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            Dallas--How do you get a customer back to your shop?  For quick lubes, the longtime answer was every 3,000 miles; however, times have changed.  Quick lubes that simply change oil are a thing of the past, said Steve Christie, executive director of the Automotive Oil Change Association (AOCA).

Quick lubes adapt

            The convenience of one-stop-shopping has driven many quick lubes, in part, to offer belt and hose replacement, radiator flushes, tire rotations, and occasional brake work, Christie said.

            "In a typical quick lube, 20 percent of present volume is generated by products and services not sold five years ago," according to a report from Lang Marketing that underlines Christie's statement.

            Many operators must calculate the time a bay is tied up with these added services and weigh its profitability with preventive maintenance work that increases car counts, Christie said.

            "Every operator has to look at the customer flow," he said.  "If your customers cars aren't flowing through, you're not convenient and you've lost your benefit.

"Part of the reason for this change is customer demand," he said.  "People don't want to go to other places to have general maintenance done.  The name of the game is convenience."

Additional market pressures of extended manufacturer oil-drain intervals, increased labor costs, and the rising cost of motor oil have forced quick lubes to expand their offerings, Christie said.

Christie said AOCA supports the Be Car Care Aware campaign.  Although, he added, "Our mantra is to follow manufacturer drain intervals, especially for severe use.

            "Their recommendations and publicity have garnered benefit to our members," he said of the Car Care Council, the driving force behind the Be Car Care Aware campaign.  "Everything they're preaching is beneficial to the automotive maintenance business and to the consumer--that's what is really important."

Repairers pursue preventive maintenance

            Many franchise dealerships and independent repairers have adopted the quick-lube model, Christie said.  Those businesses are turning to preventive maintenance in part because vehicles are lasting longer.

            Independent shop owners have figured out how to offer preventive maintenance that's convenient to their customers, Christie said.  "It doesn't pay to have customers wait."  But, he added, location is still the king of convenience.

            "The dealer quick lubes are usually co-located with a dealership," Christie said.  "They're not usually in the neighborhoods and not as convenient."

AOCA Fast Lube Expo

The AOCA Fast Lube Expo is scheduled from April 29 through May 1 at the Dallas Convention Center, Christie said.  "The convention is the best place to get a total immersion in the quick-lube business in three days," he said.  "We have the people to build it, equip it, and supply it."

            Everything from shop equipment to chemicals and filters will be showcased by the more than 150 exhibitors, Christie said, adding that several training seminars are also scheduled.  For more information, visit www.aoca.org/southwest.cfm.