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The heat is sizzling, and so are new car sales at Classic Chevrolet Sugar Land.
The dealership, which opened in March, has been ranked in the top 25 Chevrolet
dealerships nationally for three of its five months of operation.
But, that’s not good enough for owner Don Kerstetter whose long-term goal is for Classic
Chevrolet to become the No. 1 dealership in the country. Period.
And how does he plan to achieve that goal? One customer at a time.
Kerstetter, in partnership with the Durant family—owners of Classic Chevrolet in Grapevine and other North Texas areas—bought the former Bill Heard property in February. Two weeks later on March 2,
the dealership opened under the Classic Chevrolet brand. Kerstetter says he
owns no part of the Grapevine dealership, but that
’s where he got his training in how to make a dealership successful. “Our store in Grapevine is the single largest volume Chevrolet store in the
country for the last three-and-one-half years. It has been in the top 10 for
over a decade. I was an executive at that location for the last 15 years until
I made partner with the acquisition of this location.
”
Kerstetter’s short term goals are simple. “We want to earn our customers’ business for Chevrolet sales and service one customer at a time. The good
people of Fort Bend County will decide over time if we are worthy of that
trust. My job is to let them know we are here and to provide them with an
efficient, friendly shopping experience
—the same one that has worked at our North Texas locations for decades—while setting national sales records with GM and Chevrolet.”
Classic Chevrolet typically keeps 900-1,000 vehicles in stock.
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“We intend for that number to grow as the economy grows,” Kerstetter said. “Chevy’s most popular models are Silverado pickups, Tahoes and Suburbans, with the 2010
Camaro the
‘hottest’ vehicle in America at this time.” While the hottest car may be the sporty Camaro, Chevrolet’s newest model is the 2010 Equinox, a mid-sized SUV. Kerstetter believes the
Equinox will be an award-winning SUV for 2010.
Customer service is Classic’s No. 1 priority. “Our motto is ‘Relax … and enjoy the difference.’ Our salespeople are empowered to handle the transaction from start to finish.
This makes for a smoother, more efficient transaction with none of the
confusing shell games of back and forth negotiations between the customers and
management,
” Kerstetter says. “You are in charge from start to finish, and guess what? Our salespeople are
mature professionals who get to establish a relationship with you based on
confidence and trust in the dealer they work for. This results in a customer
who has confidence and trust in the dealer, as well. This is
‘the classic difference.’”
Kerstetter has lived in Fort Bend for six months. He is actively involved in the
Sugar Land Exchange Club, Sugar Land Rotary, ARC of Fort Bend, Impact a Hero,
Fort Bend Economic Development Council and the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce,
among others. Kerstetter and his wife, Jackie, have two children: Jake, 9, and
Grace, 14.
And, as far as sizzling parking lots go, Kerstetter isn’t deterred by Houston’s famous heat. “I grew up in Mississippi and have lived in Texas for 21 years,” he said. “The heat in Houston is fierce, no doubt, but as Jeff Foxworthy says...‘I ain’t skeered.’”
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