Cramer Toyota of Venice

Cramer Toyota of Venice Sets Trend in Takes Recycling

2011-05-27T14:16:00.001-07:00

A year ago, Cramer Toyota of Venice committed to a recycle program. At the time Cramer Toyota of Venice decided to go green in a big way. After analyzing the recycling efforts being put forth at Cramer Toyota of Venice, it revealed that there more that they could do. Cramer Toyota of Venice assigned a team of employees to figure out how to best accomplish the task. Josh Jorge the Service Manager at Cramer Toyota of Venice, and the team eventually involved employees from each department. According to Josh Jorge the Service Manager at Cramer Toyota of Venice, “We had strong initial involvement, we purchased special containers and we let it go”. In no time, Cramer Toyota of Venice realized that they had to empty the containers almost daily. Jodi McKinney the Controller at Cramer Toyota of Venice then took the lead in finding ways to recycle paper products. According to McKinney, “At first it was just waste paper, but then we realized that not just the office created waste paper. Every department in the dealership creates waste paper and once we purchased special recycle bins, we really stared to see some volume.” McKinney, states further “we have lots of documents of a sensitive nature, and we use a shredder service. We even got them on the bandwagon.” General Manager Richard Bond explains, “We went from recycling things like batteries, oil, scrap metal and tires to recycling paper, cans, plastics and waste paper. A pleasant surprise was that we think in the not too distant future we will actually be able to cut back on our regular trash collection saving the company additional money.” Cramer Toyota of Venice with over 105 employees, and started small but now it is spreading to our employee’s personal lives. Once people see you care, they get involved and at Cramer Toyota of Venice the “Green Fever” is spreading. If you want information on how they were able to accomplish so much so fast, call Josh Jorge, Jodi McKinney or Richard Bond at 941-484-9000.

Cramer Toyota of Venice donates to the Venice Military Officers Association of America and Venice High School Marine Corps JROTC Golf Tournament

2011-05-27T14:14:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice donates four Tervis Tumblers to the Venice Military Officers Association of America and Venice High School Marine Corps JROTC Golf Tournament. According to Richard Bond the General Manager at Cramer Toyota of Venice, “When I got the call for a donation, I immediately said yes. They were looking for things that they could auction off and we had just the item. I called our parts department and told them to set aside four Turvis Tumblers.” The golf tournament is in the fall and is played at the Plantation Golf and Country Club. It is a shot gun start at 8:00AM, and there are special prizes for putting, driving and closest to the pin. Richard Bond goes on to state, “All of the proceeds benefit the Venice High School Marine Corps JROTC Leadership Training Program, and it is important to support the local area. Venice has deep military roots with the training field that is now Venice Airport. In addition, Venice and the surrounding communities as big retirement areas for career military officers. We need to let them know we support their cause.” It is not too late to sign up and participate in the tournament or just donate money if you don’t golf. If you are interested, contact Richard Bond the General Manager of Cramer Toyota of Venice at 941-484-9000.

Cramer Toyota Five Sales Managers Awards

2011-05-27T14:12:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice always wanting to improve on past performance, this year won five Sales Managers Excellence Awards. According to Richard Bond the General Manager of Cramer Toyota of Venice, “Last year we earned four and this year the team made it five. We thought four an impossible task, but the team pulled together and decided that every manager was going to win this year.” Cramer Toyota of Venice already earned the prestigious Presidents Award for the 20th year in a row earlier in the year. They are the only 20 year winner in the state of Florida and one of only twelve in the country. Richard Bond the General Manager comments, “We couldn’t be prouder of the staff. We always try to win every award, but Toyota makes it hard. This team said let’s do it and rallied around the goal. The training they received on their journey to getting certified to win the awards will translate to better customer service.” Not many dealerships can claim having five fully trained Sales Managers. It really makes a difference in how the customer is treated. Earning the award requires passing a rigorous number of tests on customer service and product knowledge as well as tenure with a Toyota dealership. In addition, each manager must attend in person classroom hands on training, some of it requiring overnight travel. Managers winning this award at Cramer Toyota this year are: Jodey Bruner, Paul Nastri, Mike Johnson and Jason Smith and Sandeep Singh.

Cramer Toyota of Venice donates $300 to the Weiner Dog Derby

2011-05-27T14:09:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice donates $300 to the Weiner Dog Derby Donation Match. Every year Clear Channel and the Jones and Cramer Radio station hold a Weiner Dog Derby. According to Richard Bond the General Manager at Cramer Toyota of Venice, “It really is as silly as it sound. Silly in a fun way. I love dogs and watching these Weiner Dogs race just puts a smile on your face. Dogs love their owners and after attending the races you will know why.” This year’s race was held to raise money for the Humane Society and was a great success. Cramer Toyota of Venice agreed to match with its sister store Cramer Honda of Venice a total to $350 each for money already raised. Richard Bond states further, “While the dogs you see racing all come from loving homes that is not always the case with all pets. Our donation will help those animals that still need good homes. A lot of pet lovers don’t really understand what a valuable service the Humane Society does finding wayward pets loving families. We are proud to be part of that success story.” For those that missed the races they will be held again next year. For those wanting to make their own donation to the Humane Society please contact Richard Bond the General Manager of Cramer Toyota of Venice at 941-484-9000.

