Terry Paul, owner of Genoa Ford and Genoa Chevrolet, with more than 25 years in the business, says, "Having worked for other dealerships 17 years, I've learned all the wrong ways and all the right ways. We always strive to implement the right way."
Genoa Ford is 53 years old this year, and Terry has been the owner for eight years. He has owned Genoa Chevrolet for one year. "We've maintained staff from both operations for continuity of service for our loyal customers. Both past owners, Russ Bower at Ford and Jerry Spurgeon at Chevy are still active in the day-to-day operations. We keep to the more traditional - country - ways of doing things."
The Ford business is to provide full service sales, body shop and parts departments for Ford products; the Chevy's is to sell new Chevrolet cars and trucks and service and parts for all General Motors products. They both combine small town friendliness with high-tech equipment and knowledge.
While the Ford and Chevrolet cars are on two separate lots with both used and new Chevy and Ford vehicles, Paul treats them as one dealership. "It's a matter of economies of scale. By combining both lots as one dealership, we can buy such things as parts at discounts and pass those savings on to our customers."
Genoa Ford received the Ford President's Award, the highest honor bestowed, on its dealerships. Based on surveys of customer satisfaction on sales and service, market share, and process improvement, Ford gives this award only to the top two percent of its dealerships in the country.
Genoa Chevrolet's customer satisfaction is in the top 10 percent, and it's sales are up 300 percent in its first year.
While Genoa Ford and Genoa Chevrolet have been under new ownership, the people of Genoa and the Toledo area have discovered that they give the best value and the best customer service. Every-thing they do is straight up.

First Published January 28, 2003, 9:10 p.m.