Q&A with SpeeDee® President and COO, Kevin Kormondy

SpeeDee President and COO Kevin Kormondy reflects on the brand’s success and shares plans for what’s ahead

What drew you to SpeeDee?

I was initially drawn to FullSpeed Automotive’s iconic brands after being a customer myself. I was also intrigued by the brand’s potential for growth and development. It’s a brand that knows what it’s doing and has found a lot of success with its established franchisees. 

What makes SpeeDee unique within its industry?

Consumers want to trust their repair shop—and that is SpeeDee’s No. 1 objective. There is generally a lot of hesitation, and often frustration, when you bring your vehicle into the shop. We’re working on transforming that experience. SpeeDee is rolling out its Total Trust Guarantee that will provide full transparency into the services being performed, competitive pricing and a Performance Certified team working on every customer’s vehicle.

What have been some of SpeeDee’s most important milestones since it started?

Some of our most memorable milestones include the first SpeeDee opening in Metairie, Louisiana in 1980, as well as when the brand began growing through franchising to eventually  expand outside of the U.S. As our footprint and service offering has grown over the years, the acquisitions by Midas, TBC and FullSpeed Automotive were huge accomplishments for us and have played an important role in bringing us where we are today with our Total Trust Guarantee™ and strategic plan for growth across the U.S. 

What plans does the brand have in the coming years?

SpeeDee has an accelerated plan for footprint growth and an increased focus on digital marketing, as we continue to search for new ways to leverage technology within the industry. 

Why is SpeeDee a good investment?

For nearly 40 years, SpeeDee has built trusted customer relationships based on reliability and professional service, growing from a single store to more than 150 locations. Due to society’s dependence on automobiles and the automotive service industry, there is a great, ongoing opportunity to rise above and outperform the competition. FullSpeed Automotive brands like SpeeDee pride themselves on a customer-first foundation and truly do provide an exemplary customer experience at each and every location.

How does SpeeDee support its franchisees?

SpeeDee is committed to providing its expert operational personnel with ample in-field support, supplemented with a vast training curriculum that tracks and measures individuals on training needs and opportunities. The brand provides marketing leadership and effective advertising assets at the national, regional and local level. SpeeDee also provides executive strategic support and direction through the Franchisee Leadership Council, as well as at its individual locations.

What does an ideal franchisee look like?

Our ideal franchisee is an entrepreneur at heart. They are someone who wants to grow their own business and go above and beyond by creating strong relationships with employees and the community of customers they serve every day, utilizing SpeeDee’s business system in order to do so. The ideal franchisee doesn’t need industry experience to be a successful owner, but they do need to believe in the brand and have a people-first work ethic in order to contribute to the company’s success. 

What does success look like to you?

Success is supporting our franchisees’ growth in order to aid them in achieving their personal and financial goals while also building the SpeeDee brand and business for future generations.