Link

BMW Digital BMW

Merchandising Aftersales Magazine
Spring 2009, No. 17

The world of service,

The Ultimate parts, accessories The Ultimate
bmwusa.com Driving Machine® and lifestyle. Driving Machine®

Customizable Aftersales Promotion.

Now suitable for framing.

With nearly 100 slides to choose from and space for customizable copy, the
Digital Merchandising Program allows you to promote Aftersales products and
services in your showroom with flexibility and impact. To find out more, go to
the Aftersales portal on CenterNet.

© 2009 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logos are registered trademarks. MAG-017-09
Opportunities Knock  4  The “Right” Hire  8  PIA  14  The CEI Advantage  16
 Link Spring 2009

Dear Friends,

Some might suggest that — with the current state of the

economy — this is no time to be talking about growth.
Personally, I believe there is no better time. Yes, some
areas of our business are unavoidably affected. But there
are others in which there are more opportunities than
ever, particularly in Aftersales.
The Aftersales opportunity presents itself from two
fronts: from the business that is naturally walking through
your front door and from business you could be attracting
with the cost-effective tools made available to you by “F or most centers, the business
BMW. In this issue of Link, we’ll define some of those
has simply gotten bigger and
opportunities and show you how other centers continue
bigger, and it’s easy to overlook
to generate revenue by putting the customer first.
At this year’s NAC, we’re launching a new the details. These days, it’s all
program designed to build awareness of Original BMW about getting back to basics as
Accessories during the vehicle sales process. Not only will a way to maintain profitability
that help increase sales, it will also help Client Advisors and build loyalty.”
deliver a new BMW that meets each customer’s specific
needs and style. Some of these new tools will also help Randy Clements, Warranty Business
Development Manager
current customers who plan to hold off on the purchase
of a new vehicle. Those owners will require more service
and will be more inclined to “freshen up” their current
BMW with accessories. In both instances, the concept
of “elevated service” has never been more important in contents
ensuring that we deliver the best possible experience and
keep customers loyal to the BMW brand. 02 Off The Line 16 Touchpoint Suggestion Box:

There is no doubt that these are challenging times. Link was created for you — as a source of information to help
All the latest from the world of BMW Success through CEI
That’s why it is more crucial than ever to identify and you succeed and as a forum for your ideas, suggestions and
seize the opportunities we have before us and to strive to
04 Feature 18 Fuel stories. So it should come as no surprise that your feedback
is critical to its success. Please help us make Link magazine
create new ones. We look forward to working with you
in that pursuit.
Catching a missed opportunity Color System news and F1 for every day everything it can be by sending us your comments.

08 Accelerate 22 Wrench BMW of North America Agency

Grant Paullo, Editor in Chief Great Big Circle, Inc.
Efficiency in technical hiring Success through CEI
Email: grant.paullo@bmwna.com 224 West 30 th Street
Kimberly Byars, Senior Editor Suite 1203
12 Front & Center 25 Backstretch Email: kimberly.byars@bmwna.com New York, NY 10001

Capturing attention through The journey to NAC

Digital Merchandising
Alan E. Harris Link magazine retains exclusive rights of reproduction in printed or electronic media for any text or photographs
submitted and reserves the right to edit, modify or refuse publication of any material and to hold such material
Vice President
14 Winner’s Circle
for an indeterminate period, unless such material is accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope with
the appropriate postage.
Aftersales Link magazine is published on behalf of BMW of North America, LLC to assist BMW centers and all Aftersales
Awards and recognition personnel. The information within, including products, part numbers, procedures, specifications and other relevant
data, is checked to be as accurate as possible. Some of the vehicles pictured in this magazine are European
spec and may include non-US vehicles. BMW NA neither warrants nor guarantees that all information is accu-
rate. BMW reserves the right to change this information at any time, without prior notice and without obligation. Link
is published by Great Big Circle, Inc. Reproduction in whole, in part or by electronic storage is prohibited without
the express written permission of BMW of North America, LLC.
­L ook for this symbol throughout Link to get more
On The Cover: © 2009 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logos are registered trademarks.
The all-new 2009 BMW Z4 Roadster information on topics covered in this issue. Printed in USA, MAG-017-09.

Link Spring 2009   1

 Link Spring 2009

Dear Friends,

Some might suggest that — with the current state of the

economy — this is no time to be talking about growth.
Personally, I believe there is no better time. Yes, some
areas of our business are unavoidably affected. But there
are others in which there are more opportunities than
ever, particularly in Aftersales.
The Aftersales opportunity presents itself from two
fronts: from the business that is naturally walking through
your front door and from business you could be attracting
with the cost-effective tools made available to you by “F or most centers, the business
BMW. In this issue of Link, we’ll define some of those
has simply gotten bigger and
opportunities and show you how other centers continue
bigger, and it’s easy to overlook
to generate revenue by putting the customer first.
At this year’s NAC, we’re launching a new the details. These days, it’s all
program designed to build awareness of Original BMW about getting back to basics as
Accessories during the vehicle sales process. Not only will a way to maintain profitability
that help increase sales, it will also help Client Advisors and build loyalty.”
deliver a new BMW that meets each customer’s specific
needs and style. Some of these new tools will also help Randy Clements, Warranty Business
Development Manager
current customers who plan to hold off on the purchase
of a new vehicle. Those owners will require more service
and will be more inclined to “freshen up” their current
BMW with accessories. In both instances, the concept
of “elevated service” has never been more important in contents
ensuring that we deliver the best possible experience and
keep customers loyal to the BMW brand. 02 Off The Line 16 Touchpoint Suggestion Box:

There is no doubt that these are challenging times. Link was created for you — as a source of information to help
All the latest from the world of BMW Success through CEI
That’s why it is more crucial than ever to identify and you succeed and as a forum for your ideas, suggestions and
seize the opportunities we have before us and to strive to
04 Feature 18 Fuel stories. So it should come as no surprise that your feedback
is critical to its success. Please help us make Link magazine
create new ones. We look forward to working with you
in that pursuit.
Catching a missed opportunity Color System news and F1 for every day everything it can be by sending us your comments.

08 Accelerate 22 Wrench BMW of North America Agency

Grant Paullo, Editor in Chief Great Big Circle, Inc.
Efficiency in technical hiring Success through CEI
Email: grant.paullo@bmwna.com 224 West 30 th Street
Kimberly Byars, Senior Editor Suite 1203
12 Front & Center 25 Backstretch Email: kimberly.byars@bmwna.com New York, NY 10001

Capturing attention through The journey to NAC

Digital Merchandising
Alan E. Harris Link magazine retains exclusive rights of reproduction in printed or electronic media for any text or photographs
submitted and reserves the right to edit, modify or refuse publication of any material and to hold such material
Vice President
14 Winner’s Circle
for an indeterminate period, unless such material is accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope with
the appropriate postage.
Aftersales Link magazine is published on behalf of BMW of North America, LLC to assist BMW centers and all Aftersales
Awards and recognition personnel. The information within, including products, part numbers, procedures, specifications and other relevant
data, is checked to be as accurate as possible. Some of the vehicles pictured in this magazine are European
spec and may include non-US vehicles. BMW NA neither warrants nor guarantees that all information is accu-
rate. BMW reserves the right to change this information at any time, without prior notice and without obligation. Link
is published by Great Big Circle, Inc. Reproduction in whole, in part or by electronic storage is prohibited without
the express written permission of BMW of North America, LLC.
­L ook for this symbol throughout Link to get more
On The Cover: © 2009 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logos are registered trademarks.
The all-new 2009 BMW Z4 Roadster information on topics covered in this issue. Printed in USA, MAG-017-09.

Link Spring 2009   1


Start the Cycle
This just in: BMW Motorrad Motorsport will make its debut at
the highly competitive 2009 Superbike World Championship, an
international race for production-based motorcycles. Performing
against top Japanese and European motorsport competitors, the
series will be BMW’s first grand challenge in world superbikes —  Celebrating the U.S. launch of BMW Advanced Diesel, BMW has
but also a chance to prove its efficacy in the sport. With a rich
racing heritage tracing all the way back to the R 32 motorcycle
in 1923, BMW has previously achieved success on the tracks,
including a thrilling photo-finish race in Daytona in 1976. But since
the Superbike World Championship was formed in 1988, the
race has earned the international clout that has made it the most
competitive of all races. While the new BMW team acknowledges
the struggles on the road ahead, it is with great enthusiasm that
the brand enters the March – October 2009 season. The S 1000
RR bike, from which the racebike concept was conceived, will
publicly debut in summer 2009.
AYES in Action
BMW is pleased to announce that Automotive Youth Educational
Systems, better known as AYES, will continue operating in New
Jersey thanks to the tireless efforts of Monty Roberts of BMW, Jim
Appleton of NJCAR, Bill Tuttle of AYES and several other program
advocates. In cooperation with AYES OEM partners and the New
Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the New
Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers, NJCAR, will be available
as a resource for schools as they strive to place the best automotive
technology students in franchised new car dealerships around
the state. Mark McAleer, Field Services Coordinator at NJCAR,
is currently developing customized strategies for maximized BMW
dealer engagement. For the latest details, visit www.ayes.org.
2   Link Spring 2009
New Beginnings
After six years as the Vice President Aftersales, BMW of North
America, Alan Harris has accepted the position of Managing
Director of BMW Group’s Regional Office Eastern Europe,
Africa and Caribbean, starting April 1. As Vice President,
Mr. Harris was instrumental in growing Aftersales with a “fix the
customer first” approach that elevated service and positioned
BMW centers as the one-stop-shop for customers. Beginning
April 1, Mr. Harris will be succeeded in that role by Dan Creed,
currently Vice President of BMW’s Southern Region and a
12-year BMW veteran.
Show Business
On March 5 – 15, 2009 BMW will make another powerful statement
at the 79th International Geneva Motor Show. Progressive models,
technical innovations and dynamic features will appear in the
current model portfolio. As a result of the BMW EfficientDynamics
development strategy, several model technologies will be
upgraded to production standard — meaning a reduction in both
fuel consumption and emissions. What’s more, the show marks the
European debut of several new models including the BMW Z4,
combining athletic power and elegant lines with supreme driving
comfort, and the BMW 730Ld, setting a new standard for effi-
ciency in the luxury class.
off theSLUG
line
Make it Two
BMW proudly accepted two awards for the 10 Best Engines from
Ward’s Automotive Group for its twin-turbo gasoline and diesel
Inline-6 engines. Having acquired two previous awards since its
introduction in 2006, this will be the third win for the BMW 3.0-liter
DOHC Inline-6 gasoline engine. Powering 11 U.S. BMW models,
from the 135i to the X6 xDrive35i Sports Activity Coupe, the
engine features 300hp, twin low-mass turbocharges, High Preci-
sion Direct Injection and electrified accessory drives for unrivaled
efficiency and responsiveness. The second honor was awarded to
the new 50-state BMW Advanced Diesel with BluePerformance
technology, now available for the 2009 BMW 335d Sedan and
X5 xDrive35d Sports Activity Vehicle. Offering V-8 performance
on a four-cylinder consumption, the engine provides a level of
fuel efficiency never before achieved.
“These two awards are further testament that BMW’s
EfficientDynamics engineering strategy is delivering the perfor-
mance and efficiency that drivers expect today,” said Hans Hohenner, A Powerhouse Campaign
General Manager of Drivetrain Development for BMW Group.
released a national campaign to promote a new understanding
of the benefits of diesel technology and BMW EfficientDynamics.
Starring comedian, writer and producer Brian Unger, the ad series
focuses on four key messages: reduced national fuel consumption
potential, reduced environmental impact, increased driving range
and individual fuel savings. The campaign highlights the U.S.
release of the BMW 335d Sedan and the BMW X5 xDrive35d
Sports Activity Vehicle models equipped with BMW Advanced
Diesel with BluePerformance. The ad has ran on FOX and ABC
national tv shows, with corresponding print ads in The New Yorker,
SEED, Vanity Fair and Fortune magazines.
While today over 70 percent of BMW brand vehicles sold in
Europe are diesel-powered, this will be the first time in more than 20
years that diesel-powered BMWs are sold in the U.S. “With this
campaign we aim to communicate the real advantages of BMW’s new
diesel technology, which offers a range of 580 miles per tank, yields
By Land and By Sea up to 36 miles per gallon, reduces harmful CO 2 emissions by 20
As a result of a special collaboration between Europe’s top- percent, and delivers superior performance over competitive makes,”
ranked yacht builder, Bavaria Yachtbau GmbH and BMW Group said Jack Pitney, Vice President, Marketing, BMW of North America.
DesignworksUSA, global design consultancy, the all-new Deep
Blue 46 vessel was presented at The Düsseldorf Boat Show, held
January 17 – 25, 2009. A leader in cutting-edge design, BMW
Group DesignWorks eagerly accepted the opportunity to extend
Bavaria’s motorboat range into the premium segment with the
sleek innovation of a luxury sailing yacht. Powerful lines, expres- People on the Move
sive proportions and a continued attention to performance and Arturo Pineiro, CEO of BMW Group Central and South America,
value, make The Deep Blue 46 the perfect balance of creativity was promoted to the position of Vice President of BMW’s Central
and functionality. Region, beginning May 1.
Link Spring 2009   3

Start the Cycle
This just in: BMW Motorrad Motorsport will make its debut at
the highly competitive 2009 Superbike World Championship, an
international race for production-based motorcycles. Performing
against top Japanese and European motorsport competitors, the
series will be BMW’s first grand challenge in world superbikes —  Celebrating the U.S. launch of BMW Advanced Diesel, BMW has
but also a chance to prove its efficacy in the sport. With a rich
racing heritage tracing all the way back to the R 32 motorcycle
in 1923, BMW has previously achieved success on the tracks,
including a thrilling photo-finish race in Daytona in 1976. But since
the Superbike World Championship was formed in 1988, the
race has earned the international clout that has made it the most
competitive of all races. While the new BMW team acknowledges
the struggles on the road ahead, it is with great enthusiasm that
the brand enters the March – October 2009 season. The S 1000
RR bike, from which the racebike concept was conceived, will
publicly debut in summer 2009.
AYES in Action
BMW is pleased to announce that Automotive Youth Educational
Systems, better known as AYES, will continue operating in New
Jersey thanks to the tireless efforts of Monty Roberts of BMW, Jim
Appleton of NJCAR, Bill Tuttle of AYES and several other program
advocates. In cooperation with AYES OEM partners and the New
Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the New
Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers, NJCAR, will be available
as a resource for schools as they strive to place the best automotive
technology students in franchised new car dealerships around
the state. Mark McAleer, Field Services Coordinator at NJCAR,
is currently developing customized strategies for maximized BMW
dealer engagement. For the latest details, visit www.ayes.org.
2   Link Spring 2009
New Beginnings
After six years as the Vice President Aftersales, BMW of North
America, Alan Harris has accepted the position of Managing
Director of BMW Group’s Regional Office Eastern Europe,
Africa and Caribbean, starting April 1. As Vice President,
Mr. Harris was instrumental in growing Aftersales with a “fix the
customer first” approach that elevated service and positioned
BMW centers as the one-stop-shop for customers. Beginning
April 1, Mr. Harris will be succeeded in that role by Dan Creed,
currently Vice President of BMW’s Southern Region and a
12-year BMW veteran.
Show Business
On March 5 – 15, 2009 BMW will make another powerful statement
at the 79th International Geneva Motor Show. Progressive models,
technical innovations and dynamic features will appear in the
current model portfolio. As a result of the BMW EfficientDynamics
development strategy, several model technologies will be
upgraded to production standard — meaning a reduction in both
fuel consumption and emissions. What’s more, the show marks the
European debut of several new models including the BMW Z4,
combining athletic power and elegant lines with supreme driving
comfort, and the BMW 730Ld, setting a new standard for effi-
ciency in the luxury class.
off theSLUG
line
Make it Two
BMW proudly accepted two awards for the 10 Best Engines from
Ward’s Automotive Group for its twin-turbo gasoline and diesel
Inline-6 engines. Having acquired two previous awards since its
introduction in 2006, this will be the third win for the BMW 3.0-liter
DOHC Inline-6 gasoline engine. Powering 11 U.S. BMW models,
from the 135i to the X6 xDrive35i Sports Activity Coupe, the
engine features 300hp, twin low-mass turbocharges, High Preci-
sion Direct Injection and electrified accessory drives for unrivaled
efficiency and responsiveness. The second honor was awarded to
the new 50-state BMW Advanced Diesel with BluePerformance
technology, now available for the 2009 BMW 335d Sedan and
X5 xDrive35d Sports Activity Vehicle. Offering V-8 performance
on a four-cylinder consumption, the engine provides a level of
fuel efficiency never before achieved.
“These two awards are further testament that BMW’s
EfficientDynamics engineering strategy is delivering the perfor-
mance and efficiency that drivers expect today,” said Hans Hohenner, A Powerhouse Campaign
General Manager of Drivetrain Development for BMW Group.
released a national campaign to promote a new understanding
of the benefits of diesel technology and BMW EfficientDynamics.
Starring comedian, writer and producer Brian Unger, the ad series
focuses on four key messages: reduced national fuel consumption
potential, reduced environmental impact, increased driving range
and individual fuel savings. The campaign highlights the U.S.
release of the BMW 335d Sedan and the BMW X5 xDrive35d
Sports Activity Vehicle models equipped with BMW Advanced
Diesel with BluePerformance. The ad has ran on FOX and ABC
national tv shows, with corresponding print ads in The New Yorker,
SEED, Vanity Fair and Fortune magazines.
While today over 70 percent of BMW brand vehicles sold in
Europe are diesel-powered, this will be the first time in more than 20
years that diesel-powered BMWs are sold in the U.S. “With this
campaign we aim to communicate the real advantages of BMW’s new
diesel technology, which offers a range of 580 miles per tank, yields
By Land and By Sea up to 36 miles per gallon, reduces harmful CO 2 emissions by 20
As a result of a special collaboration between Europe’s top- percent, and delivers superior performance over competitive makes,”
ranked yacht builder, Bavaria Yachtbau GmbH and BMW Group said Jack Pitney, Vice President, Marketing, BMW of North America.
DesignworksUSA, global design consultancy, the all-new Deep
Blue 46 vessel was presented at The Düsseldorf Boat Show, held
January 17 – 25, 2009. A leader in cutting-edge design, BMW
Group DesignWorks eagerly accepted the opportunity to extend
Bavaria’s motorboat range into the premium segment with the
sleek innovation of a luxury sailing yacht. Powerful lines, expres- People on the Move
sive proportions and a continued attention to performance and Arturo Pineiro, CEO of BMW Group Central and South America,
value, make The Deep Blue 46 the perfect balance of creativity was promoted to the position of Vice President of BMW’s Central
and functionality. Region, beginning May 1.
Link Spring 2009   3
 FE ature
fe ATURE
SLUG

