Aftermarket Rewards

10,000,000 code redeemed.

2009-02-04T10:18:00.000-06:00

Our shop has been going through some changes lately. We operated for over 20 years under our previous dealer principal, but have recently become Kelleher Collision Center in Dauphin. Some of our staff members are new as well, including myself. When I heard of Aftermarket Rewards about 4 months ago, I immediately began to think of all the possibilities – employee rewards and incentives, prizes and presents for gatherings or even just getting some stuff for around the shop that we could all enjoy. So, I immediately began gathering the little yellow stickers and entering them online. I had really just began redeeming codes and registering with participating suppliers when I received word that we won the 10000 free points by being the millionth redeemer. Wow! Now to go along with the 200 or so points I had started off with I had an extra 10000 to work with. We have not yet decided what we will do with the points, but there are many suggestions. Aftermarket rewards is a wonderful program that encourages shops to order from participating suppliers, and for those of us who collect it is a great incentive to first check if the products we need are available from participants. The selection of items you can redeem your points for are vast and unique, with something appealing to everyone. I was impressed with the array of items we could choose from with the few points we have, even the few we had prior to winning the 10000. Perhaps the toughest part of this process will be deciding what merchandise to choose!

Tannis McDonald
10 Millionth Reward Code Label Enterer
Body Shop Advisor
Kelleher Collision Center
Dauphin MB Canada

Shop Testimonials

2009-01-06T16:23:00.001-06:00

Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2009 12:34 PM
To: Aftermarketsupport, Mailbox
Subject: (no subject)

THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM, THANK YOU FOR LETTING US PARTICIPATE. LAST MONTH I TRADED POINTS FOR A RADAR AND WE WENT ON CHRISTMAS VACATION AND USED IT. IT WORKED GREAT AND I WAS VERY PLEASED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH AFTERMARKET REWARD POINTS. THANKS A MILLION, LILI PENA

Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2009 12:49 PM
To: Aftermarketsupport, Mailbox
Subject: Reward program and the holidays.....

Hello!

First off I wanted to say thank you so much for having the rewards program. It is a fun way to earn points and set fun goals while you are working :)

I have been a member for about a year now and have been saving my points the whole time. This year I wasn't sure how I was going to make it for the holiday season. Times are really rough with the economy being terrible and lay offs at work. I'm a single mom with a little girl who was looking forward to Christmas this year and had to figure out something! I was able to use my points to get a digital camera (the only thing she asked for!). She got the exact one she wanted! I was able to also use it to get a portable DVD player (it's on backorder) for her to use on long car rides.

Thank you so much!

Jessica Guerrero

Advantage Body Shop
Fremont, Ca

Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2009 1:46 PM
To: Aftermarketsupport, Mailbox
Subject: 10,000 POINT GIVE AWAY

JUST WRITING IN REGARDS TO YOUR POINT GIVE AWAY.
RECENTLY WE CASHED IN MOST OF OUR AFTERMARKET REWARDS POINTS HERE AT RIDER AUTO INC.
WE DIVIDED THE POINTS UP EVENLY AMONG THE TECHS AND SHOP MANAGER.
EVERYONE USED THEIR POINTS TO PURCHASE ITEMS FOR A FAMILY MEMBER (SON, DAUGHTER FATHER). WE STRUGGLED FINDING THE PERFECT GIFT BECAUSE THERE WERE TOO MANY TO CHOOSE FROM. IN THE END WE WERE ALL SATISFIED WITH OUR DECISIONS.

THANKS A MILLION!!!

Ray Brooks Jr.
Body shop manager
Rider Auto Inc.
State College, PA.

AMN Executive Interview with VP of Coalition Marketing - Todd Crane

2008-11-10T14:21:00.001-06:00

CASH???

2008-10-23T14:11:00.000-05:00

Shop Testimonial

2008-09-30T16:37:00.000-05:00

From: Sharp's Auto Body and Collision [mailto:admin@sabc.]
Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 12:30 PM
To: Aftermarketsupport, Mailbox
Subject: AMR Stories or Ideas

We purchased our shop 2 years ago . the shop has been in business for over 55 years and I have tried to find every way possible to not only give to the community but also to show appreciation to the employees for their hard work and dedication. this year I decided to have a Christmas party for them and their families. The aftermarket rewards are a big part of what makes it a success. I take the amount of points we have divide it into how many employees we have and then I take that number and purchase however many large items I need for the large door prizes a the party. this allows us to spend more money on the dinner and activities for them and their family.
thank you so much for helping make this possible!

