By Shaun Szkolnik, sponsored content
TRUSSVILLE — Whether merely a method to get from point A to point B, a home away from home or a deeply individual statement on personality and character a vehicle is one of the most important investments that you can make. With so much riding on your ride, it is important to get it right. That is where Courtesy Buick GMC comes in. A rose by any other name may very well smell as sweet, but at Courtesy Buick GMC the name says it all.
“That is how we’ve have built our business to where it is over the last 25 years or so,” said General Manager Drew Lolly. “It is one customer at a time. It is taking care of the customer. One thing we truly take pride in is if someone has an issue because those things do happen, unfortunately, we want to always face it head-on. We take care of people. Whether that is giving them a vehicle to drive while we repair, or our shuttle service … while we fix their vehicle, we take care of them.”
The program is more than a novel sales pitch. It is a hallmark of Courtesy’s commitment to the customer long after a sale has been made.
“It is called the Courtesy Transportation Program,” said Lolly. “If you purchase a vehicle from us and there is a repair that needs to be done, and it is warranty work, we will provide a brand-new vehicle to drive. Usually, we have 20 to 25 vehicles in that fleet that are available to drive.”
At Courtesy Buick GMC, commitment to the customer may be key, but another key to success is a commitment to the community. Over the years Courtesy has cultivated a partnership with Trussville City Schools that has been of great benefit to the city.
“Our partnership with the Trussville City School system is the best partnership we have had at Courtesy ever,” said Lolly. “Every single time we sell a vehicle we contribute $50. That $50 goes into a fund and for every single vehicle we’ve sold, times 50, we cut a check and it goes to the Trussville City School system.”
The partnership has yielded an allocation of resources designed to provide the most benefit to the school system, the students and the community.
“We have it allocated so that 25% of that money goes to the athletic fund. That 25% goes to all sports. The other 25% of the money goes into a scholarship fund. This year we are presenting the scholarships at the awards day in April. We will have right at $10,000 and what we do is … I and the partners here at Courtesy will select a winner; one male and one female. It looks like the number is going to be right at $5,000 for the male and $5,000 for the female this year. We are excited about that. The other 50% of the money goes into the general fund. That is used for technology, supplies or for whatever the school sees fit. They can use that money however they would like. Last year, we ended up contributing $47,300 total and we hope that number just continues to grow.”
For Courtesy Buick GMC, the impetus behind the partnership is not only to give back but to help the community move forward.
“The reason that we did this is, Trussville City Schools is one of the best school systems in the entire state. People move here for the school system. We want to be a part of that and invest in that and in the future. We hope that by doing that (also) it will help Trussville residents to do business here.”
Just as Courtesy Buick GMC seeks to serve the community, they also seek to serve community members on an individual basis. That is why, in addition to providing new vehicles, they offer customers a large selection of pre-owned vehicles, to better meet their needs.
“Everybody knows that we sell new vehicles,” said Lolly. “We also offer certified, pre-owned vehicles, it is not only if you’re in the market for a new Buick or GMC; but also, if you’re in the market for a used vehicle for your kid, or for yourself or whoever. We have all different makes and models of used vehicles.”
Sometimes the needs aren’t for a new or used vehicle but for the repair of a vehicle.
“We have a full-service department and a parts department,” said Lolly. “One of the departments I’m most proud of is our body shop. We fix all makes and models, not just GM vehicles. We are a direct repair shop for multiple major insurance companies. They trust us to fix a vehicle and send the work here.”
At any given time, Courtesy Buick GMC has 200 to 300 vehicles in stock, including both new and pre-owned. That is a huge inventory but for those rare occasions when they do not have what the customer is looking for, they have several methods to acquire the vehicle that is the perfect match for the customer.
“One thing that would really surprise people, and it always does, is when they look at a Buick,” said Lolly. “It has the perception that it is an old person’s vehicle and it is the furthest thing from it. The technology is state-of-the-art, the ride is unbelievable. They moved to strictly an SUV brand because that is what the market is dictating right now. There is a Buick SUV size for every family.”
For the customer looking for a first car or one with remarkable fuel efficiency, there is the Buick Encore.
“The Encore is the smaller, two-row SUV that is kind of your gas saver,” said Lolly. “We sell a lot of those vehicles to college students that have just graduated from college. It is a great first vehicle. It is affordable, gets great gas mileage; it is a great first vehicle for somebody.”
Buick also has a vehicle that meets the needs of the family. The Envision also has the advantage of being a luxury SUV at a non-luxury price.
“The Buick Envision is a bigger, two-row SUV, that gives you bigger cargo capacity and more room for the driver and the passengers,” said Lolly. “That is a luxury SUV at a good price point. It always surprises people when they come and look at a Buick. They are nicely equipped the way we order them. Most of them have leather, sun-roof, navigation, heated seats and all that … there is always great incentives and rebates.”
Those with a growing family or just in the market for something a little grander have a great option, too.
“You’ve got the Enclave which is the three-row SUV,” said Lolly. “It is really great for the family with two, three kids. You’ve got room for bags, strollers and whatever you need. The Enclave is a great size SUV.”
Regardless of the need, Courtesy Buick GMC is ready to meet it. The dealership also takes pride in being able to meet that need in a way that honors their commitment to customers and to the community.
“We always go back to the customer service,” said Lolly. “When someone comes in here, we don’t want them to feel intimidated. We want them to have a friendly, warm, nice experience. We’re not high pressure, we never have been … We want people to be comfortable with that process. Our hope is that when they come in and do business with us, when it comes time to get another vehicle, that it is no question where they’re coming. They’re coming here because they know we are going to take care of them and provide that customer experience.”
Courtesy Buick GMC is located at 1857 Edwards Lake Road, in Trussville.
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