Confessions of an AGRR Editor

I have a confession to make. I—yes, me—have been driving around with a broken windshield for several months now. It was cracked by a rock on I-95 probably sometime around June, but I’ve been putting off getting it replaced until this very month, the month during which my safety inspection on my car is due.

Keep me in mind, that though it is a very long crack, it’s not in my direct field of vision and doesn’t impact my sight at all. But you still might be asking why the editor of an auto glass magazine would dare put off such a replacement.

Well, for many reasons. First, there’s the cost—I’ll admit, most months there’s something else I need or want to put that money toward. I really hate admitting this—but unfortunately it’s a sign of the times in which we live right now.

But, the more pressing reason is this—I knew I would need to get it replaced prior to my annual inspection due this December, and, in the area in which we live, I’ve had a lot of broken windshields. In fact, this will be my fourth—that averages about one windshield replacement every two years since I bought the car. I drive the dreadful I-95 every single day (even on weekends) and I’ve known that there was a reasonable chance that even if I had it replaced (it’s a huge crack—repair hasn’t even been an option), that there would be a chance I’d have to have it done again before this December came, and didn’t want to have to spend the money twice.

Today, as I was compiling the editorial for www.glassBYTEs.com™, though, I came across an interesting story about Texas safety inspections and the fact that only 19 states require a periodic safety review. I haven’t been able to verify this statement, but I was quite surprised by this. It made me consider at what point I would have my windshield replaced if not for my annual inspection. (Unfortunately, my car is getting up in years and is not much to look at these days anyway—so I probably am in an unusual group, but it still made me think.)

So, as usual, I’m looking to you for some answers. Do your states require safety inspections? If so, do you find that the average consumer puts work off until the vehicle needs inspected? And, is there a particularly popular month for this?

And, for those of you whose states don’t require regular safety inspections, do you find that people with older vehicles hold out longer than others? What finally makes them get the work done? Do you market any differently than you might in a state that doesn’t require inspections?

I look forward to hearing from you. Please e-mail me at pstacey@glass.com.

P.S. If you’re in the Stafford, Va., area, and have some time in your schedule this week, I’ve yet to schedule my windshield replacement. My deductible is high and so I can’t go through my insurance company. And, if you contact me, you just might get your photo in my blog in the coming weeks … any takers?

Integrity: “Doing the Right Thing Even When It’s Inconvenient"

Just two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Captain Chesley Sullenberger, the pilot who landed the “Miracle on the Hudson” earlier this year. As many of you may know, Capt. Sullenberger keynoted the recent International Auto Glass Safety (AGRSS) Conference in Las Vegas on November 5.

Several things surprised me about the Captain.

One was his very heroic nature. He commented several times during my brief interaction with him and during the speech that he used to just be a regular guy. Well, honestly, that’s hard to imagine. He really did have that heroic aura—one rarely seen in present-day figures. Speaking with him was what I imagine speaking with Abraham Lincoln might have been like—very short, to the point, and very polite.

But there were also some very regular things about the Captain from which we can all learn and which we can apply in business.

1 – Humility. Though he’s been dubbed a national hero (and rightly so), he must have named his co-pilot, Jeff Skiles, a name rarely heard in the news—about five to eight times during the speech. He also named each member of his crew and the role they played during the course of the near-crash on January 15. Let’s hope we all take a similar approach to remembering to credit others who contribute to our success—whether it’s a technician who does his/her part in adhering to safety, a CSR who handles customers politely and books jobs regularly, etc.

2 – A solid, learned background in what he does. Capt. Sullenberger stressed during his speech that he was confident he could land the plane on the Hudson—not because he’d ever done it, not because he’d participated in a simulation (apparently water landings are too difficult to even simulate), but because he’d studied hard, he’d focused, and he was prepared. During several of the third-party validation sessions at the conference, this sentiment came up often: none of the steps of the AGRSS Standard are new, the only new portion for AGRSS-registered shops is simply showing a validator that you’re completing them.

3 – Integrity. This was the most prominent part of Capt. Sullenberger’s speech. He explained that caring for his passengers has always been his top priority—and saving the flight was just a part of that. “Why do I do these things?” he asked. “My passengers deserve it, my colleagues expect it and my profession demands it.”

Wow—what a simple, yet profound statement.

He also spoke of a time when his daughter asked him to define the word “integrity.”

“Integrity means doing the right thing even when it’s not convenient,” he said.

I think we can all take a lesson from both these ideas. They apply to safety, customer service—the list goes on. So, if you didn’t have the opportunity to attend, and you’re asking yourself, “What does an airline pilot know about the auto glass business?,” I’m hoping these two particular statements (of many) might answer your question.

And, if you were in attendance at the speech, I’d love to hear what really struck you from Capt. Sullenberger’s talk.

