We've "scene" it all--The SceneExchange Blog

The SceneExchange Process--A Shop's Point of View

We thought it would be helpful to chat with a shop that has used SceneExchange to bring in a repair job to their business. Here's what Ted James, Body Shop Manager, from Cook-Whitehead Ford in Panama City, FL has to say about the program. For those of you not located in the Panama City area, Cook-Whitehead has been in business for 78 years and handles both domestic and foreign vehicles. They also provide Ford OEM factory service in the Panama City area.

Here's Ted!

Ted, what made you decide to sign up with SceneExchange in the first place?

We are always on the lookout for ways to expand our business and SceneExchange seemed like it would offer us a good way to connect with area residents who were unsure about where to go for a repair. It is also a way to increase our marketing via the Internet without really taking time from anyone here. I also liked the fact that we could put information about our shop and certifications online right where the customer could review them easily.

What is the biggest benefit to landing new work this way?

It gives us the change to get exposure to owners that do not have a shop in mind. By selecting to submit proposals only on jobs that we are interested in it lets the vehicle owners know that we are really interested in helping them get their vehicles back on the road--that we have their interest at heart. If we don't want a job, we won't respond. everyone's happier that way, I think.

What was the process like from your perspective?

SceneExchange was very easy-to-use--very helpful and beneficial to us. The customer was very at ease when dropping off the vehicle, since they selected us in the first place. We did need to request a supplement--and there was no problem with that.

Are there any areas that could be improved for the future?

I know these are already being addressed by your development team, but printable invoices on charges and a print screen for estimates will be great. Everything else went very smoothly. We look forward to more jobs from SceneExchange.

--Beth

Alan Murdy Joins Our Team as Our Director of Industry Relations

You may know him from his days with Fix Auto or CynCast, Carter & Carter and Akzo Nobel... But now, Alan Murdy has come on board with us--and we're psyched. Just in case all of these previous lives didn't jog your memory, here's a photo.

Alan is tasked with recruiting autobody shops and forging alliances with product distributors and nonprofit industry groups.

He's been in the industry for over fifteen years and you can reach him at amurdy@scenegenesis.com. So welcome him and ask him lots of questions!

--Beth

Report from the frontlines-Chrysler's CMO talks about marketing the brand

Deborah Meyer is the VP and CMO of Chrysler; she spoke at the Mixx conference in New York City last month. Here's a recap.

She's the first CMO ever at Chrysler--so kudos to them for elevating marketing to the top executive-level. So, what's Chrysler doing to connect with potential customers in an age when 80% of all car buying begins online. (I know I did all my research online before I purchased my last car. By the time I got to a dealership, all I needed to do was test drive a couple of models I had identified as good fits for me to see which one I liked best in person.)

Online buyers, she stated, require a different form of marketing engagement. The goals are:

• Authenticity
• Deep information
• Building a message (or taking it) to a pre-existing community

Okay, so far so good. They have launched, for example, a microsite for the DodgeRam Her goal is no actors, real America (sounds kinda like a campaign theme) and their everyperson opinion of what they think about the Dodge Ram. However, the implementation looks like a Hollywood summer action flick--complete with helicopters, rock & roll and explosions. So much for representing the average person. (I know I tangle with plenty of helicopters on the drive to work).

So, what are good ways to connect with communities that already exist on the internet? Consider these ideas:

• Think about how to make your communications authentic--engage, build relationships, add value to the community you are participating in
• Treat your social media campaign like any other marketing campaign--set goals, plan your rollout, categorize your efforts (know what you are going to talk about where and when)
• Stay on topic and be relevant

There are lots of great ways to engage in social media, so be sure to align your goals with your tactics and engage, engage, engage!

--Beth

Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word

I saw an interesting story on Good Morning America today, over my morning coffee.  Diane Sawyer was talking about the Wall Street bailout, and why CEOs seem to be dead-set against saying two simple words - "I'm sorry."  There was discussion about how the CEOs would - and I'm paraphrasing here - probably rather eat glass than apologize, because the apology would be used against them as admission of guilt, and cause consumers to line up class-action lawsuits against them, and lead to arrests for fraud or other misdeeds. 

