Employee of the Month: Chris Hill
Posted at Wed, Oct 9, 2019 1:00 PM
Eide Ford's team is dedicated to providing an excellent experience for every customer, and our people are willing to help out wherever they're needed.
Exceptional employees such as these keep things running smoothly both behind the scenes and in front of customers!
Chris Hill has been a valuable member of the sales team since his first day, and we’re proud that he's the Employee of the Month for the second time in 2019!
Meet Chris
General Sales Manager Jesse Schuchard nominated Chris for the award this month.
"He worked every single day last month, and he’s also having one of his best years here at the store,” said Schuchard, who has worked with Hill for nearly six years. “Chris is the type of guy who does everything they way we train it. He cares about the customers and always makes sure that they’re finding the right vehicles. He has the type of attitude that really resonates with customers and he always makes things easy for them to understand.”
Thank you Chris, for stepping up!
Chris Hill
Sales Manager
Eide Ford's Employee of the Month for September 2019
Q: How long have you been with Eide Ford?
It will be six years in November. It’s been fast. It feels like 10 minutes!
Q: What do you like the most about your job?
Well, it’s been the best year I’ve ever had. I’ve been concentrating on my work here and the pace seems to have picked up. I have about six years worth of clients and a big book of business. It’s always nice to see people coming in when you’re not expecting them. I have people asking for me when they walk in, which is a great feeling.
Q: What is the trick to keeping customers happy?
It’s really not a trick. You just have to answer peoples’ questions fully and make sure you’re really taking care of everyone. I see a lot of people in a day, but most people are only buying a car every two or three years – so I want to make sure it’s a good experience for them.
Q: Cars have changed a lot in the last six years since you’ve been with Eide Ford. What trends have you noticed in the new Ford and Lincoln vehicles?
Well, for one thing – the F-150 is still the leading model for us. It’s hard to beat that truck, and honestly the rebates from the factory have been really great. They especially want those Silverado drivers to come in and trade up to an F-150.
As far as changes, though, I’ve noticed the most change in Lincolns. They’re a whole new animal. A Lincoln is no longer your grandpa’s car. The technology is amazing, and the power ratings are really impressive. The Lincoln lineup is really impressive across the board, but the Navigator is especially popular here in Bismarck. We can’t seem to keep them on the lot.
Q: What is the most common question you get from customers?
I can tell that a lot of people are starting to get anxious about the hybrid tech and self-driving cars that Ford has just around the corner. Ford has some interesting stuff coming out.
I get a lot of people asking about the all-new Bronco that is coming out in 2020, too. That will be an interesting vehicle to have back in the lineup.
Q: What should people look for when they choose a new car dealership?
The first thing I do when I shop for anything is look at online reviews. People have a lot of tools at their fingertips to find out if a place is good, if you’re getting a fair price, and if you’re getting a good trade value. My best advice would be to get an idea of what is “good” before you go into the store. Not everyone has their fair market pricing right up front like we do. If they’re not being transparent with you, then I would leave. We don’t play games with people here.
Q: What is the strangest vehicle you’ve seen in your time with Eide Ford?
A while ago, I sold a new Ford Focus to a lady who traded in a modified 2002 Dodge Caravan. It was her high schooler’s car, and he had put a spoiler on the back, and painted the whole thing bright red with Red Bull logos. It had a racing steering wheel and a subwoofer in the back. She ended up having to drive it herself, and she had been pulled over six times in just one week. It was the funniest car I’ve ever seen. We had to send it to auction because we couldn’t sell it.
Q: Does Eide have any interesting programs going on right now?
We have quite a few things happening in October, but my favorite thing is our annual fundraiser for the Bismarck Cancer Center. We’re donating $50 to them for every vehicle we sell in October. It’s really a great program, and it’s stuff like this that makes it so great to work for Eide. They really care about the community.
As for the vehicles, we have $17,000 off MSRP on new F-150s right now. It’s really a great offer.
Q: Who would you like to thank for the award?
There are a lot of people I could thank. It’s been a great year. I’d like to thank Jesse Schuchard for helping me get to where I am now. I also want to thank the sales team for putting up with me here. It’s really a great place to work.
Thanks, Chris, for your loyalty to your customers and dedication to our mission:
Time Saving. Hassle Free. Fair Price.
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