5 Tips For Small Business Owners

Caruso managed and worked out
of the Peotone location.

When Mike Caruso returned from U.S. Military service on a Friday night, he expected to start school shortly after to become a dentist. Little did he know a phone call from a family friend asking for temporary help would change everything. 

After working in his friend's shop for three years, Caruso learned about a body shop in Peotone going out of business when the owners contacted him to purchase equipment. When he drove to the shop on a Saturday morning, Caruso had a strong feeling that's where he belonged. 

At just 23 years old, Caruso and his wife, Nancy, bought the Peotone shop for $40,000. 

"It might as well have been $40 million," Caruso said. "I didn't have 40 cents to my name then."

The couple closed on the property on May 12, 1981. A few weeks later, a hailstorm hit, damaging nearly every car in Will County. 

Thirty-two years later, Mike and Nancy Caruso have created a successful, family owned and operated six-shop collision repair business.

We sat down with Central Collision Center President and Owner Mike Caruso to learn how he created a successful business at such a young age. Here are his top 5 tips for small business owners:

1. Be honest and loyal to your employees, customers, business partners and yourself  

   

   Caruso addresses employees at the company's 
   annual Christmas party.

   My favorite part of what I do is spending time with our employees, most of which have been with us long enough I consider them my extended family. Having an open relationship with the people you work with – whether its employees, customers, vendors, etc. – makes work enjoyable. I want our employees to be proud to work at Central Collision, and that can’t happen unless I’m honest with them.         
                       
2. Deliver a product better than your competitors  
   We will continue to invest in continuing education and training for our employees to make sure we are delivering the highest quality product and service. If you’re not providing a quality service, you’re setting yourself up for failure. I stand behind our technicians’ work 110% because I know the type of quality they produce on every vehicle.
   
   
3. Always work to improve your process 
   Our team meets regularly to discuss ways to improve. Between monthly planning, management, CSR and manager meetings and daily production meetings, we are constantly troubleshooting ways to be more efficient. You can never sit back and say “things are going great.” There is always room for improvement.
   
   
4. Be open to change

   

   Mike and Nancy Caruso matched all employee
   donations at the company's annual food drive
   benefitting Alicia's House Food Pantry.

   One challenge we face is staying up to date with changes from auto manufacturers, insurance companies and general regulations. But we work extremely hard to make sure we are on top of the changes and execute procedures properly. Embracing these changes instead of fighting them has been one of our biggest keys to success.
   
   
5. Give back to the communities that support you  
   Without the local communities’ support, Central Collision would not have made it 32 years. I can’t thank everyone enough who has supported our business. We will always give back to our communities because of what they have done for us. Even as Central continues to grow to serve our expanding customer base and insurance partners, we will never be too big that we can’t service each individual customer properly.

From the entire Central Collision Center team and the Caruso family, thank you for your continued support. We could not have made it 32 years without you!

From left: Michael, Marissa, Mike, Nancy and Matt Caruso

Encouraging Exceptional Customer Service

Exceptional customer service is going above and beyond for a customer, which we call “WOW-ing” the customer at Central Collision Center. We know your vehicle is an investment and leaving it with someone takes trust. Earning that trust through exceptional service is how our team maintains our customers.

My job as the customer service representative  (CSR) manager is to ensure that each Central team member provides exceptional customer service to every customer who visits or contacts any one of our six facilities. I do this through:  

• In-depth customer service training
• Weekly visits to each of our six locations 
• Monthly group meetings with our customer service representatives and office managers

Each month, our CSRs and office managers have a morning meeting to discuss
best practices and troubleshoot. April's meeting included SOP review, time card
calculation and a dress for success seminar.

The first step in encouraging exceptional customer service is training. Generally, a collision repair facility is not somewhere a person wants to visit, which makes customer service that much more important. It is our job to turn around a customer immediately after having damage to his/her car and assure him/her that everything is going to be ok. I do this by training our team on EEE – energy, effort and enthusiasm -- along with honesty and sincerity. Exceeding a customer’s expectations can be as simple as providing prompt solutions or answering with a caring voice in their time of need.

I follow-up on this training by making frequent visits to each of our six locations, normally visiting at least two locations a day. Each Central Collision location’s goal is to leave its customers pleased and satisfied with where they have chosen to have repairs done. During my visits, I answer any staff questions and help them troubleshoot any potential problems.

Our process map breaks down each team member's
responsibility through the customer service process.

