First there was one shop. Now there are two.

And if Michael "Mike" Turner has his way, soon there will be three.

Turner's first shop, Portland Automotive Inc., is in Portland, Conn. It opened in 1992.

The second shop, Bill's Automotive, is in Hartford, Conn. It was added last May.

Both offer AAA-approved automotive repair and maintenance. Both are ACDelco repair centers and ASE certified.

Bill's Automotive in Hartford, conn., also sells gasoline to customers. Like its sister shop in Portland, Conn., it provides customers with courtesy transportation. "We try to make customers' experiences as convenient and comfortable as possible," says Turner.

What makes them successful? How has Turner been able to grow his business? "Our secret is our people," says Turner. All of his staffers who work on vehicles are ASE certified. Some are master technicians.

His shops are state of the art, offering the latest in technology. For example, every service bay is equipped with its own laptop computer. That way, every technician can easily access the information he needs to repair a vehicle.

Turner has built his business on honesty, convenience and professionalism.

Mike Turner is the owner of two shops, would like to add a third.

To make life a little easier for his customers, he offers a shuttle service. He also offers free loaner cars.

Turner employs a sales psychologist who offers sales training to Turner's employees and works with his service advisers on how best to deal with customers (to learn more, please see adjacent sidebar).

"Our marketing strategies work because we know our customers extremely well," says Turner. "We're constantly interacting with them via in-house appointments and through e-mails and monthly flyers for discounts on service. We use reminder cards along with thank-you notes to reinforce to our customers how much we value them and their loyalty to us."

The Bill's Automotive staff includes (from left) Michael Petrosino, Lester Jarvis, Liz Muenier, Ben DeJohn, Gary Fiermonte and Cesar Jara.

Turner has been in the automotive business since he was 16 years old. He first worked at a service station but soon became an ASE master technician, L1 certified.

Night school provided him with knowledge in marketing and business, and he was an active member in a Bottom Line Impact Group for many years. He is a member of the State Emissions Advisory Council and the ACDelco National TSS Advisory Council. Turner also is chairman of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce Auto Council and is a member of that organization's board of directors.

Shown is an alignment bay at Bill's Automotive. Turner's shops are clean, efficient, well-lighted.

He opened Portland Automotive with just one technician and himself. Today he has 12 people working for him. The projected annual sales volume for the two shops is $3 million combined.

What has been the biggest challenge he has faced? "Making the transition from technician to manager," says Turner.

Turner would like to open a third shop. Research has shown, he says, that three-shop owners have a higher net profit and higher success rate than two-shop owners.

Staff at Portland Automotive includes (from left) Erik Campagna, Ted Koyama, Earl Root, Michael Lionetti Jr., Ed Maskowsky and Debra Morrison.

What does he like best about his job? "I like being able to make improvements and see the results," says Turner.

Why did he join the Automotive Service Association? "Because," he says, "I wanted to be part of a large organization that represents the top shops in the country."

Among those top shops is Portland Automotive Inc. and Bill's Automotive. And soon, most likely there will be another - that third shop Turner wants to add.

RATE THIS ARTICLE What do you think of this article? Your input will help AutoInc. develop additional articles on this subject. Share your thoughts! Your name Your e-mail address

MOST ACCESSED ARTICLES Fuel Injection Service, Not Just Cleaning The Art of Extraction EGR Systems: Operation and Diagnosis Proactive Target Marketing:_Rethinking Your Business Strategy Engine Performance: HO2S Diagnostics MOST E-MAILED ARTICLES Developing Employee Potential How Critical Thinking Can Help Your Business How to Diagnose the Ford Glow Plug What to Look for When Shopping for the Right Shop Management Software Putting a Price Tag on Complaints

AutoInc. Web Site | ASA Web Site | State Super Warranty Programs Continue to Advance | State Legislative Objectives | Federal Legislative Objectives | Keeping an Eye on PSI: Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems | Kaizen 'Lean' Principles | In Search of a Perfect 10 | Motivating Yourself in Order to Motivate Your Staff | Guest Editorial | Tech to Tech | Tech Tips | News Briefs | Taking the Hill | Around ASA | Shop Profile | Net Worth | Stat Corner | Chairman's Message