By Gary Butler
“Honesty is the best policy” is more than a catch-phrase or a lofty-but-unattainable goal, according to Dennis Hall’s Auto Service Office Manager Debbie Beri.
“It is the founding principle that Dennis had in mind when he opened this shop in 1997,” said Beri, who came on board just two years after Hall opened his doors for business at 221 Sherway Road in West Knoxville, Tenn.
Beri said Hall had worked at a local dealership prior to launching his own shop, and came to realize that he “didn’t like the way customers were being treated, and he decided he could do better,” Beri said.
Beri said that honesty is also the first and most important criteria when evaluating a potential new hiree, “although we don’t have a high turnover rate here,” she said.
“One of the techs, in fact, has been here as long as I have, and several of the guys have been here several years,” she said.
The shop’s focus on honesty cannot be overstated, according to Beri, but she is quick to point out that Hall’s shop has an equal commitment to the kind of high-quality repair that can only be done when its technicians are trained in all facets of mechanical repair.
“Each of our five mechanics, and even the man who performs the oil changes and vehicle inspections, is ASE-certified, and each of the mechanics is totally capable of completing any task he begins on a vehicle,” she said. “And I promise you that is not always the case [at other shops].”
But Beri said customers sometimes have to be gently nudged to see the importance of having all technicians ASE-certified.
“We had a customer call to inquire about an oil change a while back, and I happened to mention that the man who would be changing the oil was ASE–certified. The man said ‘Why is that important?’ and I said, ‘Why wouldn’t it be? If the man who is under your car changing the oil is highly-qualified to spot a problem or potential problem, wouldn’t you want that man doing the job?’ Most people get that once they think about it,” she said.
Beri said Hall began the shop as a Honda specialist, then included Accura when he brought in a mechanic who had extensive experience with Honda’s high-end cousin. Later, as other mechanics were hired, each of whom were proficient in repairing Japanese imports, the shop widened its horizons. Currently, Hall does not take in work on European imports, but has broadened the shop’s scope to include American-made vehicles.
Beri said there is almost no repair the shop can’t handle, “but we choose not to do engine or transmission rebuilds, because such jobs tie up too much space and generally take too long. We refer jobs like that to the dealership,” she said.
Although one might think operating within a niche market, such as repairing primarily Japanese imports, would be limiting, Beri says the shop’s bays are almost always full.
“And we have found that people have more confidence in a shop that specializes in their type of vehicle,” she said.
And the niche market has other benefits, unrelated to customer confidence, Beri said.
“Area repair shops, at least those close to us, have no hesitation in helping each other,” she said. “We are sandwiched between a shop that specializes in German imports, and another that specializes in diesel. But we all help each other frequently when one of us needs a tool or something, and there’s no infringing on each other’s market.”
Beri said the trust that their customers have in their ability to not only repair their vehicles efficiently and thoroughly, but actually save them money when possible, is evidenced by the distances some of them are willing to travel.
“Some of them come from as far away as Chattanooga,” she said. “And maybe even more telling than that is the fact that when some of them have moved out of our area, they ask Dennis if he knows someone he trusts in, say, Atlanta. And some have even called us while their car is in the shop somewhere, maybe while they’re on vacation, and asked Dennis his opinion on what might be causing the problem and how best to fix it!
“Naturally, Dennis can’t diagnose a problem from a distance like that, but it is gratifying that they have that much confidence in him,” Beri said.
As further proof that Hall and his technicians have maintained their integrity with their customers, Beri points to the fact that Hall’s shop has been complaint-free with the Better Business Bureau every year since opening day in 1997.
In addition to honesty as a critical building block to a solid foundation, Beri says showing respect for their customers goes a long, long way in getting return business from them and referrals as well.
“We know a customer’s time is important to him, just as it is to us, so we go out of our way to minimize their inconvenience,” she said. “We have a couple of loaner vehicles for jobs that will require a little more time, and we do a lot of shuttling back and forth when a customer needs a ride.
“If we see that there’s going to be any delay at all, the first thing we do is call the customer to give them a heads-up,” she said. “That might seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many shops don’t bother to do that.”
Beyond repeat business and referrals from happy customers, Beri said Hall’s doesn’t do extensive advertising.
“We get some business from our Web site, some from occasional radio spots, and even now and then from a quarterly listing in an area pamphlet,” she said. “And we have just started paying for what they call a ‘post boost’ on Facebook, and wouldn’t you know we started getting calls from prospective customers.”
Although the conventional wisdom where Facebook demographics is concerned usually suggests users between 18 and 45, Beri said her very first caller from a Facebook ‘post boost’ was a woman in her 60s.”
“Times are definitely changing,” she said.
But some things only change when people put integrity ahead of the “almighty dollar,” and some people in the automotive repair business will continue to take advantage of unwitting customers if no one calls their hand, according to Beri.
“A young woman who had come to us for a second opinion on a repair came very close to being a victim of this kind of unscrupulous behavior,” she recalled. “She had gotten a quote from a local dealership for about $4,000 to replace both axles and some of the rack-and-pinion steering assembly, as well as four new tires.
“The young woman did need the new tires, but all she needed otherwise was a boot replaced on a CV joint that had been leaking,” Beri said. “She was so grateful to us for saving her from a large and unnecessary expense.”
Finally, Beri said that she and her staff at Dennis Hall’s Auto Service have learned over the years the importance of listening — not just looking at them and nodding — but really listening to their customers’ concerns.
“It goes hand-in-hand with being honest with them, I think, but it is truly important to listen to what their particular needs and concerns are, and not dismiss their input,” said Beri. “We want them to know that they matter, and that they are a potentially important resource in diagnosing their own vehicle’s problems.
“It’s true that some people just drop their car off and don’t want to be bothered with the details of how it gets fixed, but others feel good about being included in the process, being an integral part of the solution,” she said.
“What I can tell you, though, is that we care equally for both kinds of customers, and treat everyone equally,” she said. “And that philosophy is working very well for us.” •
