#TEAMZEIGLER Spotlight: Zeigler Subaru of Kenosha

(Exterior of Zeigler Subaru of Kenosha at 7900 120th Ave. in Kenosha, Wisconsin)

During the entire month of October we will be dedicating a week to each of our four new teams in Wisconsin as part of our new #TEAMZEIGLER Spotlight series. These four Wisconsin stores were acquired in July as part of Zeigler's largest purchase to date, collectively adding a total of 14,000 vehicle sales a year to the organization and setting us up to retail over 67,000 vehicles group-wide; and over $2.2 billion in sales next year.

Last week we covered Zeigler Hyundai of Racine, our first Hyundai franchise. This week, we will be learning more about Zeigler Subaru of Kenosha, the second of just two Zeigler Subaru franchises, both of which were recently acquired over the last few months. 

We sat down with Michael Bihun, the GM of Zeigler Subaru of Kenosha to get some details on how the new Zeigler store is doing, what the acquisition process was like, and much more. We also asked Joe St. Germain, VP of Zeigler Wisconsin about his thoughts on the new Wisconsin stores, including Zeigler Subaru of Kenosha. "I am thrilled to have all of these folks be a part of Team Zeigler, they have really joined the family and team, and truly embraced the Zeigler culture. These are great stores and great locations and we are just so lucky that we were able to get great people too." 

When we asked Michael what the acquisition process was like, especially with him being the previous GM at the location, he said, "One word... Seamless. This process could have been total chaos. The Zeigler team came in and facilitated a smooth transition and eased the nerves of the employees."

For Michael one of those employees is his son Adam who is currently working as a Service Advisor at Zeigler Subaru of Kenosha. His wife Inger also works for the organization as a Controller at the new Zeigler Honda of Racine. Along with all the other employees from the four stores in Wisconsin, Zeigler retained all existing staff, at the time, during the acquisition.

Michael said that one of the main things that has stood out to him from Zeigler's culture is Zeigler's commitment to its employees, something that he holds in high regard. He liked that the organization offered different education and training programs, as well as many recognition programs that spotlight top performers. And although he admits, his store doesn't have any top metrics as a dealership to show off just yet, he looks forward to Zeigler Subaru of Kenosha becoming a top performer within the Zeigler organization.

Michael strongly believes that focusing on the customer experience will result in strong numbers. "A lot of stores focus on volume, gross, sales, etc., and while those metrics are important; we know that if we focus on the customer experience and learn from our customer's feedback, all the sales metrics will be there."

It's also the reason he puts more emphasis on team work and departments as a whole instead of individual accomplishments. "I really don't like spotlighting certain individuals as I really focus on the team/departments. I am SUPER fortunate for the people on my team. From the porters to the management staff, I feel everyone is focusing on the customer experience and how we can make it better. We know that the better we become at providing a world class experience the more success we will have as a store."

"Their biggest effort so far has to be their work with the Sharing Center, a local food pantry and support center. In just the past 2 years they have been able to donate an incredible $60,000 with the support of the Subaru Share the Love Event program."

Besides its strong focus on the customer experience and team work, Zeigler Subaru of Kenosha also has a strong focus on the community. Michael says that being involved in the community is a big deal to the entire team. They support a number of organizations and events throughout the year including food drives, animal shelters, and two charity triathlons. They have also provided warming blankets and messages of hope for chemo patients through the Subaru Share the Love Event program. 

Along with all of these wonderful things, the Zeigler Subaru of Kenosha team takes an active role in supporting their local schools by sponsoring hole in one fundraisers, giving monetary contributions; and donating not just books and school supplies, but their own time to read books to the youngest in the community. However, their biggest effort so far has to be their work with the Sharing Center, a local food pantry and support center. In just the past 2 years Michael says they have been able to donate an incredible $60,000 with the support of the Subaru Share the Love Event program.

ABOUT ZEIGLER AUTOMOTIVE GROUP

Zeigler Automotive Group is one of the largest privately-owned dealer groups in the U.S. with 78 franchises across 35 locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Vehicle brands represented include all of the domestic and the majority of the imported manufacturers.

Besides its extensive automotive portfolio, the organization owns and operates Zeigler Motorsports, an 85,000-square-foot motorsports dealership and action park, offering 19 different powersports brands, plus its own onsite restaurant: Trak Houz Bar & Grill. Additionally, Zeigler Motorsports houses the Elevate Leadership & Team Building Academy, an executive training company.

The Kalamazoo-based dealer group also owns and operates Zeigler Pre-Owned of Chicago, a Carquest Auto Parts store, three Byrider franchises, three finance companies, several insurance firms, and a leasing firm.

Founded in 1975, the organization employs over 2,300 people, ranking among the top 1% of automotive dealers in the nation with estimated annual sales of $2.2 billion for 2022. The family-owned and operated company is well known for its commitment to both customer service and employee satisfaction. Zeigler is regularly recognized as one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work for in the Nation, also earning similar accolades in Chicago and Michigan.