Having recently opened its state-of-the-art facility on East Genesee Street in Fayetteville, the area’s newest car dealership, Friendly Honda of Fayetteville, is living up to its name.
When asked what message he would like to share with the community, General Manager Jim Rightmyer said: “Friendly prices, friendly people, Friendly Honda.”
“I tell my staff to look [the customer] in the eye, to smile, to live our name,” he said. “We believe that customer satisfaction is so important, we put it into all of our employees’ pay plans.”
Rightmyer said, while he understands the negative reputation that the car sales experience carries, Friendly Honda is gaining the reputation as a forthright, honest dealership with a fantastic product.
“I tell my staff to tell the truth, even if it isn’t what the customer wants to hear.” Rightmyer said. “Trust is really important.”
Initial returns on the quality of service are strong. After only a couple months in business, Friendly Honda of Fayetteville has vaulted to the very top of Customer Service Index ratings in the region.
“Our customers tell us they’re very glad that we’re here,” he said. “We’re the number one CSI rated dealership in the zone after only a month and half. We’re quite a bit ahead of every other dealer in the area.”
When Rightmyer was first offered the job as general manager at Friendly Honda of Fayetteville, his initial plan was to commute here from his native Ithaca. But when he and his wife came and looked around Fayetteville, they knew it was where they wanted to make their new home.
“We just fell in love with the area,” he said. “We want to be a part of the community and we’re enjoying the relationships we’re building.”
At a ribbon-cutting ceremony in late September, Fayetteville Mayor Mark Olson welcomed Friendly Honda to the community and said the dealership will fit right in with the culture of Fayetteville.
“I think Honda is a quality product and I think Fayetteville is a quality community,” he said.
“Friendly Fayetteville – that has a good ring to it,” Olson said at an earlier groundbreaking ceremony. “We’re so fortunate that Honda picked Fayetteville and we really appreciate everything that you’re bringing to the community.”
Friendly Honda is the third Honda dealership in the Syracuse area, but is the only one that is east of Route 81. Convenience for east-side residents is a big selling factor, but Rightmyer said he’s not looking to take business from the other Honda dealers in the area. Rather, he hopes Friendly Honda of Fayetteville will increase Honda’s market share across the Syracuse region.
The brand-new, approximately 25,000 square-foot facility is the only Generation III dealership in the area, meaning it has the most modern features and newest equipment among Honda’s dealerships. That goes for the service department as well, which offers 15 service bays and brand new, state-of-the-art equipment to ensure repairs are made as quickly, correctly and efficiently as possible.
The dealership is located on four acres at 534 East Genesee St., just east of the village center on Route 5. It was constructed on the property that once hosted Jay’s Village Chevrolet, which has been vacant since 2008.
“The facility was carefully designed to support making the customer experience at Friendly Honda the friendliest, most convenient and comfortable dealership experience in Syracuse,” Rightmyer said.
Friendly Honda of Fayetteville has a great selection of new Honda vehicles with an inventory of approximately 250 new cars on the lot, as well as about 100 pre-owned vehicles of all makes and models.
When it is fully staffed, the dealership will employ about 50 people, all from the Syracuse area. That includes several from long-standing Fayetteville-Manlius area families, including sales consultant Will Hopkinson, whose father Harold was the longest serving public official in the state in his long-time role as a trustee in the village of Manlius.
Friendly Honda’s sales staff is available from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. The service department is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. As the dealership’s growth continues, additional evening and Saturday hours will be available in the service department.
To learn more about Friendly Honda of Fayetteville, visit FriendlyHondaCuse.com, or call the dealership at 315-967-1717.
