When was the last time you had your car’s gas tank filled by a man of great character, or anyone at all for that matter? If you lived and shopped in Grandin Village you would have that opportunity. Bill Millner opened his first gas station in 1971. In 1973 and 1977 he experienced the infamous gasoline shortages.
Millner was approached by the original owners to buy what is now Grandin Automotive in 2003; they wanted to sell to him because they appreciated his value system. That value system was soon put to the test when he was offered a $200,000 profit to sell the property to some real estate developers hoping to use the location for medical offices. He turned them down because he knew that some long-time, valued customers who had never pumped their own gas would be lost if he closed.
When he purchased the business the previous owners asked that he take good care of their customers. Millner held to his word and that is why on a recent cold day, at the age of 68, he was shivering as he filled a customer’s tank. The full service customers at the station subsidize the loss generated by the self service customers. To his knowledge there are only three other full service pumps in the Roanoke Valley.
Gasoline is not a high profit business and Millner can quote his numbers in a flash to prove it. He’s got the snapshot of his business in his head–he is aware of the loss he is sustaining by keeping the business open on Saturdays. He has consistently made choices to trim his expenses while maintaining an excellent reputation for repairs and maintenance; that is why he is certain he will weather this recession as he has others in the past.
He chose to reduce his salary and eliminate his wife’s bookkeeping salary rather than trim the pay of his remaining employees. An attitude of trust pervades both the employees and his customers as evidenced by a customer’s comment; “I trust him, my brakes have never been better since I owned the car,” said Cindy Pinkston as they got her out the door on time to leave for work.
Because having a car leave his garage “like it has been to a dealership” is important to him, Millner has lost some employees over the years that didn’t care to meet his standards. He will choose to lose income rather than do poor work. “If I don’t feel that I or my technicians are fully competent, the job won’t be done here” stated Millner emphatically. That is why he often receives referrals from other service garages in the area. “It is rare that I get a job that we can’t resolve.”
On the other hand he does not rebuild engines or transmissions because that is a job “best left to the specialists.” He boasts of having one of the best maintenance specialists in the area in Tim Kessler. Kessler has worked at the shop for more than 23 years, and their mutual respect and trust is evident.
Millner offered his top three tips for high performance in these tough economic times. The first of these is to use “top tier” gas. All gasoline is equal when it comes out of the pipe line; it is the additive package when loaded on the tractor trailer that earns a gasoline the distinction. If you are going to make economic cuts, DO NOT cut back on your oil changes because when your owner’s manual talks about “severe duty” it’s talking about the stop and go traffic about town. Have the thermostat checked and replaced in your car. A car engine is designed to run at 210-220 degrees; when it is running lower than that you are at risk for expensive oxygen sensor damage and sacrificing gas mileage and performance. When it comes to saving you money, take your advice from an expert—in Millner’s case, one who really cares.
By Christine Slade [email protected]