In today’s automotive aftermarket, the counterman is the epitome of the entire repair process. With hundreds of product categories, thousands of parts, and constantly evolving makes and models, supporting technicians at the counter has never been more essential
Retailers and distributors not only rely on knowledgeable counter professionals to help shops diagnose issues and select the right part — they also rely on them to help keep vehicles moving safely and efficiently. This is why counterman training has become a priority across the industry.
“I think counterman training is critical,” says Steve Gisondi, marketing leader at Dorman Products. “A counterman is ultimately the link between manufacturers, consumers, and shops.”
Manufacturers like Dorman have recognized the importance of this and have invested heavily in training that goes beyond product knowledge.
Training That Matters
Dorman has created a slew of training videos — all of which can be found on YouTube — designed to help countermen and sales specialists in their automotive knowledge.
“In our videos, we'll first provide an overview of the system — so they understand mechanically how the system works — and then talk a little bit about what questions they may hear from their customers,” says Gisondi. “From there, we’ll help them learn how best to support their customers. After that, we’ll get into the Dorman offering.
The commitment to practical, real-world education is something Gisondi understands. It's also a huge reason why Dorman has created countless training videos for the counterman.
Real-World Knowledge
Gisondi grew up like many in the business — surrounded by cars. Since he could remember, his father owned a three-bay automotive service station outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
“I’ve been around cars for a long time,” Gisondi says. “When I was of working age, I was employed at my dad's garage. When I went to college, I worked at a Conoco Station in Boulder, Colorado. It's the only thing I’ve ever known.
After college, Gisondi worked in marketing — brand management and market research — at Toyota and Scion, and Campbell and Nestle. He moved to Dorman seven years ago and has been supporting the automotive aftermarket ever since.
Focused Customer Support
When Gisondi joined Dorman in 2018, he recognized a need for training on the company’s products.
“We get feedback from our customers a lot — as I think most do — that counterman and sales training is essential,” Gisondi says. “This industry is a unique one, because there are so many product categories and applications. It's not an easy job when you're on the distribution or retail side of the business.
A lot of Dorman’s training content goes into customer calls — what questions to ask to ensure the shop professional is buying the right part — and cross-selling.
“The objective is to ensure that the counterman is able to support their customer, and that they have enough technical knowledge to do that,” Gisondi says. When we develop product training, it's not exclusively about the Dorman offering. It's about the repair and the diagnostics associated with that repair.”
Although Dorman has produced many videos on training, they are still looking to produce more.
Identifying Training Needs
After talking to many in the industry, Dorman continues to learn what knowledge and training would best assist the industry.
“We have our perspective on the categories that would benefit most from this type of training,” Gisondi says. “And I think what our customers — distributors and retailers — bring to the table is their perspective from interfacing with shops every single day.”
Dorman is constantly asking the question, “How do we best help counterman help shop’s make a necessary repair and do it in a way that's efficient and affordable?”
“Ultimately, we're obviously talking to shops every day,” Gisondi says. “We know our product categories better than anyone, but our retailer and manufacturer partners are in shops every day too; we really rely on them for insight. It's a partnership to identify where the training is required and getting the training into the hands of the people who need it most. We need our customers’ support there.
Together, the collaboration between retailers, manufacturers, and shops ensures that counter staff can continue to get the knowledge they need.
About the Author
Emily Kline
Emily Kline is a Special Projects Editor for FenderBender and ABRN. She has worked in the Vehicle Repair Group at Endeavor Business Media for over 2 years, learning about vehicle repair and the automotive industry as a whole. She has a bachelor's degree in English from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota in Winona. As a writer, she enjoys her fair share of reading and has no shame using the long Minnesota winters as an excuse to stay indoors and cozy up with a good book.