Beau Townsend Ford Unlocks Key To Success

Mr. Beau Townsend has been in the automotive business for 50 years. Throughout his prosperous career Townsend has learned to acknowledge what customers want, know what they expect and how to deliver the utmost in customer service. Turning a dream into reality, Townsend established Beau Townsend Ford in 1977. Beau Townsend Ford is Dayton’s #1 Volume Ford Dealership in both new and used cars.

So how does a dealership in Vandalia, OH, a suburb of Dayton, become #1? Well, the energy flows from the top level on down to everyone involved. The employees are motivated by the same drive that Beau Townsend himself lives by. Townsend’s professional attitude and commitment to his customers are evident throughout the entire sales process. Each time a customer walks through the door the foundation for a great relationship begins. Beau Townsend Ford believes in striving to be the best and putting the customer and the community first.

Jeff Gates, Internet Director of Beau Townsend Ford, shared ten helpful tips to becoming #1.

Let your instincts keep you safe – Be able to understand people. Just because you think you can read them doesn’t necessary mean anything.

Lifetime of self-examination – Remember we all are a work in progress. You will make mistakes, your attitude will change and you will grow. Take time to examine yourself or you will become stagnant and brittle.

Be Open to New Ways of Thinking – How many times throughout history have you seen people who believe their way is the ONLY way? Remember, it was generally thought the automobile would never catch on...thank goodness that was not the case.

Be Open to New Technology – Be willing to broaden your technical horizons and keep up with technology.

Be Streetwise and Book Smart – It is important to have a balance of both. Being naive or not having the necessary knowledge and skills can cost you precious time. And in the automobile industry and in every industry time is MONEY!

Education and Constant Re-education – Learning in the automobile industry never stops. Take part in seminars, read everything and use the Internet. Just when you think you know it all, something will change.

Willingness to Give Back – First, make sure you take care of yourself and then put yourself in a position to give back.

Love and Care For Yourself – Do a great job! Excel for You!

Treat People How You Would Like to be Treated – Do unto others as you would have done unto you. Everyone you meet deserves the same level of respect. Put yourself in your customers’ shoes; how would you like to be treated?

And the #1 key success...Commitment to the Journey. “It’s a long road of self-examination and improvement. It’s making judgment calls about people, things and situations. You continually correct the course until you are headed in the right direction. To trust your gut, to keep the faith and to make it through tough times, all take practice,” says Gates. “The question is, can you stick it out? Do you quit because money is low? Do you quit because you can’t find the right people? Commitment to the journey, it is the key to success because you will always see things that make you want to run. But you have to put your faith on the table. You really have to stand against all odds. It takes courage – and when you do this you will succeed!”

Whether these tips will help you personally or professionally it is clear that the employees Beau Townsend Ford have got what it takes to achieve. Voted #1 in Customer Satisfaction with Ford; the philosophy of everyone in the company is to treat customers with professionalism and respect. Beau Townsend Ford strives to work hard to earn trust from each and every customer. In addition, they work even harder to retain those customers by offering loyalty and incentive programs.

In a rather small community Beau Townsend Ford has become a car and truck giant by offering its product over the Internet to customers across town and across the globe. Located near the Dayton airport, Beau Townsend brings the showroom into homes as far as Beijing, China and as near as your backyard. The Web site is also available in Spanish. Using effective Internet marketing strategies Beau Townsend is moving away from the traditional print and promotion ads to focusing on the cyber customer who wants answers immediately.

With large volumes of leads and a small window to catch the online opportunity, the Web site has become a “real time” working tool. “Two critical elements make this work”, says Gates, “excellent sales follow through accompanied with technique and Web site management.” Beau Townsend Ford understands that the Internet buyer is extremely different from the customer walking onto the showroom floor. The Internet buyer has done their research and is very knowledgeable about pricing.

Timing is critical. The Internet buyer expects immediate response to their inquiry and is not interested in negotiating about price. Because the electronic consumer is very savvy, Beau Townsend Ford uses a lead management system to ensure that internet prospects are properly handled. E-Dealer Advantage is an important component to the worldwide success of Beau Townsend Ford. In a market that is constantly changing E-Dealer Advantage keeps online inventory up to date, ensures all rebates and incentives are current on the dealer site and provides a fresh image to continually reflect a commitment to the community. The success of a valuable Web based lead management system has helped sales efforts tremendously for Beau Townsend Ford. “There is no way I could have obtained this level of sales and success without E-Dealer Advantage.” says Gates. “My time is spent selling, not on keeping the Web site updated.”

Selling is exactly what the folks of Beau Townsend Ford have been doing. In 2004 Beau Townsend Ford sold over 4,500 cars and trucks over the Internet! Not to mention over half of this volume was from used car sales... That ranked them as The #1 Volume Ford Dealership for Used Cars in the Dayton Cincinnati Area! At any given time Beau Townsend has between 200-250 used cars and trucks available for purchase through the Web site.

With a great reputation and a proven standard of excellence in used cars Beau Townsend makes certain that every used car put on the Web site has gone through a rigorous inspection to ensure its quality and performance. Additionally, each customer is offered a CarFax Report to show the history and previous owners of each vehicle. Since a photo is worth a thousand words...each used car has six to nine pictures posted on the Web site so customers are able to view the vehicle thoroughly. Certified used cars are sold with a six year, 75,000 mile warranty to give the customer confidence that the vehicle they are purchasing will last. Beau Townsend has built a great reputation around their used cars and their customers prove it. Over 80 percent of the customers are repeat buyers indicating the dealerships’ ability to outperform the competition time and time again.

The future for Beau Townsend Ford looks as ambitious as its’ past. “Our biggest competitor is ourselves,” says Gates. Townsend is setting out to gain business from any customer within the click of a mouse. Beau Townsend Ford has a great management team in place and is always looking for a great opportunity to grow and be challenged. Beau Townsend’s professional service, dedication and promise to their customers have created an atmosphere of pride and togetherness that can be taken to any dealership, any home or any customer around the world.

Congratulations and Keep Up the Great Work!

Mission Statement: Beau Townsend Ford is a great place to purchase your next vehicle, combining a can-do atmosphere with excellent service and a fair deal that is always very good for people who buy here. We want fair profit for the owners and a rewarding place to work for the employees

Vol 2, Issue 6