Entering a new industry is always scary. But purchasing a business in an industry you have no experience in may appear downright insane.
But that’s exactly how the family and friends of Chuck Oxford, owner of Lakeside Collision Center of Bellevue, felt when he purchased the company in 2004.
A veteran of the coatings industry (films and paints), Oxford spent 20 years working as an executive for an aerospace company before the company’s constant change in ownership led him to seek out a business of his own.
“Every time we got bought out, it got less and less about the customers and more and more about the money,” said Oxford.
That’s exactly what Oxford hopes his business brings to the Eastside – a customer-first collision repair unit.
Acknowledging a certain stigma in the auto industry, Oxford says that Lakeside Collision Center is not like the other guys.
“We wanted to get away from the ‘Give me your keys. We’ll call you when it’s ready,’ mentality,” Oxford explained. “We try to smile and welcome people. They’re not just a number to us.”
The first step was changing the business model. Prior to Oxford’s arrival, the center, founded in 1957, had been a Direct Repair Program (DRP) operation, meaning that insurance companies delivered the customers.
Oxford, a self-proclaimed ‘perfectionist,’ saw room to grow the business by changing the business to a referral service. In doing so Oxford allows the company’s work to be its main source of marketing.
“Everybody’s car is like a billboard for us,” Oxford said enthusiastically. “Our motto is: ‘Our customers drive home our reputation,’ and we truly believe that.”
Oxford models his service with the customer’s involvement in mind. At Lakeside, car owner’s talk with employees about the damage, about what needs to be done and finally receive phone calls every few days to update their vehicle’s status.
Next, Oxford had to find the right type of employee. With only eight on staff, each worker’s role is critical.
Oxford expects workers to be drug and alcohol free, and exhibit “impeccable customer service,” attributes that he believes to be very rare in the auto industry.
“Most of them don’t want to do that. But, slowly we’ve built a better and better atmosphere.” he said.
And, he’s slowly seen his efforts pay dividends. Oxford admits that the first few years were rough. But the company that he purchased for $350,000 in 2004, earned $1.6 million in 2010 and he’s optimistic that those numbers will increase again in 2011.
Aside from the glowing testimonies that can be found on their website and great customer ratings they’ve receive, Oxford and Lakeside Collision Center received another accomplishment this summer. Lakeside was named the 2011 Small Business of the Year at the Eastside Business Awards ceremony hosted by the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce.
The award provided Oxford with validation that perhaps his critics were wrong and that he does in fact belong.
“I just didn’t want to be 85 years old and looking back and say ‘I never had the guts to take the risk.'”
For more information visit: http://lakeside-collision-center.com/