Joe Agresti is trying to change the way that auto dealerships sell luxury cars. His Mercedes-Benz of Baton Rouge dealership uses upscale department stores as models for customer service.
“We should deliver the type of customer service experience that a Saks or a Nordstrom would,” he says. “That influences everything from the way the building looks, to the technical expertise we offer to the quality of people we hire.”
For Agresti, the services he offers, which include making personal phone calls to anyone who buys a new or used car from his dealership within 24 hours of the sale, are a way of giving Mercedes-Benz an edge.
“There’s so little brand loyalty nowadays,” he says. “We’re competing with Lexus, BMW, Acura, Infiniti. ... The guy who stands last will be the one who offers the greatest luxury customer experience.”
Agresti, a New Jersey native, took over the dealership in January 2005. He took the scenic route to getting into the car business, going from working for Arthur Andersen in metro New York, to getting involved with Asbury Automotive Group, a major private dealership group. The move made him one of the youngest auto dealership owners in the country.
Since arriving in Baton Rouge, he’s become involved in community activities, including the “Drive to Succeed” program that gives a new Mercedes to a deserving local teacher. Agresti says two factors are at play in the program: the idea of giving something to teachers—“the most selfless people on Earth”—and a wish to improve the state’s education system.
“To get businesses back in this state, we need to have an educated and capable work force,” he says. “It’s embarrassing to be at the bottom of any pile.”
What is the best advice you ever received?
“Not everybody that works for you is like you. For a young person managing a lot of people, that’s a very critical thing to understand.”
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