Saturn sales consultants are enthusiastic about the cars they sell

Michael Wiehn, a sales consultant, moved to Maine when he was 15 and lived in Harmony. He now hails from Dexter, where he worked for Dexter Shoe for 13 years, including seven years as factory outlet-store manager.

Michael joined the sales team at Bean & Conquest Chevrolet-Geo in June 1992. One month later, “we were given the opportunity to come here to Saturn of Bangor, and we didn’t have to think twice about jumping at it,” he said. “I’d heard of what Saturn was doing in their approach to customer satisfaction, and you could say that I was definitely intrigued.

“And I knew something about the quality of the product. Who wouldn’t want the opportunity to work here?” Michael said. “When you put together a retail atmosphere dedicated to customer satisfaction and a quality product, you have a `Win! Win!’ situation.”

He trained a week at the Saturn plant in Tennessee and spent another week at Bean & Conquest before joining the Saturn team. Then Michael and other sales consultants traveled to Hyannis, Mass., to bring home four 1992 Saturns bought from a retail store there.

“Those were the first cars we had. We brought them back and were in here while the builders were still finishing the building,” Michael said.

He immediately sold a 1992 Saturn SL-1 “with air conditioning, mind you,” and took an order for a 1993 SL-2. “The main reason that my customers bought a Saturn was, No. 1, they’d heard good reports about it. Another reason was that they wanted to buy a car that was made in America,” he commented.

“Most people are curious about Saturn at first, but when they see the quality of the car, they get serious,” Michael pointed out.

Lance El-Hajj, a sales consultant from Winterport, graduated from Hampden Academy in 1982. He has worked in his family’s business, El-Hajj’s Market in downtown Winterport, and has worked as a sales representative for Fritolay.

On June 14, 1992, Lance joined Village Subaru as a sales consultant. He, too, was asked to join the Saturn team in late July; Lance went to Spring Hill with the other sales consultants and “attended classes from 8 (a.m.) to 5 (p.m.), every day for a week.

“They taught us the Saturn difference, about being upfront and honest with the consumer. No gimmicks, no inner-office dickering, everything’s right there on the table for the customer to see,” he said.

“I really believe in the product, which will help when I’m meeting with our customers,” Lance said. Right after the Saturn team brought in the cars from Massachusetts, he sold a 1992 SL-2, then turned around and sold a 1993 SL-2.

“We’re taking orders for the cars. Customers are willing to wait to get the exact car and features that they want. They’re aware of the quality of the car; it sells itself,” Lance stated.

Steve Smith, a sales consultant, graduated from Brewer High School in 1988 and from Clarkson University in 1992. Hired by Village Subaru in June 1992, he transferred to Saturn of Bangor in late July.

“They asked me if I’d want to work here as a sales consultant,” he said. “I thought it would be a great opportunity. Saturn is an excellent car, and a lot of people in this area will be interested in seeing it.”

After training for a week in Spring Hill, Steve returned to Village Subaru “for just a short time. Then I came over here, and I sold a 1992 SL-1 right off.

“The Saturn, it’s a great car. American cars haven’t been known recently for having quality, but this car does. It’s a very well-built car. The price is right, too, extremely competitive with the models that Saturn regards as our competition,” he noted.

“That’s an important selling tool during a recession. A quality car at an affordable price? You can’t beat it,” Steve said.

Nason Bean Jr., the fourth sales consultant at Saturn of Bangor, also lives in Winterport. He graduated from Hampden Academy in 1981, then came to Village Subaru as an auto reconditioner.

Since then, Nason has worked in the parts departments at Village Subaru and Downeast Toyota. Hired early last August to work in a similar capacity at the Village Car Co., he eagerly accepted the Quirks’ challenge to become a sales consultant at Saturn of Bangor.

“I view this as an excellent opportunity to advance my career,” Nason said. “I feel good about selling an American product. As I’ve been telling everybody lately, I’m just plain excited about Saturn.”

He, too, trained for a week in Spring Hill. Nason likes “Saturn’s way of selling its product. Everything’s right on the table; we’re right upfront about selling to the customer.”