Customer Engagement - Execution Playbook Module 1 WHEEL ALIGNMENTS ALIGNMENTS

Customer Engagement - Execution Playbook Module 1 WHEEL ALIGNMENTS -------------------------- ALIGNMENTS 101 ------------------------------ While a wheel alignment is often referred to simply as an alignment, you should know that it is really complex suspension angles that are being measured and a variety of suspension components that are being adjusted. This makes an alignment a vital service that greatly influences the performance of the vehicle's tires. OUT-OF-ALIGNMENT CONDITIONS Out-of-alignment conditions occur when the suspension and steering systems are not at their desired angles. Out-of-alignment conditions can be caused by many factors, including: Aging and wear of suspension parts (ball joints, bushings, etc.) An impact suffered by the tire/wheel (pothole, curb, etc.) A change in vehicle ride height (raising or lowering) Incorrect alignment settings will result in more rapid tire wear. Therefore, an alignment adjustment should be performed (or at least checked) at the following intervals Whenever new tires are installed Whenever tires are rotated Whenever suspension parts are installed or adjusted After the vehicle has encountered a severe impact to a tire/wheel When any unusual or non-even tire wear patterns appear "...Incorrect alignment settings will result in more rapid tire wear." THRUST ANGLE ALIGNMENTS The different types of alignments offered today are thrust angle alignments and four-wheel alignments. During a front-end alignment, only the front axle's three alignment angles are measured and adjusted. The term Front-end alignment should be replaced with the term Thrust-Angle Alignment, which are fine for some vehicles featuring a solid rear axle. A Thrust-Angle Alignment, in addition to adjusting the alignment angles on the front axle, confirms that the front tires are positioned directly in front of the rear tires, to ensure the thrust angle is pointed straight forward. 1

FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENTS On all vehicles with four-wheel independent suspensions, or front-wheel drive vehicles with adjustable rear suspensions, the appropriate alignment is a four-wheel alignment. This procedure "squares" the vehicle like a thrust angle alignment, and also includes measuring and adjusting all three alignment angles on the rear axle, as well as the front axle. Not all vehicles are easily adjustable or fully adjustable. Some vehicles require aftermarket kits to allow sufficient alignment adjustment to compensate for adjustments that need to be made in order to get all 4 wheels back into alignment. When aligning a vehicle, it's appropriate for the vehicle to be carrying its "typical" load. This is important for drivers who continuously carry loads in their vehicles. "... Some vehicles require aftermarket kits to allow sufficient alignment adjustment." The primary suspension angles that need to be measured and adjusted are caster, camber, toe, and thrust angle. Here's a definition of each angle and its influence on a vehicle and its tires. CAMBER The camber angle identifies how far the tire slants away from vertical when viewed directly from the front or back of the vehicle. Camber is expressed in degrees, and is said to be negative when the top of the tire tilts inward toward the center of the vehicle and positive when the top leans away from the center of the vehicle. Some high-performance drivers may prefer negative camber, which improves cornering at higher speeds, but for the vast majority, the best alignment achieves 0 o camber, and maximizes tire life during normal, everyday driving. 2

CASTER The caster angle identifies the forward or backward slope of a line drawn through the upper and lower steering pivot points when viewed directly from the side of the vehicle. Caster is expressed in degrees and is measured by comparing a line running through the steering system's upper and lower pivot points (typically the upper and lower ball joints) to a line drawn perpendicular to the ground. Caster is said to be positive if the line slopes towards the rear of the vehicle at the top, and negative if the line slopes towards the front. A very visual example of positive caster is a motorcycle's front steering forks. The forks point forward at the bottom and slope backward at the top. This rearward slope causes the front tire to remain stable when riding straight ahead and tilt towards the inside of the corner when turned. Caster angle settings allow the vehicle manufacturer to balance steering effort, high speed stability and front end cornering effectiveness. CROSS-CAMBER & CROSS-CASTER Most factory alignments call for the front camber and caster settings to be adjusted to slightly different specifications on the right side of the vehicle compared to the left side. These slight side-to-side differences are called cross-camber and cross-caster. For vehicles set up to drive on the "right" side of the road, the right side is aligned with a little more negative camber (about 1/4-degree) and a little more positive caster (again, about 1/4-degree) to help the vehicle resist the influence of crowned roads that would cause it to drift to the right. TOE The toe angle identifies the exact direction the tires are pointed compared to the centerline of the vehicle when viewed from above. An axle is said to have positive toe-in when the centerlines of the tires intersect in front of the vehicle and negative toe-out when they point out. The toe setting is typically used to help compensate for the suspension bushings compliance to enhance tire wear. Toe can also be used to adjust vehicle handling. The vehicle's toe is one of the most critical alignment settings relative to tire wear. 3