Cramer Toyota of Venice announces record sub-prime auto loans funded in March 2011

2011-04-05T14:12:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice announces record sub-prime auto loans funded in March 2011. A record number of Cramer Toyota customers were financed through non-prime or sub-prime sources last month. According to General Manager Richard Bond. “We believe that tax return money in the consumers pocket combined with the general state of the economy has allowed a surge in the sub-prime business.” Cramer Toyota of Venice has a great relationship with a lender named Gulf Coast Auto Credit. This lender will lend to customers with foreclosures and even bankruptcies.
Cramer Toyota of Venice recognized long ago that traditional banks and finance companies with the current government regulations and restrictions could no longer service customers that had lower credit scores. “I believe that in the future this type of lending will continue to be a bigger part of our business” Said Bond. Cramer Toyota of Venice has been working with Gulf Coast Auto Credit for almost two years and continues to see this business grow. Bond reports, “Gulf Coast Auto Credit is our largest sub-prime lender. Their ability to lend to customers that no other bank can is providing customers with bad credit reliable transportation in the Venice market”. Cramer Toyota of Venice is currently looking for ways to increase its used car inventory so that it can continue to offer this valuable service to the citizens of Venice.

Cramer Toyota of Venice donates $100 dollars to the South County Family YMCA

2011-04-05T14:08:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice donates $100 dollars to the South County Family YMCA. The Venice YMCA serves the community providing both an area for health fitness but more importantly programs for the community. Many of the programs offered by the South County family YMCA in Venice are unique in that no other organization offers these programs. The donation went towards the purchase of an advertisement in the 24th Annual “Moroccan the Casbah” Black Tie Dinner and Auction Fundraiser. According to Cramer Toyota’s General Manager Richard Bond, “The Venice area has so much to offer as a place to work, to live and to play. In order to support our community and make our community a place that is known for more than great beaches and beautiful sunsets, it is important to develop community programs to enrich the lives of its citizens.” All proceeds from this event will benefit the YMCA Children & Family Scholarship Fund. This fund is dedicated to providing scholarships and expanding programming and services for children and families in our community. Bond states further, “Cramer Toyota of Venice as a leading business in this area wants to do all that it can to nurture the potential of kids, promote healthy living and foster social responsibility. What better organization than the YMCA to support to enable these goals to become a reality in our community.”

Cramer Toyota of Venice have once again earned Toyota’s highest honor

2011-04-05T14:06:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice have once again earned Toyota’s highest honor. For the 20th year in a row Cramer Toyota of Venice has earned Toyota’s President’s Award. Cramer Toyota’s team rose to the challenges put forth last year and demonstrated operational excellence in all departments to meet the high standards set forth by Toyota. According to General Manager Richard Bond, “Only those dealerships that achieve excellence in all facets of their operations garner this coveted accolade."
Cramer Toyota of Venice is the only Toyota dealership in Florida to have won this award 20 years in a row and one of only 12 Toyota dealerships in the United States to have won the award 20 years in a row. Bond states, “We look for guidance from Toyota to set the standards of what they want their model dealership to look like. Cramer Toyota of Venice has achieved this model of excellence for 20 years in a row. Every employee at Cramer Toyota of Venice knows how important it is to win this and it shows in the great service we offer our customers.” In order to win this award, every department in the dealership must exceed goals in customer satisfaction and training. In addition, Cramer Toyota of Venice has to show sales market dominance in their area of responsibility.

Cramer Toyota of Venice Donates Vehicle service to the The Loveland Center in Venice.

2011-04-05T14:03:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice had recently donated a Buick Park Avenue to The Loveland Center in Venice. The Loveland Center had purchased 2 Scion Xb’s from Cramer Toyota of Venice to use for transport of their clients. As reported earlier, during the negotiation for the Xb’s, it was mentioned that recently the general work vehicle used by the staff at the Loveland Center for local errands and on site work had quit running. Cramer Toyota had just the car they could use and agreed to donate it free of charge. It was a Buick Park Avenue that they had recently taken in on trade. Recently the staff at the Loveland Center approached Cramer Toyota about helping them repair the Buick to keep it in service a bit longer until the Loveland Center could replace the vehicle. Cramer Toyota did not hesitate to donate the repair of the vehicle. According to Service Manager Josh Jorge, “It is the small things that we can do that make a difference in life. This car is vital for the success of their operation and we have the expertise to fix it and keep it in good running condition. Our staff feels it is a small gesture that pays huge dividends for the community.” Loveland Center is a private non-profit center in Venice that provides day training, supported employment, supported living, and group home services for adults with developmental disabilities. The vehicle donated by Cramer Toyota of Venice will help The Loveland Center’s students live and work independently in the community.

Cramer Toyota of Venice announces that it recently donated $500 to the Red Cross for aid to the earthquake victims in Japan.

2011-04-05T14:01:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice announces that it recently donated $500 to the Red Cross for aid to the earthquake victims in Japan. Through an effort organized by Southeast Toyota, Cramer Toyota donated $500 to a specific fund that would go directly to the people suffering from the earthquake and tsunami. According the General Manager Richard Bond, “There has been tremendous suffering in Japan as a result of this terrible natural disaster. When asked to donate, it was a decision that we took willingly as soon as we were asked. Toyota is a Japanese based company and I am sure many of the family members of Toyota people were affected. We want to help get them back on their feet.” Cramer Toyota’s donation went right to the Red Cross. The Red Cross has in place an infrastructure to deal with natural disasters worldwide and get the relief to the people suffering in the fastest most efficient manner. Bond goes on to state, “This is a terrible disaster will have a devastating effect on the people of Japan for many years to come. Hopefully our help will aid those most affected and get them quickly on the road to recovery.”

