ACtion Magazine - January/February 2012 - (Page 36)

Member Profile What puts a shop on top? You know Andy Fiffick as a longtime MACS member, board officer and board chairman. You might also recognize his name as that guy who writes the first column, “Outlook,” in every issue of ACTION magazine. You might not know that Andy’s business, Rad Air Complete Car Care, has grown to 10 locations in the Cleveland, Ohio area and that MotorAge magazine picked it as the ”Top Shop” in the United States for 2011. Rad Air was started as a small radiator and A/C shop in 1975 by three guys who, Andy says, “had trouble with fixing cars.” He purchased the struggling company in 1986 and made it what it is today, a growing business that provides full vehicle maintenance, repairs and services in a mostly metropolitan area. Andy has been fixing cars since he was a teenager, and still enjoys a bit of hands-on when the shop schedule permits it. What lessons has he learned along the way that can help you achieve success? According to Andy there are three golden rules: 1. First and most importantly, fix the car right the first time. 2. Charge a fair price. 3. Make sure the client is happy. “Fixing a car right to us is a matter of pride. I don’t care if it takes an hour, three hours or three days. The car better be repaired right,” Andy says with determination. “Making a client happy sounds simple on the surface, but is probably the most involved, inclusive and hardest thing to do.” Making a client happy starts with the initial phone call. Advising the client is an important aspect of client satisfaction. “When you meet them at the counter, discuss the needs of the vehicle,” says Andy. “We need to check and price the vehicle work properly. We advise the client on what they need or don’t need. We finish the vehicle on time and clean. Writing the thank you notes goes along with all of this. If you make a client happy he or she keeps coming back.” “We look at a client as being a member of our family,” Andy explains. “I believe we should have a relationship with our clients just like they do with their butcher, hairdresser, tax accountant, attorney, priest or any other professional in their lives. It’s one of mutual respect. I respect what your vehicle needs and you respect what I need to do to perform that job. We know how to take care of you and you trust us. That’s why we have second or third generation families as clients. There’s no 36 ACTION • January / February 2012 pressure. If you come in for an oil change and I notice you’re going to need a transmission service in another 30,000 miles I’m going to tell you. If you need it today I’m going to tell you. But I’m not going to make things up just to hit numbers.” His next tip: treat your employees right. All of the Rad Air technicians are paid by the hour, unlike many other facilities where there is a commission structure or a quota in place dependent upon the number and types of repairs performed. Andy is also active in a number of service and trade organizations and has been a member of MACS Worldwide since 1987. He finds a lot of value in his MACS membership, “…being a member of MACS allows me to stay in tune with the changes in the industry and react to them in a very timely manner. Attending the training available at the conventions (it is second to none and very affordable) and being able to also see all of our vendors and new equipment at the same venue is an added benefit. I also learn just as much from my fellow technicians and business owners during the convention social events; I simply cannot pass up the learning opportunity during the MACS convention and trade show,” Andy says. What does Andy still have on his list to accomplish? His short answer is to have his business survive at the same level for other 36 years. He says, “Business is changing so fast that I feel that we never have enough training, nor enough new equipment, nor enough marketing and advertising. Therefore, we can still enhance many aspects of our business and we now need to become experts in social media to compete in the marketplace, and provide training to our staff on the emerging technologies to service the latest vehicles. If we can be here doing what we love for another 36 years, that would be a great accomplishment!”

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ACtion Magazine - January/February 2012

ACtion Magazine - January/February 2012
Table of Contents
Outlook
Expansion Valve
Technically RELAY-ted
Under The Southern Cross
Leonard’s Law
Cooling Corner
Virtual View
News & Updates
Heating Up a Cooling Aftermarket
Refrigerant Oil: What You Can’t See Can Warm You
2011 Pioneer Award Honorees
Membershop Profile
Association News
Obituary
Quick Check
New Products & Services
Last Watch

ACtion Magazine - January/February 2012