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 [World Class Technician] 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.
To the employees of Milton Ruben, finding a cure for breast cancer is personal. Our employees, as well as their friends, neighbors, families and community members have been afflicted and affected by this disease, and we have once again decided to come together as a company to spread awareness for breast cancer and collect funds for treatment and a cure during the month of October.
If you see one of our employees wearing a pink ribbon during the month of October, that means that he or she has donated to University Hospital’s Breast Health Center’s Mobile Mammography Unit. The center has been accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program administered by the American College of Surgeons. University has the first and longest-running nationally accredited breast health center in the region and is only the second one in the state to be honored with this recognition.
Several of our employees are also participating in University Hospital’s 16th Annual Miracle Mile Walk on Saturday, Oct. 15 in Downtown Augusta. We encourage you to walk in the event, or even start a team. If you see the Milton Ruben Drive Babies, be sure to stop us and say hi!
With these fundraising efforts, Milton Ruben Superstore is trying to raise a combined $1,500. If this happens, Milton Ruben Toyota General Manager Chuck Easters has agreed to let an employee throw a pie in his face!
For more information on University Hospital’s Breast Health Center, click here.
For more information on the Miracle Mile Walk, click here.
Milton Ruben Toyota is Playing Fore the Pets
We’ll admit that we go weak in the knees when we see a vehicle that’s obviously cared for. Whether it’s a car with 200,000 plus miles or a personalized truck, we appreciate a good automobile. But it’s not just shiny metal that warms our hearts. Hey, we’re not robots!
We at Milton Ruben Toyota also get that warm fuzzy feeling when we see an animal in a happy home. And we’re not the only ones. That’s why we’re excited to partner with the Friends of the Animal Shelter, or FOTAS, for their third annual “Playing Fore the Pets” Charity Golf Tournament in Aiken, SC.
Looking back at last year’s event, it was an easy decision to sponsor the tournament again. From brunch to golf to General Manager Chuck Easters getting to ride in an actual helicopter, it was a day of fun in addition to a day of giving. This year, the tournament will be at Woodside Plantation Country Club on Monday, Sept. 26. Join us for our TWO Par 3 holes on the course. Make a hole-in-one, get a brand new Toyota Camry. Start practicing your swing now!
After the tournament, FOTAS is bringing back their Helicopter Ball Drop. Pre-numbered golf balls will be dropped from 300 feet over a designated hole at Woodside Plantation Country Club. You can “buy” a ball with a ten dollar donation to FOTAS, and the corresponding numbered ball that lands in (or closest to) the hole wins $1,000!
There is still time to sign up your team for the golf tournament, and balls for the helicopter drop are still available for purchase. Visit http://www.fotasaiken.org/golf-tournament-save-the-date/ for more details. We can’t wait fore the event!
The mission of FOTAS is to support the Aiken County Animal Shelter by promoting animal welfare and responsible pet ownership so that one day, no adoptable animals will ever need to be euthanized in the shelter.
Win Guitar Pull Tickets Every Week Until the Event!
Like Guitar Pull? Then you’re going to want to ‘like’ us on Facebook!
Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram wants to send you to the 18th annual Kicks 99 Guitar Pull. Tickets just went on sale, but we’re giving you the opportunity to win a set of two tickets every single week until the event on November 15! All you have to do is ‘like’ our Facebook page once, and then check back every Thursday at 4 p.m. to see if you won. It’s that easy!
This year’s Guitar Pull stars Cole Swindell, The Band Perry, Kelsea Ballerini, Trace Adkins, Kane Brown and Chris Janson. The jam-packed night will take place at the James Brown Arena in Downtown Augusta.
Official Rules:
NO PURCHASED REQUIRED. Must be 18 years or older w/ Valid Driver License or Picture ID. Single Ticket Valued at $50. Odds based on number of entries. Contest Not In Conjunction w/Facebook. Weekly Tickets Winner Will Be Posted On: www.facebook.com/MiltonRubenChryslerJeepDodge: The Thursday Of Each Week By 4PM. Weekly Winner Must Come By Milton Ruben Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram To Pick Up Ticket Vouchers The Friday After…Any Time Between 9AM-6PM. Ticket Voucher Has No Cash Value. The Actual Tickets Will Be Available for Pick Up The Week Before The Event, Must Have Ticket Voucher To Receive Tickets. For More Information About The Contest, Please Contact Molly Nicholson at: socialmedia@drivebaby.com.
Find Your Next Opportunity at Our Job Fair
Visit us at our open job fair Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday August 23-25th from 9:00-2:00 each day in the Milton Ruben Toyota showroom. Tremendous growth has created the need for immediate hires in the positions of Sales Consultants, Technicians, Service Advisors, Call Center representatives and Accounting staff, to name a few.
