Drive is something Geelong’s Peter Ruggeri has never been short of. Whether it is delaying his retirement to start a whole new luxury brand or being first on site every morning, he shows how leadership and trust can help build great teams in the repair industry.
At M1 Autobody Geelong the leadership and team motivation starts at 6:15am every morning. This is when Peter Ruggeri arrives at the workshop each day. What he also brings with him, however, is more than 40 years expertise in the industry, and his latest workshop has broken into new territory for the Victorian automotive industry.
Starting the M1 Autobody Geelong workshop, however, was never supposed to be on the cards for Ruggeri. In fact, he was due to retire at the age of 55, after running his own successful panel shop in Geelong for 35 years.
After reaching 55, however, he realised he had much more left in the tank. Instead of retiring, Ruggeri identified a gap in regional western Victoria, and began the two-and-a-half-year process to gain Mercedes-Benz accreditation and open a specialised Mercedes-Benz repair shop.
Now, seven years into M1 Autobody Geelong’s operation, Ruggeri has made a unique mark in the automotive repair industry. With seven employees and the capacity to repair 10 vehicles a week, the workshop has undoubtedly found its groove in the carefully designed, and purpose-built workshop.
And if the workshop’s exterior and interior are anything to go by, it is one sleek and luxurious bodyshop.
Family values
Ruggeri’s M1 Autobody Shop in Geelong is an example of the dedication it takes to look after and repair a premium car brand, Mercedes-Benz. Ruggeri works alongside his family to deliver the luxury car repair service that looks after customers at every point they may turn to in their repair journey.
The leadership team at M1 Autobody Geelong is a family affair, with Peter Ruggeri as the owner, and his wife Diane Ruggeri running the business as the general manager. Their daughter, Madison Ruggeri, runs the office and administration side of the business.
Peter and Diane’s children, Carly and Jake Ruggeri own Euro Panels in Geelong, and have adopted their parent’s approach to strive for quality results.
“Having family in the business has been fantastic,” Ruggeri says.
“We were able to utilise each other’s strengths and assist each other when needed. It is wonderful to be able to rely on your own family.”
As the only Mercedes-Benz authorised repairer in Victoria’s west, Ruggeri ensures the workshop always delivers on the promised standards.
“As Geelong’s only Mercedes-Benz repairer, we are in a wonderful position. The only drawback is sometimes our workshop can be swamped with work, but that’s a great problem to have,” Ruggeri says.
Ruggeri’s 11-hour day starts at 6:15am, and ends, if he is lucky, around 5:15pm.
“I open up and arrange vehicles for the day’s work. I manage and oversee each job all day long,” Ruggeri says.
“Even though I have a great team, the quality and motivation all begins with me.”
Becoming a Mercedes-Benz accredited shop
The road to becoming a Mercedes-Benz accredited shop with an already well-established manufacturer involved numerous trials. Yet, the Ruggeri’s rose to the challenge and found they were already aligned with many of the Mercedes-Benz values.
“We remember the day we heard we had become a Mercedes-Benz Authorised Autobody Repairer. That was a day of big celebration,” Ruggeri says.
A staple of the Mercedes Benz brand is to enjoy the performance, style, comfort and safety of their vehicles, and M1 Autobody Geelong aims to uphold these principles at every stage of the repair.
Ruggeri says the rigorous standards demanded by a prestige brand like Mercedes-Benz includes checking on customer satisfaction all year round, as well as other KPIs.
Using Mercedes-Benz approved equipment, M1 Autobody Geelong is a repair shop trusted by Mercedes-Benz owners to bring their vehicles back to pre-accident condition.
“The knowledge we have in repairing these vehicles is essential to our business and we have that. The team we have and retain with their experience and passion is another great strength,” Ruggeri says.
As a Mercedes-Benz Authorised Repairer, M1 Autobody Geelong’s Mercedes-Benz Genuine Parts are subject to the same exact standards as the vehicles that leave the Mercedes-Benz factory.
