The Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance met with 10 members of the Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper Service Center Advisory Council (SCAC) to help determine the direction of the Certified Service Center (CSC) program.
Gates Corp. hosted the three-day meeting in Denver, Colo. SCAC members were from the United States and Canada.
This year’s fall meeting focused on an evaluation of the current CSC programs, technician promotions and training, as well as technology updates for the Alliance’s e-Commerce solution MyPlace4Parts, SEO, locator services and reputation management.
SCAC members spent a full day at the Gates Corporation Customer Solution Center. They were greeted by the Gates senior management team before touring the center. The group attended a product fair and was brought up to speed on many Gates’ products innovations. Gates’ then hosted a comprehensive focus group with the council members.
“The Gates Corporation was honored to host 10 top shop owners from Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper,” says Ken Bridges, program group sales director US aftermarket sales at Gates. “We were able to conduct a strong focus group to leverage the expertise of these shops. Any chance we have to listen to our professional customers is an opportunity for us to improve.”
The SCAC members are top Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper CSC shop owners, appointed to the council due to their expert perspective. Each member serves a two-year term with an annual rotation replacing five members.
“I got so much out of this meeting and am leaving completely energized and ready to go back to work!” says Joe Miles, owner of Kaiser Tire in Louisville, Ky., and customer of Moog Louisville Warehouse. “The camaraderie has been amazing and beneficial, both personally and professionally. Gates was awesome and an incredible host and true partners.”
The Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance goes to market through over 2,200 parts stores and over 3,000 certified service centers throughout North America, branded Auto Value or Bumper to Bumper.
