Expert Interview: Marla Armstrong @ Meadows I-44

Caroline: Welcome! Can you share your name and the location of your operation?

Marla: My name is Marla Armstrong, and we are Meadows I-44 in Ash Grove, Missouri.

Caroline: And tell us a little bit more about Meadows I-44 and how you feel you’re different or special compared to other operations?

Marla: We carry mainly late-model vehicles, and we specialize in truck parts.

Customer Base

Caroline: Are most of your customers local, or have you built relationships with people outside of the state?

Marla: Through shipping it’s mostly local. In fact, we do both. The share is equal.

Caroline: Does your sales team have a preference of working with local customers versus out-of-state customers?

Marla: Local, I would think! A lot less involved and you get to know your customers better.

Why buy a part from a salvage yard?

Caroline: Why should people buy a part from a salvage yard versus a dealership or eBay?

Marla: Oh, being cheaper, cheaper and cheaper–and more helpful. It’s helpful to have direct contact with our team, as well .

Caroline: What does the process look like when someone calls your location in need of a part, but they only know their VIN number?

Marla: Our team will ask all the questions to pinpoint what the problem is and try to get the right part to fix it.

Popular Parts that Sell at Meadows I-44

Caroline: What are the most popular auto parts sold within the past year by Meadows I-44?

Marla: Engines, transmissions, headlights, and tow lights.

Caroline: Why do you think these parts have been popular this past year?

Marla: They’re usually just always popular–that’s usually what people buy. Oh, and interior pieces!

Work life: The team, sales, environment, the future

Caroline: How long have you been working at Meadows I-44?

Marla: 24 years.

Caroline: What are the most challenging aspects of running a salvage yard?

Marla: Keeping everything organized and the paperwork. Oh, and finding new employees.

Caroline: Are most of your employees long time, automotive veterans? Are you getting younger people?

Marla: No, most of ours have been with us 10 or more years.

Caroline: Does Meadows I-44 allow their employees to bring a computer home and work remote, or do they come in every day?

Marla: No, they have to come in every day.

Caroline: Do you have any perks at Meadows I-44 that you think keep folks around for 10+ years that might be different from other operations?

Marla: Yeah, being friendly to them and giving them benefits when you know there’s been a great job that’s been done well.

Caroline: How do you or your team determine the price of a part to sell, so you stay competitive and make money?

Marla: We look at other salvage yards and what they are selling it for. And, our team has expertise in knowing what things are worth.

Caroline: Are you usually trying to sell parts as a volume game or do you try to stay consistent with being very competitive?

Marla: We stay at market, and, I mean, once in a while, our guys will go down, but we usually stay where we price it.

Caroline: What has been the most significant change in the salvage yard industry, since you’ve begun working at Meadows I-44?

Marla: Computer programs for one! We used to look parts up in a book by Hollander.

Caroline: Have you seen salvage yards that you’ve worked with over the past 25 years, grow more or shut down?

Marla: Grow! There haven’t been a lot of shutdowns. There aren’t a lot of shutdowns near us.

Caroline: What do you think the next five years looks like for Meadows I-44?

Marla: We want to get more technical with new programs and get more efficient with certain jobs.

Caroline: Is there anything that jumps out, like following up on quotes with automation or text messages, that would help you? Or do you feel your team follows up on the appropriate quotes the next day or next week?

Marla: I think they follow up with them quite well 🙂

Caroline: Last question–what innovations or trends are you most excited about in the industry and nervous about?

Marla: I get nervous about all of the software that comes by us and all of the programs that we are in, because we don’t have the manpower to master it or the time we should be giving it. So that’s a little bit nerve-wracking, you know?

Caroline: Do you have any thoughts related to electric vehicles or those crazy new parts on higher-end cars that you’re excited about or nervous about?

Marla: Yeah, yeah, we have some. We have a couple of Teslas, and we are excited about that. However, we’re nervous about not letting these Teslas die because we heard that’s a bad thing, and so we’ve been keeping them charged up.

Caroline: Well, we hope they stay operating! Thank you so much for your time today, Marla! We have loved working with you and your team, and wish you the best of luck in the future.