PARK PLACE JAGUAR PLANO HONORED WITH TOP AWARD

(PLANO, TX.) – March 05, 2013– Jaguar North America recently announced the recipients of the 2012/13 Pride of Jaguar Retailer Excellence award. Park Place Jaguar Plano is among the select group of Jaguar dealers to achieve this honorable award.

“Park Place Jaguar Plano is honored to receive this prestigious award,” says Ken Schnitzer, Chairman & CEO.  “It shows our continued dedication to providing an exceptional experience to our customers.”

Pride of Jaguar winners are dealers who have demonstrated a commitment to excellence and the Jaguar brand. Sixteen Jaguar dealers were selected from a network of 164 dealers across the U.S. based upon being top performers in three core business categories; customer advocacy, sales and business excellence.

“The Pride of Jaguar award annually honors those select dealers who exceeded expectations in customer satisfaction, sales performance, and overall business excellence. These dealers are key elements in Jaguar’s continued success,” says Andy Goss, President, Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC.

For more information on Park Place Jaguar Plano, visit http://jaguarplano.parkplacetexas.com/.

Tags: Jaguar Awards, Jaguar Plano, Pride of Jaguar

Park Place Lexus Technology Specialists: Helping You Learn Exactly What Your New Lexus Is Capable Of

At Park Place Lexus in Plano and Grapevine, TX you will find an elite group of Lexus Technology Specialists available to help you feel comfortable with the technology included in your Lexus vehicle. As cars become more advanced, it’s perfectly natural to have questions about the plethora of new features available. That is where your Lexus Technology Specialist comes in. When you purchase a new Lexus, a Lexus Technology Specialist will be there to guide you through the new technology until you get the hang of it, but your relationship doesn’t end there. If you ever have any questions on how to use the technology in your Lexus to its greatest advantage, simply give our Lexus Technology Specialists a call, or drop by Park Place Lexus to gain hands on experience in navigating the technological marvel that is your Lexus.

To get in touch with your Lexus Technology Specialist, give us a call at 877-753-5747, and you will be routed to the Park Place Lexus Technology Center of your choice at Park Place Lexus Plano or Park Place Lexus Grapevine.

If you are looking for a quick online help to connect your smartphone with your new Lexus, or navigating the Lexus Enform App Suite, take a look  at our Lexus How-To library below!

Tags: Lexus Enform, Lexus How-To, Lexus Navigation Help, Lexus Technology Specialists

Park Place Dealerships Named a 2013 National Top Workplace

Luxury automobile dealership group ranked #4 in the U.S. in the largest survey of American workers of its kind

DALLAS (January 31, 2013) — Dallas-based Park Place Dealerships has been named one of America’s Top Workplaces by WorkplaceDynamics. Park Place was ranked #4 nationwide among 872 organizations with more than 1,000 employees that participated in regional top workplaces programs.

“It is an honor to be recognized as one of America’s top workplaces,” said Ken Schnitzer, Chairman of Park Place Dealerships. “We have invested in hiring the best team to take great care of our clients and they do an incredible job. We value our team and we do everything we can to create an exceptional work environment.”

The National Top Workplaces list was determined solely by feedback gathered through an objective employee survey. The survey was conducted by WorkplaceDynamics, LLP, the leading on-demand employee survey provider, in conjunction with 30 leading regional newspapers. Park Place Dealerships participated in The Dallas Morning News’ Top Workplaces 2012 program.

The survey uses a proprietary set of 22 questions to rank companies. The survey data showed that employees most want to work at companies with high levels of organizational health. Companies that set a clear direction for their future; execute well; and bring real meaning to work are the healthiest.

“We have the support of the leadership team at all levels of our organization,” said Sherry Miller, vice president of human resources at Park Place Dealerships. “This enables us to implement workplace initiatives that create an environment where our employees are recognized and rewarded for their knowledge and skills, where their opinions are heard and valued, and where they can learn and further develop in their careers at Park Place.”

The Top Workplaces program accurately reflects the opinions of employees through measurement of engagement, organizational health and employee satisfaction. The survey is utilized year after year by human resource professionals and C-suite executives nationwide as the gold standard in internal measurement of organizational health and employee satisfaction.

Founded in 2006, WorkplaceDynamics is the fastest-growing employee survey provider in the United States. Based on their “on-demand” employee survey, last year they surveyed more than 5,000 organizations, polled 1.7 million people and handled over a million employee responses.

