In an industry that is not often thought of as environmentally friendly, the owners of Safari Ltd. lead by example. During the past 10 years, Hugh and Kelly Phillips have endeavored to create an environmentally responsible and sustainable automotive repair shop in Grand Junction, CO.
Having opened Shannon Family Automotive four short years ago, co-owners Larry and Colleen Shannon, who are only in their early 30s, have learned a thing or two about running a successful independent automotive repair shop. First: Sometimes you have to spend money to make money.
How do you hire to assemble a team of managers, service advisors and technicians capable of transforming your business? Keep reading for tips on staffing your shop the right way.
Not many shop owners can trace their roots back to a time before automobiles, when horse and buggy were the standard means of transportation. But that’s exactly what Chris Fuller can do with Fuller Automotive that started when his great-grandfather Willis Fuller transitioned from working on horse-drawn carriages to the internal combustion engine. Now Fuller Automotive & Tire Center in Auburn, MA, has eight bays for repairs on all makes and models, and is separated by a shared waiting room with a four-bay SpeeDee Oil Change center.
Creating a team atmosphere is sometimes easier said than done in a repair shop setting. Not so with Repair One Automotive. Since opening in January 2003, owners Brent and Brenda O’Neal have made every effort to build not only a team atmosphere, but a positive environment where “employees know their ideas are both listened to and valued.”
Every year, a deserving independent automotive repair shop is named Federated’s Shop of the Year. The annual program recognizes a top shop whose owners have a demonstrated track record of excellence in such areas as customer service, quality repairs, knowledgeable staff and community involvement. For this year’s winners, add “tenacity” and “determination” to that list.
Behind every successful independent automotive repair shop is a staff that not only provides expert repairs, but one that treats customers with the care and respect that keeps them coming back – and telling their family and friends. Since founding Rad Air Complete Car Care in 1975, Shop Owner Andy Fiffick has expanded from his original Parma Heights, OH, location to three company-owned facilities and nine franchised operations throughout Northeast Ohio. Along the way, staffing has always been a critical component for success.
When Adam Kracl and his wife Annette decided to open their own automotive repair shop in Glenwood Springs, CO, they knew they wanted to fill a void in the area with a shop that not only provided top-notch repairs, but also created a warm, inviting atmosphere for customers and employees alike.
Preferred Automotive Specialists, Inc. is proof positive that business growth doesn’t have to mean sacrificing customer service. Tom Palermo, who serves as the general manager of the Jenkintown, PA, shop, has been able to expand his fleet customer base while continuing to maintain the personal, one-on-one relationship with regular customers.
Many shop owners get their start the old-fashioned way: Their dad or uncle owned a shop, and they grew up learning how to fix cars. Essentially, it was “in their blood” so to speak. But Matt Weber, co-owner of Clark’s Car Care, has a very different back story, one that starts with a detour from an accounting degree to take a less traveled road to shop ownership.
When brothers Chris and Brian Weeks purchased [atc] AutoCenter in Augusta, GA, back in October 1999, they did so knowing they needed to live up to the expectations set by the previous owners. This wasn’t just any business transaction – Chris and Brian purchased the shop from their father, Carl, and their uncles, Allen and Larry, upon their retirement in 1998.
Can an independent repair shop still be successful with only limited space? Just ask Scott “Oz” Osborn, who makes the most of his three-bay shop in Redondo Beach, Cal. Square footage comes at a premium in Southern California, and Osborn prides himself on providing quality service and making every square foot count.
