University of the Aftermarket Foundation Mourns Loss of Tim Lee

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University of the Aftermarket Foundation Mourns Loss of Tim Lee

The University of the Aftermarket Foundation board of trustees is mourning the loss of its former chairman Tim Lee, who passed away on June 3 at the age of 68, and has pledged that donations made in his memory will be used to advance industry education.

Counterman Staff
By Counterman Staff
Published:

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The University of the Aftermarket Foundation board of trustees is mourning the loss of its former chairman Tim Lee, who passed away on June 3 at the age of 68, and has pledged that donations made in his memory will be used to advance industry education.

“Tim Lee had a tremendous impact on our industry. He was a terrific leader and was actively involved in every facet of the auto care industry,” said Bob Egan, MAAP, chairman, University of the Aftermarket Foundation. “Tim’s passion for the aftermarket was evident and he was generous with his time. One his many leadership roles was serving as chairman of the University of the Aftermarket Foundation. Under his guidance, the foundation greatly expanded its ability to provide more scholarships to deserving students pursuing a career in the industry he loved.

“We have received numerous inquiries from those who want to make a memorial contribution to the University of the Aftermarket Foundation in Tim’s name. We are honored to accept those donations and know that Tim would be proud to have them used to help educate the next generation of industry leaders. The aftermarket has lost a leader, colleague and friend in Tim Lee. He will be sorely missed.”

Lee began his career in the aftermarket in 1971 at United Delco, then a division of General Motors, which later became ACDelco, where he worked as a jobber sales representative and then district sales manager in the Chicago area. In 1975, he joined Lang Distributing in Kankakee, Illinois. After serving as marketing manager, sales manager and general manager, he bought the company in 1985, and most recently served as its chairman. Lee was a member of the Bumper to Bumper board of directors and the Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance executive board, where he served as chairman for two years.

An active industry participant, Lee held the roles of treasurer and chairman of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (now Auto Care Association) and as a governor, treasurer and chairman of the Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA). He received many honors during his distinguished career including the Leader of the Year Award, the Martin Fromm Lifetime Achievement Award, Pursuit of Excellence Award and the Art Fisher Memorial Scholarship Award. He also received the Industry Service Award from Northwood University.

In addition to serving as trustee and chairman of the University of the Aftermarket Foundation, Lee was active in the AWDA University and University of the Aftermarket, where he served as vice chancellor. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University and a Master Automotive Aftermarket Professional (MAAP) designation from the University of the Aftermarket.

To make a donation to the University of the Aftermarket Foundation in memory of Tim Lee, visit www.UofAFoundation.com to donate online or send a check made payable to the University of the Aftermarket Foundation to 7101 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1300, Bethesda, MD 20814 and indicate that the donation is in Lee’s memory.

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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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