Australian Enterprise Awards 2020

28 APAC / 2020 Australian Enterprise , the business functions. All staff must, therefore, be of good character, because while it is possible to teach them how to be a better mechanic, it isn’t possible to teach someone how to work in an open and honest manner. This technique applies all the way through to apprentices, with parents invited to the interview so that everyone knows what the business is about. It also means that any questions that the apprentice answers can be verified by someone who knows them well! Contact Details Company: M.A.L. Automotives Contact: Mark Duperouzel Website: www.malautos.com.au M.A.L. Automotives Feb20232 Best Family-Run Automotive Repair Centre - Western Australia All businesses aim to provide excellent service, but few have built themselves on such a strong footing of integrity and honesty. M.A.L. Automotives inWestern Australia has grown significantly since humble beginnings in the early 90s. Even though it has achieved amazing award success, it remains a heartfelt, small-time operation putting customers first and foremost. We took a closer look to see what could be learned from this approach. In1992,MarkDuperouzel was asked to manage a workshop. When the owner decided to move on one year later, Mark brought the machinery and set up shop with his wife, Leith. M.A.L. Automotives was the result, with a reputation to upload and a business to build. For nearly thirty years, people have been able to get the best service with a personal touch. Customers are key to the success of any business, but with smaller operations like this, it is possible to treat people as friendly individuals. M.A.L. Automotives has always known this to be true, so from the beginning, Mark and his team have made sure that the customer is never kept guessing. Always in the loop, there is never any doubt as to what stage or state a vehicle is in and often customers are included in the repair process, so they know just what has been done by the workshop team. The current business climate has been incredibly beneficial to the M.A.L. Automotives team, with people rejecting consumer culture. Customers tend to want their older cars repaired instead of buying them new. For M.A.L. Automotives, this is good business and the team must do nothing more than ensure that they keep up to date with the latest in diagnostics and the differences between different models and repair types. To this end, Mark ensures that members of the team are sent away to be trained in the latest vehicle technological developments, especially given new techniques and methods are being championed. Subscriptions to industry leading suppliers and magazines go a little bit further to making sure that nothing is missed by this attentive team. The task of ensuring that clients are kept happy is one that goes a long way to guaranteeing that a business can work at peak efficiency. M.A.L. Automotives operates on the principle that no grudges are to be held and issues must not be left to fester, instead handled as swiftly and delicately as possible. Because it is a small business, the relationship between the top and the bottom of the company isn’t that far. As such, it is easy to see the importance of explaining changes of any sort, especially decisions that affect how people work. With no opportunity to change a first impression, this must be perfect for customers and staff alike. With a small company, employing staff takes on fresh importance as it can change the way in which