Corona, Calif.–On any given day, you’ll find the lot at Harvey’s Autotech filled by 8 a.m. with an eclectic mix of older cars and trucks to near-new vehicles, all waiting for service.
“We find that many of our longtime customers whose cars or trucks we’ve serviced through the years have us service their new cars as well,” Owner Harvey Van Edmond said. “That’s because taking care of our customers is job one.”
Van Edmond is no newcomer to the area; he said he has spent 18 years building his list of longtime customers. “I opened my first shop in Corona in 1991, called Protune, with two financial partners, me being the working partner,” he said.
“After five years, the partnership dissolved, and I started Harvey’s Autotech. Then in January 2000, my wife, Anne, and I bought this property,” he said.
Customer retention is crucial in today’s economy, Van Edmond said. “Last year, we saw a decline in business of 4.5 percent; this year we are down 1 percent from last year in the first quarter,” he said. “Our car count is up, but ticket average is lower. Customers are budgeting and spreading services over several visits.
“Six or seven years ago, we were so busy that we only had time to fix the immediate problem and get the car on the road,” Van Edmond said. “Now, because car count is lower, we have the time to really go over every vehicle the first time it comes into the shop. “We perform a free 27-point inspection and fluid top-off on every vehicle we service so the customers know exactly what condition their vehicle is in,” he said. “And I pay my technicians for doing the inspection, so they don’t lose money and the inspection is done right.”
“We have three computers in the shop available to our seven technicians in addition to five computers in the office,” Van Edmond said. “We have Alldata and Mitchell On Demand available online and also make frequent use of the International Automotive Technicians Network (IATN). All of the computers have customer vehicle history in our shop dating back to 1997.
“We are seeing many more newer vehicles in for routine maintenance services that people used to believe had to be done at the dealership to maintain the warranty,” he said. “We are also seeing more V-6 timing belts, undercar service, and 100,000-mile services on well maintained vehicles.
“Because we are doing more warranty work, we make sure our technicians are up to date on new-vehicle service procedures and technologies, and we pay 100 percent of all approved technician training,” Van Edmond said.
“Several parts suppliers provide training classes through A/C Delco, Motorcraft, and NAPA. We have two ASC-certified Master Technicians,” he said.
“We use NAPA products extensively, especially their Adaptive One (ADO) brake pads,” Van Edmond said. “We have found them to be a good value; they are a quiet pad and they last. We also recommend and install Akebono ProACT ceramic pads and Posi Quiet semimetallic pads for people who want more performance.” “We have also seen a marked increase in the use of aftermarket parts such as OE big-brake kits, performance exhaust, and tires,” he said. “The parts quality in the aftermarket has increased dramatically.
“We’ve recently started doing plastic headlamp lens polishing using the 3M Headlight Lens Restoration System,” Van Edmond said. “There are 15 million car owners battling cloudy, dull headlights that decrease night visibility and can contribute to unsafe driving conditions on the road. “We also started doing in-house tire and alignment services when we brought on our seventh technician three years ago,” he said. “A year ago, we became an official brake and lamp certification center, we are a certified smog-only test shop, and a certified NAPA AutoCare Center.
“More people are making an effort to service their vehicles more consistently, based on the desire to extend the life of their vehicles,” Van Edmond said. “People are not so quick to replace them. Vehicles properly maintained are definitely lasting longer.” “People are doing more homework before getting the work done,” he said. “I get more calls from people disenchanted with the dealer experience that they had so long clung to. People want a shop that genuinely has their best interests at heart and people crave—and deserve—integrity, honesty, and a personal touch.
“We feel, with cell phones so prevalent and vehicle warning systems more consistent, that in most cases there is no reason to drive a vehicle with a problem until severe damage is done,” Van Edmond said. “We tell customers that when there’s a problem, a warning light, to stop. Get it towed in here.
“These are the times that allow the good shops to shine and the marginal shops to fall,” he said. “Customer appreciation and care are vital to shop survival and strength. Holding fast to consistency in a difficult economic climate is vital to success.
“The more people you help to get what they want and need, the more successful you will be,” Van Edmond said. “Care about your clientele--let them know you appreciate them.”
