Today we’d like to introduce you to Professional Auto Care.
Karolena, you’re the second generation owner of Professional Auto Care, we’d love to hear how the family business got started and how the journey has been so far.
Professional Auto Care (PAC) was founded by my mom and dad in 1983. Everardo and Claudia Serratos, my parents, both have had a love of cars since their early childhoods and when the opportunity arose, they seized it to pursue their common dream.
They involved my siblings, Kent and Kimberly, and I in the business as soon as they could, teaching us all about cars and car care. We spent lots of time at the shop growing up and we all came back after college for me, law school for Kent, and graduate school for Kimberly. We all love working on cars and we love working on cars together: we are all proud to work at our family business.
Over the decades, Professional Auto Care has won numerous awards including AAA Texas 2000 Contest “Top Shop in Texas”, Angie’s List Super Service Awards (2013 through 2017), Google Maps Favorite Place and holds the prestigious, ASE Blue Seal Recognized Business Seal. Even though shop has more than tripled in size since the humble beginnings, I’m proud to say that the mission of providing honest, quality work has always remained the same.
Professional Auto Care would not be the place it is today without the support and loyalty of its clients. Through preventive maintenance and vehicle care education, we challenge the automotive service industry through both our transparent service process and our focus on the client. We strive to carry out each interaction with the highest level of professionalism with the warmth of a family-friendly environment.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Really, the biggest challenges are ones that everyone in our industry faces because many negative stereotypes plague the industry.
The worst is a distrust of technicians based upon a lack of communication and understanding between client and technician. Professional Auto Care has been able to adapt by making a point to focus on customer service and complete transparency to separate us from the rest of the industry. The experience at Professional Auto Care is not one of a dealership or a chain auto care facility. It is more of a family practice feel: we know that our clients feel comfortable asking us whatever questions they may have about their vehicle or the services it has undergone. Our clients come in to have their vehicle examined and may expect honest feedback and recommendations for care.
Another negative stereotype is that all technicians must be men. Professional Auto Care has embraced women working in this industry since the beginning. It may be hard to imagine, but Mrs. Claudia Serratos was once an alignment Queen. My parents taught all their children about cars and to work on them in exactly the same way. Professional Auto Care focuses to break the stereotypes of women working in the industry and challenges the experiences of women taking their vehicles in for service. The ladies who answer the phones at PAC are qualified to answer automotive-related questions and the service received is friendly and respectful.
Another challenge is simply technology. Cars are becoming more and more complicated at rates quicker than ever. We stay on top of new trends and changes by attending seminars, having continuous training sessions, and keeping current with ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certificates.
Professional Auto Care – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We specialize in giving people peace of mind and empowering them to take control of their vehicle maintenance. Professional Auto Care is known for the Service Smart℠ program. Service Smart℠ is a system developed by Professional Auto Care with the purpose of keeping the client in the driver’s seat of their vehicle’s maintenance and repairs.
Everardo and Karolena Serratos developed Service Smart℠ to fulfill a person’s need for a clear understanding of their vehicle’s service schedule. The program helps people determine what service is required and when. This allows for budgeting and an overall ease in tracking how much their vehicle is costing them to maintain at the present moment and how much it will cost them in the future. And even beyond budgeting, this allows the client to know exactly the condition their vehicle is in.
The vehicle is examined by an ASE Certified Master Technician in regard to safety, repair, and maintenance. If any items are found in need of attention during the examination process, they are noted in order of priority in relation to safety, repair, and maintenance. This helps the client prioritize and budget according to their vehicle’s needs.
Our primary objective is providing the means for our clients to have complete control over his or her vehicle’s maintenance and safety. This has been achieved through the ability to send easy-to-understand reports, featuring service history, directly to our clients.
In Professional Auto Care’s 35 year history, what moment do you look back most fondly?
Professional Auto Care has enjoyed so many wonderful moments over the years from awards to television interviews, but at the end of the day, a happy client is the best feeling for any business. Every day when going home, the satisfaction of making a difference and helping others is the greatest reward.
Pricing:
- Service Smart℠ for one year runs $149.98 and for every year after that you continue to keep the vehicle in the program is $74.99
- shop.professionalautocare.me
Contact Info:
- Address: 9916 Honeywell Street Houston, Texas 77074
- Website: professionalautocare.com
- Phone: 713-270-0474
- Email: karolena@professionalautocare.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/professionalautocarehouston
Image Credit:
Everardo Serratos
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