He outlined three of the franchisor’s main focuses in 2018:
1. Remodeling and Company Growth
One of the main focuses going into 2018 is a “light re-imaging process” that will affect 200 of its franchised locations.
The project has been in a planning phase for about three years, and Rivera says the franchisees are ready to start executing the remodels in 2018.
The remodels will feature new lighting, new paint and a “modern” look with its new interiors.
About 20 of these remodels have taken place in cities like Indianapolis and Las Vegas, but 2018’s efforts will affect Meineke stores throughout the entire country.
Additionally, Rivera said the Meineke network grew by about 50 locations in 2017, and 2019 growth expectations could be more aggressive depending on how 2018 unfolds.
2. Technology and Digital Inspections
In the call, Rivera stressed that technological innovation is a huge focus for the company going forward.
Introduced earlier this year, Meineke is continuing to grow its electronic inspection platform with "eInspection," which uses a tablet to capture data, photos video and other metrics of a vehicle’s condition through the eInspection tablet.
Through its website and Meineke app, Rivera said they can follow up with service reminders, and send videos as to why certain services are important to customers facing a major repair.
Rivera said Meineke should continue to use and improve on these services going into 2018.
3. Telematics
Launched in late 2016, Meineke entered the connected car arena with Revvy, something Rivera calls a “Fitbit for your car”.
Rivera spoke with Ratchet+Wrench earlier this year about the company's plan for introducing telematics to the public.
The Revvy device connects to a customer’s OBD-II port, and sends information to their Meineke app. It tells you miles driven, efficiency, what kind of driver you are for your profile.
From Meineke's perspective, Rivera says it gave them the ability to recommend specifically when a customer should be due for services rather than having to approximate.
Rivera said that Meineke typically doesn’t have a history of doing product innovation, and they’re using this as a way to understand and interact with customers.
He says 2017 was a learning experience for Meineke, and 2018 will see additional services with the product.
“We’re learning a lot from that platform, and it’s making us smarter about how we interact with customers and what customers are hoping for,” Rivera said.
