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We’ve always been proud to have Certified Technician Travis Baxter in our Chevrolet Service Department. But we’ve been feeling extra proud lately, since Baxer was named a “World Class Technician” by General Motors on October 1. Certified Technician Travis Baxter holds his World Class Technician statue. According to GM’s website, “The program provides technicians with the opportunity to validate their knowledge and demonstrate their skills to their employers and — most importantly — to customers in all automotive service areas.” To sum up, the World Class Technician is “the ‘one and only GM expert.’” Baxter began working toward this highest honor in April 2014, soon after he was hired by Milton Ruben Chevrolet. Milton Ruben sponsored Baxter’s classes, which included online courses and in-person challenges outside of Atlanta. Specifically, he completed nine Master Technician Certifications and their accompanying Automotive Service Excellence Certifications. Baxter says his favorite part was working with his teachers, most of whom were World Class Technicians themselves. By his estimate, Baxter is only one of two World Class Technicians in the CSRA. According to GM, there are currently 1,250 World Class Technicians in the country. Baxter installs camshaft lifters in a Chevy Silverado. Milton Ruben Chevrolet Service Manager Blake Taylor says he’s very proud. “This is good for not only our dealership, but the industry as a whole,” he said about Baxter’s achievement. “It’s a privilege to have him here being the best that he can be.” We couldn’t agree more with Taylor. To schedule your Service Appointment, click here or call (706) 955-2243.

We get it. Car dealerships haven’t always had the best reputation. We work hard everyday to prove that dealerships have come a long way since the “anything to sell a vehicle” days. We do this by putting customer satisfaction above all else, and by presenting all of our information in a transparent, easy-to-understand way. With a wealth of knowledge at customers’ fingertips (from websites that rate our vehicles, to articles about the buying process), often the most helpful thing we as a dealership can do is lay out all of the information and make ourselves available to customers' busy schedules. That’s why our Toyota store introduced the Milton Ruben Toyota VIP Service Team. Ingram Jansen, the Milton Ruben Toyota VIP Service Manager This new department is a resource for customers who are curious about where they stand on their car payments and are perhaps beginning to consider buying another vehicle. Instead of going straight to our Sales Department, customers can now visit the VIP Service Team, located in our Toyota Service Waiting Area. “We are the informative instrument for the customer,” said Ingram Jansen, the VIP Service Team Manager. Along with VIP Service Team Consultant Aaron Tanner, Jansen sits down with Service customers as they wait for their vehicle’s routine maintenance or repair to be completed, and, if the customer asks, runs the numbers. From trade appraisals to existing payments, this department can now answer all of your questions about your current vehicle, and can even show you new vehicles at lower payments. Aaron Tanner, the Milton Ruben Toyota VIP Service Consultant How does this differ from an interaction with a Sales Consultant? There’s no pressure for the VIP Service Team to sell a car. “If we can make our customers aware of programs that might allow them to be put in a better financial situation, then why wouldn’t we implement them?” explained General Manager Chuck Easters about his decision to create the department. Because the VIP Service Team only interacts with people who already have a relationship with Milton Ruben, the department's largest priority is to prevent buyer’s remorse and make sure that vehicle owners feel comfortable about their situation. This assurance can be done by answering questions about a vehicle’s features or by taking another look at the monthly payment and interest rate. Simply stated, the best thing we can do is be available. Think of the VIP Service Team as the library of the dealership. It's full of knowledge, and exists to help you, and you don’t have to pay for inquiring about something. To us, that sounds like a great thing to have. Though we sell cars, SUVs and trucks everyday, we never forget how big of a decision it is for an individual or family. And the more resources we can provide for this life-changing choice, the better we consider our dealership to be. —— To schedule an appointment with the Milton Ruben Toyota VIP Service Team, contact ijjansen@miltonruben.com or (706) 426-0187.

