“We have a lot going on around the customer experience” || Bob Welby, Senior Director of Sales, Marketing, Product, and Customer Operations, INFINITI USA

Boston native Bob Welby now calls Nashville home, and has been a fixture at INFINITI USA for the past three decades, having joined the company in 1997 as a Regional Operation Specialist - in fact, INFINITI has been his employer for his entire career. In his current role, Bob is responsible for a whole spectrum of INFINITI’s processes, including overseeing sales channels, customer experience, pricing and incentive strategy, and product lifecycle.

In this episode, Bob joins our host Derek D to discuss what it was like launching all-new models at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, how softening in used vehicle equity has had a ripple effect on new-car prices, and what he learned from his experience as a ferry boat captain at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Plus, he talks about what’s making automotive retailers go back to the “old ways” of value-based selling, how to keep customers connected to service and maintenance after the sale, and much more.

Bob Welby

Episode Highlights:

• Why it’s important for INFINITI to take as much time as needed for EV development
• How Bob knows we’ve progressed on the microchip supply issue, but aren’t out of the woods yet
• The reasons why Bob loves the automotive industry even though he’s never purchased his own car
• Why customers may need extra support right now, and why that might be critical to maintaining their loyalty

“The biggest thing for us is giving customers the option: How do you set up the business to where they can do business how they want?” 

— Bob Welby

|| Dealer News Today is a DCG Media production