If you would have told me I would see something like COVID-19 in my lifetime, I would not have believed you. But…here we are. Not only has it changed the world, it has also changed the way we deliver car care. In my opinion, that change has been mostly for the better.
We slowed down here at the shop. While I was fortunate to keep a full staff, that slow down really put things into perspective. This became the time to truly “walk the talk.” For the past 32 years, my shop has prided itself on being a family-owned business. As a leader, I promote and constantly talk about being a “family-first” business. So, at the onset of COVID-19 my mission had become how to best protect our families. A full staff would mean absolutely nothing if I could not keep them all as safe as possible here. In my previous posts, you see that I call my clients my “Automotive Family.” My mission included them too. What does a family do in a crisis? That’s right–they take care of each other. Keven, my Service Director, and I reached out to client after client just to make sure they were okay and had what they needed. There, my friends, was a lightbulb moment:
This is the type of behavior humankind should always exhibit.
Over the past 7 months, I have seen the CDC guidelines and social distancing measures done all kinds of ways and in many different businesses: grocery stores, restaurants, parts stores, banks. Some get it right. Some REALLY knock it right out of the park! So, what is it that sets the winners apart? It comes back to service–finding a way to deliver the highest level of service, and we did that for our entire “family.”
Car Care in a COVID-19 world is different. It must be. We come into contact with so many cars each day, and you come into contact with your own squad of people each day too. I developed three layers of protection between you and my team, and I did it without losing the personal touch I spent my 26-year career creating. Even as our state and county began the phased re-opening, I opted to keep that 3-layer system without losing the humanity and kindness we found when we called just to say “hello,” and “are you doing okay (not your car, but you.”
Steering Wheel Covered 
Touch Points Sanitized 
Seat & Floor Covered
Here we are several, several months later and traffic patterns are just about back to what they were pre-COVID. Despite the rise in telecommuting, I see more and more cars on the road every day. As this banner year continues and we enter into cold and flu season (possibly COVID-19, Part II) taking care of each other is the new standard. I want to keep the service bar raised high. As my Automotive Family, you should expect no less. In case you have not had the chance to see for yourself, my team’s service is different. You should expect your car’s common touch points to be sanitized–not just covered. You should expect to know what we use to sanitize your car. You should feel invited to join us or use our “touchless” amenities–or both. Last, but certainly not least, you should receive amazing car care.
Grease In Her Veins 