By Debbie Briggs
Contributing writer
Brian Bowersock always planned to one day open his own repair shop, having received an advanced degree in automotive technology while in the military. So when the opportunity arose to take over an existing struggling facility, he knew he had to take on the challenge.
That was 18 years ago, and West Escondido Automotive & Transmission in Escondido, CA, has been growing ever since. After four years in its first location, Bowersock moved the operation — which handles everything from routine oil changes to in-house transmission rebuilding — to another building that could better keep up with the company’s expanding customer base.
“We had to build everything inside,” he explains. “It was an empty building. Since then, we’ve redone the entire office and lobby area twice. We try to stay real up-to-date. As a matter of fact, just a year and a half ago, we went through a full remodel in the lobby and throughout, and the service writing stations have been replaced.”
The shop now boasts 18 bays, thanks to the 1,500-square-foot expansion, and Bowersock can’t stress enough the importance of running a clean facility with up-to-date amenities for customers.
“It lets them see how you treat things, and, in turn, how you’re going to treat their vehicle. It’s first impressions,” he says, adding that “customers often comment that it’s just a nice, clean facility; they appreciate that fact, and they link it a lot to the fact that their cars come back clean and fixed right.”
Shop Appearance Has Dual Appeal
The shop’s impeccable appearance not only impresses customers, but employees alike. While standard benefits are offered (health insurance, paid time off, etc.), Bowersock says employees appreciate the top-quality facility and great working conditions.
“I think the volume of work and the quality of our facility is what attracts most of the technicians that I’ve hired,” he explains. “I have several long-time employees — one who’s been with me since the beginning, several that have been with me more than 12 years, and some for a shorter period because we’ve grown and added more technicians.”
The shop currently has eight technicians, and all of them are ASE-certified Master Techs. It’s a requirement, Bowersock says; he won’t even consider hiring someone who’s not a Certified Master Tech. And if he does need to add more staff, Bowersock says he keeps a running list of technicians and service writers in the area who have been recommended from various sources, including current employees.
Service writers and technicians at West Escondido Automotive & Transmission regularly receive training. Service writers attend courses through Elite Worldwide, led by Bob Cooper, also a very good, personal friend of Bowersock’s. Technicians attend training quarterly through a training arrangement with a local parts supplier.
“I got together with one of the large independent NAPA owners, who owns several stores,” Bowersock explains. “We put together a program where we got with a quality company that does training. We then brought in several other shops, and they pay a fee so they can train their technicians. We pick the classes, and what they’re going to train on. They’ve done advanced hybrid; the last class was 6.0- and 6.4-liter diesel for Ford and advanced driveability for Honda.”
Training not only allows techs to stay up-to-date, but also gives the shop’s many long-term customers peace of mind that their vehicles will be repaired properly.
“We make sure the customer is taken care of all the way through, from start to finish,” Bowersock says. “We follow up with every customer within 24 hours of service on their vehicle with a phone call just to make sure everything’s good. Customer service is really what — along with fixing vehicles right the first time — has built this company into what it is.”
The Power of Advertising
While word-of-mouth referrals have certainly factored into the shop’s growth, advertising has also played its part, including billboards, TV commercials and Bowersock’s long-running stint as the “Auto Guy” for San Diego Channel 6.
“They actually came to me five years ago,” he explains. “They had spoken to AAA about what they wanted to do, and AAA recommended me to them.”
West Escondido Automotive & Transmission is a AAA-approved repair facility, a designation that has helped to not only draw in business, but ensure potential customers that the facility is top-notch.
“AAA is very good — at least in Southern California — at only certifying shops that are high-quality,” Bowersock says. “Customers know that. Aligning with them has been a good business decision as far as helping us grow, and also putting us out there as one of the more elite facilities.”
Perhaps one of the most important components of the shop’s marketing strategy has been Internet advertising and, more specifically, westescondidoauto.com, the website Bowersock started before many shops even considered the idea.
“I was one of the first independent automotive guys to have a website back in the day, and when everybody saw it, they realized, ‘oh, I have to do that,’” he explains. “It’s very important, and it becomes more and more important every year. We do a large percentage of appointments on-line.”
As evidence of the site’s overall effectiveness, ASA named it one of its Top 10 Automotive Repair Web Sites for 2010.
“We continually stay on the cutting edge with our website,” he continues. “I work with Autoshop Solutions, which does our website and all of our Google advertising. I was their first or second customer when they started the business. They’re very good at keeping my stuff on the cutting edge — anything new, changes or a new direction we need to go in, they’re on the phone with me, saying ‘hey we really should do this or that.’ They do a great job of keeping me out there.”
Bowersock is also proactive in providing customers with a low-rate rental car option through a business agreement with Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
“It’s very easy to put a customer in a car for a day,” he says, “and they’re brand-new cars, so they’re better than a loaner car.”
The Power of ‘Green’
A certified green station in the state of California, West Escondido Automotive & Transmission follows California’s green procedures as far as dry mops and water washers, and is looking to stay at the forefront of green initiatives.
“At this point, we’re looking into getting estimates into possibly going solar,” Bowersock says. “The way our building is set up, it would be good in reducing our cost of electricity and saving the environment. We have such a large building, that the rooftop could probably power half the city.”
All in all, Bowersock says he can sum up the success of West Escondido Automotive & Transmission in three words: superior customer service; that and the ability to go above and beyond a customer’s expectations.
“You have to have the professional ability to take care of your customers and get their vehicles fixed right — and to communicate with them in the manner that they like,” he explains. “I can’t stress that whole customer service thing enough. I think that really is what these days separates the really quality facilities and the ones that are so-so.”