Details about the National Top Workplaces, a full list of the Top 150 companies, the survey methodology, and factors that drive organizational health are available at www.topworkplaces.com.

Park Place Dealerships was founded in 1987 by Ken Schnitzer with a single Mercedes-Benz dealership on Oak Lawn. Park Place currently operates 15 full-service dealerships representing Bentley, Jaguar, Lexus, Lotus, Maserati, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, smart, Volvo and Rolls-Royce. In addition, the dealership group includes two Park Place Bodywerks locations. For more information about Park Place Dealerships, visit parkplace.com.

Tags: Park Place Awards, Top Workplaces

Grapevine Historical Society To Receive $25,000 In Support For New Museum From Park Place Lexus And Park Place Motorcars

In 1972, the Grapevine Historical Society was born out of an effort to save the historic 1888 Cotton Belt Railroad Depot. One year later, the museum was dedicated by Mayor Bill Tate and for the past 40 years the Historical Museum has welcomed visitors from all over the world.  A new chapter will be written as the Grapevine Historical Museum is a little closer to moving into its new building at 206 West Hudgins later this year thanks to a $25,000 donation from Park Place Lexus and Park Place Motorcars.

“We are so excited to have such generous support from Park Place,” said Margaret Harper, fundraising committee co-chair for the Grapevine Historical Society. “Through this and other corporate giving, we will be able to meet our goal of moving into our new facility by the end of the year. The museum is a fabulous venue that chronicles Grapevine’s rich history.”

The Grapevine Historical Society will move its collection into a new facility located at 206 West Hudgins, with the façade of the 1970s Grapevine Ice Company.  This will increase the museum’s space from 900 square feet to approximately 3,000 square feet.  The new facility will allow the Museum to expand and enhance its current displays and provide space for temporary exhibits.

The new Museum will feature:

• Precious artifacts, maps, and photographs, donated by multi-generations of Grapevine residents and representing over 150 years of history
• Permanent and rotating exhibits
• On-site docents to give an oral history and explanation of the articles on display
• “The Grapevine Attic,” a special area with miscellaneous items found in grandparents’ attic.

“We have been a part of the Grapevine community since 2000 when we opened the first of two dealerships in the city,” said Ken Schnitzer, chairman of Park Place Dealerships. “There is a great history in Grapevine and we are pleased to be a part of preserving it through this donation for the new building.”

Park Place Dealerships was founded in 1987 by Ken Schnitzer with a single Mercedes-Benz dealership on Oak Lawn. Park Place currently operates 15 full-service dealerships representing Bentley, Jaguar, Lexus, Lotus, Maserati, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, smart, Volvo and Rolls-Royce. In addition, the dealership group includes two Park Place Bodywerks locations. For more information about Park Place Dealerships, visit parkplace.com.

Tags: Grapevine Historical Museum, Lexus Charity, Mercedes Charity

Lexus Stealth Swap: Park Place Lexus Helps Customer With A Spectacular Surprise

(This guest blog was written by one of our amazing clients at Park Place Lexus Plano, Robert Lee, who did an incredible job of providing a special Christmas surprise for his wife. It’s such a great story, that we thought you would like to read it too!)

Stealth Swap

It was one week before Christmas and I got a text message.  The text message (to paraphrase) asked if I would be interested in trading in my wife’s 2010 Lexus IS250-C with a 2013 model.  It was from a sales associate I’ve worked with before at Park Place Lexus of Plano.  While this may seem like a sales pitch, it was not.  The associate knew my wife and I were huge car enthusiasts.  No, we’re not made of infinite means and my wife’s car is in perfect working condition (it had less than 8,500 miles on it).  However, with the revised IS coming out next year and the “December to Remember” event at Lexus – he thought we could have an opportunity to get a great deal on a new car.  So a plan was hatched (BTW, this article is not about patting me on the back – more about the dedication Lexus puts into customer relations).

I am a firm believer that life is about experiences.  In front of me was a perfect opportunity to create an everlasting memory for my wife.  The plan went like this:  I would swap out her 2010 IS250-C with a 2013 IS350-C.  I knew that besides some very minor visual cues (day time running LEDs, GPS antenna shape change, telematics system) the cars would look identical.  Stephen Wedderburn (the sales associate) searched high and low and was able to locate for me an updated version of my wife’s car.  The cars were the same in every way – color outside, inside, options, wheels.

