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“A lot of young people want to wear white coats and work on computers,” he says. “I’m sorry, but we do have to get dirty! It’s a lot of manual labor.”
First Impressions
Despite the fact that brake and chassis work can be messy, John says he often has customers compliment him on how clean the shop is kept. And that’s no small task when one hammer hit to a chassis can yield what seems like eight pounds of dirt!
“We get comments daily on how professional and clean it is,” he says. “It’s hard to do since we’re in a farm community, and the vehicles we work on get muddy and dirty. But we have a person who cleans in the evenings, and the shop is swept and mopped daily.”
Adding to the appeal is a front lobby that looks more like a ’50s diner, complete with a 1953 Coke machine that dispenses complimentary soda and water.
“Drivers like coming here because they can grab a free soda or water,” John says, perhaps adding some incentive to get parts quickly, but more as a way to show appreciation.
John says he also likes to give back to his community by sponsoring sports and music programs, including buying uniforms for little league teams. And it’s not just a marketing ploy.
“If one of the parents comes in because we bought uniforms, that’s great,” he explains. “But we do it because kids might not get them otherwise.”
It’s that kind of care and concern that goes into every customer interaction at Gross & Stevens, from initial dropoff to completion of service. Honesty, professionalism and the true desire to repair a vehicle for the exact price quoted are the hallmarks of service at the shop.
“We ask tons of questions at the time of vehicle drop off to ensure everyone is on the same page as far as customer concerns,” John says. “We do vehicle repair planning to make sure repairs fit in a customer’s budget. We never pressure a customer for immediate repairs.
“We’re very personable,” he says in summary. “We’ll walk out and talk to customers like a friend. There’s no pressure, but we say ‘this is what we recommend.’”
It’s no surprise that word-of-mouth can be credited for much of the shop’s success since John and Larry purchased it in 1987. John says he’s now seeing second- and even third-generation customers coming into the shop based on recommendations from parents and grandparents.
“Parents will call to make an appointment for their son or daughter to bring their car in for maintenance or repairs over spring break,” he says. “We even have a couple of customers who have moved out of state, but they still bring their cars by when they’re in town visiting family.”
And while doctors no longer make house calls, John is no stranger to helping out an elderly customer whose caregiver duties prohibit taking their car in for service. “I’ll drive my car to their house and leave it there while I take their car to the shop,” he says.
A true testament to the power of getting back to basics: Treat a customer well and you’ll have a customer — and their friends and family — for life.
Article courtesy of Shop Owner magazine.
The release provides new coverage in 53 distinct product categories and 47 part numbers for 2023 and 2024 model-year vehicles.
Standard Motor Products, Inc. (SMP) announced the introduction of 123 new part numbers in its March new number announcement. The release provides new coverage in 53 distinct product categories and 47 part numbers for 2023 and 2024 model-year vehicles.
Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) Segment
Standard’s Fuel Injection program has expanded with eight GDI High-Pressure Fuel Pumps and GDI High-Pressure Fuel Pump Kits. Standard’s line of Variable Valve Timing components also grows with this release. VVT Sprockets have been added for Ford vehicles through 2023, and VVT Solenoids are new for General Motors vehicles. Oil Filter Housing Assemblies are new for popular European vehicles, and Oil Coolers have been added for Nissan and Subaru vehicles. Adding to Standard’s extensive Electronic Throttle Body program, new numbers have been introduced for the 2022 Ford Bronco Sport and 2022-20 Ford Escape, the company said.
Grew company from small machine shop to global leader in car lifts and garage equipment.
You can get a good idea of what to expect by adding the official ASE practice tests to their study plans.
AACF will be announcing more details about this commemorative fundraiser April 1st.
Goodguys is one of many industry relationships the foundation has developed to help solve the technician shortage.
As women make up more than half of all drivers in the United States, Valvoline is taking steps to increase their vehicle care confidence.
A partnership with Manufacture 2030 will support BorgWarner in reaching its Scope 3 emissions reduction goal.
The online training and question and answer sessions are free of charge.
The new OE 0W-40 is primarily for newer RAM HD trucks equipped with the 6.4-liter Hemi engine.
