EVERY. SINGLE. DAY! It is a constant struggle trying to jump over the hurdle that is the automotive repair industry’s bad reputation. So many shops and dealerships are going about it all wrong and making the rest of us “good folks” clean up their mess. I’m not saying that we at The Garage are perfect or incapable of mistakes by any means, but we truly care about you and your family.
Our primary objective has always been to care for our customers, which in turn, has allowed our business to grow year after year. That growth has been instrumental in our ability to support our staff/families well, as well as give back to our community in a large way. I wanted to take this opportunity to show you why I think our work family is the best of the best.
Jason – This dude is usually one of the first to arrive and last to leave. He handles all of our online appointments and works tirelessly to ensure our customers feel truly cared about. He is high in empathy which can make his job of delivering “bad news” to customers difficult, but I also think his genuine care/concern has led to his/our success. He has even gone so far as to call on some of our elderly customers just to check on them, and takes some of them to lunch periodically to catch up. Name me another shop that does that…I’ll wait. 🙂
Mackey – He empties our morning drop off box like it is nobody’s business. Some days that little box can be home to over 20 cars/keys. This usually means arriving 30-45 minutes before we open just to sort and process all of that information. It is not lost on me what a gift it is to be able to depend on him. Mackey also handles the majority of our service writing which means he too, delivers a lot of “bad news”. He does an excellent job of laying out options for our customers and helping them prioritize what repairs are the most urgent.
Robert – Every business needs a Robert. That guy is the life of the party. Always smiling and always looking for the best in every situation. He handles the majority of our oil change and maintenance service customers. He does an amazing job of looking through maintenance schedules to be sure that all our customer’s cars are in proper working order. Plus, he makes the coffee every day…and I would say that too is a very important job. Robert loves people and we have him on the front counter for that very reason.
Justin – If we replaced your engine, or timing chains, or evaporator core, then Justin was your guy. He is the epitome of hardworking. He is always on time and in a good mood. Justin handles most of our longer repairs, and that’s something not every mechanic can do well. Sometimes those big jobs can take 10-20 hours and can be mentally taxing to work on the same vehicle for so long without the feeling of accomplishment that comes from working on 7 or 8 vehicles in that amount of time. It really is a gift. He is also quick to volunteer to finish up jobs after hours if need be for a customer. He gets the big picture and I love that about him.
John – Positivity. There have been many times where I’ve been frustrated with a situation/vehicle and John has been so good to talk me off the proverbial edge. As our foreman, that is a really important trait. He sets the tone for the whole shop and does a darn good job if you ask me. He truly cares about all our employees and customers. John handles all of our vehicle inspections and does an amazing job of helping our office staff prioritize the repairs that are needed. He makes hard work fun and that is something we all benefit from.
Thomas – This guy is as dependable as they come. If you had your oil changed, or got new tires, or had a tune up…Thomas was your guy. He cares about your vehicle, probably more than you do. It’s always fun to me when I can hand him a repair order and he immediately remembers the car and what repairs have been done. It isn’t just a job for him, it’s something he truly loves. Thomas is a servant hearted guy and secretly bought the entire staff Christmas gifts this year. Not just any gifts…like really thoughtful gifts. We’re pretty stoked to have a Thomas!
Baxley – This guy is like the energizer bunny, though in fairness to the other guys… he’s also the youngest 😉 Baxley arrives every morning on time like clockwork. He is always ready to work on time and always itching to do more. You need a guy like him when you are as busy as we’ve become. Like Josh, he too handles a lot of our “normal” repairs, so chances are if you had your brakes, or struts, or radiator replaced…he was your guy. We’re glad he decided to leave the corporate world and come be a part of the family.
Josh – someone had to be last on this list…so I tried to pick the person who would be least offended by that 🙂 Seriously though, Josh is a ton of fun to work with. He does a little bit of everything when it comes to repair work. I think what separates him from some past employees though is his quality and thoroughness of work. He is extremely neat and detail oriented which is so important. He has also spent some time on the customer service side of repairs at other shops so he knows how to ensure our customers are well taken care of. Josh is a native of Ohio and says “bolth” instead of “both. So that’s always a good laugh for me too. We’re super grateful he joined our team last year.
All shops are not created equal and I’m here to tell you we have the best. I say that with confident humility (if there is such a thing) and not arrogance. It all starts and ends with the people I mentioned above. That does not mean we are impervious to mistakes. It does not mean that we are the cheapest. It does not mean that we are able to work on every single vehicle. BUT, what it does mean is that if you’re our customer, we will take care of you better than anyone else. I’ve seen our employees volunteer their own money to pay for a customer’s parts, loan their personal vehicles, rent cars for customers, do free repairs for single moms, warranty repairs that are way out of warranty, and even fall on the sword when it IS and ISN’T ours to fall on. God has chosen to bless our business beyond what I thought was ever possible and the best blessing of all has been this group of men. Serving with them is a joy!
