Ames Interstate All Battery Center Earns 2008 Store Of The Year

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March 11, 2008

Interstate All Battery Center (IABC) recently named the Ames All Battery Center as its 2008 Store of the Year at its annual national franchisee convention.

The award was given based on more than 20 different sales and service criteria across its 80 stores in 30 states, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Franchisees Matt and Nancy Breen of Ankeny, Iowa, say they left last year’s convention with the goal of receiving the top honor, and won it because of their great employees, recent store updates and an understanding of what their customers need.

“We understand that our customers don’t come to our store browsing,” said Nancy. “People typically come to our store because they have a problem. It’s our objective to fix it, and then we can earn a customer.”

That winning attitude is a reflection of Interstate All Battery Center’s ‘extreme customer service,’ added Matt. “This focus to greet people with 15 seconds, personally assess the customer’s needs and present the best solution for the best price is part of the recipe that creates customers for life at IABC.”

Matt has been in the Interstate Battery family for nearly two decades. He worked as a high school student in his parents Interstate Batteries’ distributorship, and later drove a route for 10 years, moving up through the ranks working for his father. Shortly after Interstate Batteries purchased Battery Patrol in 1999, Matt saw his chance to create a brighter future in the
company.

“Interstate’s quality of customer service and excellent product was in our bloodline, so when an opportunity opened, I knew what I wanted to do,” said Matt.

In addition to the retail side of the business, the Breens’ All Battery Center provides industrial service to some of central Iowa’s most well-known commercial organizations, including Barilla, Lennox Manufacturing and Iowa State University.

“There is a lot of room for growth and education in this market for Interstate All Battery Center,” said Nancy. “With more than 13,000 different kinds of batteries, we mean it when we tell our customers ‘we have it, we find it or we build it.’ It’s just not about car batteries any more. There is a lot of potential to become a source for power solutions in Iowa.”

IABC’s growth potential has recently been recognized nationally. The $1 billion company was listed #20 of Franchise Business Review’s Top 50 franchises for midsize class concepts, as well as one of the “Top 400 Private Companies in America” by Forbes magazine.

“Under Matt and Nancy Breen’s leadership, the Ames store is a great example of the potential our franchise concept has in today’s market place,” said IABC Director of Franchise Development Justin Darland. “With their commitment to extreme customer service, dedicated focus on understanding the customer’s needs and developing multiple item tickets, this store will be an example of many franchise stores for the future.”

Founded in 1952 and based in Dallas, Interstate Batteries is a privately held group of corporations, which includes a company with 305 distributors that service more than 200,000 dealers throughout the United States, Canada and select international locations. Interstate is the top-selling replacement automotive brand battery in North America, selling more than 15 million units annually. Interstate All Battery Centers currently has more than 80 stores in 30 states, Canada and Puerto Rico. Customers can visit franchising.interstateallbattery.com to find the nearest All Battery Center.

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