“I want to make sure we’ve done the right thing by the customer.” That quote pretty much sums up Bridget Jones’ time with Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. Originally hired as a Cashier in the Service Department, Jones moved to the Concierge team until last month, when she was announced as Milton Ruben’s first Service Advocate, a position created with the sole purpose of enhancing the customer experience. Service Advocate Bridget Jones formerly served in the Service Department as a Cashier, then Concierge. Jones has also taken advantage of the partnership Milton Ruben has with Strayer University. Though Jones has always helped customers, as a Service Advocate, she now works with customers from the beginning to the end of their visit. After looking at customer surveys, Chrysler’s corporate office formed the position, and worked with Jones to define the role. She sees herself as a sort of mediator between the busy Service Advisors and the customers who can’t be in the dealership while their vehicle is being worked on. “We needed the customer to have a voice between them and the Service Advisor, and I’m that voice,” Jones explained. Armed with a phone, walkie-talkie, computer and desk in the exact middle of the Service Department, Jones spends her day interacting with customers and colleagues. After meeting with the managers each morning, Jones walks around and collects updates from the Service Advisors. At her desk, Jones is always on the phone. The questions she answers can range from a quick price quote to an ongoing issue that she then handles in one of two ways. She either puts a customer in contact with their Service Advisor, or speaks with several colleagues to get information that she then digests and explains to the customer. With the little free moments she has, Jones walks the waiting area and makes it a goal to speak with every person. Service Advocate Bridget Jones gets an update on a customer's vehicle from Service Advisor Chris Barnwell in the Service Lane. While Jones’ days are full, she still has plans for her position. Currently, she’s working on the appearance of the department. From cleanliness of the waiting area to ensuring that employees are wearing name tags and planning team-building activities, Jones chalks it all up to professionalism. “When a customer is walking in, you want a professional presentation,” she said. “And it’s easy to make that happen." Though Jones has only been the Service Advocate for a month, the position is quickly becoming essential to the department. For the Service Advisors, she’s a source to stay in contact with the customer, and holds them accountable for what they’ve told customers. Service Advocate Bridget Jones confirms an appointment with a customer. While the department is adjusting to having her as this type of resource, Service Manager Mike McNutt can already tell that Jones is the right person for the job, saying that she’s great with customers and that she “brings an added value to the customer experience." For Jones, her goal is simple: Make people excited to visit. While Milton Ruben is in a convenient location, she doesn’t want that to become a crutch for the department. “I want people to want to bring their vehicle to us and trust that we’re going to do a good job,” Jones said, before returning to her ringing phone.

While we have already received many awards as a dealership, Milton Ruben Toyota is proud to announce that eight of our employees have been honored as Southeast Toyota PROS. PROS, or Professional Retail Outstanding Salespeople, are Toyota employees who have exceeded performance expectations while attaining above average customer satisfaction scores. Salespeople must have completed all Toyota certifications in order to qualify for this prestigious award, while Sales Managers' employees must also be certified. All Sales employees must receive higher than 95.5 percent customer satisfaction, and their dealership must reach its sales objective throughout the year. In addition to being certified, Assistant Service Managers must maintain customer retention, and meet key objectives during the year. Here are our 2015 Toyota PROS: Assistant Service Managers: Dana Kent Freddie Parker Salespeople: Kelton Hayes William Jenkins Russ Marshall Al Pleming Sales Managers: Jeff Hennen Paul Nopper Back Row L - R: Paul Nopper, Russ Marshall, Al Pleming, Dana Kent, Freddie Parker Front Row L - R: William Jenkins, Jeff Hennen, Kelton Hayes We’re ecstatic to have eight PROS in our store. Having this many award winners under our roof is an incredible honor, and we can’t wait to continue learning from them and feeding off of their passion for Toyota vehicles and customer comfort. Please visit our Meet Our Staff page to find contact information for our award winners, and, while you’re there, schedule an appointment with one of our PROS!

It’s award season all over the world, and our Milton Ruben stores are no exception. Don’t worry, we’ll skip the long speeches and happy tears. Because, really, we only have you, our loyal customers, and our impressive employees to thank. 2015 was truly a memorable year for us. Thank you for everything, CSRA, and we can’t wait to see what 2016 brings. As the awards roll in, we’ll update this list. Milton Ruben Toyota #1 Volume Dealer of the Month in District 7 (Feb. 2015 - Jan. 2016) Presidents Award Southeast Toyota Elite Edmunds.com 5-Star Dealer Car Gurus Customer Service Award Dealer Rater 5-Star Award Dealer Rater Dealer of the Year Milton Ruben Chevrolet #1 Dealer in the Zone #1 Dealer in the District Edmunds.com 5-Star Dealer

Online and in email surveys, we’re constantly reading about how shocked people are by how simple the car-buying process is nowadays. While we attribute a large part of this industry shift to our salespeople and finance managers, we have to give kudos where kudos it due. The internet has changed car sales, and we think it’s for the better. TrueCar was invented with the singular purpose to reinvent how people buy a vehicle. With info collected from dealerships, TrueCar posts what real, living, breathing people have paid for their car. We’re the only Verified TrueCar Dealership in the CSRA, but we join a nation-wide team of more than 10,000 dealerships who have committed to transparency and ease through TrueCar. Even brands like USAA, AAA, Consumer Reports and American Express use TrueCar to inform their members. In fact, the average person who uses TrueCar when purchasing a vehicle saves $3,221 off of MSRP. Here’s how it works: Start with the brand and model of vehicle, as well as the zip code that you’re looking to buy in. Customize features like color and trim level, if desired, and then get a breakdown of the average price, and how it compares to MSRP. You’ll also find general information about vehicle features, and can compare different models and brands. Like the numbers you see? Print ‘em out! The best part about us being a verified TrueCar dealer is that we’ll honor their prices on all in-stock vehicles. It’s just another way that we’re finding you the best price possible in the easiest, most hassle-free way possible.

