A modest plan

New Jersey shop has flourished for decades thanks to owners who have a knack for being early adapters

Judy and John Keck took over Red's Body Shop in Washington, N.J., at the worst possible moment for the automotive industry: during the 1973 oil crisis. "On weekends we'd look out at the roads and there were no cars and we'd think, 'My God,' " Judy recalls.

John Keck worked at Red's since 1964, after he left the Air Force at age 24, spending the intervening years doing bodywork, mostly on racecars. The shop owner, Maurice "Red" Lawyer, told John he intended to sell the business, but would stick around for six months to a year. Red eventually retired in 1996.

"It worked out very well," John says. "We had been working together for nine years anyway. When I first started, it was just the two of us. He would go away and leave me here alone for weeks at a time."

Even with Red's help, the early days were a struggle, filled with long hours and low margins. The Kecks threw everything they had — time, finances, etc. — into the collision repair business. Judy and John had to sell their house to buy Red's, so for a while they lived in the apartment above the shop.

"It was convenient. Just fall down the steps and you're at work," John says. "But, then I'd be washing the car outside on a Sunday morning, and people would come up and want an estimate."

In the years since, Red's Body Shop has been through remarkable changes, including three renovations — in 1975, 1977 and 1999 — that created additional bays to handle a larger volume of repair work. The shop was one of the first shops in the nation to achieve I-CAR Gold Class status after the designation was unveiled in 1990 — the shop has the record for the third-longest Gold Class recognition in the nation. John was named the Snap-on ASE Master Collision Repair Refinish Technician of the Year for both 1998 and 1999. Today, both John and his chief technician are I-CAR Platinum Individual class. The shop is also ASE Blue Seal certified.

All these are remarkable achievements for a shop with a modest aim: To just do an honest, quality repair. John Keck says that aim echoes the philosophy of the 85-year-old original owner, and the approach that still holds up today. It's a philosophy that benefits as much from John and Judy Keck's hard work and tenacity as their willingness to rethink what an honest, quality repair job means in a high-tech era.

John attributes some of his success to being an early adapter of new repair technologies. He was one of the first to buy a MIG welder in the early 1970s, and was working with fiberglass and aluminum long before they became fashionable. Now that aluminum repair is a valuable skill, he's seen as a pro. He also invested in a laser measuring system and alignment equipment like bubble gauges and newer four-wheel systems.

At NACE 1998, much to his surprise, John won the idea fair for his suggestion: using a new, cutting-edge technology called conference calling to resolve disputes between customers and insurers. "I was very lucky," he says. But, his luck was underscored by his ability to see what was ahead for the collision repair business.

Despite his ability to latch on quickly to new ideas, John sees a downside to automation: Loss of the human aspect.

"Back then, business was done on a verbal price and a handshake," he says. "Things have changed a little. Now you have to be so careful with documenting everything and getting written signatures to repair cars and so on. It's so much administrative office work now. Before, our office was a desk out in the shop with a pad of paper and a couple of estimating books. Now, you need someone full-time with a fax machine and computer, with DRPs and following up."

Cars have become increasingly complex, he adds, and it's becoming more difficult for non-specialists to repair them.

"I think that's escalating," he says. "Everything's turning into electronics. You can't even disconnect the battery without affecting the electronic system — it's almost a field unto itself."

No matter what's in store for the business, it's likely John Keck — and, by extension, Red's Body Shop — will be at the forefront. John says he still spends the majority of his time in the shop doing hands-on work, as well as estimates. Judy also pitches in with whatever's necessary.

One way in which Red's hasn't evolved is that it's still an old-fashioned, non-assembly-line shop.

"Everybody in the shop can do some painting, framework, body work, you name it," John says. "We can all pitch in for everyone else."

It remains to be seen who will pitch in for John and Judy when they eventually retire. John recently cut back his hours. "I only work from 8 to 5:30 now instead of 7 to 6:30," he says. "But, we're still open six days a week."

But, John isn't concerned about who will take over the shop. The small business is staffed almost entirely by family members — a brother-in-law and two nephews work in the shop, and his niece works in the office. John foresees a natural transition similar to the one he and Judy experienced when they took over for the ever-present Red.

While they have no immediate plans to retire from the business, they do spend eight to 10 weeks of the year on vacation, often taking long road trips, including one recent 10,000-mile haul by camper to Alaska. As for the future? "I'll just stay away longer every year," John says.