Beth Smith
Sharp's Auto Body & Collision Inc.

Downturns are not the time to cut budgets.

2008-09-25T10:56:00.004-05:00

As much as it may "feel" like cutting the marketing budget during a downturn makes good business sense, I implore you to take a look at the articl

The Silver Bullet

2008-09-25T10:30:00.003-05:00

As a manufacturer, you are constantly looking for the "silver bullet"that will help you sell more of your products. This "silver bullet" seems even harder to find in a difficult economic climate. Take a moment and listen to what Dennis Goettsch of Hormel foods has to say regarding the coalition approach of getting products pulled through the channel. At Aftermarket Rewards, we like to think we come very close to the "silver bullet".

Aftermarket Rewards Web Traffic Stats

2008-08-01T10:34:00.000-05:00

AMR – JULY
Page views: 225,809
Visits: 25,387
Unique visitors: 14,823
Average time on site: 7:39

What are the Biggest Issues Facing the Professional Installers?

2008-07-10T14:19:00.005-05:00

Mike Keegan is our Communications Director for Aftermarket Rewards. In our recent e-newsletter, he asked a question of the professional installer. "What are the biggest issues facing your business this year?" Below is an article Mike Wrote for a subsequent issue answering the question from the responses he received. Mike also provides the readers of the e-newsletter with some suggestions on how to use their points to get tools for their businesses.

In the last issue, we asked, "What are the biggest issues facing your business this year?"
Overwhelmingly, people told us the economy. In fact, we asked the same question in the foodservice industry and received even more responses indicating the economy and fuel prices are the biggest business challenges in 2008. Mr. Jamro of Accent Auto Body in Nevada said, "The biggest challenge to the business this year is customers bringing their vehicles in for an estimate and due to the economy, they're unable to pay the deductible. Thus the repairs are not completed and business overall has declined. "What can you do? Unfortunately there is no easy fix, but Aftermarket Rewards can provide a little relief. We suggest using your points to redeem items you can use in your shop. This way, you can get some of the equipment you need without paying for it. We have a section of the rewards catalog called 'Business Building Awards' that features office equipment like phones, fax machines and printers. Next time you need a compressor, sander or pressure washer, check out the section called 'Tools & Automotive' and save your shop some money. Another effective way to use points to help your bottom line is to use them to reward employees. Losing good employees and training their replacement is costly. By using points to reward your best employees, you're providing additional value beyond just their paycheck.

Keystone announces ‘Sizzlin' Summer Deal’

2008-07-08T10:29:00.000-05:00

Pomona, CA – Keystone Automotive today announced that Aftermarket Rewards customers can now earn 250 bonus points for every 10 Keystone codes they redeem, as part of the new “Sizzlin’ Summer Deal.”
According to Keystone Director of Marketing Services Mary Kunz, “The ‘Sizzlin’ Summer Deal’ is just one of many earning opportunities that we offer our customers. Whether they choose to purchase cooling, lighting, sheet metal products or mirrors online at OrderKeystone.com or Platinum Plus reconditioned bumpers and wheels through their local branch, customers who take advantage of the ‘Sizzlin’ Summer Deal’ are sure to see their points add up to some great rewards.”
All online customers who have linked their valid Keystone account number to their AMR profile will automatically receive a Click-to-Claim notification email and be able to earn points for their eligible online purchases. Customers who purchase Keystone Platinum Plus reconditioned bumper and wheel products can their redeem codes on the Aftermarket Rewards website by simply entering the 12-digit Reward Code found on all Keystone Platinum Plus reconditioned bumper and wheel product labels.
The recognized leader in quality collision replacement parts, Keystone Automotive Industries Inc. is a division of LKQ Corporation. With a newly expanded network of over 9,000 team members, the combined company today maintains nearly 300 distribution facilities across the United States and Canada. Keystone remains committed to providing the most innovative product offerings and technology-based solutions to help its customers meet the demands of daily business.
Courtesy: Keystone Automotive Industries, USA

And the Winner is...

2008-07-08T07:50:00.000-05:00

We ran a promotion rewarding whatever lucky participant entered the 8 millionth Aftermarket Rewards® code and we have a winner! Mr. Andrew Brown is the shop manager at Ed's Auto Collision in Mastic, NY. Mr. Brown entered the 8 millionth code on June 17th and the code was on a 3M paint product. Congratulations Mr. Brown, we've deposited an additional 8,000 points into your account! Now you just have to decide what to do with all those points.

