As a female, I wanted to interview store owner Jon Kowanetz to hear about his shop, Handcrafted Car Audio. I wanted to know what makes a woman feel comfortable shopping at Handcrafted and have an overall great experience when at his store. I was impressed, and I think you’ll be, too.
Question: What are the core values of your company – things that are important to the way you do business?
Answer: Above all, we create great connections with our customers. A relationship with a customer is more valuable to us than a sale. We want you to feel comfortable with us and have the confidence that your vehicle is being taken care of. We take pride in our store, so we give customers tours of our whole facility.
We show you our installation facility and detail exactly what will be done to ensure that your vehicle returns in the same or better condition as when you dropped it off.
We understand that your car is something you rely on everyday as a career woman, wife, mom and friend, so we take pride in the way we care for your car when it’s in our possession. We protect the seats with seat protectors. We hang every panel that comes off on our panel rack so there is no damage. We even have a whiteboard with a checklist that we go over as we work on your vehicle to ensure there is never a missed step.
Question: What are some key ways that you take care of your customers?
Answer: We have active displays in our store so customers can touch, feel and use our products before making a purchase. We also understand that many women are very busy, with schedules that mean they can’t afford to not have a car for any period of time. Therefore, we have an agreement with Hertz. Hertz will come to Handcrafted Car Audio to pick you up and take you back to their rental agency to sign any papers. You can then keep the rental car for as long as you need at $30/day. When the installation is done on your vehicle, you just drive the Hertz car back to our shop and they’ll pick it up from us.
Question: What is your store like?
Answer: Our store is always clean, especially the bathrooms! We also have a waiting room with comfortable seating, free WiFi and water. Our glass bay doors ensure that you can see your vehicle while the work is being done. Throughout the entire consultation and installation process, nothing is hidden. You’re welcome to see every area in our shop.
Question: Tell me about your employees and their experience.
Answer: All of our employees have a positive attitude and care about what’s right. As mentioned earlier, it’s more about a relationship than money. We ask as many questions as needed to ensure that our customers are getting exactly what they’re looking for. All of our techs are MECP-certified, even though certifications are not required by law for a technician to work on your vehicle. With their many years of experience, our employees know what they’re doing.
Question: What awards and recognitions have you received?
Answer: Competing against all the other installers in North America, I was named the 2010 Installer of the Year by Mobile Electronics magazine, the industry’s leading publication. In 2013, we were named Retailer of the Year and this year, we received the Best Customer Retention Program award. Our efforts to care for our customers show in the recognition we’ve received. We have also been asked to take part in several expert roundtable discussions, training seminars and planning events.
Personally, I found that this shop really puts a lot of effort into making sure their customers have a great experience. They are also all about making things easier for you, which is very valuable to me as a busy woman. An added feature that I don’t find very common, but really appreciate, is that they don’t hide anything. Every area of their shop can be toured, even the installation bay where your car is worked on. Handcrafted Car Audio is definitely a business I trust.
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