Otto's BMW

I grew up around automobiles and built a number of race cars. After being in this business for over twenty-five years, I can tell you that BMWs have reliable, cutting-edge technology well before the competition. And they’re a real pleasure to work on.

Unlike most other vehicles, they’ve been designed to offer easy access to the areas those of us whose job it is to maintain them, need to have access to. Of course I love they way they look and handle – as do most of our shop personnel, three-quarters of whom drive BMWs. From an employee standpoint, this is a good place to work.

The shop is well equipped and maintained, and our effort is appreciated. Most of our people have been here awhile. We’ve been drawing our new technicians from STEP, a program which takes the top performers from leading automotive schools and offers them intense, accelerated instruction from BMW-schooled personnel. We make a point of mentoring younger techs here, offering hands-on training and making sure they know how and where to get the latest information. Our access to a proprietary section of BMW’s website, for example, allows us to download the latest bulletins and information. We’ve been given all the tools necessary to keep these amazing vehicles in top running condition.

I was born and raised in the Rose Tree section of Delaware County, and graduated from Penn Crest High School in 1979. Growing up, my parents operated a number of Amoco stations throughout the region, so it was a natural move for me to join them in the business. As a first step, I went through Amoco’s Atlas service program, becoming a skilled, hands-on mechanic and certified as a state inspection technician. I followed up with a series of management training courses, and ultimately was named vice-president in charge of administering and overseeing our various properties.

Life was going well at that point, but things changed significantly when Amoco began demolishing or downsizing their stations, getting rid of their service bays in order to sell fuel exclusively. That decision – and new family priorities – led me to move into automotive service at the dealer level, first at a General Motors franchise, where I worked as a Cadillac service advisor and assistant manager, and then at a Mercedes store here in West Chester.

Both those experiences prepared me well for being here at Otto’s. Not only did I gain an in-depth understanding of automotive service at the luxury level, I was also able to hone what others have described as my strong interpersonal skills.

The fact is, I have always viewed clients as family, giving them the sort of guidance I believe best serves their interests. I am totally transparent when we’re reviewing their repair or maintenance concerns, and they seem to appreciate my being their advocate. That sort of honesty is important, in my view, and it definitely leads to enduring customer loyalty.

On a personal note, my wife and I celebrated our 30th anniversary in September 2011. We have a daughter and a son, and I love involving them in the wide range of outdoor activities I enjoy, including hiking, hunting, fishing, and boating.

I started out as a service receptionist and cashier, but within six months had moved into Internet sales and then regular sales. I did pretty well under somewhat difficult working conditions, but when I saw a position in service open up at local Porsche dealership, I jumped on it. They trained me to be a Service Advisor, and I really took to it. I enjoyed being busy and loved the interaction with customers and staff alike. I stayed for about three years and left only when I moved to Glen Mills and the commute become too much.

I took a service position at one other dealership before coming here, and while I liked my coworkers, the environment was not what I had become accustomed to. After I decided to move back to this area, I sent my résumé to several high-end stores, including Otto’s. I was really glad when I got quick call-back, and was hired to work at our Exton location. When our BMW operation was consolidated in West Chester, I joined the team here.

Our customers remind me a lot of the ones I had when I worked at the Porsche dealership. In fact, I’m seeing many of the same people here, which is great. On the employee side, the similarities are there, as well. Our staff really seems to enjoy and appreciate their jobs, and the management has invested a lot in creating policies and procedures to ensure a high level of professional satisfaction and personal pride from the top down. If there’s an issue, I know I can go to management, and they’ll understand and support my desire to do a good job and satisfy the customers. It’s very reassuring to have us all going toward the same goal.

On my days off, I like to cook, exercise, shop, or just go out with my girlfriends. I enjoy traveling, but right now my schedule doesn’t allow for a lot of extended free time. I do enjoy heading down to the shore in the summer and getting some good beach time.

I was born and raised in nearby Brookhaven so being familiar with the I area saw Otto’s as a reputable place to get my foot into the working world. I was hired as a receptionist but made it known I wanted to expand my responsibilities as those opportunities might arise.

