Teamwork Smoothes the Ride

As one of today’s leading auto service providers, Meineke has launched into the new century with a spirit of both accomplishment and expectation at nearly 900 Meineke locations from Maine to California, Canada to China.

You can feel this synergy whenever dealer franchisees and Home Office personnel come together: At Meineke University in Charlotte, NC, where ASE Master Technicians provide business, operational and technical training, at Regional and National Council Meetings, where dealer-elected representatives share input gathered from across the chain; and at Meineke Dealer Conventions, where franchisees from across the chain attend success-building seminars delivered by Meineke’s management team.

Fast Start Sets the Pace

Meineke’s beginnings may be traced to an innovative and economical muffler replacement technique perfected in the early ‘70s, but today’s Meineke shopper selects from a full range of automotive services, including exhaust repairs and ride-control products such as shocks and struts, basic brake work and ABS repairs, and maintenance services such as fluid flushes, alignment and tune-ups.

These high-demand auto services provide Meineke stores with strong customer acceptance across a varied vehicle population. In fact, over 180,000 domestic and import models, sports utility vehicles, light trucks, specialty vehicles, and large trucks are repaired each month in the chain’s 3700+ service bays.

Road Paved with Opportunity

The automotive aftermarket is huge, with more cars and light trucks packing our streets and highways each year. Drivers are also staying on the road longer.

These factors, combined with the complexity of today’s automotive systems, are forcing even diehard do-it-yourselfers to give up the wrench in favor of professional repair specialists.

Don’t be confused, the automotive service industry has been around a long time, where it has grown to $190 billion and continues to grow at 4 – 5 % each year. In addition, the number of independent mom and pop shops continue to decline creating tremendous opportunity for national branded players such as Meineke.

Tuned to Customer Expectations

For those who used to think automotive repair shops were pretty much alike, Meineke people continue to make a difference in customer-pleasing service and quality workmanship.

An enduring component of Meineke’s track record is reflected in the chain’s slogan of many years:

“Meineke…Our commitment to you begins with me.” In adopting this phrase as the cornerstone of Meineke culture, each and every Meineke franchisee and corporate staff member is assigned personal responsibility for maintaining total customer satisfaction.

People are the Driving Force

Men and women with varied backgrounds have joined ranks with Team Meineke –corporate executives, stockbrokers, university professors, salesmen, engineers, delivery persons, factory workers, and ‘new Americans’ entering the U.S. We are a diverse multicultural organization that shares a common goal.

No special training or experience is required, only a burning desire to succeed and a commitment to work hard. That’s because from the moment an individual becomes a Meineke franchisee, he or she receives guidance and hands on assistance in every phase of business, from locating a high-traffic location and ordering equipment, to managing cash flow and developing a customized business plan.

High Tech for Top Performance

It is Meineke’s staff of Franchise Development Specialists and New Shop Development Managers that assist and guide franchisees from the site location phase to shop grand opening. The latest in computerized marketing software, such as GeoVue’s Isite product, is employed to analyze and create market layouts for proposed shop placements based on market demographics and competitive influences.

Through our relationship with CareerBuilder and the on-line employee assessment tools we have created, Meineke is able to provide real help in recruiting the right people to get your business off the ground quickly.

Mastering the Rules of the Road

Prior to opening your shop our highly skilled Meineke trainers deliver a four-week program of hands-on technical, operational, and sales training designed to help each center owner begin operations smoothly and efficiently. Out in the service area, franchisees gain technical know-how in the use of today’s top equipment. And in the classroom, they learn basic procedures and computer techniques using the M.Key Business System, developed for Meineke by Meineke. That means each powerful software feature and function is geared to quickly handle the specific tasks Meineke dealers face every day.

Meineke also maintains a program of ongoing field training instruction in cooperation with the chain’s primary vendors. These training sessions focus on reinforcing and updating center owners, managers, and technicians on product and equipment advances, as well as step-by-step service procedures and maintenance techniques. And when Meineke franchisees and crew members need immediate technical advice, Meineke’s Technical Assistance Hotline responds to over 18,000 calls each year.

In 2005, Meineke provided 35,000+ man-hours of training to franchisees and their employees, plus another 2,700 man-hours of instruction to members of the chain’s corporate staff. Meineke also maintains the industry’s most aggressive training support system by providing online business and technical training modules available to all franchisees on the Dealer Access area of Meineke’s website www.meineke.com.

In addition, each shop is assigned a specific field representative who is available to assist the new franchisee in getting the shop open and operational, then stands ready to closely guide overall progress. Through shop visits and frequent phone contact, this same Operations Manager will maintain permanent support in day-to-day operations, including the creation and periodic updates of the center’s local market business plan.

Revving Up the Meineke Name

The power of collective advertising enables each shop’s advertising dollars to stretch much farther than possible on an individual basis. That is why the Meineke name is so well known in today’s marketplace. In 2005 alone, Meineke’s local and national media campaigns registered more than 5.75 billion radio and television impressions, supported by another 59 million consumer impressions via direct mail.

The message imparted in all such media campaigns is focused on one thought: “Right Service, Right Price!” Meineke’s spokesman of 12 years, the ever-popular George Foreman, has championed this consistent theme for many years. Recall studies report that 75% of consumers know the Meineke brand. That lofty level of recognition is expected to jump again this year, thanks in part to the chain’s three-year commitment to the Meineke Car Care Bowl. This ESPN televised clash of ACC and Big East conference forces recently garnered 600 million total Meineke impressions nationwide.

While mass media campaigns deliver the message, Meineke Yellow Pages placements and shop specific websites provide consumers with the telephone number and store address of their neighborhood Meineke location. Meineke is among the 20 largest Yellow Pages advertisers and is considered one of the medium’s most efficient buyers.

Meineke’s Internet connection is also becoming an increasingly important factor in selecting Meineke as an auto repair service provider. Last year, over 1.5 million Meineke website visitors downloaded both online coupons and local maps directing them to their nearest Meineke store location.

Geared for Bottom Line Success

Meineke’s purchasing clout is also at work across the chain, providing franchisees with industry-best pricing from many top-of-the-line product and equipment sources.

Primary vendor relationships offer frequent deliveries nationwide to maintain center product inventories at optimum levels. Or when short-notice parts delivery is a must, Meineke franchisees may opt to access money-saving local purchase plans negotiated by the Home Office. National accounts are also in place for key equipment acquisitions, such as high-tech diagnostic tools, brake lathes, and automotive lifts.

Active Participant and Supporter of “Good Practice” Initiatives

Meineke is represented on the Boards of both the International Franchise Association (IFA), the association of American Franchisees and Dealers (AAFD), is a charter member of the IFA’s “Minority Fran” Initiative, is an active member in the Minorities in Franchising sub-committee and a sponsor of the National Minority Franchising Initiative. In addition, Meineke has been an active participant in both the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) and the Motorist Assurance Program. We care about doing the right thing!

Enter Meineke’s Winner Circle

The Meineke System, developed and refined across three decades of franchise growth, is a road map for success to those who adopt and practice the chain’s proven procedures.

From initial franchisee training to ongoing operational support, Meineke franchisees have ready access to programs, techniques, and online tools that offer significant competitive advantages. To this add instant name recognition, multi-media advertising, and broad-based purchasing power for a truly solid franchise opportunity.

As we launch further into the new century, nearly 900 current Meineke dealers can view the road ahead with confidence and expectation. And for prospective franchisees eager to attain their personal goals, this is why Meineke can be an expressway to success.