TOP 12
Car Fi
Offering brand name product at fair prices paired with a robust marketing campaign are the lynchpins that keep Car Fi successful, according to firm president Rick Snelson. The Springfield, Mo.-based retailer has been in business since 1986 and has three locations, the last of which was acquired by buying a competitor six years ago. Car Fi has a growing social media presence, counting 6,600 fans on its Facebook page, with nearly half actively checking the page on a regular basis, Snelson said. However, he added the company doesn’t sell anything over the Internet. “We’re always looking for ways to diversify our business, extensions that enhance what we’re doing without Internet sales,” Snelson said. One example he offers up is Car Fi’s window tinting busi-
ness, which the shop has been doing for nearly a decade. “It’s growing leaps and bounds … and it has enhanced our bottom line,” Snelson said. He spends more time on expediter business and calls car dealers looking for acces- sories to drive more business for the shop. Snelson is also big on networking in the industry. “I’m
a founding member of Mobile Electronics Specialists of America (MESA). That affiliation has helped tremendous- ly,” he said. “We have 26 members now. Networking with people in our marketing group has been enormous help.” Once the customers are in the store, being able to cater to what they are looking for is key. “Brand name product at fair prices with terrific customer service and supporting that with a marketing campaign that will drive people into the store,” Snelson said. “Those are elements that any- body will need for survival.”
Perfectionist Auto
Sound and Security The title of “perfectionist” is not something the Anchor-
age, Alaska-based owner John Schwartz takes lightly for his shop. Prior to taking over the store in 1999 (it has been in business more than 20 years overall), Schwartz lived in Las Vegas, the home of the world’s glitziest casinos and hotels. He’s adapted some of the best practices there. “We have signage, we have a security fence around,” he said, mentioning that for the Top 12 voting race, he put up a “Bring the gold home to Alaska” banner on the store- front. “Our showroom is immaculate. Also, every part of our business is an experience. I think that’s how we’re go- ing to keep building and keep ourselves on point.” Schwartz has turned Perfectionist around from a pretty dismal place. “When I got it, Perfectionist was the worst shop in the state,” he said. “We fired everybody. It took three years with bad credit, a few with none, and then three years with good credit. We literally had to beg people to come. Now we have a great name in town.” Since his shop is in Alaska – where it gets “colder fast- er than the rest of the country” – Schwartz and his techs has been tapped by Compustar to train shops nationwide on its remote starter products. “We get to see a lot of the shops out there,” he said. “The best business practice is we don’t lie. If we break something, we fix it. If it takes too long, we tell the customers. The best thing about truth is you don’t have to remember the truth. A lie you have to remember.” Schwartz continues to invest in his shop in order to grow the brand in Alaska, and he has his eye on the nearby mili- tary base market. “Every year I invest $20,000 into shop tools, making our metal fabrication better so we can do most high-end installs,” he said.
28 Mobile Electronics June| July 2011
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