P.S. I also encourage you to check out Neil Duffy’s blog from yesterday detailing a recent incident in which his own integrity—as Capt. Sullenberger defines it—came into play. We didn’t coordinate—but his blog was particularly apropos and in-line with Sullenberger’s statements, and I hope you’ll take a look. (CLICK HERE for that blog.)

Happy Birthday, AGRR!

I don’t know about you, but I can’t believe it’s almost 2010. It feels like just yesterday we were concerned with Y2K, stockpiling food in case the world went awry and using payphones to avoid the costly charges that went along with most early cell phone plans. Internet usage was pretty much limited to dial-up for most personal users, and you could take someone to the airport and actually walk to the gate with them.

In just 10 short years, it seems the world has completely changed—some for the good, and some for the bad. And the industry has certainly seen its share of changes, too.

Where to begin? The networks have become a way of life for the industry, and we’ve seen more consolidation of businesses than I think any of could ever have dreamed. Who would have thought ten years ago that Diamond Glass would ever be owned by a staunch competitor, Safelite?

Manufacturing also has seen some changes. The imports of auto glass from China have risen exponentially over the last 10 years, and the number of manufacturers worldwide has risen to more than 900, many of these from overseas.

Then there was the NAGS re-balancing, and the advent not only of the Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standard (AGRSS), and the changes and growth it has endured.

The list could go on and on—much further than I have room for in this blog. But, have no fear, as this January, AGRR magazine will be publishing a special January/February 2010 issue to commemorate its ten-year anniversary.

The issue will be taking a look at some of these massive changes, those industry legends that have impacted the auto glass business, and some of the innovations that have been invented to make techs’ jobs easier over the last ten years.

But, we need your help. What have been the biggest changes you’ve seen? What tools have helped you most? What changes have hurt you most? And who do you see as those who’ve impacted the industry most, for better or worse? Please e-mail pstacey@glass.com. Yes, this is a milestone for AGRR, but we couldn’t have done it without you, our readers, and for this we thank you—and hope to show our appreciation with this special issue.

I look forward to hearing from you.

The King of Queens Meets Erik Schumacher

In just one short week, the name of Erik Schumacher of Des Moines, Iowa, has become a common one—almost a household one for those in the industry taking particular note of the recently launched Safelite television ad campaign.

But, honestly, I didn’t expect Erik to be making an appearance on my TV; first thing Monday morning, my publisher, Deb Levy, called to tell me she’d already seen it twice—once during Sunday night television and again Monday morning during The Today Show.

But even yet, I still didn’t expect to see it. I DVR most of the TV I watch and normally fast-forward the commercials. But quite often, while we eat our dinner, my husband and I find ourselves watching “The King of Queens” re-runs (recorded while we were both at work) from our kitchen table. And it’s only then that we don’t worry about skipping commercials. Who would think the ad would show up during this random, late-afternoon-played 10-year-old show on TBS?

But it was then, on Monday evening, that I first heard the voice of Erik Schumacher right in my own living room. And not just once, but twice within a short 30-minute span.

I couldn’t believe it. Belron US has estimated that the average adult will see the commercial about 12 times during the two-week span during which the spot is scheduled to run. So I’ve been keeping a personal tally, and right now I’m at about four—which actually isn’t bad considering how rarely I do watch commercials.

I was speaking with one shop owner this week who mentioned to me that TV ads aren’t really so effective—and are somewhat cheap—these days due to the advent of TiVo and various DVR systems, and people like me, who choose to hit fast-forward more often than not.

So, first, I’m wondering, what’s your tally? Was the Belron US marketing team estimate correct? Do you think our DVR world is changing the way—or if—people view commercials? And, if the average consumer is watching the commercial, are you seeing an impact on business—either positive or negative? Please e-mail pstacey@glass.com.

Fall Flurry

This week, we officially moved into the fall season—and with that comes many things: a change in the weather, a change in the colors of the trees, football season and … the flu. That’s right, experts say that fall is a very popular time for the flu, unfortunately, and, this year, they say we need to be even more prepared as the H1N1 virus (also known as the swine flu).

I must say, when I first heard about this last spring, first, I panicked; I’m a germaphobe and was terrified of contracting this. Then, I heard “Oh, it’s just the flu—it won’t hurt you,” and I calmed down. That is, until I wrote the story about a recent Harvard study about preparedness for the swine flu (it appeared on glassBYTEs.com™ this Monday—CLICK HERE to view). The study basically showed that those who contract the swine flu likely will be sick—as in too sick to work—for at least a week.

