Mitsubishi Motors Dealer Partner Spotlight - Redondo Mitsubishi on Taking Chances, Making a Name for Yourself
FRANKLIN, Tenn., Feb. 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is celebrating dealer partners who go above and beyond for their communities. They provide more than just a great place to buy a car – they help their home towns thrive in the good times and heal in the challenging times. They rise to the occasion in support of the community, whatever the occasion may be. This month, we are proud to feature Frank Figueredo, owner, and Miguel Mejia, general manager, of Redondo Mitsubishi in Redondo Beach, CA.
Five Questions with Redondo Mitsubishi
Frank Figueredo, Owner & Miguel Mejia, General Manager
- Redondo Mitsubishi opened in December 2020, a bright spot in an otherwise challenging year. Miguel, how have things been going? Redondo Beach is a close-knit community and has been very welcoming! Of course, the timing has been interesting, but it has given us an opportunity to slow down, really listen to what the community wants and needs right now, and do things the right way. A local mother actually stopped by our office while we were finishing construction, to say that she had been keeping an eye on our progress, and that she had an idea for how we could engage the community. She had a 6-year-old daughter that was out of school, missing her classmates, and had a birthday coming up. Her idea? Turn the parking lot into a drive-in movie for the community. We loved the idea, and of course, couldn't let her daughter down, so we found a way to make it happen. That was a night everyone could be proud of and a great introduction into the community.
- Frank, this is the realization of a dream for you. Tell us about that. I am a first generation American and a second generation car dealer. My father immigrated to Miami from Cuba in the 1950s. His first job was to cold-call people, from the phone book, to come down to the local Chevy dealership and test drive a car. He made the calls from the corner phone booth at his own expense, but if he generated a lead, he got $5. He worked his way up from there to owning a Chevy dealership of his own. I'll never be able to express how grateful I am for what he did, but I can build on his legacy for my children. Even though my dad came up through Chevy, he always had an eye on Mitsubishi. In his mind, it was a brand for the people – safe, reliable, affordable. It stood for the same things we stood for. With the opening of Redondo Mitsubishi, I am fulfilling a dream for myself, but also my father.
- Miguel, we know that the Mitsubishi Motors brand is special, personal even, to Frank. What stands out about the brand to you? The Mitsubishi family – it is a real thing! Opening a new store – taking a risk – is challenging, especially during a pandemic. From day one, Mitsubishi national and regional leadership have been with us lock step, working to address our immediate needs and understand where we want to go. And, sure, there is friendly competition, but the dealer body has been so supportive – always reaching out to check-in or help where they can. Not every brand is like that. Plus, the product is a great fit for the community. Frank said it, but Mitsubishis are affordable and reliable, and by the end of this year, we will have a totally updated or all-new lineup of vehicles on our show room floor. We feel good about putting our neighbors, our families, in these vehicles.
- As a smaller automotive brand, Mitsubishi Motors has to do things differently to be top of mind for customers. What sort of things are you doing differently?
Frank: We understand we have one shot to get it right. Every interaction a customer has with the brand needs to be a positive, or at least constructive, one. That means responding to every online comment, question or review. It means treating customers like family and understanding their unique needs. It means fixing things right the first time and maintaining a high level of trust. The team here is so good at all of these, and I am extremely lucky to be on this journey with them.
Miguel: I spoke about the Mitsubishi family… that includes an extremely loyal group of current customers. They are excited about the future of the brand and about having a new representation in Southern California. We are working to engage those voices, bring them into our social media, and really build a community around common interests. - Frank, what are your goals for the year ahead? And after that? Customer service is our foundation. It has been our focus for the first six months – hiring the right people, providing the right training, giving them the right tools to do their jobs well and to build meaningful relationships with customers. If customer service is our foundation, family is our heart. My dad was the kind of guy who worked seven days a week, and that is often what is required in this business. But this year, we have had to be flexible and allow parents and caregivers to work-from-home – to show up for things that really matter. We are just as proud of that. Longer term, we want to expand our footprint in the community. There is so much need for time, talent and resources, especially during and in the wake of a pandemic. We want to find the right community partners and give back in a way that only we can.
About Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.
Through a network of approximately 330 dealer partners across the United States, Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) is responsible for the sales, research and development, marketing and customer service of Mitsubishi Motors vehicles in the U.S. MMNA was the top-ranked Japanese brand in the J.D. Power 2020 Initial Quality study, ranking sixth overall and experiencing the greatest year-over-year improvement of any brand.
Located in Franklin, Tennessee, MMNA is a part of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. Mitsubishi continues to lead the way in the development of highly efficient, affordably priced new gasoline-powered automobiles, while using its industry-leading knowledge in battery-electric vehicles to develop future EV and PHEV models.
For more information on Mitsubishi vehicles, please contact the Mitsubishi Motors News Bureau at 615-257-2698 or visit media.mitsubishicars.com.
Contacts
Jeremy Barnes
Senior Director, Communications and Events
[email protected]
Mobile: 714-296-1402
Lauren Ryan
Manager, Communications and Events
[email protected]
Mobile: 404-862-8286
SOURCE Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.
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