December 23, 2013 at 5:02 p.m.
Rhinelander Toyota opens new facility
Rhinelander Toyota opens new facility
The move from the old building was completed on Saturday and Monday marked the first official day of business in the new facility. The upgrades are significant, not only for employees of the Rhinelander Auto Center (which also owns the GM dealership next door) but also for customers.
"Toyota is known for its energy-efficient vehicles like the hybrids and you can see that in the building itself," said Tarsie Goes, Rhinelander Auto Center marketing coordinator. "Everything is a lot more energy efficient - the lighting and the way the service bay doors operate. It's all an effort to preserve energy and be a cleaner facility. For customers, the lobby is the most exciting part. (At the old building) it was really small. Now it's more spacious. There's more of a living room feel to it."
Goes said the customer experience is important to the business and the amenities do not end with just a more spacious lobby area. The new facility has six more service bays than the previous building which means a faster turnaround for things like quick lube service. On the sales end, there are delivery bays reserved for sold vehicles that customers need to pick up. Goes said Toyota employees do a complete walk-through on a vehicle before sending customers off, and the delivery bays provide a convenient location for it.
"It can take 45 minutes to an hour," Goes said. "They go through everything on the car with the customer. The delivery bays are nice so that we no longer have to do that outside."
Another unique feature of the new building is a heating pad running along the front of the dealership's exterior. Goes said it allows cars to be displayed without overexposing them to the elements.
The building upgrades also mean more inventory as well as jobs for Rhinelander Toyota.
"When you upgrade a facility, Toyota increases your inventory," said Jason Flanagan, general sales manager for the dealership. "This is the most new Toyotas we've had since 2003 when we opened."
Flanagan said customers can expect that selection to continue to increase in the coming months.
Jobs are also being added. According to a development agreement Rhinelander Toyota entered into with the city earlier this year, the business is committed to adding at least 12 new jobs in the next year as a result of the upgraded facility. That projection is on the low end though, according to Flanagan.
"We've hired new people and we're still hiring," he said.
Customers can now enjoy everything the new Toyota dealership and service center has to offer, but a date for an official grand opening celebration hasn't yet been set. It might occur next month, but that's not a certainty, Goes said.
"We're waiting for authorization from some larger Toyota reps (who want to be here for the grand opening)," she said.
Kyle Rogers may be reached at [email protected].
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