2009: A Look Back at Distribution Influences, ‘The Clunkers’
1/13/2010
At the beginning of each year, we review what were the top influences or events on automotive aftermarket parts distribution during the year that just ended. We gauge this by reviewing the most-read stories from our sister
e-newsletter, aftermarketNews.com. more
Make Sure Every Aftermarket Automotive Part is Special
9/3/2009
A part that might not be exciting to you could be the one puts someone back on the road. Or makes their commute more comfortable. Or allows them to take that trip this weekend they were originally going to cancel because their car was on the fritz. more
There's More to Delivery Than Handing Off Aftermarket Automotive Parts
8/10/2009
During these tough economic times, it’s never been more important to set your business apart from the rest. The fact is, how your customers view your drivers is how they actually view your business. Those attributes about your drivers that you see every day and ignore may not be viewed the same way by your customers. more
Are Your Returns Really That High?
3/12/2009
We must always challenge assumptions, even if we sometimes don’t want to do it.
Since coming to this industry, the magic number I’ve heard regarding the percentage of parts that come back as returns is 25. I’ve heard t... more
Let's Find a Cure for This Virus
1/23/2009
Gerald Wheelus, manager of Edgewood Auto Parts in Edgewood, Texas, and a Counterman contributor recently told me, “I’ve been in this business since 1986 and our business always does better when the economy is bad. We always thrive whe... more
Let’s All 'Hit the Ground Running'
11/17/2008
In late September, I saw the meaning of “hit the ground running” firsthand.
Nestled in the beautiful hills of the Appalachian Mountains in New York State is Alfred State College’s Wellsville campus. I’d never be... more |
Vertical integration: This New Way is Actually Old
12/10/2009
Some companies have found a different way of maintaining control over the production and distribution of their products. As it turns out, this way is actually about 100 years old. Will automotive aftermarket companies follow suit? more
VIN: These Three Letters are the DNA of an Automobile
5/1/2009
I was fortunate to be part of Leadership 2.0, a 2-week-long set of courses at the University of the Aftermarket at Northwood University. The first week-long set of courses was held September 2008 in Midland, Mich. The group of 25 of us returned in A... more
What Business Are You In?
4/7/2009
This column is about businesses whose owners believe they’re in a business other than the one they’re actually in. I’ll give you an example:
Newspaper companies are in the information business, not the newspaper-p... more
Telling the Story of Quality Parts
2/13/2009
When economic times are tough, people want the cheapest parts installed on their vehicles, right? You may be surprised to hear that in the many conversations I’ve had with bo... more
A New Look for Counterman.com
12/15/2008
They say change is inevitable and with the New Year just around the corner, it’s only fitting that visitors to Counterman.com see a change we hope you not only like but will find functional.
If you’d been to Counter... more
Leadership 2.0: It’s Where It's At
11/14/2008
Well, the choice has been made. The editors of Counterman magazine received a mountain of entries for the 2008 Counter Professional of the Year, presented by Affinia. After much deliberation and sifting through all the entries, Craig Bradley, of NAP... more |