Is the current state of the economy good for aftermarket suppliers or bad?

2008-07-03T13:40:00.001-05:00

So which is it?

Over the last several weeks, Aftermarket Rewards has been across the country meeting with a broad range of leading suppliers to the industry. One of the first questions we always ask is, “How’s business?”

Half of the suppliers will tell us that business is great. Since people can’t afford to buy new cars they’re spending more than normal on maintaining the vehicles they have.

The other half we’ve spoken with tell us a different story. They explain that people can barely afford to put gas in their cars and the only maintenance being done is what’s absolutely necessary.
What’s your answer to the question, “How’s business?”

Aftermarket Rewards Wed Traffic Stats

2008-07-02T15:18:00.001-05:00

Web stats for June 2008

Page views: 212,577
Visits: 25,387
Unique visitors: 13,273

Are You a Victim of Jobber Jibber Jabber?

2008-06-06T13:19:00.000-05:00

Remember as a child when you stood in a line shoulder to shoulder with your friends. The first person in line whispered a sentence to the person next to him and so on down the line until it reached the last person. The person at the end of the line then said the sentence aloud. Remember how drastically the message changed from what came out of the first person’s mouth?

For manufacturers of branded automotive aftermarket products, the traditional distribution channel poses very similar communication problems.

Do you think the product and brand story you communicate to the WD is being passed along accurately to the jobber (if at all)? Continue down the channel and it’s easy to imagine that what the jobber is telling your end-using customer (if anything) is not consistent with your original message.

Now factor that hundreds of other manufacturers are looking for the distributors and jobbers to get their messages out as well, and your communications problem grows exponentially. You're fortunate if the WD or jobber advocates on your behalf at all, much less with effective messaging and branding.

What needs to change long term is our reliance on the distribution chain to relay our product and brand message to the end using installer.

Start providing YOUR end using shops with the product and brand information they need to have. Aftermarket Rewards enables manufacturers to communicate directly with their end using shops. When you have the ability to communicate directly with your end using installers, you'll be able to provide targeted and relevant product and brand information to the person with the ultimate purchasing authority.

And because your end using installers will have been receiving relevant information from you, the next time they call the WD for a fuel pump (or a starter, alternator, brakes, etc…) they'll call for your product by name. They'll know that your brand is what’s best for their customer and ultimately for their business.

Got GAAS? We did.

2008-06-05T15:40:00.002-05:00

Aftermarket Rewards attended AAIA’s 2008 Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium rubbing elbows with industry leaders. All of the sessions and panel discussions were absolutely top-notch so our hats off to the symposium’s organizers (special thanks to Ernst & Young who sponsored the Tuesday night reception … world-class feedbag).

With that said, there were a couple of the GAAS panel discussions that really grabbed our attention. In particular, it seemed that several alarming themes ran through the discussions concerning service dealers:
* They’re confused about what’s in the box and where it’s coming from
* They’re worried about where they can go for consistent product quality
* They want more communication regarding products and training
* They perceive that aftermarket suppliers don’t match up to OE quality

These are tough challenges for manufacturers to address through traditional sales and marketing practices because the aftermarket distribution channel makes it all but impossible for you to know who’s buying your products at the end-user level.

This is where Aftermarket Rewards can come into play for you. With Aftermarket Rewards we can help you:
* know what shops are buying your products
* reward those shops for their purchases
* intelligently cross-sell and up-sell your complete portfolio to those shops
* directly communicate your quality message to those shops
* directly market your products to shops who we identify as non-buyers

Manufacturers don’t be left in the dark concerning your end-using customers. Contact Aftermarket Rewards today to learn more.

Hertz let's the world know they are in Aftermarket Rewards.

2008-05-02T12:33:00.002-05:00

Hert'z has been Aftermarket Rewards for about 6 months. The program is showing results and the marketing of their involvement in the program is starting to take off. Click on the title of the article to see the write up.

Aftermarket Rewards Web Traffic Stats

2008-05-01T10:22:00.002-05:00

Web stats for April 2008.

Page views = 271,869
Unique visitors = 13,829

Incent Your Sales Reps with Aftermarket Rewards

2008-04-21T15:28:00.002-05:00

Take a look at the link below. Foodservice Rewards, another BI Worldwide Coalition does a great job of explaing the Sales Incentive approach that can be used with our other coalitions. The Sponsors in Aftermarket Rewards have not yet used this approach, but we look forward to pushing the idea further this year.

