ANOTHER LEVEL OF LUXURY AT LEXUS OF ROYAL OAK Written by Rennay Craats | Published by Melissa Mitchell
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“Over time I started to think that the true test of success would be to see if I could start a dealership from scratch,” says Todd Richardson, general manager and dealer at Lexus of Royal Oak.
Lawrence’s son, Glen, grew up taking cars apart and putting them back together and his keen interest spurred him to enter the business, founding Charlesglen Toyota in 1988. His son, Todd, who inherited an interest in automobiles, acquired his formal education before starting to learn the ropes at Charlesglen from his dad. He managed the successful dealership for 14 years before deciding to start on his own path.
When Lexus expressed a need for a second dealership in Calgary, the timing was perfect, and Todd and his two partners threw their hat into the ring for the franchise. They were chosen and they started planning. While they originally planned to take over Charlesglen Toyota’s former location in Crowfoot Centre, they determined it wouldn’t be big enough or offer enough parking to accommodate his vision for the dealership. Instead, Lexus approved the dealership to be built in the Northwest Auto Mall and launched Lexus of Royal Oak, with its 20-vehicle showroom and 18-bay stateof-the-art service shop, on Valentine’s Day 2014. Today, the fourth generation of Richardsons – Todd’s daughter Julia as
he automotive business is in the Richardson family’s DNA, with four generations building on the lessons learned by those who blazed trails before them. In 1935, Lawrence Richardson and his brother Bill tore down the family farm in Alsask, Alberta, hauled the lumber to Nanton and built a service station where they sold gas, repaired tires and, thanks to a bedroom in the back of the station, offered 24-hour service.
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marketing manager and son Alex as sales/financial services manager – are learning the family business from their father as they help grow the business. Todd learned valuable lessons from his father throughout his life and career and he’s passing those on to his Lexus team. One important lesson was that the journey forward isn’t always easy, and an entrepreneur needs to work hard to be successful. “Everyone can do well when things are good. It’s when times are tough that you’re tested,” he says. And the dealership has been tested in its 10-year history, opening just prior to a particularly volatile oil and gas cycle that brought economic uncertainty followed by the challenges of operating a business during COVID. Todd focused on providing an exceptional experience to every person who came in or contacted the dealership and in so doing has built a loyal customer base for the thriving luxury dealership. This focus on earning a reputation for service was a result of another lesson that he heard about early and often: the importance of treating people well. He values his team and in turn his team goes above and beyond for guests. “They say if you surround yourself with smarter people than you, you should do okay. I couldn’t pull this off by myself. I have a great team,” Todd says. “The staff really are my second family.”
His biological and work family’s dedication to customer satisfaction is the foundation upon which Lexus of Royal Oak is built. Todd’s wife, Natasha, worked many hours in the early days with the team to cultivate the Lexus service culture and it hasn’t gone unnoticed. Many of the guests comment on the renowned service they receive. The team refers to customers as guests in their own homes, providing the best personal service and facilities of any dealer network in the industry. Guests receive amazing amenities and services delivered by a staff with extensive experience with the Lexus brand. Many staff members have served the Lexus brand for over a decade and the dealership’s technicians have over 140 years of combined Lexus Technical experience; one technician has been with Lexus since the day they started selling the brand in Canada in 1989. All of that experience and attention to detail has paid off. For seven of the past nine years, the dealership has been honoured with the Pursuit of Excellence Award given to a limited number of premier Canadian Lexus dealers exhibiting the highest standards of performance and guest satisfaction. Most recently, Todd was given the MDA Dealer of Excellence Award for his business acumen and community and industry involvement. In addition, the dealership enjoys some of the highest guest retention in Canada; the inventory of quality luxury vehicles causes them to visit the dealership and the exceptional service levels keep them coming back.
Congratulations E
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TO OUR KEEP IT LOCAL PARTNER
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“I always say, the sale is not the end of the transaction but the beginning of an obligation,” Todd says, and every member of the 65-person staff takes that obligation seriously. With the dealership’s Royal VIP program, the team makes this obligation a pleasure, introducing incredible amenities to make guests’ lives easier. Busy guests have the option of using a loaner vehicle to minimize the inconvenience of getting their vehicle serviced or they can use the citywide valet service that will pick up their vehicle from home or work, bring it to the shop and drop it off again when it’s done. However, many Lexus drivers actually look forward to coming in for service. The Royal Spa invites guests to have a seat in the massage chair and enjoy a manicure or pedicure from the onsite aesthetician while their car is being serviced. If a spa retreat isn’t their cup of tea, guests can get an actual cup of tea or Rosso coffee and snacks at the gourmet Barista Bar or relax in a leather lounger by the fire with snacks from the stocked minifridge in the upstairs Royal Lounge. Then, when the service is complete, guests climb into their vehicle that has been cleaned inside and out and leave with reward points that can be applied to future vehicle purchases. On top of that, the dealership has great relationships with Calgary businesses that translate to deals for guests. “We love supporting our local community, which is why we have partnered with over 50 local businesses as part of our Royal VIP Rewards Program. We’ll promote their
business through our social media channels and in-store. In exchange, our guests receive a discount or exclusive offer. It’s a great way to support Calgary businesses.” It has always been important for the dealership to support the local community that has been so good to them. Lexus of Royal Oak has been a long-time supporter of the United Way, matching guest and staff donations to their campaigns and contributing more than $250,000 to date to the organization’s great causes. While the dealership sponsors golf tournaments and offers monetary contributions to support organizations, the team also gives of their time sorting donations, serving meals and organizing toy and clothing drives for worthy organizations like WINS, Women’s Emergency Shelter, Drop-In Centre and Basically Babies. Todd Richardson and his team are proud to be part of the Calgary community and will continue to do all they can to make it an even better place to live. As the team celebrates the achievements of the past 10 years while looking ahead at the exciting things to come, Todd Richardson knows that Lexus of Royal Oak is just getting better too.
7677 - 112 Avenue NW, Calgary, AB (403) 296-9600 www.lexusofroyaloak.com
2024 LEXUS TX A NEW ERA OF THREE-ROW LUXURY AT LEXUS OF ROYAL OAK
LEXUS
TX 350
PRICING STARTING AT
$71,169
*See Lexus of Royal Oak for details*
From now on, fighting over the best seats will be a thing of the past. Introducing the all-new 2024 Lexus TX, the three-row SUV that provides a new era of luxury for everyone who gets the indulgent experience of driving in one. Not only is every seat the best seat, the new TX offers the best of everything: extraordinary comfort and interior space, an unmatched driving experience, incredible all-wheel handling, and a choice of gas or powerful self-charging hybrid engines. The TX is the next chapter of Lexus SUVs, and it takes luxury to a completely new place. We look forward to welcoming you to Lexus of Royal Oak.
7677 - 112 Avenue NW, Calgary, AB | (403) 296-9600 | www.lexusofroyaloak.com
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