Brian and Nola Klaubert opened their first Christian Brothers Automotive franchise in 2002 after leaving lucrative tech jobs in Tulsa, OK. The Gwinnett couple was recently recognized nationally by CNBC out of more than 28,500 individual franchisees as a Top 50 Franchise All Star for 2016, and the top franchise in Georgia based on their significant financial success. They now have three locations in Gwinnett.
The Klauberts were first exposed to the Christian Brothers brand while Brian was working for Kimberley Clarke, a job that required expansive travel time and caused the couple to relocate nearly every three years.
They were giving us signals that we were going to have to move back to Wisconsin but the environment wasnt for us, said Klaubert.
Business at the Tulsa Christian Brothers Automotive was booming and without prior automotive experience, the Klauberts opted to delve deeper into the company.
The Christian aspect and the values associated with the brand are the real reasons we chose to hop on board, said Klaubert. If you talk to anyone in the corporate office and the vast number of franchisees, every member is helpful, friendly and encouraging. The notion that we are able to exhibit our faith in our business while helping other people is inspiring.
Aside from the support of the franchise system, the automotive repair industry had also proved to be recession proof during the .com bust of 2001. Although many other businesses were struggling, car repairs were influx as customers preferred to hold onto their cars rather than sell.
We always look for a way to make situations into a win-win-win, said Klaubert. First and foremost, there always has to be a benefit to the customer because the core of our business comes from repeat clientele. Our next step is to confirm that the employee understands the benefit theyre adding to the bottom line when they treat our customers with respect. Finally, every action should ultimately be a win for the business.
