Automotive News - October 16, 2017 - Supplement - S10

10 | OCTOBER 16, 2017
M A G U I R E FA M I LY O F D E A L E R S H I P S , I T H A C A , N . Y.

Buyback policy builds goodwill
Families in crisis can
return vehicles - and
they often buy again
Printed in Automotive News Jan. 23, 2017

Katie Burke

kburkel@crain.com

he Maguire Family of Dealerships
learned a lesson about its customers
during the 2008 recession: Sometimes they need more from their
dealership than cars.
Nearly 10 years ago, the dealership group
established the Maguire Family Assurance
policy, which guarantees the Ithaca, N.Y.,
group of dealerships will buy back a customer's vehicle if an unexpected life event, such
as a family death or job loss, occurs during
the first year of ownership.
If a customer owes more than the vehicle's
value, Maguire will cover the difference up to
$6,000.
Phil Maguire, president of the dealership
group, said the idea stemmed from the recession, when many customers in the area found
Besides the Family Assurance policy, the Maguire group is involved in many community service
themselves in sudden financial straits.
initiatives. Above, sales staff members participate in an event for animal cruelty prevention.
"These situations don't happen too often,
where a consumer comes in and asks for
said that most recently parents came in to sell
Family of Dealerships, is one of 49 nominees
help," Maguire said. "When it does happen, in
back a vehicle after their son died of an illness
for the 2017 Time Dealer of the Year award,
the past, we were always the dealership that
almost a year after purchasing it.
which evaluates dealership performance and
said, 'Yes.'"
"We take care of customers through the
community service efforts.
The Maguire Family of Dealerships has
thick and the thin," Maguire said. "It's an
Maguire Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram-Fiat,
nine locations in the Ithaca and Syremotional situation for everybody
one of the group's stores in Ithaca, has been
acuse, N.Y., areas and sells nearly
involved."
recognized as one of Automotive News'
Vehicle
20 brands.
Best Dealerships To Work For five years in a
buyback if an
row.
Customer satisfaction
unexpected event
Phil Maguire said the Family Assurance
Return customers
The Maguire group focuses
occurs during the
policy is a simple way to provide
heavily on customer satisfacMaguire said the group refirst year of
added value to customers
tion, Maguire said. Salespeople
ceives about one claim a
ownership
and differentiate the group
are paid salaries instead of
month and maintains a fund
from other dealerships in
commission, and the group ofsolely dedicated to the policy. In
the area.
fers a lifetime engine warranty
many cases, customers who sell
Making customers' lives
on every vehicle.
back their cars end up returning a few
easier in tough times is
The group also is involved in a number
months later when they can afford to own or
also "the right thing to
of community service initiatives, includlease vehicles again, he said.
do," he said.
ing raising money for and donating to
In one case, a customer who bought a Sub"It's something that car
local charities and volunteering at the
aru lost his job a week later. When he came
dealers can achieve due to
food bank. Tim Maguire,
back to the dealership to file a claim, the store
our business," Maguire
owner of the Maguire
was hiring new salespeople.
said. "We enjoy helpMaguire decided to interview him and gave
ing and making a
him a job. Six years later, the former customer
Tim Maguire: One of
difference." a
is now a sales manager at the dealership
49 nominees for the
group.
2017 Time Dealer of
Not every claim has a happy ending. Maguire
the Year award

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - October 16, 2017 - Supplement