Volvo Cars of North America named Park Place Volvo a recipient of its prestigious 2012 Volvo President’s Club Award. The Volvo President’s Club, in its ninth year, acknowledges outstanding performances of the top 10 percent of Volvo retailers nationwide.
Park Place Volvo is one of 25 Volvo President’s Club dealerships that delivered the highest levels against their business objectives in the following areas: customer satisfaction, sales and service quality.
“This award is a testament to Park Place Volvo’s dedication and commitment to its customers,” said John Maloney, President and CEO of Volvo Cars of North America. “Only a small percentage of Volvo dealers achieve this recognition, and Park Place Volvo has proven they are one of our very best.”
Volvo Cars of North America, LLC, (www.volvocars.com/us) is a subsidiary of Volvo Car Group of Gothenburg, Sweden. VCNA provides marketing, sales, parts, service, technology and training support to Volvo automobile retailers in the United States. For more information please refer to the VCNA media website at: http://www.media.volvocars.com/us, and follow Volvo’s blog at: www.volvoblog.us.
(PLANO, TX.) – March 05, 2013– Jaguar North America recently announced the recipients of the 2012/13 Pride of Jaguar Retailer Excellence award. Park Place Jaguar Plano is among the select group of Jaguar dealers to achieve this honorable award.
“Park Place Jaguar Plano is honored to receive this prestigious award,” says Ken Schnitzer, Chairman & CEO. “It shows our continued dedication to providing an exceptional experience to our customers.”
Pride of Jaguar winners are dealers who have demonstrated a commitment to excellence and the Jaguar brand. Sixteen Jaguar dealers were selected from a network of 164 dealers across the U.S. based upon being top performers in three core business categories; customer advocacy, sales and business excellence.
“The Pride of Jaguar award annually honors those select dealers who exceeded expectations in customer satisfaction, sales performance, and overall business excellence. These dealers are key elements in Jaguar’s continued success,” says Andy Goss, President, Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC.
For more information on Park Place Jaguar Plano, visit http://jaguarplano.parkplacetexas.com/.
At Park Place Dealerships, we pride ourselves on being Experts in Excellence. That statement extends throughout our organization, and multiple dealerships, with the lofty goal of providing an extraordinary automotive purchase and ownership experience. As a result of that goal, we are proud to announce that several of our dealerships have received awards from their respective manufacturers for maintaining the integrity and excellent client service that should be expected from a luxury automotive dealership.
Park Place Dealerships Awards
Park Place Motorcars Dallas, Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth, and Park Place Motorcars Grapevine have received the prestigious Mercedes-Benz Best of the Best Dealership Recognition Award based on outstanding performance in 2012. This award, presented annually, goes to the top performing Mercedes-Benz dealerships for demonstrating superior performance in various areas of their business.
“These dealers are exemplary representative of the Mercedes-Benz brand: an entrepreneurial spirit fueled by a commitment to excellence and strengthened by a total focus on customer satisfaction,” said Steve Cannon, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA.
Park Place Porsche Dallas was once again recognized for the 17th consecutive year in 2013 through the Porsche Premier Dealership Program, which identifies the top 25 Porsche Dealers in North America. The Porsche Premier Dealer designation recognizes and rewards those Porsche Dealerships that best embrace the Porsche Business Model – achieving the highest performance among their peers in Brand utilization, product representation and the development of key Porsche business drivers; and in doing so, succeed as independent entrepreneurs who routinely exceed the expectations of their Porsche customers.
Recognition as a Porsche Premier Dealer bestows the pride and prestige of being named one of the most highly regarded Porsche dealerships in North America, ad Park Place Porsche Dallas is driven to continue our commitment to excellence that gained us this distinction.
Park Place Jaguar Plano has been awarded the Pride of Jaguar Retailer Excellence Award. The award is the highest honor a Jaguar dealer can receive, and is only bestowed on dealers who take the ideals of excellence and turn them into a way of doing business for every customer, every day. Earning the Pride of Jaguar requires that all areas of a Jaguar dealership’s business are focused on the customer. There are three key components to achieving Pride of Jaguar: providing an exceptional customer experience; exemplary sales satisfaction performance; and excellence in service quality.
