Experiencing Excellence: It’s More Than Just a Slogan
My experience as a 2014 summer intern at Park Place Dealerships
“Experts in Excellence” it is a tag line, a simple phrase, yet also an extremely powerful statement. For a single person to claim excellence is quite a feat, but for an entire corporation to proclaim it in everything they do is really impressive.
Every company has their slogan, and we all know the great ones: “I’m lovin it”, “Just Do it”, “Open Happiness.” As you read each of those slogans images of golden arches, an athlete and a polar bear drinking a soft drink enter your mind. That is because those brands have attached those words to everything they do. Like other iconic brands Park Place Dealership has attached itself to the words “Experts in Excellence.” It appears on napkins, bottle openers, floor mats, license plates, but most importantly, on each interaction and point of contact. So plastering your company name right on top of the word excellence is a bold statement right? Yes, it is bold, ambitious and overtly assertive. Those are all qualities that it takes to be successful and is one of the reasons why Park Place Dealerships is as successful as we are because of the embodiment of that go-getter mentality.
Another cool thing about placing the word excellence beneath your company name is that you are automatically holding yourself and everyone associated with the company to the highest standard of performance, on and off the job. This is something I have learned quickly and come to appreciate greatly during my summer internship with Park Place Dealerships. Just like being a part of a school, fraternity or sorority when you work for a company you are an automatic brand ambassador for that company.
Through my internship I’ve learned a number of things but I think none of them are as important as living your brand promise. Representing yourself in the best light is something you would think comes naturally to most people or at least should, but turn on the TV for 30 seconds and you might think the contrary.. and even fear for the future of mankind. Yet here at Park Place everything is looked at under a giant microscope, each detail is examined to make sure that the ideal client experience is expressed in every way possible.
When I first decided to take this internship I was a bit skeptical about working at a car dealership (I would be lying if I said otherwise). After the first day of training, I began to witness to the pride and passion that members put into their jobs. I knew from there that this wasn’t like your average auto dealership, or even your average company for that matter. During the orientation process I learned about all aspects of business. I was able to see everything from what a greeter does to how to fix certain cars to how to make sure you are keeping the books correctly, and I am just a marketing intern! Getting a chance to the full spectrum of the business world was one of the most beneficial opportunities of this internship.
I happen to be a writer and a creator, so when I arrived that it what I was asked to do. I expanded my writing pallet by contributing a multitude of posts to the Park Place News. I also learned and did plenty of new things like going on photo shoots and driving some really amazing cars all around Dallas/Fort Worth. This gave me a shot to use my photography skills to create an online advertising campaign called “Our Cars, Your City”. I also learned a whole new world of digital marketing, computer coding and website design. I was able to create web pages with the help of my fellow intern and now good friend, Zach Swanger. We created the Bugatti brand page for Park place, a whole new Careers site and a few other webpages as well. Each of these experiences I will confidently put to use in the future.
The things I’ve learned, were taught and experienced during my summer as a Park Place intern were things I could never master in a classroom. Being an intern here at Park Place Dealerships was unlike any other internship. I know what you are thinking at this point: I wonder if this is really all he is cracking it up to be? The answer is an over-the-top resounding Yes!
Being a part of Park Place is being a part of something great, something excellent. Maybe not what you might think of when you consider changing lives or helping others, but it really is. That is because when people walk through the doors of any Park Place dealership they can expect one thing without a doubt –to be treated better than anywhere else. The members of Park Place will go above and beyond any request for a client, and I’ve seen this first. They greet you like you are walking into their living room. They treat you like you are their best friend from grade school that traveled half way across the country to see you. It is an excellent example of world class customer service.
This summer is one I will remember and benefit from for the rest of my life. It gave me a chance to learn about a side of the business world I am interested in and opened my eyes to many possibilities for my future. This is an experience I do not take for granted and that should be pursued by any college student that is looking to make good use of their summer. So I urge you to apply and give it a try. First, let me caution you. You have a lot of competition out there for next summer – including me.
A special thank you to everyone at Park Place who helped contribute to the incredible experience I have had here this summer.