Optimize Your Opportunity Tools

Now More than Ever, Aftersales is the Key to Success in a Challenging Economy

As the nation tightens its collective belt these days, it’s important that BMW centers continue to innovate to handle the customer twice,” he “This one is not a ‘missed’ opportu- TeleService
explains. “You need to write another nity, but it is a ‘new’ business opportunity,” TeleService was introduced on the 2004
when it comes to keeping their own business economically healthy. The built-in clientele of existing
repair order; you need to perhaps give says Mr. Clements. “This report gives 5 and 6 Series as a new service within
BMW owners is a tremendous advantage — as customers put off purchasing their next BMW, their need the customer another BMW service centers the path to reach the customer the popular BMW AssistTM Safety Plan.
to stay on top of maintenance services and to “refresh” their vehicles through accessories increases. loaner or rental car; you need to tie the however they see fit.” Now, TeleService is available on all 2009
Is your center doing all it can to proactively reach out to its customers and making them aware of all technician up again — even the greeter, Mr. Demski also sees it as a great models except the X3. Its primary func-
the wash attendant, the valet and the opportunity to reconnect with a customer tion is to either automatically notify the
the Aftersales opportunities available to them? There are two easy ways to accomplish this — one by
invoice team are doubling their work. whom the center might otherwise not center when a condition-based service
tracking down customers whose cars are in need of routine and preventive maintenance work; the other What’s worse, he adds, “Customers have seen for months. “If you bring them item is due and thus allow the center to
by using the several free, Aftersales-friendly marketing tools newly released by BMW NA to help bring physically were there. They didn’t have to in to do the recall component, maybe proactively call the customer, or allow the
new customers in the door. market to get those customers in. They there’s also an opportunity to sell a Main- BMW driver to simply push a button to
were physically in their shop, and they tenance Program Upgrade, accessory or transmit the Key Data and request a call
left with open work not being claimed.” even detail the car through the SPA from their center (the “Service Request”
Ms. Mikulewicz notes that as of program,” he offers. or ”My Dealer” menu option).
Aftersales Balanced Scorecard (ABS) “When the customer schedules Melody Mikulewicz, Warranty Plan-
2009 January month-end, the national Yet another potential ABS sales As a way to familiarize new BMW
The ABS program has only been out an appointment, at that point in time ning & Systems Manager, says a good
Missed Opportunities rate is a whopping booster resides in the Dealer Inquiry owners with the system1, the BMW Assist
a couple years, starting as a basic cost you should be proactive in researching practice to implement is to make a
7,682 instances. The figure translates report’s eligibility for extended service or Safety Plan, including TeleService, has
index, but these days it’s an invaluable the Vehicle History Inquiry to find out printout of the Vehicle History Inquiry as
into 2.27 percent of all potential maintenance contracts function. been included for a four-year period from
tool to analyze the individual strengths of whether there is any additional work soon as the customer makes an appoint-
BMW services that should have been “If the advisors print the vehicle the in-service date since the 2007 model
each individual center — as well as areas required,” Clements explains. “It’s at that ment: “There we have a section clearly
performed in that time period. history inquiry prior to having the year as part of BMW Ultimate Service.
in which there is room for improvement. point that you can make the appropriate stating open campaigns for the car. So
The second ABS report that can customer come in, not only can they do From a revenue standpoint, just selling
Two ABS reports in particular show, accommodations, whether it’s in the they would know what’s required that’s
help centers to get the customer to bring a better planning for their recall, they also subscription renewals is a positive — but
as Lawrence Demski, BMW Manager of shop time, making sure alternative trans- still not done, and then based on that they
the car to the dealership is the Recall can see the eligible service contracts even more so is the potential TeleService
Warranties, quips, instances where a portation is available or ordering the would look at the bulletin and find out
Analysis by VIN report. that they can sell,” Ms. Mikulewicz says. offers directly for Aftersales opportunities.
center is “literally letting money roll out appropriate parts.” what parts they need to coordinate with
“Let’s say that you are running out “We highlight this item in green, based on “These are the most highly qualified
the door.” If that opportunity is missed, the parts department.”
of work early in your service department,” the car’s age, not mileage. So in the service leads you could possibly get: It’s
The first is the Missed Opportuni- Mr. Clements continues, “There should Mr. Clements stresses that the
offers Ms. Mikulewicz. “You can then use meantime they could say ‘By the way, the car telling you, ‘Hey, I need to be
ties report, which was added to ABS two be a process in place to check for it “Missed Opportunities report is a tool that
the Recall Analysis by VIN report to drill your car’s Standard Maintenance serviced,’” quips Charles Silva, BMW NA
years ago. The report tracks clients who again at the time of the visit. Ultimately, gives the manager an opportunity to look
down to the details and find out the VIN Program is going to expire in a month, Manager of Aftersales & Engineering
come in for a service appointment, have there could even be a final check before at all the instances where a car was in
and the customer’s name and address. and we are currently offering a Mainte- Systems. “Plus, there is credibility that
the work done and leave — and all the the car is delivered back to the customer; the workshop, had work that needed to
All that is left to do is contact the nance Program Upgrade.” is established with the Service Advisor
while there is an additional, open service verifying that every opportunity you had be done but it wasn’t done before the car
customer and schedule an appointment It’s a true win-win, says Mr. Demski: because the vehicle is telling them what
action or recall that is assigned to the was taken.” left. He or she can filter that by advisor or
and potentially sell them Maintenance “Not only do you sell the product, but you needs to be serviced.”
vehicle that is left unresolved. In addition, Mr. Demski points out that it’s technician to actually find out where the
upgrade or OOPP program.” keep the customer coming back to the During 2008, there was an average
the report chronicles a “rolling quarter” — more than just a profit opportunity; it’s opportunity is being missed,” he explains.
With this report, it doesn’t even store for an additional two years. There’s of nine days between the receipt of a
at the end of the month, it drops the a legal responsibility when it comes to “Maybe it’s not the whole process that is
have to be cars that have been in your more labor and parts sales along with TeleService request and the scheduled
oldest of the three months and adds the recall situations. breaking down, it’s just an individual or a
center for service. Centers can match customer retention and perhaps they appointment. Interestingly, it took six of
new one. “Especially if it’s a recall mandated team in the service process.”
the VINs with open recalls that match all may consider purchasing a new vehicle those days just to open the TeleService
Randy Clements, Warranty Business by the government, where there is a Mr. Demski says that even though
the cars in which, depending on the situ- or CPO from you down the road.”
Development Manager, says the Missed safety or liability issue; we really need the customer could return for the work at
ation, they’ve sold, serviced or are in 1
The BMW Assist and Bluetooth System is standard
Opportunities report rate could be nearly the centers to help us achieve 100 a later date, it’s not as efficient as sched-
their primary market area. on M5, M6, 5, 6, 7 Series and is included with the
zero if the proper process is put in place. percent recall completion. uling everything up front. “Now you have Premium Package or available as an option on all other
BMW models.

4   Link Spring 2009 Link Spring 2009   5

 FE ature
fe ATURE
SLUG

Optimize Your Opportunity Tools

Now More than Ever, Aftersales is the Key to Success in a Challenging Economy

As the nation tightens its collective belt these days, it’s important that BMW centers continue to innovate to handle the customer twice,” he “This one is not a ‘missed’ opportu- TeleService
explains. “You need to write another nity, but it is a ‘new’ business opportunity,” TeleService was introduced on the 2004
when it comes to keeping their own business economically healthy. The built-in clientele of existing
repair order; you need to perhaps give says Mr. Clements. “This report gives 5 and 6 Series as a new service within
BMW owners is a tremendous advantage — as customers put off purchasing their next BMW, their need the customer another BMW service centers the path to reach the customer the popular BMW AssistTM Safety Plan.
to stay on top of maintenance services and to “refresh” their vehicles through accessories increases. loaner or rental car; you need to tie the however they see fit.” Now, TeleService is available on all 2009
Is your center doing all it can to proactively reach out to its customers and making them aware of all technician up again — even the greeter, Mr. Demski also sees it as a great models except the X3. Its primary func-
the wash attendant, the valet and the opportunity to reconnect with a customer tion is to either automatically notify the
the Aftersales opportunities available to them? There are two easy ways to accomplish this — one by
invoice team are doubling their work. whom the center might otherwise not center when a condition-based service
tracking down customers whose cars are in need of routine and preventive maintenance work; the other What’s worse, he adds, “Customers have seen for months. “If you bring them item is due and thus allow the center to
by using the several free, Aftersales-friendly marketing tools newly released by BMW NA to help bring physically were there. They didn’t have to in to do the recall component, maybe proactively call the customer, or allow the
new customers in the door. market to get those customers in. They there’s also an opportunity to sell a Main- BMW driver to simply push a button to
were physically in their shop, and they tenance Program Upgrade, accessory or transmit the Key Data and request a call
left with open work not being claimed.” even detail the car through the SPA from their center (the “Service Request”
Ms. Mikulewicz notes that as of program,” he offers. or ”My Dealer” menu option).
Aftersales Balanced Scorecard (ABS) “When the customer schedules Melody Mikulewicz, Warranty Plan-
2009 January month-end, the national Yet another potential ABS sales As a way to familiarize new BMW
The ABS program has only been out an appointment, at that point in time ning & Systems Manager, says a good
Missed Opportunities rate is a whopping booster resides in the Dealer Inquiry owners with the system1, the BMW Assist
a couple years, starting as a basic cost you should be proactive in researching practice to implement is to make a
7,682 instances. The figure translates report’s eligibility for extended service or Safety Plan, including TeleService, has
index, but these days it’s an invaluable the Vehicle History Inquiry to find out printout of the Vehicle History Inquiry as
into 2.27 percent of all potential maintenance contracts function. been included for a four-year period from
tool to analyze the individual strengths of whether there is any additional work soon as the customer makes an appoint-
BMW services that should have been “If the advisors print the vehicle the in-service date since the 2007 model
each individual center — as well as areas required,” Clements explains. “It’s at that ment: “There we have a section clearly
performed in that time period. history inquiry prior to having the year as part of BMW Ultimate Service.
in which there is room for improvement. point that you can make the appropriate stating open campaigns for the car. So
The second ABS report that can customer come in, not only can they do From a revenue standpoint, just selling
Two ABS reports in particular show, accommodations, whether it’s in the they would know what’s required that’s
help centers to get the customer to bring a better planning for their recall, they also subscription renewals is a positive — but
as Lawrence Demski, BMW Manager of shop time, making sure alternative trans- still not done, and then based on that they
the car to the dealership is the Recall can see the eligible service contracts even more so is the potential TeleService
Warranties, quips, instances where a portation is available or ordering the would look at the bulletin and find out
Analysis by VIN report. that they can sell,” Ms. Mikulewicz says. offers directly for Aftersales opportunities.
center is “literally letting money roll out appropriate parts.” what parts they need to coordinate with
“Let’s say that you are running out “We highlight this item in green, based on “These are the most highly qualified
the door.” If that opportunity is missed, the parts department.”
of work early in your service department,” the car’s age, not mileage. So in the service leads you could possibly get: It’s
The first is the Missed Opportuni- Mr. Clements continues, “There should Mr. Clements stresses that the
offers Ms. Mikulewicz. “You can then use meantime they could say ‘By the way, the car telling you, ‘Hey, I need to be
ties report, which was added to ABS two be a process in place to check for it “Missed Opportunities report is a tool that
the Recall Analysis by VIN report to drill your car’s Standard Maintenance serviced,’” quips Charles Silva, BMW NA
years ago. The report tracks clients who again at the time of the visit. Ultimately, gives the manager an opportunity to look
down to the details and find out the VIN Program is going to expire in a month, Manager of Aftersales & Engineering
come in for a service appointment, have there could even be a final check before at all the instances where a car was in
and the customer’s name and address. and we are currently offering a Mainte- Systems. “Plus, there is credibility that
the work done and leave — and all the the car is delivered back to the customer; the workshop, had work that needed to
All that is left to do is contact the nance Program Upgrade.” is established with the Service Advisor
while there is an additional, open service verifying that every opportunity you had be done but it wasn’t done before the car
customer and schedule an appointment It’s a true win-win, says Mr. Demski: because the vehicle is telling them what
action or recall that is assigned to the was taken.” left. He or she can filter that by advisor or
and potentially sell them Maintenance “Not only do you sell the product, but you needs to be serviced.”
vehicle that is left unresolved. In addition, Mr. Demski points out that it’s technician to actually find out where the
upgrade or OOPP program.” keep the customer coming back to the During 2008, there was an average
the report chronicles a “rolling quarter” — more than just a profit opportunity; it’s opportunity is being missed,” he explains.
With this report, it doesn’t even store for an additional two years. There’s of nine days between the receipt of a
at the end of the month, it drops the a legal responsibility when it comes to “Maybe it’s not the whole process that is
have to be cars that have been in your more labor and parts sales along with TeleService request and the scheduled
oldest of the three months and adds the recall situations. breaking down, it’s just an individual or a
center for service. Centers can match customer retention and perhaps they appointment. Interestingly, it took six of
new one. “Especially if it’s a recall mandated team in the service process.”
the VINs with open recalls that match all may consider purchasing a new vehicle those days just to open the TeleService
Randy Clements, Warranty Business by the government, where there is a Mr. Demski says that even though
the cars in which, depending on the situ- or CPO from you down the road.”
Development Manager, says the Missed safety or liability issue; we really need the customer could return for the work at
ation, they’ve sold, serviced or are in 1
The BMW Assist and Bluetooth System is standard
Opportunities report rate could be nearly the centers to help us achieve 100 a later date, it’s not as efficient as sched-
their primary market area. on M5, M6, 5, 6, 7 Series and is included with the
zero if the proper process is put in place. percent recall completion. uling everything up front. “Now you have Premium Package or available as an option on all other
BMW models.

4   Link Spring 2009 Link Spring 2009   5


request, and often, requests were either
cancelled by the receiving center or
allowed to expire.
“I encourage centers that aren’t
taking full advantage of the program to
integrate it into their service reservation
processes, because I’m certain they’ll
see positive results,” he says. Many
centers have even integrated TeleService
into their Business Development Centers
(BDCs) to ensure active and timely
response to incoming requests. As an
added benefit, appointments can be
scheduled for a time that will ensure
proper workshop capacity, alternative
transportation planning and ordering of
necessary parts.
Not every center has a BDC, so
Mr. Silva stresses that it’s important to
integrate TeleService request processing
in a way that makes sense at your center.
“To realize the true value of TeleService,
it is important that the responsible indi-
vidual proactively contact customers as
soon as the request is received and that
the necessary services are reviewed for
workshop and parts availability planning.”
And even if the back end of TeleSer-
vice is running smoothly at your center,
consider the education you are offering
the customer at the point of sale. Is the
Client Advisor explaining all the bene-
fits of the program at vehicle delivery?
“Raising awareness is half the battle,”
Mr. Silva says. “Almost all our cars sold
today feature TeleService, and in the
next few years, we will see a big leap
in terms of the quantity of TeleService
requests coming in — which is yet
another reason why now is the critical
time to make it part of your everyday
process to help grow your business and
increase your customer satisfaction.”
6   Link Spring 2009
fe ature
SLUG
Sales Support & eCommerce The Digital Merchandising Program is one that enables BMW centers to cust­omize
Whereas the ABS reports and TeleService program focus on existing customers, digital slides promoting Aftersales products and services, to show on digital picture
there is plenty of room for Aftersales growth for new and soon-to-be-new frames throughout the center. (For more information on the implementation of this
customers. All it takes is a concentration in focus by Client Advisors to empha- program, please see page 12).
size the many options, upgrades and accessories available for each make
and model.
To aid in this endeavor, BMW NA has introduced several tools designed
for use at the point of sale:
The Personal Accessories Planner The accessories Web site, accessories.bmwusa.com, is one that has been eagerly
introduces customers to the world of awaited, and has proven to be well worth the wait. Showing each and every accessory
accessories by explaining six main available for each BMW model, customers can even order a part from their local BMW
categories: Design, Adventure, Conve- center from the main site. Additionally, should a customer choose a part that requires
nience, Preservation, Performance installation, by selecting their center of choice, installation pricing is provided to them,
and Electronics. Designed for every as well.
Personal
Accessories
Driver
Model
consumer from the potential customer
Planner
to the enthusiast, the text and imagery
are meant to entice the reader to learn
more about what’s available for their car
and lifestyle to make their experience Continuing the innovation of the sales process with etools, there are now a number of
with the Ultimate Driving Machine a very useful electronic pricing tools available via DealerNet. Any dealer representative
unique and personalized one. can login and access a Center Pricing Product List specific to their center. This is
most helpful to Parts Managers and Client Advisors who often need pricing on hand.
Also helpful, are the Quick Catalog Pages that compile easy-to-read lists of all the
BMW Client
Advisor Guide
The Client Advisor Guide is a six-page accessories available for a specific BMW model.
bmwusa.com
guide that serves as a helpful accesso-
ries sales tool for Client Advisors.
Starting with an introduction to the four
Original BMW Accessories
Client Advisor Overview
Accessories Consultation Within
accessories categories outlined in the
the Vehicle Sales Process
eCommerce initiatives are growing by leaps and bounds for BMW NA. Nearly
planner, the guide goes on to provide top
every lifestyle item available in-store at the Boutique can also be purchased online at
sellers based on seasonality, tips on
www.bmw-online.com, for example, and many centers are exploring the profitability
talking points for the sales process, a tool
of putting up a Boutique page on their own Web sites, as well.
for calculated installed pricing and more.
BMW
Taking that idea a step further, the
Port Installed
Program
bmwusa.com
Port Installed Guide explains to
centers how to order vehicles to arrive
BMW Port Installed Program
The ship has come in on easy with installed accessories directly
accessory installation.
from the port. Essentially, delivering a
personalized BMW that can be driven Putting all of these initiatives together, from the ABS reports to the eCommerce opportunities, can only help strengthen your
right off the lot “without any worries business. As Mr. Clements concludes, many of these tools aren’t new, and they don’t cost the center money.
of parts availability, paint matching or “For most centers, the business has simply gotten bigger and bigger, and it’s easy to overlook the details,” he says.
tie-up the service drive.” “These days, it’s all about getting back to basics as a way to maintain profitability and build loyalty.”
Link Spring 2009   7

