Comments on: Zen and the art of Honda maintenance http://www.escapefromcubiclenation.com/2007/05/25/zen-and-the-art-of-honda-maintenance/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:48:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Ben http://www.escapefromcubiclenation.com/2007/05/25/zen-and-the-art-of-honda-maintenance/comment-page-1/#comment-2445 Ben Tue, 29 May 2007 14:58:26 +0000 http://www.escapefromcubiclenation.com/?p=237#comment-2445 Hi Pam, I'm starting my first year at a Bay Area business school this fall, and I'll be driving my soon-to-be-purchased used vehicle cross country to get there, as will more than one of my classmates that I know of. It's great to find this little pearl in an unexpected place because you can be sure when my car needs servicing, Pat's will be my first stop (unless it's covered by the warranty ;o). Pat should give you a free tune up because this glowing referral won him my business and possibly the business of more than a few of my classmates. Thanks for sharing. Hi Pam,

I’m starting my first year at a Bay Area business school this fall, and I’ll be driving my soon-to-be-purchased used vehicle cross country to get there, as will more than one of my classmates that I know of. It’s great to find this little pearl in an unexpected place because you can be sure when my car needs servicing, Pat’s will be my first stop (unless it’s covered by the warranty ;o). Pat should give you a free tune up because this glowing referral won him my business and possibly the business of more than a few of my classmates. Thanks for sharing.

]]> By: Cosmin Batatorescu http://www.escapefromcubiclenation.com/2007/05/25/zen-and-the-art-of-honda-maintenance/comment-page-1/#comment-2446 Cosmin Batatorescu Fri, 25 May 2007 17:59:35 +0000 http://www.escapefromcubiclenation.com/?p=237#comment-2446 Pam, Unfortunately I cannot share your enthusiasm about a garage, but I envy you for having found one such as Pat's. However, starting from your "His wisdom at running a business applies to every industry I can think of", I can say that I completely agree. I would even dare to say that if you don't love what you do, if you're not a dreamer and and artist when it comes to your job, then it's most likely that you'll never be successful in what you do. In my opinion, one of the key ingredients to success is to be a dreamer (examples are useless I think). Second key ingredient is a little bit of luck, or "professional fairy dust". The rest will then follow. Don't you agree? Pam,
Unfortunately I cannot share your enthusiasm about a garage, but I envy you for having found one such as Pat’s.
However, starting from your “His wisdom at running a business applies to every industry I can think of”, I can say that I completely agree. I would even dare to say that if you don’t love what you do, if you’re not a dreamer and and artist when it comes to your job, then it’s most likely that you’ll never be successful in what you do.
In my opinion, one of the key ingredients to success is to be a dreamer (examples are useless I think). Second key ingredient is a little bit of luck, or “professional fairy dust”. The rest will then follow. Don’t you agree?

]]> By: Edward Dorrington http://www.escapefromcubiclenation.com/2007/05/25/zen-and-the-art-of-honda-maintenance/comment-page-1/#comment-2447 Edward Dorrington Fri, 25 May 2007 16:45:28 +0000 http://www.escapefromcubiclenation.com/?p=237#comment-2447 Pam, I love Pat's! I used to go there years ago, where Tiffany would take excellent care of my Acura. I wish they serviced Mazda's so I could still go there. To this day I still recommend Pat's as the best garage I've ever used. It's very useful for me to think about how much easier it is to provide excellent customer service when you work in an environment that encourages your passion, and conversely, how difficult it is when you work in a place that actively discourages it. I still remember one time when Tiffany discovered and fixed an annoying rattle that had been bothering me for ages. She was so excited to show me exactly where the problem was, and how she had tracked it down, that her obvious passion was contagious and I found myself eagerly listening to her detective story. The fact that Pat's is the kind of place that allows (in fact, encourages) their employees to spend 20 minutes showing a customer exactly how they found and fixed a problem, exemplifies excellent customer service. I'm looking forward to hearing you and Pat talk! Pam,

I love Pat’s! I used to go there years ago, where Tiffany would take excellent care of my Acura. I wish they serviced Mazda’s so I could still go there. To this day I still recommend Pat’s as the best garage I’ve ever used.

It’s very useful for me to think about how much easier it is to provide excellent customer service when you work in an environment that encourages your passion, and conversely, how difficult it is when you work in a place that actively discourages it.

I still remember one time when Tiffany discovered and fixed an annoying rattle that had been bothering me for ages. She was so excited to show me exactly where the problem was, and how she had tracked it down, that her obvious passion was contagious and I found myself eagerly listening to her detective story.

The fact that Pat’s is the kind of place that allows (in fact, encourages) their employees to spend 20 minutes showing a customer exactly how they found and fixed a problem, exemplifies excellent customer service.

I’m looking forward to hearing you and Pat talk!

]]> By: Roger Anderson http://www.escapefromcubiclenation.com/2007/05/25/zen-and-the-art-of-honda-maintenance/comment-page-1/#comment-2448 Roger Anderson Fri, 25 May 2007 15:52:07 +0000 http://www.escapefromcubiclenation.com/?p=237#comment-2448 Pam, Finding a good garage can be a huge multi-year task. Once you do you sometimes hesitate to tell others. It seems like once they get too big they cannot serve the customers as well as they used to. One of my favorites, when I was a grad student (= no money), was Homer's in Monrovia California. I think he retired, it has been over 12 years since I graduated. His entire staff was mostly older guys who took life a little slower. When you drove up they casually walked out to your car. Looked it and you over and decided if you were their type of customer. If you had a very fancy car or seemed too rushed they told you some great places where you could get the kind of service you seemed to want. If you looked like the type who would listen to their advice and your car was a car not a person they would ask you what you wanted. Homer once told me I could "...go two more weeks on those brakes." and sent me away. He never every sold me a repair I did not need. They always did fix something else they found at no charge if it was minor. They never did anything major without asking and giving a cost upfront. Homer did not need to advertise. Enough people knew where he was to provide him with enough business. His place was behind a row of stores in the old part of Monrovia (downtown in a bunch of movies). You could not see his shop from the main street. You had to go behind. That kind of location seems contrary to most marketing folks but Homer didn't need the extra traffic. I will never forget Homer. His way of doing business is my goal. BTW - I don't think there were cubicles in his shop! Pam,
Finding a good garage can be a huge multi-year task. Once you do you sometimes hesitate to tell others. It seems like once they get too big they cannot serve the customers as well as they used to.
One of my favorites, when I was a grad student (= no money), was Homer’s in Monrovia California. I think he retired, it has been over 12 years since I graduated. His entire staff was mostly older guys who took life a little slower. When you drove up they casually walked out to your car. Looked it and you over and decided if you were their type of customer. If you had a very fancy car or seemed too rushed they told you some great places where you could get the kind of service you seemed to want. If you looked like the type who would listen to their advice and your car was a car not a person they would ask you what you wanted. Homer once told me I could “…go two more weeks on those brakes.” and sent me away. He never every sold me a repair I did not need. They always did fix something else they found at no charge if it was minor. They never did anything major without asking and giving a cost upfront.
Homer did not need to advertise. Enough people knew where he was to provide him with enough business. His place was behind a row of stores in the old part of Monrovia (downtown in a bunch of movies). You could not see his shop from the main street. You had to go behind. That kind of location seems contrary to most marketing folks but Homer didn’t need the extra traffic.
I will never forget Homer. His way of doing business is my goal. BTW – I don’t think there were cubicles in his shop!

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