First Place: Auto Dealership; Automotive Salesperson - Ernie Doeden; Oil Change Service (Quick Lane)
Honorable Mention: Automotive Salesperson - Jordan Myers and Braden Rogers; Brake Service (Quick Lane)
Bill Colwell Ford, located in Hudson, wants to thank all their loyal customers for voting their dealership the Cedar Valley’s No. 1 overall dealership to do business with year after year. And they’re extremely honored to be recognized as the Best of the Best in Oil Change Service (Quick Lane), and Automotive Salesperson with Ernie Doeden. They also want to recognize Jordan Myers and Braden Rogers as honorable mentions in the Automotive Salesperson category, and Quick Lane as honorable mention for brake service.
If you ask Bill what the success of Bill Colwell Ford can be attributed to, he would simply reply with two words, “our employees.” The growth that this company has seen in the past 36 years is from the consistent hard work from their employees. Bill set a standard of how to take care of their customers and the employees have followed it, and because of that they have built a repeat loyal business.
Bill Colwell said, “All of our employees know that our customers can buy a car or get their oil changed anywhere, which is why we have to go above and beyond when it comes to customer service.”
Customers may have plenty of options when it comes to purchasing and servicing their vehicle, but they choose Bill Colwell Ford year after year. On average the Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center performs 50 oil changes a day, which is around 1,300 a month. And over the past 36 years Bill Colwell Ford has sold over 47,000 vehicles to customers spanning four generations.
Bill Colwell has been in the car business his whole life, first working with his father's dealership in the 1970s before purchasing the Keith Motor Company's Ford franchise in Hudson in 1984. He built Bill Colwell Ford on the belief that treating his customers and his employees with respect and fairness was the only way to go. Now that Bill Colwell Ford has grown from six to nearly 60 employees, this dedicated staff still believes in making our customer satisfaction second to none.
Since 1984, their location on the corner of Highway 63 and Waterloo Road in Hudson has changed quite a bit. In 2012, the dealership began building a new facility directly behind the previous dealership, which had been built in 1960. In October of 2013, they transitioned into the new construction and the Grand Re-Opening of Bill Colwell Ford was held. In July of 2016, Bill Colwell Ford added the Cedar Valley Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center. And last summer they completed a remodel of their service drive.
The physical location is constantly being improved, but so is their virtual location. Their website, www.billcolwellford.com, is constantly being updated with new inventory, photos, and blogs. They also have a “Personalize Your Payment” tool so customers can start the buying process from the comfort of their own home, which has become extremely important in serving people during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, they have a newly updated online scheduling tool for service appointments with a pick-up and delivery option.
“All of these changes have been made with the customer in mind. From day one our goal has been to make the buying process and ownership experience simple and stress-free. And as times change, we as a company continue to adapt and improve to accommodate our customers,” commented Blake Colwell, General Manager at Bill Colwell Ford.
Not only has the dealership evolved over the years, but their employees have as well. As vehicle technology progresses, it requires increased levels of knowledge and skills for automotive technicians and the sales staff. This past year, Dan Kleiner completed Ford’s workforce certification technician training program, and Austin Kramer completed Chassis Master Retention and Engine Master Retention in Ford’s Masters Program. Ben Wilson completed another year as a Senior Master Technician, which is Ford Motor Company's highest certification that a technician can achieve and requires over 550 hours of Ford training. And Devin Schafer graduated from the Ford ASSET Program at DMACC, a two-year program that allows students to earn while they learn and gain hands-on technical experience while earning an Associate's Degree in Automotive Technology.
This year brought an unexpected challenge of serving customers during a pandemic. With the sudden changes in the community, the dealership quickly adapted to meet customers’ needs in the safest way possible. Along with following guidelines from the CDC and the online car-shopping tools, they introduced a free pick-up and delivery option for service appointments, video chats with sales staff by request, at-home test drives, and home delivery of purchased vehicles. “We’re seeing just how valuable reliable transportation is, whether it’s getting essential employees to work every day or going to the store to get important supplies. That’s why we’ve stepped up in offering ways for customers to still take care of automotive needs while keeping everyone’s health and safety in mind,” said Blake Colwell.
With 36 years of putting people first, it’s no surprise that the dealership has won its fair share of awards. Bill Colwell Ford has won numerous customer satisfaction awards, including the prestigious President’s Award from Ford Motor Company three times. The award recognizes dealers for excellence in providing outstanding customer service and satisfaction. In 2019 they were named a Top 100 Dealership in the United States for their reputation score on Reputation.com. Locally they have also been voted the Best of the Best five times in the Cedar Valley.
Even with everything going on at Bill Colwell Ford they still are able to find time to give back to the community. As of 2020, Bill Colwell Ford has raised over $68,000 for the Hudson Athletic Booster Club, who is able to use that money for uniform and equipment replacement for the students. Bill Colwell Ford has also worked with other organizations including the Cedar Valley Hospice, the Northeast Iowa Food Bank, Cedar Bend Humane Society, House of Hope, and the Friends of the Family.
“Being able to give back to those who have given us a chance to earn their business is what keeps our business going. The Cedar Valley is a great community and we’re happy to give back and be a part of it,” said Bill Colwell.
If you are in the market for a new, pre-owned, or Certified Pre-Owned vehicle feel free to give Bill Colwell Ford a call or shop around the website, which has thousands of pictures and information on their inventory. If you’re not in the market for a new vehicle, they also have an outstanding Ford Service Department and Quick Lane to help maintain your current vehicle, no matter the make and model. Of course, you can always stop by the dealership to get assistance with any automotive need, or just to say hi and enjoy a cup of coffee.
Click Here to view the original article from the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier.