By Laura Baverman
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Tom Gill at the counter of Gilly's Cafe in his revamped Florence dealership. (Patrick Reddy photo) | ZOOM |

FLORENCE - After spending three straight days at Tom Gill Chevrolet, Donna Little said she wouldn't buy a car anywhere else.

At the dealership, she could dine on Chicago-style hot dogs at Gilly's Cafe, shop for car accessories at the Bow Tie Boutique and relax comfortably in front of a television in the lobby of the newly built dealership. Her son could engross himself in the dealership's Sony PlayStation. If she had work to do, she could bring her laptop and have instant access to the Internet.

"They've been very patient with us. We're both very picky," the Middletown resident said, explaining her three-day stint at the $6.5 million operation completed this month.

She and her husband are both buying new cars. Reflecting on the good service she has received, the phrase "A Business with Character" seems to fit Tom Gill Chevrolet just right.

Tom Gill is the first auto dealer in the Tristate to build an entirely new facility with luxuries such as a cafe, a retail shop, numerous flat-screen televisions, a customer computer station and interactive training facilities for his 106-person staff, local dealers say.

That's in addition to a larger collision center, service department and new- and used-car selection.

After the boom

The end result is a combination of ideas Gill had when touring dealerships across the country.

"What we wanted to do when a customer walks in here is make them step back," he said.

"We wanted to take a 30-minute oil change and make it seem like 15."

Gill also wanted to improve the car-buying process - take out the confusion, add the convenience and build trust and loyalty among his customers.

He thought that a new facility as well as a new customer service and sales plan based on good character would do the trick.

Across the country, car dealers have felt the same way. In a 2002 study by the National Automobile Dealers Association, 48.3 percent of dealers surveyed said they had remodeled in the last five years.

The study showed that 46 percent of dealers remodeled their buildings, compared with 41 percent in 2001; 43 percent upgraded their new-vehicle showroom, compared with 44 percent; and 37 percent renovated customer areas, compared with 33 percent.

Dedication to improving customer areas comes as a result of the car sales boom of 1999 and 2000. Since the boom has subsided, dealers have realized the need to compete for their customers' time.

"They are recognizing they haven't done enough to continue to attract the customers and are simply making the sacrifice to come up to speed on some of these improvements," said Paul Taylor, chief economist for NADA.

In 2000, car sales reached a record-high 17.35 million, the highest since sales reached 16.04 million in 1986. Since that time, sales have decreased to a moderate level, dropping to 17.12 million in 2001 and 16.8 million in 2002. Taylor projected 2003 sales of 16.3 million.

Here to stay

Car manufacturers play a big role in encouraging upgrades to dealership facilities.

For example, Volkswagen provides funding for dealerships that universalize the look of their buildings by adding posters and a door with the VW logo.

Northland Volkswagen in Norwood recently added such features and renovated the interior of the dealership, adding a VW retail shop, Internet access in the waiting room and cable TV.

"VW has what they call a marketplace theme. They want someone - whether they are from Germany or California or here - to look up and recognize the dealership," owner Tim Marsh said.

Marsh thinks the changes have helped business because customers are attracted to the look and know that the dealership is there to stay.

Stellar performer

Beechmont Subaru has made similar changes based on customer satisfaction surveys that said the dealership was old, inconvenient and unattractive.

Since the improvements - which included cable TV, a new showroom, handicap accessibility and a new customer service plan - the dealership has become the first Subaru dealership in the Tristate to receive the title "stellar performer."

Dealers agree that the renovations are geared toward improving the image of car dealerships.

"To me, it's about being the best I can be - and it's about providing the best service I can provide," Gill said.

"We got out of the box. I really believe, as a result of that, customers want to do business with us."

Gilly's Cafe is owned by Elliot J Restaurants, owner of Bistro at Harper's Point, Vineyard Cafe & Wine Room, Tinks Cafe, Sugar n' Spice and Latin Quarter. The restaurant specializes in Americana food to compliment Gill's style. Hot dogs, apple pie and chocolate-chip cookies are featured, along with soups, sandwiches, salads and snacks.

The cafe is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. McCluskey Chevrolet works to remain Greater Cincinnati's top volume General Motors dealer.

Tom Gill Chevrolet is open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

E-mail lbaverman@enquirer.com