request, and often, requests were either
cancelled by the receiving center or
allowed to expire.
“I encourage centers that aren’t
taking full advantage of the program to
integrate it into their service reservation
processes, because I’m certain they’ll
see positive results,” he says. Many
centers have even integrated TeleService
into their Business Development Centers
(BDCs) to ensure active and timely
response to incoming requests. As an
added benefit, appointments can be
scheduled for a time that will ensure
proper workshop capacity, alternative
transportation planning and ordering of
necessary parts.
Not every center has a BDC, so
Mr. Silva stresses that it’s important to
integrate TeleService request processing
in a way that makes sense at your center.
“To realize the true value of TeleService,
it is important that the responsible indi-
vidual proactively contact customers as
soon as the request is received and that
the necessary services are reviewed for
workshop and parts availability planning.”
And even if the back end of TeleSer-
vice is running smoothly at your center,
consider the education you are offering
the customer at the point of sale. Is the
Client Advisor explaining all the bene-
fits of the program at vehicle delivery?
“Raising awareness is half the battle,”
Mr. Silva says. “Almost all our cars sold
today feature TeleService, and in the
next few years, we will see a big leap
in terms of the quantity of TeleService
requests coming in — which is yet
another reason why now is the critical
time to make it part of your everyday
process to help grow your business and
increase your customer satisfaction.”
6   Link Spring 2009
fe ature
SLUG
Sales Support & eCommerce The Digital Merchandising Program is one that enables BMW centers to cust­omize
Whereas the ABS reports and TeleService program focus on existing customers, digital slides promoting Aftersales products and services, to show on digital picture
there is plenty of room for Aftersales growth for new and soon-to-be-new frames throughout the center. (For more information on the implementation of this
customers. All it takes is a concentration in focus by Client Advisors to empha- program, please see page 12).
size the many options, upgrades and accessories available for each make
and model.
To aid in this endeavor, BMW NA has introduced several tools designed
for use at the point of sale:
The Personal Accessories Planner The accessories Web site, accessories.bmwusa.com, is one that has been eagerly
introduces customers to the world of awaited, and has proven to be well worth the wait. Showing each and every accessory
accessories by explaining six main available for each BMW model, customers can even order a part from their local BMW
categories: Design, Adventure, Conve- center from the main site. Additionally, should a customer choose a part that requires
nience, Preservation, Performance installation, by selecting their center of choice, installation pricing is provided to them,
and Electronics. Designed for every as well.
Personal
Accessories
Driver
Model
consumer from the potential customer
Planner
to the enthusiast, the text and imagery
are meant to entice the reader to learn
more about what’s available for their car
and lifestyle to make their experience Continuing the innovation of the sales process with etools, there are now a number of
with the Ultimate Driving Machine a very useful electronic pricing tools available via DealerNet. Any dealer representative
unique and personalized one. can login and access a Center Pricing Product List specific to their center. This is
most helpful to Parts Managers and Client Advisors who often need pricing on hand.
Also helpful, are the Quick Catalog Pages that compile easy-to-read lists of all the
BMW Client
Advisor Guide
The Client Advisor Guide is a six-page accessories available for a specific BMW model.
bmwusa.com
guide that serves as a helpful accesso-
ries sales tool for Client Advisors.
Starting with an introduction to the four
Original BMW Accessories
Client Advisor Overview
Accessories Consultation Within
accessories categories outlined in the
the Vehicle Sales Process
eCommerce initiatives are growing by leaps and bounds for BMW NA. Nearly
planner, the guide goes on to provide top
every lifestyle item available in-store at the Boutique can also be purchased online at
sellers based on seasonality, tips on
www.bmw-online.com, for example, and many centers are exploring the profitability
talking points for the sales process, a tool
of putting up a Boutique page on their own Web sites, as well.
for calculated installed pricing and more.
BMW
Taking that idea a step further, the
Port Installed
Program
bmwusa.com
Port Installed Guide explains to
centers how to order vehicles to arrive
BMW Port Installed Program
The ship has come in on easy with installed accessories directly
accessory installation.
from the port. Essentially, delivering a
personalized BMW that can be driven Putting all of these initiatives together, from the ABS reports to the eCommerce opportunities, can only help strengthen your
right off the lot “without any worries business. As Mr. Clements concludes, many of these tools aren’t new, and they don’t cost the center money.
of parts availability, paint matching or “For most centers, the business has simply gotten bigger and bigger, and it’s easy to overlook the details,” he says.
tie-up the service drive.” “These days, it’s all about getting back to basics as a way to maintain profitability and build loyalty.”
Link Spring 2009   7

Employee Recruitment:
Beating the Odds
Four steps to beating the odds and hiring right the first time.
Across all industries, studies show that
managers only hire the right person for
the job 50 percent of the time.
And each hiring mistake costs 15
times the person’s base salary, says Geoff
Smart, Chief Executive Officer of the
management assessment firm ghSMART
and author of “Who: The A Method for
Hiring.” “Hiring is a business activity
where you can save 100 hours and $1.5
million of pain by spending just a few
good hours up front,” he says.
Take a moment to think about the
net effect of these statistics on your
company’s bottom line. Many companies
sell and service cars. What distinguishes
you from your competitors? Clearly,
it’s the team you have in place to
address your clients’ needs. As Monty
Roberts, BMW Aftersales Recruiting and
Retention Manager, explains, “The role
of the individual (ROI)’ is tantamount to
‘return on investment (ROI),’ which trans-
lates into customer satisfaction (CSI).”
There is good news ahead though,
you can hire the right person 90 percent
of the time by following the four steps
laid out in ghSMART’s “The A Method
for Hiring.”
Step 1: SCORECARD
Creating the Scorecard
The first step in the A Method is to create
a “Scorecard” that spells out in detail the
role you’re hiring for. Use this to define
your ideal employee.
At the top of the scorecard, write
8   Link Spring 2009
your mission for the position—the guts
of what you want the person to do.
(See example on page 10) Next, add five
to seven outcomes or measurable goals
the new hire will be expected to achieve.
They may relate to revenue growth,
building a team of “A-players” or opening
a new division, etc.
Finally, complete the scorecard with
a list of competencies, characteristics
the person will need to succeed in your
environment. Examples include, “strong
communication skills,” “results-oriented,”
“team player” and “high integrity.”
After you interview each candidate,
use the right-hand column to evaluate
that person against each criteria. Note:
You will want to share this with your
new A player before he or she accepts
the position, but do not let him or her
see it during the interview process.
Doing so would be like giving them the
answer key.
Step 2: SOURCE
Generate a Steady Supply of the
Right Candidates
At Savage BMW in Ontario, Calif., the
family-owned facility receives a steady
stream of applicants from employee
referrals and word of mouth, Shop
Director Robert Chidiac says. “They have
had this store for many years and have
established an excellent reputation as
employers.” According to the A Method,
cultivating your personal and business
networks are two of the most successful
* ghSMART’s estimate the cost of a hiring mistake is $1.5 million for a $100,000 per year employee.
ways of finding qualified candidates.
To jump start this process, brain-
storm a list of ten or more contacts
who could refer job candidates to you.
Remember that the A players are
usually employed. If you find a candi-
date you would like to interview or hire,
consider calling them to introduce
yourself and just say you would like to
know what their career goals are. You
can begin a no-pressure dialogue.
Even though Rallye BMW’s HR
department is flooded with applications
like Savage BMW’s, that doesn’t stop
the management team from proactively
recruiting candidates from both the
Service Education Technician Program
(STEP) as well as privately held job
fairs. BMW centers can also post open-
ings at www.bmwretailcareers.com.
The site provides a link to monster.com,
where potential candidates can search
for openings by location. It also has
a job referral portal for the 339 BMW
facilities that have developed referral
links with the armed forces, post-
secondary schools, the national network
of One Stop Career Centers, trade asso-
ciations and job banks.
Step 3: SELECT
The Screening Interview
When it comes to interviewing potential
hires, Chidiac prides himself on being
able to read their faces, expressions and
hesitation in answering a question. “I’ve
learned to read between ‘their’ lines,” he
The A Method in Four
Easy Steps
The A Method for hiring is so
successful because it has a simple
how-to step for each part of any
hiring process:
1. Scorecard: What is it that you
expect a person to accomplish?
How will you know if somebody
is performing at the “A” level?
2. Source: Job ads do nothing
more than fill your in box with
clutter as hundreds of the
“wrong” candidates send you
their resumes. Instead, talk to
ten of your trusted business
relationships, share with them
the profile for the role, and
you will be shocked how easy
it is to generate a flow of the
right candidates.
3. Select: Use in-depth interviews
to really understand the facts
about someone’s entire career
history. Only then can you
forecast how they’ll perform at
your company.
4. Sell: Don’t get burned by
forgetting to cover any of the
five Fs of selling: Sell Fit (how
the person’s talents and inter-
ests will fit into the company);
Family (making sure the
person’s significant others are
supportive of the job change);
Fortune (how much they will
make); Freedom (to make deci-
sions and stand on the quality
of their work rather than be
micromanaged); and Fun (what
is inherently fun about the job
and the company).
Geoff Smart, chief executive officer of
management assessment firm ghSMART and
author of “Who: The A Method for Hiring.”
says. “But my toughest part is that you
can never tell any tech’s technical ability
until ‘after’ the fact and he’s already
turning wrenches.” Fortunately, the
A Method has a way of addressing any
candidate’s skill sets, whether they’re
technical or sales.
The A Method’s three-step inter-
view process begins with a 45-minute
phone call known as the Screening
Interview. The goal: Eliminate the wrong
candidates by asking these questions:
1. W hat are your career goals? (Do
they want things our company can
give them?)
2. W hat are you really good at profession-
ally? Please give me some examples.
3. W hat are you not good at or not
interested in? Please give me
some examples.
If your candidate “passes” the first three
questions, move on to the final question:
4. W ho were your last five bosses, and
how will they each rate your perfor-
mance when we talk with them (1-10)?
Why? (Raise a red flag for any candi-
date who discredits a previous boss.)
When hiring salespeople, ask for
specific information about past goals
vs. actual sales. Find out how many
hours they produced each week and
how that compared to the facility’s
other technicians. Was your candidate
booking 40 hours per week, while the
best technician averaged 65 and the
weakest produced 35?
The A Method calls for using these
questions for all prospects, but it’s okay
to adjust the length of the process
for the level of employee. Candidates
who pass the Screening Interview
should then be invited for a day-long
Topgrading Interview.
Accelerate
SLUG
The Topgrading Interview
This is the hardest but most important
step in the process. Each candidate
should spend three to four hours with
you in the morning, followed by lunch
with someone else and then three more
45-minute interviews with different
individuals. While this sounds like a
time-consuming process, remember
that only prospects who survive the
Screening Interview are invited in for
the formal interview.
Begin by asking your candidate
about his or her education. Ask for GPAs
and any other measurable information that
will indicate the caliber of your candidate.
Pose questions like, “What would your
family say you were known for growing
up?” and “How are you similar/dissimilar
to your parents?” The goal is to dig
deeper and truly learn about this person.
Next, take time to ask about their
job history for the past 15 years. If
they’ve had a slew of jobs, move
quickly through the first few and then
slow down for the last three or four.
Spend 20 to 30 minutes on each job
and ask these questions:
1. What were you hired to do?
2. W hat accomplishments are you most
proud of?
3. W hat were some low points during
that job?
4. W ho were the people you worked
with? Specifically:
a. B osses: What was your boss’s
name? How do you spell that?
What was it like working with him/
her? What will he/she say were
your biggest strengths? Areas for
improvement? (Your candidate will
open up when you remind them
you’ll be contacting this person.)
Link Spring 2009   9

Employee Recruitment:
Beating the Odds
Four steps to beating the odds and hiring right the first time.
Across all industries, studies show that
managers only hire the right person for
the job 50 percent of the time.
And each hiring mistake costs 15
times the person’s base salary, says Geoff
Smart, Chief Executive Officer of the
management assessment firm ghSMART
and author of “Who: The A Method for
Hiring.” “Hiring is a business activity
where you can save 100 hours and $1.5
million of pain by spending just a few
good hours up front,” he says.
Take a moment to think about the
net effect of these statistics on your
company’s bottom line. Many companies
sell and service cars. What distinguishes
you from your competitors? Clearly,
it’s the team you have in place to
address your clients’ needs. As Monty
Roberts, BMW Aftersales Recruiting and
Retention Manager, explains, “The role
of the individual (ROI)’ is tantamount to
‘return on investment (ROI),’ which trans-
lates into customer satisfaction (CSI).”
There is good news ahead though,
you can hire the right person 90 percent
of the time by following the four steps
laid out in ghSMART’s “The A Method
for Hiring.”
Step 1: SCORECARD
Creating the Scorecard
The first step in the A Method is to create
a “Scorecard” that spells out in detail the
role you’re hiring for. Use this to define
your ideal employee.
At the top of the scorecard, write
8   Link Spring 2009
your mission for the position—the guts
of what you want the person to do.
(See example on page 10) Next, add five
to seven outcomes or measurable goals
the new hire will be expected to achieve.
They may relate to revenue growth,
building a team of “A-players” or opening
a new division, etc.
Finally, complete the scorecard with
a list of competencies, characteristics
the person will need to succeed in your
environment. Examples include, “strong
communication skills,” “results-oriented,”
“team player” and “high integrity.”
After you interview each candidate,
use the right-hand column to evaluate
that person against each criteria. Note:
You will want to share this with your
new A player before he or she accepts
the position, but do not let him or her
see it during the interview process.
Doing so would be like giving them the
answer key.
Step 2: SOURCE
Generate a Steady Supply of the
Right Candidates
At Savage BMW in Ontario, Calif., the
family-owned facility receives a steady
stream of applicants from employee
referrals and word of mouth, Shop
Director Robert Chidiac says. “They have
had this store for many years and have
established an excellent reputation as
employers.” According to the A Method,
cultivating your personal and business
networks are two of the most successful
* ghSMART’s estimate the cost of a hiring mistake is $1.5 million for a $100,000 per year employee.
ways of finding qualified candidates.
To jump start this process, brain-
storm a list of ten or more contacts
who could refer job candidates to you.
Remember that the A players are
usually employed. If you find a candi-
date you would like to interview or hire,
consider calling them to introduce
yourself and just say you would like to
know what their career goals are. You
can begin a no-pressure dialogue.
Even though Rallye BMW’s HR
department is flooded with applications
like Savage BMW’s, that doesn’t stop
the management team from proactively
recruiting candidates from both the
Service Education Technician Program
(STEP) as well as privately held job
fairs. BMW centers can also post open-
ings at www.bmwretailcareers.com.
The site provides a link to monster.com,
where potential candidates can search
for openings by location. It also has
a job referral portal for the 339 BMW
facilities that have developed referral
links with the armed forces, post-
secondary schools, the national network
of One Stop Career Centers, trade asso-
ciations and job banks.
Step 3: SELECT
The Screening Interview
When it comes to interviewing potential
hires, Chidiac prides himself on being
able to read their faces, expressions and
hesitation in answering a question. “I’ve
learned to read between ‘their’ lines,” he
The A Method in Four
Easy Steps
The A Method for hiring is so
successful because it has a simple
how-to step for each part of any
hiring process:
1. Scorecard: What is it that you
expect a person to accomplish?
How will you know if somebody
is performing at the “A” level?
2. Source: Job ads do nothing
more than fill your in box with
clutter as hundreds of the
“wrong” candidates send you
their resumes. Instead, talk to
ten of your trusted business
relationships, share with them
the profile for the role, and
you will be shocked how easy
it is to generate a flow of the
right candidates.
3. Select: Use in-depth interviews
to really understand the facts
about someone’s entire career
history. Only then can you
forecast how they’ll perform at
your company.
4. Sell: Don’t get burned by
forgetting to cover any of the
five Fs of selling: Sell Fit (how
the person’s talents and inter-
ests will fit into the company);
Family (making sure the
person’s significant others are
supportive of the job change);
Fortune (how much they will
make); Freedom (to make deci-
sions and stand on the quality
of their work rather than be
micromanaged); and Fun (what
is inherently fun about the job
and the company).
Geoff Smart, chief executive officer of
management assessment firm ghSMART and
author of “Who: The A Method for Hiring.”
says. “But my toughest part is that you
can never tell any tech’s technical ability
until ‘after’ the fact and he’s already
turning wrenches.” Fortunately, the
A Method has a way of addressing any
candidate’s skill sets, whether they’re
technical or sales.
The A Method’s three-step inter-
view process begins with a 45-minute
phone call known as the Screening
Interview. The goal: Eliminate the wrong
candidates by asking these questions:
1. W hat are your career goals? (Do
they want things our company can
give them?)
2. W hat are you really good at profession-
ally? Please give me some examples.
3. W hat are you not good at or not
interested in? Please give me
some examples.
If your candidate “passes” the first three
questions, move on to the final question:
4. W ho were your last five bosses, and
how will they each rate your perfor-
mance when we talk with them (1-10)?
Why? (Raise a red flag for any candi-
date who discredits a previous boss.)
When hiring salespeople, ask for
specific information about past goals
vs. actual sales. Find out how many
hours they produced each week and
how that compared to the facility’s
other technicians. Was your candidate
booking 40 hours per week, while the
best technician averaged 65 and the
weakest produced 35?
The A Method calls for using these
questions for all prospects, but it’s okay
to adjust the length of the process
for the level of employee. Candidates
who pass the Screening Interview
should then be invited for a day-long
Topgrading Interview.
Accelerate
SLUG
The Topgrading Interview
This is the hardest but most important
step in the process. Each candidate
should spend three to four hours with
you in the morning, followed by lunch
with someone else and then three more
45-minute interviews with different
individuals. While this sounds like a
time-consuming process, remember
that only prospects who survive the
Screening Interview are invited in for
the formal interview.
Begin by asking your candidate
about his or her education. Ask for GPAs
and any other measurable information that
will indicate the caliber of your candidate.
Pose questions like, “What would your
family say you were known for growing
up?” and “How are you similar/dissimilar
to your parents?” The goal is to dig
deeper and truly learn about this person.
Next, take time to ask about their
job history for the past 15 years. If
they’ve had a slew of jobs, move
quickly through the first few and then
slow down for the last three or four.
Spend 20 to 30 minutes on each job
and ask these questions:
1. What were you hired to do?
2. W hat accomplishments are you most
proud of?
3. W hat were some low points during
that job?
4. W ho were the people you worked
with? Specifically:
a. B osses: What was your boss’s
name? How do you spell that?
What was it like working with him/
her? What will he/she say were
your biggest strengths? Areas for
improvement? (Your candidate will
open up when you remind them
you’ll be contacting this person.)
Link Spring 2009   9

