Olathe, Kan. -- Shawn Fischer, general manager of Bret's Autoworks, said he was more than 2,000 miles from home when he first met Bret Tredway, owner of Bret's Autoworks. It was 1997 and the two were involved in a mission trip in Venezuela.

Following the trip, Fischer said Tredway was set to go into the mission field, as a pilot, leaving his general manager to run his business. However, shortly before Tredway left for Denver to begin his aircraft mechanic training, his general manager resigned. Fischer, who had a background in management, accounting, and the automotive field, interviewed for the job and was chosen to fill the general manager position.

It was a godsend, Fischer said, adding that if he had never met Tredway on the mission trip, the opportunity would not have presented itself.

Fischer said he has held the position for nine years and that his business-accounting and computer skills along with his background in the automotive industry have been a good fit for running an automotive repair shop.

In 2001, Fischer said, Tredway sold him and two of the service managers part of the ownership. In April, he said he purchased the remaining portion of the business, leaving Tredway with only the property.

Fischer said he spends his time working on the business, relying heavily on his service advisers to run the front of the business and his technicians to run the shop.

"We each have our own niche," he said. "It doesn't always happen perfect, or the way you would do things, but it works out; sometimes it is just hard for me to let go."

Fischer said he learned from Tredway that if you get the right people in place and delegate work properly, the business can run without the owner. In fact, he said that Tredway after 10 years in the business became an absentee owner.

The staff at Bret's Autoworks includes five full-service technicians, one lube technician, and three service advisers. Fischer said each technician has a computer terminal in the shop with access to the Internet, AllData, Identifix, and iATN. "With the price of computers going down, it is really an affordable addition to the shop," he said, adding that it allows the technicians to look up their own flag time, torque specs, and wiring diagrams. 

The technicians work out of two buildings, one with eight lifts and another with four, which includes two alignment racks, one of which is a new Hoffman image alignment machine purchased from NAPA, he said.

Fischer said he was in need of a new lift for oil changes and decided to purchase the Hoffman so he could perform roll-back alignment checks as a courtesy when customers were waiting for oil changes. He said he is still trying to perfect the operation so the oil change, fluid check, and alignment check can all be completed in a timely manner.

Fischer said he does about six alignments a week and hopes that the new machine helps increase the ability to sell other front end repairs, along with tires. Currently, he said he sells about 30 to 40 tires a month and primarily purchases them through Tire Center Inc. (TCi). "We even keep a tire rack out front to let people know that we do tires," he said. "We don't actually stock tires, but it acts as a visual aid."

For parts, Fischer said he turns to NAPA, which has a jobber located five blocks away. "We have been a NAPA Auto Care Center for four years," he said. "NAPA and Mark Houser, our sales rep, really bend over backwards for us, and we have been very happy with their service and nationwide warranty."

Fischer said his service advisers promote the nationwide warranty, along with Bret's Autoworks' two-year, 24,000-mile warranty offered on parts and labor. Each service writer is in charge of two techs, he said, adding that he tries to allow the customer to work with one service adviser through the entire process. 

 
"It allows them to get to know somebody better," Fischer said. "When it switches off to somebody else, things get lost, or something is not relayed to the next person. We can eliminate those problems by using the same adviser for the same customer throughout the process."

Fischer said he recently hired Kaycee Seiler as another service adviser; Seiler graduated from Pittsburg State University with an automotive degree. 

 
"She is working out well," he said. "It is a tough position; it is a lot harder than people think it is. You go home at the end of the day, and you are worn out. It is a lot of keeping things in order."

Fischer added that it is important to find good service advisers because it is the first face customers see when they come in.

Fischer said his advisers have done a good job promoting maintenance intervals to customers, which has led to a lot of fluid flushes. He said his technicians use a transmission flush machine from NAPA and a power steering and coolant flush machine from BG Services.

"One good thing about the dealerships is that they have really been promoting preventive maintenance," he said. It makes it easier to sell; we just explain the benefits and value to our customers."

Fischer said he averages about 100 cars through the shop each week and aims for an average repair order of $300.

Bret's Autoworks expanded in February when Fischer and Technician Leo Murry partnered to open a second Bret's in Gardner, Kan. The new shop is 4,000 square feet, with two lifts. Fischer said Murry is the sole employee at the new shop and is responsible for writing service orders and repairing vehicles.

"It is really keeping me busy," he said. "I am just taking things day by day."