SHOP: C&C Automotive LOCATION: Augusta, Ga. OWNER: Aaron Clements
SIZE: 30,000 square feet MONTHLY CAR COUNT: 800 ANNUAL REVENUE: $2.2 million
1) When Aaron Clements moved into C&C Automotive’s downtown Augusta space, he knew he wanted a larger service counter. Besides giving more space for service advisors to take care of customers, it would also provide customers with some privacy from each other. “I didn’t want them to be all packed next to one another,” he says.
Clements and his staff debated between numerous configurations, including cubicles and a triangle desk, before setting their sights on the massive octagon-shaped desk. “It’s the hub of everything,” he says. “I liked the idea of having a central location where everyone could meet in the middle to do different things.” Clements had a local cabinetmaker build the desk, which features wood paneling and granite countertops..
2) Each of the five service advisors has his or her own station at the desk, complete with a computer, printer, phone, and necessary office tools. Having the computer network all in one area has also made it easier to run and expand as the service team grows. Clements says customers are brought over to the counter after they drop off their car, and the write-up, estimate and ticket are completed and printed at the desk.
3) Clements says that although he designed the desk to have ample space, the setup also allows for easy communication between all of the service advisors. “If they need to ask a quick question or get an update about a job, they’re all right there,” he says. That way, the octagon shape provides both privacy when needed, and an open workspace when it’s just the service advisors working.
4) Although most of the shop is paperless, Clements says he found that going digital didn’t work well for him to track the vehicles. Instead, he uses a rectangle desk in the center of the octagon as a board to track vehicles. “It’s very easy to reference and see where everything is,” he says. The center desk is also used to keep appointment papers on hand.