But is apologizing really that dangerous?  The CEO of JetBlue, David Needleman, issued an apology on YouTube for the incidents two years ago that left customers stranded on jets, sitting on tarmacs for hours at a time.  This video and his heartfelt apology is credited with saving JetBlue from oblivion:

Add to that a study that showed that doctors lowered their malpractice exposure by nearly 66% by simply apologizing.  The Toro lawnmower company reduced their legal costs 78% by implementing an integrity policy and apologizing to customers for product defects. 

Think about it - what is an apology anyway?  Other than to your spouse, is it an admission of guilt?  No, it's an acknowledgment of how the other party feels, and empathy for those feelings.  Example - it's common practice to say, "I'm so sorry," when someone tells you about the death of a loved one.  Are you apologizing because you caused the death?  No, of course not!  You empathize with the feelings of loss. 

So the next time - and there will be a next time - something goes wrong for a customer, don't just make it right.  Say those two simple words - I'm sorry - and turn that disgruntled customer into a customer you can use as a reference.

--Chrisa

Researching lower impact driving solutions: part three, The Prius

So far we've been looking at very non-traditional modes of transportation.  This time with the weather turning cooler I'm turning back towards cars.  Since it seemed only fitting that one of the best known hybrids be our first stop, I found myself at Wegmans headquarters.  Here I was meeting up with Ann Buchau, a friend of our Marketing Manager and a proud owner of a Toyota Prius.

One of the most interesting things about Ann Buchau's purchase of a Prius 2 years ago was back then dealers couldn't get them OFF the lot.  Now you can't find a dealer with one ON the lot.  Needless to say Ann got a great deal on her Prius in addition to helping spread the word about economically responsible and fuel efficient vehicles.

At the time Ann's decision was more of an attempt to be economically responsible (green) that to save money on gas.  The car has surprisingly low emissions making it very economically friendly.  After Ann's purchase as gas prices began to rise the fuel efficiency benefit became even more apparent.

Initially Ann had test driven both a Honda Civic Hybrid and the Prius.  While both proved to be good vehicles Ann found the Prius to have a better ride and a more unique display.  Both of which proved very true when we took a test lap around the building later.  As soon as you get in the Prius you can tell the car is different.  The starter is a button and there's a very detailed console display that gives the driver details about fuel consumption and the car in general.  Overall the car was surprisingly roomy and had good pickup for being a 4 cylinder.  There's also an iPod jack and the vehicle is bluetooth enabled.

While Ann's gas mileage varies seasonally she says that she gets about 51 MPG in the summer and mid to upper 40's in the winter.  Compared to the 25-28 MPG I get, her Prius is phenominal!  The center console also helps keep the driver's focus on fuel consuption, giving you a continually up-to-date MPG rating.  This is something all you hypermilers out there will love!

We also have a fun movie recommendation.  "Fields of Fuel" was shown at the Green Expo in NYC which Ann attended.  For those of you thinking about investing in an alternative fuel vehicle, or even those who already have, the movie is certainly worth checking out!  Click here to see some trailers and promo videos for the film.

A view of the UK shop market

This is Jeff White--I've been asked to write about my recent trip across the pond to meet with potential SceneExchange partners in the UK. Here is a summary of my observations about the UK market.

While in the UK I had the opportunity to visit the headquarters of a multi-shop company as well as a single location shop. Each provided a unique and distinct view of the insurance marketplace. UK body shops are under much more governmental scrutiny than shops in the US. They are also held to higher service expectations in some areas.

