It’s no secret that car buying can be a stressful process. Between research and salesmen, you can expect to spend hours searching for the perfect vehicle. The process doesn’t need to be as stressful, though. Ford of Valpo is a great place to go if you’re looking for a new vehicle. With their slogan “Nice people to do business with,” everyone is promised a personalized, personable experience.
The first step in a great experience is having a large inventory for the customer. Ford Of Valpo boasts many vehicles with competitive prices to find exactly what you need. The inventory carries a wide variety of new and used vehicles, and even includes work truck options. They carry something for everyone and are eager to strike a deal, and get those keys into your hands.
A large inventory is nothing without a knowledgeable staff who understand the product and the edge it has over competitors. Once hired, a new sales representative can’t interact with customers until they have completed certain requirements to ensure they are well prepared.
“You have to learn the product, you have to take tests, and you have to certify. We don’t want sales associates who don’t have a knowledge of the product interacting with our customers,” Said Leo Sfikas, General Manager of Ford of Valpo.
Ford of Valpo works hard at instilling the culture of their franchise into their new hires. Aggressive pricing, product knowledge, and learning how to interact with customers is important because it ensures a great experience for the customer looking to purchase a vehicle.
“Our culture is to be aggressive as far as pricing, try to figure out what other products they might be comparing ours to, and to have a vast knowledge of competitor’s products,” explained Sfikas. “We want to be perceived as people who have integrity.”
Integrity can be difficult to find, but is something that often makes people more comfortable purchasing a vehicle. The level of interaction received and the level of responsibility is apparent as they pride themselves on repeat business and referral sales. Sfikas explained that he’d rather everyone feel like friends rather than customers.
“When you buy anything, it seems like as soon as you sign on the line the relationship ends. You get that feeling, and the difference that we try to instil into our people is that you want the customer to feel like the relationship just began,” said Sfikas.
Responsibility and relationships continue out into the community as well. Community involvement is extremely important to those at Ford of Valpo. The franchise currently sponsors many events in the Valparaiso community, including schools, the parks department, and the Folds of Honor Foundation.
“We can’t just take and take. We have to give back and people have to see you giving back. It's not just giving back and sponsoring, we also have to participate,” said Sfikas. “If it's hot out, sweating; if it’s cold out, shivering. It means getting out there. The more you do that, the more dialogue you have with the community.”
Interacting with the community and families helps to create connections and weave Ford of Valpo into the fabric of the community. Ford of Valpo believes that buying a car should be something that the family can enjoy together, and they pride themselves on trying to make that a great experience for everyone involved.
“It’s supposed to be a fun experience and it just seems like it’s our responsibility to make it fun too. It should be a family experience, it should be memorable, and hopefully a happy experience that they’ll remember for years,” said Sfikas.
Successful sales are nothing without customer satisfaction, and they encourage their employees to communicate with their clients long after the purchase to continue the relationship and address any issues that may arise. Ford of Valpo works hard to provide a wonderful experience for everyone involved. To enhance that experience, every time a car is purchased, the new owner gets to ring a bell located in the showroom. This practice is a celebration for the customer when finding what they wanted and marks the beginning of a relationship with Ford of Valpo, hopefully for many years to come.
If you’re interested in ringing that bell with the purchase of a vehicle, head over to Ford of Valpo and talk to the friendly staff there!
For more information on Ford of Valpo, visit: www.fordofvalpo.com
