Some of us may feel that we have known Loh Chee Yoong for a long time. In his role as Managing Director of German Motors, he brings with him a wealth of experience while exuding the feeling of familiarity. A German proverb says that in life, we always meet twice. This could well be Loh’s motto as he re-connects with people and even gets his hands on cars he has been working on decades ago.
The 58-year old has been a fixture in Malaysia’s automotive industry. Married with two children, he now calls German Motors his home, however, he has a long history with his colleagues, cars and the location. During his secondary school time, Loh was enjoying a subject, aptly labelled “Industrial Art”, were the curriculum included wood-working, engineering and automotive technology. He found himself interested in engine technology, learning all about two and four stroke engines. Moving on, he joined a Polytechnic to study automotive subjects. “At that time, liking Mercedes cars very much, I had the dream of working for the brand.”
During a work placement, as part of the training in the Polytechnic, he joined the Mercedes dealer in Petaling Jaya. He remembers it as being iconic as it is till this day, situated along the Federal Highway and at the time of his internship had a car displayed on the roof of the showroom. Laughing, he said that he hadn’t moved very far geographically. It was here, in the late 1980s, where he also met Fritz Imbacher, who at the time was seconded by Mercedes Benz as a specialist working Mercedes dealers world-wide.
After graduating, Loh landed a job as a technician in a Mercedes dealership with the same dealer. After exactly one year, he was promoted to junior service advisor and two years later to senior service advisor. Ending his career in the dealership, he left his position as Service Manager in 2010, with 21 years of experience under his belt.
It was then, that Loh joined German Motors, then a young start up. Today, he is involved in all aspects of the workshop operation. “I am helping the team with my knowledge, sometimes I go for test drives to find out exactly what is wrong with a car. I work closely with Faizal.” When he decided to leave his first job, Loh reconnected with Fritz Imbacher, who had just started German Motors. Wanting to start on his own, Loh took the opportunity to apply himself at the newly created brand, joining forces with his old acquaintance. What Loh enjoys the most today is the ease of communicating with his colleagues.
One of the most memorable moments for Loh was when he found out that a car German Motors was working on had been in his hands before, years ago. With the owner bringing a complete service history, Loh was able to trace the car to his former employees’ workshop and there it was: his very own signature signing off on a vehicle he had worked on in 1997!
A challenge Loh identified was the fact that modern cars have become more sophisticated, requiring a broader knowledge of the technology involved. Also, as German Motors handles all types of cars from a range of brands, he has to constantly update himself. No longer is it good enough to associate a car model with typical problems associated to that one make and model. However, Loh gains a lot of satisfaction from being able to continuously enhancing his knowledge.
His sons are also taking after him with both having a hang for older cars that they fix with the help of the father. One of the two is studying mechanical engineering, which could also lead to an illustrious career in the automotive industry. One of the sons is driving a Toyota, the other an older BMW. “The most unusual car I have been working on is a vintage Rolls Royce. There are some components, where we can hardly deduct how things work and what their exact function is.” His own dream car would be a Porsche Carrera, which he likes for the power, the intricate suspension system, making it a unique vehicle to drive.
For those wanting to explore the career as service advisors, Loh has some insights. “If you want to become good at this job, you need to balance empathy with the mission of a workshop. As an example, it might be easiest to simply change parts when there is a problem starting to show. However, some clients may need to hear that they have options, for instance to continue driving a little longer.” It is this approach, the honesty in dealing with a anxious customer, that would build the trust and create the bond with YOUR service advisor.