As it happened, it wasn’t long before I was invited to join this department. I still smile at how little I knew about BMWs, MINIs, or cars in general, and yet found myself helping customers with their service issues. Naturally, I made a concerted effort to self-educate, and now I’m pretty comfortable with the terminology and basics of automotive maintenance and repair. And with my background in communications, I’m finding it easy to relate to customers and work with them on the phone.

On my own time, I love being outdoors, and in the summer that means weekends at a beach house I share with friends down in Sea Isle. There you’ll find me lying in the sun, playing volleyball, or enjoying the ocean. And when the weather isn’t cooperating, I’ve been known to go shopping.  I’m enjoying helping our customers by doing what I can to create a totally positive service experience for them.

I was born and raised in Wilmington, and graduated from West Chester University in 2006 with a degree in business management. I came to Otto’s in my senior year, having seen a flyer on campus promoting a position as receptionist at our MINI dealership. Since then I’ve had a number of different responsibilities, including receptionist on the BMW side, helping out in our Lifestyle Boutique, and now here as a Service Customer Associate.

When I’m not setting up appointments or handling loaner vehicles, I’m behind the scenes helping process and scan repair orders. It’s a nice balance that suits me. I like working with people, but I’m also happy going to my office and dealing with administrative duties.

I grew up loving cars. My dad is a huge enthusiast, and I actually learned how to drive in his extremely hot Corvette convertible. BMW was (and is) one of his favorite brands, and he instilled that in me. I will have one the moment I can afford it.

My husband is also very much into cars and used to race cars professionally. In fact, our first date was at a drag strip. I accompanied him on many occasions while he was racing, acting as his crew chief, torque wrench in hand. I love to travel. When Andrew was racing more, I was going with him every weekend, whether it was to Florida or Indiana or wherever. I went to California with my mom in 2008, just the two of us. That was fun.

I was born and raised in Kirklyn, a community just west of Philadelphia, and graduated from Upper Darby High School in 2001. I took that summer off, packing up a camper with a couple of friends and visiting places of interest from Ohio to Florida. It was fun.

That fall, I enrolled fulltime at the Pennsylvania Institute of Technology to pursue my degree in engineering. By my third year, however, I realized it wasn’t for me, so I followed my heart – in two respects – by moving with my girlfriend to Hawaii and working with emotionally disturbed children in high school. I was a paraprofessional assigned to track them through their therapy and make sure they were where they needed to be throughout the day. Occasionally that meant intervening in pretty firm ways, which, given the size of some of those Samoan kids, could be a challenge.

It felt really worthwhile to invest myself in these young lives, which is why, when we moved back to this area in 2006, I took a similar position at a nearby high school. Unfortunately, the administrative atmosphere there made the job significantly less enjoyable, so I concluded it was time to do something completely different.

I discussed the situation with my dad, who’s Service Manager here, and he suggested applying for one of the openings in his department – which I did. I started as a valet in January 2007, and since then, there really isn’t much I haven’t done. My experiences have been very positive, and I particularly enjoy working hard to meet or exceed our clients’ understandably high expectations.

Actually, I’ve noticed we get a lot of transplant service customers from other dealerships who tell us they appreciate the differences they see here. Sometimes it’s just the small things: courtesies like holding the door for them or helping them transfer their belongings from a loaner vehicle – or simply greeting them a smile.

I’m a big Flyers fan, as is my wife – which is a definite plus. I also love to travel. I plan to complete my business degree, and look forward to more opportunities here at Otto’s as they become available.

Looking back, it now seems entirely logical that I ended up working in the automotive field, but that certainly wasn’t my original plan. Come to think of it, I’m not sure there really was a plan; it was more like following the path of my opportunities and interests.

I wasn’t the most focused student in high school, and often found myself doodling during class. I especially liked doing various types of lettering – well enough, in fact, that when it was time to get a part-time job, I chose a sign company, which, in turn, got me interested in graphic design. That led me to the Art Institute, but after a year there, I realized I wasn’t really cut out to be a commercial artist, so I left.

To support myself, I had taken a job as a line cook, which as anyone who has worked in a restaurant can confirm, really prepares you to multi-task under pressure. As it happened, the skills I developed doing that were readily transferrable when, in 2001, I decided to apply for a parts position at Devon Hill BMW.

