O'Reilly Auto Parts, WIX Filters Sponsor 2013 Tomorrow's Tech School Of The Year

Main Navigation

Advertisement
Social Connect
Resources
Our Brand Family
Counterman - Babcox Media
Counterman has been serving auto parts jobbers, retailers and distributors since 1983.
News

O’Reilly Auto Parts, WIX Filters Sponsor 2013 Tomorrow’s Tech School Of The Year

Online nominations are due by Aug. 26.

Counterman Staff
By Counterman Staff
Published:

Online nominations for the 2013 Tomorrow’s Tech School of the Year program end Aug. 26. The contest, sponsored by O’Reilly Auto Parts and WIX Filters, recognizes the excellence in technical training and education in the nation’s automotive programs.
 
The School of the Year program (www.ttschooloftheyear.com), a national search to find and name the best technician training school in the country, is open to all high schools or post-secondary schools that have a subscription to Tomorrow’s Tech magazine.
 
“We are excited to continue our partnerships to support all aspects of the automotive aftermarket industry,” said Mike Harvey, brand manager for WIX Filters. “Each year, we see high-caliber nominations from the best technical schools, and we look forward to reviewing top-of-the-line school nominations for 2013.”
 
To nominate a school, visit http://ttschooloftheyear.com/NominationForm and fill out the short questionnaire.
 
Judging
The staff at Tomorrow’s Tech reviews all online entries that are submitted, be they from a student, instructor, school administrator or any automotive industry professional, and uses content from the comments section as "reasons for nomination."
 
Staff then visit the schools’ websites for photos and more information on their auto programs, in addition to searching the Internet for local stories/articles about the schools and their students. Also, if they have been a top school in the past, judges review materials/videos that they submitted in previous years.
 
The Top 20 Schools list is created from that process and those schools are named in the September issue of Tomorrow’s Tech.
 
Students, instructors and school faculty are then requested to create a video about their automotive program, which will be hosted on the Tomorrow’s Tech YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/tomorrowstechnician.
 
Judges from Tomorrow’s Tech, WIX Filters and O’Reilly Auto Parts review the videos from the Top 20 schools to narrow the selection down to four regional finalists that will be named in the October issue of the magazine and also via social media. Judges review entry criteria and select one top school from each of the four regions in the U.S.
 
The winner will be selected from the four finalists and announced at the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) in November. This is the sixth year a school will be recognized.
 
Past winners of the contest are:
• Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood, Wash. (2012);
• Arapahoe Community College in Littleton, Colo. (2011);
• Caddo Career & Technology Center in Shreveport, La. (2010);
• Ohio Technical College in Cleveland, Ohio (2009); and
• Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove, Ill. (2008).
 
View videos from last year’s participating schools at http://www.youtube.com/tomorrowstechnician.
 

Related Articles

You May Also Like

Auto Industry

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.
Published:

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.

Read Full Article

More News Posts
MEMA Launches At-Home REPAIR Campaign

The next step in the campaign to get the REPAIR Act passed is to get aftermarket suppliers involved.

By Emma Henderson
Shaw Assumes Leadership of MEMA Original Equipment Suppliers

Collin Shaw succeeds Julie Fream who served 10 years in the position.

By Emma Henderson
AACF Launches 65th Anniversary Fundraising Initiative

The campaign aims to raise $65,000 through 1,000 donations of $65 each.

By Counterman Staff
Schaeffler Publishes 2023 Sustainability Report 

Schaeffler was awarded an “A” score in the climate change category for 2023 by the global non-profit environmental organization CDP for corporate transparency and performance.

By Emma Henderson
Schaeffler Sustainability Report

Other Posts

Introducing ‘Sustainability by Schaeffler’ on Counterman.com

In the weeks and months ahead, stay tuned for more sustainability content from Schaeffler and Counterman.

By Josh Cable
Schaeffler Sustainability
Jacki Lutz Named Content Director at Auto Care Association

Lutz will be tasked with leading a cross-functional and multimedia content strategy, development and execution across all platforms.

By Josh Cable
Jacki Lutz Auto Care
Auto Care Association Certified as a Great Place to Work

“This prestigious award is a testament to the association’s commitment to creating an inclusive, supportive and dynamic work environment for its employees,” Auto Care said.

By Josh Cable
HD Repair Shops Report Increases in Counter Sales, Labor Rates

The data comes from a Fullbay report published in partnership with ATA’s Technology and Maintenance Council.

By Josh Cable
Heavy Duty Repair