The Client Champion Award recognizes Jim Ellis team members who go above and beyond in demonstrating the Jim Ellis Promise through exceptional service, leadership and care for others. Jaime’s actions are a powerful example of what that commitment looks like, especially when a customer needs help beyond the typical dealership experience.
Here is the story behind why Jaime was nominated as this month's Client Champion:
An unexpected internet outage affected the dealership’s entire system, including phone service. During the outage, the team learned that a client who had recently picked up her vehicle had experienced an unfortunate secondary issue and was stranded on I-75 North as traffic began to build.
With normal means of communication unavailable, the team was able to stay in contact with the client through the Zoom app. Because she was unfamiliar with the area and unable to clearly identify her exact location, Jaime immediately stepped up and volunteered to go find her.
Jaime drove through heavy traffic on I-75 until he was able to locate the client and her vehicle. Once he found her, he contacted the dealership with her exact location so a tow truck could be arranged. More importantly, Jaime stayed with the client so she would not have to wait alone on the side of a busy interstate.
He remained with her until her husband arrived to pick her up and continued to wait until the tow truck arrived, making sure her vehicle was safely loaded and transported back to the dealership.
What could have easily become an extremely frustrating and frightening experience for the client was made significantly better because of Jaime’s actions. He showed initiative, compassion and a genuine commitment to taking care of a client when she needed help most.
Jaime didn’t simply complete a task that was asked of him, he took ownership of the situation from beginning to end. He made sure the client felt safe, supported and cared for throughout the entire experience, demonstrating that exceptional client service doesn’t end when a client drives off the lot.
His actions are a great example of the level of client service and teamwork we should all strive to provide. Jaime’s willingness to step up, put the client first and act when help was needed is exactly what it means to live the Jim Ellis Promise.