Archive for January, 2011

Automotive Mailing Lists

January 28th, 2011
Aaron M. Smith asked:




Are you discouraged in your search for quality automotive mailing lists? Too many providers offer re-hashed and resold lists that are not up to date or accurate. For most dealers and parts retailers, accurate information is key for any direct mail or telemarketing effort. Sometimes a warranty company may purchase bulk lists that were mostly inaccurate only to find it costs them more to have a bad list than the extra cost of an accurate and solid list. Finding this balance is critical for any direct marketing effort and is imperative for a successful campaign.

Some of the better automotive mailing lists include ‘up to date’ (weekly updated) year make and model data. To find out how accurate a vendor is, you should be asking questions like “when was the file last updated?” and “how many new records come into the system on a typical update?” You should see a consistency in the answers and the ability to test small and grow is critical instead of throwing all of your eggs into one basket so to speak. In addition to the year, make and model data, credit data offers two great products.

For subprime buyers, credit scored data along with current loan information such as how many months are remaining and the size of the loan and monthly payments are useful for direct marketing. Some dealers that will target those that have marginal credit that have less than 3 months remaining on their current car. This audience is great because though they look forward to not having a car payment, many are already ready to get a new car. Your ability to target repeatedly this audience will pay-off as they start to consider buying their next vehicle. Another variation of the credit score automotive mailing list is the credit triggered list which should come out daily.

These daily triggers are the most potent form of automotive mailing lists that currently exists. One of the biggest issues that dealers have is that these trigger leads exist. Their controversy can be your edge if you embrace the idea that people like to shop. Some of the best deals are closed after a customer has looked around first and that is why triggers have been a staple of the credit bureau database for so long. There is no better way to find interested and qualified buyers period. The biggest drawback is that they have already gone to a funding source for a quote but that does not mean you can’t come in with a better offer (better car and better financing package).

The challenge in general with automotive mailing lists is to find the one that is reasonably priced but that is highly targeted. Generating a massive qualified response and selling cars is what the name of the game is so make sure you have a vendor that gets it and a mailing list that is both targeted and accurate otherwise you are just throwing money down the tube.

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Automotive Museums Worth a Visit

January 28th, 2011
Brenda Williams asked:




Automotive buffs love anything to do with cars and this includes visits to museums. And if traveling with children a museum visit is an ideal family activity that also provides an educational experience.

The Gilmore Car Museum in southwest Michigan is rated as one of America’s ten best. It comprises a group of historic barns that have been restored and spread over ninety acres. Housed within you will find a blend of antique and classic cars. It is the “only museum dedicated solely to exhibiting vehicles produced by the Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Co. one of America’s most celebrated automobiles.” And, depending on which barn you visit, you can view the most popular muscle cars of the 60′s and 70′s or the classic cars of the 30′s.

The Gilmore also contains an impressive collection of hood ornaments. However, the Gilmore is only open from May until October. Those interested in movie, TV and celebrity owned cars could head to the Hollywood Star Cars Museum in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Here one can view ‘Herbie the Love Bug and ‘Little Herbie” as well as a Batmobile. The museum is now home to the Ford Thunderbird owned by the Beach Boys and featured in one of their hits, “Fun, Fun, Fun. The car bears their autograph on the hood. And Elvis’ Mark IV Lincoln together Bob Hope’s 1953 Buick are also on display

The National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada now houses the former very impressive collection of Bill Harrah in a 105,000 square foot building along the banks of the Truckee River. The cars are exhibited as parts of sets displaying the life during the different eras of automotive history. There are historical pieces such as the Thomas Flyer, winner of the 1907 New York to Paris race, and long forgotten antiques such as the 1912 Rambler and the only 1906 Adams-Farwell in existence. Racing enthusiasts can view the 1925 Duesenberg, America’s first successful speedway racing car and the first car mounted with a straight-eight engine. In total the collection features over 200 cars.

The Museum of Automobile History in Syracuse, New York is unique in that one can walk around its 12,000 square feet but never see a car. Locating the building poses no problem as the outside is plastered with 10 by 20 foot billboards featuring advertising from the 1940′s and 1950′s. The inside contains an eclectic collection of memorabilia including posters, sketches, styling models, letters, patent applications, a copy of a speeding ticket issued to James Dean two hours prior to his death and Walter Chrysler’s driver’s license together with his 1924 registration for the first Chrysler.

One can also view oil paintings and rare advertising pieces such as a complete set of Burma Shave road signs. The museum is the brainchild of Walter Miller who believes that “the history of the automobile is about much more than just motor vehicles.” “There isn’t a person living in America today whose life wasn’t influenced or shaped by the automobile.” And just like car design, the museum is still evolving as the back rooms are full of all types of related materials awaiting sorting, cataloging and exhibiting while new materials continue to arrive almost daily.

Kansieo.com

Automotive Service Manger Training Process

January 27th, 2011
Ben Pate asked:




Cars require regular maintenance and repairs. A mechanic does the physical work on the vehicle, but the service manager ensures that the dealerships service department is well run and managed. Automotive service manger training requires years. The manager needs skills gleaned from work experience, education, vocational training, and certifications in the automotive field.

Service managers are usually employed at a car dealership or a vehicle service operation. Budgeting is one of the chief responsibilities of the manager. They are charged with creating the operating budget, but also making sure the department stays within the budget parameters. They have to make sure costs remain within their projected expectations. They also have to set the goals in regards to profits. Quality assurance and the high ethical standards of the operation also fall under their purview. The manager is in charge of hiring and supervising employees, especially mechanics and technicians. It’s important that the manager make sure all employees are up to date in their training and applicable skills. This insures that customers are receiving the best service possible. They oversee everything that happens in the service department of a car dealership.

Both the service manager and general manager strive for the highest CSI or the Customer Satisfaction Index. Good customer satisfaction is the hallmark of a service department. These skills are an essential part of a managers training.

An ever-increasing number of people who are involved in an automotive service manger training process have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree from a college or university. Suggested concentrations are in computers, automotive technology, electronics, mathematics, and business. Training can be done at a technical college, community college, or through a certification program.

There are a large number of academies and vocational schools that offer certifications in automotive service, many of which can be an asset to a service manager. Dealerships appreciate varying amounts of education, training, and experience when choosing a manager. Education and experience are equally important in a manager’s training and preparation.

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence offers several professional certifications that boost an applicant’s qualifications. A well-qualified manager should have these certifications. Many service managers already have ASE Service Consultant certification prior to beginning their automotive service manger training. Having such a certification shows a solid understanding of how to perform vehicle repair and maintenance.

Technical knowledge is essential to the manager’s role in regards to quality assurance. They must know how the work is best performed and problems diagnosed, in order to be able to review and evaluate the work of technicians and mechanics. Ten to fifteen years of experience in the field of automotive technology and mechanics prior to becoming a service manager is an industry expectation.

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