ITW Crowns Richardson as Full Throttle Tech U Training & Rewards Champion
For Jeremy Richardson, the manager of the Speed Lube No. 2 store on East Pershing Road in Decatur, Illinois, the third time was the charm. After finishing third the previous two years, he was the runaway winner of the 2018 Full Throttle Tech U Training & Rewards contest sponsored by ITW Professional Automotive Products.
For his efforts, Richardson collected the grand prize of $10,000. During the year-long contest, he sold a Full Throttle Fuel System Cleaner or GDI+2 Fuel System Cleaning Service to more than 2,400 of his customers, which represents 16 percent of the total amount of cars that his store serviced last year.
“I attribute the success we had with this contest to being extremely consistent with the service we offer and carry out for our customers,” said Richardson, who has worked at Speed Lube for 10 years, the last 7.5 years as a manager. “I am an extremely competitive person, and after coming close the previous two years, we made it a point to get all the guys on the same page for this contest.”
ITW Professional Automotive Products developed and introduced the contest in 2016 as part of a comprehensive training program for service advisors and technicians involved in the quick lube business. The national Tech U Training and Rewards program is free and consists of six courses: Fuel System, Oil System, Transmission, Cooling System, Power Steering System and Wiper Blades.
After overwhelming success, the program was expanded last year. Contestants could earn more rewards on oil system cleaners, oil and transmission additives and power steering fluids. They also had availability to the recently updated Full Throttle Performance Products brand of automotive aftermarket maintenance chemicals.
“Employee turnover rates are normally high in the quick lube business,” said Joe Farr, director of Sales-Quick Lube/WD for ITW Professional Automotive Products. “A training and rewards program of this caliber works to help reduce those rates because technicians see the positive results from their efforts. They can leverage their training and it becomes easier to properly educate and recommend services to their customers.”
With a total of six Speed Lube stores available to service customers in the Decatur market, Richardson said the training program offers many benefits.
“I believe the Tech U training program is very informative with lots of good information to learn from,” Richardson said. “The rewards program is great for the incentives it offers for participating in the program. I am eligible and will be participating for the fourth time this year. My advice for others is to treat your customers the way you would expect to be treated. I would also recommend to be very consistent with the service you offer to those customers.”
Donatto De Leon, the 2017 champion who works for The Oil Well store in West New York, New Jersey, finished second. Jorge Lacayo of Jiffy Lube in Gaithersburg, Maryland, placed third in the contest, which split a total of $40,000 among the top 40 contestants. The 2019 Tech-U Training & Rewards contest is now underway. Visit www.fullthrottleproducts.com for more information.
Mighty Enhances Its Spring Consumer Rebate Promotion
Mighty Auto Parts will offer a Spring Consumer Rebate Promotion from April 1 through May 31, 2019. Consumers having their vehicle serviced at a professional shop utilizing Mighty parts and chemicals can receive up to $110 in combined rebates that can be used to care for their car on future visits.
New Enhancements to the Program
Given today’s extended service intervals, Mighty has extended the time for customers to take advantage of the rebates from 120 days to 180 days. In addition, rebate requests can now conveniently be submitted online as well as by mail.
The offerings include:
- Mighty VS7 Fuel System Service: $15 rebate
- Mighty VS7 Oil System Service: $15 rebate
- Mighty VS7 Transmission Service: $15 rebate
- Mighty Brake Pad Replacement: $15 rebate per axle
- Mighty Brake Rotor Replacement: $5 rebate per rotor
- Mighty Engine Guard Full Synthetic Oil Change with Mighty Max Synthetic Oil Filter: $15 rebate
How It Works
This Mighty promotion encouraging preventive maintenance helps professional automotive service providers using Mighty products to build consumer loyalty. Rebate checks are made payable to the original servicing retailer and mailed to the consumer. The consumer then gains the full value of the rebate upon their next service and/or purchase from the same retailer, when used within 180 days of the issue date on the check.
For details on Mighty’s Spring Consumer Rebate Promotion, contact a Mighty representative or go to: www.mightyautoparts.com/spring19
AutoCenter Sales Advises on Sale of 48 Super-Lube Locations
Super-Lube a 48-unit multi-state operator of quick lubes, car washes, and full-service auto repair has been acquired by Take 5 Oil Change.
Super-Lube owners, Tom and Donna Chambasian, Chester Bojonowski and Aimann Hafez, began their business partnership 32 years ago in the Greater Milwaukee, Wisconsin-area as VIOC franchisees. Having sold the original company in 2006, they relocated to Tallahassee, Florida, and began to grow again. In so doing, they built strong teams at each of their locations, supported by knowledgeable supervisors and a skilled back-office making the Super-Lube organization attractive to many suitors.
Take 5, a division of Driven Brands, now has 350 Quick Lube locations across 19 States.
AutoCenter Sales advised in the successful sale of Super-Lube. President, Mike Baynes and senior vice president, Joe Thissen, were integral parts of the acquisition. AutoCenter Sales assisted in identifying business value, navigating the quality of earnings process and interfaced with financial consultants and environmental consultants to bring this transaction to a successful close.
VIP Donates $78,000 to Make-A-Wish
VIP Tires & Service recently donated $78,123.76 to Make-A-Wish. The funds were raised during the company’s annual holiday Season of Wishes Campaign at its 58 store locations. Since 2007, VIP has raised more than $483,000 for Make-A-Wish through its annual fundraising effort.
VIP encourages employees and customers to make individual donations and then matches the amount 100 percent. The company’s 58 VIP stores raised $39,061.88, and with the VIP match, $78,123.76 was presented to Make-A-Wish at the company’s Auburn headquarters.
The VIP 2018 Season of Wishes Campaign raised 40-percent more funds over the previous year, noted John Quirk, VIP’s chairman and CEO.
“I attribute the increase to a phenomenal commitment to the cause by our store teams, plus a little friendly competition between all of our locations. This year was also so successful because Make-A-Wish had wish recipients visit our stores and tell their stories, and that helped to create a special link between the fundraising effort and those who benefit. It really inspired our employees and customers to get involved,” he said.
Funds raised in each state benefit their local state Make-A-Wish chapters:
- Maine VIP stores raised $24,213 ($48,426 donation)
- New Hampshire VIP stores raised $11,331.18 ($22,662.36 donation)
- Massachusetts VIP stores raised $2,889.10 ($5,778.20 donation)
- Vermont VIP store, which opened in the fall of 2018, raised $628 ($1,256 donation)
Kate Vickery, executive director of Make-A-Wish Maine, who accepted the donation said, “The results of this year’s campaign are just incredible! The funds raised are indicative of the continued commitment and heartfelt dedication that the employees and leadership at VIP have to making life-changing wishes come true for the kids and families that we serve. Their efforts are truly making a difference in communities, not just here in Maine, but throughout New England, and we couldn’t be more grateful for their continued partnership.”
Make-A-Wish grants wishes to critically ill children all across the country. The average cash cost to grant a single wish in Maine is about $7,000, and the funds that support the wish-granting effort in each state are raised through campaigns like the one VIP Tires & Service holds each holiday season. Wishes range from trips to theme parks, meeting a favorite athlete or celebrity, attending a major sporting event or concert to receiving a computer, tree house or shopping spree.
“Helping grant wishes for these children is extremely meaningful and gives them something positive to look forward to,” Quirk said. “We would like to thank our generous employees and customers for helping raise these funds that will bring much-deserved happiness to the lives of children and young people facing life-threatening conditions.”
