Atul Kolhapure: Enabling High-Quality Automotive Services Effectively

The dynamics of the automobile service industry have always been in constant flux. The introduction of innovative technologies and cut-throat competition in the market has been driving the businesses to push boundaries with respect to customer services and providing maintenance at reasonable costs. The whole nature of the industry itself depends upon consumer behaviour. There are multi-branded vehicles available in the market and that has made the approach towards customer-oriented services crucial like it was never before.
Atul Kolhapure – Partner in ACE Automotive Solutions Pvt. Ltd. has been establishing a benchmark in facilitating maintenance and auxiliary services. Prior to getting engaged in the business, he and Ashok Padyal, also a Partner in the firm has garnered extensive experience of in the automotive service domain. In the past, while working for a branded automobile dealership, both of them came to a conclusion together that there are ample opportunities as well as gaps in the prevailing third party business. Especially, in terms of customer handling. This need gave birth to the idea of a new venture and that is how ACE Automotive embarked on the journey to be where it is right now – and go beyond.
Since the company’s inception from 11 July 2014, ACE Automotive’s team of twenty people have been helping car owners around the clock. May it be from the utilization of genuine and original parts for repair to providing free tips and tricks to each customer regarding their vehicles, ACE’s team has always been consistent in lending a hand. “Our domain knowledge about cars and quick attendance to each customer gives them a peace of mind,” says Atul. The list of services provided to the esteemed clientele by the company includes:

• Denting and Painting
• Mechanical Maintenance
• Electrical Maintenance
• Car Beautification
• Exterior Car Coating and Antirust Treatment
• Supply of Original Genuine Parts
• Expert Advice and Assistance
• Used Car Sales
• All Insurance Work
• Road Side Assistance

Influential Footsteps
Atul’s journey started as a trainee at the age of eighteen. Without knowing what the future has in store for him, he stepped into the industry by accident. But, his zeal pushed him forward into the waves of the automotive industry’s ocean of opportunities. Initially, he was appointed as a store assistant in a garage. His primary job was to help the technicians with supplying parts in-house. All of this entitled to him getting well-versed with the knowledge of automotive parts, its procurement, availability, and supplier handling, etc. Spending a lot of time in this field got him acquainted with Mechanical and Technical aspects of the automobile sector. He also learned the principles of components and engineering from a government vocational trade school in Pune. “ I learned the basics of repairing and working of major components from there,” recalls Atul. When he completed his education, he received an opportunity to work for a giant automobile dealer in the Gulf country. There he worked for three years and later came back to India. He joined a Hyundai Dealer after coming back and accumulated the industry know-how at a rapid pace. Later, he joined a Ford Dealership as an Assistant Service Manager after serving in Hyundai for several years. Earlier, he was just supervising technicians and workshop operations, but at Ford, the entire responsibility of the service facility was on Atul’s shoulders. He accepted the challenge and took the workshop’s turnover from Rs. 30,000 in the first month to Rs. 22 lakhs in just three years. He was later promoted to a larger workshop of the dealership as a Service Manager which was designed by him. “ Managing a dealership, shop floor, parts management, profit and loss, and learning about a lot of other things was a very enriching experience,” describes Atul.
He was appointed as a Service Head in Fiat Dealership when his endeavors were completed with the previous organization. It was another big responsibility which he undertook with zeal and ran the business successfully for two years. All those encounters as a serviceman didn’t satisfy his passion for independent working and that initiated the emergence of ACE Automotive. “After learning so much about the automotive sector, I thought if I can manage a dealership then why it shouldn’t be my own?” said Atul introspectively. He couldn’t sleep for days and with the idea in his mind, he discussed the plan and the challenges pertaining to the business with his ex-colleague (Ashok) to jumpstart the company.
Soon, his dream was realized and with his dedication towards work, gaining knowledge, practicing honesty, and maintaining the understanding of ethics he was able to open two fully operational workshops in Pune. One in Thergaon and the other in Hinjewadi (which is an authorized workshop for General Motors –  Ford). ACE has been growing since with an aim to provide excellent services. “You give your best to customers and that’s how you grow a business,” concludes Atul.