LOCATION: Vallejo, Calif. CO-OWNERS: Tim Rose and Katie Rose SIZE: 9,000 square feet STAFF: 7 AVERAGE MONTHLY CAR COUNT: 30 ANNUAL REVENUE: $1.2 million
1. COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS
In recent months, the crew at Fix Auto Vallejo has left no stone unturned in the name of coronavirus prevention. Simply put, notes co-owner Katie Rose, “Our rubber glove bill has gone up tremendously.”
The California shop’s staff has adhered to governmental guidance, and is using Lysol and Clorox disinfecting wipes at every turn, wiping down high-touch areas in vehicles thoroughly with bleach-free wipes before returning them to customers. As required by Fix Auto USA’s leadership, the entire facility is disinfected twice daily, vehicle steering wheels and seats are covered in plastic, and customers are typically provided emailed receipts.
2. INSPECTION AREA
One factor that helped the Roses’ shop withstand the coronavirus pandemic is the consistent revenue brought in from its dedicated smog-inspection area, a portion of the shop equipped with its own entrance. The state of California mandates that vehicles receive such emissions testing every other year, which means that, even during the worst of the COVID-19 outbreak, Fix Auto Vallejo still did roughly 15 smog inspections per day. Under normal circumstances, Tim Rose performs about 25 such inspections per day.
“The smog shop is actually more profitable than the body shop right now,” Tim Rose, a 30-year veteran of the industry, noted recently.
3. LENDING A LIFT
Shop staff members utilize a dedicated Dodge Journey midsize SUV to pick up customers within a roughly 5-mile radius of Vallejo. The service is available to customers from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and by appointment on Saturdays. It’s a little thing that customers take note of, Katie Rose notes. It also tends to inspire customers to recommend Fix Auto Vallejo—which boasts a 4.7-star average rating on Google—to others.
“When you go the extra mile for customers, they tend to remember that,” Katie Rose says, “and they’re going to want to come back.”
4. OFFICE CHALK TALK
Years ago, one of the Roses’ employees inspired the idea of “High Five Fridays.” Thus, to this day, each work week at Fix Auto Vallejo is punctuated with donuts and pastries at the shop’s front-counter area. Katie Rose even traces her hand on the box of donuts, to offer each employee a symbolic high five.
“It’s a spot where we have a moment to get together,” she says, “and it’s a wonderful way to show that we appreciate them. Seems simple, but it’s kind of awesome.”
