If I’m an owner of a GM car dealership, I’m loving OnStar. But, if I’m you, I don’t think I like it very much unless you have it in one of your personal vehicles. I think it is fantastic technology, a great source for some very valuable data and, most importantly, it’s a great way to keep the dealership connected to the customer.

According to Automotive News, OnStar has roughly 6 million customers of which 4 million have signed up to receive diagnostic emails about their vehicle. In addition, 25% of the 4 million subscribers are now receiving service reminder e-mails from their dealership. These e-mails not only remind the vehicle owner about maintenance work that is needed, but provides them with a way to deliver coupons to sweeten the deal.

Sure OnStar has smartphone apps, First Assist, turn-by turn navigation assistance, crash notification, hands-free calling, a push-button link to a service representative for directions and assistance, and has sent more than 147 million monthly diagnostic report e-mails to their subscribers. But the dealership doesn’t have a service relationship with the car owner yet. They want to get this vehicle owner coming back so they can pick up some service dollars and, ultimately, sell them another car or truck.

Your customers have a lot of choices for maintenance and repairs so you need to work at enhancing the service relationship. Are you placing reminder stickers on the windshield? Are you mailing reminder cards or coupons? I hope the answers to both questions is “yes.” Are you sending e-mails? There is no reason you shouldn’t be doing the same thing as OnStar. Are you collecting the e-mail addresses of your customers? Are you asking them if they would like to be sent service reminders and receive coupons? Remember, OnStar got two-thirds of their 6 million customers to sign up and receive diagnostic e-mails, so the customer must see a value in it.

You have the opportunity to provide truly important information to your customers given the fact they are driving older vehicles that will be in need of vital service and maintenance. But, don’t feel you have this old vehicle service market locked up. There are two trends to be aware of:

1. According to R.L. Polk, consumers are holding onto new cars an average of 63.9 months, which is up 7.2 months compared to two years ago. This gives the dealership a better chance at some post-warranty service work.
2. Some car dealerships are selling “older” used cars in order to capture the service work and an eventual sale of another vehicle.

Communication technology is changing along with the communication practices of your customers. E-mail and texting are common business practices that need to be a part of your everyday routine. Enhance the relationship with your customers by communicating the valuable knowledge you have about their vehicle in the manner they want to be reached.

Reprinted with permission of Babcox Publishing, Underhood Service December 2010.

Friddle:  If you were presently driving through Sweden, which side of the road would you be traveling?

Check our blog next Friday for the answer and another Friddle.

Last Week’s Friddle: After three days of reviewing photographs and film from the first Daytona 500 finish, who was ultimately declared the winner?

Last Week’s Friddle Answer: Lee Petty

Last Week’s Friddle Contest Winner: Terry Norman - Fort Worth, TX

The 2011 racing season is almost here. The NASCAR Driveline Division of Jasper
Engines & Transmissions looks to build upon the success of the 2010 season by building
transmissions and rear end differentials for some of the top teams in NASCAR.

Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Joey Logano drove in the
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2010 with cars equipped with a JASPER 4-Speed
Transmission, as did Michael Waltrip Racing drivers David Reutimann, Martin Truex, Jr.
and Marcos Ambrose. Penske Racing drivers Kurt Busch, Brad Kesolowski and Sam
Hornish, Jr. raced cars equipped with a JASPER Rear End Differential.

“We came up just short of winning the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Title with
Denny Hamlin,” says Terry DeKemper, JASPER NASCAR Driveline Manager.
“Denny finished second in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points, Kyle Busch was eighth.”

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams using JASPER NASCAR Driveline products
accounted for 15 wins in 2010 with nine pole starts, 60 top five and 108 top ten finishes.
JASPER could be found in other NASCAR racing disciplines. Brad Kesolowski won the
2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series using a JASPER Differential. Ryan Truex won back-to-
back NASCAR K & N East Division titles using a JASPER 4-Speed Transmission.

“We are leasing more transmissions this year and have some quotes out to some other
teams,” says DeKemper. “It looks like our division will be as busy, or busier, than last year.”

In 2010, JASPER incorporated a single-rail version of its 4-Speed Race Transmission
into its offerings. This style of gearbox allows a single external rail to rotate and move
two internal forks to engage the four forward gears. This makes the transmission lighter
in weight and allows for fewer parts outside of the case. “There is less chance of debris
getting caught in external components,” added DeKemper. “The bottom end of the
transmission is the same as in previous years, so we know that’s bulletproof.”

Friddle:  After three days of reviewing photographs and film from the first Daytona 500 finish, who was ultimately declared the winner?

Check our blog next Friday for the answer and another Friddle.

Last Week’s Friddle: Infiniti is the premium or luxury division of which Japanese automaker?

Last Week’s Friddle: Nissan

Friddle: Infiniti is the premium or luxury division of which Japanese automaker?

Check our blog next Friday for the answer and another Friddle.

Last Week’s Friddle: Pontiac built which subcompact car, using the X-body platform, in both rwd and fwd versions?

