By Lois Tuffin

In many ways, George Rempel long ago laid out the tools for his son Jeff to succeed as an auto repair shop owner.

He bought into a Certigard franchise in 1987, and worked long hours while offering fuel service seven days a week. Meanwhile, Jeff studied automotive tech at Winnipeg’s Red River College Polytechnic.

As Jeff was doing his apprenticeship, George asked Petro-Canada for a 10-year lease to firm up his son’s future. When they declined, he opened George Rempel Auto Centre nearby in Charleswood, Manitoba, southwest of Winnipeg, in 1997.

Three years later, the shop expanded from three bays to five. Motivated by his own passion for the business, Jeff stressed over writing his ticket. “I could not fail, since I was the son of the owner,” he says with a laugh.

Jeff also adopted his father’s work ethic. He put in 12-hour days, then focused on the books or learning plans afterward. But seeing his exhausted father slumped in an easy chair at age 54, he wanted a better path. After gaining experience as a technician, he shifted his studies to management training. As he started to buy out his father’s share in the business, he paved the way for the next set of owners.

Coincidentally, he is now working with the 30-year-old son of his father’s founding partner (and Jeff ’s long-time business partner), Richard Janzen, as the shop’s future co-owner. “We’ll have two generations of two families,” said Jeff, now 48.

Rather than waiting until burnout set in, they talk often about the end game. Randy enticed his best friend and diagnostic technician Joel Molgat, also 30, from another shop to buy into a bigger future.

“We made sure it would be different this time,” Jeff says. “I believe in not being engulfed in my business.”

Learning, not churning

Jeff ’s passion for training also led him to coaches Murray Voth and Dave Meunier.

“Working hard is great but working smart is better,” he says with a smile.

In one of the more profitable changes made last year, the shop now limits the number of oil services to two to three a day, unless they are bundled with other work. “There was no cash benefit, and it bogged down my service advisors,” Jeff says.

“We keep homing in on what’s good for our clients. We look at the customer experience rather than our numbers. I may lose money on a job, but when you look at how they want to be treated, that money will come back tenfold.” 

With a focus on quality and efficiency, Jeff ’s staff double-check everything. Service advisors torque wheels and test-drive cars after a repair. He has five staff up front at the service counter, and five in the bays.

Techs operate at an eight-hour efficiency as the shop deals with 330 to 375 jobs per month. He credits service advisors for pre-ordering parts three days in advance and placing reminder calls for appointments.

“If you think you’re fixing cars that day, you’re already behind,” Jeff says. “Our people make us and our reputation.” The average repair order ranges from $650 to $800.

Landlocked and with no room to expand the shop, Jeff looks at other ways to grow. He has tool catalogues ready to service more electric vehicles and is awaiting NAPA training, either at the local college or in the United States.

But learning is about more than tech. Recently, he learned that offering pet insurance as a perk improves employee satisfaction and retention. And he donates generously to hockey teams, schools, trails and other causes.

In addition to a school barbecue to engage clients, he has also run a car care clinic as a fundraiser for the Humane Society. These sessions welcome eight to 10 women into the shop for food, preventative maintenance tips and lessons on tire changes and jump-starting.

“When [the attendees] left, they felt at ease,” Jeff says. “And I got a few clients out of it as well.”