Top-Five At Charlotte Brings Career-First MOOG Problem Solver Award To Jamie McMurray Crew Chief Keith Rodden

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Top-Five At Charlotte Brings Career-First MOOG Problem Solver Award To Jamie McMurray Crew Chief Keith Rodden

Sponsored by Federal-Mogul Motorparts, a division of Federal-Mogul Holdings Corp. and the manufacturer of MOOG Steering and Suspension parts, the Problem Solver of the Race award is presented following each Sprint Cup event to the crew chief whose car posts the greatest second-half improvement in average lap time while finishing on the lead lap.

Counterman Staff
By Counterman Staff
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SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — Jamie McMurray and the MOOG Steering and Suspension-equipped No. 1 Cessna Chevrolet SS earned their first top-five finish of 2014 and the team’s crew chief, Keith Rodden, took home his career-first MOOG Problem Solver of the Race Award following Sunday night’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. Rodden is the eighth different crew chief to win MOOG Problem Solver honors in the first 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup events of the year.

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Sponsored by Federal-Mogul Motorparts, a division of Federal-Mogul Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: FDML) and the manufacturer of MOOG Steering and Suspension parts, the Problem Solver of the Race award is presented following each Sprint Cup event to the crew chief whose car posts the greatest second-half improvement in average lap time while finishing on the lead lap. After starting 26th, the Chip Ganassi Racing-owned No. 1 Chevrolet improved by a race-best 0.278 seconds per lap to finish fifth at Charlotte.

Charlotte has been good to McMurray and Rodden, who came to town with just three top 10s and two DNFs in the first 11 points races. But the No. 1 Chevrolet dominated the final 10-lap segment to win last weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star Race here and McMurray picked up 11 positions in the first 20 laps to run with the leaders throughout Sunday’s event.

“Jamie discovered they had a really fast car as soon as they found clean air, and Keith made a series of chassis adjustments that helped make the No. 1 even more competitive as the race progressed,” said Tim Nelson, motorsports director for Federal-Mogul Motorparts. “It’s great to see a rookie crew chief break through for his first MOOG Problem Solver award. With Keith’s background, I’m sure we’re going to see a lot more of him.”

Rodden came to Ganassi Racing at the end of last season from Hendrick Motorsports, where he assisted Kenny Francis, crew chief for Kasey Kahne and the No. 5 Chevrolet. He also has worked for Andy Petree Racing, Gillett Evernham Motorsports, Richard Petty Motorsports and Red Bull Racing in a career spanning 11 years.

In addition to the weekly MOOG Problem Solver award, Federal-Mogul Motorparts sponsors the $100,000 MOOG Problem Solver of the Year Award, which is presented to the crew chief with the best performance throughout the 36-race Sprint Cup season. Four crew chiefs remain tied with two wins each in the year-end MOOG Problem Solver standings: Todd Gordon (No. 22 Ford, Joey Logano); Daniel Knost (No. 41 Chevrolet, Kurt Busch); Jimmy Fennig (No. 99 Ford, Carl Edwards); and Richard “Slugger” Labbe (No. 27 Chevrolet, Paul Menard).

MOOG Steering and Suspension is the preferred brand of professional technicians and NASCAR crew chiefs, and MOOG components are recognized as the automotive service industry’s “Problem Solver,” with innovative parts that improve on original designs by providing increased durability, enhanced performance and easier installation. NASCAR Cup champions have driven to victory with MOOG parts for an unprecedented 48 straight years.

For more information regarding the MOOG Problem Solver awards and MOOG products, visit the brand’s technician-focused www.moogproblemsolver.com website or contact your MOOG supplier. Like MOOG on Facebook at www.facebook.com/moogproblemsolver.

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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.
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.

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