new cars in a lot

Driving Trust

Flow Companies, Inc.

don flow laughing with employees

Story

Car purchases and repairs are often intimidating and nightmarish experiences for customers. But not at Flow Companies, Inc.

Don Flow of Flow Companies, Inc. (36 automotive franchises) does business differently: all dealer information is available to the consumer. If a repair is not done properly or on time, the company eats any additional costs, and every used car sold has a 100,000 mile warranty. This framework for operation comes from a simple theological principle: treat your customer as your neighbor.

close up of don flow

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Guided Reflection

Reflecting on the Story

  • What are your experiences with car dealerships? How do your experiences compare with Don Flow’s story?
  • Can an honest car dealer thrive, or even survive? Are there limits to how biblical values can be translated to business?

Connecting to your Work

  • How do Christian values translate in your work? Do you see them in the way people in your organization interact?
  • The Bible is clear that God cares about how we treat each other in the marketplace, particularly because communities cannot flourish without trust. What are some practices your organization can implement to foster trust in the marketplace?
  • Don sets an extremely high standard for his business: to be the kind of neighbor that, “if we didn’t exist, the community would wish we were there.” Could this be said of your business? What does your business contribute to your neighborhood? What would be lost if your business disappeared?

Personal Application

  • A significant part of ethical behavior is preparation and alignment. How can you best prepare yourself and/or your organization to avert crisis and to act in a redemptive direction?
  • What are some Biblical values you can live out daily at your work?

Heavenly Father, thank you for the promises you have provided in the narrative of Scripture. Thank you for the work you are doing at Flow Motors. I pray for guidance around how I might interpret the values you have placed in Scripture for my specific work setting. Guide me in ways that I can live your core values and good ethics on a daily basis. Amen.