Shop View: Engle Automotive
1. A Busy Intersection
Brothers Mark and Bryan Engle opened Engle Automotive in Loveland, Colo., in 1996, but purchased the property for his new building in 2008. Right off a major street, Engle’s shop remained somewhat hidden until a nearby Walmart set up shop and made Denver Avenue a busy street.
2. A Designer’s Touch
Based on his large female customer database, Engle wanted his new building to have a feminine touch. So, he hired an area designer to fix up the lobby of his office. By painting the walls a new color, replacing the concrete floors with carpet, and reappropriating rustic metal cabinets into a modern service advisor counter, Engle’s designer crafted a welcoming aesthetic throughout the front office. This is especially notable in the shop’s waiting space, which is stocked with several chairs and a couch, magazines, a television, toys, and complimentary coffee and water.
3. Professional Presentation
Engle believes how we dress and present ourselves is how people will judge us. Because he wanted his employees and shop to exude professionalism, he made everything fit the part. From his front office employees’ black polos to the wide array of awards on display to the spotless, clutter-free workspace, Engle says customers can sense the shop’s rectitude.
4. Reaching the Right Customer
On the west end of the lobby, customers will note the shop’s array of automotive products for sale. While Engle admits the profit margins are low, he also claims that having those products on display has attracted some lifetime customers. If someone purchases a brand new $80,000 truck and needs an American-made steel bumper, Engle says he can make that sale and then secure future repair work.
5. A Drive-Through Shop
Engle’s long building allows for an immense, drive-through repair floor. On each end of his rectangular shop, 14-foot-by-14-foot doors allow jobs to flow in and out (there’s a larger, additional for the shop’s diesel emissions work). Along the drive-through, the shop’s 15 bays are slanted at an angle and house the jobs.
The center drain along the floor takes in water and grime as, once per week, technicians collectively squeegee clean their work stations.
6. Leaving Work at Work
Engle is proud of this final touch: each employee has his or her own locker and shower at work. He does this because it’s “nice to leave work behind you, and part of that is shedding your uniform” each day when you head home.
Engle Automotive Location: Loveland, Colo. Owners: Mark and Bryan Engle Size: 12,000 square feet Number of Lifts: 15 Staff Size: 15 (10 technicians, 2 service advisors, 1 CSR, 1 general manager, 1 owner) Average Monthly Car Count: 350 Annual Revenue: $2.5 million
