LAS VEGAS (Oct. 31, 2007) — Honeywell Consumer Products Group has long been affiliated with premium branded consumer product lines, but with a recent decision to shift to a more wholesale customer base, the company also is focusing heavily on technician, counter and sales training.
The company is implementing training programs for its Fram, Autolite, Prestone and Bendix brands, with courses on cooling systems, brake diagnosis and ignition systems, among other classes.
Jay Buckley, Honeywell’s Technical Training Manager, will lead the curricula.
Technology plays a significant role in Honeywell’s product development, he says. “We truly tout ourselves as a technology leader, and each of the businesses within the Honeywell portfolio are focused on that area.”
From the brands the company offers, there’s natural ways to extend those product lines.
“Consumer choice is also us creating a market opportunity,” or searching for consumers’ unmet needs, which often involves case studies and focus groups.
Honeywell recently announced that it would focus more on wholesale distribution in coming months, which goes hand-in-hand with the aforementioned training initiative.
“We are clearly looking at the broad market. The shift from DIY to DIFM is an opportunity as well as a challenge for us. We are spending a lot more time on that wholesale side.”
Some technicians and counterpeople may not even know the difference between premium and value lines other than price, and the training programs are an attempt to inform the industry to make sales that are better tailored to customers’ needs.
All this will be done without losing sight of the company’s brand leadership, Stephens offers.
New to his role, he has more than 21 years of experience at Honeywell, Boeing and Ingersoll-Rand.
When asked about the similarities between the aerospace industry and the aftermarket, he says, “One of the first things that come to mind is the focus on quality.
“You don’t get a second chance. Quality is an expectation and people demand it.”