If there is one thing that Ian Murdoch, president of Waterloo Nissan, is most proud of it’s the culture that his business has developed over its 20-year history.This year the company celebrates the past two decades – an accomplishment built on a cornerstone of offering ‘better people, better service’ at all times.	Employees at Waterloo Nissan are an extremely dedicated, experienced and well respected group who has played a major role in the steady growth of the dealership.
“For my staff to reach the top is one thing. We are the number one New Car Dealer in Central Ontario as judged by the Canadian Automobile Association. To retain this elite status for seven consecutive years is something else again! This exemplifies the dedication, professionalism and good old-fashioned hard work of my staff and the ongoing support and loyalty of our very special clients,” says Murdoch. Located at Bridgeport and Weber in Waterloo, the dealership has grown since its inception – from products to its high-calibre staff and quality service - all centered on client satisfaction. This approach to service is what has contributed most to the company’s longevity. Excellence “We have the best possible technicians, working with the best possible tools and constantly executing the best training,” says Murdoch. “Our Nissan owners are absolute about bringing their Nissan here and only here. In fact, Nissan Canada uses our dealership to test and refine many of their new and innovative ways of caring for customers,” he adds. “The heart of our excellence is fairness and honesty.” Branding “Every experience one has with a client either builds on their brand or tears it down a peg. Everything we do here builds on our brand (Waterloo Nissan). “The people we hire, our developing philosophy, the products and services we offer and even how we interact with our community,” adds Murdoch. The secret, says Ian, lies in having well-paid people that deal in a fair, straightforward, professional manner. They, in turn, enhance the customer experience over and over again. “If you expect to grow a business, people better be talking about you favourably. Our 20 years of solid growth speaks volumes. The last three years alone have each been record years. The first two months of this year we’re up 51 per cent over January/February of last year!” Under Ian’s direction, Waterloo Nissan has enjoyed steady growth year after year. He credits much of that growth to General Manager Heather McDonald , General Sales Manager Murray Smith, Sales Manager Kathy Emerson and a ‘very special’ sales staff.
And what about the service department? “Well that’s a success story unparalled by most dealerships,” says Murdoch, citing an elite technical crew for their work in garnering awards from both Nissan Canada and The CAA. Growth There are two other components to the business as well – the used car department and the parts department. The used car business is successful for one key reason, he says, and that is reconditioning. Most dealerships spend an average of $350 - $500 on reconditioning a car before taking it to market. Waterloo Nissan spends $850 per car. “I do not want the vehicle to be in any less shape than what I would sell to my children.” Combine that philosophy with plain-to understand warranties and a constantly fresh turnover of stock and you’ve got a winner! The Parts Department is a business in itself – serving the body shops around town, Nissan’s own technicians, the used car department and yes, even the new car department (they buy accessories). “These customers all have one thing in common – they need the part ordered accurately and supplied immediately. Our parts department does this most efficiently and still manage to find time for a warm smile or a query about one’s family.”	At the helm of Waterloo Nissan is president Ian Murdoch and general manager Heather McDonald – shown here with two of Nissan’s most recent awards.
“Our shuttle driver, John Hause, is absolutely one of the kindest people I know and is truly a gentleman’s-gentleman,” states Murdoch. Further he adds, “Without that elite technical team of Shane Kuhnke, Brett Thibideau, Mike Cieplak, Mark Gilbert, Neil Lam, Brian Bird and that special team of sales people: Larry Jutzi, Rudy Tomasovic, Carsten Miller, Sammie Hill and Richard Schneider, plus our solid partnership with Nissan Canada, we could not have reached for the stars. They’re all winners!” Chris and Cory are detail specialists and Dianne, Fiona and Donna round out the staff by ensuring the proper business office and accounting procedures are respected and adhered to always showing compassion and foresight for their co-workers and customers. Nissan Vision Of course, the Nissan products themselves are a huge draw for customers. A turnaround occurred for the company a few years back when Mr. Carlos Ghosn took over world operations of Nissan. Ever since the introduction of the recent Altima, Maxima, Murano, Titan, X-trail, Xterra, Pathfinder, Armada and Frontier and now the soon to arrive Versa and new Sentra, business at Waterloo Nissan has been booming. The introduction of constant variable transmissions in some of the lineups (and more to come) has dramatically increased gas mileages and done away with the sensation of transmission shift. “It just sort of glides as you soar down the highway,” adds Murdoch. “Diesel engines are also on the horizon for some of the Nissan products which will again facilitate customer choice. When we brought forward the crown jewel, our 350Z, the market place gasped! When the Skyline GTR, all new Altima Coupe and the Hybrids arrive, they better have resuscitators in our showroom!” The product choice at Waterloo Nissan is vital to Ian’s success. With a compound tucked in behind the current location, he is able to carry in excess of $4 million dollars of inventory for fast delivery. Future So just what does the future hold? The health and prosperity of Waterloo Nissan has proven the old saying that a goose grows faster in a smaller cage. It’s time however for the company to expand, says Murdoch, noting that he is currently looking for land to accommodate a new, larger state-of-the-art facility. The expansion is the next step in continuing the pursuit of excellence. Says Murdoch: “As Donald Cooper, a well-respected business analyst/speaker once said – the soul of your brand is the customer experience. I’m satisfied that our customer experience is extraordinary at Waterloo Nissan.”
Making a difference
Ian Murdoch and his wife Mary are both long-time residents of Kitchener-Waterloo and although their two children – son Jason and daughter Brodie have ‘flown the nest’, their two black Labradors, Bubba and Taboo have somewhat filled the void. Not only is Murdoch passionate about his business, he is equally passionate about the community he lives in. “If your business is in KW, you had better be living here. I don’t know of a more caring or progressive community in Canada. If you truly care about helping others then this is the place for you.” Murdoch’s love for the community is apparent in the way he does business and has certainly played a role in the firm’s success. Over the years, Waterloo Nissan and its staff have actively been involved with many local charities including Big Brothers, Big Sisters, KidsAbility, Kidslink, The Food Bank, The Cancer Society, Junior Achievement, Children’s Wing – Grand River Hospital, Cancer Wing – Grand River Hospital, Habitat for Humanity, The Working Centre and St. John’s Kitchen to name a few. In the past, Murdoch has sat on several boards including The Alzheimer Society of K.W., The Rotary Frederick St. Project and The Kitchener-Conestogo Rotary Board. He is currently involved with The Grand River Conservation Foundation Board. He is twice past president of K-W Car and Truck Dealers Association and chairs the World Community Service Committee at the Kitchener-Conestogo Rotary Club whose group has projects in Peru, Zimbabwe, Bolivia, Cuba, Kenya, Honduras and India to name a few.	One of Murdoch’s favourite projects is in western Kenya situated in a village called Matangwe. The Kitchener-Conestogo Rotary Club and other local Rotaries have partnered with a local group called Caring Partners. Through that partnership they have been able to build a water well, a clinic, supply dieselgenerated electricity and supply an ambulance for the Matangwe, plus much more. University of Waterloo grad student Thomas VanGeest is currently in Matangwe studying the best way to help with future development. Two local physicians, Dr. Whitby and Dr. Bell, have volunteered in Matangwe and Dr Bell’s father has taught school there. It is through the perseverance and dedication of people like Murdoch and the organizations and clubs he belongs to that these and other much needed efforts are brought to the forefront. “People are dying everyday .... children are left alone to survive .... We will not and cannot turn our back on this catastrophe. It’s our community helping another far, far less fortunate,” concludes Murdoch. For more in formation about this and other projects call Ian directly at 884-3660.