AUTOINC. ONLINE - Shop Profile

Exterior of Hubbard Woods Motors in Winnetka, Ill.

At the age of 21, a high school graduate with no formal automotive training but a natural aptitude for fixing things, Robert “Bob” Berger was working in a service station in Winnetka, Ill. Berger had known, after hanging around gas stations since he was young and completing an automotive course in high school, that he would one day own his own shop. “It was while working at the service station that I heard of an available location about a mile away from the station,” said Berger.

Starting with $2,500 of borrowed money, he opened for business in a run-down gas station. “In the beginning, my employee and I would tackle anything that came through the door,” said Berger. “Volkswagens were becoming popular and most shops didn't want to have anything to do with those weird machines. But I had a lot of respect for the quality and engineering of those bugs and saw an opportunity to specialize in their servicing.” However, it did not take him long to realize how difficult it was to prosper by specializing in the lower-priced vehicles. “The proliferation of foreign makes and the difficulty of getting parts and information caused me to abandon all imports and stick to domestic products,” said Berger.

Inside the shop of Hubbard Woods Motors.

After five years in his first location, Berger was solicited by an oil company representative to take over a successful four-bay station near the original service station where he began his automotive career. Berger moved his business into the new location and began to increase sales and build customer loyalty through honest, quality repairs and service.

As the years went by, Berger again saw an increasing popularity in imports. However, he was a little skeptical about taking on all imports. “Winnetka is one of the most prosperous suburbs in the country where the average home sells for over $1 million,” said Berger. With this insight, he began to pay closer attention to the types of vehicles in the area. “I began to notice a lot of Volvos and Mercedes in the neighborhood and after assessing the personalities of the owners, I chose to specialize in Volvo repairs and services,” said Berger.

Another key factor in choosing Volvos was the fact that a Volvo dealership was located about five miles from the shop. “While the dealership did a terrific job selling, it couldn't keep up with the demand for service,” said Berger.

Once Berger determined that his firm - Hubbard Woods Motors Inc. - would specialize in repairing Volvos, he needed to develop a marketing strategy. First, he obtained the names and addresses of the Volvo owners in his area. Berger then composed a one-page letter to the owners stating his intentions of specializing in first-class service of their vehicles. “I mailed 50 letters and haven't done any other specific advertising since. That was 29 years ago,” said Berger.

Bob Berger, owner of Hubbard Woods Motors, assists a customer.

Today, Hubbard Woods services Volvos exclusively. “The gas pumps went 20 years ago when the oil company sold me the property and I added 1,500 square feet to the shop,” said Berger. Through quality work and first-class service, the company has built a strong reputation among its customers. Many loyal customers regularly return to Hubbard Woods despite the firm's inability to perform their warranty work. Numerous customers have told Berger they own Volvos simply so Hubbard Woods Motors can service them. In addition, Hubbard Woods' customers have relied on the company and outstanding staff through generations and various Volvos.

The business currently has four experienced technicians with extensive Volvo experience. In addition, Hubbard Woods employs two service writers, a parts manager, receptionist, bookkeeper and general worker who keeps the facility clean and performs tire services. The newest employee at Hubbard Woods has been with the company for eight years, while the oldest has been employed for 23 years. “In the past few years, I've gone from doing 'everything,' to primarily overseeing the operation with an emphasis on improving the efficiency of the facility to make it as productive as possible,” said Berger.

Hubbard Woods is housed in a 5,000-square-foot facility on a 15,000-square-foot corner lot next to a public park. The surroundings include a shopping area with high-end businesses housed in English Tudor style buildings. The facility has nine bays with nine lifts. “Three of the lifts have full alignment capabilities with rolling jacks. We also have a paved, lighted parking lot that holds 35 vehicles conveniently and up to 45 in a pinch,” said Berger.

The staff of Hubbard Woods Motors includes (l to r, back row) Tim Welch, Adriann Berger, Tim Jura; and (l to r, in front) Rich Pagels, Bob Frolich, Bob Berger, Tad Lucas, Bryan Caspersen, Eddy Cabrales and Zeke Avila. Missing from the photo is Julie Kabelitz. This photo was taken during the Hubbard Woods' 40th anniversary cookout at the Berger home.

The state-of-the-art facility services approximately 150 vehicles during a five-day workweek, with an average invoice of $300. Hubbard Woods has an annual sales volume of more than $2 million with an average parts inventory of $175,000. “My business philosophy has always been to concentrate on doing the right thing for the client, not to focus on the money. That will come automatically if we pay attention to the first concept,” said Berger.

To further this professional attitude, Berger joined the Automotive Service Association (ASA) a few years ago. “I joined ASA primarily because of the urgent need for a combined front in the information war. I appreciate ASA's efforts to get manufacturers to share service information and I wanted to support those efforts,” said Berger. His membership has provided him a sense of comfort in belonging to an organization instead of dealing with the complexities of today's industry alone.

“I often use the ASA membership directory to network with other member shops. When customers' children go off to college or move to another area, I try to locate an ASA member shop in that area. It feels good when a customer says they want to find a shop that does as good a job as we do,” said Berger.

The business has had a successful 41 years. However, Berger realizes if a business becomes apathetic, it will no longer grow to its potential.

“I had become complacent over the last several years as the business became more refined and less stressful. So, I recently joined a 20 Group consisting of owners of independent Volvo shops, much like my own. The group has really inspired me to reinvest in my shop. We share great ideas and see benefit in using each other's experiences,” said Berger.

As a result of knowledge gained from the 20 Group, Berger feels the facility has the capabilities to increase sales by 25 percent. “I think it will be fun to see that happen even though I've been at it for a long time,” said Berger.

Due to honest, quality service, specialization of Volvo vehicles and a committed owner, Hubbard Woods Motors has a successful and prosperous future.

Shop Stats

Name: Hubbard Woods Motors Inc.
Location: Winnetka, Ill.
Square footage: 5,000
No. of employees: 10
Web Site: www.volvopro.com
On the business: “In the past few years, I've gone from doing 'everything,' to primarily overseeing the operation with an emphasis on improving the efficiency of the facility to make it as productive as possible.” - Bob Berger

Small Beginnings, Quaint Suburb Result in Large Rewards

Shop Stats