“The Pride of Jaguar award annually honors those select dealers who exceeded expectations in customer satisfaction, sales performance, and overall business excellence. These dealers are key elements in Jaguar’s continued success,” says Andy Goss, President, Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC.
The Elite of Lexus award is reserved for those dealers who excel at everything they do. From sales and service to the overall ownership experience, these dealerships are truly in a class all their own. Lexus bestows this honor on only a very select group of dealerships, based on customer ratings and a rigorous series of operational and certification requirements. We are honored to say that Park Place Lexus Plano has earned this prestigious award 19 times and Park Place Lexus Grapevine earned it the past 11 consecutive years.
At Park Place Lexus in Plano and Grapevine, TX you will find an elite group of Lexus Technology Specialists available to help you feel comfortable with the technology included in your Lexus vehicle. As cars become more advanced, it’s perfectly natural to have questions about the plethora of new features available. That is where your Lexus Technology Specialist comes in. When you purchase a new Lexus, a Lexus Technology Specialist will be there to guide you through the new technology until you get the hang of it, but your relationship doesn’t end there. If you ever have any questions on how to use the technology in your Lexus to its greatest advantage, simply give our Lexus Technology Specialists a call, or drop by Park Place Lexus to gain hands on experience in navigating the technological marvel that is your Lexus.
To get in touch with your Lexus Technology Specialist, give us a call at 877-753-5747, and you will be routed to the Park Place Lexus Technology Center of your choice at Park Place Lexus Plano or Park Place Lexus Grapevine.
If you are looking for a quick online help to connect your smartphone with your new Lexus, or navigating the Lexus Enform App Suite, take a look at our Lexus How-To library below!
Luxury automobile dealership group ranked #4 in the U.S. in the largest survey of American workers of its kind
DALLAS (January 31, 2013) — Dallas-based Park Place Dealerships has been named one of America’s Top Workplaces by WorkplaceDynamics. Park Place was ranked #4 nationwide among 872 organizations with more than 1,000 employees that participated in regional top workplaces programs.
“It is an honor to be recognized as one of America’s top workplaces,” said Ken Schnitzer, Chairman of Park Place Dealerships. “We have invested in hiring the best team to take great care of our clients and they do an incredible job. We value our team and we do everything we can to create an exceptional work environment.”
The National Top Workplaces list was determined solely by feedback gathered through an objective employee survey. The survey was conducted by WorkplaceDynamics, LLP, the leading on-demand employee survey provider, in conjunction with 30 leading regional newspapers. Park Place Dealerships participated in The Dallas Morning News’ Top Workplaces 2012 program.
The survey uses a proprietary set of 22 questions to rank companies. The survey data showed that employees most want to work at companies with high levels of organizational health. Companies that set a clear direction for their future; execute well; and bring real meaning to work are the healthiest.
“We have the support of the leadership team at all levels of our organization,” said Sherry Miller, vice president of human resources at Park Place Dealerships. “This enables us to implement workplace initiatives that create an environment where our employees are recognized and rewarded for their knowledge and skills, where their opinions are heard and valued, and where they can learn and further develop in their careers at Park Place.”
The Top Workplaces program accurately reflects the opinions of employees through measurement of engagement, organizational health and employee satisfaction. The survey is utilized year after year by human resource professionals and C-suite executives nationwide as the gold standard in internal measurement of organizational health and employee satisfaction.
Founded in 2006, WorkplaceDynamics is the fastest-growing employee survey provider in the United States. Based on their “on-demand” employee survey, last year they surveyed more than 5,000 organizations, polled 1.7 million people and handled over a million employee responses.
Details about the National Top Workplaces, a full list of the Top 150 companies, the survey methodology, and factors that drive organizational health are available at www.topworkplaces.com.