Remember our Lose Baby Weight Loss initiative? Well, 90 days have passed, and we have a winner, or should we say loser? Our Details Department Manager, John Ruffin, lost an incredible 60 pounds during our challenge, a total of 16.2 percent of his body weight! In addition to all of the benefits that come with a healthier lifestyle, including more energy and a smaller risk for certain health issues, John was awarded $1,000 from Milton Ruben Superstore. Manager of the Detail Department John Ruffin poses with Toyota General Manager Chuck Easters. Ruffin won Milton Ruben Superstore's Lose Baby Initiative by losing a total of 60 pounds in 90 days. How did John do it? 1) He dropped two of his biggest caloric offenders: sugary drinks and beer 2) He walked during his lunch break 3) He worked out several nights a week after work 4) He adjusted his portion sizes Congratulations John, you’re an inspiration! More than 60 Milton Ruben employees participated in Lose Baby. While the main reason people joined was undoubtedly to lose weight, the voluntary program’s goal was to educate, to motivate and to encourage one another to stay focused. We did this by keeping a confidential record of percentage weight lost per individual, and helping members stay on track with weekly healthy goodies, and informative and educational materials on proper diet and fitness. We even started a private Facebook group to share recipes and tips. Going forward, we’ll use these tools to maintain our progress. Above all, we believe that happy employees lead to happy customers. And we’re so proud of all of our participating employees. Be sure to visit our stores to congratulate all of our participants!

I willingly admit that I am one of those individuals who has to change the channel when a Humane Society commercial comes on.  A voice in my head argues every time I do it, that I should endure the heartbreak of watching these poor, innocent animals stare at me through my tv screen, begging me to take them home.  And if my home (and fiance) could handle it, every last one of those little furballs would be scampering about, leaving chaos in their wake. Alas, neither my wallet, nor my tiny home could withstand such a feat of adopting every pup and feline in need.  Luckily, there are opportunities like this one - the 2nd Annual Charity Golf Tournament and Helicopter Golf Ball Drop hosted at Houndslake Country Club in Aiken, SC, which benefits F.O.T.A.S. (ie: Friends of the Animal Shelter). An excuse to play golf on a weekday AND support a rescue for adoptable furbabies? We pretty much fell all over ourselves scampering to the table and signing on the dotted line.  When we found out how many other things will be happening at this event, it was impossible to have second thoughts. FOOD There will definitely be no rumbly tumblys at this shindig, with breakfast by Ridgecrest Coffee Bar, lunch by Longhorn Steakhouse, and Par 3 apps by Travinia's Italian Kitchen and Ruby Tuesday. PRIZES Southern Bank & Trust and Hibbitts Drug Company will be providing golfer goody bags, and there will be awards to the winners, as well as a raffle or two! HELICOPTER BALL DROP After the awards ceremony, these guys have managed to partner up with PRIME Steakhouse, Chesterfield Interiors, Chesterfield Salon, First Communities, and Lathan C. Burns Memorial to organize a Helicopter Golf Ball Drop! Golf balls are $10/ticket to match a corresponding ball, then the whole load of them will be dropped from a helicopter, and the first ball to drop into a hole wins it's "owner" a cool grand! And of course, GOLF (AND A HOLE IN ONE CAR) With four-player teams, the players will get to enjoy the beautiful greens of Houndslake Country Club on a gorgeous late summer Monday! All this hoopla appealed to our competitive nature, and we had to join the fun, so we added a little swing to our play with a Hole In One Car! On a PAR 3 hole, if a player gets a hole-in-one, we will give them a car.  Simply put, because we just can't complicate a cause as good as this one!   For more information on this event, which occurs on September 14, 2015, visit the events page at fotas.com For more information on F.O.T.A.S. and how you can get involved with their organization, visit their website here. We hope to see you guys at this awesome cause, having a great time, and saving some puppies all at the same time! Meet Boomer, who was adopted earlier this month with the help of F.O.T.A.S.

