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It's the quality and enthusiasm of the service we provide. And we're eager to prove it to you. The next time you stop in, look for the smile and the warm welcome you should expect. After all, you selected us for your collision repair facility and we want you to know your business is appreciated.
Every repair we do for you is a chance for our people to convince you that you made the right choice.
...that quality, personal service, and professional courtesy still lives ... that we appreciate your business and will earn it every time.
History:
Tom & Ed's Autobody was established as a partnership in 1983 in Schererville, Indiana. We have been thrilling customers and growing ever since.
In 1986, the partnership was dissolved and since then Tom and Debbie Tylka have been the sole owners. Under their leadership, the organization has worked to develop a reputation for honesty, reliability and quality, as well as fair and competitive prices. With extraordinary service as the cornerstone of the business, by 1995, Tom & Ed's Autobody had grown from the original 2,500 square foot facility through several expansions to the current 14.000 square foot facility.
When further expansion at that location was not deemed necessary, growth continued with the opening of two new Tom & Ed's Autobody locations in northwest Indiana. In 1998, a 5,500 square foot facility opened in Crown Point and in 1999 a 6,500 square foot facility was opened in Merrillville in Bosak Motors facility.
These new stores provided avenues for Tom & Ed's Autobody to impact new markets and customers. It also enabled insurance companies and agencies to provide their policyholders with the Tom & Ed's Autobody experience in these markets. Conservatively, these four stores could produce $6,000,000 in collision repair sales annually. More importantly, they could provide the outstanding customer service that Tom & Ed's Autobody has become known for to more than 4,000 customers and policyholders each year!
While Tom & Ed's Autobody has grown dramatically through the years, this growth has been driven by a commitment to providing complete customer satisfaction. This commitment is supported by Tom & Ed's Autobody mission statement.
Mission
Our mission is to provide our customers with the best service available in the auto body industry.
This mission will be accomplished by treating every individual that passes through our door with courtesy, honesty and quality in everything we do. When customers leave our shop, they will not only be satisfied with our performance, but will also be willing to tell their friends and family about our commitment to excellence.
Our goal is to be the best in northwest Indiana and the industry.
Every time someone steps through one of our doors, we are faced with a moment of truth. Will we focus on their need and well-being? Will we greet them warmly and sincerely? Will we remember that these people who step through our doors are the very ones that Tom & Ed's Autobody was created to help? At Tom & Ed's Autobody, we are devoted to making the right choices during these moments of truth. Our future depends upon it and our past was built upon making the right choices.
This devotion to service extends from the initial moment of truth with a customer through the repair process and beyond. At Tom & Ed's Autobody, we strive to be progressive and have anticipated many of the needs of customers and the insurance companies with whom we work. This forward thinking has led us to develop solutions to address those needs.
Service
Tom & Ed's Autobody provides the highest quality repair. However, we realize that the quality of a collision repair can be difficult for our customers to appraise. To distinguish ourselves in the mind of our customer, how we produce that outstanding repair must also be outstanding.
At Tom & Ed's Autobody, we have developed a number of services to make the repair process more pleasant for customers and insurance companies alike. And you can be certain that these services will be delivered with professionalism and courtesy.
Customer Comfort!
Each of our facilities is designed to offer customers a comfortable environment. This environment extends to the exterior of the facilities where customers are greeted with clear signage upon arrival showing them where to park and where to enter. Upon entering the facility, the customers will be greeted and offered assistance promptly. The customer areas are separated from the noise and the hustle and bustle of the production areas. Beverages are available as are clean rest rooms.
Education:
Due to the infrequent need for a collision repair, many consumers are unclear of the process necessary to repair their vehicle. At Tom & Ed's we take whatever time is necessary to explain the process to the customer until they are at ease. In addition to explaining the specific repair process for their vehicle, we may also provide them with a brief tour of the production area to show them where the repairs will be performed. We also have produced a video that provides a tour through the Tom & Ed's Autobody facilities that can be viewed in our customer areas. We will even assist the customer with notifying the insurance agency or company of the claim.
