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May/June 2017 – BizVoice/Indiana Chamber
69
GETTING TO KNOW
“Our theme is ‘For the People’
and that’s what we advertise.
We really try to instill that in
our employees.”
– Fred Grote, owner
By Rebecca Patrick
Grote Automotive
LOOKING OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER
A Fort Wayne event wouldn’t be complete
without the Grote crew on hand. The
company also supports a variety of area
charities, including those promoting literacy
and education, and for victims of abuse.
The mileage
Fred Grote has been in the auto industry for 35
years – since he was 15. He opened Grote
Automotive in Fort Wayne in 2007 with two
other employees. Huge growth in the last three
years pushed the employee count from 22 to 48.
The dealership sells pre-owned vehicles to those
who have been told “no” everywhere else due to
bad credit, bankruptcy or other challenges. That
totaled nearly 2,000 cars in 2016.
Turning ‘no’ into ‘yes’
“(Customers) don’t want to go in somewhere
and be embarrassed. That’s what we try to take
away from them. They don’t have to be
embarrassed if they come here. And when they
walk out, they know that even if we couldn’t get
it done today, they should have a path for what
they need to do to get a car in the (near) future.
… We don’t let them leave without a plan.”
The company works with more than 40 lenders
for financing options.
Grote way
The belief is if employees are in the right seats
on the bus, then they are happy and therefore
will make customers happy. The upbeat and fun
atmosphere often includes dancing as part of the
daily routine in the sales department.
Hitting the spot
Fred Grote buys the team lunch every Saturday.
“We’re (also) installing a full kitchen. We have a
nice covered picnic area for the employees that
we just put together so they can have lunch (there).”
Community ties
Grote Automotive underwrites local sports
teams – which means fun opportunities for
employees. They can go down on the ice for the
Fort Wayne Komets hockey games and throw
out T-shirts, or watch from the pits at the Baer
Field Motorsports Park.
A big semi wrapped in the “For the People”
promise makes appearances at local parades; it
converts to a huge stage and is donated for local
events.
The specialized dealership has seen
significant expansion in a decade.
Fred Grote: “Ours is a lot harder
business, but it’s much more
rewarding. Our customers are very
appreciative of what we can do.”