Tim Henry was greeted recently by a customer at his newly refurbished Twin Motors Ford showroom.
“Boy, you’ve sure got a nice Ford store,” the customer gushed.
“You do, too,” Henry replied with a sly grin.
As owner of Twin Motors for 12 years, Henry sees the new building, with its metallic silver facade shining like a jewel on North State Street, as a source of community pride.
“It’s Twin Motors’ and Ford’s way of saying, ‘We want to remain a part of this community, now and well into the future,’” Henry said.
Henry oversaw the full-scale remodel, which includes a new showroom and service area. The renovation also includes a 1,200 square-foot addition in the form of an inside bay where customers can inspect a potential purchase; and an interior drive-up area for vehicles in need of service.
The completion took place over the winter months, and was made possible through Ford Motor Company’s franchise improvement effort, a nationwide promotion for dealerships.
While Twin Motors has held up its end on the sales side, Henry said the old facility fell short of Ford’s criteria in other areas, such as showroom space, waiting room size and restroom accessibility.
“I thought our numbers were fine, until they showed us everything that goes into a CSI (Customer Satisfaction Index) score,” he said. “We had a nice, neat showroom, but it was built in 1968, and it looked like it was still from the ’60s.
“In our retail business, if you don’t change with the times, you’ll fall with the times,” Henry concluded.
Henry describes the pact as beneficial to all involved.
Twin Motors employees now have the comfort of working within a state-of-the-art dealership and service area, capable of meeting the most sophisticated computer needs. Customers have a spacious, comfortable and clean environment in which to shop for cars, get a tune-up or myriad other services. And Ford Motor Company can rest assured that Henry & Company will do all in their power to ensure they have a satisfied clientele.
To that end, Twin Motors is hosting an open house from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 16 at the Twin Motors lot at 2501 N. State St.
In addition to prize drawings throughout the day — everything from a flat screen television to a leaf blower will be given away — a free lunch will be provided. Balloons will be provided to children.
Meanwhile, Twin Motors staff will be on hand to show off a full inventory of new or certified pre-owned cars, trucks and sport utility vehicles. Twin Motors has six separate lenders through which car loans can be arranged. “We’ll have a lot of added-value rebates, too.
“If anybody in the area is thinking of trading in their vehicle, I think they’ll be surprisingly happy with what we have to offer.”
