This isn't your father's auto repair shop.
If it was, it wouldn’t be here. What changed?
Chances are you’ve heard of
Hans Wittler’s Automotive
if you’ve owned a European car in Albuquerque. For more than four decades, the Wittler family has built a reputation as a reliable alternative to the repair services offered by big dealerships.
The Wittler brothers, Roger and Andreas, have doubled the size of the garage since their father, Hans, passed away 20 years ago. (Mother Christel still helps in the office.)
The brothers take pride in the business. They’re mindful of maintaining the standards set by their father --- hard work, dedication, integrity, making life easy for the customer.
But, much has changed since the shop opened in 1975.
“You can’t have a mom and pop corner garage, anymore. It’s become so complicated,” laments Roger.
Yesterday’s grease monkey is a skilled technician today. Expensive electronic diagnostic equipment is a necessity. The Yellow Pages are door stops. Google’s reach is bigger, more expensive and often a headache to comprehend. Then, there’s social media. Yikes.
Even so, Roger says their shop offers certain competitive advantages. They've doubled the size of the shop, and plans are underway to launch a second location with more employees -- all to make it easier for their customers. They also strive to be an employer of choice by investing in the best tools, technology and training available -- and by creating a nice work atmosphere.
"They say that very smart people learn from other people's mistakes.So why in business -- when you've got everything to lose -- why make your own mistakes if you can have some help from somebody like SCORE? Do it right the first time! It's a huge advantage. SCORE helped me avoid a lot of mistakes already," he added.
