CUSTOMER CARE: Honest-1 Auto Care relies on a family vibe and top-notch service to woo customers.

PositionFranchising - Cover story

The lobby of Bob Adams' business in Mooresville has complimentary gourmet coffee, a children's play area, a big-screen TV, free Wi-Fi and cushy leather chairs and couches, draped in blankets when the weather's cold. His website says, "family friendly," and, "we would love to chat with you," and mentions company donations to Toys for Tots and Samaritan's Purse. If customers can't get to the shop, there's a complimentary shuttle. And if your vehicle's dreaded 'check engine' light is on, they'll trouble-code report that for free.

Honest-1 Auto Care is a family business run by Adams and his son, Jon. When the two started planning two years ago to combine their work knowledge and family beliefs, the automotive franchise was on the list. Adams has a human resources, training and recruiting background from his former career with a lumber and building-supplies firm. His son has more than 25 years' experience in automotive repair and management. They opened the Honest-1 doors last December, with a reception for friends and family.

"We wanted a business that met what we stand for, and Honest-1 met our criteria," Bob Adams says. "We began looking into it in 2016 and started searching for a location."

With help from the Small Business and Technology Development Center's Hickory office, Adams acquired a former Goodyear building with 10 bays and began repurposing the shop, customer area and office space.

"Even though it was a franchise, there were questions about where to locate, and so on. We spent lots of time talking about what we'll need, if we were to do financing and how that would work, and the SBTDC was really helpful, from planning to legal issues to setting up our operating agreement between my son and myself," Bob Adams says. "Some things you don't think of, coming out of a corporate background, or if you're a sole proprietor"

One topic the SBTDC tackled was seemingly simple, but more in-depth than Adams realized: Who is your customer?

"The easy answer is, anyone with a vehicle. But that's not the case. We hit a specific demographic," he says. "We are here because we are not just selling parts; we accommodate the customer who is looking for a clean place, some of the values we share and are going to be appreciated."

Depending on renovations, an Honest-1 franchise can cost from $250,000-$450,000 to set up, buy equipment and obtain two loaner vehicles and a shuttle. One piece of alignment equipment, for example, can run $30,000.

"We got the...

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