Thirty years ago, Paul Marquardt read an article about a man named the NAPA/ASE Technician of the Year.
The tables have turned as others now are reading an article about Marquardt, owner of Northwoods Auto Techs in Rhinelander, Wis., and the 2010 NAPA/ASE Technician of the Year.
“I’ve talked to some of the guys (at NAPA’s office) in Atlanta, and I told them, ‘You know, I really feel like a small guppy in a big fishpond,’” Marquardt says. “I’m just one guy and there are other shops and technicians out there that are probably just as deserving as this or more deserving of this than I am. I’m just so humbled by the whole experience.”
But the honor is all his, 30 years after first thinking, “What a neat thing that would be to ever win that.”
Marquardt began working for Northwoods in 1979 and purchased the shop in 1990. He is an L1 Master Technician, who also started and serves as chairman of the area NAPA Business Development Group and is the director of the Wisconsin Automotive Aftermarket Association. His shop is AAA certified and is an ASE Blue Seal Shop.
Those qualifications, as well as his large involvement in the community through state technical education associations, Jaycees and teaching martial arts, put the 10-year regional winner at the top of the list for the 2010 honor.
“When I look at some of the previous years’ winners, either some of the guys that I’ve followed through the yeas and I’ve grown to respect as being leaders of our industry, and to be directly put in the same league as them is just phenomenal,” Marquardt adds. “I just don’t see me as qualified as some of these guys are in the past. It’s a pretty elite group of technicians that have been selected over the years.”
Marquardt focuses his energies in the shop now on communicating with the customer, making sure he and his four employees talk with the customer throughout the repair process. He explains that his shop makes a strong effort to spend time with each customer one-on-one when they drop off or pick up a vehicle. He says the minute — or 15 — they spend with the customer helps them understand the value of the service they received at Northwoods
“I think in today’s society that everybody is in such a rush. Nothing against McDonald’s, but it’s kind of like the McDonald’s attitude. Everybody wants it quick and fast and in and out,” Marquardt says. “And sometimes we get caught up in that rush, hurry get the car in, get it done, get it out and get the next one in, instead of doing those little extras to make the customer happy, to make them feel that when they bring in their vehicle that they’re the only person we’re working on that day.”
That customer service approach helps him and the other technicians convey the message of preventive maintenance to customers. Marquardt cites the recent Cash for Clunkers program as an example. They talk with customers about keeping their vehicles maintained so they don’t have to incur the addition of larger monthly car payments.
“Unless you really like to spend money and you really like to buy a new car every two years, as long as you keep maintaining a vehicle, you’re going to get years of service and hundreds of thousands of miles on the engine, and actually hundreds of thousands of miles on the vehicle,” he states. “We’re there as their vehicle consultants.”
The vehicle consultant role is somewhat new to the industry, and is just one of many changes Marquardt has seen over the last 30 years. In addition to the obvious changes in vehicle technology, he notes that business and management training also holds a much larger role in today’s repair shops.
“The cost of everything has escalated so much over the years, that the profit margins have dropped so much and it’s getting really competitive. People are getting smarter of where their discretionary spending is going, and maintenance and car repairs are things they just don’t want to spend money on,” Marquardt offers.
He has had to learn how to market himself and the shop to keep the car count at a good level and to keep the business growing.
“Thirty years ago you wouldn’t have had to do any marketing. You could be successful on just a word of mouth business and reputation,” he states. “But now you’ve got to be out there and be marketing yourself, selling yourself and your services. I don’t care how big or small the shop is, you’re not only selling services, but I think you’re really selling yourself.”
By marketing the customer service as the main way Northwoods stands apart from other area shops, Marquardt has been able to get his message through to customers. Of course, national recognition from NAPA and ASE as a Blue Seal Shop also helps. He says the NAPA Car Care Center warranties are some of the best he has found for drivers.
In addition to the warranties, he feels the NAPA parts he installs and training also are a benefit for him, his technicians and ultimately his customers. Plus, the NAPA Car Care Center moniker also qualified him to ultimately achieve the title that 30 years ago he thought would be so neat to achieve.
