Marquardt discusses NAPA/ASE Tech of the Year award

Jan. 1, 2020

Paul Marquardt, owner of Northwoods Auto Techs in Rhinelander, Wis., was named 2010 NAPA/ASE Tech of the Year. He shares his thoughts on the award and other aspects of his business.

Paul Marquardt ASE NAPA Northwoods Auto Techs automotive aftermarket repair shop awards

Motor Age: How have you seen your business change over the years?

Marquardt:: Technology in cars has changed so much in 30 years. But there's advancement that a shop has to make not only in training and equipment, but in management training. Thirty years ago, anybody with a set of tools probably could have opened up a shop and been very successful at it. But today with having to have the proper scan tools for vehicles and having the proper tooling and equipment, the proper equipment for doing preventive maintenance, having information databases, subscribing to NAPAFix, having a subscription to iATN, these things were never really available 30 years ago, but we really need it now. Thirty years ago you wouldn't have had to do any marketing. You could be successful on just a word-of-mouth business and reputation. But now you've got to be out there and be marketing yourself, selling yourself and your services. I don't care how big or small the shop is, you're not only selling services, but I think you're really selling yourself.

Motor Age: You're the 2010 NAPA/ASE Technician of the Year. Why is that honor important to you?

Marquardt: When I look at some of the previous years' winners, some of the guys that I've followed through the years and I've grown to respect as being leaders of our industry, and to be directly put in the same league as them is just phenomenal. I just don't see me as qualified as some of these guys are in the past. It's a pretty elite group of technicians that have been selected over the years. To be part of that is humbling.

Motor Age: What is something you do at your shop that you feel is unique?

Marquardt:: I think one of the things that I do that is really unique is I give my technicians the freedom to do what they need to be successful in my shop. The other thing is we really make that strong effort to spend time with each customer one on one when they're dropping off the vehicle and picking up the vehicle. I think that line of communication, that frontline is so important. I hear it from customers time and time again that they're so grateful that we took a minute or 15 minutes going over what we did to the vehicle and explained it to them so they really understand the value of service that they got from us...I think in today's society that everybody is in such a rush. Nothing against McDonald's, but it's kind of like the McDonald's attitude. Everybody wants it quick and fast and in and out. And sometimes we get caught up in that rush, hurry get the car in, get it done, get it out and get the next one in, instead of doing those little extras to make the customer happy, to make them feel that when they bring in their vehicle that they're the only person we're working on that day.