That transition wasn’t as abrupt as it might seem. I had been into cars since I was a kid. A friend of mine had asked me to help him work on his VW GTI, an automobile I loved from the moment I saw it. In fact, from that point on (with two exceptions), I have owned only VWs – about 25 so far, moving my way up through the various models.

In early 2007, about the same time as things were changing at Devon Hill, I learned Otto’s was looking for a parts counterman, so I contacted Ed Danser and got the job. I really like working with the staff, technicians, and management here. They’re very professional, and they really care about their employees. That shows in the very positive morale at the dealership.

My wife and I live a little over three miles from where I grew up in Eagle. It’s just the two of us at this point, but we definitely look forward to having kids. We’ve been working hard on our home, and yes, I’m still very involved in restoring VWs. We like to split our vacation time between the Caribbean (for her) and snowboarding (for me). It’s a very satisfying life, and we both feel very fortunate.

I was born in Bryn Mawr Hospital but very shortly thereafter moved with my mom to a 200-acre cattle farm in Maryland. We lived there with my grandparents, aunts, and uncles, all of whom worked the land and cared for the animals. I loved riding horses and going out to the fields on the tractor to help my grandpop bail hay. It was a great childhood.

When I was ten, I moved back up here to live with my dad, who was a technician for Chevrolet. After graduating from Sun Valley High School, I took a couple of construction jobs – which convinced me that was not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. My father had been a mechanic since he was fifteen, and I was always helping him work on cars, so when a friend of mine told me about an opening here at Otto’s, I thought now’s my chance to do something I’ve always enjoyed. It was the best move I ever made, and I hope to stay here until I retire.

Having grown up around my dad, I understand the mindset of a technician, which helps me work more effectively with the guys in the shop. I also serve on the retail side, and enjoy helping customers. I consider myself a straight shooter, and people seem to appreciate my direct approach.

I’ve always owned Chevys because of my dad, but I definitely see myself in a BMW in the next few years. I’ve come to appreciate the car enormously and understand why so many people are passionate about them. I actually got to try one during our Susan G. Komen Drive For Life and thought – wow, this 7 Series is a lot better than my pickup!  My wife has been pushing for one, as well. We both like the 335i a lot.

Having our son was the best thing that even happened to me. I love spending time with him. I like music and going to concerts, and I’m also into body art. I got my first tattoo – a panther – when I was sixteen. My brother’s dad was a serious biker, so he may have influenced me in that area.

Like a number of others at the dealership, I’m a second-generation Otto’s employee. My mom, who is also in the service department, thinks this is the best place in the world to work. From her first day, I recall her talking about the family atmosphere and all the great people, so when it was time for me to return to the workforce after my son was old enough, this was my obvious choice. And like her, I love it here.

This is actually my second transportation-related job. My first was at Planet Honda, a motorcycle shop in Chadds Ford, where my grandfather worked. I was a senior in high school when I started, and stayed for about a year, until my son was born. It was fun working with grandpa, plus I loved being around the bikes.

I think that particular passion is actually in my genes. Pretty much everyone in my life growing up – friends and relatives – had motorcycles or dirt bikes. There was a large wooded area right across the street from our house where we used to ride, and in fact, one of our neighbors even had a track for awhile. That was great.

I’ve had a number of different positions at Otto’s since I arrived in 2007. I started in BMW service, working a few hours a week scanning documents, but then moved to the MINI side to fill in for the receptionist who had gone to our new Exton dealership. I liked my time at MINI – a lot – but ultimately transferred back to BMW, first as a sales receptionist and then closing the loop with my return to the service department.

This is as close to an ideal workplace as I can imagine. Everyone gets along, they’re flexible, and happy to help whenever the need arises. And even though we’ve been a Jaguar family for a couple of generations, I love BMWs – and can’t wait to get one. My dream car is the M3, black-on-black, but that may take awhile.

I have a busy life with serious responsibilities, but when the opportunity arises, I like to get out of the house and have a great time. Those who know me best describe me as caring, funny – and wild! I enjoy heading down to Dewey Beach or over to the casinos in Atlantic City. Closer to home, I go to concerts, the movies, or play Texas hold-’em with my friends. I’m pretty good, actually, more often than not winning the night. They hate when that happens!