Dealer Strategic Planning Inc. (DSP) wants to cater to multi-store owners with a 20 group of its own.
DSP runs six working 20 groups, predominately populated by single-store tire and auto shop owners. The company is in the process of forming a new 20 group exclusively for store owners with multiple locations.
The inaugural meeting will be held in late September or October, 2013, with a host and location to be determined soon.
Why the need for a 20 group for dealers with multiple locations? President Norm Gaither says their concerns can be better met in a targeted group.
“Each (of our groups) has several multi-store owners along with the single-store owners, Many of the opportunities and challenges discussed in the group meetings are relevant whether a member has one or 20 stores.
"However, the issues faced by multi-location owners are sometimes unique, and there isn’t enough time in one meeting to adequately cover all of their concerns," he says. "We were approached by a few of the multi-store owners about forming a group specifically for them.”
A typical 20 group meeting consists of the following:
* 2-1/2 days of sharing best practice;
* financial benchmarking;
* visiting a host dealer's store;
* discussions about solving the complexities of today’s tire and auto shop.
One of the dominant topics in each meeting is about personnel: health care, motivation, compensation and other human resource categories. These issues are vastly different when comparing a single-store dealership, which might have 10 employees, to a multiple-store dealership, which might have 100 employees.
The 20 group concept will help multi-store owners sort out the solutions.
“As a business owner of three tire retail locations, it is vital that I always stay in tune with what is new and changing in my business environment," says Jarid Lundeen, owner of three independent Tires Plus locations in the Minot, N.D., area.
"As a retailer, my world is constantly moving, and I don’t have all the resources the 'big box' retailers have to be on top of all the change. It is very important I work with my 20 group team on what works best, what efficiencies exist, and how can we, as independent retailers, remain and prosper in today’s tire and automotive repair world.
"Working with other tire store owners with multi locations makes sense because we can share ideas on expansion, employee and management issues, and, of course, profitability that arise out of owning more than one location," he says.
Lundeen would be eligible to join the new group or stay in his existing group, which has mostly single-store members. “Either way, it’s a great concept that pays off in big dividends for store owners,” he adds.
Multi-store owners who are interested in learning more about this new group should contact either:
* Pat Brown, vice president of marketing, at (419) 420-5915 or [email protected]; or
* Paul Chizeck, vice president of operations, at (910) 409-7293 or [email protected].
Existing 20 group members who qualify for this group will be given the opportunity to transfer to the new group if openings are available. Meeting details and registration for the new group’s inaugural meeting will be available by July 1, 2013.
Each DSP group allows a maximum of 20 dealers who meet three times a year to help each other improve their business performance. For additional information, visit the company's website at www.dsp-20group.com or Facebook page.
