NewHavenBIZ

BUSINESS PROFILES | NOVEMBER 2022 | NEW HAVEN BIZ 12 B ob Alvine began his career in banking, where he ended up at a firm that specialized in providing financing for car dealerships. Leveraging that early experience, he decided to get into automobile retailing himself. He started with a small Subaru store in Branford. He then acquired the Kia store in Branford, too, followed by the Subaru store in Watertown. Premier recently added a new luxury showroom, Premier Premium, in Branford. It is stocked with high-end vehicles, some with sticker prices over $100,000. Today, as president of Premier Auto Group, Alvine takes pride in the unique approach taken at his dealerships. They are the only ones in the state to employ non-commissioned salespeople. They are compensated based on customer satisfaction. "That really changes the focus for the sales staff to really want to make sure we are identifying the vehicle that works best for the customer," Alvine says. "It's worked out extremely well. Customers have acknowledged and have seen that they have very attentive salespeople that want to make sure that they're selecting the vehicle that is right for them, agnostic to how much money is being made for the dealership on the sale of the car." In addition, the dealership posts all its prices online, so the cost of any vehicle is no secret. "That really makes it easy for the customer," Alvine says. "They just have to identify which vehicle best meets their needs." Another benefit to purchasing or leasing from a Premier dealership is the exclusive buyer benefits package, which is included at no charge on every new vehicle. The package includes a lifetime powertrain warranty, a three-day exchange program, complimentary roadside assistance, complimentary car washes and loaner vehicles, among other benefits. "These are things you won't find at other local dealers," Alvine says. "They give people even more reasons to get their next car from one of the Premier dealerships." While Premier is focused on customers, it also has been paying attention to its facilities. The company has invested more than $35 million in new facilities in the last five years – an unprecedented sum for any automotive retailer in Connecticut. First up for remodeling was the Kia store. Alvine designed and built the new facility to be the first and only Kia "Gallery" facility in Connecticut. It is a state-of-the-art facility that's open, airy and contemporary. It has all the modern amenities you'd expect, including drive-in service and a comfortable waiting area with refreshments and wi-fi. Up next was the Subaru store in Branford. After five years of development, it opened in early 2020. The facility was designed with lots of glass to ensure visibility for employees and customers. In late 2021, Premier opened its new Subaru store in Middlebury with a similar, open design. "It provides an open and transparent feel, because that's the way Premier does business," Alvine says. "We are open and transparent." Indeed, there is an aura of trust at Premier that you won't find in most dealerships. "This is a facility where customers can look around and see all the employees, then go into service, see every one of the technicians, and they can even watch their car while it's being worked on," Alvine says. Dealership Brings Trust to the Showroom Floor Dealerships: Premier Kia Branford: 205 North Main St., Branford CT 06405 www.premierkiact.com (888) 372-9696 Premier Subaru Branford: 155 North Main St., Branford, CT 06405 www.premiersubaru.com (888) 690-6710 Premier Subaru Middlebury: 1660 Straits Turnpike, Middlebury, CT 06762 www.premiersubarumiddlebury.com (866) 726-3419 Top Executive: Bob Alvine, president Year Founded: 2000 Bob Alvine opened his first dealership in 2000. His company, Premier Auto Group, now operates three dealerships.

• Cover