Snap Shop: Coachwork Autobody

SHOP STATS: Coachwork Autobody Location: Allenton, WI. Owner: Jason Lisko Staff Size: 11 Shop Size: 15,000 square feet Number of Lifts/Bays: 2 Average Monthly Car Count: 40-50 ARO: $3800 - $420 Annual Revenue: $2.3 million

Keeping a 40 Year Promise

Jason Lisko, owner of Coachwork Autobody, purchased the shop in 2016 after it had already been in business since 1980.

For Lisko, he didn’t want to change a shop’s logo that had a strong local recognition.

“Originally, the logo and name of the shop were chosen to link the shop back to horse-drawn coaches,” says Lisko.

But Lisko wanted the logo to mean something more than a historical image to his customers, so he set out to work to be the best collision shop he could be.

“To our customers, the logo stands for a reputable shop that does great work and comes highly recommended,” says Lisko.

This was the brand that Lisko wanted to buy into and further strengthen.

Communicating your Worth

Because of what the logo represents, Lisko wanted to put it everywhere a customer could see it. Above doors, on the floors, and visible from the road that the shop rests on.

When Lisko first took over the shop, he was surprised by how many people said that they didn’t know there was a collision repair shop in the area. Lisko set out to remedy that issue.

“The most important change to the outside of the shop that I made after taking over, was adding a sign that can be seen from the state road,” says Lisko.

The sign ensures that everyone driving through the area knows the Coachwork name and logo.

Conveying Confidence through Care

“We have been fortunate enough to work on newer and high-end vehicles,” says Lisko. “For that reason, we wanted our waiting room to look modern.”

Lisko ripped out the suspended tile ceiling, replaced two walls with old barnwood, and stained his logo into the polished concrete floor.

“If your waiting room looks like it’s from the ‘70s, it really calls into question the repairs taking place on the shop floor,” says Lisko.

To Lisko, you are selling your shop’s repairs the moment the customer walks in the door.

Using Best Practices

“Our shop floor is organized like many others,” says Lisko. “But two elements really make it stand out.”

The first is the video camera and computer that they use to tape every aspect of a new car, not just the damaged areas.

“Nobody inspects their car more than when they get it back from a collision shop,” says Lisko. “And many times they might not have realized that they had little scrapes and nicks.”

For this reason, Lisko’s shop documents the whole vehicle so they aren’t on the hook for damage that they didn’t cause and that had nothing to do with the collision.

“This equipment has easily paid for itself 100 times over,” says Lisko.

The second element is a brand new GFS paint booth that is 30 feet long and has high ceilings.

“The booth has allowed us to service sprinter vans and trucks,” says Lisko. “Not a lot of shops can do this because of the space requirements.”