Business View - August 2015 45
ing dealerships are streamlined and refined. But the
reason that Summit has been able to sustain this level
of growth — and what makes the company truly dif-
ferent from others in the industry — isn’t apparent in
the numbers. Carmichael and Gillett’s shared vision
for Summit was to deliver an experience for customers
completely unlike the confrontational, high-pressure
sales tactics that stigmatize car sales. Instead, they
urge their employees to think of themselves as stew-
ards, upholding the company’s values of honesty, in-
tegrity, and full disclosure.
“Honesty may sound like a small thing,” Carmichael
begins. “But people are always looking for clues to de-
termine if you are what you say you are. Living out our
values in every interaction we have with customers is
the best way to earn their trust.”
This cultural emphasis on transparency is a response
to what Summit has heard, time and again, from cus-
tomers and the company has translated that feedback
into a guiding philosophy of “Value Added Benefits.”
These benefits formalize a promise to customers that
the transaction will be simple and straightforward, the
vehicles are competitively priced, Summit Certified
will fix any issues that crop up in two months or 2,000
miles, and they’ll even let customers return a vehicle
— no questions asked — if they have a change of heart.
“We want every customer to be completely satisfied,”
AT A GLANCE
WHO:
Summit Automotive Partners
WHAT:
An automobile management group
WHERE:
Headquarters in Denver, Colorado
WEBSITE
:
AUTOMOTIVE
