view slideshow (2 images)
The first shipment of new vehicles will arrive in the spring, but one General Motors official said the dealership could quickly start taking orders.
“We feel very honored and blessed to have the Chevrolet franchise,” said general manager/partner Debbie Melton. “We’re very humbled by this experience.”
GM Southeast Regional Director Tim Hudgens said based on the manufacturer’s performance, the company was encouraged to return to the local market and other areas. The economy is picking up, people are excited and business is good, he said.
“All of the things we wanted to do through bankruptcy, we’re actually exceeding,” he said. “If you look at products like the Chevy Volt being designed while we were in bankruptcy — an absolute moon shot of a product. If you’ve ever been in one, it’s like driving an iPad. We’re crossing our fingers, but we’ve exceeded about every metric we set out to meet.”
Ledford Automotive was among the dealerships targeted by the automaker and was scheduled to lose the Cadillac franchise.
He said Melton convinced GM to let the dealership keep the Cadillac line then and award the Chevrolet franchise to her now because of her performance.
The groundbreaking marked the beginning of construction of a $1.7 million project to enlarge and update the dealership by 13,600 square feet of additional space.
Melton said the building was designed around the customer’s needs.
“One of the things they want is a new vehicle delivery area,” she said. “When you buy your new car, it’s enclosed. You learn all about your new features and benefits in an area that’s out of the weather. It will be a ‘Wow’ experience for the customer.”
The new design will make it easy for customers to purchase a vehicle. One of the changing aspects is removing the intimidation factor for female buyers.
“We want to find a process so that women buyers can purchase a vehicle and not feel intimidated, but make it as easy as possible,” she said.
The service reception area will also feature a “quiet room” where people can wind down, a TV room and a kids’ play area.
Another possibility is to operate two shifts in the service department.
“We’ve got some guys doing some pretty novel things,” Hudgens said. “You want your car fixed probably when you’re sleeping, not when you’re wide awake and at work.”
Don Ledford Automotive Center was built in 1981 by Don Ledford Sr., who initially offered the Pontiac and Buick brands. In 2001, he purchased the Cadillac and GMC franchises.
No comments:
Post a Comment