Dealership Newsmaker Q&A: Jamie Alford

Since gas prices have dropped recently, have you seen more people bring their vehicles in for maintenance? Have you done anything to encourage people to keep up on maintenance?

No. Business is slower than normal for this time of year. I have contacted many customers about this important part of my business and assured them that we would be happy to help when they need our services.

Looking forward to 2009, what are your biggest concerns? How do you plan to overcome those obstacles?

My biggest concern, as a shop owner, is to make sure I can give my employees enough hours to not seek employment elsewhere. We will lean back on expenses as much as possible to include trash pickup semi-weekly vs. weekly, asking for better rates on laundry services and limiting personal spending to keep the bottom line stable.

How important do you feel ASE certifications are to your business? How do you stress that importance to your customers?

As an ASE Master Tech, I feel certification is priceless and has to be promoted, to show dedication to customers and instill more pride in our technicians. We all mention training and certifications as the root of our ability to stay up-to-date with the ever-changing auto world. Also mentioning the fact that we can scan and diagnose up to 2007 vehicles currently is planting seeds in the customer's minds that we look to the future, unlike most independent shops.

What are some of the new technologies that you and other techs in your shop feel are important to learn more about?

All new technologies are important, however, we must focus on what's facing us now, and hybrids are here and will start training next month and also focus on the more common EVAP problems, which have increased more than 400 percent in 2008. We now stock many common hoses for Ford and Chrysler's problem children.