ME: How do you interact with and influence the sales efforts and store operation? Carlson: I try to spend a few hours a day in the front to be around the sales guys. Staying current with the front lines and seeing where they are going or what they have sold is important as the manager. Without my guys in front, there would be no work for my boys in the bay. I have three other managers: Operations manager Scott Norris; Performance manager Tyler Manion; and Audio manager Zach Abass. Without these guys, I would be lost!
ME: What do you feel is your weakest area of expertise, and what are you doing to improve it? Carlson: Delegating when it comes to fabrication. I have a
hard time telling someone what is in my head! I am trying to let the guys go more on their own and let them use their creativity.
paint the back of everything black. I don’t care if it is a simple ring to mount a speaker in a door or the back of a huge fiberglass piece.
ME: How do you ensure ongoing training and development in your shop? Carlson: We take our employees to trainings and pay them for the time they are there. We attend KnowledgeFest, SEMA, Spring Break Nationals, and others. Trainings are important because when I started in this industry, trainings were huge. Manufacturers would have them in our area all the time.
PrintAds_7.pdf 1 2/24/12 1:06 PM ME: If you had to describe the mobile electronics landscape
10 years from now, what would you say? Carlson: I hope the installers of today get to experience
what I did in this industry 10 to 20 years ago. Our industry has come a long way, but I wish things could be like they were. Back then the manufactures cared more about their brick-and-mortar stores and did the trainings to make installers better. I hope the industry steps up and does its part in trainings to give back to the installers by making them better. n
C M Y CM MY CY CMY K at
www.DiamondAudio.com
www.me-mag.com 35
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