Have you ever taken your car somewhere for repairs and weren’t sure if you were being taken advantage of? You know the drill… you go in for one issue and they somehow find several other things that need fixing. Ugh!
Wouldn’t it be dreamy if a car shop existed where you knew the humans that work there would be real with you? Look no further!! We found Johnson County Automotive in Merriam, KS!
Here are 3 things that caught our eye:
1. Family Matters
Owner Alan Heriford’s grandfather started Johnson County Automotive over 30 years ago, so family has always been part of who they are. In fact, their motto is “Treating YOU just like family.”
So how do they do that online?
When you think of mechanics, you may picture greasy guys up to their elbows in engines all day. To break that perception, Team @JoCoAutomotive shares pictures of not just the hard work they do, but also of their “business family” – not only working but having fun together – both on and off the job.
That fun – and work, frequently includes not just the team member, but the entire team member’s family. For example, when an employee’s spouse or children visit the shop, someone makes the effort to take and post photos on the JohnsonCountyAutomotive Facebook page. When someone welcomes a new baby, they celebrate the proud parents and welcome them into their family.
The company celebrates the significant life events of their friends and customers because, as they say, “we are all one big Johnson County Automotive family.” We are most impressed to see them publicly mourn and post tributes to friends of the company who’ve passed away. Willingness to show human vulnerability is why so many people trust them.
What we can learn from them: Because of social media, the lines between our personal and professional lives is often blurred. Because of that, the new company culture includes not just the team member’s needs but the needs of the entire family that comes with them. Making the effort to integrate your team’s family into the workplace shows them their lives matter to the business. That message goes a long way when it comes to retaining good people.
2. They Don’t Act Like Smarty-Pants
Car mumbo-jumbo can be super confusing for a lot of us. So many mechanics talk over our heads about and we end up not trusting them because we don’t understand them.
When Johnson County Automotive talks about cars, whether it’s in person or on social media, they simplify what they are saying by giving “mini-lessons” with real-world examples. Showing photos of problems and publicly solving those problems goes a long way in showing their expertise… WITHOUT them saying “look how smart we are!” We don’t ever hear them say they are experts. They just are.
Outside of automotive lessons, many of Johnson County Automotive’s loyal customers bring in their “unique” and vintage cars for repair. When that happens, they love to show them off, and it’s fun for those of us who are fans of their Facebook page to get a peek at them too!
3. They Don’t Sell Us Anything
It’s important to note what Johnson County Automotive DOESN’T have on their social networks: coupons and advertisements for service deals. Not that you can’t have coupons and ads…. But that’s not ALL you can bring to the table or… well, you aren’t being very social. Promotions don’t show anyone you care, and they certainly don’t help anyone get to know you. We want to know you.
Car repair shops, and even car dealerships, notoriously promote themselves, and we’re thankful that’s not what Team Johnson County Automotive is all about.
Wait…. We lied.
They recently offered free oil changes… to anyone who donated blood for a young boy fighting leukemia! Hee Hee Hee 🙂 They shared the donation event on their social networks and encouraged people to take part in the blood drive. When their team members donated, they posted pictures live on the scene!
Real humans are at the core of who makes up Team Johnson County Automotive and we appreciate them for sharing their lives with us. Humans who care about doing business with other humans who care. What a concept!
Keep up the great work, Johnson County Automotive! We can’t wait to see what comes out of your garage next!