Blog

“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.

It’s an exciting time to be a part of the automotive industry. Technology is developing quickly, and we’re often surprised at the many ways our vehicles can ease our customers’ lives. If you haven’t purchased a vehicle recently, you may not recognize the dashboard and its sleek touchscreen tucked in between secret storage spaces and wireless charging stations. We’re always proud that our companies put the customer first when designing their vehicles. We’re also proud that these brands seem to be using their influence to help the environment. From developing eco technology to changing the way their factories operate, Toyota, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram have proven their commitment to going green, and are already seeing dramatic results. As Earth Day approaches, we want to highlight each of our companies and their approaches to sustainability. Toyota: In addition to all Prius models, our Toyota store currently has hybrid models of the following on the lot: Avalon, Camry, Highlander, RAV4. Toyota’s sustainability plan is divided into five priorities: Carbon, Water, Materials, Biodiversity and Outreach. From cultivating beehives on their Kentucky assembly plant to recycling the water used to rinse new vehicles as they're being painted in the Ontario assembly plant, Toyota’s strategy extends far beyond their finished products. However, their vehicles are truly impressive. As of 2014, their hybrids had saved approximately 500 million gallons of gas each year. For almost two decades, the word “Prius” has been synonymous with the eco-car movement. Now, all eyes are on the Toyota Mirai. The fuel cell car is fueled by hydrogen and emits only water vapor. Toyota’s plan is so comprehensive (and so result-producing) that in 2015, Toyota Motor North America won the Partner of the Year Award, Large Business Category, in the E.P.A.'s WasteWise Awards. Chevrolet: At the push of a button, this 2015 Chevy bi-fuel Impala runs on compressed natural gas (CNG), saving you money and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. While the Malibu hybrid has an estimated 47 MPG in the city and the company’s work with E85 ethanol and CNG vehicles is inspiring, Chevy’s line of electric vehicles is exceeding expectations. The all-electric Bolt will debut later this year, and has an estimated range of 200 miles. Meanwhile, the Spark EV is paired with a lithium-ion battery, and the Volt EV seamlessly switches between an electric charge and a tank of gas. With the number of EV charging stations growing in the CSRA (including public places like Whole Foods, the Georgia Power Customer Service Center and yours truly), electric vehicles are only becoming more efficient for daily use. Chevrolet’s parent company, General Motors, focuses on “Customer-Driven Sustainability” instead of separating their sustainability initiatives from other areas of their mission. This strategy has evolved in recent years, and now prioritizes the following: Identifying areas of impact and value creation Establishing and aligning corporate policies and positions Designing and implementing processes for consistent global execution Developing sustainability reporting practices and publishing reports By utilizing advanced technologies to create quality products in the form of sustainable vehicles in factories that minimize their environmental impact, GM aims to build a culture that promotes these values. GM's changes are tangible. For example, in this article posted to their website, the company argues why producing zero waste is a desirable business strategy. Our 240-volt EV (electric vehicle) charging system fully charges a Chevy Volt in about 4.5 hours. The Volt comes with a 120-volt portable cord that recharges the vehicle in approximately 13 hours. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep,  Ram: Last year, the CEOs of both General Motors and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (parent company of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram, among others) signed the CEO Climate Leadership for Automotive Declaration to decarbonize automotive transport. In alliance with this goal, FCA added more than 4,300 environmental projects to their plants worldwide. In addition to saving millions of dollars during production, these implementations resulted in 38 percent less water being used per vehicle produced (vs. 2010) and 1.2 million pounds of materials kept out of landfills. This 2015 Dodge Durango on the lot has a Flex Fuel engine, meaning that gasoline or gasoline-ethanol blends of up to 85 percent ethanol can both be stored in its tank. Between 2014 and 2015, fuel economy in FCA cars in the U.S. rose 6.4 percent (2.7 percent in trucks), due in part to a variety of efficient design changes like improved aerodynamics and weight reduction. Specific fuel saver technology in V-8 5.7 and 6.4 liter HEMI eight-cylinder engines improved automatic versions of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Chrysler 300, the Dodge Durango, the Dodge Charger, the Dodge Challenger and the Ram 1500. The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica and its hybrid version are almost here, and we have several Flex Fuel vehicles on the lot already. Additionally, the Ram 2500 Heavy Duty CNG is the only natural gas pickup truck in the country. CNG vehicles generate significantly less CO2 emissions, and can be renewable, unlike traditional gasoline. An EcoDiesel engine is currently available for the Ram 1500 and the Jeep Grand Cherokee, resulting in less stops at the pump and lower CO2 emissions. The Jeep Grand Cherokee with 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 engine can tow up to 7,400 pounds (best-in-class), and the Ram 1500 HFE (with 3.0 L EcoDiesel V6 engine) has the best fuel economy of any full-size pickup.

