The Choice of One’s Car: LIke a Kid on Christmas

There’s no such thing as a wrong choice when buying a Mercedes-Benz

Let’s face it. As consumers, we’re presented with an overwhelming number of choices on a daily basis for every basic human need. Which toothpaste? Which cereal? Brown shoes or black? BBQ or Mexican for lunch? Most of these choices present little consequence in the grand scheme of things, posing very little risk and only a fleeting reward. However, some of the choices we as consumers face stand to greatly impact our lives. Such is the choice of one’s car.

Now, allow us to be a little presumptuous in assuming that if you’re reading this, you’re probably already a Mercedes-Benz loyalist. If not, welcome! Please continue reading so we can change that. For those of you who already own a Mercedes-Benz and are looking to upgrade, or those who are prospective first-time owners, allow me to present you with some exciting new choices.

I’ll start by saying what an exciting year it is to be a Mercedes-Benz dealer. With the launch of so many innovative new models, new motors and several major facelifts on the horizon, Mercedes-Benz is poised for a year to top all years.

Starting the roll out in style was the unveiling of the all-new 2014 S550 Sedan As if the world wasn’t already aware, with this beauty, Mercedes-Benz just solidified its place as the most respected automaker in the world. Unequivocally, the new S550 is the most impressive luxury sedan on the market.

But why stop there? The best of the best know never to rest on their laurels. So to one-up itself, Mercedes-Benz also introduced the sleek, stunning S550 Coupe By now, we can take for granted the beauty and elegance of any Mercedes-Benz, but this little powerhouse is also dripping with safety features that are bound to make Consumer Reports shake their heads. It’s no surprise the S550 Coupe has the Mercedes-Benz dealer body on the edge of their seats for its arrival, which is slated for later this year. It also has every car enthusiast licking their chops to put their hands on that steering wheel!

But the excitement doesn’t end at the Coupe. Other new models include the GLA-Class, sure to be a hit with the millennial generation, the CLS400 and the CLS550, while models such as the E-Class and SL-Class are getting entirely new motors and the C300 sedan, a complete redesign! Read back on some of my previous rantings here.

Feels kind of like being a kid on Christmas, doesn’t it? Too many toys to concentrate on one! But I’ll let you in on a secret. None of these are the wrong choice. There’s no such thing with a Mercedes-Benz. However, I want to be sure you’re getting the right car for you. Don’t be shy, stop by the dealership to learn more about any and all of the new Mercedes-Benz models. With designs this innovative, technology this impressive and motors this fuel efficient, you can bet our team at the store is excited to dazzle you with all the specifics.

So go ahead, I challenge you to find the Mercedes-Benz of your dream.

Christmas Comes Early in Germany

Mercedes-Benz is hitting the floor with an all-new GLA crossover, the wildly-racy-for-a-sedan S63 AMG, and a new generation S-Class coupe

Frohe Weihnachten, everyone! OK, so it’s not the officially sanctioned holiday season just yet, neither here nor in Germany, but this time of year is as good as it gets for car junkies. The annual International Motor Show in Frankfurt – the largest auto show in the world – is among us, and boy, am I pumped! The rumble of tailpipes, the flash of headlights, the invigoration of taking a seat behind the wheels of the finest automobiles in the world – to me, there’s nothing better. I can’t wait to see what surprises the auto industry has in store for us!

Allow me to digress; most auto shows don’t have me frothing at the mouth. In fact, working a show as a sales person is usually torture, to put it mildly. Fielding an onslaught of questions, navigating throngs of people – by the end of the day, you’re a walking zombie. Even the most fervent car enthusiast like myself finds their excitement waning. But the Frankfurt show is different, peeps. This is the crème de la crème, the Super Bowl, the Olympics of auto shows and it never disappoints. Mark my words, the world will be watching to get a glimpse of all the new benchmarks in automotive advancements.

