The Evolution of an Automotive Repair Shop …and Its Owner! Some years ago, very regular customer, Mrs. B, brought her Camry in for a routine oil change. The technician brought her air filter to me and it was filthy! A number of issues came to me at that moment. We had been servicing Mrs. B’s car for some time and obviously we had not changed her air filter for far too long. The questions were these: Why had we not recommended a new air filter and were we neglecting her car in any other way? It was not about laziness or indifference. We were then a new shop; we wanted everyone to like us and to trust us; we did not want to aggressively “up sell.” We wanted to stand apart from the notion, accurate or not, that automotive shops tend to recommend more services than are necessary. However, in the process of wanting Mrs. B, and everyone else, to like us, we were not servicing her vehicle properly. Fast forward to now, if you will. This shop, its philosophies, and its owner, have matured and evolved over the years. I have personally come to understand that my job is to be as knowledgeable as possible about the servicing and repair of your vehicles and to be willing and able to impart that information to you without any type of bias. I am to be a messenger of the facts – “What does your vehicle require to keep you safe and on the road?” and, “Why?” It is my responsibility to keep an open mind and open eyes to the whole condition of your car, while it’s entrusted to me. It is my job to notice and to inform you if you have a brake light out or if your belts are due for service. To facilitate this idea, we have adopted a policy inspired by AAA. We perform a courtesy AAA multi-point inspection on every vehicle – with your permission, of course. Do we hope to increase sales, also, with this policy? Of course, we do. But the greater goal is in the knowledge that our efforts create a “win-win” relationship with the people we serve, and that we adopt policies and make decisions based upon what is right rather than what makes us the most popular or increases our bottom line. Honest information – delivered. Everyone wins! Wishing You Happy and Safe Motoring! Rhonda Mayfield Evert Automotive - Owner