The world economy has been very uncooperative for businessmen, especially automotive dealers who are struggling with the crunch as nearly everyone else in business is. People are simply harder to convince they need to get a car or a new one to replace what they might have had for years.Indeed, buying any sort of vehicle these days is no longer a simple matter. The economic downtrend generally noted in most countries has made people more conscious about their expenses. More than anything, it has taught them to weigh their priorities and cultivate the discipline to stay committed to these priorities. Still, at the end of the day, automotive marketing people still have to continue with their job even if it means finding every possible avenue that leads to increased productivity.Of course, everyone who plans to sell needs people to sell to. Prospecting is, thus, a very important step to for those who want to actually post sales and not just plan them. Whatever type of vehicle one is trying to sell, it is important to come up with an actual list of leads who just may turn into customers. When you market any type of product there is, time is always of the essence. And when you start wasting it with the wrong leads, goals may not be achieved. And what is there to do if not achieve sales goals when in business?The value of leads is very important and even crucial to the success of any automotive marketer. The leads cannot just be any other list- it has to come with all the information that could provide a lead within a lead – that is, tidbits of information regarding the prospect’s automotive history, from his last date of vehicle purchase to the model or models he has bought. A list of prospects must also include hints about the person’s credit score or standing so as to give the marketer a good basis for judging whether or not the prospect may turn out to be not just a customer but a responsible one.Good prospecting does many things for a marketer, but above all, it allows one to plan ahead. And when the market gets as tough as it is right now, being able to plan ahead is going to be every automotive marketer’s edge over the others who opt to be more spontaneous in their approach.
Types of Wellness and Fitness Programs
As the broader conceptions of health and wellness have evolved, so too have the typologies of interventions offered by organizations. An early typology offered by several researchers proposed three levels of health programs:Level I: Awareness programs, including newsletters, health fairs, screening sessions, education classes, and other activities that raise individual awareness of the consequences of unhealthy behaviorsLevel II: Specific programs for lifestyle modification, including fitness programs, back exercises, and the like, characterized by active employee involvement in adopting health-promoting behaviorsLevel III: Programs that create environments in which individuals can sustain healthy lifestyles over the long term, including the provision of fitness centers at the workplace, making healthy food available, and removing unhealthy food from the workplace.From these three levels, fourth-generation programs evolved, variously referred to as total health programs, comprehensive health promotion programs, or health and productivity management programs. Johnson & Johnson’s Live for Life program represents one of the earliest comprehensive wellness programs. Three key components of the J&J program are health risk assessment, creative educational units, and physical fitness training. Health risk assessments may include analyzes of stress management, fitness, nutrition, safety, and ergonomics, and the assessments are used to identify the individual’s strengths and weaknesses. In the educational units, a wide variety of media is used to deliver education on such topics as weight management, smoking cessation, women’s health issues, and blood pressure management, among other health-related subjects. In J&J’s physical fitness training, programs are tailored specifically to individual needs. Evaluations of the Live for Life program have indicated positive effects on exercise, health behaviors, and employee work attitudes.Kimberly-Clark Corporation’s Health Management program is also a benchmark comprehensive program, initiated in 1977. The program reflects the company’s culture and its belief that well-informed, healthy employees are happier, safer, more productive, and have better attendance records, and that these factors produce lower health care costs for the organization. Integrated, multidisciplinary teams provide health screening, primary care, exercise programs, nursing care, and employee assistance programs at Kimberly-Clark’s various locations. Fitness facilities include indoor running tracks, Olympic-size pools, nature trails, weights, and aerobic equipment. Preventive and educational services are provided, which include family wellness, nutrition education, CPR training, and sport-specific workshops, among other programs.Health and productivity management programs (HPM) have three basic goals: (1) to provide integrative services that promote employee health or assist with injury, illness, or work-life balance, (2) to increase productivity and morale, and (3) to manage medical benefits, risk management, employee assistance programs, and other services such that they promote health and productivity. Keys to the success of HPM programs include health promotion and wellness staff who serve as models of healthy lifestyles, employee empowerment, and self-responsibility. The distinguishing factor of HPM programs is the tie to the mission of the business and articulation of the links between individual health and business operations.
Training Options for Automotive Service Management Careers
Students who are looking to gain the accredited education and training needed to enter into a career in automotive service management can do so by enrolling in a vocational school or college. Accredited educational training programs are available to provide students with the quality training they need to enter into the successful career of their choice. Students can train for an accredited bachelor degree in the field of automotive service management. There is a variety of information students should know prior to enrolling in an educational program.1. Education
Training in this area of the field will allow students to gain an accredited bachelors degree. Training at this level can require students to complete four years of study through a vocational program. An associate level degree must be obtained prior to enrolling in a bachelor’s level degree program. Training will allow students to learn how to train, hire, and manage various employees within their workplace. Professionals in this field also train to keep records, create marketing plans, control costs, and carry out a number of tasks. Students who choose to enter into this exciting field can obtain the career they desire by completing an accredited educational training program.2. Careers
Students who gain an accredited bachelors degree in automotive service management can expect to enter into their desired career in the field. Training is available for those looking to become automotive service managers, business owners, Accredited Automotive Managers (AAM), and a variety of other professionals in this field. Career options can allow students to seek employment in dealerships, service departments, automotive shops, and many other related businesses. Accredited vocational training programs and schools can provide the education students need to pursue the career of their dreams.3. Coursework
Specific areas of study will vary by level of education and desired career. Students will have the chance to study a variety of topics related to careers in the automotive industry. Coursework may consist of studying subjects like brakes, management, suspension, electrical systems, ethics, business, transmissions, steering, accounting, customer relations, and much more. Studies will train students to order parts, prepare invoices, submit insurance claims, supervise employees, and much more. Accredited coursework can include subjects to teach students to work with a variety of professionals in the automotive industry.4. Continuing Education
Continuing education is available for those looking to enhance their skills in specific areas of the field. Training can provide students with additional skills and knowledge in certain areas like computers, electronics, auto body, mechanics, and many other subjects. Accredited continuing education courses can be entered in to by current professionals or students pursuing a degree.Accreditation is provided to quality schools and colleges by various agencies such as the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology ( http://www.accsc.org/ ). Full accreditation is a programs proof that they can offer students the best education possible. By researching various programs and gaining more information students can choose the program that meets their individual goals. Start by looking into automotive service management programs today.DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERIC OUTLINE and may or may not depict precise methods, courses and/or focuses related to ANY ONE specific school(s) that may or may not be advertised at PETAP.org.Copyright 2010 – All rights reserved by PETAP.org.