A toe setting that is just a little off can make a huge difference in tire wear. Consider that if the toe setting is just 1/16-inch off of its appropriate setting, each tire on that axle will scrub almost seven feet sideways every mile! Extend it out and you'll discover that rather than running parallel to each other, the front tires will scrub over 1/4-mile sideways during every 100 miles of driving! Incorrect toe angle will rob your customer of valuable tire life. A rear-wheel drive vehicle "pushes" the front axle's tires as they roll along the road. Tire rolling resistance causes a small amount of drag, resulting in rearward movement of the suspension arms against their bushings. Because of this, most rear-wheel drive vehicles use some positive toe-in to compensate for the movement, enabling the tires to run parallel to each other at speed. Conversely, a front-wheel drive vehicle "pulls" the vehicle through the front axle, resulting in forward movement of the suspension arms against their bushings. Therefore, most front-wheel drive vehicles use some negative toe-out to compensate for the movement, again enabling the tires to run parallel to each other at speed. "...incorrect toe angle will rob your customer of valuable tire life." Always adjust toe settings to the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations, as toe settings will greatly influence wet handling and tire wear. Wheels that are out of toe alignment also cause drivability problems. This is because the daily pounding of tractor trailers on many highways leaves ruts that fill with water. Since excessive toe means that each tire is pointed in a direction other than straight ahead, when your customer hits a puddle that causes only one tire to lose grip, the other tire's toe setting will push or pull the vehicle to the side. This may make the vehicle feel unsettled and very "nervous." THRUST ANGLE The thrust angle compares the direction that the rear axle is aimed with the centerline of the vehicle. It also confirms if the rear axle is parallel to its front axle and that the wheelbase on both sides of the vehicle is the same. 4

A vehicle with independent rear axles may have incorrect toe-in or toe-out on both sides of the axle, or may have toe-in on one side and toe-out on the other. The suspension on each side of the vehicle must be adjusted individually until it has reached the appropriate toe setting for its side of the vehicle. ALIGNMENT RANGES The vehicle manufacturers' alignment specifications usually identify a "preferred" angle for camber, caster and toe (with preferred thrust angle always being zero). The manufacturers also provide the acceptable "minimum" and "maximum" angles for each specification. The minimum and maximum camber and caster specifications typically result in a range that remains within plus or minus 1-degree of the preferred angle. If for whatever reason your vehicle can't reach within the acceptable range, replacing bent parts or an aftermarket alignment kit will be required. TARGET SETTINGS - RECOMMENDATIONS An accurate wheel alignment is critical to balance the treadwear and performance a vehicle's tires deliver. Regular wheel alignments will save your customers as much money in reduced tire wear as they cost, and should be considered routine, preventative maintenance. Technicians should be encouraged to align the vehicle to the factory specified settings and not just within the ranges. WATCH VIDEO #1 --- From HUNTER --- Why Do Cars Need Alignments? 5