Cramer Toyota of Venice has earned First Place in the Sarasota Herald’s Readers Choice Awards in three categories.

2011-04-05T13:58:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice has earned First Place in the Sarasota Herald’s Readers Choice Awards in three categories. The categories that Cramer Toyota of Venice won first place awards are Best Import Car Dealer, Best Import Truck Dealer and Best Auto Dealer Service. These annual awards are presented to local businesses by the Sarasota Herald Tribune. The Sarasota Herald Tribune polls their readers and the readers select the winners. This poll distinguishes local area businesses for outstanding products and service and is coveted by all local businesses. According to General Manager Richard Bond, “Winning these awards are very important to the dealership. Since these awards are selected by the readers, they are basically selected by the community members. Winning these awards carry the prestige of being selected as the best.” The Sarasota Herald Tribune publishes the winners and presents each business with a special award commemorating the achievement. Bond states, “Usually winning one of these is all a business can hope for. To win 3 in the same years is a testament to our staff and the hard work they put forth each day to satisfy the customer.” Cramer Toyota if Venice has once again lived up to its motto “We treat people right”

Cramer Toyota of Venice donates a full vehicle detail valued at $100 to the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots fundraiser

2010-11-11T06:38:00.001-08:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice donates a full vehicle detail valued at $100 to the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots fundraiser. The Marine Corps League Gulf Coast Detachment #643 conducts its Toys for Tots campaign annually with the aim of helping the children of the gulf coast have a Happy Holiday in 2010. According to Cramer Toyota of Venice General Manager Richard Bond, “As a local business in Venice, we love supporting the Marine Corps Toys for Tots drive because it benefits local children. This is one of those programs where you just don’t say no when they ask for your help.” The stated goal of the program is to provide a special Santa Claus for all the children of the Gulf Coast for a Happy Holiday in 2010. Richard Bond goes on to say, “In difficult economic times like we are experiencing today, it is vitally important that when you give charitably that you look to the future. I can’t think of a better way to look to the future then to support charity that supports our youth. They are the future of our country.”

Cramer Toyota of Venice has renewed its financial agreement with Gulf Coast Auto Credit

2010-09-21T07:04:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice has renewed its financial agreement with Gulf Coast Auto Credit. Gulf Coast Auto Credit is a local finance company that provides much needed financing to the local market. Gulf Coast Auto Credit entered the market just over one year ago to fill a void left because of the liquidity crisis suffered by most major financial institutions. “We are thrilled we were able to renew our lending commitment with Gulf Coast”, says Cramer Toyota General Manager Richard Bond. According to Bond, Gulf Coast has secured financing for hundreds of Cramer Toyota customers who otherwise would not have been able to purchase a car. “We will continue to look for strategic partnership to assist our valued customers”, says Bond. Gulf Coast Auto Credit lends exclusively to the Cramer Automotive Group giving the Cramer organization an edge over other automobile dealerships. Cramer Toyota of Venice has a higher quality used car then an independent because of the trade in vehicles it obtains from its new car operation. Many of these vehicles are low mileage older vehicles that are excluded from financing by major banks because of age, but provide needed transportation to the local community because of Gulf Coast Auto Credit.

Cramer Toyota of Venice announces their new web site to aid the customer in giving reviews.

2010-09-21T07:01:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice announces their new web site to aid the customer in giving reviews. As more and more consumers rely on the internet for information, it is important to provide an easy way for the consumer to write and post reviews. According to Richard Bond, Cramer Toyota of Venice General Manager, “At Cramer Toyota of Venice, our motto is "We treat people right. We love hearing from our customers about their experience at our dealership. We know our customers love us because we have earned Toyota’s President’s Award 19 years in a row. In addition, we receive and post on a bulletin board two or three letters per week. The trick is to get the consumers who write letters to go to the various sites on the internet and leave these same positive reviews.” Cramer Toyota of Venice is one of one 13 Toyota dealerships in the nation to receive the President’s Award 19 years in a row and the only Toyota dealership in Florida to receive the award 19 years in a row. If you have had an experience at Cramer Toyota of Venice that you would like to share with others, please go to CRAMERTOYOTAOFVENICEREVIEWS.COM, and tell us how we did.

Cramer Toyota of Venice Collision Center announces addition of an advanced electronic laser measurement frame rack.

2010-09-21T06:58:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice Collision Center announces addition of an advanced electronic laser measurement frame rack. This new equipment addition keeps Cramer Toyota of Venice’s Collision Center at the absolute cutting edge in automobile repair. Combined with the computerized color matching paint mixing equipment and dual down draft paint booths, Cramer Toyota of Venice is one of the most advanced Body Shops in the Sarasota Area. According to Jack Naughton, the Body Shop Manager of Cramer Toyota of Venice, “The recent addition of the advanced electronic laser measurement frame rack ensures that each and every repair is completed within manufacturer original specifications. We are able to measure within millimeters which ensures complete accuracy.” Cramer Toyota of Venice has one of the largest collision centers in the Sarasota area and has relationships with every major insurance company. Richard Bond, Cramer Toyota of Venice General Manager, states, “The collision repair business is fast becoming a business of very high technology in which if you want to be on the cutting edge, you need to have the newest most up to date equipment available. The key that makes our body shop one of the highest volume is that we never stop training our technicians on how to use the equipment in the most efficient manner. Having the equipment and being able to use it correctly is the key to our success.” Cramer Toyota of Venice would be happy to give anyone interested a free tour of our collision center. For a free tour contact Richard Bond or Jack Naughton directly at 941-484-9000

Cramer Toyota of Venice donates a free detail valued at $100 dollars to the Women’s Sertoma Club of Venice.

