must be focused on running it. He’s got to be the captain of the ship. Even though we’re 50-50 partners, I don’t want that job. I would rather direct what’s happening in the shop. I would rather work with the technicians and the rest of the staff, control the flow and handle any customer relation disputes or problems.”
With the high level of customer service that’s offered at Marshall Motors, complaints are few. In fact, longtime customers are the backbone of the business.
“We have customers who we’ve had since the day we started the business,” she says. “We have had such a strong reputation for so long and have done so well with word-of-mouth, that it’s grown exponentially. We’re now servicing cars for the grandchildren of people who were some of our original clients.”
“Today, our service includes a 97-point inspection on nearly every vehicle that comes in; an extremely thorough evaluation performed prior to performing any necessary repairs or service. Every detail about the condition of a car is carefully recorded, and the results are provided to each customer. When the repairs on the vehicle are completed, another technician is assigned to confirm all repairs were completed. Finally, the car receives a hand wash and interior vacuum before it’s returned to the client.
“Our success over the years is being very thorough in looking over vehicles, spending the time to talk to customers, hearing what they have to say, really listening to them and understanding their concerns,” January says. “Then, it’s helping them find viable solutions to their problems. Sometimes they can’t afford to fix it all now; or they want to do all of the repairs, but have to do it in stages. Maybe it’s time to buy a new car.
“Most clients don’t really understand what ‘maintenance’ is, so this requires that we take the time to educate that client. The long and the short of it is that we must be very frank, very honest and then, finally, deliver what’s promised. I don’t mean that as a tagline, but as a rule. If we say the car’s going to be ready at 4, then it’s got to be ready at 4.”
It’s that kind of tenacity that has led to the success Marshall Motors enjoys today: Dedication to customers, to staff and to family, January concludes.
“I believe that we’re in business to provide exceptional service and we are accountable to that,” she says. “We have to be honorable and ethical to our clients and to our families, or we’ve missed the mark.”
