Every morning, Tony Davis starts his day as a detailer the same way.
“Every time I come in and those doors open, I say good morning to our used car manager,” he said. “When I come in, he’s the first one I see and he says, ‘Good Morning Anthony, how are you?’ Just getting that right there makes you want to be in this place.”
For over two years now, Tony has worked as a detailer at the Garber Buick GMC dealership in Fort Pierce, Florida.
It’s not just the work that Tony enjoys. It’s the people.
“Why do I love working here? Well, where do I begin?” he laughed. “The people I work with, they are very good people. They are hard workers, even when you are working yourself and when you seem like you’re about to fall behind, they jump right in to get the job done. Everyone here is a team.”
And Tony is a proud member of this Garber team.
A New Comfort Zone
Tony got his start behind the grill…but not a car grille.
“I was working at Dale’s BBQ in Ft. Pierce for 40 years saving money to help put my son through medical school,” he explained. “I was a cook and basically did everything. I covered the whole restaurant.”
Then the owners sold the restaurant. It came under new management, so Tony decided it was his time to find something new.
That “something new” was Garber.
Tony learned that Garber was looking for detailers. He had no prior experience, but that didn’t matter: he landed an interview with Bob Viccica, Service Manager.
“When I went to the interview with Bob, he was very kind and told me to have a seat, and he told me about the business and detailing,” Tony said. “The way he was talking, he was so kind. I was sitting there thinking, ‘I hope I get the job.’ He was very jovial. I liked that. It wasn’t just all business. He made me laugh.”
Comfort was key – and it paid off for Tony.
“When I started talking to Bob, it’s like I knew him all along,” Tony added. “We hit it off. He asked when I could start. I said, ‘I could start tomorrow!’ He made me feel comfortable and made me feel trustworthy. That’s what grabbed me.”
Tony was hired to join the detailing team. Along with a great comfort level, Tony said Bob was willing to work around his schedule.
“My schedule is perfect,” he said. “Bob wrote my schedule out and made sure it was right for me so we both could be satisfied.”
Tony also received helpful training that has set him up for success.
“They taught me,” he said. “You do not just jump in here. You have to start somewhere. I’m still learning. I know a lot now that I didn’t know about detailing and there is still more to learn.”
Tony said he gets a great education here at Garber. It was a breath of fresh air and a system of support.
“When I got here, I felt so wonderful and it felt so good to learn,” he said. “This is a place I want to be because I learn here. They took me back to school, in a way. It’s good when you can learn something different even if you don’t know. People give you a chance here. The education I have behind this now and the experience; it’s overwhelming the things I’ve learned along the way.”
Tony didn’t initially have experience in the automotive world…which just shows how Garber cares about the person rather than the past.
“You don’t become great just at looking at a job,” Tony added. “You have to spend time learning and picking things up. Bob gave me a chance and I didn’t want to let him or myself down, and I took that chance. I appreciate Bob for that chance.”
The Art of Appreciation
Tony didn’t start his career in the automotive world, but he plans on finishing it here.
The support at Garber is huge, he said.
“Since I started at Garber, I’ve never had anything bad to say,” he said. “This team is made up of very intelligent and good people. They are such a blessing and wonderful people. I am not going anywhere.”
He said it all starts from the top down, which includes Bob and Paul Bobo, General Manager.
“Garber appreciates you and your hard efforts,” he said. “You don’t find people like this any more. They are understanding and caring. They show up for everyone. When I see Paul and Bob, they have a smile on their face. I open up to them about my life and tell them what’s bothering me. If they can help me, they do. That is appreciation.”
Tony’s colleagues are also a solid support system, he added.
“Everybody here works accordingly to help each other out,” he said. “That’s what makes this place a success. It’s not just always work. They make you laugh. We play. It makes you want to be there. We work things through here.”
He said that this positive team atmosphere makes all the difference.
“It makes you want to come to work,” he said. “You know you aren’t going to be frustrated here. The smiles and the way people talk to you and help you through the day…it makes you want to wake up in the morning and open up the door to our dealership. I have nothing bad to say about Garber. I love my job.”
