We Utilize the Kaizen Concept
Kaizen is often translated in the west as ongoing, continuous improvement. Some authors explain Japan's competitive success in the world market place as the result of the implementation of the Kaizen concept in Japanese corporations. In contrast to the usual emphasis on revolutionary, innovative change on an occasional basis, Kaizen looks for uninterrupted, ongoing incremental change. In other words, there is always room for improvement and continuously trying to become better.

Kaizen comes from the words, "Renew the heart and make it good." Therefore, adaptation of the Kaizen concept also requires changes in "the heart of the business", corporate culture and structure, since Kaizen enables companies to translate the corporate vision in every aspect of a company's operational practice.

According to Imai (1986), an important advocate of Kaizen, "Kaizen means improvement. Moreover it means continuing improvement in personal life, home life, social life, and working life. When applied to the workplace Kaizen means continuing improvement involving everyone - managers and workers alike." Believers of this theory maintain that managers of production operations cannot stand still; continuous development and improvement is critical to long term success.

In practice, Kaizen can be implemented in corporations by improving every aspect of a business process in a step by step approach, while gradually developing employee skills through training education and increased involvement. The principle in Kaizen implementation are:

1. human resources are the most important company asset,
2. processes must evolve by gradual improvement rather than radical changes,
3. improvement must be based on statistical/quantitative evaluation of process performance.

Support throughout the entire structure is necessary to become successful at developing a strong Kaizen approach. Management as well as workers need to believe in the Kaizen idea and strive toward obtaining the small goals in order to reach overall success. Therefore, all members of an organization need to be trained in a manner to support this idea structure. Resources, measurements, rewards, and incentives all need to be aligned to and working with the Kaizen structure of ideas. It is the little things that add up to bigger things. We belive that good enough is not good enough.

If YOU want to know, ask! We will do our very best to find the answers. If WE don't ask, tell us, we do not know it all, we are always learning. If we don't know it is broken or a problem we cannot fix it (unless we discover it by accident). We specialize in finding solutions to problems but not guessing at them. Guessing is guessing.

We have huge data bases to check for known solutions, we will utilize this information for your particulate problem issue. Don't take someone's word for it, we test and verify the findings. Science is (and we are scientists), research based. Form a hypothesis, experiment and test, repeat the experiment or test and draw a conclusion, implement a solution. Verify the results and record findings. Remember we did not build it and we did not break it, we just fix it.

Proper vehicle repairs are not bounded by clock or calender. It's all about the details. WE follow a priority list of quality then speed of delivery then pricing, we try to find the best of all three.

The measure of a good workshop revolves not only around the diagnosis and repair but also on the speed of warranty and corrections. We strive to achieve this.

Map to ARA of Madison
1831 E. Washington Avenue


Who We Are
We are an automotive repair workshop for professionals by professionals. We constantly update our software for European, Asian, and U.S. auto and trucks.

Each ASE-certified technician has over 30 years of professional experience. We do not have trainees working on your vehicles. This applies to marine service as well; there are no trainees or seasonal or part-time technicians at ARA.

We pride ourselves on knowing more about more motorcars and their operating systems than any other shop in the area.

We have 5 employees who are all fully-trained and certified to take care of your needs. We are a small facility with big technology, and we provide solutions for your boat and automotive problems with a personal touch. We provide results!

History
Since 1975, we at ARA of Madison have provided reliable, experienced automotive repair and service.

Since 1979, Casey O'Keefe has been the owner and operator. In 2001 ARA of Madison began a partnership with SRS Auto Service, and now we provide very diverse and complete services in one convenient location for domestic and imports models including exotics, performance, and vintage vehicles.

ARA began this partnership with SRS Auto Service to add to our diversity of services and to offer a greater specialization in service and repair of imported cars and trucks.

Mission Statement
To provide the best disgnostic, parts and services. Constantly and consistently improve on all of these. Establish and maintain quick, friendly communication and education to our customers which choices and advise. Disgnostic and repair choices must be realistic, safe, economical and add value or enhance the current situation. Investigate (within reason) all available solutions and pathways allowing for required vs recommended solution distinctions.