Moran Family of Brands awarded Ken Tucker, a longtime franchise owner of the Alta Mere location in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, as its Franchisee of the Year for 2021.
Moran franchise owners select a franchisee from each of their brands for the Franchisee of the Year honor. Moran is the franchisor of six different concepts in the aftermarket auto and window tinting industries. Franchisees eligible for the award demonstrate the company’s core values of D.R.I.V.E. — Dedication, Respect, Integrity, Vision, Enthusiasm. Winners also provide outstanding service to their customers and offer support to fellow franchisees and the entire system.
“We would like to congratulate our Franchisee of the Year winner for the Alta Mere brand,” said Peter Baldine, President of Moran Family of Brands. “He is a longtime and respected franchisee in our system who exemplifies Moran’s core values. Ken was deservedly recognized by his peers for his success and contributions to the Moran Family of Brands’ system.”
Marketing Strategy Drives Profits
Tucker opened the doors of his Alta Mere location 18 years ago. The Alta Mere brand specializes in paint protection and window tinting. As the only Alta Mere location in Colorado, Tucker relies on a robust marketing plan to increase customer traffic. Tucker’s team places a special focus on digital and social media marketing to drive profits.
“When we first started out, we had the internet, but we didn’t have social media to worry about. It was a lot harder in the early years to differentiate yourself back then with the more conventional way of doing things,” Tucker said. “We’ve used social media a lot more now, and I think that’s really made a big difference. That’s where most of our new customers come from.”
While first-time customers hear about Tucker’s Alta Mere location on social media, the customer service they provide drives repeat traffic. The weather in Colorado and gravel on the roads make paint protection an important part of their business. Alta Mere's paint protection film provides an invisible shield to protect cars from the damages of everyday driving. “We’re often the first call people make when they get a new vehicle,” he added.
The brand offers ceramic coating and vinyl wrapping in addition to tint and clear bra packages. Tucker considers those serves as nice additions to the store’s signature products. Ceramic coating is a treatment that is applied to a car’s paint that increases the shine and provides ease of maintenance. It is warrantied for five years and keeps the vehicle looking new. The coating can also restore the finish on an older vehicle finish to greatly enhance its appearance. Vinyl wrapping can meet the customer’s desire to modify the appearance of their vehicle. They can wrap portions of a vehicle or an entire vehicle if desired.
Social Media Prevents Pandemic Shortfalls
Following the outbreak of the pandemic, Tucker’s Alta Mere location took a hit — like most small businesses. The stimulus money from the government enabled him to reopen his store in May 2020. Tucker’s marketing efforts, which also included videos, helped his location achieve high sales, despite the impact of the pandemic and supply chain shortages. Tucker also credits the cash infusion customers received from the government for helping increase sales. “To be honest, I think the stimulus had a lot to do with that because people were buying cars and coming in to see us,” he added.
The location’s marketing skill also reduced the impact many other businesses felt from supply chain issues. Paint protection for new cars is an important part of their business. Manufacturing challenges increased the wait time for new cars to arrive at the dealer, which created a ripple effect that could’ve taken a toll on his business. Turning up the volume on social media helped prevent any sales declines.
As supply chain issues recede and the impact from the pandemic continues to decline, Tucker predicts 2022 will be another banner year for Alta Mere.
Learn More About Moran
Moran is also the franchisor of Milex Complete Auto Care, Mr. Transmission, and Turbo Tint. If you are considering investing in a franchise opportunity in the aftermarket auto industry, contact a franchise business consultant at Moran to learn more about our successful concepts.