2010-09-21T06:55:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice donates a free detail valued at $100 dollars to the Women’s Sertoma Club of Venice. Cramer Toyota of Venice’s donation of the free automobile detail to the Women’s Sertoma Club of Venice will help raise money for their annual Sun Fiesta Event. During the Sun Fiesta Event there will be a silent auction which is one of the center piece fund raising events of the Fiesta. Proceeds from the fundraising event will benefit worthy scholars and service organizations in the Venice Area. According to Richard Bond the General Manager of Cramer Toyota of Venice, “We enjoy supporting this program because the money raised goes 100 percent to scholars in the Venice Area. Additionally, the Sun Fiesta is a local event that is mostly attended by community people, which gives us great exposure as one of the contributors.” The raffle and silent auction items are exhibited throughout the entire event in the main gazebo located in the center of Centennial Park in downtown Venice. The Women’s Sertoma Club of Venice exists for the high and noble purpose of Service to Mankind by communication of thoughts, ideas and concepts to accelerate human progress in health, education, freedom and democracy. Since 1912 they have brought forward their talents and joined the collective experience to further community service. Cramer Toyota of Venice is proud to be part of such a lasting tradition.

Cramer Toyota of Venice announces that it has recently finished an intensive two day consulting session with the renowned internet specialist David Kain

2010-08-18T07:46:00.000-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice announces that it has recently finished an intensive two day consulting session with the renowned internet specialist David Kain. David Kain has a unique blend of dealership and manufacturer experience. As dealer principal of his family owned dealership he learned how to make every dime count and produce sales each day. David Kain recognizes how important it is to make every facet of a dealership profitable. The Internet provides an excellent opportunity for dealers to improve sales and gross at a very low cost. David has a real passion for the automotive Internet which resulted in his creating Kain Automotive Internet Sales Training and Business Development Center Installation. Cramer Toyota of Venice has a huge presence on the internet through its website, and sells many new and used cars through the internet. Cramer Toyota of Venice lists all of their new and used cars on the internet, maintains a blog page and is very active on Twitter. According to Richard Bond the General Manager of Cramer Toyota of Venice, “We do a lot of different things on the internet to service our customers, but needed to make sure our strategy took full advantage of the ever changing internet world. David was not afraid to tell us what we were doing right and how we could make things better where needed. He rolled up his sleeves and dove right in, meeting personally with many of our staff learning how they did their daily functions.” Before Kain was able to offer his critique, he worked with the employees of the dealership the week before he arrived gathering information and mystery shopping the dealership. On the first day, he already understood how Cramer Toyota of Venice currently does business on the internet. After meeting with managers and employees he started presenting changes to make the process easier for our customers. Richard Bond states, “It is always good to have someone from the outside evaluate your organization. Sometimes because we work with it every day we fail to see how it looks from the outside. David did a great job of helping us see areas where we can improve. Now the pressure is on our team to implement David’s suggested improvements. He provided a time table and will follow up to make sure he gets the job done.” To learn more about the types of services that David Kain provided to Cramer Toyota of Venice, seek him out on the internet. Cramer Toyota of Venice should be done implementing most of David’s changes by the end of the month making the buying experience that much better for our customers.

Cramer Toyota of Venice announces its partnership with our Toyota Sales Professional Mike Piscopo, in taking out an advertisement in the monthly newsletter of the Italian American Club of Venice.

2010-08-18T07:41:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice announces its partnership with our Toyota Sales Professional Mike Piscopo, in taking out an advertisement in the monthly newsletter of the Italian American Club of Venice. The Italian American Club of Venice has been serving the community of Venice for over 30 years providing a strong local presence for the Italian American Community. The mission statement of the Club is to develop fellowship through social and cultural activities among its members, to further the aims, objectives and interests of Italian-Americans, encourage knowledge of the language, art, culture and history of Italy, and to foster an understanding of that cultural heritage in our country. Mike Piscopo has been a member of The Italian American Club of Venice for 20 years and counts many of the members as not only friends by customers. According to Mike Piscopo, “Over the years I spent a great deal of time with the members of the club, and count many of them as close friends. It is only natural that when it is time for them to buy a car that they seek my help.” Cramer Toyota of Venice is proud of the fact that Mike Piscopo has been a Toyota Pro for 8 years in a row and wants to do everything possible to help Mike achieve this status in 2010. Cramer Toyota of Venice General Manager Richard Bond states, “Mike has a special passion for selling cars. He never stops thinking about how he can help someone drive a new vehicle. This passion makes it easy to support Mike in his bid to be our only 9 year Toyota Pro.”

Cramer Toyota of Venice donates $150 to the Sarasota Sun Devils Football program.

