Tenneco’s Expert Plus Service dealer loyalty program has been around since 1998, but is updated each January with different materials and offerings for that year.
Sheryl Bomia, Tenneco’s North American Aftermarket programs manager, told Loyalty360 that the Expert Plus loyalty program targets automotive service business owners and includes a complete marketing and promotional package.
“The Expert Plus program is very unique and has been since its start,” Bomia explained. “The Expert Plus program includes a complete business-building program: consumer promotions, members-only sales incentives, point-of-sale merchandising, consumer education materials, and other benefits like a thorough technician training program and rewards package.”
The 2014 Expert Plus package has an increased emphasis on training, incentives, and consumer promotions. It includes a valuable Expert Plus “Preferred Customer” rebate book. This coupon book allows service professionals to extend promotional offers for Tenneco products beyond the standard promotional periods and is available for premium ride and emission control products.
Each Expert Plus kit contains merchandising elements to drive sales and promote the Monroe and Walker brands, including a Walker catalytic converter product booklet; Monroe OESpectrum molded floor mat; an educational Walker emissions control wall chart; a branded appointment calendar, and other key point-of-sale materials. Expert Plus members also are prominently featured in the Dealer Locator sections of the Monroe and Walker Web sites.
The counter stool, promotions, coupon book and other point-of-sale materials are available only to members of the Expert Plus program. The enrollment fee for the annual program is $99.
Bomia said the program currently has 15,048 members.
“We consistently see increasing membership each year,” she said. “The goal of the Expert Plus dealer loyalty program is to help automotive service businesses increase their share of the undercar service market.”
What’s more, Bomia said customer input and feedback played a major role in the program’s success.
“We continuously solicit feedback through focus groups and surveys,” she explained. “We also gain great insights through our Sales Advisory Council, a committee of our top salespeople. They meet with us throughout the year to provide input on our marketing programs and this dealer loyalty program. Input we receive is used in the planning and approach for the following year.”
The Expert Plus program increases customer engagement through a number of ways and seeks to provide an entire business-building program to the business owner.
“The Expert Plus program gives the counterperson educational tools to use when explaining some of these complex ride control and exhaust parts and systems to consumers,” Bomia said. “The yearly program also includes a full calendar of consumer promotions and members-only incentives to help drive business to our partners and provide extra ways for counter people and installers to close sales. Tenneco also provides a complete assortment of point-of-sale merchandise to help the shop owner update the waiting room and service bays while promoting our brands and premium products.”