You may remember that Dan Bowman, an award winning salesman and knowledgeable 12-volt guru, started a consultant business, but ended up back in retail. His shop in Murfreesboro, TN, offers white glove service, provided by two top talents.
Bowman’s intent was to leave retail after 27 years and pursue training full time, but he kept getting referrals from suppliers and former customers. So he opened Adding Machine Garage (so named because you’re adding to your car).
“We have a website that says ‘Coming Soon,’ and no sign on the building and we always have something in the pipeline,” Bowman said, noting that he is still very active in consulting. However, the new shop has become a tool to help him stay current with how to help stores with their sales processes and product mix decisions.
At the Adding Machine Garage, Bowman handles sales, service and car audio and Dylan Kuykendall (who used to work with Bowman at Titan Motoring), handles engines, wiring, suspensions, wheels, tires and mechanics. “Dylan also understands electrical and is fantastic with diagnostics. He understands tracking down issues in cars on the electrical and network side of things. He’s definitely a standout in that space,” Bowman said.
Adding Machine Garage is not a typical car audio shop. Most of its work so far is mechanical including engine installs and suspensions or in accessories like wheels and tires, bumpers and lighting. “While we do audio and it’s something we really like, it’s not the majority of our traffic.” Bowman pegs car audio at less than 20 percent of sales.
Customers say they appreciate the store’s “personal touch.” Bowman described what amounts to a nosedive in customer service today, where often you can’t even speak to a real human. “I feel customer service is lacking more and more in every sector of a consumer’s life. Consumers, if they are going to spend a lot of money, want to feel informed and want someone to help them navigate the process. Being that kind of shop that can give a personal touch and not come off as ‘my way or the highway,’–that has really been resonating with folks.”
Adding Machine Garage maintains points of contact with customers through out the job process to keep them updated and assured.
Again, the shop is only just starting. “Right now, what we’re looking at is tooling up further on the mechanical side. We’ve gained some interest from some other shops that don’t get into the heavier mechanical work and have wanted us to do that side of big builds.”
This kind of referral work is fine with Bowman. And it requires less marketing. “We’re not looking to meet these customers in the wild. We’re happy for those shops to have their clients and if they’ve got something where someone needs a lift kit, wheels and tires or an engine, transmission, braking or AC…we do anything but paint. We’re not a body shop.”
Bowman was named Mobile Electronics Sales Pro of the Year in 2023. He regularly gives sales presentations at industry shows including KnowledgeFest, MasterTech Expo and CMA Expo.
