AUTOINC. ONLINE - Shop Profile

While doing his part to improve the collision repair industry's image, Bob D'Urso, owner of Bob's Auto Body, inadvertently inspired his neighborhood to begin improvements. Bob's Auto Body is located in Lynbrook, N.Y., and housed in a beautifully designed 6,800-square-foot, colonial-style building. The quaint community surrounding Bob's Auto Body is zoned residential and commercial property. While D'Urso was busy reinventing his company, several businesses and home owners in the area took notice of his efforts. They began their own improvement and upgrading projects, thus improving the community as a whole.

As a young adult, D'Urso attended Northeastern University in Boston for engineering but was so drawn to cars and body repair, he left the university to be a body man. The engineering education he received enabled D'Urso to design the shop of his dreams. D'Urso's efforts to improve the collision repair industry have not gone unnoticed. Bob's Auto Body received special recognition as a well-run business in good standing with the community for more than 20 years by Long Island's largest newspaper, Newsday. The paper did a cover story on Bob's in June 1999 honoring the facility's success, dedication to the community and professionalism in the collision repair industry. Another highlight for Bob's in 1999 was being named the recipient of Lynbrook's "Beautification Award."

The success that D'Urso now experiences has not been without hard work, long hours and a commitment to prosper. "Our goal for 28 years has always been to help in every way raise the level or standard of our industry," said D'Urso. This is apparent from the moment a customer pulls into Bob's. D'Urso chose a colonial theme for the business to convey to customers a sense of tradition and warmth. "The interior with all wood, soft tones and beam accents represents a classic style everyone is familiar with and feels comfortable in," said D'Urso. "Our limousine pickup and delivery service also adds a nice touch, to say the least."

D'Urso strives to improve the collision repair industry in every aspect of the business, not only in the appearance of the facility, but also through his daily operations. Bob's Auto Body has approximately 16 repair orders per week and anticipates sales will continue to increase this year. Bob's employs a staff of 10 with D'Urso performing the duties of sales manager. The front office is managed by Diane Conk and production is managed by Tony Sagginario. This leadership team has proven to be a winning combination.

"What makes our business unique isn't really unique at all. They are all basic 'brick and mortar' business fundamentals. It simply goes like this ... Treat every customer as if your next one depends on it. Estimate the lifetime value of that customer and treat them like the piece of gold they are," said D'Urso.

In the collision repair industry business owners face many challenges on a daily basis. D'Urso and his qualified staff know that these challenges can be overcome through dedication, perseverance and professionalism. "There's nothing better than having a successful and productive day while repairing your customer's car and have he or she feel good during the process," said D'Urso. The shop uses state-of-the-art equipment with the latest collision repair technology to repair vehicles and is a DuPont "Assurance of Quality" qualified participant. This is DuPont's customer satisfaction index rating system. On the most recent quarterly report from DuPont, Bob's Auto Body received a 99.51 percent overall body shop rating. This is an increase from the previous report in which Bob's received a 99.25 percent rating. Bob's Auto Body not only repairs the vehicle's damage, they also repair the customer by addressing all the customer's fears and concerns from the moment they arrive. Bob's Auto Body is a member of the Lynbrook Chamber of Commerce.

Community involvement is also very important to D'Urso. Bob's Auto Body has built a strong relationship with the citizens and businesses in the area through this involvement. The majority of area business owners and their employees bring their vehicles to Bob's for repairs. According to Conk, Bob's office manager, "Bob has a big heart and is very community-oriented." D'Urso has successfully set up and structured a car donation program in conjunction with the Peninsula Counseling Center. The program raises money to help abused and battered children and has net more than $8,000 in the past 12 months. D'Urso and his staff are in the process of organizing a similar vehicle donation program with the local Jewish Center.

Bob's Auto Body also opens the shop for a meeting place for the Cub Scouts and their den leaders. They hold informative meetings on vehicle components, their functions and basic operations of the vehicle. Each year Bob's Auto Body hands out Halloween candy to the neighbor children. Another program that is dear to D'Urso is the Long Island Wheelchair Association. Bob's Auto Body is an annual sponsor of the association's 3K run. Through the involvement with the association, D'Urso had the privilege of painting a Harley-Davidson that was customized for a paraplegic. D'Urso believes that achieved success is not done alone. The community has been a large part of the shop's continued success and D'Urso wants to give back to the community.

He believes the same is true for the collision repair industry. "True success is only realized when you learn the importance of giving back. For almost 20 years our local auto body association, LIABRA, has been very successful in serving the interests of auto body shops in Long Island, by exchanging ideas and information and developing a Code of Ethics," said D'Urso.

"ASA, on the national level, is providing its members with invaluable information on management, marketing, advertising and technical advise. AutoInc., NACE and the Automotive Management Institute, just to name a few, have been huge accomplishments," said D'Urso. He also feels that if members take part in their industry, they can't help but relate to the tremendous efforts and personal sacrifices that are given by the ASA board of directors in making ASA a success. "Supporting local and national associations should be the very least that a shop owner can do. Where would our industry be without such organizations? I pledge my support!" said D'Urso. Bob's Auto Body has been an ASA member since 1992.

Future plans for Bob's Auto Body are to streamline and systemize the office work so the staff can continue to provide customers with all the attention they deserve. "Our other focus will be the needs and feelings of our workers. Our approach to a healthy, happy shop is not motivation, but rather inspiration," said D'Urso. He believes that motivation alone does not work, nor does it last more than five minutes. Instead he feels that providing a clean environment to work, a clean place to eat, and a pleasant atmosphere where the workers are caught doing something "right," and by treating employees as important people too, he is providing the inspiration for them to want to do better.

Bob's Auto Body and its staff are dedicated to maintaining and advancing the professionalism of the collision repair industry through these proven methods.

Shop Stats

Name: Bob's Auto Body
Location: Lynbrook, N.Y.
No. of Employees: 10
Square Footage: 6,800
Business philosophy:“ It became evident to me at an early age in business how important it was 'to keep the customer smiling.' This great lesson was taught to me by my best friend, who ran a service station in the 1960s, whom I worked for as a teenager. He made me realize that you don't achieve so you can be happy, but instead, you happily achieve! If you love what you are doing, you can't help but be successful. Achieve for the right reasons! ” - Bob D'Urso, owner

Image is Everything to This Business

Shop Stats