For me, this year is more special than normal because Mercedes-Benz has a lineup ready to unveil that will knock it out of the park! But that’s no surprise, really. And as we say in Texas, if you’re not the lead dog of the pack, the scenery never changes. Let me tell you, Mercedes-Benz has earned its rightful place as the head of the pack, and you can bet they’re there to stay.

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLA Crossover

Alright, alright. Enough foreplay (we’re talking cars here, folks). Mercedes-Benz is hitting the floor with the all-new GLA crossover, the wildly-racy-for-a-sedan S63 AMG, and the new generation S-Class coupe that has everyone swooning. Plus advances in Electric Drive, forward-thinking Intelligent Drive technology, astounding 0 to 62mph capability in 3.9 seconds, and a multi-camera system that continually evaluates surroundings for safety hazards. Ahhhhh, this lineup it not just awe-inspiring, it’s a whole lot awe-some!

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Mercedes S 63 AMG

With the amount of buzz already generated by the soon-to-be-released ’14 CLA-Class later this month, I’m beyond excited about the GLA crossover and the new markets Mercedes-Benz is bridging. You know the old saying, “This ain’t your daddy’s Benz” – well, with nearly 20 years experience with the brand, I say, they’re absolutely right. Mercedes-Benz is poised to set the market on fire with their new releases catered to satisfying the thirst of a new demographic – the so-called “millennials.” But worry not, Gen Y and Baby Boomers, the greatest brand and car company in the world has something for everyone.

From now through September 22, I’ll be waiting by my computer, giddy as a kid on Christmas morning, regularly checking updates from the show. What’s that? I have a dealership to run? All in a day’s work, my friends. All in a day’s work.

~ Garrick Hatfield, GM at Alex Rodriguez, League City, TX

Swallow Your Pride, Open Your Mind

As a CEO, coach, manager – the ability to internally examine, identify and accept weaknesses, is a key factor in success

As a CEO, coach, manager – any kind of leader, the ability to internally examine, identify and accept weaknesses, is a key factor in success.

In the automobile industry, we are often required to attend “training sessions” led by a consultant. Now with leadership comes an inherent sense of ownership (ahem, stubbornness, pride) that makes us wary of outsiders telling us how to conduct our business. A couple weeks ago, I received a call from Mercedes-Benz informing me that J.D. Power would be visiting the store. It was like the world stopped turning. I leaned back in my chair and thought, “Do we really need this? Right now?” Reluctantly and quietly (which you only see from me on very rare occassions) I accepted and asked when we could expect them.

It usually goes down like this: In comes the consultant, introduced as having something like 50 years of experience, someone who has “done your job” and “been in your shoes” and can “relate” and all the while I’m thinking, “Here we go again…” But this time was different. Prior to the consultant meeting, thorough a series of discussions with my team and my wife, I decided to change my mentality going into it. This time was going to be different. After all, you get what you want to get out of life, right? So I promised myself I’d welcome this consultant with some southern hospitality, open my eyes and ears and soak in as much valuable input as I could.

Let me be the first to tell you what a huge difference that mentality shift made – and not just for me. My new outlook was infectious. I looked around at my team, sitting upright, engaged, and right then and there, learned my lesson. A good leader keeps an open mind, and is able to swallow and nod when their flaws are pointed out. Our recap meeting, scheduled for 30 minutes, ended up lasting 2½ hours. We had a great discussion about how to implement the consultant’s ideas to make positive changes to our dealership. The meeting ended with handshakes and hugs (you know me, I’m a hugger!) and we were off to the races. Now Alex Rodriguez has started the next chapter in becoming the greatest place to work while continuing to provide world-class service.

Later that night, my wife asked skeptically how the consultant was. I replied, “You know…” as she held her breath for the inevitable, “It was incredible!” in all seriousness. Because it was. So thank you, Mercedes-Benz and J.D. Power for that little nudge to welcome an outsider’s opinion that will help us grow and develop as leaders and as an organization. We are grateful!