Motorcars Honda uses unique methods to engage customers

Trevor Gile and his family of owners at Motorcars Honda are willing to go to any lengths to keep their customer base satisfied and happy.

“We’re always looking at different approaches,” general manager Gile told Mega Dealer News. “Good service and innovation are our staples. That includes looking at businesses similar to ours where customers go and being willing to incorporate some of what they do. Anything that works for the customer."

In recent times, that has led to the dealership venturing into such offshoot businesses as car washes and an insurance agency.

“It makes everything easier for the customer and keeps them doing business with us,” Gile said. “Car washes are a repeat business and any time someone gets a new car from us they want to have insurance.”

For nearly the last two decades now, Gile and his brother have stood as the faces of the Ohio dealership, which they inherited from their father, primarily serving the Cleveland, Akron and Euclid areas. Over that time, the needs and desires of the customer have always come first.

“Retention and expansion are the names of the game,” Gile said. “And everyone knows the cheapest customer you can have is the one you already have. Certainly, we want to have our customers make referrals and we’re working just as hard to keep the ones we have.”

Gile said a recent social media endeavor run by the Motorcar Consulting arm of the dealership combined the two approaches to a smashing success.

“There were over 900 people who got free car washes through the campaign and eventually we’ll try to repurpose those customers for the car wash and other aspects of the overall business," Gile said.

Gile said none of the synergy would work without everyone at the dealership being committed to a common cause and feeling like they are empowered enough to make a difference.

“A huge part of that is empowering employees to feel like they have the power to push the envelope,” Gile said. “We have red phones across the dealership that they can use that go directly to me to talk about anything related to a customer. We don’t want to see anyone leave unsatisfied. We look at the way business has changed and know we can’t be afraid to adapt.”

It all seems to be working, with Motorcars Honda having bagged such honors over the last few years as Automotive News' “40 under 40” in 2018, and “Dealer of the Future” by World Shopper the year before.