Taking the Next Step

When the Hire family entered the auto repair business in 1927, they sold the family piano to pay the first month's rent. Two generations and eight decades later, they've learned a thing or two about running a repair service. 

When booming business compelled them to expand from their four-store operation in northern Indiana in the late 1990s, they decided simply building another operation wouldn't do. It was time to think big. The fifth facility would become the flagship operation. It would be much larger than the other shops and have a whole new mission: compete with dealerships while maintaining a small shop attitude.

In 2003, Hires opened that shop: a 27,000-square-foot giant fitted with 22 service bays, an express lube, a drive-in lobby and a customer waiting room the business claims "would make Martha Stewart proud." Rather than placing a premium on repair numbers, the new facility, which has received ASE Blue Shield of Excellence Recognition, focuses on personal customer service. 

For example, service advisors refer to maintenance services as "issues" instead of "needs." Hires opts for a soft-sell approach that leaves the customer comfortable and in control of repair decisions. Customers help complete symptom sheets that assist in narrowing problems involving a leak, noise, front-end problem or a drivability issue. Ten days after the service, Hires conducts follow up calls to get customer input. Customer contact is so central to the shop's business that Hires sends all of its service advisors to ATI training in Maryland.

When customers decide to do business, Hires gives them the works. A 25-point inspection is performed on every vehicle. Every repair receives a free 12-month/12,000-mile nationwide warranty with one roadside assistance call. Free car washes are offered when an oil change takes more than 45 minutes. 

Hires' technicians are known to work beyond the call of duty. The shop has accepted oil change and battery replacement jobs 30 minutes after closing to accommodate a customer. Techs have stayed late performing repairs to help customers in dire need of immediate service.

Customers showing up during normal business hours have access to a long list of amenities. The shop's waiting room includes a children's play area complete with coloring books and crayons. Adults get free snacks, cappuccino, popcorn, high-speed Internet and satellite television. Hires also offers free shuttle service and loaner cars.

Helping keep their service affordable, Hires participates in vendor promotions. A Car Care Club maintenance book offers discounts on oil changes, tire rotations, wiper blades, and other maintenance services. The shop also offers free Car Care books explaining vehicle maintenance.

At its latest location, Hires continues a tradition of involvement with the community. The company offers local non-profits its Helping Hands fundraising books that include service coupons. Organizations sell the book for $10 and keep all the proceeds. A similar program gives 10 local schools and churches 10 to 20 percent of the proceeds from Hires gift certificates. The shop also offers a $10 discount on work for customers who donate canned food to the local Harvest Community Food Bank and sponsors a host of car shows, little league teams and soccer teams.

With all these commitments and its busy schedule, Hires intends to grow even larger. The company plans to grow the fifth store even larger and add another location in two years. 

What more can they do? Stay tuned.

- By Tim Sramcik