Jim Harrington builds his business by making noticeable difference locally
When Jim Harrington came to this small city in northwestern South Carolina nine years ago, he took over an auto repair shop that had fallen on hard times. Today, the Cottman Transmission and Total Auto Care franchise he owns and operates is thriving and has earned a respected place in the community, where Harrington’s Cottman of Mauldin recently was honored by the Better Business Bureau with the Customer Service Award and the Business Integrity Award.
How does the 70-year old lung cancer survivor explain the turnaround?
A True Local Business
“We just try to help people in the community,” he humbly says. “So many people are struggling these days, and we just try our best to help our neighbors however we can.”
On more than one occasion, Harrington says, he’s done repairs for people in need, charging them a fraction of the actual cost. He recalls one customer, a disabled Vietnam veteran, who didn’t have money to pay for the new transmission he needed. Harrington said he’d repair the car for a handshake. And he did.
Harrington, who owns the franchise with his wife Janet, is active in the community and supports area police. This year, he donated more than $1,000 worth of training gear and a canine first aid kit for the Simpsonville Police Department’s canine unit. He also donated to the Mauldin PD tracking vests that keep police dogs cool and hydrated in hot weather.
He supports the local school teams by buying billboards at the school ball field, as well as promoting the local teams on bulletin boards at his auto service shop.
Auto Service Shop In Mauldin
Cottman of Mauldin also runs a food drive every year to benefit Golden Strip Emergency Relief, which helps people in the southern half of Greenville County and the northern section of Lawrence County. The most recent effort brought in more than 9,000 pounds of food for people in need.
Involvement in the community has helped Jim Harrington turn around the business, coupled with his constant quest to give the best in good, honest service. He says that over the past nine years, his shop has won many awards that Cottman Corporate gives to recognize its franchisees, which he sees as a good measure of his commitment to providing the best service and value to his customers and neighbors. For more information about Jim’s center visit his website at www.cottmanofmauldin.com.
About Cottman Transmission and Total Auto Care:
With locations across the U.S. and Canada, Cottman Transmission and Total Auto Care is an auto repair and transmission company for almost any make or model vehicle, foreign or domestic. Cottman Transmission and Total Auto Care continues to take claim of the growing $200 billion aftermarket auto industry and specializes in complete transmission service, brakes, suspension, air conditioning service and much more. Cottman is based in Horsham, Pa. For more information, please visit www.cottman.com.