By CAROL THOMPSON
It’s probably safe to say there aren’t many auto service shops that require new employees to read Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People, but the lessons in this book are part of the key to Orozco’s Auto Service success.
“I read that book every six months,” explained owner Servando Orozco. “I want my employees to understand it’s not about servicing customers’ cars. It’s about caring for the customer and the community.”
These are the words that guide Orozco and the employees at Orozoco’s Auto Service. “Everything we do is about people,” says Orozco. “If we take care of our customers and provide knowledgeable, ethical service, our business will grow. It’s that simple.”
Servando Orozco is a man who looks to the future and is destined to grow Orozco’s Auto Service into a household name in Long Beach and beyond. He is the rare business owner who constantly asks himself, “What can I learn?”
His focus on self-improvement and education has served him well. In 1990, after working as a mechanic at a Shell service station for ten years, he moved on to an independent auto shop and established the first Orozco’s Auto Service at 3033 Long Beach Boulevard. Two years ago, he purchased the property at 3619 Atlantic Avenue, expanding his business to two locations with a total of 14 service bays.
Between the two locations, Orozco employs eight Institute for Auto Service Excellence(ASE)-certified service technicians and four service advisors. The business is one of only 149 in the state that is recognized with the ASE Blue Seal of Excellence. Additionally, as a NAPA AutoCare Center, their service is backed by a 12 month, unlimited mileage warranty, but Orozco goes beyond that.“We guarantee in writing all repairs for 24 months or 24,000, whichever comes first,” he said. “To my knowledge, Orozco’s Auto Service is the only shop in the industry offering such a complete and long guarantee.”
Orozco’s has the resources to service a wide variety of vehicles, including Hybrid vehicles, such as the Toyota Prius, as well as work trucks that are loaded with equipment (up to 5 tons), and uses only the best quality parts and fluids.
Orozco invests in current technology to keep his shop state-of-the-art, but also has an eye on the future. “The auto industry is changing rapidly. It will be very different ten years from now,” he asserts.
Part of that change is the focus on green technology. Orozco is ahead of the curve on that front, encouraging customers to change oil no earlier than every 5,000 to 6,000 miles. “Today’s cars do not need more frequent oil changes and we save thousands of gallons of oil from disposal by reducing the frequency. Some cars can go 10,000 miles without an oil change. I am always looking for ways to reduce our impact on the environment in our operations as well,” he adds.
With Orozco’s success comes an enormous sense of gratitude for his employees and customers. “I am so lucky” said Orozco. “This is truly the land of opportunity. I spend money on advertising, but I prefer to spend money in support of community projects, where I feel I can give something back.”
To that end, Orozco’s Auto Service provides free premium oil changes to anyone who donates blood at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, and for the entire month of December he is offering a ten percent discount on services to parents of students at Los Cerritos Elementary School, where two of his three children are enrolled.