Milton Ruben aims to employ energetic, enthusiastic, goal-driven individuals who are interested in receiving world-class customer service training and aspire to a long-term professional career in automotive sales or service.
“The automotive industry is changing. It has become essential that we meet customers’ expectations,” says Chris Snader, Executive Manager of Milton Ruben Auto Group. “Hiring individuals we can invest in, and who will prioritize the customer experience, puts us at the forefront of that movement.”
Employment at Milton Ruben offers various schedules and pay plans, insurance benefits, 401(k) match, and a team-oriented atmosphere to help you establish a successful and stable career.
Recent graduates, military veterans, customer service professionals, and those interested in transitioning from other sales industries or who are seeking a career change should apply.
Milton Ruben Toyota is located at 3514 Washington Rd. in Augusta, GA. No appointments are necessary to apply. Applicants should arrive in professional dress and be ready for an interview, with at least one copy of a resume. If candidates cannot attend, you may apply online.
We Have a New Department!
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.
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To schedule an appointment with the Milton Ruben Toyota VIP Service Team, contact ijjansen@miltonruben.com or (706) 426-0187.
We’ve Got the Blues (Jeans, That Is)
Here at Milton Ruben, we work hard to be professional at all times. In manners and appearances, we believe that professionalism in all of our departments is the key to our customer service. From name tag to pants-length, we have a dress code to ensure that this uniformity reaches all of our employees.
On Monday, July 4, though, we’re bending our rules a little, in the name of charity. We’ve given all of our employees the opportunity to wear jeans and tennis shoes if they buy a red, white and blue ribbon from us. One hundred percent of the sales from these ribbons will go straight to the Augusta area chapter of the Red Cross, which will then be used to help local families of veterans.
Tank Commander Randy Hirneisen attaches his ribbon in the Toyota Showroom. Randy, like others at Milton Ruben, will be wearing jeans on Monday in order to help the Augusta chapter of the Red Cross.
Chartered in 1917, the American Red Cross of Augusta provides direct service to Wilkes, Taliaferro, Lincoln, Columbia, McDuffie, Warren, Hancock, Washington, Glascock, Jefferson, Richmond, Burke, Emanuel, Jenkins and Screven counties. We know that the money we raise will stay in these areas, and our employees are thrilled to help the entire surrounding community.
So, when you see us dressed a little casually on Monday, don’t worry. We’ll be back to our slacks, button-downs and the occasional tie on Tuesday. In the meantime, we’re celebrating July 4th by honoring the U.S.A.’s legendary trait of giving back to those in need. And we plan on looking good while we do it.
Enter Our “Just Me and My Jeep” Contest
We want to see your Jeep!
To us, summer is the unofficial season of the Jeep (though we’ve never been one to turn down a Jeep adventure at any point in the year). To celebrate, we want to see what you, the CSRA, do with your Jeep. Is it clean and meticulously detailed? Or at this point is it just a muddy Jeep-shape? Show us how you live your life by sending us a photo of your proudest Jeep moment.
It’s easy: send us a photo of you with your Jeep, we’ll put it on our Facebook page, and the photo that gets the most likes will win $100!
Here’s your step-by-step guide to becoming $100 richer:
- Email a photo of you and your Jeep with the following information to socialmedia@drivebaby.com, or message the Milton Ruben Chrysler Jeep Facebook page by Monday, July 11:
- Name
- Address
- Phone Number
- Preferred Email Address
- One to three sentences about why you love your Jeep
- We’ll put your photo on our Facebook page on Tuesday, July 12.
- Share the photo with your friends!
- The photo with the most likes by Wednesday, July 27 gets a $100 Visa gift card!
Official Rules:
- No purchase necessary to enter to win. A purchase does not improve your chances of winning. There are no prize substitutions and the prize has a $100 cash value.
- Enter to win by sending a photo of your personal Jeep with your name, address, phone number and email to socialmedia@drivebaby.com, or message the info to the Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Facebook page. Entrants are encouraged to include one to three sentences about their Jeep and their favorite thing to do with their Jeep.
- You or a family member must live in the Central Savannah River Area area to enter. (map)
- Entries will be accepted from Friday, June 24, 2016 through Sunday, July 10, 2016 until 11:59 p.m.
- Finalists will be announced on our Facebook page on Tuesday, July 12, 2016 before 5:00 p.m. The contest will end at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 27. At that time, the photo with the most “likes” will be announced as the winner.
- Finalists must be 18 years of age or older.
- Grand Prize is a $100 Visa gift card to one winner. The winner will be determined by the photo on the Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Facebook page which earns the most “likes” in the given time period.
