Fenton Nissan supports its Hero Appreciation Week
When Joe Balsamo arrived at Fenton Nissan of Tiffany Springs as the general manager in March, it was easy for him to keep Hero Appreciation Week going.
From May 16 through June 1, Fenton Nissan at 9600 NW Prairie View Road will honor all first responders and military that come into its dealership with a $50 dinner gift card. A purchase is not necessary to receive the gift certificate.
“It is something they have been doing here for years, and I am just carrying it on,” Balsamo said. “Our workers enjoy it. Policemen come in, firemen, military, all come in for the gift card. Many of the people who come in, we have done business with. It gets them coming back and familiar with our place.”
More than any other time of the year, Memorial Day weekend is when the country reflects on all the people, past and present, who have kept America safe.
“They do a lot of work for us,” Balsamo said, “but sometimes that goes unappreciated, especially with some of things that are going on now. We want to let everybody know we care.”
In addition to the free gift card, Fenton Nissan of Tiffany Springs also donates $100 for every car sold to the Wounded Warrior project during Hero Appreciation Week and $1 for every “like” that it gets on its Facebook page for as long as the notice about it is there.
“We are excited to help any way we can,” Balsamo said. “This is something we just started. We were thinking of ways to get ‘likes’ in that and make the best impact.”
Although Balsamo is new to Fenton Nissan of Tiffany Springs, he is a 20-year veteran of the car business. Some of the places he has worked at include McCarthy Chevrolet in Olathe and Gary Crossley Ford in Liberty.
One of the things he has learned through the years is the importance of a dealership being part of a community in a positive way and giving back whenever possible.
“A car dealership could be a scary place to go, especially if you don’t know anybody and it is your first time,” Balsamo said. “There is a lot of negativity that goes with dealerships. We just want to let them know we are people, too, and are part of the community.
“I am finally close to home. My kids went to Park Hill High School. One of the things we are going to try to do is get in with the high school and let them know we are here and easy to deal with.”
As for Balsamo, he is excited about his new job at Fenton Nissan of Tiffany Springs.
“This is my first import,” he said. “I have been Chevy and Ford for 20 years. There was a little fear making a change. What I have found is Nissan buyers are some of the most loyal car buyers I have seen. They know their products. They like their product. They keep coming back to Nissan.
“I hear a lot of stories from customers, that ‘This is my 10th one.’ There is a lot of loyalty which brings you back to your reputation and how you take care of people. They will keep coming back if you treat them right.”
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This story was originally published May 29, 2015 at 11:59 PM.