Lancaster, Ohio-based Kumler Collision & Automotive has earned the Lancaster Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce’s Large Business of the Year Award. Criteria for being chosen include: innovation of new product or service, record of service to the community and record of sound business ethics.
Dean DeRolph, owner and president of Kumler Collision, told the Eagle Gazette that he was choked up when he told his 33 employees that the company won the award.
“You always hear business owners say, ‘It’s about the people,’ when they win an award,” DeRolph said. “It is about the people, but it’s about having the right people.”
DeRolph told the newspaper that his company, founded in 1928, had one of its worst years in 2008 and recovered to have one of its best years in 2009, despite the economy. DeRolph increased shop hours and took advantage of slow times to invest in training employees and new technology. The shop also converted to waterborne paint.
“That is time to embrace new technology,” DeRolph said. “What can we do smarter to put out a better product? We are always on the cutting edge, and you have to have people that embrace that.”
DeRolph also attributes his shop’s success to good customer service, the importance of which he stresses to employees. He added that retaining employees is important for the customer experience.
“One of the big keys to our success is our longevity of service. We just don’t lose (employees),” he said.
“(Customers) can come in and say, ‘Seven years ago Brian worked on my car. I’d like to have him work on it again,’” he added. “The cool thing is we can say he’s still here.”
Chamber of Commerce President Travis Markwood said Kumler’s Collision is an ideal candidate for the award.
“When I read those criteria, they hit on every one of them,” Markwood said. “They have a great employee program, and everyone is really happy to be working for Kumler.”
More information:
Kumler’s Collision & Automotive
