Nearly three decades ago, Colin Case started as a parts employee at Westwood Honda. He worked his way through every department of the Port Moody dealership and, over the years, got to know the family that owned it, its team and superior products.
Case relished the company’s culture and sought to contribute to it, eventually making his way up to general manager and partner.
Today, Case has nearly 100 award-winning staff under his wing—many of them Tri-City residents—who are equally passionate about their careers and want to offer the best in customer service. “It sounds cliché, but it is truly the people who make our dealership special,” Case says.
And their record shows. Besides the Tri-City News’ A-List accolades, the dealership has won a 4.5-star Google rating from nearly 1,700 customers who have purchased new or used vehicles or have visited the service department over the years. Their stellar online and customer satisfaction standings don’t happen by accident.
“Excellence, to me, means that we exceed our customers’ expectations every time they come into our store,” he says. “It also means that, when we do drop the ball, we take ownership of it and make it right.”
Indeed, to drive home the point, Westwood Honda employs a director of customer experience who compiles data each day and addresses any concerns with staff. “We will never be perfect, but we will constantly work on our opportunities and continuously improve,” he says.
Started in 1978, the Barnet Highway business is a full-service Honda dealership that’s not only one of the best in B.C. for new Honda sales but also the highest volume Certified Used Honda dealer in western Canada.
But its stock of used electric vehicles is also an attraction, making the dealership the highest volume retailer in Canada with its green fleet.
Again, Case says, this was a purposeful target by the Westwood Honda team given its commitment to the environment through recycling and lighting efficiencies as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
As for the pandemic, Westwood Honda rolled out its safety protocols early to ensure staff and shoppers stay safe. It invested in personal protective equipment (PPE) and training and technology, including a revamped digital retail platform. “This was one of the largest challenges of my career and our team did an amazing job,” Case says.
What does he want shoppers to know about car dealerships and their employees?
“The shady car salesman is a thing of the past in this business,” he says. “The quality of people that have come into this business over the last 10 years is incredible.”
Case adds, “I think that there was a fairly transient labour pool in the car business years ago. What I’ve witnessed in recent years is that people come into this business, seeking a career they can grow in and they end up staying. I think people would be amazed how many people have university degrees in dealerships nowadays.”
For more information, visit www.westwoodhonda.com.
