Founder of Elitär Performance, Mr Edmund Tan
Elitär Performance is a car repair and maintenance workshop that specialises in handling supercars. Founded in 2013 by Mr Edmund Tan, the company provide services such as service oil change, parts replacement, major engine and gearbox overhauls, electrical diagnostic of electronic equipment and more, all of which are done by a team of experienced and highly professional car technicians.
Elitär is a product of Edmund’s passion for all things automobile. But unlike most people who are mere enthusiasts, Edmund went one step further and found that he enjoyed the mechanical work as well. To date, Edmund has over 25 years of experience in the automobile industry, and yet his ardour for cars remains as strong as ever. “I’ve been a fan of supercars ever since I was young,” recalls Edmund. “The adrenaline rush I get when I sit inside them is indescribable!”
“I also get a strong sense of satisfaction when I manage to resolve a particularly tricky issue that a car is having. Once I realised this was something I loved doing, I decided to start my own workshop to put my skills and knowledge of car repair and maintenance to good use.”
Some difficulties Edmund encountered when he started Elitär included issues with raising capital, finding the right location for his workshop, sourcing for equipment and finding employees who can perform to the high standards that Edmund requires for his company.
Thankfully, he had the support of his family and business associates who he has known over the years in the automobile industry, and this helped him persevere through the tough early days. He put in a lot of hard work to ensure that Elitär always provides quality workmanship, which is kept up-to-date with the latest technological developments to provide accurate diagnoses, and forged strong relationships with his customers to keep them coming back. Eventually, this helped Elitär garner much acclaim as a reliable and top-class car workshop, which is befitting of its name – “Elitär”, in German, means elite.
Elitär’s workmanship is typically excellent, and this is a result of the company’s focus on a narrow niche. The decision to focus on exotic supercars means that all of the company’s workers are highly equipped to solve any issue relating to this category of cars – rather than be a jack of all trades, master of none, Elitär’s expertise ensures that supercar issues, which are often more complex than those faced by mid-range vehicles, are solved with aplomb. Regarding customer relations, Elitär provides many complimentary services to them to cultivate a lasting rapport. These services include free pick-up and delivery services, a 10% discount on labour charges on a birthday month, free pre-check service before a customer purchases a used car, and a free service to send a car for an LTA inspection on behalf of the customer.
All of Elitär’s services are offered at competitive prices. To maintain this benefit for its customers, the company sources parts and materials from different stockists to keep costs in check, and operates as efficiently as possible – this includes organising in-take volume to ensure that the staff are not overloaded, and more importantly, a proper and accurate diagnosis on the first attempt to ensure that there is no need for repeated checks. Elitär invests in diagnostic hardware and software for more accurate diagnostic results, making sure that the customer always gets the best assessment they can get.
Edmund’s determination and hard work has brought Elitär much success, and this attitude rubs off on his employees, which elevates the company as a whole. He instils a mindset of ensuring that the customer should always be satisfied, and naturally, all of his employees should be motivated by a desire to see a smile on their customers’ faces. When asked what is required to build a company like his, Edmunds mentions two things.
“The first is passion – you need to love what you are doing. The second is that you need to build a reliable reputation, and this comes from establishing trustworthy relations with your customers. Their satisfaction is of the utmost priority.”
