Hall, who averages about 18 units per month, is not big on high-pressure tactics. “It’s unnecessary, in my opinion … Sometimes customers like to get figures, go home, maybe give it some thought overnight or a few hours,” he explained. When asked about his success, he didn’t seem to want to take much credit for it, speaking frequently in terms of “we” rather than “I,” and giving a lot of credit to the entire team at Toyota of Somerset. “We do have a great dealership. We’ve really ranked high on customer satisfaction each year … and that really contributes a lot … We’ve always tried to be fair and honest with the customer, tried to be straight-up with them, and we’ve always tried to make the negotiation process easy and simple … I do feel we’ve got an excellent dealership, an excellent, excellent management team.”

With all due credit to his co-workers, there’s still something about Hall that keeps people coming back time and again. He estimated that the majority of his customers have been repeat customers over the years. One of his favorite customers lives about 140 miles west of Somerset and often travels that distance to see Hall and visit the dealership. The man and his wife became customers of Hall’s in the mid-90s, after the gentleman had decided he might be ready to try a Toyota for his next car. When he mentioned to his family that he was planning a visit to Bowling Green (much closer than Somerset) to buy a car, his sister told him he really needed to make the drive to Somerset before making a purchase.

The man took his sister’s advice, and ended up buying a vehicle from Hall. He was apparently pretty satisfied with his experience, because he still drives his truck from his home in Morgantown to visit Hall in Somerset, towing his wife’s car on a trailer behind him, just to have oil changes and maintenance done on both vehicles while he spends the day hanging out with everyone at the dealership. Hall said the man and his wife have been terrific customers and have purchased several vehicles from him in the years since that first sale.

Hall admitted that selling cars leaves little time for outside pursuits, although he said he does enjoy fishing, swimming and watching movies when he gets the chance. His top priority, however, is to make sure he spends plenty of time with his son and daughter, now grown, and his two grandchildren. “That’s one of my big things, being able to spend time with my kids and my grandkids. We have a lot of fun together.”

So, what’s the secret to success for Hall? Simple: He loves his job. “I’ve got the greatest job anybody could have,” he said, adding that he really enjoys dealing with people and helping them pick out a car that suits their wants and needs. He felt that respecting and appreciating his customers is important to his success as a salesperson. “They make my living for me and I respect that … All they ask of me is for me to be as fair as I can with them, and it’s pretty much that simple.” You can bet Hall’s simple formula of respect and appreciation, both for his customers and his co-workers, will mean many more successful years in the business he loves.

Congratulations to Jeff Hall, our sales professional of the month, and thank you to Lloyd Johnson for bringing Hall to our attention.