strickland auto group - The Canadian Business Journal

Strickland Auto Group
www.stricklandautosales.com
CB
02
Stric
Strickland Auto
beginnings, the
to every area of
late model used
CB
ckland Auto Group
o Group has served south Western Ontario for almost 20 years. From modest
e company grew to own two new car dealerships and two used car lots that cater
f today’s market. Strickland Auto Group is a superstore stocked with over 800
d cars of all makes, models and price ranges.
AUTOMOTIVE
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AUTOMOTIVE • Strickland Auto Group
The Canadian Business Journal spoke with
Then and Now
John Strickland, who owns and operates the
According to Strickland, the new car dealership
business with Jeff Strickland, his brother and
principals always regarded themselves as impor-
partner, whose family has been working in the
tant people, and this attitude remains as such to
car sector since his father entered the busi-
this day. “At the time [1990s], we found out that
ness in 1970. “My brother Jeff and I worked
the used car business was often more profitable
for our uncle and father for a short spell, but
than the new car dealers. The general impres-
eventually there was not enough room for all of
sion is that the new car stores get the glory, but
us [in the small Goderich location], so in 1994
we found that selling used cars was far less restric-
my brother and I started a small independent
tive, and more reciprocal if done right. Being in the
used vehicle and rental car business in Strat-
used car business, rather than the new, gave us
ford,” says Strickland.
a refreshing look at the car business, making us
The company started with some 15 used
question what was the reason to wear a shirt, a tie
cars and a few rental cars, making inroads in
and a suit. Who were we trying to impress? One day
the industry, building relationships and learn-
my brother and I both peeled our ties off and never
ing from other professionals such as John
went back to that approach,” says Strickland.
Edelman, owner of Handimand Motors, the
“At that time the lease cars were coming
largest used car dealership in Canada, and
back in a big way, with manufacturers expecting
in less than 20 years, Strickland Auto Group
people to lease more and more, and cars com-
grew and became a leader in the used car
ing out of leases were creating a lot of used car
business in Ontario. The company adopted
product that the new car dealers did not want to
a new way of pricing, moving away from the
deal with, thus leaving a huge market opened for
old “high mark-up and discounts”, to a “no-
us. It was a much easier business.
hassle” strategy, buying and importing vehi-
“With the financial crisis, the Detroit Three
cles from the United States (if the car market
stopped their leasing business, the fleet busi-
makes it more profitable for the customer),
ness has also dried up, and they are not offering
constantly adapting to the ever changing mar-
the incentives they used to. What I think is taking
ket, and never being afraid to change in order
place is that the manufacturers had woken up
to better serve its customers.
and realized that they have to sell the product
APRIL 2013 • The Canadian Business Journal
Proud to support
Strickland’s Automart and wish
them future success
Holloway Automotive Supply Limited is a distributor of quality auto parts to businesses and recreational
consumers. We have a machine shop on site for diesel requirements and customizations.
We are mainly vendors of automotive parts, accessories and equipment to garages and direct to consumers in the Southern Ontario area including Stratford, Kitchener, Woodstock, New Hamburg, Wingham,
Clinton, St. Mary's, London, Tavistock, Seaforth, Exeter and Mitchell.
10 Dover Street
Phone: 519-273-1499 | Fax: 519-273-6756
hollowayauto.ca
5
6
AUTOMOTIVE • Strickland Auto Group
before they can build it. Before they used to build
dealership (offering GMC, Cadillac, Chevrolet,
it, and then push it to the market with massive
and Buick brands) in Brantford, and two indepen-
incentives to fleets to take the product off their
dent used car lots in Stratford and Windsor.
hands. Those days are gone. At this point my
Strickland Auto employs 130 people, focus-
brother and I saw that the used car business
ing on choosing people who want to learn about
would dry up, so we decided to jump back into
the car business. “We want our employees to
the new car sales market.”
take responsibility for their career path. We pro-
To jumpstart Strickland Auto’s re-entry into
vide them with all the tools as a ‘hand-up’ not a
the new car business, the brothers used their
‘handout’, and people development is our main
father’s connections as a Toyota dealer, and the
focus. The Strickland family has achieved a lot,
company built and opened a Toyota dealership
and we want the same for our staff.
in Stratford — the first LEED Gold certified Toyota
“We work hard on every aspect of our peo-
dealer in Canada, and second overall. Today,
ple’s development. We have many young families
Strickland Auto owns a Toyota dealership, a GMC
in our organization, and we make sure that they
APRIL 2013 • The Canadian Business Journal
7
know that they are appreciated, and we even
provide help in the mental health arena if the
employees are struggling with some issues, so
we try to be as responsible as we possibly can as
an employer,” says Strickland.
Besides its people, the company is driven
by the best customer service and the best
prices. According to Strickland, a good car
purchase by Strickland is half of the work when
it comes to giving customers a good price. Jeff
Strickland has been a phenomenal buyer for
• Accounting & bookkeeping
• Income tax preparation and planning
• Farm transfers to children
• Management consulting
• Financing proposals
• Computerization
Providing a full line of professional accounting
services for over 50 years.
www.wardanduptigrove.com
the company, and his skills drive competitive
pricing. “We are reaching right across Canada
and the United States to get the product, while
other dealers stay local. We will go wherever
we can to get the best deal and finding the
going to be won online and on the phone, one
ways to do it affordably.”
customer at a time. This way we build our
The company customer service is driven by
relationships with the customers beyond the
its Business Development Centre. The centre
sale. I think this is the only way to survive and
reaches out to all company customers and
be competitive going forward,” says Strickland.
sales clients to ask about Strickland, whether
The company bases its future growth on its
they received fair treatment, best service, and
people assets, building new stores as partner-
whether there are areas for improvement.
ships with employees. “One of the greatest joys
“This is the one area of the business that car
in life is to see someone else succeed, and if we
sales providers haven’t been able to succeed
can make that happen for a handful of people,
in. Strickland’s has spent the last five years
than that’s a pretty worthwhile goal.” CB
building and developing this process and is
finally seeing results. Strickland states, “Like
all businesses these days the battles are
www.stricklandautosales.com
GEORGE MEDIA
NETWORK
AS SEEN IN THE APRIL 2013 ISSUE OF THE CANADIAN BUSINESS JOURNAL
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