Scorecard Example
Role: General Manager
Mission: RiverCo is a manufacturer of hydro-electric turbines, pumps and industrial tools and is hiring a
general manager. The mission for the general manager is to grow RiverCo’s largest division from
$200M to $400M over the next five years. The general manager will have full P&L accountability
and responsibility for more than 300 staff.
Outcomes
1. Grow revenue from $200M to $400M
over the next five years, achieving 15%
annual growth.
• Existing products will represent 80% of this growth.
• N ew products will account for the remaining 20%.
2. Build a team composed of 90% or more
A Players within the next three years
(currently about 20%).
• Ensure 100% of direct reports are A Players within
a year.
• Ensure consistent use of the A Method for Hiring
in division.
3. Expand capacity to accommodate 15%
annual growth.
• C urrent plant nearing capacity. Expansion must be
obtained through operational efficiency.
Competencies
Hires A players
Analytical skills
Creative/innovative
Open to criticism and others’ ideas
10   Link Spring 2009
Ratings and Comments
(to be completed after interview)
A Mr. Smith is currently the VP Sales of a $500M
company and has consistently grown revenue
by 20% per year.
A This is a strength. Mr. Smith consistently
evaluates his team, brings in A players and
develops his people.
B Mr. Smith understands operations enough
to know how sales impacts capacity, but has
limited experience in a plant.
Ratings and Comments
A
A
B Slow to recognize new ways of doing things
B Does not listen to ideas from others, which
could inhibit his ability to address plant capacity
given his lack of experience there
Accelerate
SLUG
b. Teams: How would you rate the 1. Fit. “Here is where we’re going as a
team you inherited on an A, B, C company, and here’s how you fit in.”
sale? What changes did you make? 2. F amily. “What can we do to make
Did you hire anybody? Fire anybody? this change as easy as possible for
How would you rate the team on an your family?”
A, B, C scale when you left?
3. Freedom. Reassure the candidate that
5. W hy did you leave that job? (Be alert he or she will not be micromanaged.
for vague language here. It could be a
4. Fortune. “Here’s what you can make if
red flag that there’s more to tell.)
you accomplish your objectives.”
Finally, ask them for their career goals. 5. Fun. “I think you will find this culture
one that you’ll really enjoy.”
The Focused and
Reference Interviews When they accept, make a big deal out
of it. Surprise them with flowers, balloons
For the three afternoon sessions, each
and maybe even dinner for them and
interviewer should concentrate on one
their significant other.
aspect of the “Outcomes” section from
While this may seem like an
your scorecard. It is easier on the inter-
exhausting process, compare the upfront
viewer, and it keeps the candidate from
investment with the lost time, money and
being asked the same questions. During
even client goodwill when the wrong
these interviews, ask the candidate:
person is hired. “It’s not hard,” Smart
1. T he purpose of this interview is to talk says. “It just takes a bit of discipline to
about (one or more not skimp on any of the four steps.”
key outcomes or competencies).
2. W hat are some of the biggest
accomplishments you have had in
this area?
3. W hat are your biggest mistakes and
lessons learned in this area?
Finally, ask the candidate to put
together a list of top ten people to call for
references. Speak with seven references
for every direct report, including three
bosses, one or two peers, one or two
subordinates and one or two clients.
Step 4: SELL
Sell Your First Choice
on Your Company
Once you’ve narrowed down the candi-
dates to the top one or two, it’s your
turn to sell them on your company.
Smart recommends the five Fs of selling:
Link Spring 2009   11

Scorecard Example
Role: General Manager
Mission: RiverCo is a manufacturer of hydro-electric turbines, pumps and industrial tools and is hiring a
general manager. The mission for the general manager is to grow RiverCo’s largest division from
$200M to $400M over the next five years. The general manager will have full P&L accountability
and responsibility for more than 300 staff.
Outcomes
1. Grow revenue from $200M to $400M
over the next five years, achieving 15%
annual growth.
• Existing products will represent 80% of this growth.
• N ew products will account for the remaining 20%.
2. Build a team composed of 90% or more
A Players within the next three years
(currently about 20%).
• Ensure 100% of direct reports are A Players within
a year.
• Ensure consistent use of the A Method for Hiring
in division.
3. Expand capacity to accommodate 15%
annual growth.
• C urrent plant nearing capacity. Expansion must be
obtained through operational efficiency.
Competencies
Hires A players
Analytical skills
Creative/innovative
Open to criticism and others’ ideas
10   Link Spring 2009
Ratings and Comments
(to be completed after interview)
A Mr. Smith is currently the VP Sales of a $500M
company and has consistently grown revenue
by 20% per year.
A This is a strength. Mr. Smith consistently
evaluates his team, brings in A players and
develops his people.
B Mr. Smith understands operations enough
to know how sales impacts capacity, but has
limited experience in a plant.
Ratings and Comments
A
A
B Slow to recognize new ways of doing things
B Does not listen to ideas from others, which
could inhibit his ability to address plant capacity
given his lack of experience there
Accelerate
SLUG
b. Teams: How would you rate the 1. Fit. “Here is where we’re going as a
team you inherited on an A, B, C company, and here’s how you fit in.”
sale? What changes did you make? 2. F amily. “What can we do to make
Did you hire anybody? Fire anybody? this change as easy as possible for
How would you rate the team on an your family?”
A, B, C scale when you left?
3. Freedom. Reassure the candidate that
5. W hy did you leave that job? (Be alert he or she will not be micromanaged.
for vague language here. It could be a
4. Fortune. “Here’s what you can make if
red flag that there’s more to tell.)
you accomplish your objectives.”
Finally, ask them for their career goals. 5. Fun. “I think you will find this culture
one that you’ll really enjoy.”
The Focused and
Reference Interviews When they accept, make a big deal out
of it. Surprise them with flowers, balloons
For the three afternoon sessions, each
and maybe even dinner for them and
interviewer should concentrate on one
their significant other.
aspect of the “Outcomes” section from
While this may seem like an
your scorecard. It is easier on the inter-
exhausting process, compare the upfront
viewer, and it keeps the candidate from
investment with the lost time, money and
being asked the same questions. During
even client goodwill when the wrong
these interviews, ask the candidate:
person is hired. “It’s not hard,” Smart
1. T he purpose of this interview is to talk says. “It just takes a bit of discipline to
about (one or more not skimp on any of the four steps.”
key outcomes or competencies).
2. W hat are some of the biggest
accomplishments you have had in
this area?
3. W hat are your biggest mistakes and
lessons learned in this area?
Finally, ask the candidate to put
together a list of top ten people to call for
references. Speak with seven references
for every direct report, including three
bosses, one or two peers, one or two
subordinates and one or two clients.
Step 4: SELL
Sell Your First Choice
on Your Company
Once you’ve narrowed down the candi-
dates to the top one or two, it’s your
turn to sell them on your company.
Smart recommends the five Fs of selling:
Link Spring 2009   11

A Picture is Worth
1,000 Marketing
Impressions
BMW NA Rolls Out Its Digital Merchandising Program to Centers Nationwide
Digital picture frames are becoming ubiquitous these days.
Whether the frame in question is in front of the cash register
of your local restaurant, advertising the catch of the day,
or on your mom’s mantle, cycling through colorful images,
it’s difficult not to become mesmerized by the endlessly
dissolving words and images, waiting to see what’s going to
materialize next.
Some BMW centers are already seeing the value of
branding their marketing message through this smart little
technology. And this spring, BMW NA is officially launching
a Digital Merchandising System nationwide — a series of
slides that can be easily downloaded from a new electronic
portal, customized with the individual center’s name and
logo, then uploaded to the frames for display on a variety of
surfaces around the facility.
Leslie Rhodes, Marketing Manager of Erhard BMW in
Bloomfield Hills, Mich., has been using digital frames as an
extension of her center’s brand marketing for more than a
year. She programs tailored messages for the Service, Sales,
CPO and Finance departments.
“We change them a couple times a year to keep the
messages current,” she explains. “It’s so easy to do, just pop
out the memory stick and plug it in to any computer to update
the slides.”
Likewise, Matt Markins, a Parts Specialist for Cincinnati-
based Jake Sweeney BMW, was recruited by his team to keep
the frames in various departments current and on-message.
“About a year ago, one of our office employees was at
another Sweeney dealership and noticed they were using digital
frames to get out their message,” Mr. Markins says. “She asked
‘Could we do that?’ And it kind of just rolled from there.”
Ms. Rhodes says that the 18 to 20 slides show a featured
image or two with a headline and center information, keeping
everything consistent, clean and simple. “The headlines are
designed to trigger conversation rather than offer a full explana-
12   Link Spring 2009
Front and Center
SLUG
tion,” she says. “They serve as ice-breakers as well as
informational, as they can help to uncover customer interests.”
Headlines include: ‘Repair or replace? We’re all for Clarity’
for Glass Repair or for Portable Navigation, ‘It can take you
Digital Frames 101
anywhere. You can take it everywhere.’” If you’re new to digital merchandising, here are some
factors to consider when taking the plunge:
Getting Noticed
One of the biggest benefits of using the Digital Merchandising What is its aspect ratio?
Program is to reinforce the BMW message at every turn. The industry standard is 4:3 — which translates to the
relationship of the width to the height (think in photo size
During the course of completing a transaction for sales or
terms of 8x10, 5x7, 4x6, etc., horizontally). Some frames
service, there are times when the advisor must be away from
offer panoramic view, but consider whether any of your
the desk. The customer can look at the frame as it cycles
slides would become distorted by this kind of display.
through, gleaning information that could help him or her make
an informed decision on whether to purchase a gift certificate,
What is its screen resolution?
for example. The frames also help to introduce customers
to products that don’t often come up in conversation, like the Generally speaking, the higher the resolution, the sharper
BMW Lifestyle and Kids Collections. The frames provide that the image. Industry experts recommend that a 7- or
extra little bit of visibility. 8-inch frame should have a screen resolution of at least
“We make sure any messages on the frame overlap with 720 x 480 pixels.
what’s online at our Internet site,” she adds. “Whenever the
slides are updated, we collaborate with individual managers to What is its storage capacity?
make sure we’re including all of their focal points.” Frames may come equipped with some internal memory,
Mr. Markins points to the ability to use a remote control as well as the ability to use memory cards. WiFi access
with the frames as a huge benefit: “If the customer sees a and RSS feeds are a big deal in the digital frame industry
picture of an aero kit and wants to see it again, the client advisor
these days — where your images may reside on an
can easily get back to it for a closer look.”
Internet site, which the frame “pulls in” to display, thus
To stay efficient, Mr. Markins set the timer on the frames
not using any of its own storage capacity.
so that they turn on at 8 a.m. and off at 8 p.m. It saves on the
wear and tear of the frames, although he notes they’ve been
How does it transfer the files?
extremely durable through the inevitable falls, coffee spills, etc.
Whether it’s via USB cables, Ethernet access or a
“So far, we’ve only had to replace one — early on when we
wireless connection, use what makes sense in the
were still plugging into the advisors’ individual laptops,” he says.
individual situation.
The wire was severed, and these days it’s no longer a concern
as the pictures now reside on CompactFlash cards.
Link Spring 2009   13

A Picture is Worth
1,000 Marketing
Impressions
BMW NA Rolls Out Its Digital Merchandising Program to Centers Nationwide
Digital picture frames are becoming ubiquitous these days.
Whether the frame in question is in front of the cash register
of your local restaurant, advertising the catch of the day,
or on your mom’s mantle, cycling through colorful images,
it’s difficult not to become mesmerized by the endlessly
dissolving words and images, waiting to see what’s going to
materialize next.
Some BMW centers are already seeing the value of
branding their marketing message through this smart little
technology. And this spring, BMW NA is officially launching
a Digital Merchandising System nationwide — a series of
slides that can be easily downloaded from a new electronic
portal, customized with the individual center’s name and
logo, then uploaded to the frames for display on a variety of
surfaces around the facility.
Leslie Rhodes, Marketing Manager of Erhard BMW in
Bloomfield Hills, Mich., has been using digital frames as an
extension of her center’s brand marketing for more than a
year. She programs tailored messages for the Service, Sales,
CPO and Finance departments.
“We change them a couple times a year to keep the
messages current,” she explains. “It’s so easy to do, just pop
out the memory stick and plug it in to any computer to update
the slides.”
Likewise, Matt Markins, a Parts Specialist for Cincinnati-
based Jake Sweeney BMW, was recruited by his team to keep
the frames in various departments current and on-message.
“About a year ago, one of our office employees was at
another Sweeney dealership and noticed they were using digital
frames to get out their message,” Mr. Markins says. “She asked
‘Could we do that?’ And it kind of just rolled from there.”
Ms. Rhodes says that the 18 to 20 slides show a featured
image or two with a headline and center information, keeping
everything consistent, clean and simple. “The headlines are
designed to trigger conversation rather than offer a full explana-
12   Link Spring 2009
Front and Center
SLUG
tion,” she says. “They serve as ice-breakers as well as
informational, as they can help to uncover customer interests.”
Headlines include: ‘Repair or replace? We’re all for Clarity’
for Glass Repair or for Portable Navigation, ‘It can take you
Digital Frames 101
anywhere. You can take it everywhere.’” If you’re new to digital merchandising, here are some
factors to consider when taking the plunge:
Getting Noticed
One of the biggest benefits of using the Digital Merchandising What is its aspect ratio?
Program is to reinforce the BMW message at every turn. The industry standard is 4:3 — which translates to the
relationship of the width to the height (think in photo size
During the course of completing a transaction for sales or
terms of 8x10, 5x7, 4x6, etc., horizontally). Some frames
service, there are times when the advisor must be away from
offer panoramic view, but consider whether any of your
the desk. The customer can look at the frame as it cycles
slides would become distorted by this kind of display.
through, gleaning information that could help him or her make
an informed decision on whether to purchase a gift certificate,
What is its screen resolution?
for example. The frames also help to introduce customers
to products that don’t often come up in conversation, like the Generally speaking, the higher the resolution, the sharper
BMW Lifestyle and Kids Collections. The frames provide that the image. Industry experts recommend that a 7- or
extra little bit of visibility. 8-inch frame should have a screen resolution of at least
“We make sure any messages on the frame overlap with 720 x 480 pixels.
what’s online at our Internet site,” she adds. “Whenever the
slides are updated, we collaborate with individual managers to What is its storage capacity?
make sure we’re including all of their focal points.” Frames may come equipped with some internal memory,
Mr. Markins points to the ability to use a remote control as well as the ability to use memory cards. WiFi access
with the frames as a huge benefit: “If the customer sees a and RSS feeds are a big deal in the digital frame industry
picture of an aero kit and wants to see it again, the client advisor
these days — where your images may reside on an
can easily get back to it for a closer look.”
Internet site, which the frame “pulls in” to display, thus
To stay efficient, Mr. Markins set the timer on the frames
not using any of its own storage capacity.
so that they turn on at 8 a.m. and off at 8 p.m. It saves on the
wear and tear of the frames, although he notes they’ve been
How does it transfer the files?
extremely durable through the inevitable falls, coffee spills, etc.
Whether it’s via USB cables, Ethernet access or a
“So far, we’ve only had to replace one — early on when we
wireless connection, use what makes sense in the
were still plugging into the advisors’ individual laptops,” he says.
individual situation.
The wire was severed, and these days it’s no longer a concern
as the pictures now reside on CompactFlash cards.
Link Spring 2009   13

