Delivering on Your Promise
“Once the customer is in the door, you have to deliver,” Chuck said referring to those who come in seeking service. “The Bosch Car Service program helps with providing me up-to-date tools, training and information to stay abreast of advances in technology and be able to fix any vehicle out there. In fact, being part of an established and successful network gives me a framework of standards to operate my business in an efficient and professional manner.”
With vehicle systems becoming more and more complex, many service shops are focusing on specific makes and models to keep up with the avalanche of new information coming their way. Chuck, on the other hand, is willing to service and repair any vehicle that rolls into his shop —domestic, Asian or European.
“Naturally, having to work on every car out there is tremendously difficult for our technicians,” said Chuck, acknowledging the challenges associated with his business model. “We often spend time solving mysteries that turn out to be common failures which a dealer or brand-specific shop knows from previous experience.”
For example, recently we were stumped by a random battery drain on a BMW X5. We caught it only when we noticed a glow in the daytime running lights when we were turning off the shop lights at the end of the day. My tech traced the fault to the lighting module that was soaked with water from a clogged roof drain. When I called for a price on the module, the BMW parts man said “it happens all the time.” Learning that lesson cost us a great deal of uncompensated time.”
On the positive side, the service bays at Baum Boulevard Automotive are always full.
Helping Technicians Keep Up
So, how does Chuck make sure that his technicians are equipped with the knowledge and training necessary to fix any vehicle that comes through the door?
He has a strategy. In an industry in which most shops are looking to hire technicians straight out of tech schools, Chuck prefers to take in the more experienced ones who have worked at a dealership but, for some reason, chose to quit. As a result, the techs at Baum Boulevard Automotive come with experience and training acquired at various dealerships such as GM, Toyota, Audi and others, and then share their knowledge across brands with other team members at the shop.
Also, each technician receives a laptop to access dealer and aftermarket software systems that are updated regularly. Additionally, the shop owns a number of scan tools with laptop-based software that work on different vehicles. Chuck’s technicians use Bosch training, AVI courses, WORLDPAC training, the Allegheny County Community College automotive courses, Identifix and a network of contacts with local dealerships to be able to successfully repair any vehicle.
