Valvoline Express Care Ennis has served the Ennis, Texas community since 1987. The shop provides full-service oil changes, fuel filters, cabin air filters, engine air filters, emissions testing, wiper blades and differential services.
The business is owned and operated by Brenda Rider, who manages financial operations, payroll, fleet accounts and overall performance. As a woman-owned business with deep roots in the community, personal relationships and customer trust have always been central to how the shop operates.
Her manager oversees daily operations, inventory and team training, allowing the business to deliver a consistent customer experience while maintaining the local feel that customers value.
Despite a loyal customer base, Brenda wanted a more reliable way to reconnect with customers who had not visited recently.
She needed a consistent method to identify those lapsed customers, bring them back into the shop and stay connected without adding complexity to daily operations. At the same time, she wanted clear visibility into what was working so she could compare campaign performance with what she was seeing in the shop.
“Throttle makes it easy to see what’s working. I can compare the reports to what we’re actually seeing in the shop and know the campaigns are driving results,” Brenda says.
Throttle, a product of Matrix Imaging Solutions, streamlines marketing and customer engagement for automotive service providers by automating timely outreach powered by shop data.
Valvoline Express Care Ennis used Throttle to identify and reconnect with inactive customers through targeted campaigns supported by performance tracking.
Postcard campaigns quickly proved to be the most effective channel. Customers responded to physical mail and often brought postcards into the shop when returning for service, reinforcing their impact when customers returned for service.. Industry Quick lube and automotive maintenance Objective Reconnect with lapsed customers and maintain consistent engagement Solution Targeted postcard campaigns, customer segmentation and performance tracking.
Throttle’s reporting tools gave Brenda clear visibility into which campaigns were driving results. This allowed her to connect marketing performance directly to customer traffic and adjust her approach with confidence.
While email remained an available channel, customer preference in this market leaned toward direct mail, making postcards a consistent and reliable driver of return visits.
“Throttle has been extremely helpful in bringing back customers we haven’t seen in a while. The postcards give people something to hold onto and bring in when they’re ready,” Brenda says .
The program delivered measurable gains in both customer reactivation and revenue, driven largely by targeted postcard outreach.
From July 2025 through March 2026, campaigns focused on converting state inspection only customers into oil change service visits. A conversion in this program is defined as a customer returning for a lube, oil and filter service after previously visiting for inspection only.
During this period, campaigns generated 37 conversions and $4,236 in revenue on $860 in spend. That equates to $3,376 in net revenue, a 392.6% ROI and a 4.93x return on ad spend.
Beyond the initial visit, customers returned for an additional 43 visits, reinforcing the long-term value of reconnecting with lapsed customers.
Postcards played a central role in driving these results and became a dependable, repeatable way to bring customers back into the shop
Valvoline Express Care Ennis continues to use Throttle to stay connected with customers and drive repeat visits. Campaigns are reviewed and adjusted based on performance, with postcard outreach remaining a core part of the strategy.
With consistent communication and clear performance insight, the shop now has a reliable strategy for keeping customers engaged and returning
Industry
Quick lube and automotive maintenance
Objective
Reconnect with lapsed customers and maintain consistent engagement
Solution
Targeted postcard campaigns, customer segmentation and performance tracking.