I don’t know about you, but this frightens me. Despite my own attempts to remain healthy—washing my hands what feels like 15 times a day, using the hand sanitizer at my desk throughout the day, wiping down others’ desks when I need to use them for one reason or another, even opening bathroom doors with the paper towel I used to dry my hands in case the person before me wasn’t thorough—I myself ended up home sick this week for a day with a sinus infection. Though my doctor, who I saw quickly because I was pretty certain I knew what it was, as I’ve had them before, told me I wasn’t contagious (and that it just developed because of the seasonal change—not because of anything I’d done), I couldn’t help but feel frustrated that despite all my attempts to stay healthy I ended up home sick. And, believe me, it was anything but a fun day—an hour at the doctor’s office, an hour at Giant awaiting my prescriptions, and then the rest of the day spent on my couch, not even able to sleep really as I was so uncomfortable.

And that was just a sinus infection, which is nothing compared to what I understand the H1N1 virus to be. So, am I nervous? Yes. Can I necessarily do anything to be sure I don’t get it? No. But, I am fortunate that my publisher, Deb Levy, has taken steps in our office to prepare us in the event of an outbreak in our area. I won’t go into the details of the precautions she’s taken (one of them is the hand sanitizer, for which I’m grateful, scattered throughout the office), but am fortunate she’s had the foresight to do so. This is what the aforementioned Harvard study recommended—not only trying to be preventative, but also making a plan if one or more employees does contract it, so that business isn’t affected.

After writing the story, I had the idea that we should survey readers to see what they are doing—and so far have been quite surprised by the results. As I write this, only 21.1 percent of responders have said they have a plan if an outbreak does occur; 63.2 percent say they believe the concern is overgrown, despite warnings from medical experts.

Though this very well may be true, I was still a bit surprised by it; though the Harvard study suggested large businesses would be more easily impacted, I would suspect it to be the opposite. I personally know many one- or two-people auto glass operations. What would happen if one of the two—or worse, in the case of one-man operations, the sole proprietor and technician—fell ill? In this case, maybe there is no good plan, except to hope for the best.

So, of course, I’m wondering, for those of you who do have a plan, what does it entail? Are you taking preventative measures to prevent the spread? Are you dealing with customers any differently than you have in the past? And, if an employee does fall ill, what’s the next step? Please e-mail me at pstacey@glass.com. (CLICK HERE to take the survey.)

Tweets Away!

I don’t know about you, but that seems to be a question coming up more and more often in various circles—from businesses to personal relationships. And it’s definitely a valid one. As you’ll see from today’s lead story on glassBYTEs.com™ (CLICK HERE to read), social networking is becoming not only a popular way to stay in touch with friends and follow stars like Ashton Kutcher and Oprah—but also to drive business.

As I spoke with readers for today’s article and did some research on both Twitter and Facebook, it seems there are a number of auto glass shops out there finding success with these sites. And it seems the web is becoming more important than ever.

If you read today’s story, you’ll see a little informal survey that Dave Burns of Ray Sands Auto Glass conducts regularly. When he walks into any a home he’s never been to—be it a friend, family member, or whomever—he always asks if they keep a phonebook on hand. Half the time, he’s told no.

I still keep a phonebook at my house, but how often do I pull it out? Only when the power is out and I need to call the electric company—which is maybe once or twice a year when a big storm comes our way.

Otherwise, I Google™ whatever I need or visit one of my favorite pages, www.bigyellow.com.
I’m sure I’m not alone in this view. Would I go to Twitter or Facebook to locate a company? I’m not sure. But, if I Googled a company and found a positive “Tweet” about it, I probably would be encouraged by this.

So, my question to you is: Do you Tweet? Do you think this method would be (or is) successful in today’s market? Or do you think it’s still a bit early to take on, and should be left for social networking alone? Please e-mail me at pstacey@glass.com, or CLICK HERE to sign up for Twitter and start following glassBYTEs.com/AGRR magazine there.

Competition Time

In the last few weeks, I’ve spent much of my time interviewing past Auto Glass Technicians Olympics (AGTO) contestants, Windshield Repair Olympics contestants, and owners of the companies that supported them in their competition, for an article that will appear in the September/October issue of AGRR magazine. While the competition is still three months away, I have been amazed by all those that started preparing months ago—some as early as the time the competition ended last November.

But, whenever I interview past or current contestants, I always find one thing interesting. Almost all of them will say, “I train for this every single day.” Well, that really makes sense, doesn’t it?

But many go beyond even that. They tape their own installations to watch for areas in which they can improve; do mock customer service activities; and even participate in additional training activities with suppliers to make sure they’re on-par and are doing everything in the safest manner possible.

Now I realize there are only so many technicians who compete in the competition each year, but I can’t help but wonder, do others do these types of training activities, just for the sake of good business? How many companies record installations periodically, or participate in customer service training—with both technicians and CSRs?

While I know many would say there’s no time for this, and I certainly can appreciate that, I’ve also heard many say the investment in the time to complete these activities often pays off—particularly in company referrals, and quotes that turn into jobs when customers call a shop and decide immediately to book the work, based on the skills of the customer service representative who takes that call.

What do you think? Do you conduct on-going training, and is it worth it? Please e-mail me at pstacey@glass.com.