What I like about Honest-1 Care Auto:
I love the fact that Honest-1 Care Auto is "female friendly." I also love that they have a children's play area! That is one of the biggest issues that I come across. Trying to get my oil changed and sitting in a lobby with two loud rowdy children. A play area is a wonderful idea! I give 5 thumbs up!
About Honest-1 Auto Care:
Honest-1 Auto Care is the only national full-service auto repair and maintenance franchise chain that is 100 percent ESA Certified Eco-Friendly Auto Care. Honest-1 executes numerous eco-friendly actions companywide, including strict recycling of auto materials, pollution prevention, resource conservation and trademarked services such as ECO TuneUp™ and ECO Oil Change. Honest-1 Auto Care promotes a clean environment and pollution reduction through the vehicles it services with its exclusive line of services and products.
I had the great pleasure to interview the President of Honest-1 Auto Care, Jack Keilt.
- How does Honest-1 Auto Care connect with consumers?
- Each Honest-1 staff member and technician is thoroughly trained to meet company-set standards, which are designed to make the maintenance process less intimidating for non-auto enthusiasts while providing upfront, honest service. Honest-1 Auto Care is committed to honesty and integrity – the company never tries to sell a product or service that the customer doesn’t need. We focus on making sure our customers are informed, comfortable and that making trips to our locations is an enjoyable experience for them.
- Honest-1 often offers specials and promotions to demonstrate their appreciation for their customers (examples provided below)
- Customer Appreciation Days: Barbecue lunch, live music, popcorn, cotton candy, Italian ice and temporary tattoos throughout the day and a free $20 gift certificate from Honest-1 Auto Care
- Memorial Day Promotions: offer the nation’s military veterans and active personnel free oil changes or a $25 gift certificate to be put towards repair work or maintenance service to honor their dedication to keeping the nation safe.
- Family Nights: a world-class General Motors technician will provide valuable information and fuel-saving tips to help motorists cut down on gas expenses, improve their car’s mileage and put more money in their pockets. Kids who attend will have an opportunity to create art projects and play games.
- While offering exceptional service programs for customers to choose from, Honest-1 Auto Care also offers specialized, eco-auto care programs for those who want to play a greater part in helping the environment. Honest-1 Auto Care has a line of proprietary products that combine leading-edge technology and innovative additives to reduce pollution. Integral to the product line is the ECO 360™ additive, an organic friction modifier proven to increase fuel efficiency and reduce harmful engine emissions. Other products include the Honest-1 Pro Flush cleaning products for a vehicle’s fuel system, cooling system, power steering and transmission, and ProTect conditioners for transmissions and cooling systems.
- A key factor behind Honest-1 Auto Care’s success is its commitment to protecting the environment and offering family and female-friendly auto maintenance services. Honest-1 shops have clean and upscale waiting areas, Internet cafes allowing customers to work while their cars are serviced, children’s play areas so parents can relax, comfortable chairs and couches, big-screen TVs and complimentary custom coffee stations.
- Women, who are 60% of Honest-1 Auto Care’s customers, are more hesitant about the car service experience because of the dishonesty associated with the industry; so, Honest-1 Auto Care made a conscious effort with design and customer service to appeal to women.
- One of Honest-1 Auto Care’s oils is G-OIL. G-OIL is produced by Green Earth Technologies and is priced comparatively to synthetics and similarly performing products. Unlike traditional petrochemical-based motor oil, G-OIL is made with American-grown renewable animal fats, which have no harsh effects on the environment and drastically cut the nation’s dependence on foreign oil.
- Honest-1 Auto Care also makes available re-refined oil for use in oil changes. Re-refined oil is oil that is removed from the crankcase, sent out to a refinery that removes the dirt, grime, etc. It then adds back in the necessary additives and makes an oil that is identical to that produced as virgin oil. The re-refining process uses 80% less energy than the refining of virgin oil and serves as an alternative supply of oil that requires no drilling.
- Beginnings
- Honest-1 Auto Care was founded in 2003. The original founders started the franchising program by opening new locations and then selling them to individual franchisees
- In 2007, Gary and Lisa Messer purchased the company and began building an organization that would better act as a franchise system. In January 2008, Jack Keilt was brought on as a partner and President and CEO. Jack brought a background of 33 years in franchising in several industries.
- During the first year at H-1 Jack, Rissy Sutherland and the staff essentially rebuilt Honest-1and since then they have expanded the company throughout the US
- The company franchises a chain of automotive repair facilities (centers) with very meaningful points of difference from the competition. In 2008 the company retained a marketing firm, Multi Vision Design (MVD), to conduct a brand review to determine the direction and path for H-1 to attain brand relevance and cut through the clutter of competition. After exhaustive research, analysis, and consultation between management and MVD, H-1 developed its evolution plan. Critical to that plan is a mission statement that calls for key elements not commonly found with H-1’s competitors; Eco-Friendly Auto Care; Customer Centric approach; Honesty and Integrity as core values.
- Oil Change Services
- Eco 360 Oil Treatment
- Eco 360 Fuel Treatment
- Air Conditioning Service
- Eco Tune-Up
- Brake System Operation and Inspection
- Cooling Systems
- Starting and Charging Sytems Service
- Fuel Injection Systems
- Automatic Transmission Service
- 21-Point Inspection
- 22 locations operating
- 14 Units currently under development throughout the US
- Glendale, AZ
- Phoenix, AZ
- Littleton, Co.
- South Daytona, FL
- Roswell, GA
- Pleasnat Hill, IA
- Roseville, MN
- Eagan, MN
- Cottage Grove, MN
- Middlesex, NJ
- Albuquerque, NM (2 locations)
- N. Las Vegas, NV (2 locations)
- Henderson, NV
- Portland, OR (2 locations)
- Clackamas, OR
- Gresham, OR
- Milwaukie, OR
- Provo, UT
- St. George, UT
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