After taking over Ferber’s Tire & Auto Service from his uncle, Rob Ferber has spent the past 19 years expanding the business to new locations throughout Virginia. The company’s newest store in Richmond, Virginia, is the biggest store they’ve had yet, and has been a blank canvas for them to create a comfortable environment for both their customers and staff.
Ferber’s Chief Operating Officer Kent Von Schilling, who has been with the company for sixteen years now, shared how the company has designed its shop to be both professional and practical.
A Sign You Can’t Miss
The existing building for the Richmond store was originally built in the 1970’s. The brick exterior has been painted gray, and on the side of the building, a large, blue, LED-illuminated F is mounted on a stucco surface.
Since taking over the business, blue has always been the signature color for Ferber. It looks especially spectacular in the early morning hours, or at dusk.
Ultimate Comfort
With a bigger space, the business can offer more options in its waiting area than in previous stores. Across every location, Ferber places a lot of value in the presentation of its customer lounges. Schilling likens it to something like a doctor’s office: clean, comfortable, with amenities, and entertainment for those waiting. Creating a comfortable space for customers while they wait contributes substantially to the customer experience as a whole.
“We had a fleet customer that came in and said he didn't want to leave. He's like, ‘I'll just stay here and take a nap.’ So they must be that comfortable, then,” tells Schilling with a laugh.
Customers enter the lounge after checking in with service advisors at the front desk. They proceed through a partition of frosted glass doors with Ferber’s signature F imprinted on them. Blue flooring and accent colors adorn the area, as well as awards the business has earned over the years.
A Well Oiled Machine
Ferber’s has a total of ten bays at its Richmond location: four bays on each wall, and two in the back.
As at Ferber’s other locations, the shop has a parts area, with a dedicated employee who checks parts in, delivers them to the technicians, and essentially services the technicians with anything parts related.
Another unique aspect of the Richmond store, though, is that it’s allowed for Schilling, his recruiter, and marketing director to have offices, as well as a lunchroom large enough to double as a training room.
With a goal of operating around 10 stores, it won’t be long before a sixth Ferber store opens—bringing the professional, independent repair brand to even more customers in Virginia.
