HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1998-04-22, Page 3Times -Advocate, April 22, 1998
Page 3
Exeter Chrysler puts quality first
EXETER - While the old lord motto was 'quality is job one', Exeter Chrysler -Jeep -Eagle
puts it to the test everyday.
Matt Clarke said he :and his wife/partner Janet took over the dealership on Sept. 15, 1989.
Clarke started otit in the car butiiness in '84 as a salesperson at Aylmer's Dempsey Chrysler.
That's Where he met Janet--- E.L. Dempsey is his father-in-law. •
-Under Clarke's tenure, Exciter Chrysler has.grown steadily'each year and has won the
Chrysler Service Excellence Award the last four consecutive years, the Parts Excellence
Award the last three years and the Saks Excellence Award in '94 and '96. One of Clarke's
,salespeople, Dan Heywood, has become a Chrysler Senate Member, the elite sales club.
"That's putting him m a class of the top one per cent," Clarke said proudly.
But Exeter Chrysler reached its pinnacle on April 16 when it was named the recipient of
the '97 Presidents Challenge Award, the highest award given by Chrysler, at the annual
• awards banquethelei in Toronto. The award, given to only 10 Ontario Chrysler this year,
signifies that Exeter Chrysler was tops in sales, parts and service for the year.
• . Exeter Chrysler staff also picked up individual awards:
*Sales Manager Keith Snyder picked up his third Sales Excellence Award; •Parts manager
Murray Benneivie s and customer parts/service advisor Kevin Bear won the Parts Excellence
Award for the fourth time;
•Service manager John Bilcke won the Service Excellence Award, his fifth;
•Robert.Dawe was named the runner-up in the National Master Technician Challenge;
Dave Keys and Laurie Kruse $Vere named runners -up -in •the Regional Master Technician
• Challenge; Datve, Keys, Kruse and Tim Vlcntmix are all master technicians;
•Office manager Kathy Sangster was giverf the Award of Excellence, her sixth.
Exeter Chrysler employs 17, people full-time, six in service, three in.sales, two in parts,, two
.in clerical, t wo in clean-up/lot maintenance and the owners. ' =
Those employees are the reason Exeter Chrysler has become so successful, Clarke said.
"We sell by service and our familyattitude," Clarke said. He underlined that fact by
pointing out only two entplotces.have left the 'fold in the last eight years while the business
has gained seven new bodies.
A long history in -town helps,, too. A Chrysler_dealership has been m Exeter since the 1940s
when it was known as Dobbs Motors and was located where the Royal Bank is now. A
dealership has been on the current site at 136 Main St. N. since the mid -'50s. The Clarke's
had the dealership rebuilt and expanded in '94 and haven't looked back since.
But Selling in excess of 200 new Chrysler vehicles a year means more than -just Exeter
residents are shopping; at the dealership. Clarke said Exeter'Chrvsler draws customers from .
throughout the region, from as far away as south of London, north to Kincardine, along the
-Lake 1.luron shore and east past Stratford.
• Clarke said the biggest sellers at his lot for new cars (he also has a selection of used cars,
trucks and vans) are lntrepids, quad cab pickups and the perennial best sellers, mini -vans:
. Chrysler came out tcith the first mini -van in '84 and still leads the automotive pack, Clarke
said.'
The biggest change in the industry Clarke has seen over his years is the move from cars to
'trucks and -sport utility vehicles like the Durango and Grand Cherokee.
But telt' own a Chrysler Over other vehicles made by other car. companies? Clarke ticked
off three simple reasons with his fingers: "Quality, new and innovative styling and,
_ serviceability."
Look out for the open -wheel sports car, the Plymouth Prowler, to come to Exeter for .
display in late spring or early summer. Clarke said he's -sold one Prowler so_ far.
Of note: Clarke is the president of the Ontario Dealers Advertising Association, Chrysler's
- advertising -co-op. All those Chrysler ads you see in the Times -Advocate are cleared by the
DAA. • .
Exeter Chrysler's sales department is open from Monday -Friday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m., and on
Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The service department is open Monday -Thursday, 8 a.m.-530 p.m•.,
.ind on Fridav, 8 a.m.-5 pan. For sales' or service, call 235-1525. -•
on his recent apliointtnent
to the Chrysler Canada
Sales Guild Senate. 1)an
has earned thiN prestigious •
appointment through a
recortl,of outstanding sales .
performance, overall profes-
sionalism and a dedication -
to customer satisfaction.
.iVc invite t•ou.to drop in at
Exeter Chrysler Ltd. to visit.
Dan
isit-
Dan 11et•wood, or call
235152.5 and sec -for voursclf
why•we're as proud of our
great people as we are of our
great products.
Extended Wheelbase only and only until April 30th
Only at your neighbourhood Chrysler retailer.
Chrysler customers read the fine print. this is a timtted time offer, which ends Apra 30th and applies to retail deliveries from
retailer stock of new 1997 and 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan, Plymouth Grand Voyager and Town b Country mini vans. for
Personal use -only. 0% financing on approval from Chrysler Credit Canada ltd. Example: $25,000 @ 0%Aprit/48 month term,
cost of borrowing is SO. You could save $4.295 in interest compared to average bank financing rates of 8% lot 48 months.
This is a sample calcutation only. Financing excludes license, insurance, registration. See your retailer for complete details.
Visit us today at www.chryslercanada.ca -
save $4,295 in interest compared to 8%
Good on any new extended wheelbase, 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan,
Plymouth Grand Voyager, and Chrysler Town & Country.
Winners of Consumer's Digest and Carguide's "Best Buy" 1998.
:EXTENDED WHEELBASr ONLY AND ONLY UNTIL APRIL 3001
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