Estimating Process:
Tom & Ed's Autobody utilizes photo imaging and a computerized estimating system to provide the customer and their insurance company with the most accurate estimate possible. The facilities also have an interior service bay that can be used for writing estimates in inclement weather. This ensures that damage to the vehicle will not go unseen due to poor lighting or haste associated with the weather.
Ultimately, this will enable the repairs to progress in a timely matter.
"Stress Free Service":
In an effort to make the repair process as convenient as possible, Tom & Ed's Autobody has developed a "Stress Free Service." This offers the customer of a drivable vehicle in need of collision repairs the option of having that vehicle picked up from their home or work. In its place a rental vehicle can be left. This eliminates the need for the customer to visit the shop to drop off their vehicle.
Rental Vehicle Assistance:
In addition to the "Stress Free Service", Tom & Ed's Autobody assists many other customers with making necessary rental vehicle arrangements. With the customer's permission, Tom & Ed's Autobody will notify the rental companies when a customer will be in need of a rental vehicle. We will arrange for the rental vehicle to be ready and available at Tom & Ed's Autobody when the customer arrives to drop-off a vehicle for repairs.
Communication:
At Tom & Ed's Autobody, we have learned that poor communication leads to less satisfied customers. Conversely, excellent communication leads to customers who are willing to refer their friends and families. We translate this knowledge into action by updating customers regularly throughout the repair process.
We tell them how repairs are progressing. We inform them promptly of any additional damage or unforeseen delays encountered in the process and the reason for those delays. We also clearly communicate their payment options and what they may need to bring with them to pick up the vehicle. Communicating this information to the customer promptly, even if it is 'bad news', promotes trust in Tom & Ed's Autobody and eliminates any negative surprises near the end of the process.
At Tom & Ed's Autobody, we understand that the insurance company and agency have a stake in the repair process as well. As the convenience of settling a claim amid having the repair completed increases, the satisfaction of the policyholder with the insurance company, agency and collision center also likely increases. In order to avoid any problems resulting from a lack of communication, Tom & Ed's Autobody also updates the insurance agency on the progress of the repairs.
Warranty:
Again, customers tend to need collision repair services infrequently. With their lack of knowledge on how to gauge the quality of a collision repair and the importance of having the repair done right, there is often an uncertainty of which shop they can trust. At Tom & Ed's Autobody, we reassure our customers that they have made the right choice by offering a lifetime warranty on our repairs. As long as the ownership of the vehicle does not change, Tom & Ed's Autobody will honor that warranty.
Emergency Towing:
Tom & Ed's Autobody has arranged for 24- hour a day towing services for our customers. With this service, the vehicle can be towed directly to our nearest location and left in a secured area. The next business morning, we can contact the vehicle owner to discuss their transportation needs and the steps of the repair process.
Glass Replacement:
Tom & Ed's Autobody has also arranged for glass replacement services for vehicles repaired at its facilities. These services, provided by specialists in glass replacement, ensure that there will be no delays or problems related to the glass replacement. Since the windshield is considered a structural component in many vehicles, proper replacement is essential to a sound repair.
Paintless Dent Removal:
In some instances, it is possible to repair dents without repainting the repaired section. This paintless dent removal process can be a more cost effective solution to these repairs. Tom & Ed's Autobody can discuss with customers the circumstances that may be appropriate for a paintless dent repair and can arrange for this service to be provided.
After Hours Drop-Off:
With the hectic schedules that many customers have, it is sometimes difficult to visit a business during business hours. Tom & Ed's Autobody has a key slot that allows customers to drop off their vehicle during non-business hours. In the morning, Tom & Ed's Autobody will contact the customer to notify them that the vehicle was received. In addition, with advance notice, Tom & Ed's Autobody can arrange an appointment for an estimate or the delivery of a vehicle during non-business hours.
Secure Facility:
When your vehicle is in for repairs, the last thing that you want is another insurance claim or additional repairs because the vehicle was vandalized or damaged or items were stolen from the vehicle while at the repair facility. At Tom & Ed's Autobody, vehicles left overnight will either be stored inside the facility or within a fenced secure lot. These precautions minimize the likelihood that our customers will need to suffer through these unpleasant events.