A little white lie later, I was able to take my wife’s old car and drove it to the dealership for the swap.  Having both cars parked side by side, I replicated the cabins.  I moved all her personal belongings from old to new.  I adjusted the seats, mirrors, radio stations.  Then I had to race home so I can program the home-link garage door opener before she returned home.

So the trap was set.  She returned home and didn’t notice a single thing.  Like a predator waiting for its kill, I patiently watched as she went about her day knowing that she will use her car again in the very near future.  And then it happened, she needed to leave the house.  She got in her car and was about to start it.  After a slight pause, she hopped out of the car and ran to the rear and noticed that it was an IS350-C (i.e. NOT her car).  Needless to say, the cat was out of the bag at that time.  Struck with shock and glee, she ran to me and thanked me for the amazing surprise.

While I had hoped that she would have driven away and then noticed it, it was great to be there to see her reaction.  I later asked what gave it away.  Her response was the “new car” smell.  For a flash of a second, she thought I had taken her car and gotten it detailed.  So she glanced at the touchscreen and noticed it squeaky clean.  Then lower she went on the center console and that’s when she noticed.  Her knowledge of Lexus cars is staggering.  She noticed that the air recirculation button now has an “Auto” setting (that was an IS350-C exclusive even back in 2010).  Go figure – the car was too perfect – that’s what gave it away.

In short, it was a surprise I could not have pulled off without the aid of Stephen and the amazing staff at Park Place Lexus of Plano.  His dedication to his job is evident in everything he does.  Considering that it was the dealership’s busiest time of the year (i.e. time when he can be making more sales if he was on the showroom floor), he took the time and effort in making this happen for me.  Don’t let his youth and dashing smile mislead you, he is a professional thru and thru.  We’ve purchased our last four cars from Park Place Lexus of Plano.  We have no reason to go anywhere else.  If what you want is a great car and to be treated with respect – please go visit Stephen at Park Place Lexus.  You will not be disappointed.  Kudos to the entire staff at the dealership.  They are all second to none.

Tags: Lexus IS, Lexus Plano

Park Place Dealerships Named In Dallas Morning News’ Top 100 Places To Work 2012

For the third consecutive year, Park Place Dealerships is honored to be named in the Dallas Morning News’ Top 100 Places To Work. With more than 1400 members, Park Place took the number 4 spot in the large company category for the second year in a row, up from the number 5 spot in 2010.

This year’s field included 276 companies who agreed to participate, with surveys being sent to more than 120,000 employees. The results of those surveys make up the scoring system for the Top 100 list, and give great insight as to what it is like to work for each company on the list.

Park Place Dealerships is built upon a foundation of dedicated and talented members, who strive every day to work as a team, serving our clients and helping the organization grow as a whole.

If you are looking for an exciting career with a great team of devoted individuals in one of the top companies to work for in the DFW area, browse our current job listings on our careers site at Jobs.ParkPlaceTexas.com!

See the rest of the Top 100 list at DallasNews.com

Tags: Best Places To Work Dallas, Top Companies Dallas, Top Employers Dallas

Park Place Jaguar Plano Announced As The Best Dealership To Work For By Automotive News

On Wednesday October 17^th, 2012, during an evening ceremony at the Ritz Carlton in Chicago, Automotive news announced the rankings for their “100 Best Dealerships To Work For.” We are honored to say that not only was Park Place on that list, but Park Place Jaguar Plano landed at number one!

Since welcoming the Jaguar Plano dealership into the Park Place family, there have been drastic changes in the way the dealership looks, feels, and most importantly, how it operates. As you walk through the dealership, you will meet an incredible team of Park Place Members who are devoted to serving our clients with the utmost in care and integrity, with a focus on our continuous goal of being “Experts in Excellence”. Everyone knows that there are a lot of moving parts to make a client’s experience outstanding, from the moment they pick up the phone to talk with us or walk into the dealership, to the time they leave with a smile, and this award is an astounding testament to the fact that providing an excellent experience cannot be achieved without stringent hiring practices, training, and guidance that allows a team to work as a whole towards a common goal.

To be known as the number one dealership to work for in the country is truly an amazing accomplishment for us and we are thankful for the team that helps us achieve it every day. In the words of Park Place Dealerships’ Founder and Chairman, Kenneth Schnitzer, “You can have the prettiest buildings in the world and the best cars in the world, but if you don’t have people who are knowledgeable and well trained to deliver outstanding client service, then you’re wasting your time.”

