Some people shudder at the thought of working all day alongside a close relative.  The comfort of disagreeing in the confines of home and family takes on a new dimension when put on display in public and the stakes are a striving business or a struggling one.

        Not so at DME Auto and Custom Trucks at the intersection of Canary and Kumry roads in Milford Township.  There dad Dennis Eck and daughter Tami Eck pride themselves on providing excellent service through honest, knowledgeable diagnosis, quality repairs and a fair price.  They won't talk you into what you don't need and won't sell you something that isn't going to help you.

        Dennis Eck began the garage business nearly 20 years ago in Pennsburg.  Then, in 1999, moved the auto and light truck repair operation to a larger facility on Hoffmansville Road in New Hanover Township. 

        It was right around that time when daughter Tami joined the business.  The father-daughter duo was a good fit and the business grew.  It goes beyond an employee-employer relationship.  In fact, Tami and Dennis are equal partners in the business. 

        "We get along better than most families when working together… We do work well together," said Tami Eck.

        In 2008 they purchased the large, multiple-bay garage that once housed the auto and truck service business of Walt Repa at 1675 Kumry Road in Milford Township. 

        According to Tami, their business comes from "return customers and word-of-mouth advertising."  In addition to keeping the cars and trucks of local customers on the road, their customers drive from as far away as Limerick, Stowe and Sanatoga for service.

        As a standard practice, the Ecks will return or show you a replaced part, and even show you the new part that was installed on your vehicle if you wish.  Dennis Eck emphasized that the customer is "entitled to see or get the old parts."  The Ecks go the extra mile to ensure that you are satisfied with the work done at their garage.  And they guarantee their work.

        In an economy when selling service has become more important than providing service, consumers need to be on the lookout for those who would take advantage of them.

        More and more auto and truck repair trade magazines and instruction seminars are now putting an emphasis on "selling" service.  One recent article outlined six individual steps to selling repair service, with the last step being that of convincing the customer that it is worth costing $200 more to do business here than the shop down the street.

        With the Ecks' business model, you can have the repairs to your car or truck done professionally at an honest price, and you can keep that extra $200 for yourself.