Location is key for CARSTAR Woodbridge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Woodbridge, Ontario — July 14, 2014 — Location is a vital factor in the success of a business. Making sure customers can access your services is key. The recent opening of a new CARSTAR store in Woodbridge, Ont., illustrates this principle. 

 

Owned and operated by Frank Sottile, the new store is more of a storefront. Operating under the CARSTAR Express banner, the new location allows customers to get estimates, arrange repairs and drop off and pick up their vehicles. The repairs are performed at other CARSTAR locations. 

 

“This seemed like the right move for us,” says Sottile. “People want a great customer experience, and a big part of that is convenience. The new storefront allows us to offer them a convenient location for estimates, pick-ups, and drop offs, without the expense of a full production facility.”

 

Sottile is the sole owner of CARSTAR Brampton, and co-owner with Pino Gagliardi of CARSTAR Bolton, CARSTAR Downsview, located in the North York area of Toronto, and now CARSTAR Woodbridge. The new location in Woodbridge gives their stores complete geographic coverage of the area. 

 

It’s important to note that the new storefront’s location is important in other ways. Located directly on Hwy. 7, and close to the 400 and 407, the new store is easily visible to passing traffic. This is important for attracting new business. 

 

“It can be very hard to find a location that’s easy to access and highly visible,” says Sottile. “When we’re talking about a collision repair facility, and everything that goes along with it, that can be even harder. The storefront model gives us that visibility, without the hassles and expense of buying more equipment, installing air equipment and so on.”

 

Sottile already has experience in running a storefront location. In fact, he may have been the first operator with CARSTAR Automotive Canada to do this. Sottile approached Paul Coffey, the dealer principal for Bolton Toyota, in 2006 about setting up a customer service area in the dealership.  The two came to an agreement, and today CARSTAR Bolton is still going strong. A full-time estimator is employed onsite, but repair are performed at the Brampton and Downsview locations.

 

“It’s a model that’s worked out for both parties,” says Sottile, referring to the Bolton store. “The new storefront in Woodbridge is already proving its value in attracting new business. We frequently see people just dropping by because they noticed we were new in the neighbourhood.”

 

For more information on CARSTAR, please visit carstar.ca.