Well, next week I’m being honored by The Founders Forum with this year’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award. There was also a very nice article in Spacecoast Business magazine and a clever picture that has me up to my elbows in auto service.

And although I will gladly accept an award that recognizes “business excellence within our community,”
I certainly know that this is a team effort and that the award is really for all our ASE Certified Mechanics, our store managers, our wonderful sales manager—John Tidwell—our great management team (which includes my two sons) and everyone who has put their heart into this business— such as my dad, Mike Gatto, whose vision created this company.

What’s really important, and what any award like this represents to me, is that it reflects the fact that every one of us is working as hard as we can to make Gatto’s Tires & Auto Service a place where our customers are comfortable, where our customers get a great deal, where our customers are treated with respect and can trust that we will take care of their vehicles like our own.

The greatest award is your trust. For that I want to say, “thank you”.

Pam

Read the press release here.

Click here to view the email.

When I first joined Gatto’s—back when it was called Mike Gatto’s—I made it a priority to address the way we treated women at our stores. I knew firsthand what it was like to be talked down to and I wasn’t going to tolerate that happening to any of our customers. Over time, we became known as the female-friendly auto service provider in Brevard. Now, many years later, women don’t have to be worried about being humiliated when they walk into an auto service shop, but it can still be intimidating and there’s still that lingering suspicion that they’re trying to take advantage of you.

Gatto’s is always looking to make our customers (both men and women) feel comfortable when they do business with us, which is why I’m proud to announce that we’ve joined the network of AskPatty.com Certified Female Friendly® Tire Dealers in North America—the first in Central Florida. Our staff has completed a training and certification process to foster an environment of mutual respect and trust and provide an experience that exceeds women’s expectations.

This is good news for men too, since women often have very high expectations. If you are looking for a place to buy great tires and have your vehicle taken care of by the best mechanics, Gatto’s is for you. If you want to be treated with the respect you deserve, in a facility that is clean, by a staff who are courteous, polite and friendly—you only need to stop by your nearest Gatto’s store and you will find just that.

In addition to the staff training, we’ve also launched a micro-site in conjunction with AskPatty. It’s a single location that provides all the tools and resources most requested by women. You can schedule service appointments, access coupons and discounts, and learn more about car buying and maintenance online. It’s a great way to gain the knowledge that allows women (and men, too) to walk into an auto repair shop and make confident, educated decisions about what’s best for them and their vehicles.

So if you’re a lady, I’ll see you at Gatto’s. If you’re a gentleman, I’ll see you at Gatto’s, too. And if you don’t fit into either category, that’s ok, everyone is welcome at Gatto’s.

Pam

Read the press release

Visit the microsite

Click here to view the email.

I saw a commercial the other day where people were rolling up their sleeves and getting down to some serious do-it-yourself work—painting, cleaning, repairing, things like that. They also showed some people changing their own oil. This may be an area where you want to pause to reflect before jumping in.

First of all, let me remind you that at Gatto’s we keep our oil change prices low because we know how important it is to maintaining the life of your vehicle. And second, changing your own oil may not be the money-saving activity you think.

Consider this—

• You won’t save much by doing it yourself. You still have to buy oil and an oil filter. You may save $5 or so.
• You still have to dispose of the used oil and filter and either pay a disposal fee or find a place that recycles these types of items.
• You may need some special tools and equipment—wrench, oil pans, ramps, etc.
• And a certified mechanic will give your vehicle a visual inspection and possibly catch a potential problem before it gets bigger.

So do yourself a real favor and let our ASE Certified Mechanics take care of your vehicle.

Drive carefully and I’ll see you at Gatto’s.

Pam

Click here to view the email.

Sometimes, the “facts” that we carry around in our heads are actually “myths”. (Although I will admit that yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus – bigfoot, not so much.)

That’s why it’s good to revisit the “truth” now and again through the eyes of an unbiased resource, like the analysis released recently by AutoMD.com.

According to this report “car owners can save an estimated $300+ a year on average by opting for their local independent repair shop versus the car dealership.” Well, we knew that, but it’s good to have it confirmed from an outside source.
The report goes on to discuss the

Top Five Dealership versus Independent Repair Shop Myths, including:

• THE WARRANTY MYTH
• THE OEM PARTS ARE BETTER MYTH
• THE “CHEAPEST OPTION IS THE BEST OPTION” MYTH
• THE SERVICE RECORDS MYTH
• THE RELATIONSHIP MYTH

- read more -

O.K., I know it’s not the mystery of the pyramids, but if you “can save an estimated 25% on your total repair bill” (again, their words), you may want to check it out.

Drive carefully and I’ll see you next time at Gatto’s.

Pam

Click here to view the email.

April 22 is Earth Day and since used tires have no place in the environment, we thought we would tell you what happens to the tires that have reached the end of the road.  Of course Gatto’s doesn’t toss them into landfills.  Experts estimate that it could take tens of thousands of years for a tire to completely decompose in a landfill. Some people think they never will.  Since very few of us have lived tens of thousands of years to test the theory, it’s tough to know.  But for the sake of argument, we’ll say it’s a loooong time.

At Gatto’s your worn tires take a trip to the recycling plant, where they end up as recovered rubber, steel and fiber. These materials are then recycled and reused, reducing the carbon footprint for all of us.

So roll on into Gatto’s and roll out with some new tires.  We’ll take care of the old ones. We promise.

Pam

Click here to view the email.