“Everything Matters when it comes to our customers.”
Fender Bender reached out to top OEM parts dealers in the Northeast to take a deeper look at who these suppliers are, what makes them stand apart and what they see happening in the next few years.
Howard Meeks, parts director at Flemington Car & Truck Country, was one of the subjects chosen for this interview.
Howard made statements on NJParts.com’s mission of doing business the right way and putting our customers first because everything matters when it comes to our customers. Here is the transcript of the interview:
Fender Bender: How long have you been in the industry, and what is the biggest change during that time?
Howard Meeks: I’ve been in the automotive parts industry for 40 years, 34 years in management. The change that has had the biggest effect on our industry is the huge influence of insurance companies and their involvement in the operation of the collision repair shops. Direct repair, the high demands and the use of aftermarket and used auto parts have greatly reduced the opportunity for profits for collision shops and dealerships.
FB: Why do you believe collision repairers consider you a leading parts dealer?
Howard Meeks: We have built our brand on the philosophy first started over 40 years ago by our founder, Steve Kalafer. It was a simple statement but holds true today as strongly as it did then: Do the right things and success will follow. I came up and was educated by some of the best dealers in the industry and the one characteristic they all shared and expressed to me is that everything matters - every phone call, email or text message was initiated by someone who had a concern or issues and that was an opportunity to shine. Simply, respect everyone and they will respect you.
FB: What changes do you see in the next five years for the industry?
Howard Meeks: Well, that is interesting to think about during these unprecedented times. Through the years I have seen the ups and downs of the industry but no one has ever seen anything like the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have had to do some major adjustments to our business model and, like every essential business, keep a safe working environment for our associates, vendors and customers. Call it luck or strategy but we are proud to say we had no one test positive for the virus at our warehouse as of the middle of May and were able to take orders and deliver parts every day without interruption.
Five years is a lifetime in this business and I would be crazy to predict that far in advance. I am sure there will be a continued push for electronic orders and less customer-to-parts-representative interaction. They want relationships and to deal with people they like and feel are respected by. They still love to talk about the business, the family, the sports - everything matters!
We would like to thank Fender Bender for including Howard Meeks as part of their special issue titled FenderBender Reader's Choice: OEM Parts Dealers.
We will continue to be here for our customers now and in the future, building relationships getting better and stronger!