------------- TRAINING EFFECTIVENESS CHECK # 1 -------------- 1. Out-of-alignment conditions can be caused by many factors, including: a. and of suspension parts b. An suffered by the tire/wheel c. A change in vehicle 2. An alignment adjustment should be performed (or at least checked) at the following intervals a. Whenever are installed b. Whenever tires are c. Whenever are installed or adjusted d. After the vehicle has encountered a to a tire/wheel e. When any unusual or non-even appear 3. Simple front end alignments are not appropriate for today s vehicles. The vast majority of vehicles today require either a - alignment or a alignment. 4. The four alignment angles that should be checked and potentially adjusted during a wheel alignment service are: 5. Fill in the correct alignment angle term below each diagram below. a. b. 6. The vehicle's angle is one of the most critical alignment settings relative to tire wear. 6

----------------------- ARE YOU A BELIEVER? -------------------------- According to the largest wheel service equipment provider in the industry, HUNTER ENGINEERING, 60% of the vehicles on the road in the U.S. are driving everyday with their wheels out of alignment, costing millions of dollars in reduced fuel economy and tire wear. There are three (3) VISIBLE signs that a vehicle is out-of-alignment. If during the write-up process, you notice any one of these signs, then it is vital that you educate the customer about the costs of mis-aligned wheels, and the benefits of having an alignment done. 7

There are also NON-VISIBLE signs that can indicate a vehicle is out-of-alignment. These should be discussed with the customer during your initial conversations, when you are asking about how their vehicle has been running. Are you still getting good gas mileage? Does the vehicle tend to pull one way or the other while driving or braking? Let s take a look at those tires. How many miles are on these? One of our commitments to our customers is to help them save money by maintaining their vehicles in good working order, yet out-of-alignment wheels are costing our customers thousands of dollars every month, and it s our job to help them reclaim these lost funds. 8

One of the most critical safety systems on vehicles is the braking system. Our customers rely on us to help them make sure their vehicle can stop quickly in an emergency. But a vehicle that is out-of-alignment is going to have a longer braking distance than a vehicle in alignment. As a professional Tire & Service provider, our customers rely on us to help them get the most out of their tires. Maintaining proper Wheel Alignment is CRITICAL to helping our customers get maximum mileage from their tires. 9

As we discussed earlier, the TOE angle is especially important for tire wear. As you can see, an out-of-alignment toe condition can cause a customer to lose $45 per tire in lost treadwear. That s $180 per set of 4 tires! Six out of every ten vehicles on the road today in the U.S. have wheels that are out of alignment and that s a National average, so what do you think it is in New England?... On average, a VIP location sees about 15 customers each day (some more, some less). If 60% of those customers have vehicles that are out of alignment, which means our average location is serving 9 customers each day whose vehicle needs an alignment. Are you a believer? Do you want to help your customers save more money while improving the safety of their vehicle? Let s all commit to becoming THE BEST in the industry. Our customers are the best, so they deserve our best, every day! WATCH VIDEO #2 --- From HUNTER --- Alignment is not Elective 10

------------- TRAINING EFFECTIVENESS CHECK # 2 -------------- 1. The three (3) VISIBLE signs that a vehicle is out of alignment are: a. Crooked b. Vehicle or c. Abnormal 2. The three (3) NON-VISIBLE signs that a vehicle is out of alignment are: a. Reduced b. Braking c. Reduced 3. Just a 4% decrease in fuel economy due to an out-of-alignment condition is estimated can cost one of our customers $ in additional fuel cost annually. 4. A vehicle equipped with new tires with 10/32 tread depths may have a braking distance of up to feet shorter than a similar vehicle equipped with tires with just 4/32 tread depth. 5. If a customer loses 3/32 in premature tire wear, it can cost them on average $ per tire, which can add up to $ for a set of 4. 6. Based on national averages, how many customers are visiting a VIP location each day with a vehicle that is out of alignment? 11

