The Alliance Awards Leadership 2.0 Scholarship Winners

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The Alliance Awards Leadership 2.0 Scholarship Winners

This year, Tory Boerema of Auto-Wares Group of Companies in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Andy Bergstrom of The Merrill Company in Omaha, Nebraska, were awarded scholarships.

Counterman Staff
By Counterman Staff
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The Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance has announced the winners of the 2018-2019 Leadership 2.0 scholarship award.

This year, Tory Boerema of Auto-Wares Group of Companies in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Andy Bergstrom of The Merrill Company in Omaha, Nebraska, were awarded scholarships.

Each year the Alliance awards scholarships valued at more than $6,000 each for two members to attend the challenging two-week executive development course offered through Northwood University.

“Supporting training and leadership development is critical to ongoing success in this industry. We are proud to award these scholarships to two deserving and committed Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper members,” said John R. Washbish, president and CEO of the Alliance. “We are committed to investing in the industry’s next generation of leaders.”

With 20 years in the industry, Tory Boerema is ASE P2 certified, has received AST2 sales training, and is an Import Parts Specialist and Parts Plus University Parts Specialist. At Auto-Wares Group of Companies, he currently oversees the daily operations of 11 part stores and desires to enhance the work environment of his staff. Boerema believes leadership is a skill that must be constantly practiced and challenged, and is very excited to be selected to attend the Leadership 2.0 course, according to Alliance.

“I’ve been looking forward to attending Leadership 2.0 for years, and I’m thrilled to have been selected by the Alliance for this scholarship,” said Boerema. “I’m excited to implement the new techniques and share current aftermarket trends with my team that I learn in this course.”

Andy Bergstrom started in the aftermarket making deliveries and working the counter part-time all while completing his Business Administration Management degree. Now, with over 13 years in the industry and a member of the Auto Care Association’s Young Auto Care Network Group (YANG), he is proud to be an ASE Certified Parts Specialist and have completed the Dale Carnegie Skills for Success course. At The Merrill Company, he has also completed their Management Trainee program and was named the Manager of the Year. Bergstrom is also an active member of the National Guard and has participated in multiple warrior leader training courses. He hopes to apply the knowledge learned at Leadership 2.0 to shape the future of the aftermarket.

“I am so proud to have been selected for the Leadership 2.0 scholarship,” says Bergstrom. “With this course, I know I’ll be able to enhance my skills and advance as an aftermarket leader.”

As part of their participation in Leadership 2.0, both scholarship winners will attend two intensive one-week sessions. The first is being held at the Northwood University campus in Midland, Michigan with a focus on industry trends, research and market analysis, competitive strategies and supply chain solutions including numerous lectures from industry leaders. Each attendee will be assigned to a team that will collaborate on an aftermarket specific project over the ensuing six months.

The second session will be in the spring of 2019. At this time, they will again be exposed to industry experts on a variety of subjects including business ethics, risk management and a variety of other subjects all while reviewing and completing assigned team projects.

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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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