Collision shop keeps growing ...and growing

Apparently, there's some truth to the notion after all. Everything is bigger in Texas, including the auto body repair shops, or at least one by the name of ProTech Collision Repair Center in Webster, on the south side of Houston.

The I-CAR Gold Class certified shop, originally known as CSI Collision, opened in April 1985. It first serviced customers in a humble 4,000-sq.-ft. facility, one of four buildings shop owner Robert Jordan eventually purchased on a sizeable chunk of land. Now at 17,000-sq.-ft., the complex comprises four buildings, known as ProTech for "professional technology." They may soon outgrow those walls, as business continues to thrive. In fact, Jordan is considering other locations in which to expand, possibly within the next two years.

With a revenue stream of more than $300,000 on average every month — and direct repair programs accounting for 80 percent of that business — the need for a new location might not be as far-fetched an idea as one might think.

In the meantime, Jordan and General Manager Mike Ryskoski plan to maximize what they have, including leveraging the abilities of their employees and the space where they work. The shop has six body technicians and four paint technicians – each working within his own bay. Two full-size frame machines occupy two bays. Another floor frame machine is available for use on full-body vehicles. In all, there are approximately 24 bays and two paint booths.

Each of those bays gets its use on a monthly basis with the shop knocking out an average of 165 repair orders per month at an average repair cost of $1,850.

The shop was recently bolstered by the completion of a $100,000 investment in some equipment to enable technicians to work on certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles. That investment included a welder, a new straightening bench and a cut-in booth conversion. "We're one of the only shops in south Houston to work on these cars," Ryskoski says.

At heart of business

But ProTech offers much more than special equipment. With an employee base currently at 21, the shop has come a long way since the owner opened the doors with a body/paint technician. Just recently, the shop added a customer service position to cater better to the needs of customers — by explaining the repair process prior to work, staying in contact with customers during repairs and following up to make sure they are satisfied when a vehicle is delivered.

Ryskoski adds that as they grow there is a strong attempt to maintain a family atmosphere. "We're very open and honest with each other. We're not hovering over them, trying to get them to go through a standard operating procedure," he says. "We let them partner with the shop. If you want to continue at this volume, then you need to perform as if this were your shop."

And while employees enjoy the atmosphere, Ryskoski admits that keeping employees is a challenge. "We try to be fair and honest. We pay employees based on performance," he says. ProTech offers a bonus program: if employees complete a certain amount of work in a given week and average that over a month, then they receive a bonus. Also, once a month, if the shop breaks a certain sales threshold, the owner buys lunch for the whole shop.

Despite the challenges of keeping employees in an environment where turnover can be rampant, the majority of employees have been with the shop more than 10 years.

As important as it is to keep employees happy, it's more important to please customers. One way of doing that is letting customers monitor the progress of vehicle repairs online at (www.protechcollision.com). However, they don't always take advantage of the technology. "For the most part, people want to drop off their keys and be called when it's done," Ryskoski says.

Despite its goal to not have customers return with their cars, the shop does have repeat customers – a significant chunk of the business, in fact. The big driver for the shop is dealership partners, from which the shop has built multiple relationships, partnering with the local Volkswagen, Mercedes, Mazda and Volvo outlets.

Because of its affiliations with local dealers, and the fact that they work on luxury vehicles, advertising would seem essential to get the word out. But in fact, the only place ProTech invests is in the Yellow Pages. "We rely on our dealership partners and insurance partners to bring us business. To be honest, in the past year, it's been more than we can handle," Ryskoski says.

As for competition, he adds that, "it's been interesting," but neither he nor Jordan are losing much sleep worrying about competitors. They are focusing on quality instead. The shop's current location near NASA, attracts a fair amount of engineers and professional clientele. Because of the technical nature of the customers, the shop takes great pride in its craftsmanship, knowing vehicle owners will notice if quality falters.