MACRED Member Spotlight: Custom Car Keys

Springfield, Mass. - When motorists lose their keys and call the team from Custom Car Keys, they’re not always prepared for two capable females ready to help with their problem.

It’s a stereotype they’re prepared to flip. Custom Car Keys brings together three family members, husband and wife team Dana and Ray Arroyo along with their teenage daughter Bella.

The business was created after Ray spent nearly two decades in automotives. He is well-versed in many aspects of the automotive industry, including detailing, technician, paint and body, and sales manager. During his time as manager of used car inventory, he saw a need for something unexpected.

“One of the biggest pains in managing inventory was having enough keys, or losing all the keys,” he said. The department would often spend thousands of dollars each year outsourcing key manufacturing to replace keys for the cars.

By creating Custom Car Keys, Ray not only filled a need but also returned to the technical part of his automotive background. It also allows the family to regain valuable time together.

“The time that we’re spending together now is the time that I didn’t get with my dad because he was working at dealerships,” Bella said.

The Keys to their Success

One of the most frustrating things for any car owner is losing their keys. It can be stressful and time consuming, so that’s where Custom Car Keys steps in.

“We view it as a solution to a problem,” said Ray. “We view it as saving someone’s day, reducing their stress levels, a medication to someone’s anxiety because losing your car keys is one of the worst situations in which you can be found.”

With Custom Car Keys being mobile, they hope to save people time and money. They also want to build trust with their customers, sharing that their job is to help as many people as possible.

“We want to ensure people know they’re in the best hands possible,” Ray said.

Dana had been running her own cleaning business and has long recognized the importance of customer service. That focus is shared by Ray and is something they pass along to their daughter.

Custom Car Keys was born in June 2022, timed around Bella’s high school graduation. She didn’t have specific plans for the future, so her family created a job for her. Now they work together learning the technical side of ignitions and teaching one another the trade.

“We figured this would be a great opportunity for us to grow as a family and spend more time together,” Dana said.

With continually changing technology in automobiles and key options, it’s critical to be up-to-date with training. The family recently took classes in Chicago, each of them attending different sessions and sharing what they learned with each other. They specialize in certain vehicles and ignitions, however they all know how to do the majority of manufacturers.

Bella noted that she and her mother were the only females in the classes, and sometimes customers don’t expect to hear a female voice on the phone when they call. Yet when they see how well the job is completed, it ends up being a pleasant surprise.

Ready for MACRED

Ray’s first idea to start his own business in the automotive industry began years ago. As he was figuring out how bring it to fruition, he reached out to Mychal Connolly for brainstorming. That first idea never transpired, but when Custom Car Keys began to take shape the trio started attending Marketing and Cupcakes events.

Bella said the events are conducted in layman’s terms, in language that anyone can understand.

While the recent topics haven’t applied to their business strategy yet, they’re confident it will as their business grows. One of their biggest focuses will be finding customers who want the business versus worrying about those they might be missing.

One piece of advice they stress is preventing their emergency services by duplicating a key now. It’s far easier to duplicate any kind of existing key rather than creating a new one.

“Having a spare key is so important,” Dana said. “It’s the cheapest insurance you can have.”

Going through a dealership requires ordering a part which may be on backorder, and programming the key which requires the vehicle being there in person. Custom Car Keys is mobile, which means a car doesn’t need to be towed to a location.

“We want to save people as much time and money as possible,” Ray said.

In the future, Ray hopes they’ll add another truck to cover more area but for now they’re content to build the business as a family with help from MACRED.

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