Benefits of Auto Shops Online Pixel Advertisement
May 15, 2008
Burnedbrass Technologies, Inc. - a Chicago-based management and information technology company has launched a new pixel advertisement website: http://www.autoshopsonline.com. Burnedbrass Technologies, Inc. has created innumerable auto shops website and from experiences is certain that www.autoshopsonline.com will be a one stop solution for customers as compare to having customers blindly search the Internet.
Pixel ad is a form of Internet advertising, or a small piece of graphics or photo advertisement laid out on a grid made up of many thousands of pixels. The website, http://www.autoshoponline.com is made up 1000 pixels down and 1000 pixels across, for a total of 1 million individual pixels.
There are numerous important benefits in using http://www.autoshopsonlien.com pixel ads over other forms of expensive and non-productive Internet advertising.
Some benefits of Auto Shops Online pixel advertising are as follows:
• Your pixel ads will be placed on http://www.BronzevilleLive.com for at least 5 years, resulting in a very inexpensive program.
• There is only a one-time payment for 5 years, with NO CHARGES whatsoever during that time for your pixel ads.
• Trendiest form of Internet advertising today, pixel ads cut advertising costs.
• Increase Web site traffic from http://www.autoshopsonline.com to your Web site. Be prepared to receive many visitors as the Web site grows.
• Unique form of online advertising and increase brand exposure.
Register your website and become a part of http://www.autoshopsonline.com pixel ads, the latest form of advertising on the Internet.
If your business does not have a website to link to,Burnedbrass Technologies will gladly create a basic landing page. Example: (http://www.AutoShopsOnline.com/YourBizName).
Contact:
Tel: (312)-224-1741
Fax:(312)-224-1742
Toll:(877)-373-8920
http://www.Burnedbrass.com
Tires - Analyzing Driving Conditions
May 15, 2008
Analyzing Driving Conditions
1. Think About the Worst Possible Driving Conditions
If you use more than one set of tires and wheels (for example, summer tires in summer and snow tires in winter), you can select tires that exactly meet your diverse needs. If you use one set of tires for every season, you may get good performance under many conditions, but you will compromise your vehicle's performance when the conditions are at their worst. So the important thing to do is to select your tires so that they match the worst driving condition you expect to encounter.
2. Think About Your Typical Driving Conditions
If you just drive around town, almost any tire will do. But if you drive your vehicle on congested city streets and expressways during rush hour, you will be better served by more responsive tires. If you drive extensively on the interstates, you will want quiet, smooth-riding, long-wearing tires. Winding roads and driving through the mountains will require tires with good handling.
3. Balance Your Worst Driving Conditions With Your Typical Driving Conditions If your worst driving conditions and your typical conditions are similar, one set of tires will be all you need. If you live at the edge of the snow belt and infrequently get snow, you may want to select an all-season tire. If your worst driving condition occurs frequently and is different
What kind of auto shop should I use?
May 15, 2008
Source: CNN.com
By Tom Torbjornsen
For years people have asked me this question quite frequently ... what kind of shop should I use for automotive repairs, a dealership or an independent shop? Some say the quality of service you get on your car all depends on who you're handing your keys to.
I have shied away from answering it because I see benefits both ways and, no matter how I answer it, someone always gets offended.
I can no longer duck the question because it comes up so frequently from people everywhere. Readers in the US as well as abroad are posing it to me relentlessly!
So let's discuss it. I will present advantages and disadvantages of both types of shops, then you decide what's best for you ... dealership or independent shop.
Has anyone noticed that dealerships are expanding their marketing campaigns to draw the retail customer into the dealership for service?
Check out the advertising lately -- Fords "America's Newest Tire Store" and GM's "Good Wrench Service Plus" (Available at Chevy, Buick, Pontiac, GMC, Hummer and Cadillac dealers).
Dealers are offering longer nationwide warranties, certified technicians, and original equipment parts at competitive prices. Why is this happening? ... for a number of reasons. The new car profits are at such a low that the service departments must step up to the plate and become profitable for the dealership to survive.
