Dealership wins award for second year, on track for three in a row
Published in the June 26 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Robert Airoldi
Ashley Paulus and her father time Paulus in the Ford Store Morgan Hill.
Photo by Robert Airoldi
Chalk up another honor for the Ford Store Morgan Hill. The dealership, which opened east of U.S. 101 in 2005, is the No. 1 retail Ford dealer in Northern California for the second consecutive year. And, it’s on track to make it three in a row, said President Tim Paulus.
The dealership won the Ford Motor Company’s prestigious Triple Crown award. The Triple Crown consists of the President’s Award, which honors dealerships that have excelled in retailing by providing exceptional customer service and satisfaction; the Ford One Hundred Club recognizes the Top 100 performing Ford dealers in the country; and the Premier Club, which recognizes the top sales volume dealerships.
“Earning this award demonstrates our team’s dedication to delivering the best customer experience possible,” said Paulus. “We recognize that everyone has different needs and expectations when they are shopping for a new car or servicing their existing one. We live to make them happy and recognize they are the reason we were able to achieve this award.”
How have the nearly 100 Ford Store employees accomplished this?
Paulus said it’s a new business model. Instead of listing a vehicles manufacturer’s suggested retail price, they sell all vehicles at fleet prices, with little to no negotiating — usually reserved for fleet purchases and if someone wants to purchase multiple vehicles. And, sales people are not paid on commission so they’re not looking to upgrade the customer or to try to sell them a more expensive car.
“In order to achieve the Triple Crown, dealers must have earned the President’s Award, Ford One Hundred and the Premier Club distinction in the same year – a truly incredible accomplishment,” said Mark Wexler, San Francisco Regional Manager Ford Lincoln Sales, Parts and Service. “We applaud the Ford Store Morgan Hill and their team for achieving this distinction.
Working alongside Paulus is his daughter Ashley, who graduated from Sacramento State in 2010 with a degree in Business Administration with a marketing concentration.
She recently graduated from the National Automotive Dealer’s Association (NADA’s) Dealer Academy, a year-long course where dealers, dealer successors and managers dig into the core operations of the business. Every other month for a week at a time, she flew to Washington D.C. where she went through leadership courses such as management, business, parts, service, new vehicle sales and used vehicle sales as part of the Dealer Candidate Academy.
She said she’s excited about winning the award.“We have a magnificent team of sales and service staff who have an unwavering focus on success while staying attentive to our customer’s needs,” she added.
The dealership sold about 1,500 vehicles that first year, Tim Paulus said. It dipped a bit during the recession, but rose last year to about 1,900. With more than six months left in the year, the dealership has sold about 1,000 vehicles.
And, Paulus said, they are considering an expansion to the north that could increase sales to an estimated 2,600 vehicles a year.
In 2012, there were 23 dealerships out of the 3,000 Ford dealerships in the nation that received the Triple Crown award. The Ford Store Morgan Hill was the only dealership in Northern California to take home the honor, and was one of four in all of California.
One of the things the Paulus’ are proud of is their involvement in the community. They help sponsor the Mushroom Mardi Gras, The Taste of Morgan Hill Car Show, the Fourth of July Car Show, the AAUW Wildflower run and the Morgan Hill Marathon. They also donate to both local high schools, the Community Law Enforcement Foundation, the Boy Scouts, Salvation Army, Santa Clara County Farm Bureau and a handful of elementary schools and churches. Finally, they sponsor several “Hole-in-One” challenges at golf tournaments where a lucky golfer could win a new Ford vehicle.
The Ford Store Morgan Hill is at 17045 Condit Road. The Sales Department is open from 8:30 a.m. – 9 p.m Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. Saturday and from 9:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sunday. The Service Department is open from 7:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Sales (877) 57-3900, Service (408) 782-8277 or (408) 782-8201 or visit www.fordstoremorganhill.com.
