4/1/2004
By Brian Cruickshank
Customers expect a lot, and it's up to the industry to cater to those expectations. In some cases, it's our duty to change them.
It's been said that there's always a kernel of truth within every joke. This month's cartoon is a good example of that. The cartoon, Over the Counter, by fellow parts specialist Ron Cole, depicts a counterman going into work on a Saturday, remembering days long past when Saturday was a day for R & R (that's rest and relaxation) rather than the R & R of the automotive kind. How many of you currently work Saturdays? How about Sundays? I'm sure many of you do, not that you particularly like it, but it's just part of the job. This is more than the "do more with less" trend in business. You are there to serve the needs of your customers, both DIY and professional. I'm sure that you keep Saturday hours mostly for your DIY walk-ins. You may not even have a truck running on the weekend. But I'd bet that more and more of your professional customers are starting to keep weekend hours too. This is certainly a trend among OE dealerships. Dealerships service departments are pretty serious about gaining more parts and service market share, and they are using more motorist-friendly hours to help grab it. There's a dealership service department in a nearby town that advertises that they have a technician on duty until 3 a.m. Three a.m! Taco Bell isn't even open that late. I wonde... | 
