Automotive Parts Associates Announces 2014 Manufacturer And Member Award Recipients

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Automotive Parts Associates Announces 2014 Manufacturer And Member Award Recipients

The Professionals' Choice Vendor of the Year went to AMS for its excellent fill rate, outstanding cataloging, new numbers, ease of doing business with and the company's long-term commitment to APA.

Counterman Staff
By Counterman Staff
Published:

HOUSTON, Texas – At the Automotive Parts Associates‘ (APA) 33rd Annual Shareholders’ and Manufacturers Conference this week, the group’s 2014 award recipients were announced.
 
Headquarters Manufacturer of Choice Award was given to Bosch. This award recognizes Bosch for having the fastest turnaround time from application of part to product availability, the ease of doing business with them and their responsiveness to member and headquarter needs.
 
Federal-Mogul was recipient of the Marketing Partner Award. According to APA, Federal-Mogul continually supports and sponsors the APA promotions, and was also recognized for its national ad campaigns, seasonal promotions and the company’s strong technical training programs.
 
The Professionals’ Choice Vendor of the Year went to AMS for its excellent fill rate, outstanding cataloging, new numbers, ease of doing business with and the company’s long-term commitment to APA.
 
The Branded Manufacturer of the Year recipient is DENSO. DENSO was recognized for consistently being first-to-market with new model year parts, as well as for its quick turnaround time and high fill rates on replenishment orders, and its new product categories and superior cataloging.
 
UCI-FRAM Group was recognized at this year’s meeting for its success at last year’s meetings, receiving the “Largest Total Manufacturers Orders at the 2013 One-on-Ones”
 
In addition, APA recognized members for their longevity and dedication to the aftermarket and the APA group. Automotive Warehouse Co. is celebrating 60 years in business in 2014 and Stempf Automotive Industries is celebrating more than 75 years in business. Retiring APA President and CEO Dan Freeman also was recognized for his 25 years of service to APA and the automotive aftermarket. “We could never put a value on the amount of time and hard work Dan gave us over the past 25 years. His leadership and steady hand kept APA on a continued course of growth and prosperity for the time of his tenure at APA,” said Gary Martin, APA’s new President and CEO.
 
APA’s Annual conference ran Thursday, March 20 through Saturday, March 23. In addition to a very crowded and exciting one-on-one event, the attendees enjoyed a private dinner at George Ranch, many played a round of golf in the annual tournament. A telematics panel and a business-building ideas panel consisting of members and manufacturers was brought back for a second year and APA shareholders were updated on all the new an impending business for the group at their business session.
 
 

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Customer Service: How It’s Done

Customer service should be your number one priority, and it all starts with the greeting.

Eric Garbe
By Eric Garbe
Eric Garbe is a graduate of Columbus State Community College with a degree in Automotive Maintenance Technology. He has extensive independent and dealership field experience as a technician and shop owner and is an ASE Certified Master Technician and former Adjunct Automotive Professor. He has been professionally writing automotive technical articles and documents for many years and in his free time enjoys restoring old cars and creating custom interiors and upholstery.
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This is always an important topic to discuss, because I consider excellent customer service one of the most important tools you can have to earn trust, respect and repeat business from the customers that come through your door. Whether that customer is do-it-yourselfer from across town or the professional repair shop across the street, your business depends on a solid relationship.It’s a subject that I am passionate about, and it’s one that many people are losing touch with. Whether you are communicating to someone in person, on the phone or using some type of social media, good customer service and bad can both exist. You can’t afford the latter, so this is the first in a series of topics which can and should be shared from the front of the shop to the back. No matter which role you hold, you represent the shop and yourself. Customer service should be your number one priority.First on the list is the greeting. From the second a customer walks in the door, they need to know you appreciate them coming in and how important they are to your business. First impressions are everything and here’s the correct way to do it each and every time: look them directly in the eye, smile and say hello!Of course, you can say “Good morning” or “Welcome to Joe’s Autocare,” but it should be a formal greeting and the most important thing is that you have smiled, looked them in the eye and recognized that they have walked through the door.You should always retain a formal greeting until you are on a first-name basis with a customer. Only once you have established that level of relationship is it OK to use the less formal greeting of “Hi,” followed by the person’s name.This greeting does more than just indicate respect and appreciation for someone walking through the door. Most likely there are customers both new and old who are in earshot of your conversation. For newer customers, this continues to build rapport and reinforce their positive view of your shop; they see that you demonstrate respect and treat everyone in the same manner. For repeat customers, even ones that have been coming for years, the greeting is important because the way you treat them is the reason they continue to come.And when a long-time customer comes in and you greet them with “Hi [First Name],” this indicates your appreciation for them and that you’re glad to see them as a person, more than just a customer. New customers that witness this will see that your repeat customers are comfortable enough to be on a first-name basis, another indication of the trust they have in you.

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