Last Week’s Friddle: Phoenix

JASPER ENGINES & TRANSMISSIONS’
FRIDDLE T-SHIRT SWEEPSTAKES

OFFICIAL RULES

SPONSORED BY JASPER ENGINES & TRANSMISSIONS
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN
PURCHASING WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING
VOID WHERE PROHIBITED, RESTRICTED, OR TAXED BY LAW

Eligibility: Eligible entrants must be a legal resident of the 48 continental United States (including the District of Columbia) and be 18 years of age or older at the time of any eligible entries.

How to Enter: View and submit an answer to the weekly posted Friday Riddle (”Friddle”) before Thursday at 12:00 PM of the following week. Submissions must be made as a blog response to the Friddle posting. Winner will be notified by email. The answer and winner will be posted the following Friday. Limit one entry per eligible person. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to void any and all entries of an entrant whom Sponsor believes has attempted to tamper with or impair the administration, securities, fairness or proper play of this Sweepstakes. By entering, entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules.

Winners: The first eligible entrant to submit a correct answer to the posted Friddle will be determined the winner. The weekly winner, or winners, will be determined by officers and/or employees of Sponsor, whose decisions are final and binding on all matters relating to the Sweepstakes. The Sponsor reserves the exclusive right to determine the winner, or winners, if any, each week.

Prize: Sponsor will provide each weekly winner with a free T-Shirt to be chosen by the Sponsor. Entrants must provide Sponsor with size of T-Shirt. If the eventual winner has not provided a size, Sponsor will select a size at its discretion. If the size selected is not available, Sponsor reserves the right to substitute size. Sponsor reserves the right to change the prize. Sponsor does not guarantee that the T-Shirt will be sized correctly for each winner and reserves the right to determine all specifications of the T-Shirts and the content contained on the T-Shirts. Prizes are not transferable and no substitutions are permitted, except at the discretion of the sponsor. The approximate retail value of T-Shirts range from $5.00 to $20.00.

General Conditions: The Sponsor reserves the right to suspend, cancel or modify the Sweepstakes for any reason, without liability. All federal, state and local laws and regulations are applicable. Prize winners may be required to execute (and have notarized) an affidavit of eligibility, a liability release and a publicity release (”Affidavit/Release”). All entries become Sponsor’s property. Entry and/or acceptance of prize(s) constitutes permission for the Sponsor and its affiliates to use the winner’s name, address (city and state) and/or likeness for advertising and trade purposes without further compensation, worldwide and perpetuity, in any and all forms of media, now known and hereafter devised, including, without limitation, online, unless prohibited by law. The Indiana Courts (state and federal) shall have sole jurisdiction of any controversies regarding the Sweepstakes, and the laws of the State of Indiana shall govern the Sweepstakes. EACH ENTRANT WAIVES ANY AND ALL OBJECTIONS TO JURISDICTION AND VENUE IN THOSE COURTS, AND HEREBY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF THOSE COURTS.

Disclaimer: Entrants agree that the Sponsor shall not be liable for losses or injuries of any kind resulting from acceptance and/or use/misuse of prizes, participation in Sweepstakes, or any technical malfunctions. Entrants also agree that the Sponsor is not liable for any injury or damage to any entrant’s or third person’s computer related to or resulting from Sweepstakes and its prizes. Information for the Friddle is gathered from the best available sources. Sponsor is not responsible for the accuracy of the information it obtains or which it uses to determine a winner.

Rules/Name of Winners: For an additional copy of these Official Rules or a list of winners, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope specifying which you are requesting to:
T-Shirt Sweepstakes
c/o Jasper Engines & Transmissions
P.O. Box 650
Jasper, Indiana 47547-0650

Check out JASPER’s Facebook page for our latest corporate videos, career opportunities, schedule of events and posts by JASPER sponsored bass angler Chad Morgenthaler.  To become a fan, simply click on the “Like” icon at http://www.facebook.com/jasperengines - it’s just that easy.

(Transmission Division Manager Mark Balsmeyer explaining the benefits of an updated rear and overdrive sprag for JASPER Remanufactured E4OD Transmissions.)

Personally speaking, I have more confidence in making purchases from companies who educate their sales and customer service representatives in the products they sell.  JASPER has high standards and takes a very serious and extensive approach when it comes to training its sales force. Along with weekly and monthly updates, each year our Sales Representatives spend three days with us here at the factory where they attend a series of tech sessions. These classes include presentations by JASPER Department Managers, R & D Personnel and Technicians. Subject matter focuses on specific product updates, new features and continuous improvement ideas.

Our Sales Representatives were here last week and attended sessions which covered new information on the following product lines:

• Marine
• Diesel Injection Components
• Transmissions
• Differentials/Diesel Engines
• Gas Engines
• Alternate Fuel Products

JASPER appreciates our Sales Representatives and their endeavors to share the benefits and value in our products with you.

Friddle:  Pontiac built which subcompact car, using the X-body platform, in both rwd and fwd versions?

Check our blog next Friday for the answer and another Friddle.

Last Week’s Friddle: In 2005, which U.S. automaker reinstated the Power Wagon nameplate?

Last Week’s Friddle: Dodge