Take a Victory Lap
2008 was a year of both challenges and triumphs for Profiles
In Achievement participants. Using their hard-earned talent,
knowledge and experience along with an outstanding product,
PIA participants showed overwhelming success despite the
challenges that the economy brought about. BMW NA thanks
Service and Parts Directors
Name BMW Center
Charles Sigmon Hendrick BMW
Service Managers
Chris Blocker Hendrick BMW
Wendy Flaherty Sharpe BMW
Gregory Garwood Dick Horrigan BMW
David Parker BMW of Austin
Randy Plummer Roadshow BMW
Bryan Radin Tischer BMW of Silver Spring
Service Advisors
Jorge Ghiggia Westchester BMW
Mike Kasparian Firmage BMW of Murray
Alan Kurtz Checkered Flag BMW
Warren Matsui Steve Thomas BMW
Andrew Oakes Bell BMW
Michael Pickell Grayson BMW
Parts Managers
Steve Bultema Sharpe BMW
Ruben Fontanez Dick Horrigan BMW
Arnold Longoria BMW of Austin
Chris Maroulis Hendrick BMW
Donnie Mitchell Tischer BMW of Silver Spring
Jon Pack Roadshow BMW
Parts Advisors
Dale Danley Nalley BMW of Decatur
Peter Esshaki Erhard BMW of Farmington Hills
Scott Ferreira BMW of Newport
Kurt Hite Erhard BMW of Bloomfield Hills
Casey Reese Reliable BMW
Jody Rutherford Voss Village BMW
Warranty Administrators
Kris Hesselink Sharpe BMW
Ronald Kibbe BMW of Austin
Karen Wimpee BMW of Little Rock
14   Link Spring 2009
all of the hard work and dedication and wishes continued
success to everyone who worked toward these great
achievements. Congratulations to those who earned their
top “Victory Lap” titles and will be enjoying well-earned
trips to Lake Louise and Banff Canada this September.
Shop Foremen
Name BMW Center
Raymond Adam Open Road BMW
Henry Gelb BMW of Monrovia
Richard Green Grayson BMW
David Keirstead Center BMW
Tim Rivers Taylor BMW
Eliot Tecsi Dreyer & Reinbold, Inc.
Charles Vieni Prestige BMW
Technicians
Jimmy Amaro Tomkinson Automotive
Sebouh Bedrosian Beverly Hills BMW
David Baumann BMW of Dubuque
Isaac Brock Westchester BMW
Scott Brown BMW of Beaumont
Kevin Ciccariello Tulley BMW
Ron Clark Checkered Flag BMW
Ian Clemmer Santa Fe BMW
Tommy Grabarek Dreyer & Reinbold, Inc.
Eduardo Gutierrez South Bay BMW
Brian Horne BMW of Riverside
Anzor Khataev BMW of Peabody
Dennis Kleese BMW of the Main Line
Peter Limone Sandia BMW
Michael McCord Erhard BMW of Bloomfield Hills
Jeffery Minor Grayson BMW
Keith Patterson Jake Sweeney BMW
Jesse Price Reeves Import Motorcars, Inc.
Jason Putelis Wagner BMW of Shrewsbury
Marco Rebolledo Classic BMW
Mark Rice Lauderdale BMW of Fort Lauderdale
Carlos Ruiz South Motors BMW
Lucas Statts Daniels BMW
Adam Summerfelt Rasmussen BMW
George Terrazas Crevier BMW
Jonathan Travis Advantage BMW
Howard Walden Basney BMW
Certified Collision Repair Center (CCRC) Manager
Will Messer United BMW
Winner’s Circle
SLUG
Platinum Performance
Congratulations also to those technicians who achieved 2008 Platinum Performances. BMW is indeed very lucky
to have you during these challenging times and feel confident about the road ahead.
Technician Winners
Name BMW Center Name BMW Center
Jeff Beyer BMW of Humboldt Bay Alex Navarro Lauderdale BMW of Fort Lauderdale
Dustin Brey Voss Village BMW William Osborn Firmage BMW of Pleasant Grove
Lewis Busse Peter Pan BMW Walter Parker Foreign Motors West BMW
Ryan Butler Carrera BMW Bryan Ray Tomkinson Automotive
Christopher Cupler Erhard BMW of Bloomfield Hills John Reynolds BMW of Salem
Steve Cox Roadshow BMW Mike Rice Crevier BMW
Chris Dusko Dick Horrigan BMW Daniel Roy BMW of Fremont
Nathan Edwards Firmage BMW of Murray Thomas Scharf BMW of North Haven
Carlos Espinosa Lauderdale BMW of Fort Lauderdale David Shertzer Sun Motor Cars BMW
Kurt Sieman Bavarian Motor Village, Ltd.
Jason Fabek Checkered Flag BMW
Trevor Smith Peter Pan BMW
Justin Fournier BMW of Ann Arbor
Brian Sneed Long Beach BMW
Rolnei Franzen South Bay BMW
James Squiccimarra Hunterdon BMW
Timothy From Nalley BMW of Decatur
William Steiner Chapman BMW
Tony Gomez Prestige Imports
Kenneth Stockard Peake BMW
Andrew Graham The BMW Store
David Swenson Erhard BMW of Bloomfield Hills
David Graham BMW of Nashville
Justin Tollstrup Tom Bush BMW Jacksonville
Herbert Hilton Autobahn Motorcars
Pascual Torres Checkered Flag BMW
Mark Huber BMW of Nashville
Stelios Tsoukalas Open Road BMW
Brien Lesko Hunterdon BMW
Kevin Tuma Concours, Inc.
David Matsumoto Passport BMW
Logan Vollmat Roadshow BMW
Bradley McBride Sam Swope BMW
Christopher Vought All Pro BMW Gainesville
William Miller Tom Williams Imports
Michael Wardzala Ganley BMW
James Millikin BMW of Nashville
Rasheen Weekes BMW of Towson
Dustin Morrill BMW of Lincoln
Randy Willard Flemington BMW
David Moyer Otto's BMW
Aaron Munds Twin City BMW
For more information about Profiles in Achievement
logon to CenterNet > BMW > Recognition Programs >
Profiles in Achievement
Link Spring 2009   15

Take a Victory Lap
2008 was a year of both challenges and triumphs for Profiles
In Achievement participants. Using their hard-earned talent,
knowledge and experience along with an outstanding product,
PIA participants showed overwhelming success despite the
challenges that the economy brought about. BMW NA thanks
Service and Parts Directors
Name BMW Center
Charles Sigmon Hendrick BMW
Service Managers
Chris Blocker Hendrick BMW
Wendy Flaherty Sharpe BMW
Gregory Garwood Dick Horrigan BMW
David Parker BMW of Austin
Randy Plummer Roadshow BMW
Bryan Radin Tischer BMW of Silver Spring
Service Advisors
Jorge Ghiggia Westchester BMW
Mike Kasparian Firmage BMW of Murray
Alan Kurtz Checkered Flag BMW
Warren Matsui Steve Thomas BMW
Andrew Oakes Bell BMW
Michael Pickell Grayson BMW
Parts Managers
Steve Bultema Sharpe BMW
Ruben Fontanez Dick Horrigan BMW
Arnold Longoria BMW of Austin
Chris Maroulis Hendrick BMW
Donnie Mitchell Tischer BMW of Silver Spring
Jon Pack Roadshow BMW
Parts Advisors
Dale Danley Nalley BMW of Decatur
Peter Esshaki Erhard BMW of Farmington Hills
Scott Ferreira BMW of Newport
Kurt Hite Erhard BMW of Bloomfield Hills
Casey Reese Reliable BMW
Jody Rutherford Voss Village BMW
Warranty Administrators
Kris Hesselink Sharpe BMW
Ronald Kibbe BMW of Austin
Karen Wimpee BMW of Little Rock
14   Link Spring 2009
all of the hard work and dedication and wishes continued
success to everyone who worked toward these great
achievements. Congratulations to those who earned their
top “Victory Lap” titles and will be enjoying well-earned
trips to Lake Louise and Banff Canada this September.
Shop Foremen
Name BMW Center
Raymond Adam Open Road BMW
Henry Gelb BMW of Monrovia
Richard Green Grayson BMW
David Keirstead Center BMW
Tim Rivers Taylor BMW
Eliot Tecsi Dreyer & Reinbold, Inc.
Charles Vieni Prestige BMW
Technicians
Jimmy Amaro Tomkinson Automotive
Sebouh Bedrosian Beverly Hills BMW
David Baumann BMW of Dubuque
Isaac Brock Westchester BMW
Scott Brown BMW of Beaumont
Kevin Ciccariello Tulley BMW
Ron Clark Checkered Flag BMW
Ian Clemmer Santa Fe BMW
Tommy Grabarek Dreyer & Reinbold, Inc.
Eduardo Gutierrez South Bay BMW
Brian Horne BMW of Riverside
Anzor Khataev BMW of Peabody
Dennis Kleese BMW of the Main Line
Peter Limone Sandia BMW
Michael McCord Erhard BMW of Bloomfield Hills
Jeffery Minor Grayson BMW
Keith Patterson Jake Sweeney BMW
Jesse Price Reeves Import Motorcars, Inc.
Jason Putelis Wagner BMW of Shrewsbury
Marco Rebolledo Classic BMW
Mark Rice Lauderdale BMW of Fort Lauderdale
Carlos Ruiz South Motors BMW
Lucas Statts Daniels BMW
Adam Summerfelt Rasmussen BMW
George Terrazas Crevier BMW
Jonathan Travis Advantage BMW
Howard Walden Basney BMW
Certified Collision Repair Center (CCRC) Manager
Will Messer United BMW
Winner’s Circle
SLUG
Platinum Performance
Congratulations also to those technicians who achieved 2008 Platinum Performances. BMW is indeed very lucky
to have you during these challenging times and feel confident about the road ahead.
Technician Winners
Name BMW Center Name BMW Center
Jeff Beyer BMW of Humboldt Bay Alex Navarro Lauderdale BMW of Fort Lauderdale
Dustin Brey Voss Village BMW William Osborn Firmage BMW of Pleasant Grove
Lewis Busse Peter Pan BMW Walter Parker Foreign Motors West BMW
Ryan Butler Carrera BMW Bryan Ray Tomkinson Automotive
Christopher Cupler Erhard BMW of Bloomfield Hills John Reynolds BMW of Salem
Steve Cox Roadshow BMW Mike Rice Crevier BMW
Chris Dusko Dick Horrigan BMW Daniel Roy BMW of Fremont
Nathan Edwards Firmage BMW of Murray Thomas Scharf BMW of North Haven
Carlos Espinosa Lauderdale BMW of Fort Lauderdale David Shertzer Sun Motor Cars BMW
Kurt Sieman Bavarian Motor Village, Ltd.
Jason Fabek Checkered Flag BMW
Trevor Smith Peter Pan BMW
Justin Fournier BMW of Ann Arbor
Brian Sneed Long Beach BMW
Rolnei Franzen South Bay BMW
James Squiccimarra Hunterdon BMW
Timothy From Nalley BMW of Decatur
William Steiner Chapman BMW
Tony Gomez Prestige Imports
Kenneth Stockard Peake BMW
Andrew Graham The BMW Store
David Swenson Erhard BMW of Bloomfield Hills
David Graham BMW of Nashville
Justin Tollstrup Tom Bush BMW Jacksonville
Herbert Hilton Autobahn Motorcars
Pascual Torres Checkered Flag BMW
Mark Huber BMW of Nashville
Stelios Tsoukalas Open Road BMW
Brien Lesko Hunterdon BMW
Kevin Tuma Concours, Inc.
David Matsumoto Passport BMW
Logan Vollmat Roadshow BMW
Bradley McBride Sam Swope BMW
Christopher Vought All Pro BMW Gainesville
William Miller Tom Williams Imports
Michael Wardzala Ganley BMW
James Millikin BMW of Nashville
Rasheen Weekes BMW of Towson
Dustin Morrill BMW of Lincoln
Randy Willard Flemington BMW
David Moyer Otto's BMW
Aaron Munds Twin City BMW
For more information about Profiles in Achievement
logon to CenterNet > BMW > Recognition Programs >
Profiles in Achievement
Link Spring 2009   15

Driving Loyalty
Otto’s BMW Embraces New CEI Platform with Winning Results
When Michael Vadasz, general manager
of Otto’s BMW in West Chester, Pa. was
a little boy, his mother would say to him,
“Never judge what was said before you
know who said it.”
Today, that lesson is one of many
that built the foundation for a customer-
centric environment at Otto’s BMW.
From ensuring all team members greet
all customers they meet by name instead
of number, this dedication to a deeper
level of human relations regularly elicits
comments like, “When I come into this
dealership, I can sense the atmosphere
is different.” This difference drives the
BMW center’s quest for record CEI
scores and customer loyalty. “We have
learned never to forget that, without
our customers, we would be nothing,”
Vadasz says, “‘Fix the customer first’ is a
statement we live by at Otto’s BMW. I’ve
believed that for many years.”
That belief is one of many reasons
Vadasz was eager to embrace the
rollout of the new Vital Insight Customer
Experience Index (CEI) platform, a
program that focuses on the experience
of each and every customer, rather than
CSI where the importance was placed
16   Link Spring 2009
on the Customer Service. This small
change in lettering shows a major shift
in the importance of the customer expe-
rience. No matter how a customer is
treated, it is their perceived experience
that matters at the end of the day.
Vital Insight promises to improve
the accuracy of each BMW center’s
scores while boosting performance
through genuine, concrete feedback
from customers. Because customers
receive the surveys almost immedi-
ately, the details of their sales or
service experience are still fresh in
their minds. And perhaps just as impor-
tant, customers can complete the
survey when it’s most convenient for
them. “The customers will never
receive telephone calls while they’re
eating dinner,” says Vadasz, who’s an
advocate of the new, non-intrusive
method. “They can respond to us at
their leisure. They can send us their
true experiences, and some of them
are negative.” He also likes the fact
that the emails are deployed by the
BMW center itself and signed by the
sales or service manager for a more
personal effect.
The new survey includes both Yes /
No questions and open comment fields to
solicit more in-depth answers. When the
customer hits the “submit” button, the
responses are published to Vital Insight’s
Foresight tool. If there are any issues or
problems, the center’s management team
receives an alert that follow up is needed.
Center staff can then work with these
concerns through the Foresight tool to
view, assign, resolve and close issues
raised by customers. “The new platform,”
says Kerry Dall, BMW’s Customer
Satisfaction Manager, “is more customer-
friendly and completes the customer
communication loop with resolution of
open concerns. This allows the center to
address customer concerns before they
can taint the customer’s perception of our
brand. Satisfied customers tend to be
more engaged customers, and are much
more likely to be loyal not only to the
brand, but to the center and its staff.”
At Otto’s BMW, the survey’s email
invitation is deployed five days after a
vehicle sale and one day after a service
appointment. The center sees an
85 percent response rate from sales
customers and a 49 percent response
rate from its service customers.
Otto’s BMW was one of the pilot
locations for the CEI platform, and even
though Vadasz was an advocate, he held
to the center’s protocol by delegating
implementation to his center’s Quality
Management System (QMS) team. He
presented the program to them, gave his
reasons for supporting it, relied on them
to make the necessary decisions, and
offered guidance when necessary.
Together, Vadasz and the QMS
team determined that the Business
Development Center (BDC) would be
responsible for reviewing each survey and
ensuring follow up when necessary. If a
customer has a basic question, a BDC
associate may respond to them directly.
However, if there is a negative comment
or pressing concern, the survey is imme-
diately routed to the appropriate service
or sales manager, who will attempt to
reach the customer by phone. The goal is
to resolve any issue within three business
days. If a customer is not available by
phone, an email will follow the phone
attempts with an explanation and request
to call the BMW center manager at their
convenience. All conversations, questions,
concerns and resolutions are documented
in the dealer management system (DMS).
This provides any sales or service consul-
tant who contacts the customer in the
future with full knowledge of any prior
question or concern, better equipping
them to understand the customer and to
address his or her needs.
Vadasz believes in the system so
firmly that it has become the cornerstone
of the center’s customer communications
efforts. “The more we worked on imple-
menting it, the more we realized that
this has to be the foundation of all our
communications, marketing and solicita-
tions to customers,” he says. “As long as
we keep it under one hat, we are not
going to over-survey people and we are
not going to bombard them four times in
seven days. Instead, there will be low-
grade, constant care throughout the year.”
For example, the center changed
the contact schedule for its salespeople.
Instead of requiring follow-up phone calls
to sales customers, the BDC attempts
to schedule service appointments for
the customers when that salesperson is
onsite. Then while the customer is drop-
ping off or picking up, the salesperson
Touchpoint
SLUG
can make in-person contact with a hand-
shake and a hello — delivering much
more impact than a phone call.
Vadasz and Otto’s BMW are proof
positive that the new CEI platform isn’t
just a software change. “This is a change
of culture through active customer
communication and problem resolution,”
Dall says. “And this change of culture will
lead to increased customer retention and
loyalty. Without our customers, we have
no business. The platform change is
designed to take us to a new level, one
that is befitting to our Ultimate Driving
Machine reputation.”
So far, this is ringing true at Otto’s
BMW. “When we switched to the present
system, my CEI ratings automatically
went up because of better communica-
tion from customers to us,” Vadasz says.
“That’s all because it’s faster, it’s elec-
tronic and the customer is not festering.
If the customer had to wait to be called
for a month and there was a problem, he
would work himself into a tizzy and he
definitely would be unhappy. Since email
goes out almost immediately, I think that
is a definite plus.”
Link Spring 2009   17

Driving Loyalty
Otto’s BMW Embraces New CEI Platform with Winning Results
When Michael Vadasz, general manager
of Otto’s BMW in West Chester, Pa. was
a little boy, his mother would say to him,
“Never judge what was said before you
know who said it.”
Today, that lesson is one of many
that built the foundation for a customer-
centric environment at Otto’s BMW.
From ensuring all team members greet
all customers they meet by name instead
of number, this dedication to a deeper
level of human relations regularly elicits
comments like, “When I come into this
dealership, I can sense the atmosphere
is different.” This difference drives the
BMW center’s quest for record CEI
scores and customer loyalty. “We have
learned never to forget that, without
our customers, we would be nothing,”
Vadasz says, “‘Fix the customer first’ is a
statement we live by at Otto’s BMW. I’ve
believed that for many years.”
That belief is one of many reasons
Vadasz was eager to embrace the
rollout of the new Vital Insight Customer
Experience Index (CEI) platform, a
program that focuses on the experience
of each and every customer, rather than
CSI where the importance was placed
16   Link Spring 2009
on the Customer Service. This small
change in lettering shows a major shift
in the importance of the customer expe-
rience. No matter how a customer is
treated, it is their perceived experience
that matters at the end of the day.
Vital Insight promises to improve
the accuracy of each BMW center’s
scores while boosting performance
through genuine, concrete feedback
from customers. Because customers
receive the surveys almost immedi-
ately, the details of their sales or
service experience are still fresh in
their minds. And perhaps just as impor-
tant, customers can complete the
survey when it’s most convenient for
them. “The customers will never
receive telephone calls while they’re
eating dinner,” says Vadasz, who’s an
advocate of the new, non-intrusive
method. “They can respond to us at
their leisure. They can send us their
true experiences, and some of them
are negative.” He also likes the fact
that the emails are deployed by the
BMW center itself and signed by the
sales or service manager for a more
personal effect.
The new survey includes both Yes /
No questions and open comment fields to
solicit more in-depth answers. When the
customer hits the “submit” button, the
responses are published to Vital Insight’s
Foresight tool. If there are any issues or
problems, the center’s management team
receives an alert that follow up is needed.
Center staff can then work with these
concerns through the Foresight tool to
view, assign, resolve and close issues
raised by customers. “The new platform,”
says Kerry Dall, BMW’s Customer
Satisfaction Manager, “is more customer-
friendly and completes the customer
communication loop with resolution of
open concerns. This allows the center to
address customer concerns before they
can taint the customer’s perception of our
brand. Satisfied customers tend to be
more engaged customers, and are much
more likely to be loyal not only to the
brand, but to the center and its staff.”
At Otto’s BMW, the survey’s email
invitation is deployed five days after a
vehicle sale and one day after a service
appointment. The center sees an
85 percent response rate from sales
customers and a 49 percent response
rate from its service customers.
Otto’s BMW was one of the pilot
locations for the CEI platform, and even
though Vadasz was an advocate, he held
to the center’s protocol by delegating
implementation to his center’s Quality
Management System (QMS) team. He
presented the program to them, gave his
reasons for supporting it, relied on them
to make the necessary decisions, and
offered guidance when necessary.
Together, Vadasz and the QMS
team determined that the Business
Development Center (BDC) would be
responsible for reviewing each survey and
ensuring follow up when necessary. If a
customer has a basic question, a BDC
associate may respond to them directly.
However, if there is a negative comment
or pressing concern, the survey is imme-
diately routed to the appropriate service
or sales manager, who will attempt to
reach the customer by phone. The goal is
to resolve any issue within three business
days. If a customer is not available by
phone, an email will follow the phone
attempts with an explanation and request
to call the BMW center manager at their
convenience. All conversations, questions,
concerns and resolutions are documented
in the dealer management system (DMS).
This provides any sales or service consul-
tant who contacts the customer in the
future with full knowledge of any prior
question or concern, better equipping
them to understand the customer and to
address his or her needs.
Vadasz believes in the system so
firmly that it has become the cornerstone
of the center’s customer communications
efforts. “The more we worked on imple-
menting it, the more we realized that
this has to be the foundation of all our
communications, marketing and solicita-
tions to customers,” he says. “As long as
we keep it under one hat, we are not
going to over-survey people and we are
not going to bombard them four times in
seven days. Instead, there will be low-
grade, constant care throughout the year.”
For example, the center changed
the contact schedule for its salespeople.
Instead of requiring follow-up phone calls
to sales customers, the BDC attempts
to schedule service appointments for
the customers when that salesperson is
onsite. Then while the customer is drop-
ping off or picking up, the salesperson
Touchpoint
SLUG
can make in-person contact with a hand-
shake and a hello — delivering much
more impact than a phone call.
Vadasz and Otto’s BMW are proof
positive that the new CEI platform isn’t
just a software change. “This is a change
of culture through active customer
communication and problem resolution,”
Dall says. “And this change of culture will
lead to increased customer retention and
loyalty. Without our customers, we have
no business. The platform change is
designed to take us to a new level, one
that is befitting to our Ultimate Driving
Machine reputation.”
So far, this is ringing true at Otto’s
BMW. “When we switched to the present
system, my CEI ratings automatically
went up because of better communica-
tion from customers to us,” Vadasz says.
“That’s all because it’s faster, it’s elec-
tronic and the customer is not festering.
If the customer had to wait to be called
for a month and there was a problem, he
would work himself into a tizzy and he
definitely would be unhappy. Since email
goes out almost immediately, I think that
is a definite plus.”
Link Spring 2009   17

