Shop's focus on local demographics fuels flow of satisfied customers

Jan. 1, 2020
We were having trouble with what we thought were fisheyes, but it turned out the basecoat was holding moisture due to humidity.

IMAGE / RANDY’S BODY SHOP When the Wiersma family at Randy's Body Shop in Paducah, Ky., determined a significant portion of its customers were women, they set out to make the business even more female friendly. An upgrade to the restroom was accompanied by additional outreach, including conducting a Women's Car Care Clinic and partnering with the local fire department for certification to provide child carseat installations. 

"We aim for what we call the female demographic," says Kyle Wiersma, vice president of the company, along his brother Brad Wiersma. "We looked at who was coming through the door, and it was 70 percent women." According to census figures, Paducah's population is 54.5 percent female; the national average is 50.9 percent.

A Young Drivers and Parents Clinic developed in cooperation with area insurance carriers is another initiative, one of many in the shop's ongoing involvement in civic activities and charitable causes, such as the Special Olympics of Kentucky's Big Brown Truck Pull on the Riverfront.

In addition to the family's long-held commitment to helping the community, these endeavors differentiate Randy's from competitors.

IMAGE / RANDY’S BODY SHOP

"There are several shops in town, and they're definitely not targeting that particular market," Kyle says.

Randy's consistently makes a concentrated effort to generate public awareness. It works closely with the local television station. Promotional spots are aired, and for the past seven years, the company has sponsored the severe winter weather closures that crawl across the TV screen.

"We can't say we're generating business from it, but everyone knows Randy's Body Shop," Kyle says.

Among the factors drawing customers to the business is a pronounced atmosphere of sincere friendliness among the staff, plus an eagerness to help people out and ease them through the repair process.

"We try to make sure we explain what we're doing," Brad says.

For example, the clients are educated about blending and how it can entail painting an undamaged panel.

Randy's provides rides when a customer has somewhere around town to be. And if someone is arriving home at the airport, the finished vehicle is there, freshly washed and waiting when they touch down.

Randy's comes across as a pleasant place to work, amid much joking and a collaborative environment. Some of the employees have been there for 20 to 30 years.

"They have a long history here, and people stay around," says Jeff Harlan, the operations manager. "This is one of the best arrangements I've seen. Whoever does something best is the one who does it."

The shop participates in three direct repair programs (DRPs). State Farm accounts for 28 percent of the car count, followed by Progressive at 11 percent and Wheels with 3 percent. Additional DRP arrangements are considered if the terms are suitable.

"We have good working relationships with most of the carriers doing business in the area," Harlan says. "For the most part, we get along with 93 percent of the insurance adjusters. We always try to be nice – that's our first move. We'll compromise when it's right. We won't put in a used radiator, but we'll put on an aftermarket body part if we have to."

Paducah's close-knit social culture also plays a role in smoothing over any potential disagreements.

"It's a small enough town that you don't want to make too many enemies," Harlan says.

Randy's has started making the rounds of underwriters as well.

"We're visiting all the insurance agents in the area," Brad says. "While the agents may not have a direct role in facilitating vehicle repairs, having a face and a name is a whole lot better for fostering goodwill."

A self-described numbers guy, Harlan has been providing management expertise as Randy, the Wiersma family's patriarch, rides off into retirement. An avid collector of heavy construction equipment, Randy has opened an excavating business.

"I first worked for Randy 25 years ago," Harlan says. "I married a girl from Paducah. I didn't want to leave, and I needed a job."

After a year and a half, Harlan left to develop a successful software business. Two decades later, he sold the enterprise to a large company just as Randy was getting ready to retire. Harlan had some time on his hands.

IMAGE / RANDY’S BODY SHOP

"Randy asked me to help on a project writing standard operating procedures," Harlan says. "He said, 'Yep, you're hired,' and within a week Randy was gone. As Randy saw us taking the reins and learning the financial side, he moved to part-time and shortly thereafter, he moved all the way out." 

Brad and Kyle, along with Brad's wife Venessa, operate the company.

Randy established the business in 1982 with a full-time staff of three working with two co-op students from a local trade school. His wife, Dianne, was the office manager. His then-young sons were there as part-time helpers.

In 1991, the shop moved to a 6,100-square-foot facility and grew to a staff of eight. It's now an 11,100-square-foot, multimillion-dollar business with 20 employees.

Brad and Kyle assumed the helm in 2008, adhering to their dad's common-sense strategies: Watch your cost. Never spend more than you take in. Always leave funds available to invest into your business. Focus on the customer and always make customer satisfaction your top priority.

Along with bringing Harlan aboard, Brad and Kyle cite their participation in a DuPont 20 Group as a prime mover toward advancing the operation. They especially admire group leader Mike Anderson.

"Mike is like a football coach, a true motivator," Brad says. "You won't find a person more passionate about this industry. He's probably the main reason I've stayed with it."

By taking part in the program, they're learning valuable lessons to ensure they continue the legacy set forth by their father.

Proactively pursuing production improvement is a continuing process.

"I wouldn't consider us lean, but we have taken parts of lean and implemented them in our shop," Harlan says. "We started down that process and modified it so it would fit us."

A thorough cleanup was the first step. They removed everything from the shop they didn't need, then they started on the parts room. Everything has its place, and each spot is marked with a drawing to signify where an item should be stored. The shop has been paperless for about four years, so the office is somewhat lean.

DuPont Cromax Pro waterborne paint was implemented in January amid trepidation from the staff.

"Once Kyle got onboard the others pretty much followed," Harlan says. "We made the decision and sent our painters to school to learn the new techniques, and things started going better for them once they got over the hump."

That hump is the Ohio River, which flows close to the shop, so humidity was an issue.

"We were having a problem with what we thought were fisheyes," Harlan says. "It turned out the base coat was holding moisture. Once we started looking at it with a microscope, we changed reducers, and the problem went away."

Waterborne's heightened cost effectiveness and its color matching ability were key factors in making the switch, along with the realization that 90 percent of the vehicles the shop fixes are late model, so it makes sense to paint with what the factory is using, Harlan says.

A paint-booth upgrade includes new air makeup units and the installation of doors on each end, which opens up the paint shop to help improve the flow, Harlan says.

The shop is moving toward providing vehicle maintenance in a recently vacated building on the property. A trained mechanic and apprentice are already on the job.

About the Author

James Guyette

James E. Guyette is a long-time contributing editor to Aftermarket Business World, ABRN and Motor Age magazines.

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