We hold CSR meetings monthly to discuss great customer experiences and new ways to help each and every person that walks through our doors. Each customer service representative and office manager attends this meeting, which serves as a place for us to share best practices. Throughout the month, I gather any questions or concerns our staff may have and then provide answers to the group. We also revisit our LEAN process map at every meeting to ensure we are serving our customers in the most efficient way possible.

The testimonials, online reviews and thank you cards we receive from our customers make providing exceptional customer service extremely worthwhile and rewarding. Just yesterday, we were recognized as an 2012 Autochex Premier Achiever for Customer Service. As a premier achiever, Central Collision is one of the companies that rated highest in consistently delivering outstanding customer service.

Central Collision Center Joins Effort to Hire Our Heroes

In a fight against veteran unemployment, Central Collision Center has become a supporting member of Hire Our Heroes, a campaign designed to help veterans and their families find meaningful employment.

Central Collision is participating in this nationwide campaign through 3M Collision Repair Solutions’ Automotive Aftermarket Division, who will donate funds to the Collision Repair Education Foundation and Operation Comfort based on sales of popular 3M products. Central Collision’s purchase of these products will help veterans pursue careers in the collision repair industry.

Funds donated to the Collision Repair Education Foundation will provide grants and scholarships to help cover tuition, classroom materials, tools and equipment for returning veterans. Donations to Operation Comfort will support rehabilitation for wounded veterans through a unique automotive skill-based rehabilitation program.

“I know first-hand how hard it is to return from service and start a career,” said Mike Caruso, owner of Central Collision and U.S. Military veteran. “I’m grateful 3M has created this opportunity for our industry to help.”

For more information about Central Collision’s participation in Hire Our Heroes, visit the company’s Facebook page or www.3mcollision.com.

Central Collision Center of Tinley Park Celebrates Successful First Year

Central Collision Center, located at 18040 Oak Park Avenue, will celebrate the company’s one-year anniversary in the Tinley Park community on Friday, April 12.

Since opening last April, the company earned an average customer satisfaction score of 95.40 percent.

What are Tinley Park customers saying about Central Collision?

"Very pleased with the work they did and the good job they did" - Matt S.

"It was a really nice place and they do great work. Very professional" - Lonzetta H.

"They were very professional. They were on time and called when they said they would call. Professional job" - Joe T.

"The new owner is handling things the same or better" - John B.

“We have had a great experience on Oak Park Avenue this past year and are proud to be a part of this community,” said Mike Caruso, president and owner of Central Collision. “Now we’re looking forward to updating our facility and property to better represent our company in Downtown Tinley.”

Central Collision Center of Tinley Park will begin updating its property, including landscape design, building design and signage, this week.

For more information about Central Collision Center of Tinley Park, call 708-614-9000 or visit our website.

Changing the Industry Image

Growing up in and around the collision industry allowed me to observe a common disconnect between public perception of “body shops” and the way we choose to run our company. The common misconception is that shops are dirty, drab dungeons with one man running the office, doing the work, and getting in your wallet. Today - at least at Central Collision - things are much different.

Customer Service

Accidents are not fun for anybody. Our staff at Central is trained to efficiently process repair needs, including towing and rental, all while forming a personal relationship with each customer.  Every customer is different and every customer is important. We know our service is just as important as our finished product, which is why we tailor the experience to fit each individual customer’s needs.

Do you want photos emailed to you everyday?No problem.

Would you like to receive updates via text? We can do that. 

We also design our facilities for customer comfort. Our indoor estimating and delivery bays keep customers out of the elements while our estimators explain the repair process upon arrival and managers review the work done at the point of delivery.

Technical Training

With new, intricate vehicle technology being introduced by manufacturers, technicians must stay on the cutting edge. At Central, all technicians are required to complete training specific to the latest repair methods authorized by vehicle makers. New federal fuel standards require lighter and stronger materials to be used to ensure structural integrity. These materials require specialized tools, such as welders, cutting instruments and bonding methods, and training to complete safe and perfect repairs. Also, hybrids and fully electric vehicles present new procedures when disabling and enabling high voltage systems. Improper methods can result in injury and even death. The safety of our technicians and customers is of the utmost importance at Central, which is why we believe in thorough and effective training.

