Ever heard of M.A.R.S.???

[harrellbenjamin]

[quote="MARS;26215"]I have been watching this topic with interest and feel the time is right to reply with a balanced, educated response to the complaints about my marketing philosophy, Comments on MARS as a franchise and my thoughts on the industry and where it is heading in general. I personally regard the quality of repair carried out and inadequate training far more significant than how one generates their business. But enough about that for now. I will start at the beginning.

Back in 1991 I left the RAF (Royal Air Force) after serving 13 years as an aircraft engineer on Tornado fighter jets. The first Gulf war frightened the hell out of me and the thought of the riches associated with self employment went a long way towards that decision to leave.

I started a VIN etching business, generating all of my business by cold calling customers. I got pretty good at it but it wasn't consistent enough and one day I met up with a Glasweld franchise holder near to my home town in deepest, darkest England. I was very impressed how his Glasweld injector could repair that nasty chip on my windscreen (windshield) and I decided there and then that I was going to do this. My first set of equipment was from the now defunct Optikleer NVS who were based in Boston, Mass, who incidently I got the idea for my UK company name from.
I then switched to Esprit, Novus, and a few other since dissapeared systems. I was easily sold by the hype so I tried quite a few and whilst they were all OK, didn't really perform anywhere near what I had seen with GlasWeld. Eventually I sourced a ProVac (GlasWeld) and got pretty good at my repairs.

Mid 2003 I was approached by a friend who wanted to do what I was succesfully doing and he became the first Optic-Kleer franchise holder. We used and still do use Delta kit and have always been happy with the service we have received from Brent and his team. I must admit that Delta weren't my first choice but have always served my company well and with good training produce brilliant results.

The original intention was to generate business in the same way that I did but things dont always go to plan and my third franchise holder just couldnt sell anything, never the less glass repair. He suggested a different approach which we tried and the rest is history. Two years later we were turning over $5million per year in glass repair. Times were good. We created the best looking, most professional glass repair sales center in the world. Our latest version is even better.

The adverse effect that our success had was that the insurance companies began to look at their glass expenditure and in the UK started to make things harder. Direct billing went for a lot of companies, Prepayment was introduced by others and some just decided to deal with the national replacement companies exclusively. And we all know what we think of them.

I have always tried to be fair and create excellent working relationships with my franchise holders. I have always endeavoured to give them the best set ups, literature, uniform and graphics for their vehicles. In a nutshell I tried to take the industry upmarket. In my opinion we achieved just that. Along with GlasWeld we were the two largest Repair only companies in the UK, if not the whole of europe.

With success comes increased opposition. When we started there were around 30 companies direct billing glass repair in the UK , today there are 470. I had to do something to support my guys. A chance introduction led to MARS buying a controlling share in Optic-Kleer and moving my family to the US to replicate what had been created in the UK. The only difference was that glass repair was to be the lead in for upselling other services to our customers. MARS have since launched succesfully in the UK off the back of Optic-Kleer and our first UK operator is completing their post training mentorship this week. A number of others are lined up to begin training soon as well. MARS use GlasWeld equipment so we are able to carry out extremely good repairs.

That brings me to the bit about $30 repairs. I have found that the buying power of a dollar is roughly equivalant to the buying power of the pound in the UK where we charge

[StarQuest]

Splitpit,

Would you mind answering a few questions?

What really bothers you more, the tent guy setting up guy in your area or his use of "Free Windshield Repair" which you consider to be a gimmick? If the tent guy didn't use that wording for advertising would he then be ok with you?

Just for your infomation in my area of Michigan almost all independent and every national glass shops use the same wording on vehicles, store front windows and banners. Your never going to change this "free" marketing stradegy because it's been proven over and over to be effective. If you fail to believe that, just type in "free" on your browser and see what pops up! Everything is "Free". Going further the CSR's for insurance companies promote the same thing using different wordage. We'll waive your deductible on repair! Customer than asks, I don't pay anything? CSR then responds no "it's free". I hear it daily on 3 way conference insurance referal calls.

Is it a advertising gimmick? Of course it is! Does it attract attention to the consumer? Yes it does!

I've never done a stationary setup but to be truthful if I decided too, I'd be doing the same thing as M.A.R.S. I'd love to try and get $50 for cash only but if I couldn't $30-$35 would be fine for me, then collect full on insurance repairs and acquire as many leads as I could for add on services. I really don't see anything wrong with any of this, do you? This guy may be struggling but at least he's out there trying. Give him some credit!

Bad mouthing your competitors? No reason to apply this method of sales! Simply tell them the other person may have done the best they could with the training, resins or equipment they had access to. Then explain why your service, equipment, resins and training can provide much higher quality finished results. The last thing you ever wan't to tell a customer is they made a mistake by using the wrong service, makes them feel kinda stupid.

[nixquax]

MARS.....MAjor Ripoff Scam..is one way a fellow tech told me!
nxqx

[Brent Deines]

Very good point StarQuest. I can tell you that all the badmouthing my competitors have done about my companies over the years have done nothing but hurt their cause and give me more recognition. Good or bad, your products and services speak for themselves. If MARS is doing everything they are being accused of, they won't likely be around very long, but all the complaining in the world won't make any difference. Just think how much free publicity MARS has gotten from this thread. Some may think it is all bad publicity, but I think it may benefit them as much as it hurts them.

There is no reason this thread has to get nasty just because some of us have different ideas about how to conduct business. I always had guys in my town doing repairs for as low as $20, but I never lowered my prices and always managed to find work. I was successful when most of the low ballers were not.

I happen to agree with harrellbenjamin that offering too low of a price hurts the market for most of us, and would prefer that everyone keep their prices up, but that's just not the way this or any other business works. Someone has to have the lowest price.

