Rad Air gets mag's 'top shop' pick

PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio (Jan. 14, 2014) — Rad Air Complete Car Care and Tire Centers was chosen a Motor Age Top Shop for 2013.

The Parma Heights-based dealership—with 10 stores in northeast Ohio—won the 2011 designation and was a finalist in the publication's 2010 and 2012 contests.

Rad Air, an Ohio Motorist/AAA Approved Auto Center and an Ohio E-Check certified emissions repair center, earned the Angie's List Super Service Award for two years in a row and the Better Business Bureau Torch Award twice.

“We are delighted to have been recognized by Motor Age again,” said Rad Air CEO Andy Fiffick. “Winning the award the first time was really thrilling, but being recognized for our consistent excellence in service is more gratifying than I can possibly describe.”

Mr. Fiffick attributed Rad Air's success to the cohesive work of the company's shop managers. “Part of our business model for the last 38 years is to care for both our employees and our customers. We consider both groups as part of our family and strive to show respect and consideration for them in each and every interaction,” he said.

“We work with a philosophy that includes doing the repair right the first time, only charging prices that are fair, and ensuring the satisfaction of the customer,” he said. “Because we focus on making sure our customers are happy, we have discovered that about 84 percent of them return for more than one visit.

“Why would they do that with so many auto repair shops nearby? It is because we treat everyone respectfully. We know what every customer contributes to our success. That is very humbling.”

Motor Age said it admired Rad Air's employee training and compensation programs.

“Although Fiffick doesn't use incentives to drive sales, he offers incentive bonuses to employees who update their education outside company requirements, such as the GM ASEP program,” the publication said. “Additionally, Fiffick says that one technician each month is chosen to be featured on the company's website series called ‘Meet the Mechanic.'

“The importance of his employees spills over into how Fiffick markets his business.”

In addition to traditional advertising, Mr. Fiffick uses social media to promote the business and has garnered more than 3,000 Facebook likes, which is more than his largest local competitor that has three times as many locations, according to Motor Age.