NOBLESVILLE, Ind. -

For Courtney Cole, sixth-generation dealer and co-owner of Hare Chevrolet in Noblesville, Ind., the strength in her dealership comes from the “ability to differentiate” itself from the competition. This dealer says it’s all about standing out.

Cole owns the family business with her sister Monica Peck. Cole heads up the sales department, while Peck runs the service department of the dealership that averages more than 200 used sales and 140 new sales per month.

And the store has another claim to fame — it qualified as a Chevy franchise in 1921, and it is now the 34th largest Chevy store for new-car sales in the country and No. 1 in Indiana.

The sisters are in charge of a store known as the oldest transportation company in America, having been originally built to create wagons pre-Civil War.

But the store’s rich history is not its only forte. Cole was also recognized as one of the “Women in Remarketing” at Auto Remarketing’s Used Car Week this fall for her accomplishments and leadership in the industry.

The store has also managed to cultivate qualities that help it stand out in the used-car market.

“Strengths in our store include our ability to differentiate ourselves in advertising, the quality and experience of both our management staff and our salespeople, and our overall ability to get deals structured in a way to get people financed,” Cole told Auto Remarketing.

And the strategy seems to be working; through November, the store had sold a little over 2,100 used units, which Cole said was roughly on par with 2011 rates.

“Our number of units sold are flat, but the overall gross per unit is better for 2012 than 2011,” Cole added.

So, how does Hare Chevrolet keep pre-owned customers rolling in? Cole says they have to work a bit harder than most because of the store’s location.

“We are on the far north side of Indianapolis in a town called Noblesville. We sometimes say that we are at the North Pole. It is somewhat of a challenge because we are pulling lots of people out of Indianapolis, and we are basically the furthest Northern GM store,” Cole said.

“However, our people do a great job of overcoming the challenge. As far as competition goes, we are no different than any other dealer in saying we wish there were not so many dealers so close, but we tend to concentrate on our own efforts instead of worrying about what we cannot control.”

And what the staff can control is customer service. Cole says a dealer should work to make the car-buying experience “exciting” for their customers.

“Our philosophy is to find a solution for the customer and then provide them an incredible experience. Purchasing a vehicle should be exciting! We have delivery coordinators for both new and used, and they meet with every customer at delivery and explain the features of the vehicles, how to make a service appointment, important phone numbers for service, social media sites in which they can interact with the dealership, and review sites that we would greatly appreciate them to leave remarks,” Cole said.

“We also give them a business card with both owners’ personal cell phones so they may call us if there are any issues,” she added. “We then stay in touch with them on a regular basis via email, text, phone, newsletter and regular mail.”

And Hare Chevrolet used-car manager Eric Davis also offered his opinion on what makes the dealership stand out from the competition.

“Teamwork, volume and drive,” Davis said.

When Auto Remarketing asked Cole if any vehicle, in particular, flies off the lot, she said it depends on the season. But when a certain ride is on the minds of many, Hare Chevrolet jumps on the chance to take advantage of strong customer interest.

“We have had some huge runs on certain vehicles at certain times of the year. If we find something that books, we start buying it in huge bulk. We basically put the ‘pedal to the metal’ and run with it until it does not book anymore, and we find something else that books well,” Cole said. “Some of the vehicles that we have purchased in huge bulk include Dodge Chargers, Mitsubishi Endeavors, Toyota Camrys and Chevy Impalas. It just depends on what is hot and what is carrying a great NADA book value.”

Used Inventory: A Way to Take Control

After acknowledging that everyone has trouble finding inventory from time-to-time, Cole explained that her buyers and dealership staff work online auctions, trade-ins, private-party sales and rental car companies to find quality, used inventory.

And for those worried about the new year’s inventory environment, Cole said, “Starting off 2013 with the right inventory is no different than any other time. We just have to do our best to be in the vehicles at a number that will maximize the value the banks will finance.”

Davis chimed in, noting, “The best quality used inventory is usually new-car trades. We are in a good position here at Hare due to the volume of our new-car department. In addition, we are always active inside and outside the store looking for inventory via online auctions, attending live auctions, other dealerships and private individuals. We are always looking, comparing and changing our sources due to opportunities.”

Cole also offered a new way to look at used inventory. Cole stressed that though dealers cannot control how many new cars the manufacturer makes, they can, in fact, control the used side of their business.

She also offered a sports analogy to illustrate her point.

“We worry about what we can control. I compare it to sports — since I'm a Hoosier, I'll give an analysis of comparing it to basketball. There are days when you do not shoot well; however, your defense and your free-throw percentage should always be good,” Cole stressed.

“In our case, used vehicles and service should always be good. Then if the factory comes out with an incredible car or outstanding rebates, that's like shooting 60 percent from 3-point land,” she added.

“However, we do not control the types of vehicles the factory makes or the rebates so we concentrate first and foremost on making our used-vehicle department the best that it can possibly be, and then we take advantage of awesome factory opportunities,” Cole continued. “In essence ‘defense makes the offense.’”