Beaverton, Ore.-While the 17 bays in the Bassitt Auto Co. shop may look like similar repair operations, the customer areas of the business do not, said Owner Craig Bassitt. As customers pull into a covered service drive-through adjacent to the main office, they find themselves in a replica of a 1950s service station, complete with antique gas pumps and an amazingly detailed mural of a small-town America.
The theme of the company continues as customers enter the office area and service adviser desk. There are two authentic drive-in restaurant tables with working table-top juke boxes and a full-size juke box nearby, nothing but 1950s reading material, and a replica 1957 Chevy mounted on the wall above the tables.
Behind the customer service counter are a working soda machine, replicas of '50s drive-in food, and a more modern coffee machine that produces mochas, cappuccinos, and other coffee drinks for clients. Bassitt said the available coffee drinks are very popular with his customer base.
On Parts & People's recent visit, the company's cool Lincoln limo was parked in the customer service drive-through. The immaculately clean white limo is another popular customer service feature, Bassitt said. "We have a lot of folks who look forward to the ride in the stretch limo when they drop off their vehicles for service. And it's totally unmarked-–no company name on the outside. It's just a part of the overall 'wow' factor that we like to create, especially when a customer first enters the shop."
Bassitt said the shop, a longtime environmentally conscious business, considered replacing the limo with a Toyota Prius Hybrid, but the customers wanted them to retain the limo. "It's an effective marketing tool, and while we do have some loaner vehicles, we will continue to offer the limo ride as long as our customers want it," he said, adding that the firm has had a limo in service since 1985.
"We wanted something to set us apart," Bassitt said, "and the '50s theme and limo are part of that overall experience, as well as our ever-changing Web site that features lots of 50s material."
Bassitt said he was interested in the aviation industry as he left high school, but the demand for employment in that field was limited. He said he attended Mount Hood Community College and then Oregon State University, where he obtained a business and accounting education that has been beneficial to his business.
Bassitt said he began his business in 1971 by working on vehicles at his home in Lake Oswego. Before opening at his current location, he said he operated out of two other locations and that his customer base followed him along the way.
In 1990, the one-acre site in Beaverton was opened, Bassitt said. "We have a 9,000-square-foot facility with plenty of exterior parking, plus we own the lot next door if we need it."
While the visible shop area is "green," Bassitt said there was three times the money spent under the building on environmental systems. "We have underground water and oil separator systems and three storage vaults," he said, and the shop also has a waste-oil heating unit. "We reuse all fluids except antifreeze," he said, adding that going green is a continuing process.
Bassitt said his business is known for its bumper-to-bumper service, and the firm offers a two year/24,000-mile warranty. "Underhood service, including diagnostics, represents about 75 percent of our business," he said. "It's high because we are one of he few shops in the area that can flash, and our staff has the latest training and equipment to go beyond (normal) flashing. We even fix cars from other shops and provide a mobile service for other shops to do flashing."
Air-conditioning work is also an integral part of service at Bassitt Auto, the owner said. "We have a Robinair service machine to provide overall A/C service. Our techs make the decision on all equipment, from A/C to diagnostic tools, so underhood tools and equipment have to perform to meet our standards."
Training is an important element for Bassitt's 11-member staff, which includes five ASE-certified technicians and two service advisers, as well as a parts specialist and a general manager, he said. "We do lots of underhood and diagnostic training.
"Employees can take advantage of any type of training as long as they finish it," Bassitt said, "and we pay the costs." The firm has morning meetings, and employees often share their training experience with other staff members. Most of the staff just attended the recent ATE training expo in SeaTac where more than 40 courses were offered to industry professionals, he said.
"We are an ACDelco TSS shop and a NAPA Auto Care Center, so we utilize training from management to technical courses through them, including ACDelco online training," Bassitt said. The firm also brings in motivational and management trainers on occasion, sometimes through a local group that Bassitt is involved with, he said.
The shop is also a longtime AAA Approved Auto Repair (AAR) facility, and Bassitt said that involvement has been positive for the repair shop. "It's brought us business, and we enjoy our relationship with AAA."
Bassitt said there has been a transition over the years from a 50/50 labor/parts ratio to a 70/30 labor/parts ratio. "Diagnostics has played a big role in that change, and we have a big focus on preventive maintenance."
Four businesses operate out of Bassitt's complex, all automotive related, he said. Some time ago, he said he designed and patented a fuel system, and today the firm markets fuel-injection service machines and fluids to other shops.
With a solid staff he has confidence in, Bassitt said he has the time to network with other shops on a regular basis and participate a local group of some 35 shops that meet once a month to discuss issues pertinent to the repair industry.
"We call it the Group of Automotive Professionals, or GAP, and we have speakers at our meetings, provide roundtables for discussions of matters important to our businesses, bring in trainers, and talk about marketing issues, among other things," he said.
Also a member of the Northwest Automotive Trades Association (NATA) and ASA Washington, Bassitt said being part of industry groups is a valuable experience. "The networking is helpful to all of the shops involved," he said, adding that the regular visits to other shops is enjoyable and educational.
Looking ahead, Bassitt said there will be major changes in the types of vehicles being serviced, especially for underhood work. "We'll see more hybrids, diesels, and certainly electric vehicles, and may have to offer a different kind of service. We may even do propane tank installation here as an alternative-fuel option," he said.
"We may have electric vehicle loaners here in the future, but no matter what we do, we have to be way outside the box (to succeed and be profitable)."