The Krause family roots run deep
in Bryan. Although owner Harry
Krause’s father, Rimp, had to transplant
his family to Houston for a
short while, Harry always knew that
he would return to Bryan to raise his
family and open his business.
Krause Paint & Body opened its doors in May of 1985. Originally, Krause specialized in Corvette and custom work in the mid ‘80s, but eventually expanded his business to collision repair. The Eagle readers selected Krause Paint & Body as “Best Body Shop” in this year’s Readers’ Choice Awards.
“It’s extremely gratifying to me that my customers took time out of their busy schedules to send in their votes for my business,” Krause said.“It’s nice to know that people have confidence in you.”
Krause knows that no customer enjoys going to a body shop, but he makes the experience as pleasurable as possible.
“You have to start by assuming
that no one wants to be in a body
shop. They’ve had an accident, their
car is damaged, their schedules and
routines have changed,” he said. “We
try to step into this difficult situation
and help the customer handle
all the details associated with being
without their car for several days.
We can offer a customer a ride home
or to work, set up a rental car for
them and even handle their insurance
claim.”
Krause’s I-CAR certified employees assure the customer they have the technical knowledge and skills relevant to their position to achieve a complete and safe repair.
“All my employees, from shop
manager Chris Portillo to painter
Tony Bazan, and body technicians
Mike Jimenez, Joey and Bobby
Portillo enjoy their jobs. They take
pride in their work and they care
about our customers,” Krause said.“I know that Krause Paint & Body
was selected directly because of my
employees’ attitudes.”
Krause believes most of his customers reach him by word of mouth from other customers.
“They’ve had family and friends who have had a positive experience with us, so they know what to expect,” he said. “They know they will receive a quality repair, in a timely manner, at an honest price. Add to that the fact that all insurance repairs are guaranteed for as long as you own your car and that’s a combination that is hard to beat.”
Krause handles all the aspects of dealing with the customer’s insurance company. He points out that the Texas Insurance Code states that the customer can take their car to any body shop, not just the one the insurance company preferred.
“In the ‘70s, people were encouraged to get three estimates and the lowest bid would get the work. This led to a lot of cost-cutting measures that may not always be to the customer’s benefit. Recently, some body shops have contracted with several insurance companies to perform their work at a discounted labor rate,” Krause said. “When you have an accident, you have the right to have your car repaired at any shop you choose.”
Krause Paint & Body plans on expanding their current location on 622 W. Carson St. in the near future.
click ad to zoom in
| << Previous | PGS. 46-47 | Next >> |
Contact Us