I know this is a very emotional topic for many of you, but I would encourage you to review the forum rules. Rule #4 is "Always be respectful of other users..." Please keep that in mind when you post so the thread can continue. Thanks!

[wsrusa]

In the nature of full disclosure Eric Howe is a man I personally have great admiration for.

Now that it out of the way the $30-35 is just a benchmark some markets can't support a higher price. The MARS Free Windshield Repair is a common marketing tool some use it others don't I liken it to GlasWeld VS Delta kits..... matter of preference.

Eric in reply to your post up until recenly (post litigation) Tech support calls were not returned THE ONLY individual who would was Paule (No big suprise right)

The changes maybe good but not permanent Why bevcause it is in their nature and I remind you of an old proverb

One day a scorpion approached a frog along a river bank.
The scorpion asked, "Froggie, please give me a ride across this wide river."
The frog responded, "I would be a fool to do that. You will sting and paralyze me."
Said the scorpion, "Ridiculous! If I stung you then we would both drown."
Trusting the scorpion's logic the frog agreed and allowed the scorpion onto his back as he swam out into the river.
In the middle of the river the scorpion stung the frog.
As the frog convulsed from the scorpion sting and began to slip beneath the waters he looked back at the scorpion and said, "Why? Why?"
The scorpion answered, "Because I am a scorpion, and it is my nature.


It's too bad you didn't bring Optic-Kleer to the US and franchised your morale character, soul, and passion for operator sucess is what is lacking I wish you well say hi to "Catweezil" for me.

[GlassStarz]

I guess its in some peoples nature to moan and groan and bad mouth others its easier to blame others for your failure than accept responsibility and change. Competition is good and bad mouthing them shows a window into who you are.
As far as the franchise thing I have personal knowledge with one friend who bought the mars and failed that said some people are not cut out to own thier own buisness and will always fail and yes my friend is one of those guys should the company screen people buying to see if they have what it takes? of course not they are in the buisness to make money I sold cars for 20 years did i make sure the guy was a safe driver before i sold him the performance car? not my job and wouldnt be condusive to me making money. hell I sold KIA,s for awhile
Seriosly who cares what equip a guy uses as long as he puts out good repair, Who cares if someone else is in town doing WR as long as im still making my living hell we could go on for ever with the who cares you get my point

[Glassdoc]

Folks, you can believe that the $25-$35 market is all you are able to get, but.... We all know better. And before this escalates into a word war.. Lets just look at the common denominator here.. "WINDSHIELDS" And PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong.. But NAGS sets the price for windshields NATIONWIDE, not locally.. So, using that as my evidence the cost of replacing your windshield may vary as much as $30 for the labor end (normally using substandard urethanes) the price of the glass remains fixed.. The price of the repair should reflect at least 30% of the replacement cost.. A: Its an appealing number to the customer (who sees he saved 66% by NOT replacing) and B: As in ANY profession, it would let your customers know you are a skilled, master technician.. IE: Surgeons, Master Mechanics, Carpenters.. Hell, you do not see these people peddling their wares on a street corner at cut rate below normal prices.. I know, this argument has been beat to death, and if you really don't think your worth the money then by all means do not charge it.. But, I'll fill you in with this tid bit of wisdom.. People will spend money to save money.. Whoa... Did i just say that? Yes, I did.. And you can take that to the bank..or not!
As for the gypsy's in the tents/parking lots whatever.. I'm not against any one making an honest living.. But, where is the accountibilty for these wandering nomads.. Here today, this week? Gone tomorrow to another location.. Say they did 50 repairs and half of them were crap jobs.. The customer can't locate them to address the problem so now that customer thinks ALL windshield repairs are crap.. Thats my biggest peeve with this type of "business" owner.. Have a "real" location with a "real" address", a "real"phone number registered and have a "real" business liscense" and be like all the other "real" business owners that do try to be accountable for all their services.. Here in Philly on any given week you can completely furnish your home with "FACTORY" brand named furniture out of the back of a Semi.. The problem is. Its factory seconds, no warranty, comes with the blems and there is no one to contact when a problem arises.. But there again.. You DO get what you pay for..

[Mr Bill]

I have no problem with someone charging $29.95 for a repair, just as I have no problem with someone charging $5.99 for a large pizza or 59 cents for a hamburger. There will still be people who charge $20 for a pizza and $5 for a burger.
I charge 50 bux. If you don't like it ; no problem! Go to the $29.95 guy!
Personally, I don't think the $29.95 guy will survive in the long term .
:icon_roll

[splitpit]

Why is it that if someone voices their opinion on here they are acused of bad mouthing someone else?

To Starquest, I've already made my opinion clear but since you somehow missed it, I'll repeat. I do not like the free windshield repair gimmick. My opinion is that it's a "slick willy" approach. which I don't agree with. I also do not like the lowball pricing. It hurts all of us including the guy who's doing it.
Tents? I don't care whether they do it in a tent or in a grand palace!
I've never heard an insurance rep. call it "free" and I do a ton of insurance work.

Did I say I bad mouthed the guy who did the crappy job? No, I simply told the customers the truth, that it wasn't filled in well but hopefully it will hold.
His reply, "next time I'll use you".

Glassdoc, I'm with you on this one. There's a reason for the saying, "get real".

[splitpit]

It doesn't take gimmick tactics and "lower than the rest" pricing to operate a successful wsr business. It takes hard work, sales ability, determination, reliability, quality work, good human relations skills, and a professional approach to doing business. If you think that sitting under a tent waiting for customers, doing low price repairs, and drawing them in with the word FREE, is the way to be successful, then go for it. But the reality is, your business will never reach it's full potential by doing so. If you are satisfied with your amount of business and the amount of $$ you make by operating that way, then that is great. If you want more out of your business than that, then you'll have to "get real".