- Only one entry per person per household. All photos entered in the contest must be appropriate for people of all ages. Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram reserves the right to disqualify any image that we deem inappropriate.
- Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram reserves the right to disqualify any contest winner if it is determined that the winner did not follow the rules of the contest.
- Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram reserves the right to determine an alternate winner.
- Winner must show proof of ID. Only photo ID is acceptable. Winner must sign a release form to claim $100 Visa gift card.
- By participating in the contest, all participants and winners grant permission to use their names, characters, photographs, voices, videotape, and likenesses in connection with promotion of this and other contests and waive any claim to royalty, right, or remuneration for such use. This applies to over the air, internet and social media.
- If the contest entry includes any creative material from the participant, by submitting your entry you agree that your disclosure is gratuitous, unsolicited and without restriction and will not place the company or contest sponsors under any fiduciary or other obligation, that the company is free to disclose the ideas on a non-confidential basis to anyone or otherwise use ideas without any additional compensation to you. You are verifying that you are the owner and producer of the submitted material and that no third party ownership rights exist to any material submitted.
- The value of any prize awarded to a winner may be reported for tax purposes as required by law.
- Employees of Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and their immediate families, contest sponsors and immediate families, or any employee or family member of any Milton Ruben entity are not eligible to participate. “Immediate family” shall include spouses, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren and cohabitating “significant other”. Residents of the same household are also considered “immediate family”, whether or not related by blood or marriage.
- All decisions are final.
- Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and all associated properties are not liable for any damages incurred through the use or misuse of any prizes provided. All persons receiving such items agree upon acceptance to assume all responsibility and liability. Further, all associated entities, sponsors and others shall be harmless to the same.
- Facebook in no way is responsible or liable for this contest.
Meet Our New Service Advocate, Bridget Jones
“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.
Our Two Top Winners (Uh, Losers?)
We are pleased to announce our winners of the first Lose Baby competition of the year! This time our weight-loss competition, held between Jan. 19 and April 19, 2016, had two winners, as males and females weren’t competing against each other. Both winners received a check for $500 to celebrate their victories.
The final results:
Men
Winner: Eddie Jones (Detail Department) with 12.6 percent of total body weight lost
2nd Place: John Ruffin (Detail Department) with 10.3 percent of total body weight lost
3rd Place: Donovan Sims (Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Service Department) with 9.5 percent of total body weight lost
Women
Winner: Connie Johns (Chevy Sales Department) with 6.7 percent of total body weight lost
Second Place: Julia Brown (Accounting Department) with 4 percent of total body weight lost
Third Place: Nicole Cain (Accounting Department) with 3.2 percent of total body weight lost
We spoke with the winners about the habits they developed over three months, and got a few tips on how to stay on track and lose in a healthy way:
Lose Baby Winner (Men) Eddie Jones (left) of the Detail Department shakes hands with manager John Ruffin. Ruffin won the first Lose Baby competition in 2015, and had a side competition with Jones (Ruffin placed second in this competition).
Eddie Jones attributed his results to diet and will power. Though he still dreams of rice and gravy, he’s given it up. He’s staying away from starches, meaning no white rice and no white bread. After giving up sugary drinks, tea and beer, Eddie only drinks (sometimes flavored) water.
His motivation came from the people around him. Eddie’s wife joined Weight Watchers last August, so he was able to learn effective habits from her. And Eddie’s manager is John Ruffin, who, after losing 60 pounds, was the first Lose Baby winner in 2015. The two had a side competition going on, with Eddie losing slightly more weight than John.
This environment helped Eddie enjoy the competition.
“I’m having fun doing it, it’s not like I regret doing anything,” he told us. “And I’m still doing it!”
Chevrolet Sales Manager Connie Johns (right) accepts a check from Chevrolet General Manager Chris Snader. The two had a side competition going on during the company-wide weight-loss competition, which helped motivate Johns to become the Lose Baby (Women) champion.
While Chevrolet Sales Manager Connie Johns also focused on food (her biggest diet change was not eating late at night), she also revamped her workouts. Connie joined a kickboxing class twice a week, and focused on weight training two other days in the week.
Connie offered the following advice: “Never let yourself get hungry, prepare your meals everyday and have a support system in place. Your support group is your best friend when you’re trying to make life changes. And you need to make it fun.”
Connie’s support group, luckily, was her fellow Lose Baby participants. To make it fun, she had a side bet (we’re sensing a pattern among our winners) with boss and Chevrolet General Manager Chris Snader.
Lose Baby is our ninety-day contest that focuses on healthy weight loss. We keep a confidential record of percentage weight lost per individual, and help one another stay on track with 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.
We look forward to another Lose Baby competition in the summer. Until then, stay healthy and Lose, Baby!
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