Editorial

The brand you know and trust could become your dream business

If you’re a fan of the national radio show, Car Talk, you may have heard the term DIY – used to describe those do-it-yourself-ers who like to dig in and get dirty doing their own car maintenance. But there’s a whole different section of the population called the DIFMs, as in do-it-for-me. Those people are just too busy or too uninterested in auto maintenance to mess with the oil and filters and such. You will find me solidly in that second category, along with millions of others.

That’s why I am personally grateful there’s a Valvoline Instant Oil Change close by. I can drive in, get my oil and filter changed, learn whatever other maintenance may be needed, and get out of there before I’ve finished reading a juicy magazine article in the lounge. Thanks to their 14-point maintenance check, I am confident my car has received a thorough inspection. Most importantly, the young man who waits on me is patient, thorough, and extremely polite. He talks to me like I might have a clue about my auto. In many cases at Valvoline Instant Oil Change service centers, people may encounter a knowledgeable young woman as their customer service representative, or even the technician.

Rick Paynter, manager of Franchise licensing for Valvoline Instant Oil Change, agrees that customer service is their number one priority and is something that really sets them apart from their competition. “We refer to our training as ‘Super Pro,’” says Paynter from the corporate offices in Lexington, Kentucky, “and it is truly, truly focused on customer service. Being treated well is something we no longer expect in our society but to a lot of people, it is more important than price. A person can get their auto’s oil changed anywhere but they are going to return again and again to where they are treated right.”

Super Pro^® is one of the industry’s most comprehensive training programs, for Valvoline Instant Oil Change employees. Its purpose is to fully prepare them for complete customer service.

Along with excellent customer service, the Valvoline Instant Oil Change franchise promotes “educating the customer,” about what preventative maintenance the vehicle needs. “We don’t sell our services;” adds Paynter, “we educate the customer about the manufacturer’s recommendations. It’s up to the consumer to decide whether or not he chooses to get that service performed.”

Since most people don’t bother reading the manual that comes with their car, it’s helpful to have someone else look up the information for you. Valvoline Instant Oil Change has software that will tell the service person what your car needs and on what schedule. When you do perform the suggested services, you know your investment will last longer and the car will run better.

Quick lube services are more popular than ever. Approximately 60% o the population uses a do-it-for-me service for routine auto maintenance. There are a variety of reasons for this, including environmental issues, the sophistication of newer, high-performance cars, and the need to manage one’s free time effectively.

Franchising since 1989, Valvoline Instant Oil Change has a total of 761 service centers across the US, 401 of which are franchise operated. The Valvoline brand itself goes back a very long time – 135 years! It’s the oldest oil brand in existence and enjoys around 98% nme recognition from the target audience.

With that longevity, it’s not surprising that Valvoline is very selective of their Instant Oil Change franchisees. “We want to be sure we have the right partnership when we choose franchisees,” says Paynter. “We’re not selling a business, we’re selling a dream – the dream of business ownership. A franchisee not only represents our business, he represents all of the other franchisees in the system.”

We are developing across the US, adds Paynter. “Everyone with a car needs our service and we do as well in small markets as we do in large.”

There are three services a franchisee is required to offer: oil change, transmission fluid exchange and coolant exchange. If the car owner desires, there are many other “quick” services that can be offered, such as fuel injection cleaning and window repair.

“We locate our business for maximum customer convenience,” says Paynter. “We realize that everyone has a pattern of frequent routes, their driving loop. For a soccer mom this loop may be school to bank to practice field to grocery store to dry cleaners to home. Our goal is to locate our stores within those loops so there’s no disruption to a person’s day.

A large part of a new Valvoline Instant Oil Change franchisee’s success can be attributed to the excellent training program. “We have a three phase training program,” explains Paynter. “The first is help with site selection, real estate and construction. We assign a real estate rep and a project manager to help them find the right site.

“During the second phase we provide the business training, including center management, using the POS system, the maintenance procedures, marketing, EH&S, and human resources. This is a hands-on, five week training in Lexington. We call it training the trainer so they can go back and train their employees in the Super Pro method.”

“During phase three,” continues Paynter, “your store is complete and we send the trainers to you. For a week before opening and a week after, the same trainers you had in Lexington will work with you to reinforce that everything is in place and everything works as it should.”

Paynter, who owned a quick-lube center himself before this program existed, understands the value of the built-in brand support provided, particularly when the store first opens. “This is the time when you could lose customers if you don’t do things the right way. With our system, when the first car rolls into your bay, you will feel like you’ve been doing this for years.”

Paynter suggests that another reason for the success of their franchise system is that they started with company stores and are able to refine the programs to make their system really effective. “A franchise owner today doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel,” says Paynter. “We’ve taken out the bugs and significantly shortened the maturity curve.”

In turn, the franchise owners themselves have contributed to the success of the proven Valvoline Instant Oil Change system. “Our franchisees give us great ideas and suggestions,” says Paynter. “They have a voice in our decisions. We like to say to our franchisees, ‘We’re listening – tell us what you need.’”

The Valvoline brand is known for superior automotive products and their Instant Oil Change centers are proud of the customer relations. Says Paynter, “We strongly believe that having integrity, being consistent and providing a needed service is the key to our mutual growth and success.”

Profile of a Valvoline Instant Oil Change Franchisee:

Desires to be own boss
Wants to control own income
Is a displaced corporate executive or successful business person looking to diversify
Has entrepreneurial spirit
Exhibits proven track record of people/management/communication skills
Knows the value of a well-known brand
Understands necessity of excellent customer service
Is a hand-on, dig in, ambitious type
Shows passion to achieve personal goals
Has financial strength