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.

We know you can’t fight this feeling. As you’ve probably heard, Augusta is about to be rocked by REO Speedwagon when they visit the Bell Auditorium on Sept. 15. The music legends, who have not gone a year without performing since their rise to fame in the 1970s, are in town to celebrate Eagle 102.3’s 21st birthday. And here at Milton Ruben, we’d never miss a party. We’ve teamed up with Eagle 102.3 to give away tickets to the show. From now until Tuesday, Sept. 15, stop by the parts desk at Milton Ruben Toyota to fill out an entry form for tickets. We’ll announce winners the afternoon of the show with the help of DJs Cliff Bennet and Andrew  Harmon, who will be broadcasting live from the dealership. Still not convinced? The show and celebration will all benefit the Southeastern Firefighters Burn Foundation, the local organization that provides assistance to families of burn patients being treated at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Doctors Hospital in Augusta. The Burn Foundation does everything, from opening up the Chavis House for lodging during treatment to providing medication, anti-scarring garments and transportation after a hospital stay. It’ll be a night to remember, so enter at Milton Ruben Toyota to ensure that you’re part of one of Augusta’s biggest events. The box at the Milton Ruben Parts Desk is ready for your entry! For more information on the show, click here. For more information on the Southeastern Firefighters Burn Foundation, visit their website.

This past May, General Motors and Chevrolet revolutionized their “infotainment” efforts by announcing that 14 of the new 2016 Chevrolet models will contain support for Android Auto and Apple’s CarPlay. Beginning with the production of the 2016 Tahoes, Suburbans and Volts, Chevy will allow your automobile to essentially turn into a smartphone at the touch of a button. Sales Consultant Benjamin Ivey connects his iPhone to the new 2016 Chevy Impala to activate CarPlay. Android Auto, with its many features from Google, has been released and is already compatible with many cars in 11 countries. The app features space for third-party apps, opening up potential expansion in the future. Apple announced plans for a similar app in 2014, and premiered CarPlay earlier this year. CarPlay is currently available on applicable 2016 Chevy models. Android Auto for these models is scheduled to be released later this year, and will be installed through a quick update at their dealership. While many auto brands are already compatible with the Android app, Chevy and GM’s 2016 announcement is the largest offering of both systems, and will lead the way for modern cars. As Apple introduces CarPlay, Android Auto premiered its first update this week, just in time for 2016 models to become available. Milton Ruben Chevrolet tried out CarPlay on the new 2016 Impala. While Apple’s goal is to eventually activate CarPlay wirelessly, Sales Consultant Benjamin Ivey connected his iPhone 6 Plus to the car through a charging port. Using the touchscreen and buttons on the steering wheel, he was able to navigate through music, podcasts and audiobooks, as well as texting and calling contacts using Siri. Sales Consultant Benjamin Ivey demonstrates how to connect an iPhone to the 2016 Chevy Impala. After connecting an iPhone to a 2016 Chevy Impala, select "Apple CarPlay" on the car's touchscreen to access the device's features. After selecting "Phone" on the touch screen, you can use Siri and the car's speakers to select who to call. Even if your car does not have a navigation system, Apple Maps will guide you upon selecting "Maps" in Apple CarPlay and entering a destination. While the integration will undoubtedly be successful for Apple, Android and car manufacturers, the true value will be measured in safety. Drivers who connect their smartphone to their car will use voice activation as well as the car’s familiar touchscreen displays, buttons and knobs instead of looking down to use their phone. Currently, 9 people are killed and 1,153 people are involved in accidents each day due to distracted driving. Can we change that number? There’s an app for that.

