Lionel Wardrop, the general manager of Budget Car Sales in Vancouver, says looking at the market through a customer's eyes is fundamental to his dealership’s success.

At Budget Car Sales, using live market pricing is how Wardrop said he ensures that each deal is first-rate.

“We use software to check the retail marketplace and make sure that our vehicles are very well priced before agreeing to purchase them,” he said.

But while the dealership pays close attention to pricing, Wardrop explained that supply and wholesale pricing bring on a burden of uncertainty.

“The supply of a certain type of vehicle can change dramatically, and of course so will the wholesale pricing,” he said. “Sometimes this can mean an excellent value to the customer and sometimes the prices are so high that they are actually not worth purchasing at all.”

Despite these challenges, Wardrop said customer service is his and his team’s primary focus.

He explained that garnering high customer satisfaction not only requires hiring good people who enjoy their profession but also taking steps to empower them with the tools necessary to be successful.

“We call all customers after purchase to make sure they are satisfied, and our service department is expected to go above and beyond to satisfy our customers if any issues arise after they take their vehicle home,” he said. “Each vehicle is completely inspected mechanically and cosmetically and fully reconditioned, and that is how we are able to offer a money-back guarantee with purchase.”

This year, the Budget Car Sales team scooped up both the British Columbia DealerRater Used Car Dealer of the Year Award and the 2017 DealerRater Consumer Satisfaction Award.