Park Place Dealerships was founded in 1987 by Ken Schnitzer with a single Mercedes-Benz dealership on Oak Lawn. Park Place currently operates 15 full-service dealerships representing Bentley, Jaguar, Lexus, Lotus, Maserati, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, smart, Volvo and Rolls-Royce. In addition, the dealership group includes two Park Place Bodywerks locations. For more information about Park Place Dealerships, visit parkplace.com.
In 1972, the Grapevine Historical Society was born out of an effort to save the historic 1888 Cotton Belt Railroad Depot. One year later, the museum was dedicated by Mayor Bill Tate and for the past 40 years the Historical Museum has welcomed visitors from all over the world. A new chapter will be written as the Grapevine Historical Museum is a little closer to moving into its new building at 206 West Hudgins later this year thanks to a $25,000 donation from Park Place Lexus and Park Place Motorcars.
“We are so excited to have such generous support from Park Place,” said Margaret Harper, fundraising committee co-chair for the Grapevine Historical Society. “Through this and other corporate giving, we will be able to meet our goal of moving into our new facility by the end of the year. The museum is a fabulous venue that chronicles Grapevine’s rich history.”
The Grapevine Historical Society will move its collection into a new facility located at 206 West Hudgins, with the façade of the 1970s Grapevine Ice Company. This will increase the museum’s space from 900 square feet to approximately 3,000 square feet. The new facility will allow the Museum to expand and enhance its current displays and provide space for temporary exhibits.
The new Museum will feature:
Precious artifacts, maps, and photographs, donated by multi-generations of Grapevine residents and representing over 150 years of history
Permanent and rotating exhibits
On-site docents to give an oral history and explanation of the articles on display
“The Grapevine Attic,” a special area with miscellaneous items found in grandparents’ attic.
“We have been a part of the Grapevine community since 2000 when we opened the first of two dealerships in the city,” said Ken Schnitzer, chairman of Park Place Dealerships. “There is a great history in Grapevine and we are pleased to be a part of preserving it through this donation for the new building.”
Park Place Dealerships was founded in 1987 by Ken Schnitzer with a single Mercedes-Benz dealership on Oak Lawn. Park Place currently operates 15 full-service dealerships representing Bentley, Jaguar, Lexus, Lotus, Maserati, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, smart, Volvo and Rolls-Royce. In addition, the dealership group includes two Park Place Bodywerks locations. For more information about Park Place Dealerships, visit parkplace.com.
(This guest blog was written by one of our amazing clients at Park Place Lexus Plano, Robert Lee, who did an incredible job of providing a special Christmas surprise for his wife. It’s such a great story, that we thought you would like to read it too!)
Stealth Swap
It was one week before Christmas and I got a text message. The text message (to paraphrase) asked if I would be interested in trading in my wife’s 2010 Lexus IS250-C with a 2013 model. It was from a sales associate I’ve worked with before at Park Place Lexus of Plano. While this may seem like a sales pitch, it was not. The associate knew my wife and I were huge car enthusiasts. No, we’re not made of infinite means and my wife’s car is in perfect working condition (it had less than 8,500 miles on it). However, with the revised IS coming out next year and the “December to Remember” event at Lexus – he thought we could have an opportunity to get a great deal on a new car. So a plan was hatched (BTW, this article is not about patting me on the back – more about the dedication Lexus puts into customer relations).
I am a firm believer that life is about experiences. In front of me was a perfect opportunity to create an everlasting memory for my wife. The plan went like this: I would swap out her 2010 IS250-C with a 2013 IS350-C. I knew that besides some very minor visual cues (day time running LEDs, GPS antenna shape change, telematics system) the cars would look identical. Stephen Wedderburn (the sales associate) searched high and low and was able to locate for me an updated version of my wife’s car. The cars were the same in every way – color outside, inside, options, wheels.
A little white lie later, I was able to take my wife’s old car and drove it to the dealership for the swap. Having both cars parked side by side, I replicated the cabins. I moved all her personal belongings from old to new. I adjusted the seats, mirrors, radio stations. Then I had to race home so I can program the home-link garage door opener before she returned home.