When we look at our shiny new line of Jeeps and Rams, we can't help but picture them being put to their purpose - making the most of the great outdoors, working hard and making memories under the great big sky of possibilities.  It just about brings a bit of mistiness to our eyes. That's why the opportunity to help sponsor the 4th annual Augusta Outdoors Expo was one we simply could not pass up.  An entire day dedicated solely and completely to the serious outdoorsman? Yes, please, with a side of peppered turkey jerky if you wouldn't mind too much. We can't quite figure out what we are looking forward to most about this shin-dig - sharing a beautiful summer day with our fellow local business people, or learning more about some of our favorite hobbies, like hunting, fishing, shooting, archery, off-roading, and even gator-wrestling. Ok, to be honest, gator-wrestling isn't a hobby we venture into too often, but we heard the Gator Boys were going to be there, and we can't say we didn't get a little tingle thinking about meeting a tried and true Gator-Tamer.  Who wouldn't get a tickled about that? To say the least, we are looking forward to decking out in our camo, with our greatest and grandest outdoor-ready Jeeps and Rams in tow, and showing up with boots on to take a peek into the James Brown Arena and absorb all that will be the Augusta Outdoor Expo! Will we be seeing you there?   Others we can't wait to see in the James Brown Arena on August 8th: Culpepper Outdoors Gator Boys Duck Dynasty New Kicks Country 99.5 The Augusta Chronicle This post was written by Social Media Specialist Heather Cortright.

Everyone is in town for the Augusta Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National, including the National Wild Turkey Federation! Ram Trucks proudly announced sponsorship of the non-profit organization last year, impressed with the forty-plus-years of proudly pursuing the protection of wildlife lands to continue bolstering the wild breeding and rearing of turkeys.  And as the National Wild Turkey Federation began so close to home in Edgefield, SC, we were thrilled to host the organization here at Milton Ruben, especially when they showed us the truck we get to flaunt! This beautiful 2015 Ram is currently on display at Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram on Washington Rd in Augusta, GA, decked out with Mossy Oak interior and exterior trim package, 6-inch lift kit, American Luxury Coach BlackOut package, wide stainless steel running boards, FLO-PRO custom dual exhaust, 20-inch TWG custom wheels, 20-inch custom Mickey Thompson tires, bull bar with LED driving lights, custom LED under-carriage lighting, and custom NWTF leather seats.  It is a sight to see! Seeing it isn't even the best part! This truck is AVAILABLE to WIN.  At www.nwtf.com, you can register to win this truck, and support the lives of turkeys in their natural habitat at the same time! If this truck's styling doesn't give you an idea of how cool these people are to hang with - we can give you another chance to learn.  The local chapter of NWTF is holding an event in Waynesboro on May 16th, where they will play host to a number of local vendors, raffles, and fun - and we have two tickets to give away!  All you have to do is come in to Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and test drive a Ram Truck, then you'll be eligible to register to win two tickets, at $100 value, to the NWTF chapter event in May.  Registration will end April 30th, and we will announce our winner on May 1st! Sure, Augusta is proud to host the Master's Tournament every spring, but that's not all we have up our sleeves for a good time - and you can be a part of it! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google to stay updated on other cool giveaways! This post was written by Milton Ruben Social Media Specialist Heather Cortright.

