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

In honor of tech geeks who drive

Since the holiday season is upon us and many people will be behind the wheel on the way to friends and relatives' homes, I wanted to post a fun link with a decidedly tech geek spin. (Or perhaps I'm just trying to suck up to the programmers in the office here--I'll never tell.)

Anyhow, if you are on the road see if you see any vanity plates that top these. These vanity plate photos were assembled by pingdom in Sweden, and range from "Google" to my personal favorite "Mr. Geek."

If any of you spot a good one while driving, let me know. Or better yet, snap a photo. Thanks!

Happy Holidays!

--Beth

Texting while driving, a dangerous combination

My husband and I were recently talking about getting new cell phones when our plan renews, so it got me thinking about what kind of phone to get next. One that is better for texting and emailing, or one with a nice display?

And I realized how my cell phone habits have changed over the last year and a half. I used to use my phone more for talking, now I use it more for texting. I am not a text-aholic by any means, but I find it is an easy way to communicate quickly. It is amazing how quickly technology can change certain aspects of your life - and scary at the same time.

According to recent studies, 20 percent of drivers text message while driving. When 18 - 24 year olds are isolated, that percentage rises to 66 percent. In the last couple of years, we have heard about several fatal accidents where text messaging was involved; including the Metrolink train accident this September, and the upstate New York crash that killed 5 recent high school graduates last year.

The House and the Senate passed the bill to ban texting while driving this year. California, Louisiana, Massachussetts, Michigan, Washington and Wisconsin are some of the states that have passed this into their laws. It is pretty amazing to me that this law hasn't been passed in every state yet. Do you text while you drive? I find it hard to text while I am walking, much less when I'm driving. It seems to me that putting down the cell phone while we are driving is one simple way to make our roads a little bit safer.

--Shanna

The Wall Street Journal--"Just Say No to Detriot"

As a follow up to one of my previous posts (Automakers Are Approved for 25 Billion in Loans), I wanted to post a link to this article from the Wall Street Journal commenting on the same topic from the perspective of a few weeks later.

Here's the link. Written by David Yermack, a professor of finance at New York University's Stern School of Business, the article says our government would make a better investment by cutting each employee a check instead of tossing money at a problem that is more than 25 years old. It's worth the read.

I understand all of his points--many of them based on the history at the automakers, but I admit, I have a sentimental attachment to these brands. After all, the popular cultural myth of Ford is made up of three parts:

• A car in every driveway
• The birth of the assembly line
• Paying workers enough to afford the cars

American history is closely tied to the automobile. The previous century is filled with changes that automobiles have wrought (both good and bad). Culturally, what would it mean if GM were allowed to fail? Would new technologies take the same place in the national psyche? What are your thoughts?

--Beth

If you have a burst of overly-caffinated inspiration, this is the place for you!

Starbucks may be stumbling a bit in the marketplace right now, but here's one place they have hit a home run, in my humble opinion.

It's their blog called myStarbucksIdea. It's a place where everyday Joes (sorry, couldn't resist the pun) can share ideas with Starbucks about ways to make the Starbucks experience even better. They want to hear it all-simple to revolutionary.

If you sign in you can share your idea, vote on the ideas of others, and discuss 'til the caffeine wears off. The best part is where they report back on ideas that they are implementing (and investigating further). Suggestions and comments have led to the creation of Starbucks Shared Planet, which spells out their commitment to doing business responsibly to the new Pike Place Roast (readers wanted a consistent "every day" blend with a smoother finish).

Best of all, people post both positive and negative on the site--and Starbucks lets the comments stand, warts and all.

It's worth taking a few moments to check out how Starbucks has plugged into customers to give them a voice in leading the way.

Also, for fun, here are a couple of suggestions from the site that are top peer vote getters:

• Have a daily happy hour with discounted drinks kind of like a bar. You offer discounted drinks in the slow times of the day. It would drive up business during these slow times at Starbucks.
• Offer a sample size for around $1 so you could try out a selection before buying the bigger size. I end up with the same Chai Latte every time because I don't want to spend more money on a drink that I may not like.
• OK. This idea is very simple but, I think, very practical. Starbucks should include a shelf in the restroom to place your drink.

Power to the people, huh? How could your company harness your customers' ideas?

--Beth

Sounded Like a Good Idea at the Time....

Every once in a while, a big corporation shows us a blindingly shiny example of a marketing campaign that gets a ton of buzz and press, but then either fizzles out on the delivery, or turns out to be a really, really bad idea for the company.  Here's a great one happening right now.

Did you hear about the brew-ha-ha around Guns N' Roses new album, Chinese Democracy?  Seems the album is something like thirteen years in the making.  Yep, Axl Rose has either been spending his time prefecting his new hairdo, or working and re-working to be sure his album is a masterpiece.  Either way, it has been something of a joke in the music world.  It got to the point early this year where it was doubtful it would ever drop.

Enter the Dr. Pepper/Snapple Corporation, and its widely publicised "bet" to Axl Rose.  Dr. Pepper said, basically, that it was so sure that the album wouldn't be released in 2008, that it vowed to give every man, woman, and child in the United States of America a free can of Dr. Pepper if it did.

Everyone giggled, and said what a good source of free advertising this was.

Until early November.  When the release date for Chinese Democracy was published.  November 23, 2008. 

Can you hear the "gulp" from the Pepper/Snapple Headquarters?  That's somewhere in the neighborhood of 306 MILLION cans of Dr. Pepper, give or take a thousand cans.  Not the best time for the bet to be called in, either, as the company has issued some profit warnings this week. 

