Sometimes the best way to do business is simple and straightforward.
In today’s age of flashy advertising, extravagant sales pitches, and superficial customer service, it’s refreshing to work with the antonym.
Ryan and Lacey Pressler are the owners of Automotive Tire & Service (ATS) in Humboldt and Hartford, South Dakota, and have built an honest business in an industry that often struggles with trust.
“I honestly don’t know exactly how we’ve built trust with our customers,” laughs Ryan. “We’re just honest — 100% of the time.”
Perhaps the Presslers are proof that trust cannot be gamed, as many companies attempt to accomplish. For instance, many television ads are directed to showcase a company’s goodwill or honesty, which are often rightly seen by the viewer as simply a marketing ploy.
Plainly said: There is no substitute for honesty. And ATS is a prime example.
Ryan Pressler began his journey as a mechanic in Sioux Falls in the early 2000s when he felt the itch to start his own business.
Knowing he had to scratch it, Pressler opened up shop in Humboldt in 2002 with the help of his father. As the business grew, Pressler began to specialize in diesel mechanics — particularly light- to medium-duty trucks.
Today, the shop offers advanced diagnostics and high performance tuning and reliability upgrades for Power Stroke, Cummins, and Duramax diesel engines.
In other words — if your diesel truck needs maintenance, Automotive Tire and Service is your place.
About a decade after the opening of the Humboldt location, the Presslers opened the Hartford shop in 2015 and decided that the new location would focus primarily on automotive services. The Humboldt shop already had an established customer base for diesel services, although both locations offer complete automotive repair.
Their decision to open a location in Hartford is characteristic of many fellow businesses in town.
For one, Hartford was already supplying ATS with a significant flow of business. Their experience indicated the market was strong, and they rationalized that providing current and future customers with an even more convenient location seemed like a good idea.
In general, however, the Hartford area presents an enticing situation for nearly any business. Affordable rents, an excellent workforce, and a strong consumer economy aid both top and bottom lines for a business.
So far, ATS is capitalizing on all of these benefits.
Although they specialize in diesel mechanics, ATS provides comprehensive service for all automotives.
Whether you need a routine oil change or a complete engine overhaul, ATS mechanics are equipped for the job.
“Our goal is to get everything done the first time, on time,” says Pressler.
“For me personally, I love the sense of accomplishment — where we fix the problem, the customer gets a fair deal, and everyone’s happy.”
There’s no question that customers generally leave satisfied with their service from ATS.
This may best be observed in the large quantity of repeat customers that ATS serves. When a customer continues to come back for business, there’s a clear reason.
In the auto repair business, the number of servicers is typically not an issue for customers. If a poor experience is had, there is usually another option not too far away.
Seeing that customers decidedly return again and again, there may be no better reference on the quality of work provided by ATS.
No flashiness, no gimmicks — just straightforward, honest business.