Qualified Staff:
Each of the Tom & Ed's Autobody facilities qualifies for I-CAR Gold status. This is the highest recognized standard for training in the collision repair industry. To obtain the certification, both the technicians and the support personnel in a collision center must complete specified training requirements. According to I-CAR, only 5% of collision centers in training ensures that our employees are capable of providing the customer with the highest quality repair.
In addition to I-CAR, the technicians also participate in on-going training offered by the manufacturers of the equipment and materials used at Tom & Ed's Autobody.
The owners and key managers of Tom & Ed's Autobody have also utilized management and business development programs offered by the refinish system manufacturers to maintain a competitive edge. These programs are available to key customers of the refinish system manufacturers and offer seminars, on-site consultations, and performance groups to the participants.
Color Match:
One aspect of the repair that most customers appreciate is color match. In fact, in some surveys, color match has been listed as the customer's number one concern in the repair process. At Tom & Ed's Autobody, we utilize a computer-based mixing system, refinish products from PPG, and trained and experienced painters to create the perfect tint to match each vehicles color. At Tom & Ed's Autobody, our goal is to produce an invisible repair. We will not allow a vehicle to leave our premises where the repaired section of the vehicle does not appear to match the rest of the vehicle.
Delivery of the Vehicle:
At Tom & Ed's Autobody we work hard to deliver an invisible repair to the customer. While the customer cannot see evidence of the repair, they are often surprised at how much better their vehicle looks when they pick it up. One reason for this is that they always pick up a freshly washed car. At Tom & Ed's Autobody, we understand that it is the 'little' things that impact the customer's perspective toward us and toward the repair. When the customer sees the result of the attention paid to cleaning up the vehicle following the repair, they are more confident that the same attention went into the actual repairs.
Customer Satisfaction Indexing:
Through the years, Tom & Ed's Autobody has employed various methods to measure customer satisfaction levels, including internal and 3rd party measurement systems. One objective has always been to learn of any dissatisfied customers so that we could resolve the issue of dissatisfaction. A second objective was to modify our business practices so that these instances of dissatisfaction would not continue. Currently, Tom & Ed's Autobody is using an internal system to measure customer satisfaction levels. We proudly share this information with our customers and the insurance companies with whom we work.
Capacity and Convenience:
With four locations, Tom & Ed's Autobody has sufficient capacity to handle the needs of our customers rapidly. In addition, these locations are conveniently located in the northwest Indiana marketplace making it easy for customers to find us.
We understand that having these services available will not ensure satisfied or thrilled customers. It is how we deliver these services, and others, that will have the greatest impact on how our customers view us. Consequently, we are committed to expanding our service offerings and equally committed to offering them in a superior fashion.
Future:
To compete in the future, Tom & Ed's Autobody will not be able to rest upon past accomplishments- Despite our historical success, our successful future will require progressive thinking, a commitment to growth, a willingness to change for the better, and an on-going focus on the needs of our customers and their insurance companies.
As evidenced by the expansion into four facilities, Tom & Ed's Autobody has not historically chosen to avoid risk. Having one successful location, or two, or three, would have been enough for others. But at Tom & Ed's Autobody, continuing to create successful operations in new locations was embraced for the good of the company, its customers and the insurance companies with whom it does business despite the inherent risks.
This willingness to embrace risk, not with foolhardiness but strategically, will enable Tom & Ed's Autobody to maintain its position as a leader in the industry in Northwest Indiana. It will enable the company to overcome its historical success and the complacency that can set in and focus instead on creating even greater successes.
Growth:
Tom & Ed's has always been a growth company, and it will remain so in the future, Expanding existing locations will be considered as will the establishment of additional locations.
At this time, Tom & Ed's Autobody would seek to continue the pattern of establishing a new location of the business in northwest Indiana approximately every 12 to 24 months.
With this growth in service point, Tom & Ed's Autobody will be positioned to conveniently meet the needs of its customers in northwest Indiana. In addition, it would offer capacity and coverage to insurance companies that would desire to work with a limited number of organizations to provide collision repair services to its policyholders. By working with fewer organizations, insurance companies could minimize some of their administrative costs.