Another reason, warranty work use to represent 70% of the service done at dealerships. Today that figure has fallen to about 20% because cars are made better and last longer! And, finally, dealerships are offering better service in an effort to capture the customer's car purchases.
Let's take a look at some of the advantages dealership service departments have to offer. First of all, In order to maintain their franchise licenses, dealerships must pay for training their technicians and providing special tools and equipment.
Dealers also have access to proprietary information, usually one (1) year's worth of information on new vehicles they sell and service. This means that no one else can access this information, which is often necessary for diagnosis and repair. In addition, dealership service departments work mainly on the makes and models that they sell. Since they are very familiar with the particular car line, they can usually pinpoint a problem more quickly and more accurately.
Dealership technicians are usually paid according to a method called "flat rate." When a job is dispatched to a technician, the clock starts. If an operation calls for a time frame of two hours, then the labor will be two times the shop's hourly rate. If the technician is proficient at this particular operation and can do it in half the time, the customer still pays for two hours of labor and the tech earns two hours of pay for one hour of work.
Conversely, if the tech does the job in more than the allowed time, the customer still pays two hours of labor. This method of payment holds a standard hourly rate for the customer, and yet rewards highly skilled technicians.
A drawback to this method is that technicians may find themselves hurrying to make a quota. In addition, the technicians may be reluctant to work on vehicles other than the car line they usually service because they are not as familiar with these cars and, consequently, the job will probably take longer. With these considerations, there is the possibility of "cutting corners" to get the work done faster; or lack of expertise if the tech is working on a vehicle that he has little experience with.
These potential problems are averted in a reputable service department by a good service manager whose goal is to serve the customer and develop a long term relationship with him/her.
Traditionally, dealerships' hourly rates were higher than the independent shops because of overhead, cost of tools, and training. That trend is changing. Why? Because independents are realizing escalation of costs associated with the rapid technological changes taking place ... the need for ongoing training and purchasing of new equipment and tools.
Now, let's take a look at the independent shop. Independent repair facilities have always been there to serve the neighborhood. In the past, many dealerships viewed the customer as a potential car sale. The focus was not on customer service. Consequently, the customer was driven (no pun intended) from the dealership to the independent facility, where one could enjoy a cup of coffee along with a sincere conversation about the customer's family as well as his car (we've coined a name for it now ... Personal Service!).
In addition to a personal relationship, the independent offers versatility of services on diverse makes and models of vehicles. Today, top quality independent repair facilities also offer nationwide warranties through the parts suppliers and the associations they deal with.
Comparing them with the dealerships, the "scales are balancing" in this arena! As far as the hourly rate for work, as I mentioned earlier, independents have been able to offer better prices. However, this consideration is changing because of factors discussed below.
What about the cost of repair? Independents charge a "flat rate" for their services. They use the same "book" as the dealerships to determine the time a job should take, and they charge the customer accordingly. The difference is that the technician is usually paid an hourly rate (based on his actual performance) or a salary.
There is no incentive to hurry through a job or compete with other techs for the "easier" job. Also, seasoned techs who have worked in independent facilities have a wealth of experience and knowledge from years of working on a variety of vehicles. They are an excellent resource for difficult car repairs.
Because of the rapid changes in automotive technology, it is vital that the independent facility you associate with is qualified to work on your car. They must be "up to speed" on the latest technology, methods, training, and equipment.
The trend in the past ten years has been for the independents (the ones who are serious and in for the long haul) to upgrade their facilities and equipment, as well as train their technicians, because automotive technology is escalating at rocket speed! Shingles to look for? ASE certification ("Automotive Service Excellence") NAPA Autocare Triple-A ICAR ASP AC-Delco BBB Parts Plus Car Care PPG Certification Just to mention a few.
With all this said ... what is my opinion? Find a facility (either a dealership service department or an independent) that you are comfortable with and one that suites your individual needs. Make sure they are highly qualified to do the work. Develop an ongoing relationship with them (don't hop from shop to shop looking for the next "deal"). And, at last, enjoy driving a safe and reliable vehicle.
