AFTER 20 YEARS WITH GENERAL MOTORS, KURT HEIN ENJOYED SO MUCH SUCCESS WITH HIS FIRST MICHIGAN LOCATION THAT HE IS NOW ACCELERATING GROWTH WITH SECOND OPERATION
Looking back, the Christian Brothers Automotive franchise opportunity seemed like a perfect confluence of opportunities for franchisee Kurt Hein and his wife, Kathy. After working with General Motors for more than 20 years and moving around the country for work-related assignments, Kurt and Kathy were ready to return home to Michigan.
Christian Brothers Automotive allowed Kurt to leverage his experience in the industry (he has always been a car guy, he says) and his significant marketing background. Even better, the faith-based franchise encouraged the Heins to build a business with a purpose. They opened a location in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2011, which the Heins found to be an untapped market for the automotive franchise. Their success has led them to open an additional location in Cascade Township.
At GM, Kurt worked in sales, marketing and international development, and has experience with developing local and regional marketing campaigns for various GM brands. He was also responsible for training personnel on digital marketing and effective lead management, strengthening his leadership abilities. Kurt, who spent significant time with parts and service as well as with dealerships, has an inside view into the workings of shops and parts, a process he has found to be valuable as a Christian Brothers franchisee.
The Christian values on which the brand is based really resonate with Kurt as well as Kathy, who manages operations.
“Love thy neighbor means treating others like you like to be treated,” Kurt says. “We try to treat our customers, employees and vendors all with respect to be an example for them,”
“We do the right thing. Even if we make a mistake we will fix it, we will do what we can to support our customers,” he adds.
Indeed, this customer-centric approach is what wins franchisees’ continued investment interest and the loyalty of the communities they serve.
Please visit www.ChristianBrothersfranchise.com for more information about the Christian Brothers Automotive franchise opportunity.