Final Presentation

Every vehicle repaired at Central is delivered perfectly detailed as if it came off the showroom floor. Each customer is presented with a written lifetime warranty.  We know we are only as good as our finished product.  That’s why the majority of our business is repeat customers and referrals.  There is no better feeling than the moment our customer sees their beautifully repaired car for the first time. It’s what we work for every day.

Being a younger manager in the industry, I am fortunate to have been spared from the “dungeon days.”  At Central, we strive to provide a first class experience at a first class facility.  Our customer service and finished product are what make us an industry leader in both quality and service.

Central Collision Center of Crete Hosts Open House

Central Collision Center invites our customers, the local community and press to our upcoming open house:

Date:  Thursday, March 7th

Time:  4 - 7 p.m.

Central Collision Center of Crete

Location:  Central Collision Center of Crete

1048 Main Street in Crete, Ill.

Please join us to tour the facility, meet our staff and learn more about Central Collision Center, which will now serve all Broadway Auto's customers. 

"We look forward to introducing our customers to the Caruso family and the entire Central Collision Center team," said Barb Cellini of Broadway Auto Rebuilders.

Per the Cellini family, Broadway Auto's customer can receive service at any of the six Central Collision locations in Peotone, Mokena, Crete, New Lenox, Oak Forest and Tinley Park, Ill. as of March 1.

This event is open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Central Steps Up: How Our Wellness Program Makes Us A Healthier & Happier Company

With the ever-increasing costs of health care, building a culture of health in the workplace has never been more important. At Central Collision Center, we recognize the value of our employees’ health and overall well-being and are committed to a wellness program that benefits each of them. Our goal is to become a healthier group, reduce the cost of health care for both our employees and the organization and have some fun along the way! Our wellness program focuses on three key areas:

• Prevention and early detection
• Education
• Physical activity 

We begin our wellness program with an in-depth health and wellness screening. The yearly screening has two components:  a health questionnaire and a blood draw. The questionnaire assesses lifestyle choices to help give a bigger picture of participants' overall health. Each participant receives a summary of their results in a confidential easy-to-read report. The summary provides a wellness score, identifies risk factors and gives them a better idea of focus areas for health and behavior change. 

In order to realize the full benefit of the wellness screening, employees are encouraged to screen annually. By screening annually, our employees have comparative data that recognizes their accomplishments and helps keep them on the path to healthier living. As an added bonus, those who screen annually receive the benefit of saving money on their health insurance.

Employees wear pedometers daily to
log steps and physical activity.

Education is key to raising awareness and creating a successful program. At Central Collision, employees have an opportunity to learn through a variety of avenues. Company sponsored Lunch ‘n Learns have covered such topics as Food 101, The Top 10 Reasons You are Fatigued, Stress Relief and Living a Youthful Lifestyle. Other learning opportunities are available through Centralized - our company newsletter, and websites sponsored by our health insurance provider and pedometer program.

We encourage physical activity at Central Collision through our pedometer program, which our employees can participate in at no cost. Our pedometer program engages our employees in their health, gets them moving and has provided an opportunity for fun through some healthy competition with co-workers companywide!

Each participant has one year to advance through 5 levels by earning points for walking and engaging in other forms of physical exercise that keeps them active and off the couch! As participants advance through each level, they earn rewards. If a participant reaches level 4 within the year, they qualify to save money on their health insurance. Other opportunities to earn points include:

•  Adding entries in their activity journal
• Logging measurements
• Completing a health snapshot questionnaire
• Signing a tobacco free agreement 
• Creating and participating in challenges

Participants earn unique rewards as they reach each level.

In the month of March, we are sponsoring March Madness - a companywide step challenge. Shop teams will be formed to take part in some friendly competition. The two teams with the highest average steps taken in 10 days will advance to the next bracket. These two teams will compete in another round for the championship!  All participants will have the opportunity to earn bonus points and chances to win a prize in a raffle. The more steps they take, the further they advance and the greater the opportunity they have to win!

The benefits of a successful wellness program reach far beyond lowering health care costs. Healthier employees are more productive at work and at home. Health-related absenteeism is reduced, morale is increased and employee retention is improved. In addition, wellness programs promote being an educated, knowledgeable consumer regarding health care choices and leading a healthy lifestyle.

By providing a wellness program, we empower our employees to take control of their health. It is our hope that in adopting healthy practices at work our employees will bring them home to promote wellness with their families. Everybody wins with this program in place. At Central Collision, we encourage and support our employees in this lifestyle every step of the way.