STEVE OKUN: Automotive Appearance-Care RAINMAKER
Monday, August 3, 2009 at 9:43AM Dan suggested that the initial column be devoted to introducing myself and providing some background in the business. Here’s a recent Author’s Overview blurb that offers some perspective:
Currently, OKUN is an independent consultant specializing in the car wash and detailing industry, discreetly serving clients that run the gamut from a single detail or car wash business to automotive chains, industry associations and worldwide manufacturers of products and services. Previously, and often concurrently, he’s owned and operated professional car washes, truck washes and detail businesses, designed and built detail facilities and car & truck washes for others, provided hands-on training, and assisted various automotive OEMs as well as manufacturers who make products for the automotive aftermarket. Okun has worked in all aspects of the automotive appearance-care arena for his entire adult life. He’s picked up quite a bit of knowledge over these four decades, and hopes to share some insights along with offering some perspective on where we are as well as a few options and alternatives of how we might best advance. Always learning, Okun considers himself a tenacious student of automotive appearance-care, unwavering even after decades of up-close and personal experience.
Accordingly, Okun has been a major force in the automotive appearance-care business for over 40 years, successfully shaping the Industry nationwide. Okun, who holds degrees in psychology and marketing communications, has owned and successfully operated some of the most profitable appearance-care businesses in the country, including full-service and exterior car washes, truck washes, and high-profile detail centers. In fact, his businesses have been the subject of numerous national newspaper, magazine, and television features. As the innovator of menu-merchandising and service advisors that changed the sales practices in the professional car washing industry, his proven techniques remain key to their appearance-care profits today. As well, his concept of dollar-per-car revenue valuation has become a standard within the Industry.
OKUN:
- Innovated “Dollar-Per-Car” revenue assessment in 1970 as a financial tool for Extra-Services financial growth and management.
- Introduced Menu-Merchandising and Service Advisors concepts to the car wash industry in 1970.
- Pioneered carwash signage by bringing internally illuminated merchandising inside the wash tunnel.
- Coined the phrase “Soft-Cloth” for merchandising “fabric” washing material in sensible response to Industry-misnomer of cloth washing as being “brushless”.
- Served as the first Detailing Editor for Professional Carwashing & Detailing magazine as well as Technical Editor for America’s Car Care Business.
- Authored for Crown Publishing, E.W.Williams Publishing, and National Trade Publications
- Served as Vice-President for Meguiar’s, Inc., a leading surface-care products manufacturer.
- Co-Drafted Detail Training Curriculum for INTER-INDUSTRY CONFERENCE OF AUTO COLLISION REPAIR (I-CAR) detail training curriculum for bodyshop trade.
- Developed & implemented Chrysler Corporation’s acid-rain paint-correction procedures dealer-network training program.
- Formulated Toyota Port Operations Appearance-Care Remarketing Procedures
- Developed Meguiar’s Paint Correction Disciplines for Professionals
- Broke new ground in professional product development.
- Designed & Patented Foam Buffing Pad & Process Technologies
- Co-Developed & Benchmarked worldwide appearance-care for the LEXUS Certified Pre-Owned program
- Benchmarked Appearance-Care for Toyota Corporation’s Certified Used Vehicle program.
- Designed a highly effective retail Appearance-Care Profit Center that helped automotive icon Carl Sewell retain more of his “Customers For Life”.
- Developed & Benchmarked appearance reconditioning processes for DRIVERSMART, a national used vehicle superstore franchise.
- Developed & Implemented DuPont Assurance of Quality seminar series for Appearance-Care Profit Centers within the collision & bodyshop industry.
- Provided strategic planning initiatives for numerous international clients, a few of which being 3M, DuPont, DRIVERSMART, AutoNation USA, Meguiar’s, Chrysler, Turtle Wax, Auto Magic, Mercedes-Benz, Joyserv-Southeast Toyota, Sewell Motors, the International Carwash Association and others.
- Developed & Benchmarked ICA’s EXPRESS DETAILING CERTIFICATION program, an Industry First.
- Innovated, developed & introduced the FLEX-SERVE operations platform for automatic car washing & “Express After-Care” detailing services that set a new standard for the Industry.
- Pioneered the integration of flat-belt conveyor systems for high-performance production detailing as well as hand-carwash operations.
Okun was the principal detail advisor for the groundbreaking Lexus and Toyota Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle remarketing programs, which resulted in significantly enhanced residual values, stabilized pricing, and a dramatic increase in system profitability. Okun also established system-wide remarketing standards for cosmetic reconditioning and appearance-care throughout the automotive industry.
Currently, Steve continues to be an active contributor within the Industry:
- A prolific writer, OKUN authored 4 books focused on various aspects of car washing & detailing.
- Seasoned industry expert writer & columnist for numerous magazines and trade papers.
- Frequent speaker at automotive industry conventions and educational trade seminars.
- An Independent Consultant specializing in the automotive appearance-care industry with expertise in strategic planning, profit center development, ultra-high performance production efficacy, operations & management support, customer satisfaction & retention, innovative relationship-marketing techniques as well as Flex-Serve operational upgrades and new construction development.
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The car wash and detail communities have enjoyed a great reputation of selfless sharing of concepts, ideas and problem-solving between professionals, and I look forward to continuing that philosophy. To some, I have earned a reputation for being passionately candid about certain issues, and may not always remain "politically correct".
It is seldom my intention to be overly aggressive, but having been around long enough to have seen and heard quite a bit come and go over the years, I sometimes feel honor bound to speak up when smoke and mirrors abound... and integrity is at risk of compromise. In addition to offering information and advice, my mission is also to provoke and challenge mediocrity... and rock the complacency of the status quo while challenging for growth and excellence!
One final comment: As a Professional Rainmaker I truly believe that, done properly, automotive appearance-care is... and will continue to be a very, very profitable business. That said, there are changes evolving that will undoubtedly affect where and how that profitability is created and maintained. I've agreed to participate in Dan's initiative because I'd genuinely like to assist in that endeavor.
I"M OPEN TO YOUR QUESTIONS... AND OFFER ANY HONEST INSIGHT I MIGHT BRING TO THE DISCUSSION.
Reader Comments (2)
Well, that is an impressive background!
Nice to see you involved,Steve.
I look forward to your thoughts, particularly on this 'new normal' economy
Jim.