J.R. Martinez Auto South:
big city service, small town values

By María Eugenia Guerra

"I still like to get my hands dirty, and I always keep a hands-on approach to all aspects of auto repair, whether its managing inventory or keeping the work spaces clean," said Jorge Martinez, owner of J.R.Martinez Auto South, one of this city's premier generalized auto repair shops and the only Carquest parts store in Laredo. "If I can keep my experienced mechanics current with new trends, new products, and new technology for repairs and diagnostics, then I am offering my customers the best service possible in Laredo," said Martinez, who has over 27 years experience in the auto repair business and has been at the same South Laredo location for the same number of years.
"Our family history since before World War II has been about auto repair," Martinez said. "I try to carry on with the work ethic I was taught by my father, which is to give the customer the best value and the best service. If I can do that, I know you will come back when your vehicle needs repairs or new shocks or new tires," he said.
Martinez profiled his customers as "busy people who have schedules that match Laredo's fast-paced business climate, some who have run out of time to do their own repairs and maintenance."
He added, "Some of them are teachers and other professionals who work in South Laredo and want to drop off their vehicles and come back at the end of the day to pick up a vehicle that has been serviced and is ready for the road."
Martinez said that South Laredo has always figured prominently in his life and in the growth of his business. "There are very good people with strong values in South Laredo who are interested in good service. But our customer base comes from all across the city and from ranchers in the outlying areas. We also service oilfield trucks," Martinez continued.
He said it is service that sets JRM apart from other repair shops.
"Many Laredo shops lack the kind of service and attention that makes customers come back. Service is one of our strongest assets. We make sure that our mechanical expertise goes hand in hand with good service. The atmosphere we keep here with a clean operation and equipment in good repair inspires trust, and so do our employees, who have been with the company about 10 years on average. If a customer has to wait while we put a new set of tires on the vehicle, he or she will be comfortable in our waiting area, so comfortable that you can set up your laptop and work here while you wait, or read something interesting while you listen to satellite radio," Martinez said.
"One of the most important components of our customer service is our ability to locate hard-to-find parts quickly on the Internet and to have them here the next day. We are also connected nationwide to locate parts for very new cars. Our time is valuable, too, and we don't waste any," he said, adding, "Another of our strong suits is the state-of-the-art laser alignment we do for everything from small cars to two-and-a-half ton trucks."
According to Martinez, JRM doesn't accept jobs that can't be done on the premises. "We refer customers to specialized shops for things we just can't do, like upholstery. Otherwise, we do fuel injectors, transmissions, motor rebuilding, and all the routine tune up, brake, and maintenance work. We have our own machine shop and transmission shop, all done in-house with our hands on it. Safety plays into everything we do. It is always on our minds. Insurance companies like us because we work safely and because our loss ratio is zero, " he said.
Martinez said the auto repair business has been markedly changed by the vast inventory that parts suppliers and shops must keep to service the number of models car makers manufacture. "You have to have good amount of inventory to be able to support that," he said.
"Truck accessories are a large percentage of our business. Accessorizing is a South Texas thing. You've got to have a grill guard, steps, and tool boxes to fancy it up or to make it more useful," Martinez continued.
Martinez manages JRM Auto South with his wife Annette and his daughter Selina. "Every day is a new challenge, a learning experience," he said, adding that he keeps up with new products and trends by reading and attending seminars and clinics for new technology. "And of course, there's always the vehicle's manual," he said.
"That we see a lot of repeat customers tells me we are doing something right. Whether the customer has come in for service or has asked for help over the phone, we aren't selfish with our information -- we try to help solve their dilemma," Martinez said.
"We are very community oriented. We help a lot of the schools and the LIFE association, and we've taken on a special role with Texas Special Olympics through Carquest, which is the number one sponsor in the state for the Texas Special Olympics. We are staging a steak plate sale on March 6 to benefit the Special Olympics," Martinez said.
"I am the quality control part of the business since I am ultimately responsible for everything that happens here. I try very hard to take care of every customer who comes in the door. I understand they are here because they value our advice on which tire will do the job for their needs or whether or not it is time to replace a starter," Martinez said, adding, "We offer our customers a six-month, no interest Goodyear credit card and a Carquest TechNet Car Care One card that gives you instant credit for repairs for six months without interest.
"What I think really sets us apart is that we offer big city service with small town values," he said.