For example, in the UK shops provides a free ‘courtesy car’ with any repair. This means there is no rental cost to the carrier for the entire duration of the repair. The purchase of the cars as well as maintenance and repair are paid in full by the shop. This practice was started several years ago when the UK auto manufacturers realized they had a surplus of vehicles and needed an outlet to sell more cars. They began approaching shops with a competitive advantage and extremely cheap car prices. (In no time, every shop had to have the cars and the purchase prices went back to normal.)

Current repair conditions are much like the US--with fewer vehicles being repaired and smaller shops folding due to increased competition. Perhaps, at some point the remaining shops may revolt and shift the rental cost back to the carrier or at least have them help share in the expense.

Governmental oversight and adherence to several nationally recognized standards, such as the introduction of Kitemark into the repair industry, make it increasingly more expensive to be a shop in the UK. The imposed standards are based on the following four cornerstones: Man, Machine, Method and Materials.

• Man--This means that every person working at the shop who touches a specific vehicle, such as a BMW or Merc, needs to be certified by the manufacturer on each of their vehicles and that these certifications must be constantly kept up to date.
• Machine--Each machine or tool that is used on a vehicle must be acquired from the manufacturer and only used on their vehicles; this includes everything from lifts to wrenches.
• Method--The method to repair the vehicle comes straight from the manufacturer and can not short-circuit any part of the processes; meaning it takes longer and is more costly to repair each car.
• Materials--Lastly are the materials, which must be OEM or LKQ and often cause new parts to be ordered rather than repair the existing.

A current example of how all these pieces intersect is the increasing concern over the number of UK vehicles that use Boron Steel for increased strength and lighter weight. For UK shops, they are required to purchase the special welding tools and the training needed to work with this material. They also need to have separate and enclosed bay space for any required welding--and it must be fully sanitized after use. Take these costs, along with the current need to have separate welding tools for aluminum and regular steel and you can see where a shop will need to invest in three sets of welding gear per mechanic in order to perform to the Man, Machine, Method and Materials Kitemark standard.

The US and UK markets have most of the same difficulties and concerns; yet the size of the UK(same area as Michigan) and the number of shops(about 8,000) create a very different environment for the shop/ carrier relationship. Here are some ideas being tossed around overseas:

1. One pro-shop program would give certain shops have the ability to repair a vehicle with no need to provide the carrier an estimate.

2.On the opposite side is a proposal to allow the carriers ability to force a $1,000.00 fixed price per vehicle trial program on shops if they wish to keep the business.

In the end, I believe when the plus and minus columns are totaled in the US and UK the shop issues balance out but it’s the UK consumer who is making out the best. They get the all the benefits of the governmental controls on the shops, no rental fees and lower insurance rates on comparable US vehicles.

--Jeff

Three ideas to keep employees engaged

When I ran my own business, I was part of a CEO group that met monthly. One of the top topics we discussed was how to keep our employees engaged with each of our businesses. Although we were all in different business segments (competing businesses could not be in a group together), our issues were very similar.

Here's a rundown of our top discussion points and ideas to consider:

1. I have one employee who doesn't have the passion I want my staff to have--and it's affecting everyone else.

The classic disengaged employee--every workplace has had at least one at some point. When employees are disengaged, they provide lower service and results. (Gallup Management Journal report). Engaged employees consider their relationship with their manager to be a critical component of their success. As a manager, it's worth the time to try the following to boost your relationships with employees.

• Join staff during breaks or meals
• Seek input and opinions--especially on important decisions
• Ask for ways to improve operations--and provide rewards for ideas that are implemented
• Greet each employee every day
• Walk in their shoes--spend time in their position to really understand their day-to-day experience on the job

2. I make suggestions/hold training/bring in experts/launch initiatives, but after some time has passed everyone goes back to doing the same thing they were doing before.

Up to two-thirds of change initiatives fail. How can you help improve your odds? Realize that any organizational change has both task, emotional and behavioral aspects.