2010-08-18T07:38:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice donates $150 to the Sarasota Sun Devils Football program. The Sarasota Sun Devils are the local team for the Pop Warner Youth Football program in the area. The Sarasota Sun Devils are part of the Peace River Conference that plays from Sarasota to Naples. Cramer Toyota of Venice sponsors a sign on the field that lets the fans know that Cramer Toyota supports the local youth football program. According to Cramer Toyota of Venice General Manager Richard Bond, “We have a passion for football and our support of this program allows kids as young as seven to get out there and play. The thing we like about this program is that while being full contact, full tackle football, the emphasis of the program is on developing the kids through teamwork. The other thing that sets this program apart is the fact that while out there to win, the coaches put the safety of the player first, teaching the players at an early age how to play tackle football minimizing injuries.” The Sarasota Sun Devils practice and play at the Twin Lakes Park on Clark Road in Sarasota. If you would like to share in the fun, home games are played on Saturday afternoons. Cramer Toyota of Venice wishes the Sarasota Sun Devils good luck in the upcoming season.

Cramer Toyota of Venice donates $150 dollars to the Venice Area Historical Society’s upcoming fundraising event

2010-08-18T07:35:00.000-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice donates $150 dollars to the Venice Area Historical Society’s upcoming fundraising event. Cramer Toyota of Venice shares the passion of preserving our fine city with the Venice Historical Society. According to Cramer Toyota’s General Manager Richard Bond, “Venice has so much to offer as a place to work, live and play. Venice has more to offer then great beaches and beautiful sunsets. We hope our donation will help preserve our city and its past for future generations.” According to The Venice Area Historical Society’s website, this region, while being known for its wonderful, accessible beaches and sharks teeth, also features:
• Superb “New Urbanism” John Nolen planning design
• Northern Italian architectural structures
• World War II Venice Army Air Field
• Strong leadership traditions of Bertha Potter Palmer, Dr. Fred Albee, and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
• Winter homes of the Kentucky Military Institute and Ringling Brothers Circus
• Pioneer 19th century homesteads with cattle, fishing, agriculture, turpentine, sawmill, boat building, railroad, and fishing enterprises
• Venice Inter-coastal Waterway, bays, and the wild Myakka River
Richard Bond further states, “Cramer Toyota of Venice donates money to lots of organizations, within our community. This donation is special in that it helps preserve our past for the future.” The story of Venice is being preserved for future generations because of the work of the Venice Area Historical Society. Cramer Toyota of Venice is proud to be part of this preservation.

Cramer Toyota of Venice donates $100 dollars to the Fraternal Order of Police

2010-07-24T11:05:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice donates $100 dollars to the Fraternal Order of Police Venice Lodge #57 for their “Shop with a Cop Program.” This is a back to school program that the Venice Chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police started years ago to help disadvantaged children in our community. Cramer Toyota of Venice donates every year to the Shop with a Cop Program both to support the Fraternal Order of Police, but more importantly to help the children in our community. According to Richard Bond the General Manager of Cramer Toyota of Venice, “We like this program because the money goes 100 percent to the kids. We are dealing with the local Venice Chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police, they make sure every dollar is spent on the kids in our community. We are proud to help out and look forward to this program because we know it make a difference.” Last year this program helped more than twelve local children get supplies for school that they would not have been able to afford otherwise. If you want to make your own donation, please contact the Venice Fraternal Order of Police directly at 941-815-4048, ask for Keith Quick.

Cramer Toyota of Venice partners with Rhoades Advertising Group

2010-07-09T11:42:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice partners with Rhoades Advertising Group to enhance web presence of their primary web address of www.cramertoyota.com. Cramer Toyota of Venice had previously been relying on their own internal people to promote their website and drive traffic to the website. Cramer Toyota of Venice also used traditional methods like newspaper advertising, business card advertising, radio and TV. Other ways that Cramer Toyota of Venice promoted their website was by making sure that every printed piece of paper leaving the dealership had their web address printed on it. According to the General Manager Richard Bond, “Our people had done a great job within the scope of what we could accomplish using traditional methods. It became obvious that we needed to take it to a new level and that internally we did not have the resources to handle this. It is important that we get the customer to www.cramertoyota.com because once the consumer reaches this page the likelihood of them purchasing a vehicle greatly increases.” Cramer Toyota’s partnership with Rhodes Advertising will allow people trained in this field to drive ever more customers to Cramer Toyota of Venice’s website. Bond continues by saying “Reviews of what the Rhoades Group has done with other clients made the choice to go with them simple.” For further information on how this worked for Cramer Toyota of Venice, please contact Richard Bond directly at 941-484-9000.

Cramer Toyota of Venice announces record sub-prime auto loans funded in June.

2010-07-05T09:45:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice announces record sub-prime auto loans funded in June. A record number of Cramer Toyota customers were financed through non-prime or sub-prime sources last month, according to General Manager Richard Bond. “it was an extraordinary month for Cramer Toyota of Venice. We were able to help so many customers that have recently had their credit negatively impacted.”
Cramer Toyota of Venice recognized that traditional banks and finance companies were no longer lending to customers with lower credit scores. The dealership set out to create a small network of local finance companies that were willing to lend. “I would like to thank our lender partners, especially Gulf Coast Auto Credit for providing much needed financing. I know this is a service we will continue to provide to the local community” Said Bond. Cramer Toyota of Venice has built a solid relationship with Gulf Coast Auto Credit recently funding its 100 loan. Bond reports, “Gulf Coast Auto Credit is by far our largest sub-prime lender. Our relationship with them has now helped provide over 100 good people with reliable transportation”. Cramer Toyota of Venice is currently looking for ways to increase its used car inventory so that it can continue to offer this valuable service to the citizens of Venice.

