Service Minded: Lakeside Chevrolet is All About Customer Satisfaction

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Lakeside Chevrolet is All About Customer Satisfaction

Writer / Angela Cornell Photographer / Tim Hare

Lakeside Chevrolet, a 175-car lot in northern Warsaw, has served several notable individuals from across the nation.

“We’ve had professional basketball players come in to have their vans worked on,” says General Sales Manager Michael Kuhn. “Ben Higgins from ‘The Bachelor’ flew into the airport behind the store, and we loaned him an Explorer van for the day so that he could cruise around while he was on the show.”

The five-star business is known around town for providing friendly and excellent service.

“Customer service to me means that they’re town,” Kuhn says. “It’s literally from a local going to come back,” Kuhn says. “It’s not guy. It’s always been local - locally owned, selling the customer one car, it’s knowing locally operated. There’s a good quality that if we take care of them right on their product at a good price.” very first car, then we’ll end up selling them part of the job was Chevrolet,” he says. “My product is great.” seven or eight cars. Since I’ve been here, One of the goals of the Lakeside Chevrolet I’ve seen multiple customers buy multiple team is to give back to the community, vehicles.” especially to the Warsaw Community High School Tigers basketball team. They also go As a lifelong Chevy fan, Kuhn has been the extra mile to help deserving individuals working his dream job at the business for - customers in particular - when the the last nine years. opportunity arrives. They often do this by “When I took this job, the biggest enticing that have a big impact. dad was always a big Chevy guy, and my “There are a lot of little things that we do grandpa was too. Growing up, I’ve owned throughout the year - any way we can help,” probably 60 Chevrolets. I love them. The Kuhn says. engaging in seemingly small opportunities One way the staff does this is by giving Working for a locally owned company is a discounts to local heroes including huge plus, too. educators, first responders and members of the military. A similar discount is available “It’s not owned by some big company out of for college students.

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“There are so many different discounts that we can offer,” Kuhn says. “It’s not something Lakeside does, it’s something that Chevrolet does. We put [the discounts] on our website because we want everyone to know up front that we’re trying to get them the best deal possible.” The dealership offers a variety of makes and models.

“We have everything in stock, and we can get anything too,” Kuhn says. Everyone at Lakeside Chevrolet tries to go beyond the call of duty when it comes to taking care of customers, whether it’s Vice President of Operations Chad Probst, Owner Tom Schilling, or anyone else on the team.

“We want to make Warsaw happy and provide good customer service,” Kuhn says. “We’re pretty well known in the area for the condition of our vehicles.”

Safety is their first priority. Before any car goes up for sale, it gets a 172-point inspection

onsite. Anything that doesn’t pass gets sent to auction.

“The reconditioning of our used vehicles can be pretty strict, but our customers like that,” Kuhn says. “They like coming onto the lot knowing they won’t look at a car that maybe isn’t in the condition they were expecting.”

Each car is kept as clean as it is safe.

“All of our used vehicles get sanitized,” Kuhn says. “Also, we install Pulse. It’s a pulsating rear brake light that’s just a safety light. It’s to prevent rear collisions.”

From the moment someone walks onto the lot, the sales team is eager to help them find exactly what they’re looking for.

“Their main goal is to get the hot spots - what the customer is wanting,” Kuhn says. “If it’s safety, if it’s performance, if it’s convenience, if it’s luxury, we’re tailoring it to whatever the customer wants.”

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Customers can also buy a car from the comfort of their own living room. On the company’s website, a customer can find a car, customize terms and get their credit application approved.

“We have what’s called ‘Shop, Click, Drive,’” Kuhn says. “They just e-sign and we can deliver the car right to their house.”

One of the Lakeside Chevrolet team’s goals is to keep customers happy and safe, even after they drive off the lot. One way they do this is by offering a lifetime warranty with each car they sell.

“Lakeside is giving you the peace of mind that you have the lifetime powertrain warranty,” Kuhn says.

The team is also willing to take anything as a trade-in.

“The weirdest thing I think we’ve ever taken as a trade-in was a picnic table,” Kuhn says. “If anyone is shopping for a car and they have anything to trade, we’ll take it. We’ll work with them.” The services offered at the business range from typical oil changes and tire replacement to specialty services. In the collision center, walk-ins are welcome.

“We do free estimates in the collision center any time,” Kuhn says. “No appointment is needed - just come right over.”

Kuhn’s primary objective is to treat each person who walks onto the lot as though they are the company’s most valuable customer. Meeting a client in town always gives him great satisfaction.

“That’s pretty awesome,” he says. “I know they’re in a safe, reliable vehicle.”

Lakeside Chevrolet is located at 427 Chevy Way in Warsaw. View their local lender options or shop online at lakesidechevy.com. To speak to a salesperson, call 574- 306-0495. Schedule an appointment to get your vehicle serviced by calling 574-306-0504.