There must be clear objectives, strong management capabilities, easy-to-understand lines of accountability, oversight and control systems. Once the scope of the change is defined, stick to it. Don't let it widen--or else you will lose focus. For example, a retailer working on rolling out a new initiative focused only on quality and quantity of interaction in store aisles. They made a concerted effort to keep focusing on that so they didn't end up trying to solve every problem. The team was more successful and their changes were measurable. More importantly, the changes they made stuck.

3. I feel like I can't get my staff moving in the same direction--toward my (or management's) vision for the company.

Your staff is not comprised of mindreaders. You need to articulate the company vision all the time. Consider your role to be more of a brand officer, always talking about the vision and how it relates to everyone's daily work. If you present a relevant, well-articulated vision, you will see people work for a higher goal. Everyone wants to feel like what they are doing at their workplace is making a difference.

Make sure to share exactly where you are going as a company and how you will know when you meet milestones. People like to be working toward something as well. Think about it, you get up and lead a company--your staff wants to feel just as much purpose as you do. Figure out how to share your passion with them.

I hope these ideas get you thinking. As always, I'd love to hear your experiences, so please send me a comment back. Here is a link to a good Entreprenuer article about ways to keep employees engaged.

Also, the management group I referenced at the beginning of the article is Vistage. They have groups all over the world.

--Beth

Oh yeah--our NACE booth rocks!

See you at NACE in booth N3030

Here's a preview of what our booth will look like this year at NACE. I feel like I just pulled back the curtain to reveal our company, version 2.0.

Last year was our first corporate trip to NACE (perhaps some of you remember our muscle man with a wrench that loomed ten feet tall)--this year we plan to have even more fun.

Here's a preview:

• Every hour we will give away copies of (yes, we couldn't resist) The Rolling Stones' CD, Tattoo You. Those of you who were rockin' and rollin' in 1981 will remember it fondly, I'm sure.

• Jen and Shanna will be roaming the shop floor--and if they spot you wearing one of our temporary SceneExchange tattoos, they'll load you up with some chips to play at Mandalay Bay (talk about instant gratification)

• Jen will be posting about new products, interesting people and conducting a little bit of "person on the street" interviewing. This way, even if you aren't at NACE, you can get a flavor for what we're seeing and what's happening this year.

• And, of course, our great tattoo giveaway. We'll be giving away tattoos on Thursday and Friday to one lucky winner each day. They'll get a limo ride to the Skin Factory where they will meet with an artist to design a tattoo just for them, get inked, and be rewarded with a bottle of champagne for celebrating. We love it, and we hope you do too!

See you in Vegas!

--Beth

Prius, its own brand?

For the last several months, I have come across a number of articles about the Toyota Prius being so popular that it is hard to get your hands on one. So, it was not too surprising to hear that Toyota is contemplating using the Prius brand to launch a new line of hybrid vehicles.

John E. Lentz, President of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. has said "he was pushing for a Yaris-sized Prius and a 'Prius on steroids.'" Lentz is supposed to be having a meeting in Japan later this month to actively lobby Toyota to let him establish a Prius brand. The news came shortly after Honda released official photos of the Prius competitor, the Honda Insight.

According to www.hybridcars.com the Prius lineup would consist of a compact car which would be smaller than the Prius, a mid-size car somewhere in the range between the Prius and the Camry, and the "Prius on steroids" which would be similar to the Highlander.

I personally would love to see this happen. I am a current Toyota owner, and I see my family buying another Toyota when it comes time to replace my husband's car. With hybrid technology becoming more mature, I definitely see us buying a hybrid in the future. (BTW, Jen will be posting about her test drive of a Prius in a soon-to-come post)

--Shanna

We've received a shout out from Summit Software Solutions

Summit Software Solutions is a provider of shop management systems which prides itself on creating advanced solutions for the collision repair industry.

They have put their muscle behind SceneExchange and are introducing it to all of their customers as part of a strategic relationship. If you are a Summit Customer look for further information abut SceneExchange in the Fall 2008 email newsletter.

We're excited to have the chance to work with Summit to build value for shops.

--Beth