Hixson Transmission and Total Car Care owner Chuck Miller puts a laptop at each workstation so technicians can access repair information from trade associations and communicate with other mechanics. The laptops as well as the new Hixson Fast Lube facility added this year are among the ways he helps his customers save time and money.
Photo by Emily CrismanHixson Transmission and Total Car Care owner Chuck Miller has come up with another way to make car maintenance easier on his customers with the addition of Hixson Fast Lube to his car care center.
"I have a lot of regular customers who come in all the time, and they would sometimes have to sit and wait 30 to 45 minutes to get an oil change," said Miller.
The process goes much faster with the addition of the Fast Lube facility, which enables technicians to work on a car from both the top and bottom without having to use a lift.
"I'm trying to make it quick and convenient for the customers," he said. "It also enables me to drop the price, because we spend less time working on the vehicle."
The price of an oil change has been decreased by around 13 percent.
"Maintenance is key to not breaking down," said Miller, who also offers car advice Saturdays from 8 to 9 a.m. on 102.3 FM. "It will save you a lot of money on repairs in the long run."
Aside from oil changes, Miller also suggests his customers have their transmission serviced, keep their fuel system clean and service their break system on a regular basis.
Miller purchased the 12,000-square-foot Total Car Care facility in 2005, and has since outgrown the building by adding new employees and more equipment.
"We want to continue to operate out of this facility," said Miller, who has built a strong customer base in the area. "Our new focus is to be more productive in this location and make customer repair times shorter."
He said he treats each customer like a friend or family member.
STAY ON THE ROADHixson Transmission and Total Car Care is at 5128 Hixson Pike and can be reached at 875-2276.
"My customers are so close to me they feel like they can call me," said Miller, who puts his cell phone number on his business card for customers to call when they have car trouble.
"It's very emotional when your car breaks down," said Elaine Merritt, Hixson Transmission business development manager. "It's like part of your freedom is taken away, so we offer to take people home and communicate throughout the entire process."
Each technician in the shop has a laptop to keep at their workstation which runs a program allowing them to access repair information from various trade associations and other mechanics.
The laptops save technicians the time it would otherwise take to get to a computer, and Miller said the increased access to information helps ensure the right repairs.