After a year of searching, voting, and melting from the adorable faces of the CSRA's toddlers, our DriveBaby Contest has come to a close.  It was a long day of debate amongst our committee as we trialed and tribulated over which of our twelve Drive Baby of the Month winners would become our DriveBaby. At long last, we finally landed on a unanimous decision. We are so excited and proud to introduce you to Milton Ruben Superstore's DriveBaby: Congratulations, Gentry! We will be hosting Gentry and his family at our dealership in the coming weeks to award him with his well-earned $1000 scholarship.  Keep an eye out for him in our commercials!! Thanks to all who participated by entering their child or voting!  And thanks to the community of Augusta, GA for being supportive of our efforts to find our DriveBaby! Check out other community events in our Recycling Perks campaign, the Rock Fore! Dough Ticket Giveaway, our involvement on Fort Gordon, and our annual Drive For The Community! To stay updated on more events at Milton Ruben, join us on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google!

With bikes moving in to the downtown area, it's no surprise that Augusta and the rest of the Central Savannah River Area is going green!  To get a little help in the initiative to slow down the growth of our landfills and work a little harder to keep those adorable baby seals and polar bear cubs on the tv commercials in mind, a program called Recycling Perks is coming to town!  And as if their little "perks" wasn't enough, they've partnered up with us to give away a car and get this #GreenAugusta project going! Have you heard about Recycling Perks yet? Well, it is exactly how it sounds.  The program is specifically designed to help those who help out, but gifting gift cards, discounts, coupons, and other financial gifting opportunities to those who recycle - every time they recycle! You can save up your recycling points and refund them online for a print-out or mailed in card and get your next lunch date and Longhorn Steakhouse for free! (That's just an example. A lot of other deals are on their Facebook page if you want to get an idea of the offerings.) As if signing up and cashing in isn't easy enough, they've set up another "perk" right in our Milton Ruben Toyota showroom!  CSRA members can come in and guess the number of recyclables we have stuffed in this Toyota Prius - and if you guess exactly correct - you could be driving home in it or another Prius next month! "That's too easy!" you say? "What's the catch??" you query?  There isn't one.  It's truly that simple.  Come in to our showroom, guess the exact number of recyclables stuffed into our Prius on RecyclingPerks.com from March 1 to April 30 - and win yourself a four-door hybrid of your very own.  Seriously! What do you have to lose?? Stay in the loop on this non-profit community project as well as our Soles4Souls shoe drive, DriveBaby® Photo Contest, and Fort Gordon involvement by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google! Photos and post by Milton Ruben Social Media Specialist Heather Cortright.

Last year, we welcomed a lovely young lady named Emma Kate Few to our dealership floor to open another one of our favorite community charity drives - a Soles for Souls shoe drive! Emma Kate, 16, has been a local spokesperson for the National Non-profit organization Soles for Souls for the past 4 years, and we hosted her here for the first time last February.  We are so excited to embark on a new drive with her again this year, collecting shoes for the needy both locally and worldwide!   Soles for Souls was originally a disaster relief aid founded after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.  It has since grown into a global effort to fight poverty and disease in third world countries by providing shoes and establishing micro-enterprise businesses to boost the economy.  But Soles for Souls also serves at home as well, continuing to provide shoes for victims of natural disasters in addition to orphanages and the homeless.  It is a wonderful cause that we are proud to be a part of! We know our customers are ready for some early spring cleaning (or Masters' guest prep!), so we even set a goal of 1,000 pairs of shoes to collect, with the hopes of assisting Soles for Souls in this year's Pair it Forward campaign to reach 1,000,000 shoes!  So let's step up and Pair it Forward, CSRA! What We Will Accept: Shoes, of any variety, size, shape, or condition! Where: All three of our buildings have a box to collect in, as well as our Chrysler Dodg When: Now - March 13th Get Steppin'! To keep up with our progress in the Soles for Souls Shoe Drive, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google! Graphics and post by Milton Ruben Social Media Specialist Heather Cortright.