Ohio Shop Owner Builds Business Based on Trust

While Tony Kelley, owner of Kelley's Auto Service in Rittman, OH, credits his business' success to factors such as people holding on to their cars longer and newer cars coming out of warranty, his clientele told a local reporter that the reason there is a steady stream of new customers bringing their cars to Kelley's is "Trust."

While Tony Kelley, owner of Kelley’s Auto Service in Rittman, OH, credits his business’ success to factors such as people holding on to their cars longer and newer cars coming out of warranty, his clientele told a local reporter that the reason there is a steady stream of new customers bringing their cars to Kelley’s is “Trust.”

Below is the article as it appeared on The Daily Record website.

More than quick fix at Kelley’s: Mechanic does it right inside and outside of the garage

By BOBBY WARREN
Staff Writer
September 5, 2010

RITTMAN — When it comes to this city, one might say Tony Kelley is at the center of it all — at least, geographically.
His business, Kelley’s Auto Service, is situated in the middle of downtown, and it is always full of vehicles in the bays to be repaired and in the parking spaces waiting to be fixed.

Despite a sluggish economy, business has been good at Kelley’s. It has been growing.

Ask Kelley the reason why business has been picking up, and he’ll tell you there are a number of factors: People are holding onto their cars longer and having them repaired. New cars purchased when times were better will soon be coming out from under warranty. Plus, there has been a steady stream of new customers.

While those are reasons why people have their vehicles repaired, longtime friend Mike Stafford said that’s not why they give Kelley their business.

“You can take your car anywhere to get it fixed. It comes down to trust,” Stafford said. “All of those are reasons people get their car fixed, but minus that trust aspect, I don’t think you get that customer more than once. You get one shot.
“Tony has built himself a reputation of being real straight up with people, even when it hurts.”

Before ever meeting Kelley, Stafford recalled talking to a friend in church who had his truck fixed by “some guy in Rittman.” The friend brought the truck in because there was a rattling.

To read the entire article, visit The Daily Record website at http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/4889587.

When Your Shop Is Worth Much More Than You Thought

Although every sale of a shop in which I am involved has its own unique set of circumstances, which makes my job both very interesting and very challenging, Cowden Automotive stands out as particularly memorable because I was able to demonstrate to the long-time owner, Paul Cowden, that his business was worth about three times what he had initially thought.

Case Study: Owner of San Francisco-based Import Service Shop Delighted to Discover Just How Valuable His Business is to Qualified Buyers
I sometimes share case studies of the clients I have been able to assist in my role as an aftermarket business broker and provider of intermediary and advisory services. I do that when I think the story will provide a reader in similar circumstances with new insights or helpful information.
In the case of Cowden Automotive, Inc., I acted in a consulting capacity assisting the owner and his broker in valuing the business, creating a marketing plan, finding a qualified buyer, and arranging financing for the sale.
Although every sale of a shop in which I am involved has its own unique set of circumstances, which makes my job both very interesting and very challenging, Cowden Automotive stands out as particularly memorable because I was able to demonstrate to the long-time owner, Paul Cowden, that his business was worth about three times what he had initially thought.
Needless to say, delivering that kind of good news to a shop owner is a rewarding experience. Discovering that the sale of his business would result in his retirement nest-egg being substantially larger than he had ever thought was a fitting tribute to someone who had spent his entire working career as a busy automotive service shop owner.

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