AUTO SHOP SUCCESS
The decision to accept credit cards
helped keep this business afloat
during tough times

DAVE'S DETAIL & AUTO REPAIR
EMPLOYEES: 14
ESTABLISHED: 1999
PROCESSING WITH VMS SINCE: 2004

SOUTH CAROLINA - JUNE 7, 2011 - At 39 years old, Dave remains one of his county's favorite "handy men." Everyone knows that when something breaks, Dave's the one guy who will go out of his way to get whatever it is working again, no matter the time of day. If your car breaks down on the side of the road at one in the morning, just call Dave and he'll make a special trip to get you on your way. It's quite clear when you watch him work that he is a truly gifted handyman.

Although he's been known to get a dishwasher up and running again, his true passion lies in working on automobiles. Dave grew up in South Carolina, spending most of his childhood summer vacations with his father in their garage restoring classic cars. He learned all he could back then, soaking up every tidbit of knowledge his father shared with him like a sponge. He recalls these days with much fondness, "Back then, it wasn't like work at all. I just did what dad told me to, and before you knew it, those cars were back out on the road running as good as new. Seeing the owners' faces light up when they saw their fully restored car again gave me the best feeling imaginable."

It's that foundation that drove Dave to start his own auto repair shop: Dave's Detail & Auto Repair, now located in central South Carolina. After ten years in business, Dave was doing so well, he decided to expand his shop and bought a much larger garage facility, hired a couple more mechanics and invested in some new tool sets.

Right when he thought he was on top of the world, he realized that he wasn't pulling in as much business as he had estimated. The new shop was costing him LOTS of money and he wasn't able to keep up with the bills. He wished he would have never moved. It was at this time he learned that even though you may be good at something, people won't touch your business with a ten-foot pole if you only accept cash. While his cash-only policy worked at the smaller shop, his new location in the suburbs dealt with a somewhat different clientele. "I thought, 'Gee, that guy down the road does a shoddy job using cheap parts and charges more than me. How come he brings in more business?' And then I realized that it was a matter of convenience: He accepts credit cards and I don't."

At this point, Dave recalls a recommendation he received from a family friend a couple years ago for a credit card processing company called VMS. Dave looked them up online. After reviewing their website (www.getvms.com), he decided to give them a shot. Dave received his terminal and processing equipment (a VeriFone Vx510) within 36 hours after speaking to his sales representative over the phone. He sent out a mailing to his previous clients to let them know that he can now take credit and debit card payments along with a special offer, posted his Visa/MasterCard logo stickers on his door, and waited. Within 3 weeks, his business had increased substantially. New clients were coming in, and soon, they were recommending Dave's Detail & Auto Repair to THEIR friends. He's heard feedback from dozens of clients about how they had wanted to come in before but hadn't because they were uncertain about the shop's payment policies.

Today, nearly a year after signing on with VMS, Dave's business has nearly doubled. Thanks to a Fast Cash business cash advance he obtained from VMS, he's been able to purchase the equipment he needed to branch out and start offering body work services to his customers. By making the decision to accept credit cards and debit cards, Dave has been able to continue pursuing his dream. His story is not unique; it highlights the power of belief in your company and the magnitude of such a small decision as the one Dave made when he called VMS. "Had I waited a few more months, I may have lost everything I worked my entire life to build up."

These days, Dave spends his free time with his own five-year-old son, Mark, in hopes that he'll pick up the family trade some day. Thanks for sharing your story with us, Dave. We wish you the best of success in the future. If we're ever in your neck of the woods, we'll stop by for an oil change and a cup of coffee.

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