Vallejo, Calif. -- We may be in the midst of a recession, but you wouldn't know it by talking to Tracy Renee, owner of Gene's Automotive in Vallejo. Renee's business gets better every year, and 2008 was no exception, she said.
By providing quality service and using the best systems and tools available, Renee, 45, has been able to increase her car count and revenues every year since opening Gene's 14 years ago, she said.
"We still haven't got it all figured out yet," Renee said. "But we've been doing this long enough to know what works for us. Will I ever master this industry? I don't think so. But, if I can learn how to get better every year, that's a step in the right direction."
Gene's operates out of a 13,200-square-foot facility on a large lot that can accommodate 40-plus cars, Renee said, and a shop with seven bays and room for many more, she said.
The company employs five people, consisting of an office manager, three technicians, and a part-time shop helper, she said.
Renee said she formerly rented part of her building to a Kawasaki dealership that moved into its own facility next door in 2007. While many shops are cramped and short of space, Gene's has room to grow and expand, she said.
Construction has already started on new offices and a classroom where Renee said she will host automotive tech courses throughout the year.
The shop performs every type of mechanical repair except tires, alignments, and engine or transmission rebuilds, Renee said. As a Gold Shield smog station, 25 percent of the shop's workload is doing smog inspections and related repairs, she said.
"We contracted with the state to be a part of their Consumer Assistance Program (CAP), which allows customers who are income eligible to get financial assistance if they qualify," she said. "We became a Gold Shield shop 10 years ago, and to keep our rating, we're graded every year on all our smog inspections and smog-related repairs."
Although being a Gold Shield station has been profitable for Gene's, being in the smog game is time-consuming and costly, Renee said.
"It's not easy maintaining that Gold Shield affiliation," she said. "There used to be five shops in this area, and now there's just us and one other. Shops try to qualify, but they can't because the requirements are stringent."
Doing smog inspections requires additional training and equipment as well, Renee said. "You have to buy the equipment and the service contract in case it breaks down, and you have to train your techs to do the work," she said. "And then you have to stand behind your work and back it 100 percent."
One of the main reasons Renee cites for her continued succeed is her involvement in professional trade associations, she said. She's a member of at least six, including the Automotive Service Councils of California (ASCCA), the Automotive Service Association (ASA), the American Business Women's Association (ABWA), and the California Service Stations and Automotive Repair Association (CASSARA), she said.
"Our participation in these associations has been so valuable," she said. "More independent shops should get involved in these groups, and I don't know why they aren't. We need to stick together in this industry because it's constantly changing. We'll never have all the answers, and sharing information can only make us stronger."
Renee is on the membership committee for ASCCA and wants to spearhead an aggressive membership drive in 2009, she said. "As independent shops, we tend to get into our own little worlds," she said. "Organizations like ASCCA have helped me so much because I can go to other members and learn from them. I tell shop owners to stop sitting around and complaining and to start doing something about it."
Using the newest tools and systems in the day-to-day operations of her shop is another factor for the consistently good numbers at Gene's, Renee said.
"I've always tried to take advantage of the best diagnostics data, like Identifix and Alldata," she said. "We also use QuickTrac to monitor our productivity and we use a product called Demand Force that allows our customers to do things like schedule their appointments online. These tools make our lives easier and provide our customers with the type of service they've grown to expect from us."
For her parts, Renee said she uses primarily three vendors--Bert Williams & Sons, CARQUEST, and WORLDPAC. "We're very impressed with WORLDPAC, because their Web site is so sophisticated, yet easy to use," she said.
"We look for added value from our parts sources, such as a better warranty, education on a part, or any information they can give us. We expect them to get us the correct part and we expect it to be high-quality, but we also want them to bring something of value to the table."
