Custom Sounds, Austin, TX with 16 stores, is proud of one of its major investments.
Over the last six years, the company has invested $350,000 in an OEM integration data base for thousands of cars, which is paying off on the sales floor as well as the installation bay, says President Mike Cofield.
“Our sales people on their smartphone can walk out to a customer’s car: he goes through the menu and it tells him not only what integrating devices work, but which works the best,” said Cofield.
The data base includes adding backup cameras, leaving the head unit and adding amplification or adding any product and also tells the user what idiosyncrasies each car may have. Installers view which integration device they need by model and manufacturer for which car, “so they don’t have to call around,” says Cofield. It includes vehicles that go back 14 years.
On the sales floor, the data base speeds up the price quote on a job, which instills confidence in the consumer (especially if he’s been to a retailer that took 30 minutes to price a job). Also, says Cofield, “This way I stock the devices that actually work. There’s no special ordering that takes 10 days to get the piece and then it doesn’t work.”
He’s assigned a full time person to the project for the past six years (hence the $350K investment).
When a car comes in to any of Custom Sounds’ 16 stores, the data base manager tracks the install, so he’s got 40 or 50 installers giving him input each day. “He does nothing but learn how to integrate. He tests, he gathers data from the installers. If they find a car with idiosyncrasies, they send him the info,” said Cofield.
So if a Cadillac comes in and “we’re adding aftermarket Bluetooth to the factory system, it will warn [the installer] he has to shut off the factory noise cancellation,” he explained.
Custom Sounds is a founding member of the Mobile Electronics Specialists of America buying group, of which Cofield is President.
Source: CEoutlook
I work at 1 of Mr. Cofield’s Stores in St.Louis
and I can tell you that he knows how to get the product in our hands before anyone else in town, its funny to see other car audio shops send customers to get a part that they don’t have .
I want to say Thank you Mike for the ammo we need in this changing car audio world!!
Mike IS an industry leader, and establishing his own interface database IS an impressive accomplishment. And a great confidence builder for his staff and consumers. MY issue is that the vast majority of 12V retailers cannot expend the time and resources to do the same. And the vast majority of consumers see the confusion and “iffy” performance of some interfaces. It hurts our industry and sabotages its future.
When I had my store. This is what I would do. You must build a team atmosphere and every bodies input should be valued. I would recommend reading this article over and over again Then digest what is being said and then more importantly employ it! He is a leader for a reason and not by accident!