Motivated by his passion for cars, Harrison Wood made a pitch to intern at Otto Werks to gain experience in auto detail, maintenance, and client services.
How did you get your internship?
I got my internship through some fairly comprehensive research. I knew I wanted an internship in the automotive industry, so I researched all the high end auto customization, storage and modification companies I could. I needed to zone in on a company that had the characteristics I was looking for, a need for my skills, and a willingness to either create or admit me to an existing internship program. I researched a number of companies, but most of the more notable companies in this space were not in my desired location of Scottsdale, Arizona. So then I keyed in on similarities in all these companies and found Otto Werks. I researched the leadership team at Otto Werks and I emailed them a letter of inquiry and expressed my interest by requesting a meeting. One of the lead Managers responded to me and said that they have never had an intern before but with my background and their anticipated needs, they were open to the idea of creating a summer intern position. After several interviews with management and owners, they made me an offer and sent me over a contract. They wanted me to head up the auto detailing unit and assist them in creating a mobile detail department.
Why did you choose this internship?
Otto Werks had a great menu of client services that would give me a broad cross section of services; some I was already familiar with and some that I had not experienced yet. This would offer me a significant learning opportunity. I would eventually gain experience in detailing (inside and out), customization, exotic sports car storage and service, vehicle delivery to clients at airports, homes and events. Last but not least, I was trusted to gain experience in their car workout service. Ultra expensive sports cars need to be driven or their essential components become stale. In addition to my other duties, I was the go-to for driving the sports cars that needed to be worked out. I am adept at driving all sorts of manual transmission sports cars so I was generally given the driving and delivery tasks. I was flattered by their confidence in me as many of the cars I drove on a frequent basis were valued in excess of $1 million. This position overall gave me the best cross-section of learning in the automotive industry.
What is unique about your situation that influenced your internship experience?
This was a unique situation for me because I had skills that they needed and strong familiarity with the vehicles and the ability to drive them without fear of mishandling the vehicles. In addition, they wanted me to help them develop the beginning of a mobile detail concept for the clients that chose to store their vehicles at home instead of at the showroom and warehouse. That was very appealing to me because I feel like I had already learned how to cater to the owners of these autos the previous summer and became a requested detailer and manager of the process. So from day one I felt like I could make a contribution.
How was the internship related to your Applied Humanities degree?
This internship relates to my Humanities degree because I feel that Business is more than just accounting and managing investments. I am studying Business Administration within the Applied Humanities because I feel like there are many other more humanistic things at play in the business world: person to person communications outside of just a sales situation, building client trust and integrity, and sharing of ideas with other like-minded people as well as diversity of both thought, colleagues and clients. This isn’t to say that the numbers aren’t important, it’s just that they aren’t the only thing. If these other components of a business are considered and tended to, I think the chances for success are greater.
What did you find challenging about your internship?
The most challenging aspect of this internship was the realization that this is a very physical industry. The days are long and the labor can be intense. A company of Otto Werks’ stature has demanding clients and a meticulous service standard. I didn’t expect anything different in terms of the level of services, but during heavy or unexpectedly busy times there was no shortage of exhaustion. What I learned is that it is super important for team members and colleagues and management to understand the level of physical intensity required to maintain a high level of service in this industry. It’s not just all expensive pretty cars. There are people behind those vehicles and they rely on us to keep them in a condition that reflects how special they are to them. Business leaders can then have this understanding so they can care for the morale of the team and keep the spirit of the business thriving. I have taken that in and it will mold much of the way I look at this business in the future.
How has your internship experience influenced your plans for your future?
This is an interesting question because I enjoyed my experience, but it gave me the experience to know that I want to expand my experience into more of the management side of the business in the future. In addition, I realized the importance of industry specialization and how that impacts what a business model calls for. My plans for the future have not changed in general, but now feel like the next phase for me is to move from daily operations to answer my questions about business processes: how does a full business model come together? How do you determine what needs to change? What specific resources, team members, suppliers are needed to achieve success? After this summer, my immediate intention is to set the stage for an even more involved and potentially permanent leadership position after I graduate.