West Bend, WI – Auto Safety Center in West Bend, Wi, has added a familiar face to its team at the shop on Highway 33. Marnie Parse is a service advisor and brings valuable experience, professionalism, and a woman’s touch to the locally owned auto repair shop.
“I was a service advisor at a shop in Kewaskum, Wi for four years,” said Parse. “I was a multitasker; I worked closely with the owner and then one-on-one with people in the community providing full service at the gas station and helping people with their propane tanks.”
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Prior to working in the auto industry, Parse sharpened her people skills during a 30-year career in nursing, working in home health care and end-of-life care.
“That industry really taught me a lot about empathy and listening to people,” she said. “That skill set transfers pretty well to the automotive industry because when your vehicle is broken, it really disrupts your life; people have places to be. I try to make people feel comfortable, and welcome, and get them taken care of ASAP.”
Mike Hilzley is managing partner at Auto Safety Center. He said Parse is an extremely strong addition.
“A strong woman in the auto industry is an amazing asset to have,” said Hilzley. “Why? Let’s be transparent. Who would most women like to deal with? I’d like to deal with another woman rather than a man; it’s very intimidating with what we do.
“There’s a lot of unknowns in the auto industry, we’re trying to break down barriers and it’s much easier to talk with a woman as a whole.”
Hilzley also praised the amount of experience Parse brings to the table.
“To find somebody with Marnie’s experience, we were very fortunate,” he said. “She has a lot of involvement in the community, which is important to us because Auto Safety Center is very involved.”
Hilzley said they interviewed a lot of people for the job, but at the end of the day Parse was a “slam-dunk decision.”
“She showed leadership, great people-management skills, and we knew she was going to fit in quite well here,” he said.
Parse said she likes the “family feel’ at Auto Safety Center and she’s looking to pass that along to customers.
Parse said Auto Safety Center makes it easy for customers, especially if they don’t have the time to wait. “We have a new waiting area, but if people are on the go we offer loaner cars or we can shuttle them; we just try to make it as easy as possible for them.”
The caveats around a loaner car at Auto Safety Center are pretty simple. “You just have to show proof of insurance and we put a credit card on file,” said Parse. “Then there are the standard expectations like no smoking, no pets, no going out of state with the loaner vehicle. Once you return it filled with gas, you get the $75 back.”
Parse said, the other impressive standard about Auto Safety Center is its warranty.
“We offer a five year, 50,000 mile warranty on parts and labor. That’s huge,” she said. “Auto Safety Center also has a 3-year/ 36,000-miles nationwide warranty. So if you’re traveling and something happens, you can rest assured we will be there for you and we have a free year of roadside assistance.
“It’s peace of mind and I’m here to help with that.”
Auto Safety Center now has three locations; two in West Bend and one in Cedarburg.
