"We are known as the collision repair center with the '57 Chevy in the sky," he says, adding that much of the operation's marketing and advertising is centered upon the special up, up and away sphere that has been dubbed "Sunday Cruise."
"Collision repair cannot rely on impulse purchases, rather branding and top-of-the-mind awareness – Sunday Cruise does that for us. The '57 Chevy is iconic for all generations, and the balloon is recognizable from a long distance," Burns says.
The Sunday Cruise logo is on the shop's estimating sheets, letterhead and business cards along with giveaway key chains and other souvenirs.
The annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in October is the largest hot air gathering in the world, hosting more than 800 balloons from across the globe. "We have balloon pins that we trade with other balloon pilots and balloon cards for the children," Burns says.
Albuquerque and nearby Rio Rancho, where Automotive Impressions is located, are both home to a significant and tightly knit population of balloon pilots, crews and assorted aficionados.
"We get a lot of referrals from the ballooning community," Burns says. "We also get fan mail from as far away as New Zealand, which doesn't really help with our collision repair shop locally, but it is still cool."
Having an aerial billboard "is a great way to stay in contact with past customers and friends and to develop new relationships. We actually have customers call or stop by before Balloon Fiesta to find out what space we will be in," he says.
Sunday Cruise takes flight on a regular basis to attract attention to community events and fundraisers, donating rides in support of charitable causes. It plays a starring role in the shop's television commercials and has been featured in the local newspaper and other publications enamored with this unusual marketing tool.
Ads are purchased in school and sports calendars, with the company also maintaining an attractive website and active presence on Facebook.
"We rely heavily on word-of-mouth and top-of-the mind awareness," Burns emphasizes. "Our community is relatively small and environmentally aware. We support the youth of our community, including the Boys and Girls Clubs, the schools and various sports. We are also environmentally aware and responsible. We use Sherwin Williams AWX Waterborne refinish products, which is better for our employees and gentler on the environment – and that is a big deal to our customers," Burns says, noting that the shop brings in a large female demographic.
Established in 1994, "we opened the doors with my wife, four young sons and myself," Burns recounts. "I repaired and painted the vehicles as well as wrote the majority of the estimates. My wife, Liz, (who is vice president) took care of our customers and the office, helped with estimates and helped prep in the paint shop. As our sons got older, they, too, were busy keeping the shop clean, later learning to do repairs themselves. After approximately six months, we were busy enough to hire a collision repair technician. Within a year we hired a painter." Their son Scott also wields a spray gun and assists with management duties.
Jerry Burns got his start in the industry by fixing cars as a hobby, eventually finding work at a professional shop. His tenure there inspired a desire to run his own business, feeling that "collision repair was more than a blue collar job repairing crashed vehicles, and I believed I could help change the stereotype of collision repair."
The search for a location in which to begin resulted in discovering that the Albuquerque market was saturated with collision facilities and uneasy landlords.
"Most building owners with a space feasible and zoned for collision repair did not want to rent or lease to a collision repair shop," Burns says. As the hunt extended outward from Albuquerque, Rio Rancho beckoned as a better opportunity, complete with a suitable structure.
"The owner was very accommodating in allowing us to make the building collision repair-friendly," Burns says. Excess office space was eliminated and an enlarged paint shop was constructed. "As it turns out, we are one of just a few collision repair shops in the immediate Rio Rancho area. New Mexico is rural," he says, yet "we are positioned within 50 miles in either direction of small cities with potential clientele. We get a lot of business from these surrounding communities."
Automotive Impressions bought the building in 2006. Opening additional locations is a possibility within the next three to five years when Liz and Jerry "transition into retirement" and two of their sons "take our company to the next level."
"Our other three sons work in the industry and work indirectly with our company with their services as needed," Burns says. "Our daughters-in-law help out when we need them, especially if I am traveling. Our grandkids just charm our customers. My family is the lifeline of our business."
Burns' reference to traveling stems from his participation in a seemingly exhausting array of leadership positions in industry organizations, including the I-CAR Education Foundation Board of Directors, the Collision Industry Electronic Commerce Association (CIECA), the Automotive Service Association (ASA) Executive Board of Directors, and NACE. He has served terms as chairman of NACE and ASA.
"I have always had a passion for the industry since I began as a hobbyist and working in a shop," Burns says. "I have met a lot of influential people in the industry who have encouraged me to participate on a larger scale." This involvement "helps me be more proactive in my own business. It has also given me resources across all segments of the industry to help me grow my business more efficiently and become more profitable. I have found there is a lot of knowledge in the industry and most are more than willing to share and lend a helping hand."
Membership in a 20 Group is currently on a brief hiatus.
"Due to the present economy and the need to cut expenses, we are currently sitting out for a while but intend to return when feasible," Burns says, recalling that his 20 Group stint was "one of the best things we ever did for our business, particularly being a family-owned company.
"The members in our 20 Group are also family owned and operated," Burns continues. "We are accountable to each other and have resources all over the country; only a phone call away. Since we are from various regions in the United States, we are able to benchmark without anti-trust violations. We learn from our facilitators and various speakers very practical information to make our businesses more efficient and more profitable."
Burns said a personal mentor is Gary Spear of Spear's Automotive in Cedar Crest, N.M., who has served alongside Burns in several positions.
Having a strong support system in Rio Rancho is critical to Burns' ability to follow his overall industry aspirations. "If it is worth doing, you manage the time," he declares. "My family is very instrumental in making it possible for me to participate in the industry by taking care of responsibilities at home and at our company." Son Scott's management skills are a crucial asset. "He has good rapport with the customers and the insurance companies, which makes it possible for me to take time away from the shop to participate in the industry."
One direct repair program that accounts for about 20 percent of the business is in place, although the company takes pride in consistently cooperating with numerous other carriers. "We say what we do and we do what we say," Burns says. "We have developed a relationship of integrity and trust with the various insurers over the past 18 years."
Burns said his greatest challenge is "Saying no, even when your instinct tells you to say no. I have always tried to help wherever and whenever I can, however, sometimes it would have been best to have declined the job."
