Choice Transmissions & Complete Auto Care has two locations in the Phoenix, Arizona metroplex – one in Tempe and the other in Gilbert. Both shops are only a few miles from my home in Sun Lakes; so, I’ll share many of my firsthand experiences.
I’ve had both personal and business interactions with the owner, Jason Halaby, and his General Manager, Tim Eversole. I’ve observed both of them from the perspective of a customer, an advisor, and, more importantly, as a friend.
Rather than starting at the beginning of Jason’s career, I want to tell you about my first experience with Jason. It involves one of the “God Fathers” of our industry, Bob Jones. Bob was the founding owner of Quality Transmissions in Tempe, Arizona, and he was one of the first members of ATRA. While this article isn’t about Bob, I would be remiss if I didn’t share this story. Bob was a decorated F-4 fighter pilot and Vietnam War hero with 389 combat missions. I’m proud to have known Bob as a friend for many years up to his death in 2017.
Bob was quite ill for the last few years of his life, and he confided in me that he wanted to find someone to take over his business so he could retire. Like so many shop owners, Bob feared that the shop had little value other than the real estate, and by the way, Bob’s home was located on the shop’s property. I assured him that somebody who’s already in the business would love to have his shop as a second location, and maybe he could “rent back” the house. I suggested that he find some likely candidates, and I’d help him make the sale.
A few days later, Bob called to tell me about a guy named Jason Halaby, who owned two shops and wanted more. He had checked around and found that Jason was a young guy with a good reputation. Bob asked me to meet with Jason and try to put a deal together that would provide him a monthly income and the ability to stay in his home. Jason remembered, “Bob wasn’t much of a negotiator. When he called me, he said, ‘I’m closing my shop, and I want you to have it.’ He had no idea of how much he wanted for it, but Bob told me if we meet with Thom Tschetter, he’ll help us put a deal together.”
Putting that deal together told me all I needed to know about Jason’s integrity. Without going into the financial details, here’s what I observed. Jason displayed empathy for Bob’s situation and concern for Bob’s welfare. The resulting deal provided Bob with a passive income that exceeded what he was making from running the shop, and Bob got to live in his house (rent free) for the rest of his life. Jason recalled, “After we signed the purchase documents, Bob had a big grin and started laughing. When I asked him if he was okay, Bob said, ‘I’m just so happy. I got exactly what I wanted.’ And I replied, ‘Great; so did I.’”
The two of them became close friends, and Jason loved to hear Bob’s stories. As Jason reflected, he said that he’d learned a lot from Bob… “It reminded me of the relationship between Billy Crystal and Jack Palance in the movie City Slickers. Like when Curly held up one finger and said, ‘The secret of life is just one thing.’”
The Beginning and Nearly the Ending
Jason’s automotive career began with working his way up from a “go-for” to a service advisor with a large Southern California Ford dealership. From there he leveraged his customer service skills to become the youngest franchisee of a national convenience store chain at the age of 22. In 2001, Jason decided to return to his passion for cars by purchasing a franchised transmission business in Phoenix. Coincidentally, Tim Ebersole was Jason’s trainer, and that was the beginning of their 18 plus year friendship.
Tim says, “Jason took to the transmission business like fish to water. Jason embraces technology but thrives on personal interaction. It’s Jason’s thoughtfulness and genuine care for others that drives his success. We share that philosophy, and that’s the basis of our friendship.”
It wasn’t long before the franchise company recognized Jason’s abilities. They offered Jason the option to take over failed locations in Arizona. For the next seven years, Jason took over one failing shop after another and turned them into profitable businesses. Then he’d resell them at a profit.
In 2008, Jason made a decision that nearly ended in financial failure. Due to fundamental philosophical differences, he decided to leave the franchise organization and become an independent. He leased a location in Gilbert that had seen three other transmission companies, including a franchised shop, fail miserably, and he opened it as Choice Transmissions.
