Quality repairs and customer service are a hallmark of Simplicity Car Care Ottawa Airport.

Simplicity Car Care Ottawa Airport, located at 1885 Merivale Road in Nepean, joined the network in 2019. Owner Rony Haddad says it was a huge step for the business and a logical decision.

“We love the system Simplicity Car Care has in place, and we were able to learn new practices that really helped take our business to the next level.”

The pristine, 5,500 square foot facility has developed an enviable reputation for top quality customer service and currently employs 11 staff.

Yet while Haddad and his team enjoy the fruits of success today and are continually looking to the future via new equipment investments and training, as well as expansion of the current premises, like many shop owners, it required a lot of commitment and hard work to get there.

Worth it

“I’ll be the first to admit that it wasn’t easy to grow the business,” says Haddad “and we did have sleepless nights,” but, the end result has clearly been worth it.

Haddad recalls how both he and his brother were in love with cars as kids and for them, getting into the motor trade was the logical next step.

“I started out in an 800 square foot shop,” says Haddad.

“We did mostly cosmetic work, doing touch-ups, that kind of thing,” Haddad says that in those days, he was essentially a one-man show, doing everything from the painting to customer relations. His brother later joined the business and from there it began to grow.

Initially, a good deal of touch-up work came via local dealers, though as time went on and Haddad’s reputation grew, more and more customer pay work began to surface.

Yet while business was good, Haddad knew that looking to the future, joining a network would be the logical move to take advantage of economies of scale and robust insurer relationships. By 2018, he was ready to take the plunge. Among the choices available, for Haddad, Simplicity Car Care stood out.

Focus on processes

Besides providing new business opportunities, a major change was the ability to really dial down on processes within the shop, taking advantage of Simplicity Car Care’s considerable experience refining and honing operational procedures.

“We’ve really been able to put in place a system where there are essentially no surprises,” says Haddad.

“Every customer and every vehicle that comes in, we treat them as if they are the only client in the shop.”

He notes that for each customer, communication is essential through the entire repair process and the client is regularly updated regarding the status of their vehicle repair. It’s a strategy that has done wonders for customer service, delivering on the promise of genuine car care performed simply and affordably.

Although Simplicity Car Care Ottawa Airport does look after all makes or models, in terms of demographics, Haddad says, “We tend to skew toward imports, with a lot of Korean, Japanese and European vehicles.”

Staying current

With the industry ever changing, Haddad says that he’s focused on staying current with the latest repair procedures and the business has been investing heavily in technician training and equipment purchasing.

“We’ve recently installed a new paint booth and A/C servicing equipment,” he says, “plus we’re making major investments in OEM certification.”

Like just about everyone, the COVID-19 pandemic did impact Simplicity Car Care Ottawa Airport, but the business was able to keep its 11 staff working and put in place strict protocols to ensure the health and safety of everyone on the team.

Regarding any new practices introduced during COVID that are likely to remain post-pandemic, Haddad says the valet service for customers proved a big hit. “We got really good feedback from implementing this,” he says, referring to the pickup and delivery service “and it’s something we plan to keep doing post-pandemic.”