Gene Morrill might be one of the few shop owners in the country who encourages his technicians to log onto Yahoo! Messenger during work.
Utilizing the online free messaging service is just one of many ways Certified Automotive Specialists in Glendora, Calif., takes advantage of technology to make its employees’ jobs easier. The messaging service helps technicians share information and is hooked into technicians’ cell phones as well.
Morrill says this means if a tech is not near his computer but rather, for example, under a vehicle, other staff can get a hold of him and let him know they need help or to talk without interrupting workflow. This system also helps one technician who is hard of hearing better communicate and hear others’ messages because of its high-pitched tone.
The communication isn’t too surprising from an owner who admits he is “so excited about technology.” Its implementation was a main factor in launching Certified Automotive, owned by Morrill and his wife, Robin, onto the top 10 list of this year’s Motor Age Top Shops Contest.
Visual Examples
There are 16 computers throughout Certified Automotive's bays, one for each technician.
“Everybody has the point of sale system so they can immediately see as soon as the car is written up, it pops up on their screen,” Morrill says. “They can go into the point of sale system, make notes, corrections, it just speeds up the shop efficiency.”
Max Saenz, Jeff Christy, Juan Cabrera and Rick Bixel. Missing are Greg Lipp and Gene and Robin Morrill.
The computers are just part of the technology lineup that includes six specific scan tool models in addition to generic scanners, as well as top of the line brake lathes and aligners. All technicians have access, through their personal computers, to ALLDATA, Mitchell, iATN, Identifix and all manufacturer Web sites. All parts are ordered online.
And after they’re done looking up information on servicing customers’ vehicles, technicians utilize a digital camera to take pictures of broken parts to show customers. Shop managers also utilize Virtual Vehicle MD, an animated 3D program, to show what happens when something goes wrong in the car and to illustrate why repairs need done.
“It helps the customers be educated, takes the uneasiness out of them when they’re wanting to buy something,” Morrill says. “It just helps my service advisors explain what we’re trying to do and why we’re trying to do it.”
To keep the technicians up to speed on all of this, everyone is required to complete a minimum of eight hours of training quarterly. Morrill says they utilize online training as well as supplier training after hours to complete this.
Out here we’re very fortunate to have a lot of training available to us that are two nights a week here,” he adds. “I’m pretty easy. My guys keep a log of their training, and it’s more on the honor system. We collect it at the end of each quarter and they have to tell us what they’ve done.”
PAGE 2The training is paramount in Morrill’s mind to keep the shop on track and here for decades to come.
“I’m a forward-thinker. I look five years into the future for my company, and boy, it’s scary as heck to see the technology that’s out there tomorrow let alone five years from today,” he states. “I want to be in business 10 years from now, at least, and you can’t be in business 10 years from now if you’re just working for yesterday. So I work for tomorrow and the next day and five years down the road without this training, without at least a clue of what’s coming down the pike, we won’t be here and we won’t be as successful as we are today.”
Staying Successful
Continuing to operate a business well into the future begins with growing the customer base today. Certified Automotive has implemented several marketing plans to ensure that happens.
Starting in January, the shop began utilizing search engine optimization with its Web site, and has seen between 30 and 40 new clients per month who report finding the shop on the Internet.
Morrill himself also is hitting the Internet, hosting an Internet radio show once a week with another local shop owner.
“We’re all experimenting with it, so whether it’s good or bad, we don’t know. He’s trying to find a niche and Internet is so huge right now that I figured if I get in on the ground floor right now and this takes off, hoo-yah,” Morrill says. “And if it doesn’t take off, then I’ve wasted a little bit of marketing money and a little bit of time.”
Aside from the Internet, Certified Automotive still markets its message through direct mail, newsletters and, though it’s not directly marketing, community service. Morrill is active with Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, as well as having the shop sponsor a number of local sports.
“One of my philosophies is anybody who comes to me who is here local that wants a donation, I always give them a $25 minimum,” he says. “You never know where that’s going to lead and it only costs you $25.”
Morrill also is active in both the Automotive Service Association (ASA) and Automotive Service Councils of California (ASCCA) to help move the aftermarket’s message forward.
“Any organization, especially for us, of course, automotive driven – ASA, ASCCA – we need to keep our face in front of the legislators," he explains. Myself, not having the time at this point, I have the desire, but I just don’t have the time with everything going on at this point to do that.”
He does sit on a local legislative action committee with his city, where he can relay the messages from ASA and ASCCA appropriately. “You have to make a little noise, and I appreciate the fact that I have an easy way to get that information so I can take it to my people in my area, my representatives and say, ‘I’m not happy with this’ or ‘I agree with this, help us out,’” he adds.
Customers Come First
Overall, the staff at Certified Automotive Specialists works to make sure each customer receives the type of service he or she needs.
“We let the customers know our goal is to maximize the life of their car, whatever that is. Some people want to keep their cars 100,000 miles, some people want to keep them 500,000 miles,” Morrill says. “So we kind of try and get some information coming in and try to find out their wants and needs so we don’t oversell them service or undersell them service. If they don’t like the car and they’re not going to keep it a long time, it’s silly to put service work into it.”
The shop has grown over the years from a four-bay shop started by three Citrus College Auto Shop instructors in 1978 to a 20-bay facility Morrill, a graduate of the college and technician at the shop, bought in 1985.
One of the shop’s unique offerings, which also ties into its marketing plan, is its restored 1957 Chevy station wagon that serves as the shop’s shuttle.
“We have people who will sit in our waiting room for an hour waiting for our driver to get back to take a ride in this car rather than go in our other van,” Morrill offers. “And they all have a story, they all get in and look around. And it’s just been a phenomenal thing. And my shuttle driver, who is an old car nut, just takes care of it and pampers it like it is his own. It is on the road all day, every day.”
And with a rolling billboard like that, the customers should keep coming and keeping that messaging service chattering right along.