We have been doing a lot of thinking lately about what we can do to improve for our customers.  And we've come to the conclusion the best way to do our best work for our customers, is to do our best work for our employees.  ( Read about our new Health Initiative.) So when Fiat-Chrysler decided to designate the South East region as the first allowed to enroll in their partnership with Strayer University entitled " Degrees At Work," we immediately started researching the option. Now, after extensive time reading up on Strayer University's program, Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Augusta, GA is proud to announce that we have opted in to FCA's idea, and are now offering fully-funded college-level courses to our full-time employees. FCA's Degrees At Work program offers a wide range of courses, including both online and on campus opportunities to put the best schedule to work for you, and meet a variety of learning styles' needs.  Employees who decide to take advantage of this program can pursue a broad spectrum of degrees - from an Associate's degree in Information Technology, to a Bachelor's in Criminal Justice, or even a Master's degree in Business Administration. Augusta, GA's Strayer University Campus is on Augusta West Pkwy near Television Park. So far, we already have multiple employees beginning classes this year.  Bridget Jones, of our Chrysler Cashier office, will begin studying Health Administration on July 1st. "I think Milton Ruben starting this program is a great opportunity for employees to advance their careers," Bridget Jones shared. "It's motivation for employees too - giving back to help us go to school."  Jones will be completing a previously started degree. Milton Ruben Cashier Bridget Jones is planning on completing her Health Administration degree with the help of Degrees @ Work! Elkin Vanegas, Service Advisor, intends on transferring from another online curriculum this fall to finish a degree in Business Management.  "There's not that many companies willing to pay for your education - it's a huge benefit to working here." The program is flexible to fit a full-time work schedule, and covers all expenses, including books. Service Advisor Elkin Vanegas intends to enroll at Strayer University this fall to pursue a degree in Business Administration. Ultimately, Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram is beaming with pride to be able to offer advancement opportunities to our employees.  We hope each and every one of them who wishes to further advance their career through education will take advantage of this opportunity. If you are an employee of Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, and you'd like to learn more about what this program could do for you, please see Human Resources. To find out more about the Degrees At Work program, visit http://fca.strayeruniversity.edu/ Or if you are interested in growing with the Milton Ruben family, apply online at www.miltonruben.com. (We are currently hiring!) This post was written by Milton Ruben Social Media Manager Heather Cortright.

"I always feel better when I go the gym in the morning!," Jeff Hennen contributed to the question of "How are you this morning?" from General Manager Chuck Easters when he arrived at work this morning. Yep, the bug has hit Milton Ruben, and we are inhaling as much of that contagious little devil as we can - the healthy bug. Employees all over three stores were gobbling down salads yesterday afternoon after their first weigh-in to our recently launched Lose Baby Health Initiative, and we couldn't be more proud! As a part of a new approach to employee development, we decided that one of the best ways to keep our customers happy, is to keep our employees happy - and healthy. This launched a voluntary ninety-day program of educating, motivating, and encouraging one another to stay focused and Lose, Baby! Our focus on this ninety-day round is healthy weight loss, keeping a confidential record of percentage weight lost per individual, and helping one another stay on track with weekly healthy goodies, and informative and educational materials on proper diet and fitness.  Our top priority is overall physical and mental health, being positive, supportive, and encouraging throughout, and keeping our eye on successfully working as a team to be a healthier company. (If you are an employee participating in the program, check your e-mail for information on joining our motivational Facebook group!) Stay focused, folks, and Lose, Baby! This post was written by Milton Ruben Superstore Social Media Manager Heather Cortright. To learn more about our company culture and see if you'd like to join the Milton Ruben Team, click here.

It took us a year of searching, voting, meeting, and debating for us to find our DriveBaby - and now that we have, he's just too adorable not to share with you guys!  We want you to meet Gentry Allen, 3 years old, and the Milton Ruben Superstore DriveBaby of 2015! What makes you happy? Mommy, baby brother Bryson, and daddy What makes you laugh? Bryson and being tickled What is your favorite thing to do? Drive my new Jeep What is your favorite toy? Beach ball What is your favorite food? Mac n cheese What are you really good at? Running fast What’s your favorite place? School What did you buy with your DriveBaby Toys-R-Us gift card? Jeep PowerWheels What do you want to be when you grow up? Firefighter   Are you just melting?? What a cutie! See Gentry close our commercials on TV or on our YouTube channel!   Gentry was selected by a committee at Milton Ruben from twelve DriveBabies of the Month.  He visited us a couple weeks ago with his family, parents Rachel and Cole, and baby brother Bryson, to accept his scholarship, awarded by Toyota General Manager Chuck Easters. To stay up to date on future contests and games, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google! Photos of Gentry with his brother and in his Jeep are courtesy of his family.

Buying vehicles is such an exciting experience, people oftentimes are overwhelmed with information once the salesperson starts teaching about the features on your new car. This is why we have started our New Owner’s Clinic, for recent buyers who have questions about their warranty, parts & accessories, routine maintenance, technology, or anything else. And as a thank you for your purchase and attendance, dinner is on us! Here’s a synopsis of our first New Owner’s Clinic at Milton Ruben Toyota in April of 2015! Did you miss it? Get in touch with your salesperson to find out about our next New Owners Clinic! Must be recent buyer of a vehicle from Milton Ruben Toyota to attend. See some cool Parts & Accessories go to work on a Toyota Tacoma in our #TacomaTough customization series! Video, photos, and post by Milton Ruben Social Media Specialist Heather Cortright.