Knowledge, professionalism spur success at Walker's Auto Body & Fleet

As a breeder and aficionado of stately Appaloosa show horses, Gigi Walker says there's a lot of care and professionalism that goes into the show ring and the same holds true for the body shop industry.

Noting she's obtained much of her education from the school of hard knocks, Walker established a successful niche body shop business specializing in fleet accounts and rose through the ranks to serve as president of the California Autobody Association (CAA) while never losing her sense of humor or concern for others along the trail.

"When I first opened Walker's I felt a need to belong to a group to get answers for everyday questions, such as how to handle difficult clients, repair methods and parts issues," she says.

Walker joined the East Bay Auto Body Association and enjoyed meeting with other shop owners monthly because it was a way for her to develop as a shop owner and keep up with new trends, repair techniques and local issues such as air quality laws.

"I wanted to be informed and educated while sharing what I learned to help out smaller shops," she says.

As the East Bay organization became part of the CAA in 2000, Walker noticed a lot of new regulations and insurance lobbying. Upon seeing the big picture, she felt strength in numbers was a better way to progress. At the time, direct repair programs (DRPs) were blooming, and she could see a voice was needed in Sacramento for a changing industry.

"Being a part of an association, we could always change the image of the industry, hold benefits for scholarships and support local collision repair educators," she says.

She expresses gratitude that she always has been able to count on her employees in the shop to keep her business operating while she tends to CAA matters.

Her staff understands the importance of a phone call, so each employee has to take a turn in the office while she's gone because the shop doesn't have office staff. Most calls are appointment setups and requests for estimates. Much of the client-handling tasks for the fleet accounts are conducted via computer, allowing her to monitor repair status updates and other issues remotely at night.

A key aspect of Walker's personal and professional success has been a consistent focus on developing a pattern for managing her time and energy effectively.

"I'm completely tired by the end of the day, but I recharge my batteries throughout the day by being positive even when we're bailing water out of the ship," she says. "Being an optimist is best if you have a day full of tasks. Otherwise you'll fail."

Eating well with a diet high in vegetables is fruitful for staying on track and keeping Walker's stress to a minimum. She also takes five-minute power naps at least twice a day.

"I laugh out loud and reassure my staff that another day will prevail," she says. "I love to drink a glass of red wine each evening and reflect on the day – good or bad. Being from California and only 30 minutes from the Napa Valley, I don't have much choice but to keep my state's economy booming."

Steering her business toward pursuing fleet accounts took a torturous route that began in 1988. Walker had been repairing local transit and school buses, but wanted to branch out, so she set her sights on making repairs for insurance companies.

"So here I am going out to visit local insurance agents and come to find out I needed to know how to play golf – it was terrible," she says. "I took lessons, but it just didn't click. So I tried the approach of 'just give me chance, and you'll see we can repair these cars correctly and color match.'"

The tactic met with scant results, then a light bulb went on in her head to focus on businesses and government fleets.

"I remember the day the lights came on," she says. "The journey to that place where I would find acceptance in the collision repair world was a day of rejoicing."

Managing a fleet customer doesn't differ much from the approach one would take with a vehicle owner.

"It's being open and honest with the client," she says. "You need to communicate that a certain color may be difficult to match or the delivery of a part may be delayed, while at the same time being open to cost-saving measures without compromising safety and offering discounts for volume."

Growing and maintaining the customer base amounts to hitting the bricks. Walker visits new and existing clients bimonthly, and she strives to offer something nobody else can, such as a discount on parts or other cost-saving measures, plus a quicker turnaround time.

"It's a fleet vehicle, and when it's not on the road, that company is on down time for that unit, so you have to be sensitive to that," she says. "Some fleets have backups, but it's not like putting someone in a rental car. Most of the vehicles we see have the tools for that technician or service equipment in it, so it's a hardship for that person or company while the vehicle is down."

Selling body shop services to a government agency can be challenging and time consuming, but Walker sees that situation becoming more accommodating as professional fleet management companies are being retained. She says the future for the fleet management profile is growing, and cities, counties and private fleets are taking the profile to the outside from in house. Attempting to stay abreast of the latest vehicle technologies continues to drive interest in outsourcing the repair aspect. Dealing with a professional fleet management company is similar to establishing a DRP relationship.

Walker makes sales calls in attire one would expect from a shop owner – work clothes and no dresses or makeup.

"I have to be ready all day long for that backup, ready to detail, mask or whatever it takes," she says, adding she makes an effort to wear her best smile and be genuine in her dealings with the clientele.

Often, Walker will have a staff member accompany her on a visit. When she bids on complete paint work for school or transit districts, she takes staff along because she doesn't want to underbid, and it makes sense if the client has technical questions that can be answered honestly. It provides value to the whole process and quality for the client.

"The technician understands the needs better, and the technician owns that project when we win the bid," she says.

Another successful aspect of Walker's business is her willingness to let customers supply certain parts.

"If you're a small shop owner like me, cash flow is your friend," she says. "Look at it like this: It's a one-of-a-kind truck, you have no account with that dealer, you're already out $6,000 in parts, and you have a back order on the parts list for two weeks because the truck came from Mars," she says. "Your best friend is the client who has the ability to purchase those for you, and now your money is free to make payroll. Not every client will do this, but it's an option."

Walker started in the industry as a paint technician at age 18. Her father, Tony, gave her the opportunity to learn the trade and helped her with her business for the first three years. She established the business when her daughter was three years old.

"She would get ear infections on occasion, and being called at your place of work in the middle of the day to come pick up your child from day care was frowned on by some of my previous employers," she says. "So I wanted to be a shop owner who provided that type of work environment to technicians with children. Life is too short, and we must find the time to take good care of family. Money is a key factor to survive, but family and friends are the existence. The values at Walker's are based on family first, profit second."

A few of her mentors include John Loftus, who gave her encouragement; Sheila Loftus for blunt honesty; paint store owner Dick Mancinelli, who was supportive during her first years in business; 20 Group leader Dale Delmege; Ron Vincenzi of Oakland Auto Body; and Walker's sister Kelly, for her strength and support.