OUR JUST CAUSE
Embed your business so deeply into the fabric of your community that consumers will flock to you. Establish a true relationship with your community and consumers based on collaborative kindness and good deeds transforming your communities for the better and eliminating traditional forms of advertising and the associated high costs.
Our reimagined version of self-determination theory (SDT) proposes that humans are intrinsically motivated by four core psychological needs: to love someone other than themselves, to be loved by someone other than themselves, to feel like a part of something bigger and to feel competent in something worthwhile. Our Customer Care Loyalty Program taps into these needs to create a more meaningful experience for your customers and your community. By offering choices in reward options and earning pathways, customers feel a sense of autonomy. Achieving reward milestones fosters a sense of competence and accomplishment.
The program itself fosters a sense of relatedness by creating a community of loyal customers and a connection with your auto repair shop. This intrinsic motivation fuels greater program engagement, leading to increased customer retention, repeat purchases, and a stronger brand connection.
COMPANY VALUES
EMPOWER
We believe in giving you the freedom and resources to reach your goals on your own terms. This means offering you a variety of options and tools to help you succeed.
MASTERY
We want you to feel confident and accomplished. That’s why we provide training, tools, and resources that help you master the skills needed to thrive in your business, even as a smaller operation.
COMMUNITY
We believe in the power of connection. We’ll help you connect with other businesses and your local community through programs like charitable donations and collaboration tools. Together, we’ll create a supportive environment for everyone to grow.
SPARK PASSION
We want you to be excited and motivated by what you do. That’s why we focus on creating experiences and products that are engaging and enjoyable. We believe that intrinsic satisfaction is the key to long-term success. Turn your passion for people into tangible growth.
OUR PEOPLE
JEFF RUDNICK
Jeff’s career wasn’t a straight line but a journey fueled by a desire to help others. Early on, selling appliances and photocopiers instilled in him the importance of understanding customer needs. He took his father’s advice to find his purpose and turned sales into assistance, a philosophy that has become his guiding principle.
In 1993, the automotive industry beckoned. Jeff navigated the West Coast’s largest rep group as a manufacturer’s rep for over 100 major brands, building bridges across the entire distribution chain – from massive warehouses to independent retailers. He crafted successful programs for giants like Al’s Auto Supply and Checker, but his true passion ignited during installer clinics. Here, he witnessed the heart of the industry – the independent repair shops.
This experience fueled the creation of Pit Crew in 2002. Leveraging his expertise, Jeff offered these shops cutting-edge, industry-specific marketing solutions. He devoured knowledge on consumer psychology, buying behaviors, and the secrets of customer loyalty. Self-Determination Theory became the cornerstone of Pit Crew, shaping its mission to this day.
Pit Crew’s mission transcends traditional marketing. It’s about embedding repair shops into the community’s DNA, making them local icons that attract customers organically. Their Consumer and Community Loyalty Rewards Program tackles every psychological trigger influencing customer choice and fosters fierce loyalty.
This program creates a virtuous cycle – a flywheel of new customers feeding loyal ones, all fueled by engaging content across every media channel. Shops save on marketing costs and see a dramatic rise in their ROI. This is the power of a well-designed rewards program.
LARRY CZERWONKA
Larry brings over 37 years of experience to the table, having thrived in diverse roles as an employee, consultant, and business owner. His skillset is as multifaceted as his career path; Larry is just as comfortable writing code as he is managing projects, conducting research, or motivating teams.
A natural leader with a collaborative spirit, Larry fosters environments where projects are delivered on time and within budget. His expertise lies in analyzing existing systems across various industries – government agencies, utility companies, and more (extensive list not included here). Larry effectively evaluates structures, resources, and personnel, then designs new, more efficient systems in record time.
Larry’s reputation precedes him. He’s known for turning around unfinished or underperforming projects left behind by others. He thrives on the challenge of quickly understanding industry regulations and policies, implementing procedures that ensure complete compliance.
LARRY CZERWONKA
Larry brings over 37 years of experience to the table, having thrived in diverse roles as an employee, consultant, and business owner. His skillset is as multifaceted as his career path; Larry is just as comfortable writing code as he is managing projects, conducting research, or motivating teams.
A natural leader with a collaborative spirit, Larry fosters environments where projects are delivered on time and within budget. His expertise lies in analyzing existing systems across various industries – government agencies, utility companies, and more (extensive list not included here). Larry effectively evaluates structures, resources, and personnel, then designs new, more efficient systems in record time.
Larry’s reputation precedes him. He’s known for turning around unfinished or underperforming projects left behind by others. He thrives on the challenge of quickly understanding industry regulations and policies, implementing procedures that ensure complete compliance.
BRENDA ADAMSON
Brenda launched her design career as an intern in 2001, with a well-known nationwide company specializing in independent automotive repair training, consulting and mastermind groups. During her time there, she learned extensively about the business of the independent automotive repair industry, helping to develop materials and presentations to train business owners, service managers and service advisors on sales, marketing, and business management.
Her talent and dedication propelled her to the position of Senior Lead Designer before she left in 2006 to co-found a design firm with Rachel Morton, now Pit Crew Marketing’s Email Marketing Director. Brenda and Rachel have been professional colleagues since their college days.
Their business journey led them to meet Jeff Rudnick in 2007, whom they assisted in launching Pit Crew Marketing. With nearly 25 years of expertise in automotive repair shop marketing and design, Brenda is the branding and design expert you didn’t know you needed. She specializes in elevating brands and marketing collateral, priding herself on treating clients’ brands with the utmost seriousness and delivering the wow factor that drives their success.
Brenda has a huge heart for animals and loves to spend her free time volunteering as a photographer for her local humane society.
RACHEL MORTON
RACHEL MORTON
MATT COLLINA
Matt has cultivated a passion for digital design throughout his academic and professional journey. His career path has been shaped by a deep understanding of design and a passion for visual communication. Matt pursued his studies at Endicott College where he earned his BFA in Graphic Design in 2023. Demonstrating exceptional skill and creativity, he was honored with Endicott’s prestigious Senior Thesis Award for graphic design, a testament to his dedication and innovative approach in the field. This achievement propelled him into the professional world, where he has continually demonstrated his ability to create visually compelling solutions that resonate with diverse audiences. His work is characterized by a meticulous attention to detail and a deep understanding of visual storytelling. In 2024, he joined Pit Crew, where he aims to provide innovative design solutions that elevate the brand and exceed our clients’ expectations.
JARED MANELAS
Jared is a college graduate who started his journey through the automotive industry as a service advisor working the front desk at Auto Care Plus. Through the ins and outs of the auto care process, he quickly learned about customer needs and how to bring more people through the door. Transitioning into the creative world of design, Jared was able to transfer the learned skills from service writing into automotive marketing at Pit Crew, as he is familiar both with what customers want and what service advisors need to leverage sales. This combination of design experience and automotive knowledge allows Jared to accelerate his work in helping auto repair businesses of all types and sizes.
JARED MANELAS
Jared is a college graduate who started his journey through the automotive industry as a service advisor working the front desk at Auto Care Plus. Through the ins and outs of the auto care process, he quickly learned about customer needs and how to bring more people through the door. Transitioning into the creative world of design, Jared was able to transfer the learned skills from service writing into automotive marketing at Pit Crew, as he is familiar both with what customers want and what service advisors need to leverage sales. This combination of design experience and automotive knowledge allows Jared to accelerate his work in helping auto repair businesses of all types and sizes.
QUESTIONS?
Give us a call at (844) 245-9888 – we’d be happy to help!
