabilities.

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Filed under “Tools I don’t want to live without,” the CNC now has found a permanent home in my workflow.

Fabulous Fabrication Tools

The Biesemeyer Fence helps keep the cuts square and true.

Delta UniSaw Table Saw For much of my initial 12-volt career, I used a jig saw and a circular saw to cut wood. The shops I worked for didn’t have table saws. One shop had a panel saw, but it seemed like it wasted more time than it saved. For the most part, we built truck wedge enclosures. I remember using a table saw in middle school shop class, but until I started working with Doug Gibson, I didn’t have any real experience with one. While working with Doug, I got to see just how beneficial a table saw could be. It offered a level of precision not possible with a circular saw—no matter how skilled I thought I had become! Initially, I was very respectful, or even scared, of the table saw. Doug walked me through important safety factors, and I got some experience. When I moved out to California to work at Simplicity in Sound, we started the shop with two table saws in the fabrication room. I thought it was a great idea at the time, but we quickly found we only needed one. Now I have a number of years of experience with a table saw, and while I am still very respectful of it, I do feel more comfortable using one.

I use the bandsaw mostly for quick and easy rough cutting.

Grizzly 14-Inch Bandsaw I was initially hesitant to put the bandsaw on this list because I haven’t had one for too long. I had the opportunity to buy my current bandsaw when I purchased the metal piping for my dust collection system. I have since been slowly finding that it’s a great tool to have around. I like that it’s easy to make small adjustments to cuts, and easier to cut a shape. Add a quick run through the sander, and it’s close enough for carpet. facebook.com/MobileElectronics 59

ďƒŽ tech today

The metal piping went up fairly easily and offers future flexibility.

Dust Collection When I built the fabrication room at our new location I knew I needed to include the best dust collection I could afford. After doing some research online, and talking with Joey Cloninger, I settled on some choice parts. At Simplicity in Sound, we used PVC piping and taped it together. I wanted something a little more robust, and the ability to easily add or remove sections. I chose Nordfab piping. I found someone who was closing their woodworking shop and selling quite a bit of the tubing with enough pieces for my system. The Nordfab pipes have rolled ends and clamp together. This makes positioning or changing the layout very easy. Our controller at Simplicity in Sound is gate activated. I decided I wanted something even easier for my shop. I picked the iVac Automatic dust collection system. The system uses sensors on the power wires to the tools to turn the dust collection on and off. The iVac kit also has motorized gates, so getting dust collection at any tool is simply a matter of turning it on and waiting a few seconds for the dust collector to spool up. I chose the Grizzly G0441 3HP Cyclone Dust Collector. Higher horsepower models were backordered at the time and I was concerned about having enough vacuum. I really have more than I need. I often have to open an additional gate to keep pieces from being sucked to the table. I mounted the collector on the roof of my woodshop and routed the tubing for the collector bin through the roof. The collector bin sits on the fabrication room floor for easy emptying.

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The automatic iVac system is a must-have for ease of dust collection.

Fabulous Fabrication Tools

I will sometimes write the size of the bit required for the hole on the tap case.

Widia Taps I have tried and broken many different brands of taps. I once ordered a few Widia taps from McMaster Carr. I was very impressed. With careful use I have no breakage problems, and they seem to stay sharp for a long time. I tape a number of things when I am fabricating, so it was nice to find some good, reliable taps.

I love the precision offered by a nice drill press.

Drill Press I have used very cheap drill presses in the past, and none of the shops where I worked had drill presses. I used a Harbor Freight drill press when I moved to California. It definitely had its merits over a regular drill, but the precision wasn’t very impressive.

When I bought my dust collection piping and picked up the band saw, I also purchased a Jet drill press. It was heavier-duty than any drill press I had previously used. The adjustable stop tabs were metal, unlike the plastic ones on models I had used previously.

The solid tabs allowed for precisely metered drilling depths which result in more accurate duplication of drilling. Now that I’ve used a “real” drill press, I would never want to make holes in anything without one! facebook.com/MobileElectronics 61

 installs

SUBMITTED BY: JEFF BERNARD, SOUNDWORKS, MILLERSVILLE, MD.

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Soundworks was recently charged with updating this Fox body Mustang’s audio system. The team at Soundworks, including Jeff Bernard, Colin Brooks and Michael Horwath, would be responsible for building a Morel-centric system.

Providing the audio signals for the system is a Pioneer Nex Radio in a custom fabricated acrylic bezel. To keep the dash pieces matching, the Soundworks team also fabricated an acrylic plate for the shifter.

