A personal note from Herb Chambers

Dear Valued customer,

Last, year at this time, I wrote to you about an important workplace distinction of which, I was very proud.

The Herb Chambers Companies were recognized as being amongst The Boston Globe’s Top 100 Places to Work for 2009. I am so proud to tell you, we have just been notified by the Boston Globe, that we have earned this distinction again for 2010.

This year we are ranked eighth in the Large Employer category. We were selected from more than 1,000 employers who participated in the survey. In fact, we are the only automotive dealer ever to have received this award and now we’ve earned it twice.

What I love so much about this is that it was the enthusiastic recognition of our employees’ that made this possible when they nominated our company as a Top 100 workplace.

There is no higher privilege in business than to have your employees emphatically state, “What a great place to work”! … And then, want to tell the whole world…amazing!

Thank you.

Herb Chambers

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The soul of a leader

Three top executives who all inspire loyalty among employees reveal their personal goals, leadership methods — and deepest fears

November 7, 2010

To be one of the Globe’s Top Places to Work, an organization’s employees must believe the people at the top know what they’re doing and care about providing a rewarding work experience. Anthony Consigli of Consigli Construction Co., Kathleen “Kit’’ Tunney of Associates for Human Services, and Herb Chambers of Herb Chambers Cos. all run organizations that ranked high in our survey for employee faith that the organization is in good hands. Top Places editor Michael Warshaw asked them what good leaders do.

• Globe: Anthony, what does it mean to you that your name is on the company?

Consigli: It might make the accountability that much greater. But I don’t think that it is the end all, be all. The reason the name is important is because I have three generations preceding me. If I screw up, I feel like I let somebody down.

• Globe: Herb, what about your name on your company?

Chambers: Well, I think it is different for me because I was the guy that started the company. I think that the pressure on you, Anthony, is five times greater than it is on me.

The company I have today is not what I envisioned 20, 25 years ago. At the time I sold my first company, I was 38 years old. I said, ‘What am I going to do now?’ and I went down to buy a car, and instead of buying the car, I bought the dealership.

Tunney: That is a great story.

Chambers: I realized how bad that particular dealership was. It just looked like the guy wanted to get out of it. I bought it right on the spot.

In the automobile business, you don’t necessarily have to be great. You have to be good. If you are good, you are great. Because most people say they hate car dealers.

We don’t build cars. They roll in, and we have to find a home for them. Our people are so important because the product is unimportant. If you like Honda, you’re going to buy a Honda whether you buy it from me or somebody else. The question becomes: Can we fulfill the need of delivering that car to the customer better than somebody else can?

I hold a training meeting once a month, and we have 300 or 400 people there for breakfast, our whole sales organization. Salespeople have got to be kind of cheered up all the time, because they have a tendency to fall down. Technicians are a kind of a different breed. They have a different level of motivation than salespeople do.

• Globe: Do you speak to each group differently?

Chambers: I do. When I am in the dealerships, I talk to the guys and ask, ‘How is everything with the shop? Anything we can do for you?’

All of our shops are now air conditioned. That came out of one of the comments I got from one of the guys.

• Globe: Kit, you came up differently, from being a staffer.

Tunney: I fell in love with the work that we do — with the staff that I was working with. And over time, wanted to make some changes there, took some courses to get a little bit of credentials in management. And happened to be at the right place at the right time.

• Globe: How did the experience of being a staff member affect your leadership?

Tunney: Having been there and done that makes me more approachable. I try to involve them in problem solving and decision making, because that was important to me when I felt like I didn’t have that voice.

I go out to a group home and say to the staff, ‘How’s it going?’ and I stop to listen to the answer. But I also provide formal opportunities for them to participate in focus groups and surveys to tell me how good of a job we are doing.

• Globe: Tell us something that surprised you that came out of that.

Tunney: Lack of natural light. We had staff in cubbies with no windows. When I decided to build our building, and we interviewed staff to ask them what they wanted, what I heard was: light. Now our building has windows right across the top. It is all one level. And there are suites set off at angles, so it doesn’t look like a motel.

• Globe: Anthony, what are you looking for when you tour your construction sites?

