Family Owned Ford Dealership Finding New Ways To Do Business
COURTENAY – Neil van Ierland, owner of Westview Ford knows that when times get tough, the tough get going.
L-R Neil and Casey van Ierland, Westview Ford
In early March when the coronavirus pandemic swept across Canada he had some tough decisions to make. Ford factories were shutting down, business volumes slowed and staff layoffs were inevitable.
No more marketing rates, terms and sales related promotions to the general public. This was not the time for sales. This was the time to focus on taking care of current and future customers.
Neil wanted to make the financial stress of owning and servicing vehicles as easy and lenient as possible so customers could carry on with their day to day responsibilities without the added burden of financial worry.
In order to be there for their customers during this difficult time, both Westview Ford locations remained open with limited hours and followed Covid-19 mandated protocols.
This proved to be a successful strategy for both Westview Ford and its customers. Customer satisfaction has been as high as it’s ever been, ranking #1 or #2 in the dealership group.
Although sales decreased substantially during the start of the pandemic they have rebounded to pre-pandemic levels. The issue now says van Ierland, is getting enough inventory. The lot is currently bare, but there is lots of inventory in the pipeline coming from Ford as the factories ramp up production.
Westview is excited about the new vehicles coming out like the 2021 Ford Bronco, 2021 Ford Mach E electric Mustang and the one everyone’s been waiting for, the 2022 electric Ford F-150.
The story of Westview Ford revolves around family. After seven years as General Manager, Neil van Ierland purchased Garf Baxandall Ford Sales and became the new Dealer Principal of both the Courtenay and Powell River dealerships back in 2012. He then renamed the company Westview Ford.
Three years later van Ierland completed a ma- jor upgrade to the Powell River dealership land and building. This included the addition of four service bays, a drive through, an upgraded show room and parts area.
Neil had a vision of a family owned and oper- ated dealership. His son Casey joined the team as a sales associate after obtaining a Diploma for Automotive Management at Georgian College in Barrie, Ontario.
The most important aspect of a successful dealership is having a leadership team that truly believes that good customer relations are important to the business. The leaders not only convey this to all employees, but also demonstrate it in all interactions with employees and customers.
Westview Ford is dedicated to providing their customers with top-tier service at every point of contact. They personalize their services in line with the client’s needs, ensuring they meet all expectations. Their team goes the extra mile to provide their customers with exceptional service.
The company believes in treating people the way they would want to be treated themselves. This applies to the people they work with as well as their customers. If employees are happy this will be evident to the customers. They spend the majority of their waking hours at their job so they should be happy to be there says Neil.
They appreciate all of their customers who deal locally with them, allowing them to give back to the community. They’re a huge supporter of the Comox Valley and contribute to YANA, SPCA, Comox Valley Exhibition, local sports teams and the Comox Valley Food Bank.
Helping others is what they do at Westview Ford