Love of cars led Jeff Slocum to a life on Krapohl service desk
As a student at Coleman High School, Jeff Slocum loved working with automobiles.
“Manuel Hagon was my automotive instructor, a great man. He just drew my interest in it, and I liked solving problems and fixing things. It was rewarding,” Jeff said.
By the time he was 19, he was close to earning his associate’s degree in automotive technology and took a job as a service advisor at a dealership in Midland.
“You know, I had every intention of wrenching for a living, but it never worked out that way,” said Jeff, now in his 29th year at Krapohl Ford — the past six as service manager. “I hired on in Midland and worked there as a service advisor for about nine months.”
A fondness for constant action with a commitment to people
A sales job at another dealership was next, but Jeff missed the action of the service desk. He landed at Krapohl as a service advisor, hired by then general manager Brian Smith, whose son, Mark, today is a third-generation co-owner of the dealership.
“Krapohl parted ways with two service managers in the first year I worked here. The owners talked to me a little bit about the role. I told them I wasn’t 100% sure I was ready. I was still quite young, 21 years old.”
Jeff continued to gain confidence and experience, and saw how the service desk is the center of multiple departments working together to put customers back on the road. For instance, if a customer calls with an issue about their vehicle, the service team works out an appointment time, then certified mechanics diagnose the issue. If parts are needed, the service team coordinates with Krapohl’s parts department.
Similarly, customers in the Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center at Krapohl may end up needing work from the service department if a brake issue or other mechanical problem is spotting during an oil change.
Jeff is usually found at the end of the service counter, talking with customers or discussing next steps with the service advisors.
“I do care a lot about people,” Jeff said. “My approach is to listen to the customers and take care of them. That’s all we need to do. The rest will take care of itself.”
Bringing others into an evolving business
Over his four decades at dealerships, vehicle electronics and technology have changed what technicians and advisors need to know.
“Everything’s gone to electronics; something’s always being checked or monitored by a system,” Jeff said. “You need to have more knowledge to work with vehicles now than you did years ago.”
Jeff has helped advance a number of careers at the dealership, both recruiting good people and helping team members excel.
He’s also been part of an advisory group for the Gratiot-Isabella Technical Education Center for more than 30 years and has organized behind-the-scenes tours of Krapohl Ford for students interested in automotive repair. Some have become Krapohl employees.
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