AVOID THE HASSLE & EXPENSE OF TIRE ADJUSTMENTS Tire Adjustments (TA lines in POS) are those times when you give a customer credit for their old tires toward the purchase of new tires. Tire Adjustments include three primary situations: Road Hazard Replacements Mileage Warranties 30-Day Ride Guarantees Of these three situations, the one that is most common is Mileage Warranties. So often customers have new tires installed but do not get an Alignment with their tires. So, they instantly begin wasting money by wearing out their tires with uneven/premature wear. On top of that, many customers forget to have their tires rotated, so they end up with tires that are worn out unevenly and way before the mileage that the tires are rated for. We can help them! In addition to recommending a tire rotation (and balance check) at EVERY OIL CHANGE, we can make sure our customers are getting an Alignment with every new tire installation. And when we do this, it s amazing how much of an impact it has on future tire adjustment expenses, for both your customers and for your business. We first rolled out training on Alignments in September 2015. Since then, as a company, we ve done a better job of checking our customers wheel alignment and selling alignments. So, what do you think has happened to our Tire Adjustments? Check out the graph below. 12

---------------------- CAN YOU READ A TIRE? ------------------------- One of the keys to becoming great at helping your customers get the most from their tires is being able to read a tire, in other words, being able to look at and touch a tire, and very quickly, identifying whether the vehicle is causing the tires to wear improperly. Below are a couple sets of examples of different tire wear patterns. 13

For the most part, situations of tire wear can be grouped into five (5) basic categories. Wheels out of Alignment (Toe, Caster, Camber, Thrust Angle) Tom Brady Problem (Under-inflated or Over-inflated) Balance Problem Suspension Problem Normal, even wear (preferred!) Now, familiarize yourself with the different types of tire wear patterns, and recall the different alignment angles we discussed in the first section above. Discuss among the group what type of irregular tire wear you would notice based on each type of alignment problem below: Toe-in Toe-out Positive Camber Negative Camber Positive Caster Negative Caster Thrust Angle Off Center ACTIVITY There is a collection of actual worn tires located. The Instructor will now take you one-by-one to these tires. Your job is to inspect each tire, and then fill out the notes area below with your analysis of each tire. After everyone has gone, we will discuss as a group, so that we are all able to quickly identify irregular tire wear. Tire #1: Tire #2: Tire #3: Tire #4: Tire #5: Tire #6: Tire #7: 14

------ VIP 5-for-5 CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT PROCESS ------ Now, consider the VIP 5-for-5 Customer Engagement Process, specifically as it relates to your customers wheel alignment condition. Our 5-for-5 customer engagement process, which delivers a Different & Better experience for our customers, can be summarized into the steps below. Below each step, identify the places during this process where you would: Read the Tires Identify out-of-alignment conditions Make a quality presentation, Educating the Customer about their vehicle s alignment Sell an alignment, and offer VIP s different Alignment Warranty Options Be specific. Describe what actions you would take, how you would approach each situation with a customer, and how you plan to convince the customer how important the need for proper wheel alignment is to the safe, economical operation of their vehicle. STEP 1 TAKE THE CUSTOMER WITH YOU for the write-up in the parking lot STEP 2 START IN SMART TRACKER to look up or add the customer & vehicle STEP 3 TIMELY MPI as the Technician s 1 st PRIORIRY 15

STEP 4 MPI INTO SMART TRACKER and print the Vehicle Analysis Summary STEP 5 TAKE THE CUSTOMER TO THE SHOP to meet their Technician, see under their car, and review the Vehicle Analysis Summary together. THAT S GOING 5-for 5!!! And the rest of the process follows to make an exceptional visit for your customer. Create estimates (if necessary) and present to customer. Agree on promise time. Complete all work in time promised. STEP 9 Finish transaction, explain each line on the work order in detail, thank your customer for choosing VIP, and ask them to do a Google/Yelp Review 16

