Tempting the technician
Technicians certainly have the ear of the consumer. They are relied upon more and more to offer the best parts, often with little input from clients. Even taking into account less training each year — despite the aftermarket's best efforts — and techs are the bays' kings. And there are temptations technicians simply cannot avoid when it comes to using certain products. Price, quality and availability are top answers no matter what type of product is being discussed. But other factors often include compatibility, brand, performance and warranty, just to name a few. The Internet still has not caught on as much as suppliers would like when it comes to parts ordering, and neither has training. For all but one surveyed parts category, the majority of technicians report no training done each month. Diagnostic tools is the lone exception, in which 56 percent of respondents report taking part in between one and five hours of training each month. These statistics could reinforce WDs', jobbers' and manufacturers' pleas for techs to take advantage of training. Looking at the respondents to our 5th annual Technician Attitude Study, the average technician works in a full-service shop with between four and six bays. He or she often is the only technician in the entire operation, as 60 percent of respondents report one tech and 27 percent report two techs in each service center. However, most techs — 36 percent — are ASE certified. In fact, 55 percent of respondents say their techs hold the Master Technician designation. Specialty parts continue to be an integral part of additional sales at service centers across the nation. Four of five respondents say they install specialty parts, most being sourced from traditional or specialty jobbers and WDs. Other options to source specialty parts include direct from the manufacturer, catalog ordering and brought in by the consumer. For those who do not install specialty parts, it most often is because they do not have time to do so or there is no need or demand for the service. Most respondents have not been affected by recent reports in the news about defective products from low-cost countries. Two-thirds of respondents have not purchased products from low-cost countries and have no future plans to do so. Their main area of concern is that they could be held liable for defective products. This is key in light of the tire recall Foreign Tire Sales (FTS), of Union, N.J., is going through currently. FTS now faces threats of up to $16 million in penalties from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for not reporting problems with imported tires sooner. All along the import company heard from its overseas manufacturer — Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co., Ltd. — that the tires would meet and exceed federal standards. Safety and quality, as well as the shop's reputation, are the main issues when it comes to not using parts from low-cost countries. Respondents also voice a strong pro-American attitude when it comes to choosing suppliers. By keeping your prices competitive and your products of good quality, you can tempt the technician to come your way whether you're a supplier, distributor or jobber. Take a look at our individual categories for more insight into what makes service centers tick. Our Technician Attitude Study analyzes 20 product categories. The report (published in October 2007) asked shop owners, managers and technicians to answer questions regarding why they make specific purchases and who they buy their parts from. The following are downloadable files for the Aftermarket Business Market Research section. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these files. This program is available as a free download from the Adobe Web site. Antifreeze
Batteries
Battery chargers
Belts & hoses
Brake pads
Diagnostic tools
Engine additives
Exhaust
Filters
Fuel pumps
Gaskets
Ignition parts
Motor oil
Oxygen sensors
Refrigerants
Shocks & struts
Spark plugs
Starters
Suspension
Wipers Note: Click here to view our 2006 Technician Attitude Study, with links to 18 product categories. Note: Click here to view our 2005 Technician Attitude Study, with links to 17 product categories. Note: Click here to view our 2004 Installer Attitude Study, with links to 15 product categories. | 
