The way people buy cars is changing now, and the staff at Lawrence Lexus is ready to assist customers with that process.
“In the car business now, people don’t just drive in off the street and look at a Lexus,” said sales manager Bill Krause. “Everybody’s on the Internet, they’re searching for vehicles, they’re comparing Mercedes with Lexus, with Acura or whatever, and once they make up their mind they go and visit them all.”
To accommodate the increase of customers’ Internet research, the dealership has a business development center that responds to customer requests, sales and services, and functions to set up appointments to meet with clients. The office staff fields about 400-500 leads, or people who inquire about Lexus products and services, per month.
The Lawrence Lexus dealership first opened in November 1989 farther north on U.S. 1 (where the Porsche dealership is now), and seven years later moved to its current location at 2630 Brunswick Pike.
Though that strip of U.S. 1 is packed with other dealerships—Ford, Acura and more—Krause said Lexus customers are often extremely loyal, and even if they decide to switch to another brand temporarily, they often return for another Lexus.
“I want them to go out and look at other dealers and other cars,” Krause said. “It always comes down to price, no matter what.”
Lexus is often categorized with other upscale models like BMW and Mercedes, but Krause said the customer base of people in the market for a Lexus is also changing.
“The average citizens can buy a Lexus today and not worry about cost. You have your $70,000 Lexus and you have your $35,000 Lexus,” Krause said. “And if you really match that up to any car today, a Cadillac, or a Buick … there’s a price point for every manufacturer out there, and Lexus is right there with them.”
Every time a new model debuts, it features newer technology. The 2013 Lexus GS comes in three different models, and boasts a navigation system with a 12.3-inch screen.
Lexus vehicles also have front and rear sensors. Rear sensors alert the driver if the car is getting to close to an obstacle; front sensors slow the car down if it’s too close to the car in front of it, or speed up if there’s open road ahead. The car can even automatically realign itself in a lane if the driver starts to veer.
But the product isn’t the only thing customers can depend on. All Lexus dealerships operate under a covenant of guiding principles, which all staff members are trained in.
“There’s nothing we won’t do for our customers,” Krause said.
That mindset helped the dealership mark its 15th year as an “Elite” dealership, which means it meets certain customer service, product and operational criteria to earn the title of “top of the top,” Krause said.
Services include preferred Saturday service scheduling, valet pickup and delivery for service needs, courtesy vehicles priority on certain service jobs, complimentary seasonal car washes on Saturday mornings, accessory discounts, free lifetime towing and roadside assistance (even after factory coverage expires) and the use of the Club Lexus Lounge stocked with beverages and snacks and free wi-fi access.
Lawrence Lexus is located at 2630 Brunswick Pike in Lawrence. For more information, call (609) 375-1000. On the Web: lawrencelexus.com.
Sales manager Bill Krause and vice president and general manager Brian Bennett stand in front of a Lexus model. (Staff photo by Alexandra Yearly.)