--------------- YOUR CUSTOMERS ARE LISTENING --------------- In our business, where customers rely on us to help them make the best decisions about their vehicle s maintenance and repair, it s very important that we recognize how powerful our words are. Your customers TRUST you, and they trust that you're going to educate them and help them understand why they should follow your recommendations. They are LISTENING. In order to deliver the best service to your customers, you must be a master of the following process, and each step is critical to you being able to convince your customers to do what s best for their vehicles. 1. Believe in the benefits of the service (Proper Wheel Alignment) 2. Identify the need for the service (Does the vehicle need an Alignment today?) 3. Educate the Customer about their vehicle s Alignment condition (Presentation) 4. Close the Sale (Help the customer see the benefits of performing the Alignment today) "For the things we have to learn before we do them, we learn by doing them" Aristotle ACTIVITY The more you practice at something, the better you get at it. ROLE PLAYING can be a very effective way to practice and master the skill of presenting to customers. 1. Pair up with someone to be your role playing partner. 2. The Instructor will choose a setting within the VIP customer engagement process for you and your partner to act out (Parking Lot, Counter, or in the Shop). 3. One of you will be the VIP Associate; the other will be the VIP Customer 4. As the VIP Associate, approach the customer and engage him/her regarding their vehicle s wheel alignment condition 5. As the Customer, approach the conversation with caution, but be a good listener, open to the need for an alignment. You are skeptical, but you trust the VIP Associate. A quality presentation will convince you. 6. After you are done, switch roles, and repeat the exercise. 7. The Instructor will choose three (3) pairs to perform their role playing in front of the entire group, and all will discuss what approaches work best. 17

--------- TRAINING EFFECTIVENESS CHECK - FINAL ----------- 1. When should a customer s car get a free alignment check at VIP? a. Every time they buy new tires. b. Every time they buy new tires or get a tire rotation. c. On any tire related visit or oil change visit. d. On every visit. It should be part of our standard Multi-Point Inspection (MPI) process for every customer s vehicle. 2. Based on national averages, out of every 10 customers that bring their vehicle to you for any kind of service, how many have wheels that are out of alignment? a. 5 out of 10 b. 6 out of 10 c. 7 out of 10 d. 8 out of 10 3. What are the 2 major wheel angles that cause tires to wear down prematurely? a. Toe & Camber b. Toe & Caster c. Camber & Caster d. Toe & Thrust Angle 4. What should you do if a customer asks you to do a Front Wheel Alignment to their vehicle? a. Tell them that at VIP we don t sell Front End Alignments. b. Go ahead and sell them an Alignment, and have the Technician adjust the 3 angles on the front axle. c. Go ahead and sell them an Alignment, and have the Technician do a full factory recommended Compensated 4-wheel Alignment. d. Explain to the customer that at VIP we only do full factory recommended Compensated 4-wheel Alignments, explain the difference, and have the Technician perform the service. 5. Which wheel angles, if out of alignment, could cause a vehicle to pull to one side? a. Toe & Caster only b. Toe & Camber only c. Toe, Caster & Camber d. Toe, Caster, Camber & Thrust Angle 18

6. If your customer s vehicle is out of alignment by 1/8 of a degree in total toe, how much faster will their tires wear down? a. 10% Faster b. 20% Faster c. 25% Faster d. 35% Faster 7. What are the three signs that would lead you to recommend an Alignment to your customer? a. Irregular Tire Wear, Bouncy Ride, Crooked Steering Wheel b. Irregular Tire Wear, Vehicle Pulls or Drifts, Crooked Steering Wheel c. Irregular Tire Wear, Vehicle Pulls or Drifts, Braking Distance d. Bouncy Ride, Crooked Steering Wheel, Vehicle Pulls or Drifts 8. Which shop bay should a VIP customer s vehicle start in? a. The bay of the Technician who got assigned the work order b. Bay #1 to begin the MPI c. The bay with the Alignment Rack d. The tires & lube bay 9. Which wheel angle is most critical as it relates to premature tire wear? a. Caster b. Toe c. Camber d. Thrust Angle 10. The compares the direction in which the rear axle is aimed with the centerline of the vehicle. It also confirms that the front axle and the rear axle are square with each other. a. Toe b. Caster c. Thrust Angle d. Camber 19

------- TALK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES & SOLUTIONS ------- If your team is not one of the top performing VIP teams when it comes to Alignments, then it deserves an honest discussion of the challenges that you face that have prevented your team from becoming the best. You want to be the best, right? Use this time to talk about how you and your team can overcome the challenges and become one of the best at helping your customers save money and get maximum life out of their tires. CHALLENGES IDEAS FOR IMPROVEMENT 20