So the trap was set. She returned home and didn’t notice a single thing. Like a predator waiting for its kill, I patiently watched as she went about her day knowing that she will use her car again in the very near future. And then it happened, she needed to leave the house. She got in her car and was about to start it. After a slight pause, she hopped out of the car and ran to the rear and noticed that it was an IS350-C (i.e. NOT her car). Needless to say, the cat was out of the bag at that time. Struck with shock and glee, she ran to me and thanked me for the amazing surprise.
While I had hoped that she would have driven away and then noticed it, it was great to be there to see her reaction. I later asked what gave it away. Her response was the “new car” smell. For a flash of a second, she thought I had taken her car and gotten it detailed. So she glanced at the touchscreen and noticed it squeaky clean. Then lower she went on the center console and that’s when she noticed. Her knowledge of Lexus cars is staggering. She noticed that the air recirculation button now has an “Auto” setting (that was an IS350-C exclusive even back in 2010). Go figure – the car was too perfect – that’s what gave it away.
In short, it was a surprise I could not have pulled off without the aid of Stephen and the amazing staff at Park Place Lexus of Plano. His dedication to his job is evident in everything he does. Considering that it was the dealership’s busiest time of the year (i.e. time when he can be making more sales if he was on the showroom floor), he took the time and effort in making this happen for me. Don’t let his youth and dashing smile mislead you, he is a professional thru and thru. We’ve purchased our last four cars from Park Place Lexus of Plano. We have no reason to go anywhere else. If what you want is a great car and to be treated with respect – please go visit Stephen at Park Place Lexus. You will not be disappointed. Kudos to the entire staff at the dealership. They are all second to none.
No. 73 Porsche GT3 fielded by Park Place Motorsports in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. (Photo Credit: Park Place Motorsports)
Park Place Motorsports To Debut in 51st Rolex 24 At Daytona
New Team To Field Porsche GT3 in GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series GT Division with
Drivers Patrick Long, Spencer Pumpelly, Patrick Lindsey, Jason Hart and Daniel Graeff
Park Place Motorsports’ ‘Arrive & Drive’ Program Offers Full-Service Support for Motorsports Enthusiasts
DALLAS (Dec. 18, 2012) – Park Place Motorsports will make its GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series debut in the 51st running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona Jan. 26-27. The former Horton Autosport team is an extension of Dallas-based Park Place Dealerships, which represents upscale manufacturers Porsche, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Lexus, Bentley, Maserati, Lotus, Rolls-Royce, Volvo and Smart.
Park Place Motorsports will campaign a Porsche GT3 in the 24-hour marathon around the 3.56-mile, 12-turn road course at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway with an impressive driver lineup that includes three Rolex 24 victories. Porsche factory driver Patrick Long headlines the effort, along with Porsche specialist Spencer Pumpelly, Patrick Lindsey, Jason Hart and Daniel Graeff.
Long, the only American factory driver for the German manufacturer, is a three-time American Le Mans Series (ALMS) GT2 champion (2005, 2009 and 2010) and winner of the 2009 Rolex 24 in a Porsche GT3. That victory completed Long’s cycle of winning each of sports car racing’s modern endurance classics, as the California native claimed victories in the 12 Hours of Sebring (2005), 24 Hours of Le Mans (2004 and 2007) and Petit Le Mans (2005, 2006 and 2007).
Joining Long will be Pumpelly, who owns two Rolex 24 wins (2006 and 2011), both in the GT category. They are among 19 professional victories Pumpelly has scored in GRAND-AM and ALMS competition. A degree in economics from James Madison University makes Virginia-born Pumpelly equally eclectic as Long, who is fluent in English, German, French and Italian.
Continuing the worldly attributes of Park Place Motorsports’ driver lineup is Californian Lindsey, whose day job is working on Wall Street as he balances a burgeoning racing career that has taken him to GRAND-AM. In 2012, Lindsey co-drove the No. 73 Horton Autosport Porsche GT3 to six top-12 finishes in 11 outings.
