Imagine you’re stranded on the side of the road with a dead car battery, so you call a mechanic shop. When your rescue comes, you’re surprised to see that it’s a 13-year-old boy, driving an old Ford truck, sitting on a stack of phone books so that he can see over the steering wheel. Imagine your even greater surprise when the boy handily jump-starts the car and sends you on your astonished way. You can’t believe he was able to do it, but you aren’t the only one learning a lesson that day – because the 13-year-old has just come to a valuable realization himself: even though grownups all own cars, they don’t all know how to be car owners.
That boy was Shahe Koulloukian. And that realization was a very big part of what led him to grow up and open his very own mechanic shop. Since Mazvo Auto Car Care Center opened its doors in 1995, Koulloukian’s mission has been to not simply fix people’s cars, but to fix the public’s perception of his industry – empowering his customers to understand their vehicles better so they can be their own first line of defense, but just as importantly, debunking the age-old “dishonest mechanic” stigma.
At the heart and soul of Koulloukian’s business philosophy is teaching Mazvo’s customers to be familiar with their own vehicles, so they can be 100% confident that they aren’t being swindled by a crooked mechanic. He encourages them to ask questions, never hesitates to offer explanations in layman’s terms, and even offers car care classes – free of charge – to help clients go from intimidated to confident when it comes to automotive matters.
Complete transparency and a willingness to educate has become the cornerstone of Koulloukian’s everyday practice. For nearly 25 years, he has dedicated himself to setting Mazvo apart from its competitors not by focusing on the bot-tom line, but on building these trusting relationships with clients, and his loyal) and ever-increasing) client base reflects this. Though Mazvo has been in bus-ness for over two decades, Koulloukian approaches each day with the same gusto: “I treat every day like it’s my first grand opening, loaded with passion and enthusiasm that I’m going to not only help someone, but empower them forever,” he says.
As automotive technology changes, Koulloukian himself never stops learning, and sharing that knowledge with those he serves. His unparalleled integrity and drive to provide above-and-beyond customer service has made Mazvo Auto Car Care Center not only a reputable place to have your car repaired, but a place where you can learn to understand why it needs repaired in the first place.
That 13-year-old on the stack of phone books would certainly be impressed.
This article was originally published in the January 2020 issue of So Scottsdale