Living in Chrome
BMW Chrome-Plated Wheels Add Distinction to Excellence
Sometimes a car is just a car. But at your
BMW center, it’s also a statement. It’s
an acknowledgement of the hard work
and good fortune that your customers
have embraced through the years. It’s
an outward expression of their personal
taste. It’s having the best when they
deserve nothing less. And with Aftersales
offerings like original BMW 21" chrome-
plated wheels, you can provide in a single
product that personalization, quality,
and design that have come to define the
BMW experience.
The decision to purchase an acces-
sory is often about style as much as it
is performance — in opinion polls, visual
appearance and personalization of
a vehicle rate as primary motivators.
Not surprisingly, the blend of aesthetic
achievement and technical merit that your
customer expects from their BMW vehicle
also extends to these accessory rims.
The wheels live up to the highest
standards of design and personalization
with an instantly recognizable look and
18   Link Spring 2009
five customized coating areas. They’re
also the largest technically possible
wheel/tire combination approved by BMW
for this year’s models.
Every wheel and tire set that ships to
your BMW center has been developed in
a multi-stage process to meet all factory
standards, and has stood up to more than
forty different testing criteria — an evalua-
tive process the competition can’t match.
The wheels are also individually foam
wrapped, so that they arrive to you in
the same pristine condition that they left
the factory.
That untarnished look is preserved
on the road, as well, by a proprietary
coating specifically designed for nickel-
chrome plated surfaces. Applied to the
lugnut towers, bead seat (tire side),
center cap, valve hole and brake side of
the wheel, the coating helps fight corro-
sion in even the harshest environments.
It also provides added safety by reducing
tire slippage and acting as a barrier
between the rim and the tire.
The chrome wheels are fully
inspected to assure they meet cosmetic
requirements. For further quality control,
individual components such as the rims
and center caps have the BMW P/N,
date stamp, and country of origin
imprinted on the back. Each wheel and
box is marked for product traceability,
and your customers can buy with the
full confidence instilled by the BMW
Accessory Warranty.
Your BMW center has always been
a place that your customers can trust for
the best in vehicle quality, performance
and design. By making them aware of
products like original BMW chrome alloy
wheels, you can remind them that that
same excellence extends beyond the car,
and into accessories, service and more.
Most importantly, you can help them
make a statement.
Focus on
Refinishing
BMW ColorSystem Introduces Abrasives
At your BMW center, no two customers are the same. On the
road, no two cars experience the same set of conditions. It’s
important, then, that your body and paint shop is able to treat
each refinishing job with the care and specificity that life’s
little differences require. The BMW ColorSystem’s new range
of automotive abrasives helps you do just that.
ColorSystem’s array of paint products and accessories
already made the service indispensable. Now that a full range
of top-quality abrasives have been added to the mix, it’s also
comprehensive. And with full technical support provided,
it’s worry-free.
These high-quality products, made to the exacting specifi-
cations of BMW North America by one of the leading automotive
refinishing manufacturers, run the gamut from down-to-metal
sanding to surface reconditioning and polishing. They can be
used in both nonvacuum and dust-free vacuum sanding opera-
tions. Above all, they can transform the body and paint shop at
your BMW center into a one-stop destination for refinishing jobs
of any size.
For the tough cases, Mini Abrasive Belts are made of a
durable sanding material that can stand up to aggressive sanding
by machine, such as welding seams. A material called Coarse
Cut brings that same intensity to the heavy-duty sanding of
lacquer and putty, glass reinforced polyester and welding seams.
When the work requires a lighter touch, ColorSystem’s
SLUG
Fuel
Fine Prep Discs minimize the risk of pressure marks while still
creating a smooth sanding pattern. The Fine Prep Discs are as
versatile as they are deft, with a flexible weave that makes them
suitable for both dry and wet sanding, by machine or by hand.
Some details can necessitate a more hands-on approach.
For those difficult-to-reach and irregular areas, Hand Dry
Sanding Soft pads are at the ready. A foam base gives you a
comfortable grip while also applying even pressure, reducing
the risk of sanding through the surface. Wet Sanding sheets are
ideal for manually wet sanding plastics, lacquers and composite
materials. For more everyday jobs, strong and durable Soft Cuff
Pads provide a dense, uniform scratch pattern to bring out the
best in any final painting result.
The new abrasives lineup also includes Prep Mesh, an
advanced surface finishing solution that provides both better
speed and execution, and Mini Grinding Discs designed for
grinding and polishing wood, metal or plastic.
Available now to your BMW center’s body shop at very
competitive prices, the new ColorSystem offerings also present
a wholesale opportunity when sold to independent body shops.
Visitors to your BMW center don’t just crave individual
attention, high-quality service and a focus on detail. They
deserve it. And with ColorSystem’s full range of abrasives, you
can provide it, all as part of a one-stop customer experience
that’s truly different.
Link Spring 2009   19

Living in Chrome
BMW Chrome-Plated Wheels Add Distinction to Excellence
Sometimes a car is just a car. But at your
BMW center, it’s also a statement. It’s
an acknowledgement of the hard work
and good fortune that your customers
have embraced through the years. It’s
an outward expression of their personal
taste. It’s having the best when they
deserve nothing less. And with Aftersales
offerings like original BMW 21" chrome-
plated wheels, you can provide in a single
product that personalization, quality,
and design that have come to define the
BMW experience.
The decision to purchase an acces-
sory is often about style as much as it
is performance — in opinion polls, visual
appearance and personalization of
a vehicle rate as primary motivators.
Not surprisingly, the blend of aesthetic
achievement and technical merit that your
customer expects from their BMW vehicle
also extends to these accessory rims.
The wheels live up to the highest
standards of design and personalization
with an instantly recognizable look and
18   Link Spring 2009
five customized coating areas. They’re
also the largest technically possible
wheel/tire combination approved by BMW
for this year’s models.
Every wheel and tire set that ships to
your BMW center has been developed in
a multi-stage process to meet all factory
standards, and has stood up to more than
forty different testing criteria — an evalua-
tive process the competition can’t match.
The wheels are also individually foam
wrapped, so that they arrive to you in
the same pristine condition that they left
the factory.
That untarnished look is preserved
on the road, as well, by a proprietary
coating specifically designed for nickel-
chrome plated surfaces. Applied to the
lugnut towers, bead seat (tire side),
center cap, valve hole and brake side of
the wheel, the coating helps fight corro-
sion in even the harshest environments.
It also provides added safety by reducing
tire slippage and acting as a barrier
between the rim and the tire.
The chrome wheels are fully
inspected to assure they meet cosmetic
requirements. For further quality control,
individual components such as the rims
and center caps have the BMW P/N,
date stamp, and country of origin
imprinted on the back. Each wheel and
box is marked for product traceability,
and your customers can buy with the
full confidence instilled by the BMW
Accessory Warranty.
Your BMW center has always been
a place that your customers can trust for
the best in vehicle quality, performance
and design. By making them aware of
products like original BMW chrome alloy
wheels, you can remind them that that
same excellence extends beyond the car,
and into accessories, service and more.
Most importantly, you can help them
make a statement.
Focus on
Refinishing
BMW ColorSystem Introduces Abrasives
At your BMW center, no two customers are the same. On the
road, no two cars experience the same set of conditions. It’s
important, then, that your body and paint shop is able to treat
each refinishing job with the care and specificity that life’s
little differences require. The BMW ColorSystem’s new range
of automotive abrasives helps you do just that.
ColorSystem’s array of paint products and accessories
already made the service indispensable. Now that a full range
of top-quality abrasives have been added to the mix, it’s also
comprehensive. And with full technical support provided,
it’s worry-free.
These high-quality products, made to the exacting specifi-
cations of BMW North America by one of the leading automotive
refinishing manufacturers, run the gamut from down-to-metal
sanding to surface reconditioning and polishing. They can be
used in both nonvacuum and dust-free vacuum sanding opera-
tions. Above all, they can transform the body and paint shop at
your BMW center into a one-stop destination for refinishing jobs
of any size.
For the tough cases, Mini Abrasive Belts are made of a
durable sanding material that can stand up to aggressive sanding
by machine, such as welding seams. A material called Coarse
Cut brings that same intensity to the heavy-duty sanding of
lacquer and putty, glass reinforced polyester and welding seams.
When the work requires a lighter touch, ColorSystem’s
SLUG
Fuel
Fine Prep Discs minimize the risk of pressure marks while still
creating a smooth sanding pattern. The Fine Prep Discs are as
versatile as they are deft, with a flexible weave that makes them
suitable for both dry and wet sanding, by machine or by hand.
Some details can necessitate a more hands-on approach.
For those difficult-to-reach and irregular areas, Hand Dry
Sanding Soft pads are at the ready. A foam base gives you a
comfortable grip while also applying even pressure, reducing
the risk of sanding through the surface. Wet Sanding sheets are
ideal for manually wet sanding plastics, lacquers and composite
materials. For more everyday jobs, strong and durable Soft Cuff
Pads provide a dense, uniform scratch pattern to bring out the
best in any final painting result.
The new abrasives lineup also includes Prep Mesh, an
advanced surface finishing solution that provides both better
speed and execution, and Mini Grinding Discs designed for
grinding and polishing wood, metal or plastic.
Available now to your BMW center’s body shop at very
competitive prices, the new ColorSystem offerings also present
a wholesale opportunity when sold to independent body shops.
Visitors to your BMW center don’t just crave individual
attention, high-quality service and a focus on detail. They
deserve it. And with ColorSystem’s full range of abrasives, you
can provide it, all as part of a one-stop customer experience
that’s truly different.
Link Spring 2009   19
 Fuel
BMW Maintenance
Program Upgrade
for M Series

The Ultimate
bmwusa.com Driving Machine®

Serious Fans Only / /

Passion for M Series doesn’t
end at 50,000 miles. / /

A Look Inside the 2009 F1 Merchandise Collection And now their maintenance [ Driver ] 20/21

It’s sometimes easy to forget that for

/

The 2009 catalog has more than just

/
program doesn’t have to either.
/
many of your customers, BMW is more clothes. Driver caps in white or dark blue /

than just a brand. It’s a team. It’s the offer a sporty design that includes the M Series owners are among the most passionate BMW enthusiasts. That’s why we now offer a Maintenance Program
[ Pit Crew/Accessories ] 28/29
drivers and crew members who have team logo and current sponsors’ logos, as Upgrade that allows M Series owners to extend their total maintenance coverage up to a total of 6 years/100,000 miles,
[5] Driver Cap “Nick Heidfeld”, white
made BMW Sauber an elite force in well asSporty
thewhitedriver
driver caplogo, signature
with blue side andwithflag.
inserts. Embroidered the team logo and current sponsors’ logos as well as the driver logo,
58 cm 80 30 2 146 932
100 % polyester. signature, and flag.
whichever comes first. It’s just one more way you can provide the elevated service your customers expect.
Formula One. And most of all, it’s the An 80-page BMW F1-branded racing
[6] Driver Cap “Robert Kubica”, white
worldwide community of BMW enthu- notebook includes
Sporty white a convenient
driver cap with blue race
side inserts. Embroidered with the team logo and current sponsors’ logos as well as the driver
58 cm 80 30 2 146 930
100 % polyester. logo, signature, and flag.
/
siasts who support that team year in calendar and a business card slot, and
[7] Driver Cap “Nick Heidfeld”, dark blue
and year out. For the customer whose makes a dark
Sporty great gift
blue driver when
cap with paired
white side with with
inserts. Embroidered a the team logo and current sponsors’ logos as 58 cm 80 30 2 146 933
100 % polyester. / well as the
/ driver logo, signature, and flag. / /

favorite day of the week is race day, BMW F1 ballpoint pen. For the collector
[ 8 ][ 1 ] Driver Cap “Robert Kubica”, dark blue [2] [5] [6]
BMW’s 2009 F1 merchandise collection in your customer’s
Sporty life,
dark blue driver cap with white the catalog
side inserts. also
Embroidered with the team logo and current sponsors’
58 cm 80 30 2 146 931
[ Pit Crew/Accessories ] 28/29
100 % polyester. logos as well as the driver logo, signature, and flag.
offers the ultimate immersive experience. includes replicas of the 2009 season [5] Driver Cap “Nick Heidfeld”, white 58 cm 80 30 2 146 932
[9] Fan Scarf “Nick Heidfeld”
Every item has been designed with BMWClassic
Sauberfan scarf in F1 Team
the team race cars in 1:43
colours with woven-in driver name, flag, signature and BMW
One size 80 30 2 153 843 Sporty white driver cap with blue side inserts. Embroidered with the team logo and current sponsors’ logos as well as the driver logo, signature, and flag.
100 % polyester.
Sauber F1 Team wordmark. 100 % acrylic.

the serious fan in mind. Men’s and or 1:18

[ 10 ]scale. All cars feature sponsor
Fan Scarf “Robert Kubica” [6] Driver Cap “Robert Kubica”, white 58 cm 80 30 2 146 930
One size 80 30 2 153 844 Sporty white driver cap with blue side inserts. Embroidered with the team logo and current sponsors’ logos as well as the driver logo, signature, and flag.
[2]
women’s polo shirts incorporate dynamic logos,Classic fan scarf in the team colours with woven-in driver name, flag, signature
functional wheels and an incredible and BMW Sauber F1 Team wordmark. 100 % acrylic. 100 % polyester.
[2] [6] [
design elements with the logo and name attention to detail. With such a diverse [7] Driver Cap “Nick Heidfeld”, dark blue 58 cm 80 30 2 146 933
Sporty dark blue driver cap with white side inserts. Embroidered with the team logo and current sponsors’ logos as well as the driver logo, signature, and flag.
of your customer’s favorite BMW Sauber range of offerings, your customers can 100 % polyester.

team driver, be it 2008 Canadian Grand rest assured that your BMW center has [8] Driver Cap “Robert Kubica”, dark blue 58 cm 80 30 2 146 931
Sporty dark blue driver cap with white side inserts. Embroidered with the team logo and current sponsors’ logos as well as the driver logo, signature, and flag.
Prix winner Robert Kubica or F1 veteran racing fans covered from head to toy. 100 % polyester.

Nick Heidfeld.
[2
]
Each shirt is made from BMW has an unprecedented history [9] Fan Scarf “Nick Heidfeld”
Classic fan scarf in the team colours with woven-in driver name, flag, signature and BMW Sauber F1 Team wordmark. 100 % acrylic.
One size 80 30 2 153 843

a comfortable cotton/Lycra blend and ®

of success in making cars. Now, with the [ 10 ] Fan Scarf “Robert Kubica” One size 80 30 2 153 844

features a driver signature and team logo. BMW Sauber F1 team building on the Classic fan scarf in the team colours with woven-in driver name, flag, signature and BMW Sauber F1 Team wordmark. 100 % acrylic.

[1] [2]
And since BMW Sauber supporters aren’t momentum
[5] of each previous season, [6]
/
just fair-weather fans, a Kubica windjacket the company is establishing that same
and Heidfeld hooded sweatshirt are also success[ 3 ]in racing them. For your [4] / [7] [8]
[8] [

available in sizes from small to XXL. customer who wants to share in that [A
cce
[1] sso
ries
]
Dedicated racing fans know that a history, who cheered Robert Kubica and 38
/ 39
[6
] [1]
winning team requires more than just Nick Heidfeld Men’s
from the“Robert
T-Shirt Australian
Kubica” Grand 80 30 2 150- S 966 M 967 L 968 XL 969 XXL 970 [5] Men’s T-Shirt “Nick Heidfeld” 80 30 2 150- S 941 M 942 L 943 XL 944 XXL 945
[4 Sporty white men’s T-shirt with V-neck and placket. Dynamic design elements with red mesh inserts running from the lower frontal area to the upper back. Racing Trendy blue men’s T-shirt with round neckline and raw edges. Nick Heidfeld wordmark on the front right, Nick Heidfeld neck tape, and team logo on the left sleeve.
]
the guy behind the wheel. That’s why Prix [to the Grande Prêmio do Brasil in
number on the right sleeve, Robert Kubica logo on the front upper left, team logo at the nape of the neck, and signature on the right lower back area. Standard fit. Nick Heidfeld logo with brushed rivets and signature on the back upper left. 100 % cotton.
/

7 ] 100 % cotton.

