| Foreign Car Service Opens Doors in Devon |
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Written By: Isabel Senés | 10/23/2008 | Published in the Milford Mirror MILFORD - Helmut Zimmermann built his business on one word: integrity. Now, his son Robert is keeping the family tradition alive in the new business he opened in Devon last week.
 Helmut's ® Foreign Car Service, located at 177 Bridgeport Ave., brings to Milford a new business with a family name. The original Helmut's ® opened in 1962 in Bridgeport, a car repair service company and used car dealership specializing in Volkswagen, BMW and Subaru. The new Helmut's ® of Milford also specializes in foreign car repair, including BMW, Subaru, and Mercedes, among other European brands."We are here to stay," said Robert Zimmermann. "We want to establish our roots here, and get involved with the community."
Zimmermann was involved with his father's business from a young age, and grew up in the car business. He began his career washing cars as a 12-year-old, before working as a mechanic, running the parts department, working in sales, and doing bookkeeping for his father's business. Before Helmut's ® of Bridgeport closed, Zimmermann worked as vice president and general manager for the business, logging in more than 30 years in the profession.
Helmut's ® in Bridgeport was opened by Robert's father Helmut Zimmermann and stayed in business for 40 years, when the business was sold in 2002. The secret to the longevity of the business, according to Helmut Zimmermann, was "integrity." Originally from Hobbach, a small town in the mountains in Germany, Helmut Zimmermann came to the U.S. in 1955, where he found work as a Volkswagen mechanic. From there, he worked his way to opening his own business, which he built on customer satisfaction and treating employees like family.
"One thing I always believed in is integrity; you promise something, you keep it," said Zimmermann. "Customer satisfaction has been a main goal always, and my employees have always been like family --- that's why they stayed with me for so long."
His son, Robert, feels that the influence his father has had on him as a businessman has provided the foundation for his own business.
Zimmermann said that in his father's business, customers were known by first name, and displayed a real loyalty, buying two or three cars, some returning to purchase over 10 cars. Employees felt that same loyalty, staying on for an average of 17 years.
While the current economic climate proves risky to be opening a new business, Robert Zimmermann feels a turnaround may around the corner. "Starting a business today is a big challenge, given the current marketplace and the financial crisis," said Zimmermann. "The probability of people buying new cars is not likely, and people will be looking to fix what they have."
Being a smaller business catering to the servicing of foreign cars allows Helmut's ® to be competitive in pricing, said the Zimmermanns. Beginning in the spring of next year, Robert Zimmermann hopes to begin the sales end of the business, offering used cars as well as car repair. For more information and hours, call 203-283-4600 or Click Here. |