We are so proud to receive this recognition, and hope that you will visit us at Park Place Jaguar Plano to see for yourself how special a dealership experience can truly be.

For more information about Automotive News’ “100 Best Dealerships To Work For”, you can read about the award at the Automotive News website.

Tags: Awards, Jaguar Dallas

Park Place Volvo Show & Shine benefiting Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation November 10th, 2012

Park Place Volvo Show & Shine benefiting Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.  Saturday, November 10, 2012 

 Park Place Volvo, Dallas Volvo Club and Volvo Club of America are hosting a car show 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday, November 4, featuring an amazing line up of classic to current Volvo vehicles. The event is free and open to the public.

Participants can register their Volvo at http://parkplacevolvoshowandshine.eventbrite.com, and attendees can RSVP and share the event with their friends on the Park Place Dealerships Facebook event! Registration is free but limited to the first 50 vehicles.  Arrive by 9 a.m. for registration and palcement. For more information about registering a vehicle or other event details, please contact Kara at kconnor@parkplace.com or 214-224-1971.

Awards will include the Road Warrior for the Volvo with the highest mileage; Best in Show and the People’s Choice. The public can vote on the People’s Choice award by donating $1 per ticket to benefit Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. In addition to the proceeds from the Show & Shine event, Park Place Volvo will make a donation for every Volvo sold from now through the end of the year. Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation caught the attention of Volvo when Alex received an inaugural Volvo for Life award nomination in 2003. The award program honors hometown heroes doing extraordinary things in their communities.

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996-2004). In 2000, 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of supporters across the country carrying on her legacy of hope. More info at http://www.alexslemonade.org.

Cole Luxury Homes offers custom luxury homes throughout North Texas. Cole Luxury Homes was started in the late 1950′s by JC Cole. This is a third generation family run business which is now managed by grandson Chuck Cole and Carey Caldwell, who bring innovation to the longstanding tradition of Custom Home Building. More information at http://www.coleluxuryhomes.com.

Park Place Volvo is located at 3515 Inwood Road & Lemmon Avenue, Dallas 75209, near Love Field. Celebrating 25 years as “Experts in Excellence,” Park Place Dealerships was founded in 1987 by Ken Schnitzer. Today Park Place Dealerships operates 17 full-service dealerships representing Bentley, Jaguar, Infiniti, Lexus, Lotus, Maserati, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, smart, Volvo and Rolls-Royce. In addition, the dealership group includes two Park Place Bodyworks locations. For more information about Park Place Dealerships, visit http://www.parkplace.com

Tags: Alex's Lemonade Stand, Volvo Dallas, Volvo Show and Shine

Depth Of Speed Highlights The 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing: Keep The Dream Alive

The moment you lay eyes on it, you know it’s something special. In a beautiful story of achieving a life long dream, the owner of this iconic car tells of his childhood, when he built a model of a 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing, and set goal for himself to one day own the car of his dreams.

Only 1400 of these vehicles were ever produced, making it a very rare find due to sheer numbers, but when you keep in mind that this car was driven daily with pride by most of it’s happy owners, finding one in such amazing condition is an incredible feat. That didn’t stop this man, however, in his 30 year pursuit of that childhood dream.

In his own words, “It shows that anybody can do anything if you start early enough, and keep that dream alive.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

Looking for your dream car? Find it here.

Depth of Speed: Poetry in Motion from Josh Clason on Vimeo.

Tags: Mercedes-Benz Dallas

Lexus Tops AOL Autos “Best Brands For Customer Service”

As you may already know, the goal that we at Park Place strive for on a daily basis is to be “Experts in Excellence.” In order to live up to that expectation we make it a point to offer top notch luxury automotive brands, provide a purchasing experience unlike any other, and continue to foster this experience with excellent service for years to come.  Keeping with that mindset, we are proud to announce that three Park Place Dealerships luxury automotive brands have made it into the top 5 of AOL Autos’ “Top Brands for Customer Service”, a special article on luxury brands and their attention to service experience.  It’s the fourth year in a row that Lexus has been the top name for for this particular study, and it is closely followed by Jaguar in the number 3 spot, with Porsche landing at number 5.

At Park Place, we know our brands represent the finest luxury cars available – and it’s evident that the brand efforts to increase quality in engineering, as well as continuing support in the training and development of our members has truly paid off.

Read more about “The Best Brands For Customer Service” at AOL Autos.

Tags: Client Experience, Customer Service, Lexus, Lexus Awards