If you want your free Dr. Pepper, you must follow these directions, and get your coupon online on November 23rd ONLY. 

-- Chrisa

Carsmetics: An interview with a multiple shop operator

Today we're interviewing Lucy Chapman, Director of Marketing and Steve Dunn, Founder, of  Carsmetics.  Carsmetics is a growing organization of non-traditional shops setup as outpatient clinics for body shops and dealerships.  Their customer service orientation has helped Carsmetics to continue expanding in a shrinking market.

Jen: What are some of the benefits of being an MSO (multiple shop operator)?  Does the additional volume provide benefits?

Lucy/Steve:

Being an MSO allows you to spread overhead expenses such as advertising and management salaries over several stores, and suppliers often give volume discounts on materials.  These savings can be passed on to your customers. Also, advertising is more effective when you are able to offer customers multiple locations for obtaining your services.

The Carsmetics brand and concept focuses on providing customer great convenience by saving them time and money.  We have made it easy to service customers all over the State of Florida with careful location selection.  By providing one day repairs in clean, accessible, A-rated retail locations, word has spread because people tell their friends and family about our good work.  Again, by having multiple shops, we are able to leverage costs on parts, supplies and even labor and pass the saving on to the consumer

Jen: When you are planning to expand, what are the criteria you use to determine where your new locations will be?  What are your current expansion plans?  

 

Lucy/Steve: We plan to expand via company-owned stores in FL and with franchised locations elsewhere. FL expansion really depends on the robustness of the economy!  Since much of our business comes directly from vehicle owners, we look for heavily populated areas where people tend to have more disposable income to spend on their vehicles.

 

Beyond Florida, we currently have two locations in Orange County CA, and plan to expand into Atlanta and up the East Coast into 2009.

Jen: Was the company always intended to be an MSO or did this happen as the business evolved?

 

Lucy/Steve: We planned on Carsmetics being an MSO from the beginning.  We opened our first shop at a busy intersection in Clearwater, Florida in 1997 and within five years had 6 thriving shops between Tampa Bay and Orlando.  We now have 15 locations in Florida, 2 in California.

 

Jen: How do you see the auto repair industry evolving in the future?  Do you see a move toward MSOs in the marketplace in place of the individually owned shops that are now prevalent?

 

Lucy/Steve: Many types of businesses have evolved from single locations to MSO’s in the past few decades – think grocery stores, pharmacies, hardware stores, etc.

 

It seems that the body shop industry is headed in the same direction.  Carsmetics is open to collaborating with individual shop owners to bring them on board.  Carsmetics has the reputation and resources to help single shop owners grow to the next level which ultimately provides more consistent service to the consumer.

Ready to get rid of those political bumper stickers?

Did you display your favorite candidate's name or motto on your car for the election this year? Or are you still sporting a Gore or Bush sticker from 2000? If you are ready to remove your political paraphernalia, here are some tips:

• It is best to remove them within a year
• Apply heat either with an industrial strength gun or a blow dryer and use a thin razor blade to peel the sticker off
• Start at the corner of the sticker and work your way in
• If heat and a razor blade do not loosen it, try an ounce of paint thinner on the adhesive - never use nail polish, it will strip the paint
• If using an acetone-based solvent, test it on a spot that is hidden from view, like the underside of a bumper to make sure it won't blemish the paint
• You can purchase decal and adhesive remover from your local body shop for $12 to $15 if you do not want to try generic paint thinner
• For window stickers, use heat, a blade and glass cleaner to remove the adhesive. Never put stickers on the inside of your windows, it can ruin the tint
• For the next political season, bumper stickers made of rubber are easier to remove than the paper-thin types

If in doubt, stop by your local body shop to see if they can assist you.

--Shanna

Our NACE Tattoo Winners!

Check out the video of our two (actually, turned into three) NACE tattoo winners!!

Our thanks to Justin and the rest of the gang at The Skin Factory East in Las Vegas!

Brands in the White House

It's the biggest endorsement any brand can have--if the President of the United States likes/uses/loves your product, the impact on sales can be absolutely crazy.

Remember Ronald Reagan and his jelly beans--how about Jimmy Carter's peanuts?

Psychologically speaking, if you purchase what the Commander-in-Chief enjoys, it is a way to "participate" in the changes happening right now. The same way Sandra Bullock's ("I love these!") on-the-spot, red carpet endorsement of Listerine's PocketPaks persuaded millions to try out the new product. The drive for affinity--feeling part of something (or at least feeling in the know) and aspiration subconsciously drives many a marketing purchase (but that's a topic for full exploration in another post).

Anyhow, back to President-Elect Obama and his family's favorite things. Here are some brands that will likely see a boost because of their association with the Obamas:

• Fran's Chocolates from Seattle, BlackForest Berry Honest Tea, Planters Trail Mix, Hart Schaffner Marx Suits, Ford Escape Hybrid

To understand the power of what happens when a brand becomes associated with a high-profile public figure, look no further than this story. Michelle Obama was on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and talked about what she was wearing and where she purchased it online (J. Crew). The outfit sold out by the next day.

Never underestimate the power of an American President--or his family, that's for sure.

--Beth

Our first tattoo winner!

Our first show winner is Kathy Lee A. from Dent Experts in California!

She picked an fleur de les design for her calf.

We are glad to have provided her with a lasting memory from NACE 2008!