Dean Green
This article describes Dean Green. This and other articles may be found in the University Archives.
Citation for this article is: "Alumnus Dean Green Operates Largest Ford Dealership in Southeast," ECU Report, Volume 13, No. 5, September 1981.
It is one thing to make it to the top, but it is yet another matter to stay there.Dean Green's Ford dealerships in Greensboro and Conway, South Carolina rank among the top in the country and have held that distinction for the past three years, so the ECU graduate must be doing things right.
Going into the 80's and facing a weaker economy does not worry Dean Green. "Advertising is the key -- last year when business was bad everywhere, I never thought for a minute of cutting advertising," said Green.Some time ago a successful businessman offered him this advice -- "advertising is the lifeblood of your organization" -- and it is a concept Green adheres to vehemently.
Since 60 per cent of the sales come from outside the Greensboro area, advertising is the vehicle for reaching potential buyers. "We have been just as aggressive when the market has been off, and we have been able to maintain our profit levels," Green told the editor in a recent interview.Green Ford periodically stages promotional events bringing well-known personalities to the 10-acre site in Greensboro. The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders appearance was one of the most successful promotions, but Green points out one must pick carefully for he admits he has had some less than successful experiences.
Last year when indicators were saying people were not buying Green Ford staged a "Green 1000" campaign over a 45-day period.THe advertising was handled by Lavidge & Associates of Knoxville, Tenn. and a name television performer, Ernie Brown, did several commercials.The net result proved people were buying as 817 of the 1000 cars sold.
As in any business, it is important to know what the market desires and to make that available and then let potential buyers know you have what they want.According to Green, people are definitely interested in small fuel-efficient vehicles, so he has added Isuzu, Deutz, and Iveco Magirus to his dealership. This expansion led to an award from the Ford Motor Company for selling more small cars than any dealer in the world.
"This is a people business and customer satisfaction is utmost in our operation," said Green.To keep abreast of the operation, the dealership operates on the "Green System" which has been studied and copied by dealerships around the country. Daily and weekly records are kept on each salesperson.There is a goal to sell to 30 or 32 per cent of all who come into the showroom. If a salesperson is below this goal, help is available to improve sales.There is followup to determine the reasons a prospect did not buy.THe same approach is found in the service department.If a buyer does not bring his vehicle in for service, an inquiry is made to find the why.
"I learn a lot by studying the percentages and from going to meetings and talking to other dealers. I like for my figures to be above the others and if they are below, we're going to work on that department," said Green. "We keep track of what brought the customer to our showroom -- TV, newspaper, word-of-mouth -- and that information helps us decide where to aim the advertising."
A stroll through the spralling complex on Wendover Avenue indicates Dean Green is as adamant about employee satisfaction as he is for good customer relations.From the sales floor to the body shop to the office there is a resounding feeling that this Ford dealership is a good place to work. The man in the body shop pointed out that the air filter system overhead was something that Dean Green voluntarily installed for the welfare of the employees.
There are 100 employees in Greensboro and 50 in South Carolina and Dean Green considers his employees as one of the primary assets for the business.The general manager and the used car manager have been working with Green for 15 years and the business manager and fleet manager for the past 12 years.
Green believes slow periods in the economy force one to look for ways to improve.It was such a time that led to taking on the franchise for National Autofinders. This service lists a used car on consignment and Green Ford sells the vehicle, gives the listee a check for the agreed amount and handles the title and paperwork and financing. The company's used car business has been the best it has ever been probably due to this, remarked Green.
A component of the business which has expanded volume is the in-house computer recently put into operation.A service history is kept on each vehicle enabling the service department to give more individual attention to customers. Work in the fleet department can be facilitated as the title work for 100 cars can be processed by the computer in one day. The parts department, which covers 11,000 square feet, can be handled more expediently with the computer and the automatic invoicing by computer is an aid to all departments.
Ironically, when Dean Green was on the ECU campus, he was not preparing himself directly for a slot in the competitive world of automotive sales.Coming from Monticello (north of Greensboro) where he was active in sports, he attended ECU on a baseball scholarship and majored in health and physical education and minored in social studies and biology.He was on the wrestling team and a member of Alpha Phi Omega fraternity. Following graduation in 1963, he went to work as a salesman for Greensboro Ford, which later became Friendly Ford. He rose to general sales manager and in 1967 went to Dallas to be general manager of Couresy Ford, which was the largest retail dealership in Dallas.He was there two years when the Ford Motor Company offered him a dealership in Lexington, North Carolina.He took a leave of absence to set up that operation, but never returned to Dallas, but instead went to Greensboro in 1973 when Ford offered him the second dealership in that city.
Several businesses have been added over the years, which Green characterizes as a natural outgrowth.The South Carolina dealership has been in operation for two years and there are real estate, leasing, rental, and modeling businesses."Very capable personnel enable all this to happen," remarked Green, allowing him to be involved in activities other than Green Ford.He and his wife, Marilyn, serve on the national board for the Retinitis Pigmentosa Foundation and have been involved in fund raising over the past few years. He has been a loyal alumnus to ECU and has provided the Alumni Association with two courtesy cars for travel purposes.