As the organization grows, there will be on-going opportunities to operate more efficiently. One obvious opportunity provided would be greater leverage in purchasing. Whether it be for parts, material, or service (e.g., accounting, marketing, etc.), the size of the organization will allow Tom & Ed's Autobody to purchase at a lower cost. This would improve the operating margin for Tom & Ed's Autobody affording it more freedom in pricing and service offerings.
There are other opportunities to improve efficiency as well. For instance, the number of locations may allow Tom & Ed's Autobody to get work faster than single location shops. If one location becomes fully scheduled, an opportunity to shift some work to another, less busy, location would resent itself. This would enable the customer to have the vehicle repaired in the shortest amount of time. Not only would this benefit the customer, but Tom & Ed's Autobody would be using its resources more efficiently. Additionally, studies have shown that the cost to settle a claim increases the longer a claim is open (e.g., rental vehicle cost and administrative costs). By shortening the time to begin the repairs, the overall repair time would be shortened and the insurance company would likely close that claim with less direct and administrative costs.
A similar opportunity would be for Tom & Ed's Autobody to create specialized stores. For instance, some of the stores could specialize in very light hits. Rather than going to a collision center that works on all sized of repairs, where the small job runs the risk of getting held up by larger jobs, these stores would specialize in the small repairs. Again, this could lead to faster turn-around times for the customers benefiting all parties
This organization growth will not come without challenges of its own. Perhaps the most significant hurdle will be staffing the growth of the organization. With the four stores currently operating, Tom & Ed's Autobody has needed to develop managers that could oversee an individual location and ensure that it adheres to the practices and philosophies of the organization. Additional growth will likely require the development of managers to oversee the workings of multiple stores. Over the next several years, it will be critical for Tom Tylka, in particular, to transfer his knowledge and philosophies of business into others that will be able to assist with the organizational growth. Ultimately, these efforts will benefit the organization by preparing it for an orderly succession.
Technicians and support personnel would also need to be hired and trained. With multiple facilities, Tom & Ed's Autobody could use existing facilities as training grounds for these new employees. Also, with the multiple locations pooling their resources, there would be more funds to develop and implement a comprehensive training/apprenticeship program throughout the organization.
Faster:
In this industry there is always pressure to be faster. Customers want their vehicles repaired more quickly. Insurance companies want their policyholders to be happy and renew so they want the vehicles repaired more quickly. As mentioned above, they also may enjoy some cost and expense savings if the vehicles are repaired more quickly. Customers and insurance companies are happier that Tom & Ed's can repair more vehicles with the same bricks and mortar if the vehicles g0 through the building more rapidly.
Tom & Ed's Autobody will focus on being faster in the future. It will begin by measuring cycle time. The organization will identify and work to eliminate or minimize major time wasters.
Processes and procedures will be reviewed with an eye toward revising them to eliminate redundancies, improve efficiencies, and to improve the speed at which the vehicles flow through the shops. To reinforce this effort, Tom & Ed's Autobody may offer customers a guaranteed delivery date.
Better:
Tom & Ed's has thrived through the years because it has been better than the competition. It has been better with anticipating and meeting the needs of customers and potential referral sources. It has been better with meeting those needs with superior customer service. It has continued to innovate and offer additional service and benefits to the stakeholders in the business.
This innovation and customer service focus will continue. With multiple stores and the resulting increase in customers served, Tom & Ed's Autobody has even more feedback from customers on what they want and need from a collision repair center. This data can be shared between stores and utilized to make enhancements in the performance of the business at all locations.
In addition to the customers needs, Ton & Ed's Autobody will leverage the many insurance company and agency referral relationships that it has in place to better support them. By improving the frequency and substance of the interactions, Tom & Ed's Autobody will be able to identify the needs and frustrations of this audience. Again, the organization will then be in a position to address and then work towards consistently meeting these needs and eliminating these frustrations.
Conclusion
The future of Tom & Ed's Autobody is being built on a solid foundation of over twenty years of successful operations. Our on-going success will depend upon our ability to hold onto our focus on customer service and quality. However, it will also depend upon our ability to continue to innovate in these areas.
Our growth will continue as long as we continue to meet the needs of our customers, insurance companies, and other referral sources better than our competition.
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