Dwight Brown achieves Master Status

2010-07-05T08:29:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice wants to announce that it has 4 sales people who qualify for the 2010 Master Sales Status. These four sales associates will get the chance in August to take a timed test. If they pass, they will achieve the 2010 Master Sales Status. Unlike other product tests that Toyota offers, this test is special. You only get one chance to pass it and if you fail, you are unable to take it for another year. Up until the study guide comes out in early July, nobody is sure who qualifies to take the test. It depends on your years of service, level of prior training and cumulative vehicles sold. Last year only one sales associate at Cramer Toyota of Venice managed to pass the test. That employee, Dwight Brown got to enjoy the status of being Cramer Toyota of Venice’s only Sales Master for 2010. According to Dwight, “ It was the toughest test I have ever had to take from Toyota.” Besides national recognition from Dwight’s fellow Toyota Sales Associates, Dwight enjoys the respect of his fellow workers at Cramer Toyota of Venice. Whenever a customer has a question at Cramer Toyota of Venice that nobody knows the answer to, Dwight is the “go to” person. Cramer Toyota of Venice hopes to have all 4 of sales associates pass this year. This should make Cramer Toyota have the highest percentage of Sales Masters in Sarasota County.

John Wood moves to the service shop

2010-07-05T08:27:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice announces that it has promoted John Wood to the shop. John Wood originally from Colorado, moved to the Venice-Sarasota area a few years back. He had many years of experience as a Toyota Master Technician, but had recently switched to being a Service Advisor. John states, “The main job difference between being a Technician and a Service Advisor is one person directly fixes the vehicle and the other deals with the customer. In simple terms, one deals with the car and the other the customer.” John was a very successful Service Advisor at Cramer Toyota of Venice, many months he was their top performer. He seemed to have a special knack of speaking with the customer and finding out what was wrong with their vehicles so the technician could recreate the issue and fix the problem. After many years as a Service Advisor at Cramer Toyota of Venice, John asked Josh Jorge the Service Manager at Cramer Toyota of Venice if he could go back to the shop. According to Josh, “It was a simple decision for us, John showed a great depth of knowledge about the Toyota product over the last few years and we know he will contribute greatly in the shop as a Technician.” Cramer Toyota of Venice is proud to have John’s knowledge of Toyotas in the repair shop and wants the consumer to know we now have the strongest depth of Technician knowledge in regards to Toyota in the Venice area.

Cramer Toyota of Venice donates vehicle detail to support Venice High Volleyball

2010-07-05T08:25:00.000-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice donates a full vehicle detail valued at $100 to the Venice High School Volleyball Boosters. Venice High School Volleyball, one of the top ranked Florida programs depends on local support to supplement their budget. Venice High School Volleyball has over the years achieved District Champion Status 14 times making them one of the most successful programs at their level. In addition to achieving District Champion Status 14 times, the program has been part of the Elite Eight 10 times and the Final Four 5 times. Finally, in 1998 and 2005 Venice High School Volleyball was the State Champion. According to Cramer Toyota of Venice General Manager Richard Bond, “As a local business in Venice, we try to do our part to support the local sports programs. Cramer Toyota of Venice has over the years supported many of the local sports programs in many different ways. The nice thing about sports programs is that it helps the local youth.” Cramer Toyota of Venice wishes Venice High School Volleyball luck in their coming season.

Cramer Toyota of Venice adds 2011 Sienna Van to its rental fleet

2010-07-05T08:21:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice adds a 2011 Sienna Van and 2010 Highlander to their rental car fleet. This brings the total number of rental vehicles offered to 6 making them the largest Dealer Owned Rental Fleet in Venice Florida. Rental vehicles are used by Cramer Toyota of Venice for their customers who have to leave their vehicles in the body shop or the service shop. Cramer Toyota of Venice has one of areas largest full service body shop and repair facility featuring two down draft heated paint booths. In addition, Cramer Toyota of Venice has the latest color matching paint software ensuring that the paint is a perfect match every time. Body repairs take a few days to a few weeks and Cramer Toyota is proud to be able to supply our customers with a brand new fleet of 2010 and 2011 Toyota rental vehicles. Cramer Toyota of Venice also rents vehicles out to anyone for any reason much the same as any other rental car company. Cramer Toyota of Venice Controller Jodi McKinney states, “We try to keep our rates very competitive with the local agencies. Many of our customers rent our Prius for short term vacations or for visiting friends and relatives. Now we offer two bigger vehicles that our customers can use to haul things around in.” Once a vehicle cycles out of the Cramer Toyota of Venice rental fleet, it goes to the used vehicle lot where it is sold for thousands less than a new vehicle. According to General Manager Richard Bond, “We cycle the cars out about every 6 to 9 months. In many cases the cars have between 5,000 and 10,000 miles. As we cycle vehicles out new one arrive ensuring our customers get the latest safety and technology when they rent form us.” Rental cars at Cramer Toyota of Venice do require advance reservation either on the phone or via the web site. Current rates are also posted on the web site for the customer’s convenience.

Silent Sale - Prices Not To Be Repeated!