Hart was born into a Porsche racing family in Northern California. He has been racing Porsches and countless other makes since his career started in 1995. Ready to race anything anywhere, his motorsports background includes ASCS Sprint Cars, USAC Midgets, go-karts, sports cars, vintage racing cars and even off-road vehicles, as the versatile driver scored a victory in the Class 4 division of the 2011 Baja 1000
Graeff rounds out the team’s Rolex 24 effort. The California native will make his fifth career Rolex 24 start in 2013. In addition to his sports car racing experience, Graeff has raced everything from motocross to stock cars, recently competing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.
Park Place Motorsports augments the unparalleled service its dealerships provide by offering customers a premium level of support in relation to their motorsports activities. It’s why the team partnered with Horton Autosport, an innovative operation that incorporated leading-edge technologies to quickly rise from start-up outfit to experienced contender.
“In our dealerships and on the racetrack, we’re committed to the highest quality standards. Our driver lineup for the Rolex 24 At Daytona is a perfect example of that commitment,” said Alex Whitman, director, Park Place Motorsports. “We go above and beyond our competitors and focus each and every day on the hundreds of details that add up to an unparalleled ownership experience. And for many Park Place customers, that experience involves motorsports. It’s in the DNA of the cars we sell and in the DNA of our customers.”
Beyond its flagship racing team that will compete in the twice-around-the-clock endurance race at Daytona, Park Place Motorsports delivers a line of full-service solutions to motorsports enthusiasts at every level, from the racing novice to the experienced professional racer, all at a level of service consistent with the exceptional customer experience Park Place dealerships have provided for more than 20 years. Offerings include:
Service and Repair: Park Place Motorsports mechanics will service motorsports-related vehicles as needed or in conjunction with existing service intervals. The broad scope of service and repair Park Place Motorsports offers clients range from basic fluid replacement to complete repairs, including vehicle body and structure.
Driver and Racecar Support: Park Place Motorsports manages as many processes as the client wishes, from one-off support such as racecar setup, to all-encompassing arrive-and-drive-programs.
Parts Engineering and Distribution: Park Place Motorsports has a line of Park Place Motorsports-branded parts, specifically engineered for high-performance and racing applications.
These services will be authentically promoted by Park Place Motorsports’ GT team in GRAND-AM. The same Porsche 911 GT3 Long, Pumpelly, Lindsey, Hart and Graeff will race at Daytona was built and maintained in the same facility as Park Place Motorsports’ customer cars.
“Having an in-house race team exposes us to emerging technologies in real-time while providing real-world applications for those technologies,” Whitman said. “What we learn with our race team and the experience our engineers and professional drivers can provide to our customers is unmatched. It allows a Park Place customer to get the most out of his or her car and the most out of themselves. And the best part is that all of our expertise is under one roof and available to our customers.”
Park Place Motorsports is a unique offshoot for a car dealership. But with its lineup of high-performance cars in a region where there are more than 250 Porsches licensed to race by Porsche Club of America, creating a division catering to racers who buy their personal cars and racecars from Park Place Dealerships is not only a sound business decision, but a savvy one, as well.
“Having qualified support at and away from the track is one of the primary detractors in motivating new entrants into motorsports. We fill that void by managing any and all wants of the customer,” Whitman said. “We have a centralized location, a dynamic product line, an unmatched client experience and an unrelenting effort to become a leader in the racing industry. It’s what makes Park Place Motorsports stand out.”
About Park Place Motorsports:
Park Place Motorsports is an extension of Dallas-based Park Place Dealerships, which represents upscale manufacturers Porsche, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Lexus, Bentley, Maserati, Lotus, Rolls-Royce, Volvo and Smart. Park Place Motorsports augments the unparalleled attention its dealerships provide by offering customers a premium level of support in relation to their motorsports activities. Services include maintenance and repair, driver and racecar support, and parts engineering and distribution. These offerings are authentically promoted by Park Place Motorsports’ flagship GT team in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series.
