CARLSBAD, Calif., August 6, 2019 (Newswire.com) - NOTE: This June SPS was originally published online in May 2019.
Since Bill Ussery Motors opened its doors in Coral Gables near Miami, FL, more than 60 years ago, the focus of the family-owned MSO has remained the same: hiring talented people and providing customers with exceptional service and quality repairs.
“It’s our guide to everything we do,” said Scott Woodard, general manager of Bill Ussery Motors Collision Center. “We have a ton of long-term employees, and the ownership is motivated with investing in the people. You can’t run such a large facility without having hard-working, dedicated employees.”
Bob Brockway, chairman and CEO, attributes the customer philosophy to the company’s tradition.
“We follow the golden rule: treat people fairly and honestly in the same way you would want to be treated, and you will have a customer for life,” he said.
Woodard said the business’s tenured and professional staff guides clients through the insurance claim process, while certified technicians with more than 100 years of combined experience use the latest technologies to complete repairs to like-new condition. This includes using original Mercedes-Benz parts and factory-approved paint systems to return vehicles to their original pre-accident condition.
“Mercedes-Benz of Coral Gables, part of the Bill Ussery Motors Group, is the second-oldest Mercedes-Benz dealership in the United States,” said Woodard. “Over the years, we’ve delivered the ideal combination of exceptional Mercedes-Benz sales and service.”
Mercedes-Benz of Coral Gables and Mercedes-Benz of Cutler Bay continue to be recognized as two of the premier dealerships in the country.
“We have many long-time customers,” said Woodard. “We are even selling to our original customers’ grandchildren.”
As a result of their efforts, the business has been recognized by Mercedes-Benz USA as one of the “Best of the Best,” which includes the top 22 percent of its retail network.
Bill Ussery Motors Collision Center, incorporated in 1990, opened its state-of-the-art, 30,000-square-foot facility in Miami, FL, in 2008. In 2013, the shop evolved into the present-day Elite Certified Aluminum Structural Mercedes-Benz Repair Facility, a prestigious tier II certification awarded by Mercedes-Benz. The certification means that Mercedes- Benz-certified repair technicians perform aluminum structural repairs that strictly adhere to the Mercedes- Benz standards. It also gives the body shop access to purchase certain OEM parts as directed by the manufacturer. Currently, the business has grown into a multi-shop facility that serves customers for both dealerships and South Florida.
Woodard has worked in the industry for more than 35 years at every level and been consistently looking for a better way to fix cars and be ahead of the competition. When he joined the collision center in 1999, he was familiar with conventional structural repair methods. That same year, he became familiar with the Celette brand and incorporated the use of the Celette bench in the shop. Since then, he has found that Celette collision repair products offer superior accuracy and efficiency.
“For the last 20 years, we’ve put every car on a Celette bench that had any signs of structural deviation. It’s a very well-designed industrial piece of equipment that seems to last forever,” said Woodward. “Also, it gives us the ability to market what we do and most importantly deliver a quality and safe repair.”
Bill Ussery Motors Collision Center currently utilizes two Sevenne benches and a Sevenne XL and most recently purchased Celette’s NAJA 3D electronic measuring system in an effort to maintain its Elite certification. The measuring system uses a sliding measuring arm connected wirelessly through Bluetooth. It allows the collision center to measure vehicles with or without the mechanical parts installed.
For more than 60 years, Celette has been evolving alongside OEM automobile makers, adhering to the industry’s changes in safety and materials and striving to develop repair options that are quick and easy.
“NAJA 3D does an amazing job,” said Woodard. “It’s similar to triage; we are able to tell exactly where the vehicle is broken.”
Technicians pre-measure vehicles with the Celette NAJA 3D to determine structural damage. As a secondary precaution, they also remeasure vehicles to ensure they are within the specs of the machine and accurately document the damage so it can be shared with the customer or insurance company. The collision center also saves the file so that if there is an issue with the vehicle in the future, there is documentation proving the condition of the car when it left the facility.
Since using the NAJA 3D measuring system in combination with the Celette benches, Woodard has found that the quality standard it gives its customers is unmatched.
“Every vehicle that leaves our shop is structurally straight,” said Woodard. “I’m a dedicated Celette body shop guy forever because of what I’ve seen those benches do. It works so well; it’s fool-proof.”
Bill Ussery Motors Collision Center
Location: Miami, FL
(305) 661-9666
www.billusserycc.com
Company At A Glance...
Type: Collision Repair Facility
Employees: 60
In Business Since: 1990
Number of Locations: Three
Combined Production Space:
42,000 square feet
Celette
1-800-CELETTE
(235-3883)
www.celette.com
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Source: Autobody News
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