2010-07-02T13:36:00.000-07:00

Exclusively at Cramer Toyota of Venice
One Day Only Sunday, July 4th, 2010 • 8AM-8PM
For your shopping convenience, come see over 600 cars, trucks, vans and sport utilities with all prices drastically reduced! There will be no salespeople, managers, OR employees, on premises to disturb you!!!
(No one will be available to even answer the phones!)
These Prices will never be repeated
Prices will be honored one day only
Monday July 5th 2010 from 9AM to 8PM
Because models are arriving daily, the owners have ordered management to eliminate excess inventory at any cost. All Prices will be slashed to the bone and will be clearly marked on hanging tags in each vehicle. Bring a pen and piece of paper, write down the stock number and price, come in Monday, as early as 9AM. First come, first served. There will be multiple USED CAR appraisers to create a bidding frenzy on your trade.

$AVE THOUSAND

Duane Robertson Retires

2010-07-02T13:34:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice would like to announce the retirement of Duane Robertson who decided to live the good life after 20 years of loyal service. Duane worked for the dealership originally as a Toyota Certified Service Technician before taking over as the Service Manager at Cramer Toyota of Venice. As the Service Manager, the department grew under his guidance, increasing business and staff along the way. After many years as the Service Manager, Duane took over the Body Shop running that department successfully for many years. After Duane felt he had accomplished all that he could in the Body Shop he then tackled the Warranty Administrator job. For many years Duane watched over the Warranty operation at Cramer Toyota of Venice earning the respect of the entire Toyota Team. For the last few years of Duane’s service at Cramer Toyota of Venice, Duane has worked in the Parts Department. According to Richard Bond the General Manager, “Duane has touched every department in the fixed operations side of the business, leaving each department a better place as he moved to the next. He will be missed dearly.” July 1, 2010 marked the day that Duane was presented with a Toyota NASCAR jacket and a huge BBQ lunch was held in his honor. Everyone at Cramer Toyota of Venice wishes Duane a happy retirement

Cramer Sales People Trained on Competition

2010-06-25T13:05:00.000-07:00

Today the staff at Cramer Toyota of Venice had the opportunity to drive and train on the Hyundai Sonata. This is the latest car out of Hyundia to try to rate as good as the Toyota Camry. Richard Bond General Manager said, "We try to get all of the competive makes here so our sale people can answer customers questions about the cars they are selling against." Cramer Toyota believes they need to do everything possible to give their people the tools they need to satisfy the customer.

Cramer Toyota Open House

2010-06-23T15:42:00.000-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice thanks it customers who came out for our open house tonight. Lots of food and drinks were consumed and fun was had by all. Our next open house is scheduled for August 4, 2010

Cramer Toyota of Venice Hires Fifth ASE Master Technician

2010-06-21T13:09:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice recently hired their fifth ASE Master Technician. By doing this Cramer Toyota of Venice becomes one of only a few Toyota Dealerships in Florida to have such a high concentration of ASE Master Technicians as a percent of their total technicians. Having this number of ASE Master Technicians at Cramer Toyota of Venice allows a huge amount of cross training as well as provides for better diagnosis of difficult repairs. To become an ASE Master Technician you must pass eight rigorous tests on every aspect of vehicle repair. Since the tests are administered nationally, achieving this distinction allows a technician to take their skill set anywhere in the country. According to Josh Jorge, Service Manager at Cramer Toyota of Venice, “Having such a high percentage of ASE Master Technicians at Cramer Toyota of Venice helps us better serve our customers. In addition, because of the huge amount of cross training, we are seeing entry level technicians grow their knowledge base much faster.” Cramer Toyota of Venice feels that they have a competitive advantage by having five ASE Master Technicians and hopes that in the future they can increase this number. Josh Jorge finishes by explaining, “It’s not as much the competitive advantage it provides, but the knowledge base. Modern cars are very complex, and when they break, it helps to have high caliber technicians.”

Cramer Toyota of Venice Goes Green

2010-06-21T13:08:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice recently goes green in a big way. A recent analysis of the recycling efforts being put forth at Cramer Toyota of Venice revealed that there was much more that could be done. Cramer Toyota of Venice assigned a team of employees to figure out how to best accomplish the task. Led by Josh Jorge the Service Manager at Cramer Toyota of Venice, the team eventually involved employees from each department. “Once Josh asked for help, I realized that our business office could do more. We generate lots of paper and most of it could be recycled”, says Jodi McKinney the Controller at Cramer Toyota of Venice. McKinney quickly contacted the company that Cramer Toyota of Venice uses to shred their documents and found that they were already recycling the shredded documents. According to McKinney, “because of the sensitive nature of the information we are dealing with, all of our waste paper is shredded. We already had the shredder boxes all around the dealership, but never thought to ask if the shredded material was being recycled.” Cramer Toyota of Venice purchased special recycle bins made exclusively for cans and bottles and put them in key areas. General Manger Richard Bond explains, “We were always recycling things like batteries, oil, scrap metal and tires. We were also using special trash containers for cans and bottles. The real eye opener was when we went through the dumpster and realized the volume of cans and bottles not being recycled. The solution was simple. Josh Jorge and his team went on an education blitz with the employees and we made it easy for them to do it by providing multiple containers.” Cramer Toyota of Venice with over 100 employees has now decreased its foot print on the planet. If you want information on how they were able to accomplish so much so fast, call Josh Jorge at 941-484-9000.