Jason recalls, “Back then, the internet wasn’t as much a marketing force as today, and we still relied primarily on Yellow Pages. But we’d missed the publishing date, and eight months into it, I had one of the worst days of my life. It was the day I called my wife, Christina, to tell her that we only have 90 days to turn things around, or we’re broke. I told her about a seminar in Las Vegas, and I wanted to spend money we didn’t have to go there for some last-ditch help. She told me that she’d support whatever I decide to do.”
Jason scraped together enough money to go to the weekend workshop in Las Vegas. He attributes his turnaround and ongoing success to what he learned in that workshop and six additional months of their coaching. But he’s quick to add, “My faith in Jesus, my wife, and my children are my foundation, and that serves me and my business well.”
One of the things he learned from the training company was how to build a clientele of repeat customers. One of the issues Jason had with the transmission franchise was the idea that you needed to make as much as you could on each job because you’re not likely to see the customer again. The training company explained that by adding general repair, he could build a more stable business and do it faster because he could appeal to a broader market. He followed their advice and hasn’t looked back.
Customers for Life
Jason and Tim have a “Customers for Life” objective with all their customers. Jason says, “We honor our customers. This is even a stronger statement than valuing our customers, though we do value them. Honoring involves honesty, integrity, being thoughtful, respectful, and caring about them and their needs. That’s what brings them back.”
I first shared the following story in the August 2018 issue of GEARS. It fits so well into this article that it’s worth retelling.
… Tim tells me that he and the shop’s owner, Jason Halaby, agree on how to build long-term customer relationships. He calls it the “Law of the Harvest.”
Tim says it’s simple, “You plant the seeds by showing customers that they matter to you, nurture customer relationships over time with respect and integrity, and enjoy the harvest of repeat business and referrals from happy customers.”
Tim shared a touching story that illustrates the “Law of the Harvest.” Several years ago, an older man named George called the shop for a price quote. Another shop had quoted him around $2500. After a few minutes on the phone, Tim built enough rapport with George to convince him… to bring the car in for further diagnosis.
It turned out to be a minor problem with a total bill of under $100. Tim recalled, “It was my birthday, and I remember telling George that even though it was my birthday, I had a present for him.”
About an hour after George left, he returned to the shop with a birthday cake decorated with “Happy Birthday Tim.” If the story ended there, it’s a great story, but it gets better. Yes, George became a regular customer, but for the next four years on his birthday, George brought a birthday cake to Tim.
Tim said that he wondered if George did this because of the repair experience or the personal connection. The next year, Tim got his answer.
George’s wife, Ruth, came in with a birthday cake. She said that George had passed away, and he had a safe deposit box where he’d left a list of instructions, which included, “Bring a birthday cake to Tim Eversole on April 28th every year.” Tim says that Ruth is still a customer, and she brings him a cake every year…
Be a Hero in Your Neighborhood
Jason and Tim both believe in giving to their communities. Tim was quick to point out some examples of how Jason is a hero in his neighborhood. Tim says, “Jason gives of himself, his talents, and his finances because he genuinely cares about people. Tim puts it this way, “You can’t out-give God, but Jason is trying! He’s doing it for real.” Here are just three of the many ways Jason and Choice are giving.
• They’re involved in a free church ministry called “Tender Loving Car Care” (TLCC) – fixing cars for single moms. They do free safety checks and repairs for moms in need.
• TLCC also accepts car donations and rehabs them. Then they either give away or sell the cars and the proceeds go to organizations like House of Refuge, which is a battered women’s home.
• Jason is also active in local schools and sports, supporting worthy programs and projects.
You can call it the “Golden Rule,” “Paying it Forward,” or, as Stephen Covey called it, “The Law of the Harvest.” No matter what you call it, the point is clear – it’s not about getting, it’s about giving and caring.
I used to think that whenever I took my car to Choice for service and repairs, I was getting extra-special treatment because of my connection with our industry. At least, it always felt that way. But I don’t feel so special anymore. It turns out that they treat everybody extra special.
