Few dealerships have the honor of being the first and longest running of its kind in the State of Indiana. Founded in the early 1990s, Thomas Kia of Highland is proud to claim this title for Kia.
The Thomas family owns six franchises in the area and takes pride in their product and service. Recently receiving the J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Award for the second year in a row, the Kia brand pairs well with the excellence found at the Thomas Kia franchise.Their commitment to excellence, family values, and the local community has led Thomas Kia to its success over the years.
“We won the 2017 Dealer of Excellence from Kia Motors for meeting all their standards,” said Tom Seely, General Manager at Thomas Kia. “That’s only given to up to 10 percent of the dealerships in the country.”
Serving as General Manager at Thomas Kia since 2013, Seely also recognized that the dealership’s long history has been essential for its present-day success. These many years in business have allowed the dealership to engage with the community as a whole.
“In some cases, we have six generation families that have purchased from us,” he said. “We’ve been a stable force in the community. We have worked in conjunction with the Town of Highland on some beautification projects, and we’re a sponsor of the Highland Hot Rod Show among other charitable efforts. We sponsor hockey teams, t-ball teams, and soccer teams as well.”
This active presence within the community makes the dealership well-known to local car buyers, and is essential for helping Thomas Kia identify and meet customers’ needs.
In 2000, the dealership introduced its lifetime warranty, the Thomas Promise, which covers the engine and transmission of the vehicle from start to finish. Thomas Kia has also been committed to providing leading edge solutions for the car buying experience.
“We have progressed with the internet buying process,” Seely said. “At ThomasKia.com, you can basically do almost everything except sign your name to purchase the vehicle.”
When customers come to the dealership in person, they are treated with the same consideration. Northwest Indiana has a history of being home for people from many different cultures. Thomas Kia makes it a priority to serve everyone.
“We have quite a few bilingual staff members to serve our Spanish-speaking community,” Seely said. “We have someone who speaks Hindi and Arabic, too. We are a melting pot!”
From receiving franchise accolades, to engaging with the community, to meeting the current demands of the car buying experience, Thomas Kia of Highland has the history and experience that will stand the test of time.
