Ken's Body Works

I called Ken's yesterday to ask if they could take the interior trim off a door in my car. They said yes, stop by any time, even though I didn't identify myself as a previous customer. I had a tough problem. The passenger-side electric window on my car was open and would not close. I just wanted to get the window up so we can use the car in cold weather--money being too short to pay for a full repair right now. The car had sat in the garage for some time because we couldn't find anyone to fix it. Then I remembered the deft handing of trim panels I'd seen at Ken's, and their friendly, can-do attitude. I thought if they could take the (old, brittle) trim off, maybe I could get the window up. It turns out they have lots of experience with misbehaving windows. Ken immediately understood the problem, and called one of his technicians to help me. They not only got the trim off, they raised the window, reinstalled the trim, and diagnosed the problem (a bad switch) and let me know they'd be happy to install a new switch when I could afford one. They also disconnected the circuit that opens the window, so we wouldn't get back into the same situation--a helpful bit of common sense that you don't find at a lot of places! I want to tell you about my previous experience at Ken's Body Works. It illustrates a number of the things that set them apart. My husband and I were sideswiped while driving down our dirt road. The highway patrolman who made the accident report told us that, although the other driver caused the accident, the insurance wouldn't acknowledge fault because it happened on private property. We don't have collision insurance so were in a spot. A friend of mine who knows most of the car-related businesses in the area told me that Ken would work with us to find a way to make the car serviceable and look pretty good for a minimum of money. This turned out to be true. When you go to Ken's Body Works, you talk to Ken, the owner. Ken explained different options (patiently!) and wrote the work order to our specifications. We have a pickup truck, but as a family of four, could not all go in it at once. Ken had some cars he had fixed up for sale, and he lent us one at no charge while ours was in the shop. Then we got a pleasant surprise. The other driver's insurance was going to pay for our repairs! Their adjuster gave us a printout with specifications and prices, and Ken rewrote the work order to match. It was done professionally and on time, and Ken had his people straighten, fix, and touch up a couple of minor dings while they were at it (at no extra charge). Unfortunately there was a problem with our repair. Some time later a mechanic discovered further damage caused by the accident, which neither we, nor the insurance adjuster, nor Ken's staff had seen. By then it was too late to file a supplemental claim, but when I talked to Ken, he saw it as his responsibility to make sure our car was fully repaired. He ordered the replacement part and installed it at his own expense. They say the real test of a business's customer service is how they respond when something goes wrong. Ken made it right. I have had more experience than I ever wanted to with collision repair, enough to know that Ken's Body Works did a top class job fixing up our car. I feel Ken's Body Works stands out because 1) Good communication. When you go there, you talk to Ken. He orders and oversees the work and makes sure it is done the way you want it. This is a huge advantage over shops where somebody working a desk takes your information and passes it on to a technician you never meet. 2) Excellent craftsmanship. Ken's demonstrates that a friendly, informal style is fully compatible with top quality work. 3) Flexibility. Ken's will do the work YOU want, the way you want it, and if you need to know your options, Ken will take the time to discuss them with you. 4) Customer service; a dedication to getting everything right, doing something extra, and sending you away happy. 5) Trust. I am big on doing business with people I trust, and I am certain that when I take my car to Ken's, everything will be done as it's supposed to be and the price will be fair.