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CANADIAN INDUSTRY ONLINE - FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014
service go hand-in-hand when looking
at the success of Woodridge Ford, Eade
says that another key element for the
dealership is “the longevity of some of
our key team members with the com-
pany” which lends itself to dedication
to the dealership’s sales and customer
service goals. This is really a competi-
tive edge for Woodridge.
The core sales management team
ranges in tenure from 10 years (Eade
himself has been with Woodridge for
19)
to 20 years, which, “in the auto in-
dustry just doesn’t happen that often,”
Eade continues. “It’s nice when a cus-
tomer comes in and they can deal with
the same person they dealt with five
years ago.”
Things have changed over the last
30
years when it comes to Woodridge’s
customer base. “We have so many dif-
ferent types of customers, and many of
them are conquest buyers who are not
devoted to one brand.” However, al-
though the customer base has shifted,
customer service has never changed at
Woodridge.
CUSTOMER SERVICE IS #1
“
We have some of the highest
customer satisfaction scores in the re-
gion,” Eade says. Part of this satisfac-
tion comes from the Woodridge team
taking some of the mystery out of car-
buying, an important element to sales.
Woodridge has a very strong
sales process that incorporates a good
knowledge of the product—all sales
staff go through a rigorous process.
“
We walk the customer through the
steps to buy the vehicle. We do a cus-
tomer needs assessment, and we’ll
show them the vehicles that match
their needs. It might seem rudimentary
but it’s very important, they need to
know the features and benefits that are
available.”
Eade notes that today’s customer
has a lot more knowledge, so some
dealerships might not think they need
to spend as much time explaining ev-
erything to the customer. However,
this is part of Woodridge’s success:
helping the customer gain valuable
insight into one of the larger purchases
WOODRIDGE FORD LINCOLN