The team at M1 Autobody Geelong are well equipped to bring Mercedes-Benz vehicles back to their original safety and quality standards with access to the manufacturers’ safety and repair data.
“Safety is paramount in every business, but especially in the automotive repair industry,” Ruggeri says.
“As a Mercedes-Benz Repairer we have all the safety and repair data at our fingertips. It is an added cost; however, it is a key component to our success.”
With a purpose-built workshop and an efficient system in place, Ruggeri has created a confidence and trust with the Mercedes-Benz vehicle owners of Geelong. With 23 five-star reviews along with rave comments, Ruggeri is thankful to be part of the Mercedes-Benz family.
“We have been lucky enough to be fully embraced by Mercedes-Benz Australia,” Ruggeri says.
Fortuitously, the number of Mercedes-Benz on the road has increased over the last few years, and M1 Autobody Geelong’s strong reputation means it is a ‘no-brainer’ for many owners in their choice of repairer.
“We have seen a steady growth in Mecedes-Benz vehicles coming through the door. The vehicles aren’t just from Geelong either, they are from other areas as well, which is great to see,” Ruggeri says.
Finding the right fit
With nearly half a century in the industry, Ruggeri’s expertise has greatly benefited the industry in Victoria. Fostering a team with the right people who have a desire to learn, and grow is part of the workshop culture at M1 Autobody Geelong.
“We have a level of quality that we put on ourselves and our staff,” Ruggeri says.
“Finding the right candidates for our quality level can be challenging. We of course can provide training for the right people. At the end of the day, it is the attitude and attention to quality that we need.”
M1 Autobody Geelong has had multiple apprentices over the seven years it has been in operation. And in good news for automotive repair apprentices in Geelong, M1 Autobody will soon be on the lookout for a new apprentice.
“Our last apprentice was a mature aged person, who has just completed his apprenticeship. He has continued with us since completion and adds great value to our team,” Ruggeri says.
“We haven’t started looking for our next apprentice just yet, but we are always open to the possibility.”
Creating a healthy and balanced workplace and finding a way to manage people with a variety of skill sets is a priority for Ruggeri.
“We try very hard to take great care of our staff and their families. It is so important to understand their different personalities and needs, and adjust where we can,” Ruggeri says.
“We try to be as flexible with their work hours as we can. One of the highlights of the whole year is when we have big ‘get togethers’ with our staff and everyone’s families are invited.”
M1 Autobody Geelong’s dedicated team of automotive professionals prides itself on having thorough knowledge of the Mercedes-Benz range. They are always ready and prepared to deliver the highest level of service, and constantly upskilling is part of the deal.
“We continuously train with Mercedes-Benz Australia, with each new vehicle and technology launch,” Ruggeri says.
“The training is mandatory for all, so you can’t possibly be left behind with technology changes.”
Award wins
M1 Autobody Geelong snagged the 2023 Mercedes-Benz Shining Star- Autobody Manager of the Year at a recent gala event.
The gala night in Adelaide recognised outstanding achievers for the prestige brand, Mercedes Benz, over the course of the year, celebrating its dealers and parts distributors. M1 Autobody was one of the few collision repair businesses to be recognised in the awards.
Ruggeri highlighted how the award shows the professionalism of technicians in the repair industry and their commitment to training and continual improvement.
“We have received several awards from Mercedes-Benz Australia in our short time with them and have met some amazing people from all over the world with Mercedes-Benz functions and trips,” Ruggeri says.
Ruggeri has been through many challenges, changes, and triumphs throughout his long and successful career in automotive repair.
“We do see a lot of substandard workmanship and we all should know our limitations on what we can do. There are a lot of challenges in our industry, and it will always continue to be that way,” Ruggeri says.
Ruggeri pinpointed the greatest reward in the industry is having a loyal customer base who continue to return to his shop year after year, and the satisfaction that quality work brings to his team and clients.
“The wonderful clients we meet and their reaction to a job well done is probably the most satisfying part of the work,” Ruggeri says.
“Despite the many challenges and setbacks every workshop experiences, I do see a great future for the right collision repair businesses going forward.”
