Bridging the Great Divide
When independent transmission
shop owners are in trouble, they’re all alone. They may seek help from inde- pendent industry training specialists. Can ATRA offer that service? I believe that the ATRA brain pool is the largest in our industry.
Nationwide Intercenter Warranties
Franchisors offer an appealing
nationwide warranty. That’s an adver- tised benefit for sure. But the largest franchisor in our industry is about half the size of ATRA’s membership. So ATRA Members have a competitive advantage in settling out-of-town war- ranty claims. What’s more, from my experience
as a former franchisee, the biggest feuds between franchisees were those who believed a fellow franchisee was cheating them on warranty claims. With ATRA, a shop belongs to ATRA by choice, and seeks to use the Golden Rule when settling intercenter warranty claims. With the ATRA Good Guys, the mood is better.
Competing in Advertising
The pooled, professional advertis-
ing programs of the major franchises are effective. Local independent shops can’t afford the production costs for these first class TV and radio ads. But here are three factors to consider: 1. Advertising concepts and media are always changing. The proliferation of TV and radio stations from cable and satellite distributors makes it difficult to target an audi- ence. Yellow Pages are giving way to Google and the inter- net 411 service. That’s good news, and there’s even more good news: Direct mail allows shops to target car owners in specific areas consistent with their trade regions. Clearly the competitive advantage of the franchisor is slipping because the ad media are changing. 2. It’ll probably never be possi- ble to get all ATRA Members to pay into a national ad pro- gram coordinated by ATRA,
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More potential customers are
finding repair shops via the internet. Independents may compete equally with the major franchises with web site design and placement.
since doing so would forfeit independence. But indepen- dent shops will gladly fly the ATRA flag if ATRA becomes a household name. The ATRA logo needs to be promoted by all means possible. Yellow Pages advertising for all ATRA Member shops needs to include an authorized, uni- form copy of ATRA informa- tion that spells out the benefits of choosing an ATRA Member shop. 3. More potential customers are finding repair shops via the internet. Independents may compete equally with the major franchises with web site design and placement. Clearly, ATRA Members need to be more visible this way. Web sites aren’t that hard to estab- lish and there are lots of agen- cies willing to create and host them. Links from the ATRA web site to individual ATRA Member sites are available now. What are you waiting for? Customers are looking for honesty, professionalism and fairness when they run into a transmission problem. The link to ATRA enhances that image just as effectively as the clever image of the franchisor.
Here’s the Bridge!
ATRA is the bridge that makes
possible a brilliant business model by drawing the best from both the fran- chised and the Independent business models. All the “good things” that a franchisor offers for tens of thousands of dollars per year are available for free, if you are an ATRA shop. Let’s consider: 1. Business planning is provid- ed by the “What’s Working” study and surveys. It’s excel- lent; it’s proven; it works.
2. Business counseling is avail- able through the ATRA email forum where you can post problems and questions to the largest group of transmission specialists in the world.
3. Inter-center warranty pro- cedures are more extensive, better monitored, better man- nered, and without overseer charges.
4. Equally effective advertising programs are available via ATRA website design and linkage.
5. ATRA’s online referral service is “no charge” and currently refers 5000 customers per month to member shops!
6. The annual Powertrain Expo draws together the best brains in our industry to prepare us to be the best. Plan to come!
7. Online tech service and ATRA’s R&D activities are unmatched by any franchisor (some franchisors offer none).
ATRA has evolved into a muti-
faceted support service for our indus- try. The tech services and the business services are excellent and come with a price tag that is insignificant. And ATRA continues to evolve in order to provide strong support for us Independents. My evolution brought me from “General Repair”, to “Franchised Transmission”, to “Successful Independent”. Where are you in the evolution cycle? I always appreciate your thoughts.
Contact me at: mandmtransmission@
shaw.ca, or 906 440 4600 (Michigan), or 705 942 2005 (Canada).
GEARS May/June 2010
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