Take a look at the link below.

http://fightprivatelabel.com/salesperson-incentive-example-from-another-bi-coalition/

Database Marketing For Increased Profits

2008-04-18T09:08:00.006-05:00

Below is a link to a great article the does a nice job of laying out the power of database marketing. It's the aspect of Aftermarket Rewards that makes the program so powerful for our sponsors. What is not covered in the article, is how manufacturers obtain the purchasing and demographic data from the end user to even begin building the marketing database.

That is where http://www.aftermarketrewards.com/ comes in. We have the technology to link you with YOUR end users. And I'm not referring a dusty old end tab, rebate or buy-get program. I'm referring to a turn key Internet based program that gives you up to date information on who is buying your product when and how often. I am willing to bet that your distribution network nine times out of ten is not interested in sharing "their customer" information with you. Let's get real...if not for the products you and others manufacture, there would be no need for distributors. So let's agree that the end using customer is someone you deserve to know very intimately and need to communicate with constantly.

In today's market, what is your method of providing accurate product information to the end user? Put another way, save trade rag advertising that can't prove ROI, how do you ensure that your company and it's products stay top of mind in the shops out there? In most cases you can only hope the distributor reps are providing them with your accurate company and product information. Let's take off the rose colored glasses and understand that a warehouse dealing with 40,000+ SKU's is nothing short of an order taker. Quite honestly, time parameters make this the model of necessity. With Aftermarket Rewards you can be assured that your products will stay top of mind with shops and be called out by name.

If you are comfortable continuing to give "program dollars" to distributors in hopes that your product will gain front line attention from the reps, then read no further. Clearly, your business is going gain busters and you feel no pressure to grow your share of market. But, if you are ready to change the rules of the game and want to have a clear understanding of who YOUR customers are and what they are buying, it's time for Aftermarket Rewards.

Ryan Utecht
952-844-4789

http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=510318

Aftermarket Rewards Web Traffic Stats

2008-04-02T13:01:00.001-06:00

Web stats for March 2008.

Page views = 274,311
Unique visitors = 14,483

Aftermarket Rewards Web Traffic Stats

2008-03-03T14:33:00.003-06:00

Web Stats for February - Highlights:
Page Views = 281,182
Unique Visitors = 14,985

Do Customers Behave like Lab Rats

2008-02-26T14:25:00.007-06:00

Did you happen to catch the great article in the February issue of Motor Age? The article was titled, Do Customers Behave like Lab Rats? It was written by Bob Chabot and it dives into the concept of customers working harder to attain a goal the closer they get to that goal.

A link to the article is located below. Take some time to read it. Very interesting information on human psychology. It's also a very good insite as to why Aftermarket Rewards works so well.

When reading the article, take it from a stand point of your end using shops and how you can get them to buy more without the tired rebate or "buy get" idea.

The solution is Aftermarket Rewards. Aftermarket Rewards, rewards end using customers who start buying or buy more of your products.

http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion+/+Commentary/Do-Customers-Behave-Like-Lab-Rats/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/483355?contextCategoryId=41832

AMR as a method for shop cost savings

2008-02-20T08:54:00.002-06:00

Hello,

We use our points for employees who think of great cost savings ideas. We feature the ideas in our monthly and quarterly newsletters. Recently we met in our NY location and had a rewards dinner to honor the employees who came up with the best cost savings ideas. With the Aftermarket Reward ponts, we were able to reward them with some great items from the Aftermarket Rewards catalog. We’re glad that Keystone is involved with Aftermarket Rewards because we use them in all three of our locations.

Thanks,

Craig Chaffee
Chaffee’s Auto Body
3 locations, MA NY and TX.

How AMR helps Keystone.

2008-02-18T08:26:00.002-06:00

Aftermarket Rewards helps us with three key areas of our business.

Rewarding our customers for their loyalty to our brand.
Driving demand across our complete product portfolio.
Driving additional customers to our ecommerce site.

Christopher Northrup
VP Sales and Marketing
Keystone Automotive

What 3M's Ed Zacharias has to say about AMR.

2008-02-13T10:25:00.001-06:00

We have products where there is significant competition in the category. We view Aftermarket Rewards as one way to differentiate our offer from that of the competition.

Ed Zacharias
Promotions and National Accounts Manager
3M Company