Berlin City Honda of Portland

"Berlin City stays down to earth"

 

 

A people-driven business philosophy is the foundation of the New England auto group's success.

 

 

Berlin City Auto Group has a simple business philosophy: "Over the top care provided by down- to- earth people." So in constantly seeking to ramp up its level of customer service, the company naturally takes a straight­forward approach: Ask people what is important to them. Then, follow through and deliver it.

 

"We're a people-driven company with a people-driven focus," says Yegor Malinovskii, Berlin City's market president. "I know it's kind of a cliche to talk about" 'going the extra mile,' but our customer is our primary focus, and it shows."

 

"We've conducted more than 1,000 hours on consumer research to understand on a deeper level what customers really want when buying or servicing a vehicle," Malinovskii continues.

 

"In practice, that means talking to people not just at our dealerships, but also in the restaurant, or on the street or out shopping, and asking them what do you think would make Berlin City a better company?" Based on some of the answers, the auto group's "clear way" policy was instituted. Basically, that means taking the financial mystery out of the car- buying process.

 

"People do not want to play games," Malinovskii notes. "They want to know exactly what they are paying for a car, what the discount is, how much they getting for a car they are trading in, how much the amount of a down payment works to their advantage. We disclose interest rates, too."

 

"It's an approach that is uncommon for the auto industry. But our goal is to make the transaction as transparent as it can possibly be when a customer buys a vehicle. Everything's there in front of you on one piece of paper."

 

Redefining "service"

 

Adds Mike McPherson, Director of Customer Relations at Berlin City's Honda and Nissan dealerships near the Maine Mall,"Everyone loves having a new car. But the buying process, historically, has not been something most people enjoy, in part because customer service in the auto industry has too often been, shall we say, archaic. So the "transparent" approach is one way in which Berlin City is trying to raise the bar."

 

"That was another question we asked people: How would you like to be treated when you go to an auto dealer? Their answers reinforced our belief that people want to be waited on by someone who is enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and happy in what they're doing."

 

Other customer-driven initiatives at Berlin City include a four-day, money-back guarantee on the dollar difference if you find a better price on your new car somewhere else. (Malinovskii acknowledges that this is little used, thanks to the auto group's highly competitive approach to pricing.) Within the same time period, you can return the car if you decide it isn't right for you.

 

Indeed, a common thread through out the company's business approach is providing peace of mind for the customer. For example, the 60-day, no-questions-asked, we- fix-it policy for buyers, or "pre- owned protection' for certain vehicles. Another nice feature: Even if you're not buying a car, Berlin City will buy yours.

 

Perhaps the most unusual Berlin City benefit is its door-to-door delivery service, whose impressive reach was recently highlighted in Automotive News magazine. The dealership in Gorham, N.H., population about 13,000, serves customers in Maine, New York and Vermont as well as instate clients, with 40 percent of sales to "delivery" customers who buy vehicles without setting foot in the showroom.

 

A high level of trust

 

"We have lots of car dealers in our area, but none can offer the deals and service of Berlin City," one customer told Automotive News. And the journalist Gordie Little lives in Morrisonville, N.Y., four hours distant from Gorham.

 

Such robust delivery business points to a couple of things. One is the dealership's having the technological expertise to conduct transactions electronically, until the delivery driver appears on your doorstep to request your signature.

 

"For customers, the email and Web communication is mostly a convenience factor," says Biff Babineau, Internet sales manager at Berlin City's Toyota-Scion-Lexus dealerships in Portland. "People can do everything except a test-drive and with virtual tours now in the works, we're getting closer to offering that." More important than the technology is the level of trust, without which buying a car unseen could be a nail­biter for the customer.

 

"That comfort level is possible for our customers because of the relationship we have with them, I hope," says Malinovskii. "And that relationship Berlin City fosters in part through community activity. We support Toys for Tots, the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital, the Maine Cancer Society and at least three dozen others. We're doing a blood drive in January and expanding our charitable endeavors in 2O1O.

 

"In the new year, each dealership is adopting a particular charity to support causes with a local focus, as in a South Portland charity for our South Portland location."

 

Community focus

 

How does Berlin City identify and choose its charitable causes?

 

"As with the customer-driven service research, ideas are generated through employees," Malinovskii explains. "Some managers are involved, but on the whole, these employees are service technicians and salespeople and so on, who really know what is important to the people in their communities."

 

"Not a lot of companies empower employees to effectively determine how business should be conducted, but we have a program called "Berlin City Ambassadors" where a group of engaged employees meet to talk about what we can do to be a better company."

 

"It's a unique model and a direct reflection of our New England identity and values. We are the people who live in the same neighborhoods as our customers, belong to the same churches, go to the same schools, care about the same things.

 

"We believe that customers can appreciate the way Berlin City is committed to such long term relationships. They are the core of our "down­to-earth" philosophy."

 

Marketing Department Maine Sunday Telegram,

"Berlin City offers clients good service"

To the editor:

  We, as many people in the area, were very much interested in the "Cars for Clunkers Program". It seemed for us a perfect opportunity to purchase a new vehicle. We shopped around starting at Berlin City Auto Group Chevrolet garage. We were treated fairly and given several quotes on new cars.

  We decided to drive down state starting in Littleton. We did not get the same treatment. They had so many stipulations including forcing us to finance with them in order to get a deal. Whatever happened to "CASH"? Some were not even willing to talk to us when we mentioned "clunkers". A few dealers flat out did not even participate. One dealer in particular had harsh words for the program and told us he would have to hold our "clunker" as well as the new car until they received a government check.
 
  Before leaving town, our (Berlin City) salesman Ben had told us not to wait too long because this was in fact a good program and they may soon run out of funding. Ben kept in touch with us and, as he predicted, the program stopped. Ben kept us informed and called us when funding became available again.   
 
  We went down and purchased our new car. In the signing papers, one of them stated that if we were not completely satisfied with the car we could return it within four days. Well, we really laughed and joked about this paper. As if someone would give you another new car. A little ludicrous we thought.   

  Well, as luck would have it, after driving the car for seven miles, we discovered problems with it. The next day, we returned to the dealer with the car, expecting confrontations.
 
  Mr. Bobby Hill, the manager, listened to our concerns. He took the car personally and brought it out to the shop. He came back a few minutes later and told us to go out on the lot and pick out another car. I was dumbfounded. We just looked at each other in disbelief. Was he serious? Absolutely!
 
   Luckily our car was a twin. We were able to get the exact same car. Within 2.5 hours we were on our way, having signed all paperwork again. We were in our new car with no questions asked.
 
   Thank you Berlin City Auto Group. Bobby Hill, Ben Lachance and all involved in making our new car a smooth transition for us.

The Lamontagne Family Berlin

Berlin Daily Sun,