Consigli: I am looking for them to talk to me like I am a normal person, vs. a company president. I think there are some incredibly smart people out there that are building these buildings. They are equally important to this deal as I am. I don’t think they understand that sometimes.

• Globe: Kit, how important is the staff dedication to your mission?

Tunney: It is essential. You train, train, train. I don’t have a breakfast every month for 400 people, but it is the same thing. You’ve got to find out what their needs are, and you have to meet those needs. If I have a staff that didn’t do a good job because I didn’t provide the opportunity to gain the skills that they need, then I am the one at fault.

For instance, if you have an individual that lives in a group home, in a wheelchair, and then is maybe visually impaired, you need to provide training for that particular staff. How do you present a meal to someone that is visually impaired? How do you get them to a table if they are in a wheelchair? So you really have to be very thorough putting together orientation for staff. And follow up, follow up, follow up.

Chambers: In the automobile business, I am embarrassed to say how simple it is. The manufacturer provides you with information on all of the technicians, all the salespeople, the individual dealerships, how they all perform. We know where the problems are.

• Globe: Herb, you bought that dealership, it seems, almost on impulse.

Tunney: That is confidence, and I admire that.

Chambers: I don’t think I am smarter than anybody else. On the same token, I don’t think I am a lot dumber than anybody else. Believe me, I live on fear. I am always worried about everything all the time.

• Globe: Fear of what?

Chambers: Fear of failing in anything. I don’t want to fail.

• Globe: Kit, do you have fear?

Tunney: We’re federally and state funded. I am always wondering whether or not our contracts are going to get cut. And they do. Then I need to figure out, ‘How am I going to do more with less?’ I am always afraid it’s going to get cut so much that I am going to have to look at laying off staff.

• Globe: Anthony, is fear a motivator?

Consigli: Fear and regret. I stay up all night thinking about the things that could go wrong. Construction is a dangerous business. People die, and I am fearful of that. Quality problems, reputation — all those things.

I would say regret is equal. I hate thinking that I am going to regret decisions I made or didn’t make 10 years out, 30 years out.

• Globe: How do you avoid it?

Consigli: Thinking a lot about it. The greatest regret would be tanking a company that has been around for 105 years. I think that fear and hard work hold off that danger of making a decision that you’ll regret.

Do you screw up? Yeah. Everybody screws up. But you man up, you admit it, and you move on. If there are three things that I aspire to, they are humility, empathy, and accountability — just doing what you said you were going to do. I think that if I can do that more often than not, generally speaking, things will go well.

Tunney: If people have a healthy work ethic, they want to come to work and they want to be respected for what they do. And they want to do their best and they want to be rewarded for that. They want to have decent pay checks. And that is what we try to do.

Consigli: If we are the people behind our organizations who are responsible for that, we need to be doing the proper planning and working hard to make sure we’re putting things in place for that to happen for people.

Chambers: Everybody likes to believe they have good integrity. They all like to believe that they work hard. Who is going to set the pace of the organization? The pace of the organization is the speed of the leader, right? They look at you and say, ‘He really puts his heart and soul into everything that he does, or she does.’ So what are you doing to do? You’re going to put your heart and soul into it.

Consigli: The day that I stop doing that is the day I have to get out and let someone else take over. I have seen so many organizations where that doesn’t happen. If I get hit by a bus tomorrow, I want the organization to keep going just like nothing happened. That’s success.

© Copyright 2010 The New York Times Company

Porsche of Burlington, A Herb Chambers Company is NOW OPEN!

Just in time for the outstanding Presidents Day Sales!

Once again, The Herb Chambers Company delivers on a state of the art stellar showroom and dealership.  Each time a Herb Chambers dealership opens they confirm their commitment to complete customer satisfaction – Porsche of Burlington is no exception!

The 36,000 plus square-foot luxury dealership is conveniently located on Cambridge Street, featuring the latest in elegance and design for customers.

The new dealerships (Audi Burlington and Porsche of Burlington)  will feature showrooms with 21-foot ceilings and stainless steel and glass finishes throughout, in addition to 24 service bays situated on approximately five acres. The dealerships offer customers drive-in service reception areas with valet parking, customer lounges, sales lounges, snack bars, business centers, and plenty of FREE parking.

