industry news
Sound Shapers received Compustar’s Top Gun award for its troubleshooting ability.
Distant Advantage
Trough smart marketing and a die-hard work ethic, Sound Shapers Car Audio Systems has earned an award from one of the world’s top 12-volt companies – and they did it all from a remote location in rural Maine.
WORDS BY TED GOSLIN W
hoever said the phrase, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,” obviously never tried to open a retail store in a remote
location. Such is the case for Andy Field and his store, Sound Shapers Car Audio Systems, located at the end of a forest-en- trenched dirt road in Brewer, Maine. Due to its remote location, the shop
doesn’t get much drive-by traffic—none, in fact. But that hasn’t stopped them from earning Compustar’s coveted “Top Gun” award in May, which is given based on more than just sales. “We issue Top Gun awards to our most
supportive accounts around the country. The criteria isn’t simply based on sales; we also factor in whether they are a Pro dealer and the strength of their commit- ment to the brand,” said Jason Kaminski,
16 Mobile Electronics July 2014
director of sales and business develop- ment for Firstech, which owns Compustar. “Regarding Sound Shapers, Andy is a great guy and a very supportive dealer. We are thrilled and very grateful to have had him as a customer since 2004.” Field attributes winning the award to the quality of the remote start product they receive from Compustar. “They’ve got good product. It makes us
look good,” Field said. “Their tech support is awesome. When you find something that works, you stick with it.” Although supporting the brand is
important, which the shop does by providing product feedback during trou- bleshooting, sales still play a role. Since the shop has almost no walk-in traffic, Field has had to establish a social media presence and a solid website, paired with
immaculate work that inspires strong word-of-mouth. “We get no drive-by traffic and very
little exposure but on the flip side that means you’ve got to keep your game up. If you piss people off they aren’t going to tell anybody about you,” he said. “One benefit is the fact that when a person walks through the door, they’re semi-qualified right there. If someone comes to our shop, it’s usually because they’re ready to buy something.” Founded in 1993 when property was much cheaper, Field purchased the remote land mainly for its size. The facil- ity provides a whopping 4,000 square feet of space, which provides ample room for all manner of projects. However, supplies for those projects can prove difficult to obtain due to the location.
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