/
[8] [5] [6]

[4] the 2009 catalog also celebrates the 2008 and

[2]
willLadies’
again for years to come,
Polo “Robert Kubica” 80 30 2 150- XS 981 S 982 M 983 L 984 XL 985 [3]
[6] Ladies’ Top “Nick Heidfeld” 80 30 2 150- XS 956 S 957 M 958 L 959 XL 960
Blue ladies’ top with raw edges. Team logo at the nape of the neck and Nick Heidfeld wordmark at the lower back. Nick Heidfeld logo with brushed sequins on the front
men and women behind the scenes, the 2009
SportyBMW
white ladies’F1 merchandise
polo shirt with dynamic blue designcollec-
elements on the front and back, complemented by red mesh inserts. Extra-long placket with contrasting
blue lining. Robert Kubica logo on the front upper left, team logo at the nape of the neck, and signature on the right lower back area. 95 % cotton, 5 % Lycra . ®
upper left. Slim fit. 95 % cotton, 5 % Lycra®.
[7
]
/
with a range of pit crew items. Men’s tion is more than just a catalog. It’s a / /
[7] Men’s Polo “Nick Heidfeld” 80 30 2 150- S 946 M 947 L 948 XL 949 XXL 950
[3] Men’s Polo “Robert Kubica” 80 30 2 150- S 976 M 977 L 978 XL 979 XXL 980 Cool men’s polo shirt in grey marl, with collar underside and contrasting seams in blue. Raw edges, team logo on the front upper left, racing number at the back, Nick
and ladies’ pit crew polo shirts are chance Sporty
to be partpoloofshirtawith
blue men’s team.
dynamic white design elements on the front and back, complemented by red mesh inserts. Placket with contrasting red lining. Heidfeld logo with brushed rivets and signature on the front upper right. 97 % cotton, 3 % Lycra®.
Robert Kubica logo on the front upper left, team logo at the nape of the neck, and signature on the right lower back area. 95 % cotton, 5 % Lycra®.
/

/
[ Accessories ] 38/39
striking replicas of the real thing. For
80 30 2 148- S 083 M 084 L 085 XL 086 XXL 087
[9 [
[8] Men’s Hoody “Nick Heidfeld” 80 30 2 150- S 961 M 962 L 963 XL 964 XXL 965
ack and the current sponsors’ logos. Standard fit. 100 % cool dry cotton. ] [4] Men’s Windjacket “Robert Kubica” 80 30 28 150-
] S 986 M 987 L 988 XL 989 XXL 990 Trendy hooded men’s sweatjacket in grey marl with signature on the right side of the hood. Inside of the hood finished off with Nick Heidfeld tape. Team logo on
more rugged conditions, a slim-fit pit
/

Sporty blue men’s jacket with a small stand-up collar and signature on the right inside collar. Two slit pockets on the front. Reflective detailing on the sleeves the front upper left, racing number at the back, and Nick Heidfeld wordmark combined with Nick Heidfeld logo with brushed sequins on the left sleeve. 95 % cotton,
[6 and collar, Robert Kubica logo on the front upper left, and team logo at the nape of the neck. Standard fit. 100 % polyester. 5 % Lycra®. [7] [8]
80 30 2 148- S 078 M 079 L 080 XL 081 XXL 082 ]
crew denim jacket features fashionable
Mo
t the sleeve ends. Printed with the team logo at the back and the current
u
Ava se pa
Mo
use
ne. d
ilab Pad [3] [4]
5] le fr printe F1
quilted details and contemporary wide
[7
om d
Ma with th
y 20
80 30 2 148- S 088 M 089 L 090 XL 091 XXL 092
A5
] 09. e 200
9 ra [ 10 [ 10 ]
cuffs. And all pit crew wear comes
ntemporary wide cuffs. Embroidered with the team logo and the current note
boo
kw
Rac
ing
No
ce c
ar. M
ater
]
ith ra teb ial: 20 21
[8 o o tran
embroidered with the team logo and ] c e ca kF spa
/

Ball le nda 1 re n
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80 30 2 148- XS 168 S 169 M 170 L 171 XL 172 t pe pen clud
e a
current sponsors’ logos. nw Tea sa nd [1] Men’s Pit Crew Shirt 80 30 2 148- S 083 M 084 L 085 XL 086 XXL 087
/

s. Side slits. Standard fit. 95 % cotton, 5 % Lycra®. ith te mF bus plas

/
[9 am 1[ 9 ] ines tic fo
] logo s ca am Striking replica shirt in a laid-back polo style, embroidered with the team logo at the back and the current sponsors’ logos. Standard fit. 100 % cool dry cotton.
Foa , da rd s . Dim [ 10 ]
[2] me Ear rk b lot o e
arp
lugs
p lug lue n th n sion © 2009 BMW of North America, LLC.
sF ink. e in s: 2 [2] Men’s Pit Crew T-Shirt 80 30 2 148- S 078 M 079 L 080 XL 081 XXL 082
[ 10 to p 1 Ma side 4x
]
rote
ct y
teria
l: pla
. 80 19
cm Classic blue T-shirt with white raglan sleeves and blue inserts at shoulder level and at the sleeve ends. Printed with the team logo The BMW
at the name,
back and model names and logos are registered trademarks.
the current
ed B our pag . Pic
MW Ball Ball sti c e s tu sponsors’ logos at the front and on the sleeves. Standard fi t. 97 % cotton, 3 % elastane.
Sau
poin
t pe pen
ear
s du . , squ
ared
re d
iffer
The BMW Maintenance Program covers factory-recommended maintenance,
ber 80 n T ring . s fro
F1 3 0 s et w e a a ra Av
Tea 21
47 ith m m Set ce. aila
ble [3]
m th
Men’s
is y Pit Crew 80 Denim Jacket as determined by the vehicle’s service indicator, for a period of up to 4 years or 50,000 miles,
80 30 2 148- S 088 M 089 L 090 XL 091 XXL 092
m lo 28 139 etal F1 Inclu [6] from ear 30 [7] [8]
go. ded Apr ’s m 2 1quilted
stra :ah Cool denim jacket with 29fashionable
ode 47 details, classic front button placket and contemporary wide cuffs. Embroidered withwhichever comes
the team logo and first. Coverage up to 6 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first, includes original
the current
/

il 20

/
80
30
p an
[4]
dm
agn
and
y ca
09. [5]
sponsors’ logos. Slim fi t. 100 l.% cotton,1lightly
47 washed.
BMW Maintenance Program coverage. Please consult your authorized BMW center or refer to your vehicle’s Service
[ 11 ]and Warranty
21 ets. rry
47 P pou
132 e ns w c h in
ith re whit [4] Ladies’ 80Pit Crew Shirt
30 80 30 2 148- Booklet
XS 168 S 169 for details
M 170 L 171onXLcoverage
172 conditions and limitations.
ens
ions 80 20   Link Spring 2009 d an
db
ep
olye
ster Striking replica shirt, embroidered
21
53 with the team logo and the current sponsors’ logos. Side slits. Standard fit. 95 % cotton, 5 % Lycra®. [9] [ 10 ]
: 51 30 lue w 845
x 51 2 149 in k re it ha
cm 433 spe me
. ctiv tal r 80
ely. ing 30
BM to a 04
8 W tta 18
 Fuel
BMW Maintenance
Program Upgrade
for M Series

The Ultimate
bmwusa.com Driving Machine®

Serious Fans Only / /

Passion for M Series doesn’t
end at 50,000 miles. / /

A Look Inside the 2009 F1 Merchandise Collection And now their maintenance [ Driver ] 20/21

It’s sometimes easy to forget that for

/

The 2009 catalog has more than just

/
program doesn’t have to either.
/
many of your customers, BMW is more clothes. Driver caps in white or dark blue /

than just a brand. It’s a team. It’s the offer a sporty design that includes the M Series owners are among the most passionate BMW enthusiasts. That’s why we now offer a Maintenance Program
[ Pit Crew/Accessories ] 28/29
drivers and crew members who have team logo and current sponsors’ logos, as Upgrade that allows M Series owners to extend their total maintenance coverage up to a total of 6 years/100,000 miles,
[5] Driver Cap “Nick Heidfeld”, white
made BMW Sauber an elite force in well asSporty
thewhitedriver
driver caplogo, signature
with blue side andwithflag.
inserts. Embroidered the team logo and current sponsors’ logos as well as the driver logo,
58 cm 80 30 2 146 932
100 % polyester. signature, and flag.
whichever comes first. It’s just one more way you can provide the elevated service your customers expect.
Formula One. And most of all, it’s the An 80-page BMW F1-branded racing
[6] Driver Cap “Robert Kubica”, white
worldwide community of BMW enthu- notebook includes
Sporty white a convenient
driver cap with blue race
side inserts. Embroidered with the team logo and current sponsors’ logos as well as the driver
58 cm 80 30 2 146 930
100 % polyester. logo, signature, and flag.
/
siasts who support that team year in calendar and a business card slot, and
[7] Driver Cap “Nick Heidfeld”, dark blue
and year out. For the customer whose makes a dark
Sporty great gift
blue driver when
cap with paired
white side with with
inserts. Embroidered a the team logo and current sponsors’ logos as 58 cm 80 30 2 146 933
100 % polyester. / well as the
/ driver logo, signature, and flag. / /

favorite day of the week is race day, BMW F1 ballpoint pen. For the collector
[ 8 ][ 1 ] Driver Cap “Robert Kubica”, dark blue [2] [5] [6]
BMW’s 2009 F1 merchandise collection in your customer’s
Sporty life,
dark blue driver cap with white the catalog
side inserts. also
Embroidered with the team logo and current sponsors’
58 cm 80 30 2 146 931
[ Pit Crew/Accessories ] 28/29
100 % polyester. logos as well as the driver logo, signature, and flag.
offers the ultimate immersive experience. includes replicas of the 2009 season [5] Driver Cap “Nick Heidfeld”, white 58 cm 80 30 2 146 932
[9] Fan Scarf “Nick Heidfeld”
Every item has been designed with BMWClassic
Sauberfan scarf in F1 Team
the team race cars in 1:43
colours with woven-in driver name, flag, signature and BMW
One size 80 30 2 153 843 Sporty white driver cap with blue side inserts. Embroidered with the team logo and current sponsors’ logos as well as the driver logo, signature, and flag.
100 % polyester.
Sauber F1 Team wordmark. 100 % acrylic.

the serious fan in mind. Men’s and or 1:18

[ 10 ]scale. All cars feature sponsor
Fan Scarf “Robert Kubica” [6] Driver Cap “Robert Kubica”, white 58 cm 80 30 2 146 930
One size 80 30 2 153 844 Sporty white driver cap with blue side inserts. Embroidered with the team logo and current sponsors’ logos as well as the driver logo, signature, and flag.
[2]
women’s polo shirts incorporate dynamic logos,Classic fan scarf in the team colours with woven-in driver name, flag, signature
functional wheels and an incredible and BMW Sauber F1 Team wordmark. 100 % acrylic. 100 % polyester.
[2] [6] [
design elements with the logo and name attention to detail. With such a diverse [7] Driver Cap “Nick Heidfeld”, dark blue 58 cm 80 30 2 146 933
Sporty dark blue driver cap with white side inserts. Embroidered with the team logo and current sponsors’ logos as well as the driver logo, signature, and flag.
of your customer’s favorite BMW Sauber range of offerings, your customers can 100 % polyester.

team driver, be it 2008 Canadian Grand rest assured that your BMW center has [8] Driver Cap “Robert Kubica”, dark blue 58 cm 80 30 2 146 931
Sporty dark blue driver cap with white side inserts. Embroidered with the team logo and current sponsors’ logos as well as the driver logo, signature, and flag.
Prix winner Robert Kubica or F1 veteran racing fans covered from head to toy. 100 % polyester.

Nick Heidfeld.
[2
]
Each shirt is made from BMW has an unprecedented history [9] Fan Scarf “Nick Heidfeld”
Classic fan scarf in the team colours with woven-in driver name, flag, signature and BMW Sauber F1 Team wordmark. 100 % acrylic.
One size 80 30 2 153 843

a comfortable cotton/Lycra blend and ®

of success in making cars. Now, with the [ 10 ] Fan Scarf “Robert Kubica” One size 80 30 2 153 844

features a driver signature and team logo. BMW Sauber F1 team building on the Classic fan scarf in the team colours with woven-in driver name, flag, signature and BMW Sauber F1 Team wordmark. 100 % acrylic.

[1] [2]
And since BMW Sauber supporters aren’t momentum
[5] of each previous season, [6]
/
just fair-weather fans, a Kubica windjacket the company is establishing that same
and Heidfeld hooded sweatshirt are also success[ 3 ]in racing them. For your [4] / [7] [8]
[8] [

available in sizes from small to XXL. customer who wants to share in that [A
cce
[1] sso
ries
]
Dedicated racing fans know that a history, who cheered Robert Kubica and 38
/ 39
[6
] [1]
winning team requires more than just Nick Heidfeld Men’s
from the“Robert
T-Shirt Australian
Kubica” Grand 80 30 2 150- S 966 M 967 L 968 XL 969 XXL 970 [5] Men’s T-Shirt “Nick Heidfeld” 80 30 2 150- S 941 M 942 L 943 XL 944 XXL 945
[4 Sporty white men’s T-shirt with V-neck and placket. Dynamic design elements with red mesh inserts running from the lower frontal area to the upper back. Racing Trendy blue men’s T-shirt with round neckline and raw edges. Nick Heidfeld wordmark on the front right, Nick Heidfeld neck tape, and team logo on the left sleeve.
]
the guy behind the wheel. That’s why Prix [to the Grande Prêmio do Brasil in
number on the right sleeve, Robert Kubica logo on the front upper left, team logo at the nape of the neck, and signature on the right lower back area. Standard fit. Nick Heidfeld logo with brushed rivets and signature on the back upper left. 100 % cotton.
/

7 ] 100 % cotton.

/
[8] [5] [6]

[4] the 2009 catalog also celebrates the 2008 and

[2]
willLadies’
again for years to come,
Polo “Robert Kubica” 80 30 2 150- XS 981 S 982 M 983 L 984 XL 985 [3]
[6] Ladies’ Top “Nick Heidfeld” 80 30 2 150- XS 956 S 957 M 958 L 959 XL 960
Blue ladies’ top with raw edges. Team logo at the nape of the neck and Nick Heidfeld wordmark at the lower back. Nick Heidfeld logo with brushed sequins on the front
men and women behind the scenes, the 2009
SportyBMW
white ladies’F1 merchandise
polo shirt with dynamic blue designcollec-
elements on the front and back, complemented by red mesh inserts. Extra-long placket with contrasting
blue lining. Robert Kubica logo on the front upper left, team logo at the nape of the neck, and signature on the right lower back area. 95 % cotton, 5 % Lycra . ®
upper left. Slim fit. 95 % cotton, 5 % Lycra®.
[7
]
/
with a range of pit crew items. Men’s tion is more than just a catalog. It’s a / /
[7] Men’s Polo “Nick Heidfeld” 80 30 2 150- S 946 M 947 L 948 XL 949 XXL 950
[3] Men’s Polo “Robert Kubica” 80 30 2 150- S 976 M 977 L 978 XL 979 XXL 980 Cool men’s polo shirt in grey marl, with collar underside and contrasting seams in blue. Raw edges, team logo on the front upper left, racing number at the back, Nick
and ladies’ pit crew polo shirts are chance Sporty
to be partpoloofshirtawith
blue men’s team.
dynamic white design elements on the front and back, complemented by red mesh inserts. Placket with contrasting red lining. Heidfeld logo with brushed rivets and signature on the front upper right. 97 % cotton, 3 % Lycra®.
Robert Kubica logo on the front upper left, team logo at the nape of the neck, and signature on the right lower back area. 95 % cotton, 5 % Lycra®.
/

/
[ Accessories ] 38/39
striking replicas of the real thing. For
80 30 2 148- S 083 M 084 L 085 XL 086 XXL 087
[9 [
[8] Men’s Hoody “Nick Heidfeld” 80 30 2 150- S 961 M 962 L 963 XL 964 XXL 965
ack and the current sponsors’ logos. Standard fit. 100 % cool dry cotton. ] [4] Men’s Windjacket “Robert Kubica” 80 30 28 150-
] S 986 M 987 L 988 XL 989 XXL 990 Trendy hooded men’s sweatjacket in grey marl with signature on the right side of the hood. Inside of the hood finished off with Nick Heidfeld tape. Team logo on
more rugged conditions, a slim-fit pit
/

Sporty blue men’s jacket with a small stand-up collar and signature on the right inside collar. Two slit pockets on the front. Reflective detailing on the sleeves the front upper left, racing number at the back, and Nick Heidfeld wordmark combined with Nick Heidfeld logo with brushed sequins on the left sleeve. 95 % cotton,
[6 and collar, Robert Kubica logo on the front upper left, and team logo at the nape of the neck. Standard fit. 100 % polyester. 5 % Lycra®. [7] [8]
80 30 2 148- S 078 M 079 L 080 XL 081 XXL 082 ]
crew denim jacket features fashionable
Mo
t the sleeve ends. Printed with the team logo at the back and the current
u
Ava se pa
Mo
use
ne. d
ilab Pad [3] [4]
5] le fr printe F1
quilted details and contemporary wide
[7
om d
Ma with th
y 20
80 30 2 148- S 088 M 089 L 090 XL 091 XXL 092
A5
] 09. e 200
9 ra [ 10 [ 10 ]
cuffs. And all pit crew wear comes
ntemporary wide cuffs. Embroidered with the team logo and the current note
boo
kw
Rac
ing
No
ce c
ar. M
ater
]
ith ra teb ial: 20 21
[8 o o tran
embroidered with the team logo and ] c e ca kF spa
/

