Working toward goals and working harder than anyone else provides the roadmap to success for one Utah-based auto glass franchise owner.
This kind of dedication has allowed Greg Malone, franchise owner of Glass Doctor® Auto, to put his Midvale, Utah-based business on solid ground.
“We’ve actually been growing by leaps and bounds in the last three years, and Glass Doctor has been a huge part of that,” Malone says. His auto glass shop is a franchisee of Glass Doctor®, a company that specializes in auto glass and commercial and residential glass services.
The goal-oriented 35-year-old father of four entered the auto glass industry about five years ago, working at another Utah shop. While there, a representative of Glass Doctor® approached him about opening his own franchise.
The Auto Glass Safety Council (AGSC) member company also employs three AGSC-certified technicians, a business manager, and an installation manager. Plans call for doubling the size of the current operation by hiring three more technicians and possibly buying another building.
“I’ve got my eyes on another building that I’m looking to set up,” he says. “Also, we can get some vans and do some mobile work.”
In the meantime, building on the Glass Doctor® reputation, Malone wants to gain wider brand recognition for his shop. He wants the shop to become as well known in town as other brand giants like Geico Insurance, Trader Joe’s, and mechanic shops like Jiffy Lube.
“The reputation of Glass Doctor really means something. It’s a name that people trust and rely on and will recommend to others,” Malone says. “Goals for the business include building overall company health, saving money as a contingency for emergencies, paying off debt, and ensuring equipment stays in good shape. “It can be expensive buying a new Extractor for $700 or buying a new van,” he says.
“The shop runs pretty well now. I have an office manager and an install manager. It’s starting to get to that point where it’s running well, and I can take a day off,” Malone says.
The keys to success, like many fields, are hard work and knowledge.
“I work hard. I study the industry,” Malone says. “To me, anyone can be successful at anything, but it depends on how hard you’re going to work at it.”
He considers membership in AGSC critical to staying on top of issues affecting the auto glass industry.
“Unfortunately, glass isn’t a very well-regulated industry,” Malone says. “Anyone off the street can start doing installations. They are not always going to do it correctly. They won’t use the best products because they’re trying to save a nickel here and there.”
“Being a member of an organization like AGSC helps quite a bit because it shows our customers that we’re putting forth the extra effort to make sure our guys do things the right way,” he says.
AGSC membership and AGSC-technician certification assures customers that the shop and technicians exhibit a higher level of expertise and training.
“It helps us stand out. We tell people that our guys are certified, our shop is certified,” Malone says. “We put AGSC logos on tech’s shirts, brag about it, and let people know why it’s important.”
