MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich., Feb. 10, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- When Casey Skelton learned about CARite in the summer of 2015 he saw a clear opportunity to become part of something bigger. “I knew how to sell cars but didn’t have the proper branding and support I needed to fully realize my potential,” Casey recalled. “CARite offered a unique opportunity to give my local store a national brand feel, with differentiating finance products and support services to go with it." Casey had been operating a rental franchise for a number of years but had struggled to grow his retail sales operations. That all changed when he made the leap to partner with CARite in September of 2015. In eight short weeks CARite helped him rebrand his store, retrain his staff and implement CARite supported technologies and processes. A year later, CARite of Louisville Mississippi had increased sales by 80% over the prior year and Casey had successfully built up an excellent reputation in the small town where he operated.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/dd878048-9856-4d44-a8f0-2094d067d55e
Louisville Mississippi has a population of under 7,000 people and when a freshly branded CARite dealership first showed up in town, people took notice. “Customers couldn’t believe the transformation,” Casey claims. “There was a new ‘wow factor’ when customers walked through the door." Having started the store conversion process shortly after signing on with CARite in September 2015, Casey’s CARite location was completed and ready for his first customers by November 1st. His transformed store boasted a modern yellow, black and white color scheme with standardized marketing materials, furniture and signage. But the transformation was not just visual, his entire sales process had been re-engineered as well. “We embraced the no-haggle sales process and CARite’s three founding principles of better cars, a better experience and peace of mind with every purchase,” recalls Casey. “We found that when we presented our products and services in a transparent and professional manner, the previous desire customers had to haggle simply went away. When people see value in what you’re doing, they tend to trust your pricing and approach all the more." With a relatively small footprint, Casey was still able to cement his presence as a dealership of choice in his local community. His store earned a 96% customer satisfaction rating for sales completed in 2016 and in January of 2017 Casey earned CARite’s second annual “Outstanding Dealership Award”. Casey expects his store to continue to grow and he is currently exploring opportunities to add additional CARite stores in the future. “The conversion process was so smooth and the ongoing support is so helpful," says Skelton. “I love the car business and I no longer feel that I’m stuck trying to survive in this industry alone. I have a great national brand behind me and some great support to go with it. CARite’s captive leasing program has also helped us provide better options to some of the customers we have with less than perfect credit. I’m excited about my future with the organization and I expect to add more stores as the Company grows." Casey credits his team, led by Store Leader Tyler Hill, for delivering great results in their first year as CARite team members.
CARite’s Chief Operating Officer Mike Cavanaugh cites Casey as a great example of what can happen at a CARite store when the Company’s process and principles are adopted. “Aside from being a pleasure to partner with, Casey has been a role model in terms of doing things the CARite way. No one at CARite is surprised at his success and we expect to see him continue to grow with our Company in the future. In addition to adopting our processes, Casey has brought several ideas to the table that have helped us drive improvement throughout our 24 store dealer network. We congratulate Casey on this well-deserved accomplishment!”
About CARite
Founded in 2011, CARite is a growing network of car dealerships committed to helping people buy or lease a better pre-owned vehicle, regardless of their credit history. With a wide selection of vehicles, haggle-free pricing and multiple financing options available at each location, customers can shop with true peace of mind. In addition to operating Company-owned stores, CARite also offers select independently owned dealerships the opportunity to partner with them under the CARite brand. For more information, visit CARite.com.