Ball le nda 1 re n
Ball r. In t lam
poin inate
80 30 2 148- XS 168 S 169 M 170 L 171 XL 172 t pe pen clud
e a
current sponsors’ logos. nw Tea sa nd [1] Men’s Pit Crew Shirt 80 30 2 148- S 083 M 084 L 085 XL 086 XXL 087
/

s. Side slits. Standard fit. 95 % cotton, 5 % Lycra®. ith te mF bus plas

/
[9 am 1[ 9 ] ines tic fo
] logo s ca am Striking replica shirt in a laid-back polo style, embroidered with the team logo at the back and the current sponsors’ logos. Standard fit. 100 % cool dry cotton.
Foa , da rd s . Dim [ 10 ]
[2] me Ear rk b lot o e
arp
lugs
p lug lue n th n sion © 2009 BMW of North America, LLC.
sF ink. e in s: 2 [2] Men’s Pit Crew T-Shirt 80 30 2 148- S 078 M 079 L 080 XL 081 XXL 082
[ 10 to p 1 Ma side 4x
]
rote
ct y
teria
l: pla
. 80 19
cm Classic blue T-shirt with white raglan sleeves and blue inserts at shoulder level and at the sleeve ends. Printed with the team logo The BMW
at the name,
back and model names and logos are registered trademarks.
the current
ed B our pag . Pic
MW Ball Ball sti c e s tu sponsors’ logos at the front and on the sleeves. Standard fi t. 97 % cotton, 3 % elastane.
Sau
poin
t pe pen
ear
s du . , squ
ared
re d
iffer
The BMW Maintenance Program covers factory-recommended maintenance,
ber 80 n T ring . s fro
F1 3 0 s et w e a a ra Av
Tea 21
47 ith m m Set ce. aila
ble [3]
m th
Men’s
is y Pit Crew 80 Denim Jacket as determined by the vehicle’s service indicator, for a period of up to 4 years or 50,000 miles,
80 30 2 148- S 088 M 089 L 090 XL 091 XXL 092
m lo 28 139 etal F1 Inclu [6] from ear 30 [7] [8]
go. ded Apr ’s m 2 1quilted
stra :ah Cool denim jacket with 29fashionable
ode 47 details, classic front button placket and contemporary wide cuffs. Embroidered withwhichever comes
the team logo and first. Coverage up to 6 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first, includes original
the current
/

il 20

/
80
30
p an
[4]
dm
agn
and
y ca
09. [5]
sponsors’ logos. Slim fi t. 100 l.% cotton,1lightly
47 washed.
BMW Maintenance Program coverage. Please consult your authorized BMW center or refer to your vehicle’s Service
[ 11 ]and Warranty
21 ets. rry
47 P pou
132 e ns w c h in
ith re whit [4] Ladies’ 80Pit Crew Shirt
30 80 30 2 148- Booklet
XS 168 S 169 for details
M 170 L 171onXLcoverage
172 conditions and limitations.
ens
ions 80 20   Link Spring 2009 d an
db
ep
olye
ster Striking replica shirt, embroidered
21
53 with the team logo and the current sponsors’ logos. Side slits. Standard fit. 95 % cotton, 5 % Lycra®. [9] [ 10 ]
: 51 30 lue w 845
x 51 2 149 in k re it ha
cm 433 spe me
. ctiv tal r 80
ely. ing 30
BM to a 04
8 W tta 18

Collision Course
Operating a BMW Certified Collision Repair Center
can truly make your facility a one-stop shop for customers.
For customers, taking their vehicles in for collision repairs can
be significant emotional events. After all, even a minor acci-
dent disrupts the customer’s ability to drive their vehicle until it
is repaired. Luckily, a BMW Certified Collision Repair Center
(CCRC) can sweep away the worry of having vehicles repaired
which are nothing short of their original condition. By using
original BMW parts and approved repair processes, a BMW
CCRC uses: approved repair procedures, original BMW
parts and ColorSystem BMW Group refinishing products
(a water-borne and environmentally friendly solution) to
ensure customers’ BMW vehicles perform the way they did
from their first day of ownership.
To support BMW NA’s focus to grow the collision repair
business, BMW NA has elevated its focus to assist centers to
grow their body and paint business, become a CCRC and to
offer BMW centers the opportunities to provide quality collision
repair services to their customers.
Market research demonstrates that from a customer reten-
tion perspective, having a collision repair center that is a CCRC
will add value to the BMW owner’s relationship with the center
because it becomes a complete “One-stop Shop” location. A
center-owned CCRC can provide quality body and paint repair
services that any customer could possibly need. You also have
the opportunity to bridge the customer’s emotional experience
of an accident with the positive experience of you directly
offering a solution, instead of relying on a third-party vendor.
While some BMW centers already have collision centers,
it is recommended that those centers interested in entering the
body and paint business should also consider becoming a
BMW CCRC. The benefit for the centers is that their CCRC
could provide additional revenue streams and inclusive
One-Stop Shop collision repair services to their customers.
Because the size and location of a new CCRC will depend
on the markets’ needs, it may make sense for centers to
either build a collision repair center on undeveloped property,
which is considered a “green field” location. Or it may make
sense for centers to rehabilitate or refurbish an existing colli-
sion repair center location, which is referred to as a “brown
field” location.
22   Link Spring 2009
Parts, Perfected
Regardless of whether interested centers decide to use a
“green field” location or a “brown field” location, both business
models require using the same guidelines for facility selections:
performing quality collision repair processes, use of original
BMW parts, use of ColorSystem BMW Group refinishing prod-
ucts and adhering to the CCRC Program guidelines.
Two new regional distribution centers
Often, BMW centers want to know what the requirements
(RDCs) have made their debut in 2009,
are to enter the body and paint business, the projected return on
and Midwestern BMW centers in partic-
their investments and the guidelines with addressing customers’
ular stand to reap the benefits. The
needs when handling their collision repair services. Overall,
70-employee Minooka, Ill., facility is
centers who grow their accident business will notice additional
about an hour southwest of Chicago,
revenue and profit streams when repairing: BMW vehicles, other
while the 130-employee Nazareth, Penn.,
franchise vehicles, cosmetically repairing certified pre-owned
facility is about 90 minutes from both
vehicles and offering paintless dent repair services.
New York City and Philadelphia. Both join
While the idea of starting a CCRC may seem daunting,
four other RDCs nationwide to supply
enrollment in a certified program includes an entire suite
parts and accessories to BMW centers
of training for the estimating staff, the management staff and
quickly and efficiently.
the technical staff. There are classes, performance group
“One of the biggest reasons was to
discussions and a variety of eCourses available to help you
move the product closer to our centers,”
every step of the way.
explains Wes Neal, Manager, Logistics
Network Development, for BMW NA.
“That offers a number of advantages,
including shorter and more consistent
lead times, fewer damages and less
airfreight, which reduces overall trans-
portation expense.”
The recent network expansion is the
culmination of more than eight years of
development, beginning with just two
RDCs in 2000 and resulting in the six
now in place today. Mr. Neal says that
the Minooka and Nazareth facilities are
LEED-certified, confirming BMW’s
commitment to sustainability. (Editor’s
note: For more details on this certifica-
tion, see “LEED Leads the Way,” at right.
In addition, the build-to-suit facilities
provided the opportunity to introduce
cutting-edge technologies, such as
Wrench
SLUG
LEED Leads the Way
The Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED) Green
Building Rating System™ is the
Nazareth’s state-of-the-art conveyor
nationally accepted benchmark for the
system that helps process more than
design, construction and operation
75,000 of its parts and accessories.
of high-performance green buildings.
“Like at our other facilities, we’re
Since its inception in 1998, LEED has
using the ATLAS system, BMW’s propri-
certified more than 14,000 projects in
etary client server solution consisting of
more than 30 countries worldwide.
different SAP modules working together
LEED promotes a whole-building
to make one completely integrated
approach to sustainability by recognizing
system,” Mr. Neal says.
performance in five key areas of human
Both facilities will play host to
and environmental health:
regional Parts & Service Meetings in the
• sustainable site development
near future, Mr. Neal adds, and center
• water saving
personnel are welcome to arrange a tour
• energy efficiency
of any of the RDCs if they wish.
• materials selection
Mr. Neal says that with the intro-
• indoor environmental quality
duction of Minooka, BMW will also test
Historically targeting office complexes,
multiple deliveries per day to local
BMW NA’s newest facilities are among
centers on a proof-of-concept basis.
the first distribution centers to achieve
Soon, select centers can receive their
LEED certification, with the Minooka, IL,
orders within hours of placing them.
facility achieving Silver-level status.
“We see it as an extension of our
“Achieving LEED certification is
commitment to the BMW customer,”
a significant accomplishment, and is
he concludes. “If we can help centers
recognized nationally as making a
minimize their inventories on select parts
strong commitment of sustainability,”
while completing more workshop repairs
says Wes Neal, Manager, Logistics
on Day One, everyone wins.”
Network Development, for BMW NA.
“BMW is proud of the level of quality
and workmanship put into the design
and construction of our newest RDCs.
Both facilities are efficient, functional
and designed with both the employee
and the environment in mind.”
Link Spring 2009   23

Collision Course
Operating a BMW Certified Collision Repair Center
can truly make your facility a one-stop shop for customers.
For customers, taking their vehicles in for collision repairs can
be significant emotional events. After all, even a minor acci-
dent disrupts the customer’s ability to drive their vehicle until it
is repaired. Luckily, a BMW Certified Collision Repair Center
(CCRC) can sweep away the worry of having vehicles repaired
which are nothing short of their original condition. By using
original BMW parts and approved repair processes, a BMW
CCRC uses: approved repair procedures, original BMW
parts and ColorSystem BMW Group refinishing products
(a water-borne and environmentally friendly solution) to
ensure customers’ BMW vehicles perform the way they did
from their first day of ownership.
To support BMW NA’s focus to grow the collision repair
business, BMW NA has elevated its focus to assist centers to
grow their body and paint business, become a CCRC and to
offer BMW centers the opportunities to provide quality collision
repair services to their customers.
Market research demonstrates that from a customer reten-
tion perspective, having a collision repair center that is a CCRC
will add value to the BMW owner’s relationship with the center
because it becomes a complete “One-stop Shop” location. A
center-owned CCRC can provide quality body and paint repair
services that any customer could possibly need. You also have
the opportunity to bridge the customer’s emotional experience
of an accident with the positive experience of you directly
offering a solution, instead of relying on a third-party vendor.
While some BMW centers already have collision centers,
it is recommended that those centers interested in entering the
body and paint business should also consider becoming a
BMW CCRC. The benefit for the centers is that their CCRC
could provide additional revenue streams and inclusive
One-Stop Shop collision repair services to their customers.
Because the size and location of a new CCRC will depend
on the markets’ needs, it may make sense for centers to
either build a collision repair center on undeveloped property,
which is considered a “green field” location. Or it may make
sense for centers to rehabilitate or refurbish an existing colli-
sion repair center location, which is referred to as a “brown
field” location.
22   Link Spring 2009
Parts, Perfected
Regardless of whether interested centers decide to use a
“green field” location or a “brown field” location, both business
models require using the same guidelines for facility selections:
performing quality collision repair processes, use of original
BMW parts, use of ColorSystem BMW Group refinishing prod-
ucts and adhering to the CCRC Program guidelines.
Two new regional distribution centers
Often, BMW centers want to know what the requirements
(RDCs) have made their debut in 2009,
are to enter the body and paint business, the projected return on
and Midwestern BMW centers in partic-
their investments and the guidelines with addressing customers’
ular stand to reap the benefits. The
needs when handling their collision repair services. Overall,
70-employee Minooka, Ill., facility is
centers who grow their accident business will notice additional
about an hour southwest of Chicago,
revenue and profit streams when repairing: BMW vehicles, other
while the 130-employee Nazareth, Penn.,
franchise vehicles, cosmetically repairing certified pre-owned
facility is about 90 minutes from both
vehicles and offering paintless dent repair services.
New York City and Philadelphia. Both join
While the idea of starting a CCRC may seem daunting,
four other RDCs nationwide to supply
enrollment in a certified program includes an entire suite
parts and accessories to BMW centers
of training for the estimating staff, the management staff and
quickly and efficiently.
the technical staff. There are classes, performance group
“One of the biggest reasons was to
discussions and a variety of eCourses available to help you
move the product closer to our centers,”
every step of the way.
explains Wes Neal, Manager, Logistics
Network Development, for BMW NA.
“That offers a number of advantages,
including shorter and more consistent
lead times, fewer damages and less
airfreight, which reduces overall trans-
portation expense.”
The recent network expansion is the
culmination of more than eight years of
development, beginning with just two
RDCs in 2000 and resulting in the six
now in place today. Mr. Neal says that
the Minooka and Nazareth facilities are
LEED-certified, confirming BMW’s
commitment to sustainability. (Editor’s
note: For more details on this certifica-
tion, see “LEED Leads the Way,” at right.
In addition, the build-to-suit facilities
provided the opportunity to introduce
cutting-edge technologies, such as
Wrench
SLUG
LEED Leads the Way
The Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED) Green
Building Rating System™ is the
Nazareth’s state-of-the-art conveyor
nationally accepted benchmark for the
system that helps process more than
design, construction and operation
75,000 of its parts and accessories.
of high-performance green buildings.
“Like at our other facilities, we’re
Since its inception in 1998, LEED has
using the ATLAS system, BMW’s propri-
certified more than 14,000 projects in
etary client server solution consisting of
more than 30 countries worldwide.
different SAP modules working together
LEED promotes a whole-building
to make one completely integrated
approach to sustainability by recognizing
system,” Mr. Neal says.
performance in five key areas of human
Both facilities will play host to
and environmental health:
regional Parts & Service Meetings in the
• sustainable site development
near future, Mr. Neal adds, and center
• water saving
personnel are welcome to arrange a tour
• energy efficiency
of any of the RDCs if they wish.
• materials selection
Mr. Neal says that with the intro-
• indoor environmental quality
duction of Minooka, BMW will also test
Historically targeting office complexes,
multiple deliveries per day to local
BMW NA’s newest facilities are among
centers on a proof-of-concept basis.
the first distribution centers to achieve
Soon, select centers can receive their
LEED certification, with the Minooka, IL,
orders within hours of placing them.
facility achieving Silver-level status.
“We see it as an extension of our
“Achieving LEED certification is
commitment to the BMW customer,”
a significant accomplishment, and is
he concludes. “If we can help centers
recognized nationally as making a
minimize their inventories on select parts
strong commitment of sustainability,”
while completing more workshop repairs
says Wes Neal, Manager, Logistics
on Day One, everyone wins.”
Network Development, for BMW NA.
“BMW is proud of the level of quality
and workmanship put into the design
and construction of our newest RDCs.
Both facilities are efficient, functional
and designed with both the employee
and the environment in mind.”
Link Spring 2009   23
 Backstretch
SLUG
Original BMW
Accessories

The Ultimate
bmwusa.com Driving Machine®

More than posters.

They’re conversations. Find Your Way at NAC 2009
The path to success goes through Las Vegas.

Original BMW Original BMW

Accessories Accessories

bmwusa.com bmwusa.com

This is where your life meets your BMW. In your efforts to get your business where you want it to go, the road can seem a bit confusing. In fact, it feels like a maze, particularly
There’s nothing like the feeling of owning a BMW.
Here’s your chance to protect your investment. with the current state of the economy. By attending this year’s NAC in Las Vegas, navigating that maze is a lot easier, thanks to the
Original BMW Accessories can help you preserve the surfaces of your BMW and help protect information and tools you can only get there. So find your way to Vegas. And find yourself in a better place for the future.
it from whatever the road throws your way.

From signature design accessories and performance products to electronics and storage solutions,
Original BMW Accessories match your BMW to the way you drive — and to the way you live.

© 2009 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logo are registered trademarks. Printed in the U.S.A. PD1-CCRC03-1M

Original BMW Original BMW BMW Performance

Accessories Accessories

bmwusa.com bmwusa.com bmwusa.com

Skiing or surfing. Biking or boarding. Designed for 1 and 3 Series drivers

You’re on the road to adventure. Synchronize your life with BMW technology. who believe life has an extra gear.
When your destination includes mountains, oceans, hills or highways, rack systems Electronics from Original BMW Accessories help you get your life in synch with entertainment, BMW Performance accessories are made to fuel that fire, with a line of chassis and aerodynamic
from Original BMW Accessories will get you where you’re going. navigation and security options. components designed by BMW engineers — with inspiration and expertise straight from the racetrack.

There’s no better time to start talking to your customers about Original BMW Accessories
than when they’re browsing the showroom floor. These new posters are designed to get
that conversation started, with six designs covering key accessories categories. For more
information, contact your Regional Aftersales Manager.

© 2009 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logos are registered trademarks.
Link Spring 2009   25
 Backstretch
SLUG
Original BMW
Accessories

The Ultimate
bmwusa.com Driving Machine®

More than posters.

They’re conversations. Find Your Way at NAC 2009
The path to success goes through Las Vegas.

Original BMW Original BMW

Accessories Accessories

bmwusa.com bmwusa.com

This is where your life meets your BMW. In your efforts to get your business where you want it to go, the road can seem a bit confusing. In fact, it feels like a maze, particularly
There’s nothing like the feeling of owning a BMW.
Here’s your chance to protect your investment. with the current state of the economy. By attending this year’s NAC in Las Vegas, navigating that maze is a lot easier, thanks to the
Original BMW Accessories can help you preserve the surfaces of your BMW and help protect information and tools you can only get there. So find your way to Vegas. And find yourself in a better place for the future.
it from whatever the road throws your way.

From signature design accessories and performance products to electronics and storage solutions,
Original BMW Accessories match your BMW to the way you drive — and to the way you live.

© 2009 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logo are registered trademarks. Printed in the U.S.A. PD1-CCRC03-1M

Original BMW Original BMW BMW Performance

Accessories Accessories

bmwusa.com bmwusa.com bmwusa.com

Skiing or surfing. Biking or boarding. Designed for 1 and 3 Series drivers

You’re on the road to adventure. Synchronize your life with BMW technology. who believe life has an extra gear.
When your destination includes mountains, oceans, hills or highways, rack systems Electronics from Original BMW Accessories help you get your life in synch with entertainment, BMW Performance accessories are made to fuel that fire, with a line of chassis and aerodynamic
from Original BMW Accessories will get you where you’re going. navigation and security options. components designed by BMW engineers — with inspiration and expertise straight from the racetrack.

There’s no better time to start talking to your customers about Original BMW Accessories
than when they’re browsing the showroom floor. These new posters are designed to get
that conversation started, with six designs covering key accessories categories. For more
information, contact your Regional Aftersales Manager.

© 2009 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logos are registered trademarks.
Link Spring 2009   25
 Link
BMW Digital BMW
Merchandising Aftersales Magazine
Spring 2009, No. 17

The world of service,

The Ultimate parts, accessories The Ultimate
bmwusa.com Driving Machine® and lifestyle. Driving Machine®

Customizable Aftersales Promotion.

Now suitable for framing.

With nearly 100 slides to choose from and space for customizable copy, the
Digital Merchandising Program allows you to promote Aftersales products and
services in your showroom with flexibility and impact. To find out more, go to
the Aftersales portal on CenterNet.

© 2009 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logos are registered trademarks. MAG-017-09
Opportunities Knock  4  The “Right” Hire  8  PIA  14  The CEI Advantage  16