On November 14, 79 Plano Independent School District classrooms received a major shock when Park Place Lexus Grant Patrol teams showed up with pom-poms, noisemakers and, more importantly, grant checks.
For the seventh year running, the PISD Education Foundation has partnered with Park Place Lexus and several other sponsors to provide need-based grants for teachers who create unique, innovative programs aimed at helping their students and community. $100,000 was issued to 32 Plano ISD schools by way of 79 grants to teachers through the annual Grants to Educators program.
The Grants to Educators program assists teachers and schools in creating a better learning environment for students when tax funding falls short. Since its inception, the PISD Education Foundation has donated nearly $800,000 through the program. A panel of judges, appointed by the Education Foundation, considered each teacher’s application with a fine-toothed comb, funding 79 grants to 32 different schools. That help goes to 29,562 students and families in the Plano community reached by the grants.
Central Market hosts the Grants to Educators event each year. On this day, everyone involved with the Foundation, PISD, and the Grant Patrol assembled early in the morning at the Coit Road location for complimentary breakfast and lunch for all volunteers.
Plano ISD superintendant Richard Matkin led off the event by remarking on how appreciative the district was for the grant program and stressed its impact on the the schools. He noted that the program encourages teachers to think outside of the box and find ways to create a more conducive environment, not only for learning classroom material, but also for real-world knowledge and core values.
Teams rode along in seven brand new Lexus Grant Patrol vehicles, provided by Park Place Lexus to distribute checks to unsuspecting faculty members throughout the 100 square-mile area. Park Place has been a supporter of the Grants to Educators program for seven years running, providing vehicles and monetary donations every year.
Riding in the lead car was Park Place Marketing Director Rob Sumner, PISD Education Foundation Executive Director Carlos Sastoque, and Education Foundation Board Member Harvey Fishero.
All it takes is one look at the teachers’ reactions to understand what this event is all about: The sheer excitement and joy on many of the instructors’ faces, not to mention the jumping around and hugging, might make a grown man’s eyes water.
The kids ate up the surprise just as much as the teachers. Even the youngest screamed, clapped, and laughed along. The older kids who did understand the significance of the grants made it clear how grateful they were.
While cruising to Centennial Elementary School in our 2012 Lexus RX, Harvey Fishero said something that will not be soon forgotten: He commented on the amazing nature and character of teachers, pointing out that they acted as “parents, referees, and lawyers, while somehow still managing to teach on top of all of that.” Who better to receive help than the instructors who are trying to find better ways to mold our youth into productive, knowledgeable people?
It was easy to see that the teachers honored truly care about what they do. They care about their students and want to see them succeed, not just in the classroom, but in their community as well. The winning grant programs were based on ideals such as promoting family bonding, healthy lifestyles, helping those in need, community involvement, improving literacy, preparation for higher learning, and focus on the arts and sciences.
These teachers who were chosen to receive grant money are truly inspirational role models. Park Place Lexus is so glad to be fortunate enough to be a part of this program and show its generosity for the Education Foundation and its sponsors. Everyone involved in the Grants to Educators program deserves recognition and we hope to see more outstanding education and community-oriented programs like this in the future.
For the third consecutive year, Park Place Dealerships is honored to be named in the Dallas Morning News’ Top 100 Places To Work. With more than 1400 members, Park Place took the number 4 spot in the large company category for the second year in a row, up from the number 5 spot in 2010.
This year’s field included 276 companies who agreed to participate, with surveys being sent to more than 120,000 employees. The results of those surveys make up the scoring system for the Top 100 list, and give great insight as to what it is like to work for each company on the list.
Park Place Dealerships is built upon a foundation of dedicated and talented members, who strive every day to work as a team, serving our clients and helping the organization grow as a whole.
If you are looking for an exciting career with a great team of devoted individuals in one of the top companies to work for in the DFW area, browse our current job listings on our careers site at Jobs.ParkPlaceTexas.com!