The Morel offerings for the front stage included the Virtus 603 speaker set. The woofers were mounted in custom door panels, featuring stamped grilles and acrylic trim. The midrange speakers were mounted in the corner locations at the top of the dash. Custom acrylic trim rings and pressed grilles were fabricated for the tweeters which were mounted in the pillars.

To really set this Mustang trunk apart, the crew from Soundworks created a spectacular multi-layered design that features a Morel Primo 10-inch subwoofer. To ensure the trunk looked as good at night as it does during the day, copious amounts of LED lighting were used. To power the Morel speakers, a Morel MPS amplifier was chosen, while a SounDigital Nano amplifier powers the Morel subwoofer.

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 installs

STELLAR

SIERRA

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BOOTH #51206 SUBMITTED BY PAUL TAIT, VISIONS ELECTRONICS, ALBERTA, CANADA

The show-stopping installation for this 2017 GMC Sierra HD was created by Paul Tait of Visions Electronics. At the direction of the client, this install was to have an OEM Plus look. In working toward that goal, Tait used a number of matching materials and finishes on the completed install pieces. Everything he built, from the door pods to the enclosure, has the look of a factory upgrade. The gear chosen for the build was all from JL Audio. A FiX82 and TwKD8 handle the signal processing. Power is provided by two HD600/4 amplifiers and a HD1200/1 amplifier. Turning the power into audible sounds are JL Audio ZR components in the front and C3 speakers in the rear.

The low-end output comes from a pair of JL Audio 13Tw5 subwoofers mounted in a excellently finished custom under-seat enclosure. More of Tait’s work can be seen on his Instagram, @bettercallpaulfab.

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from the President

Lead, Follow, or Serve?

Serving others is a great step toward becoming an effective leader.

Lead: It’s a simple word with very complex traits. It’s an action word that requires you to be much more than just the boss or owner of your business. To become a successful leader, you must first learn to serve in a capacity that allows others to learn and flourish under your care. Serving as a leader does not mean doing the job for them or even with them. It means helping them achieve greatness by serving their desire to be successful in all they do. Let’s identify some techniques that will improve your leadership ability.

Make the Teaching Time Investment Serving your team does not mean doing everything for them.

It means taking the time to help them become successful in all they do. Let’s look at an example of this type of leadership. You have a team member who is struggling to prove themselves in an area that would be helpful to both you and your business if they were able to master it. You could just have someone else do it. You could do it for them and have them watch and learn.

Or you could provide the training and tools to help make them successful. If you’re doing this yourself, then work with them to grow their confidence in their area of weakness. By doing this you will create a better team member who should, in turn, become more productive.

Coach to Create the Desired Outcome We touched on how to serve by working on tasks with your team members. Your goal should be to help them grow, providing a better experience for both you and your customer. It may seem redundant to have two people doing the same task.

The premise behind this team effort is to work together and coach the activity. Think of this as helping them achieve their best in an area in which they may be struggling, or at the very least, are less proficient than they could be. What you need to achieve is a working relationship that fosters their best performance. An example might be teaching a process or procedure that requires precision. Your mission would be to walk them through by providing guidance that bolsters their confidence.

Teaching Them to Lead The intended consequence of your leadership would be to have others follow your example by doing the same. Think of it as creating mentors by mentoring. You may be thinking that not everyone is cut out to lead. Some will never be more than followers. I would have to argue that point. If given the right direction and coaching, you can help develop skills that will allow each and every person to lead in some area of the business. Leading does not necessarily mean that this person

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is running your business. It simply means you have worked to develop someone’s skills so they can take ownership of a specific area or task. This is their agreed upon area of responsibility. Something they can call their own, knowing that failure and success are theirs to experience.

Teaching your team to work through their mistakes, praising their accomplishments and rewarding achievements will make them more successful. It will also have a very positive effect on your business and your customer experience.

Next Level Leadership If you want to take this to the next level, your next step should be to create a formalized approach for mentoring.

Do this by creating an environment in which failure is seen as positive by using them as opportunities for growth. Yes, I refer to multiple failures. Expect people to fail. This does not mean they are failures, themselves. It means you should expect mistakes. How you respond will make the difference and help control the outcome in the future.

Think about your own mistakes and use each of theirs as teachable moments. Review what went wrong and ask them for suggestions on what they could do better next time. Also, ask for a solution for correcting the mistake. Don’t just tell them how to fix it. If you do, they will expect the same. Teach them how to fix it on their own, using their solution. If their solution is one you know will not correct the situation, then help them think through what will fix it.

Teaching your team to work through their mistakes, praising their accomplishments and rewarding achievements will make them more successful. It will also have a very positive effect on your business and your customer experience. The greatest leaders are those who serve others while supporting their goals and aspirations. I challenge you to take the next step and lead.

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