Cramer Toyota Earns Record Number of Managers Awards

2010-06-19T07:43:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice always striving to excel in every aspect of customer service has won a record number of Sales Manager Excellence Awards. Cramer Toyota of Venice already earned the prestigious Presidents Award for the 19th year in a row earlier in the year. They are the only 19 year winner in the state of Florida and one of only thirteen in the country. Richard Bond the General Manager comments, “We as a dealership try to earn every award for customer service that Toyota puts out there. We are very proud of the fact that our people believe in this vision and work hard to win their individual awards. Not many dealerships can claim having four fully trained Sales Managers. It really makes a difference in customer service.” Earning the award requires passing a rigorous number of tests on customer service and product knowledge as well as tenure with a Toyota dealership. In addition, each manager must attend in person classroom hands on training, some of it requiring overnight travel. Managers winning this award at Cramer Toyota this year are: Jodey Bruner, Paul Nastri, Mike Johnson and Jason Smith.

2010-06-17T10:50:00.001-07:00

Cramer Automotive just sold the 100th Gulf Coast Credit customer

2010-06-17T07:49:00.001-07:00

Look for the new Camry commercial on the NBA game tonight and tell us what you think

2010-06-15T16:56:00.001-07:00

Cramer Toyota offers free tire rotations June 16, 2010 9am-10am. Must mention you saw it on our blog.

Cramer Toyota Slashes Price on Synthetic Oil Change

2010-06-15T14:29:00.000-07:00

Expensive synthetic oil once used only in pricey import European cars has gone main stream. Starting in 2010 many of the middle market Japanese imports started making this a requirement. Toyota now recommends and or requires 0W20 synthetic oil in many of their new vehicles. The reasons are simple; better gas mileage, longer engine life and less waste oil into the environment. With those benefits, comes a price tag. An average synthetic oil change can cost close to $100 at many repair shops. Cramer Toyota of Venice felt like charging that kind of premium to Toyota customers was not fair. Cramer Toyota General Manager Richard Bond said “We believe in the everyday low price theory. We want to sell and service the vehicle. Our promise to our customers is fast, affordable service.” Cramer Toyota’s philosophy is that the Toyota buyer needed an affordable solution. Cramer Toyota used its buying power to negotiate a deal to supply its customers with a Synthetic Castrol Oil change for $39.95. Trucks can get it done for $49.95. Once again Cramer Toyota of Venice proves that changing your oil at the dealer can be an affordable option.

Cramer Toyota of Venice Offers Buy Here/ Pay Here

2010-06-15T14:24:00.000-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice announces is has entered into an exclusive relationship with Gulf Coast Auto Credit Corporation. Gulf Coast Auto Credit Corporation is a local automotive finance company that specializes in providing loans to individuals that have encountered recent financial hardships. “We at Cramer Toyota of Venice are constantly looking for ways to meet and exceed the needs of our valued customers. GCAC should provide a much needed service to those people that have been affected by recent economic events” says Cramer Toyota of Venice General Manager, Richard Bond. According to Mr. Bond the application and approval process has been streamlined, to eliminate the burdensome documentation and verifications required by other lenders. “We wanted a lender that was ready to do business and help people finance their next vehicle without putting them through all the hassles, we found that lender in GCAC”.

Cramer Toyota of Venice support local charity

2010-06-15T07:31:00.000-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice recently donated a used car to the Loveland Center of Venice for use by their clients for local transportation

Cramer Toyota handles recall

2010-06-15T07:30:00.000-07:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice has plenty of recall part available. Just call for an appointment and we can get your car in within 24 hours

Cramer Toyota of Venice Earns Presidents Award 19 years in a row

2009-02-20T11:20:00.001-08:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice has just earned for the 19th year in a row Toyota's Presidents Award. They are the only dealer in Florida and one of only 13 in the USA to achieve this honor

Love Bug Solutions

2009-02-19T10:57:00.000-08:00

Did you know that Love Bugs if left on your paint will damage the clear coat. Other than a quick car wash what other solutions have you found

Cramer Toyota Opens Areas Largest Body Shop

2009-02-19T10:53:00.000-08:00

For years Cramer Toyota has had an award winning body shop. Now with our recent expansion we can service and paint more vehicles. Please share any good or bad experiences you have had in our body shop

Cramer Toyota of Venice - Service Expansion

2009-02-19T10:51:00.000-08:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice has completed their service expansion and is now interviewing for 6 more service technicians. Call Josh Jorge our Service Manager or just stop by

Toyota Sales Pros

2009-02-10T04:38:00.000-08:00

Cramer Toyota would like to announce that they have 3 Toyota Sales Pros for 2009. Stay tuned to find out who they are

Cramer Toyota of Venice Web Site

2009-02-09T17:45:00.001-08:00

Did you know that Cramer Toyota has an all new look on the web. Check it out and let us know how you like it.

The New Toyota Venza

2009-02-09T12:47:00.000-08:00

Post your impressions of the all new Toyota Venza. Did Toyota hit a winner?

Will Toyota Dominate NASCAR in 2010

2009-02-09T12:46:00.000-08:00

Will Toyota Dominate in either the Truck or Cup Series this Year?

Prius Gas Mileage

2009-02-03T13:32:00.000-08:00

Driving the Prius is a learned habit. Drive with a heavy foot and the mileage drops. Drive it a bit differently and the mileage can easily exceed factory specifications. Please share your tips with other Cramer Toyota Prius customers and help them maximize Prius Gas Mileage.

New Facility

2009-01-28T08:33:00.000-08:00

Cramer Toyota of Venice has recently completed construction of their new 65,000 square foot dealership. This makes Cramer Toyota the largest new and used dealership in Sarasota County. Cramer has been selling and servicing New and Used Toyota's in the Venice area for more than 19 years.