Newsletter
ISSUE 1 | 2019
Industry News & Trends
Service Technician Shortage There is a shortage of skilled labor across the country and it is affecting the automotive industry. Many dealerships are struggling to find and retain automotive service technicians and mechanics. This has been an issue for more than two years and will likely continue into the future. Nearly 30% of technicians are leaving their jobs every year to work elsewhere and sometimes in a completely different industry. Combine that with auto training programs not putting out enough new graduates to fill vacant positions and the staffing problem becomes rather apparent. The NADA recently stated that dealerships will have to hire approximately 76,000 new service technicians this year but estimates that there will only be 37,000 new technicians to fill those gaps. Then why is it so hard to hire and retain talent for this position? There are several factors that make this a tough job to keep filled. To start with, most dealerships rely on flat-rate pay plans, which was a significant cause of job dissatisfaction when employees were surveyed. Long hours, having to spend thousands of dollars of their own money on tools, and misconceptions about career tracks in the automotive service industry are also reasons for the shortage of technicians and maintenance workers. NADA and some other automotive associations are stepping up and trying to find a solution to the problem. This includes reaching out to the youth in local communities and educating them about the benefits of a service technicians career path, establishing new training programs, and figuring out ways to boost overall interest in technician careers. A lot of work needs to be done on both a large and a small scale. Making sure your employees are happy is the first step. Ask them what they need in order for them to see themselves staying at your dealership long term and making a career of it. Skilled labor shortage is a complicated issue and fixing it will not be easy, but hopefully with everyone working together, the answer will come sooner rather than later.
Industry
fun fact:
According to Business Insider, Fox News, and several other sources, the Ford F-Series was the best-selling vehicle in the United States in 2018.
Sales Team
spotlight
Chip Donlin Sales Manager Birmingham, MI Office
Years in the Aftermarket Industry? 31 years Years at Slip-N-Grip®? 12 years What vehicle do you drive? Ram 1500 Crew Cab What is your dream vehicle? Bugatti Veyron What is your #1 selling tip for distributors? Account penetration. The more people you know at any given customer the better.
What is the best product add-on and why? Regardless if it’s a franchised auto dealer or a tire, brake, bump or independant automotive service facility, everyone uses a service reminder label, a.k.a. static cling.
What is an interesting market trend you’ve heard about recently? From what we are being told from our distributor partners, automotive service facilities are mandating the use of at least a seat cover and a floor mat, either paper or plastic.
What is something most distributors don’t know about Slip-N-Grip®? All of our other divisions and industries we are in. We have a major focus on recycling while manufacturing various bags and film.
Newsletter ISSUE 1 | 2019 Product Feature
Slip-N-Grip® Tire Bags
Clean matters more than you think. Our Slip-N-Grip® vehicle protection products give your service operations the professional edge that keeps customers coming back. These high-quality tire bags are ideal to keep customers’ vehicles clean when returning, transporting, or storing old tires or snow tires.
Tire bag season is upon us! Stock up before the spring rush!
Features and benefits include:
3LAYER CONSTRUCTION for superior strength & durability
WHITE FILM hides a dirty tire and allows your logo print to stand out
TWO IMPRINTS per bag for more business visibility
CUSTOM sizes, film colors, and imprinting available
Available in three sizes! Don’t know which bags will work best? Check out our website for a complete tire size guide.
Resources & Contact Product Catalog: Click to view Website: www.slipngrip.com Email: info@slipngrip.com Phone: (855) 999-4764 Fax: (248) 203-9416
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