Mission Statement and History of Professional Automotive Repair
Mission Statement
Our company mission statement summarizes our philosophy. ” Our goal is to provide the best possible TECHNICAL SERVICE and the best possible CUSTOMER SERVICE to car owners in the Atlanta market at a FAIR PRICE.” Please note our three separate focus points: technical service, customer service, and fair price.
Values and Customer Committment
Clarke Otten
My name is Clarke Otten and I am the owner of Professional Automotive Repair. I started my business in 1985 as a specialty shop servicing only Volvo. Like all entrepreneurs, I planned to grow my business over the years. However, I never allowed my desire for growth to surpass my desire for maintaining the highest quality in technical expertise and customer service.
Over the years, I have learned many things. 1) Three is the optimal number of shops that I can oversee effectively. 2) I have learned that with two shops I could get a good “average” benchmark of performance to which I could hold all the stores.
One of these benchmarks proved to be that there was a limit to how many Volvo owners I could expect to serve in a given geographical area. If I wanted to grow my business any larger, I had to expand into additional market areas. But knowing two shops was my optimum number, and that I had reached the maximum market penetration with Volvo owners within my current market areas, I was faced with the conundrum of how to grow my business.
Then I realized that many of my customers had been giving me the answer for years when they asked if we could work on their other cars! In 2005, Professional Automotive Repair began servicing other makes of cars.
Our commitment to integrity, honesty, and fair pricing made us as successful in servicing most brands of cars as we had been when we only serviced Volvo.
Over time, new benchmarks were set on where our best focus was becoming settled. In each of the shops, new personalities developed reflecting the demographics of each shop location. Now each of the locations has their own unique customer profile and the group as a whole has a totally new nature.
Volvo still predominates in car count, but car count alone does not reflect the breadth or depth of service that we offer to customers with other makes of cars. In order to quantify that aspect of our business, we looked for a way to measure that quality of our business. The model that we developed was to look at the amount of money spent per customer, broken down by car brand, over the past several years. Customers where we did the most in-depth work obviously would spend the most money on repairs over the study period. Imagine our surprise when we realized that now we do more in-depth work on some of the other brands of cars than we do on Volvo!
Over the years, I have learned many things. 1) Three is the optimal number of shops that I can oversee effectively. 2) I have learned that with two shops I could get a good “average” benchmark of performance to which I could hold all the stores.
One of these benchmarks proved to be that there was a limit to how many Volvo owners I could expect to serve in a given geographical area. If I wanted to grow my business any larger, I had to expand into additional market areas. But knowing two shops was my optimum number, and that I had reached the maximum market penetration with Volvo owners within my current market areas, I was faced with the conundrum of how to grow my business.
Then I realized that many of my customers had been giving me the answer for years when they asked if we could work on their other cars! In 2005, Professional Automotive Repair began servicing other makes of cars.
Our commitment to integrity, honesty, and fair pricing made us as successful in servicing most brands of cars as we had been when we only serviced Volvo.
Over time, new benchmarks were set on where our best focus was becoming settled. In each of the shops, new personalities developed reflecting the demographics of each shop location. Now each of the locations has their own unique customer profile and the group as a whole has a totally new nature.
Volvo still predominates in car count, but car count alone does not reflect the breadth or depth of service that we offer to customers with other makes of cars. In order to quantify that aspect of our business, we looked for a way to measure that quality of our business. The model that we developed was to look at the amount of money spent per customer, broken down by car brand, over the past several years. Customers where we did the most in-depth work obviously would spend the most money on repairs over the study period. Imagine our surprise when we realized that now we do more in-depth work on some of the other brands of cars than we do on Volvo!
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History
Professional Automotive Repair has provided customer satisfaction to Atlanta car owners since 1985. Founded by a former technical instructor for the Volvo factory, Professional Repair has grown from a single shop that specialized in only servicing Volvo’s into a chain of 2 shops that services most import and domestic cars.
Our commitment to Customer Service is obvious the moment you enter our facilities. Our stores are clean, well-lit and inviting. We offer comfortable waiting areas with cable TV, free coffee, water, & sodas, wi-fi internet access, and open access to our shop areas to see first hand the work we perform. We have an appointment schedule that ensures your car gets prompt attention when you arrive. We also offer after hours drop off and pick up.
We chose to have multiple locations rather than grow a single, ever larger, store. The first reason for this is to assure you never become just another job order in a large, faceless organization like so often happens in today’s mega-dealerships. Our customers enjoy a personal relationship with our managers and technicians. The techs who work on your car will even ride with you to observe your service concerns first hand if necessary.
The second reason we have multiple shops is to be more convenient to our customers where they live or work. Work done at any location is guaranteed at all shops.
Our commitment to Customer Service is obvious the moment you enter our facilities. Our stores are clean, well-lit and inviting. We offer comfortable waiting areas with cable TV, free coffee, water, & sodas, wi-fi internet access, and open access to our shop areas to see first hand the work we perform. We have an appointment schedule that ensures your car gets prompt attention when you arrive. We also offer after hours drop off and pick up.
We chose to have multiple locations rather than grow a single, ever larger, store. The first reason for this is to assure you never become just another job order in a large, faceless organization like so often happens in today’s mega-dealerships. Our customers enjoy a personal relationship with our managers and technicians. The techs who work on your car will even ride with you to observe your service concerns first hand if necessary.
The second reason we have multiple shops is to be more convenient to our customers where they live or work. Work done at any location is guaranteed at all shops.
Marietta / East Cobb Location
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Atlanta / Midtown Location
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Professional Repair offers one-stop convenience for your car needs. As well as normal routine services such as oil changes and tune-ups, we offer emission system testing / repairs, tires, balancing, four-wheel alignments, A/C service, transmission services, batteries, headliner and other interior repairs.
What if my car is still in Warranty?
Professional Repair can perform the routine services required to maintain your factory warranty, reset your check enginelight, and stamp your service records. All of our work is performed to factory standards using first-quality materials. You do not need to return to the dealership to have this work done. (As upheld by the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.)
What about our Technical Expertise?
Our continuing commitment to technical proficiency is shown by our continuing purchase of computer-based diagnostic equipment and our growing list of subscriptions to on-line technical information systems for servicing most makes of cars. We employ technicians who have been certified by the Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.
What if my car is still in Warranty?
Professional Repair can perform the routine services required to maintain your factory warranty, reset your check enginelight, and stamp your service records. All of our work is performed to factory standards using first-quality materials. You do not need to return to the dealership to have this work done. (As upheld by the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.)
What about our Technical Expertise?
Our continuing commitment to technical proficiency is shown by our continuing purchase of computer-based diagnostic equipment and our growing list of subscriptions to on-line technical information systems for servicing most makes of cars. We employ technicians who have been certified by the Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.