Once again,  the  Herb Chambers Company delivers on their commitment to excellence!  They continue to offer the ultimate automotive consumer experience.  No other dealership can point to such standards; Best Porsche Dealers Congratulates Herb Chambers, James Xaros and their staff for delivering once again an unmatched commitment to customer satisfaction!

It seems not so long ago when they first broke ground.  Now stands another outstanding luxurious car dealership courtesy of The Herb Chambers Company.

We look forward to the other new and upgraded dealerships The Herb Chambers Company are scheduled to deliver on in 2009.  For a complete list and details please CLICK HERE.

Visit our showroom or find us online today by CLICKING HERE.

Porsche of Burlington
62 Cambridge St., Rt 3A
Burlington, Massachusetts 01803

Photo – Burlington Times Union

Best Porsche Dealers endorses Herb Chambers Porsche Dealerships;  Porsche of Burlington and Porsche of Boston as New England’s Best Porsche dealerships!  This is based on overall performance in terms of sales etiquette, follow up, thorough service and an overriding commitment to excellence.

The service at Herb Chambers Porsche Dealers sets the bar high for Porsche competitors; the customer service and overall customer experience is among the best you’ll receive in the automotive industry!

Complaints or concerns are all met with clear resolution.  Herb Chambers Dealerships continue to change the face of customer service in the automotive industry. Herb Chambers values his customers.  At Herb Chambers they aren’t trying to sell you a car they are there to help you buy one!  Best Porsche Dealers points to Porsche of Boston and Porsche of Burlington as examples for tremendous sales and service experiences!

Porsche: Porsche dealers understand the importance of customer satisfaction; customer service and starting a new relationship off on the right foot as it’s ALWAYS the number one reason a customer will choose to buy. Customer retention is a top priority and remains a focus of all Herb Chambers dealerships.

New approaches and levels of customer service are continually explored by New England dealerships. The Herb Chambers Company excels in every way in their delivery of customer service, resolutions for complaints and sale/discount coupons for loyalty program members.

More and more Porsche and other new and used automobile buyers are doing research online, some even buy automobiles online without even taking a test drive!  Herb Chambers award winning Internet sales team continues to deliver excellence in customer satisfaction ratings year after year.

Commitment to excellence in overall online customer experiences are paramount to a successful car dealership. We would be remiss not to mention the extraordinary efforts of Jay Gubala; Herb Chambers online sales guru, innovator and e-commerce general manager.
Herb Chambers has set itself apart regarding its online sales program and customer service program as a result of Jay’s guidance and perseverance.

For all of you that have purchased automobiles from our company in the past, thank you. It is hard to believe that we are now celebrating our 25^th year. It feels like we just started. We can meet all your luxury automobile needs within a short distance from Boston, and offer you the best deals.

My career in the Automobile business stemmed from my love of cars, and the terrible experiences I had buying them.  Our mission has always been “not to sell you a car, but to help you buy one”.  No one wants to be sold anything.  Your experience at our dealerships should be fun, stress free and exciting;  After all, what’s better than getting a new car?

For those of you who have not purchased from us before, it would be our pleasure to serve you. It is my hope that you will find that our dealerships are not interested in one sale. We hope to earn your trust by providing the best vehicles at competitive prices with world class service.

Should you ever encounter anything less, please email me at hchambers@herbchambers.com

Thank You!

Herb Chambers

Visit our showroom or find us online today by CLICKING HERE.

Porsche of Burlington

93 Cambridge Street – Burlington, MA 01803

Visit our showroom or visit us online today by CLICKING HERE.

Herb Chambers Porsche of Boston

1168 Commonwealth Ave – Boston, MA 02134

Herb Chambers News – CLICK HERE.

Herb Chambers Videos – CLICK HERE.

Herb Chambers Hybrids – CLICK HERE.

Porsche has long been noted for offering owners unequaled opportunities to personalize their car in accordance with their preferences.

There is a true story that is often told of a Porsche buyer having a Porsche factory-painted to match a particular shade of lipstick – a service virtually unheard of among most car makers today.