Sometimes, improving customer retention can center around providing services that encourage customers to come into the shop less often. Why? Because ensuring that customers don’t have to come back for a simple, yet irritating oil top-off showcases that your shop is using quality products and your employees are providing quality work.
As a way to minimize oil consumption, as well as increase fuel economy, Mighty Auto Parts released Mighty VS7® Engine SHIELD™ featuring Fluoro-Ceramic Infused Technology. NOLN sat down with Matt Shaw, Director of Sales at Mighty Auto Parts, to discuss the history and advantages of the product and the revolutionary technology behind it.
What is Engine SHIELD and what does Fluoro-Ceramic Infused Technology mean?
“Ceramic” is a hot buzzword right now in the automotive aftermarket, but usually it's associated with car appearance. Products with ceramic coatings in exterior paint started in avionics on airplanes, and then soon moved to the automotive space. But 25 years ago a man named Frank Kane brought the same advantages of ceramic coating, internal—to engine components. This technology was first utilized in race cars. And now all these years down the line, is available to the masses and can be put on inside of your vehicle with Engine SHIELD.
When you put something in an oil additive that goes up inside of a car, it eventually falls out. But Engine SHIELD actually goes in the vehicle, rubs between two tight metal spaces to burnish itself into the pores of the metal to create the ceramic coating on the inside of the motor.
What are the benefits of using Engine SHIELD?
The ceramic coating makes it so that areas are smoothly rubbing against each other inside the vehicle. This creates less engine wear—less heat and friction, so you get more horsepower and better fuel economy.
The people who have been using Engine SHIELD on vehicles with typical used car mileage are seeing a noticeable MPG increase on their vehicle. This increase is because the vehicle’s engine is able to run more efficiently.
Engine SHIELD also virtually eliminates oil consumption inside of vehicles at any mileage that were previously having oil consumption issues, which is a large percentage of cars—even new vehicles.
How does this technology benefit shop operators?
First, Engine SHIELD is an exclusive product, so customers can only buy it through a preferred shop that carries the product—it is not sold retail.
The main benefits of the product come down to the fuel economy, the ability to have a dry start without hearing any noises from their motor, and the oil consumption. These factors allow owners to have a longer run with their vehicles without having to stop at a quick lube in between visits to get topped off.
All of these benefits are going to create a strong retention between the customer and the shop. Since customers don’t have to deal with these issues between shop visits, it creates the desire to go back to the facility and continue to get great service and tangible results.
What has the reaction been to the product?
We've done test trials with a diverse group of vehicles—from a minivan to a Cadillac Escalade, to a hopped-up tuner car and many others. The consistent feedback was that their fuel economy went up, their motor upon start-up was substantially quieter, and their oil consumption was down between oil changes. And we’re seeing that from around the country.
Quick lube chains with 70-80 locations are offering Engine SHIELD and they’re selling multiple pallets a month of the product. It’s a great upsell for a premium oil change with incredible customer benefits.
Where can people find out more about Engine SHIELD?
You can visit mightyautoparts.com and then search for your local rep to talk to them about Engine SHIELD.
