Opinion: A Larger Sweet Spot In the automotive aftermarket, much is written about the service sweet spot being vehicles in the 6- to 10-year old range. More

Questioning a Trip to Las Vegas? While many people think the AAPEX, SEMA, NACE and CARS shows during Industry Week as just an opportunity to buy or sell something, it’s really much more. More

Ask Me About 'Cash For Clunkers' As I write this article, the government is debating whether to add another $2 billion to the Cash for Clunkers program which may buy you some time to become knowledgeable about it. With all the media attention it has received, I think it is safe to say everyone has heard about it, but there are many questions to be answered. More

Management: 10 'Must-have' Features of a Shop Website With the goal of providing you with ideas to create a content-rich, effective, user-friendly website, Babcox Research asked a sample of shop owner readers for their input on the topic. More

Management: Things to Look for When Selecting Training Programs for Your Techs With the goal of providing you with ideas on what to look for when selecting training programs for your techs, Babcox Research asked a sample of shop owner readers for their input on the topic. More

Management: 10 Ways To Recruit New Employees for Your Shop With the goal of providing you with ideas on the best ways to recruit new employees for your shop, Babcox Research asked a sample of shop owner readers for their input on the topic. More

Mitch Schneider: In Constant Pursuit of the 'Pink Bunny' Pink Bunnies are the ultimate distraction: mysterious, mischievous and attractive. Worse than that, they are likely to pop up anywhere, at the most inopportune times, and there is very little you or I can do about it. More

Point of View: How’s Business? Seems like I’ve heard that question and answered that question about 327,512 times since the beginning of the year. Late last year and early into 2009, “business is OK” had become the new “business is flat, but we’re hanging in there, hoping it gets better.” Not a very comforting response. But, from my current view, I’m seeing a pick up in business at... More

10 Ways to Enhance the Appearance of Your Shop's Interior With the goal of providing you with ideas on how to elevate the appearance of your shop's interior, Babcox Research asked a sample of shop owner readers for their input on the topic. More

10 Ways To Get Involved In Your Local Community You may operate a top shop, but does your local community know it? Do your customers and prospects alike know about the range of your shop’s services, the extent of your investment in top-of-the-line tools and equipment, your commitment to using the highest-quality parts in the repair process and your dedication to restoring their vehicle to peak performance levels? While advertising... More