Ford Dealer in Minnesota Makes Local Teen Part of the Team

A Ford Store in Apple Valley Minnesota has made difference in the life of Jake Nelson. No, they didn’t get him a great deal on a Ford Mustang, however, they did help him become part of their team. Jake, a 17-year-old Apple Valley resident, has some disabilities and a real love of cars. What Apple Valley Ford Lincoln did was make one of Jake’s keenest interests come to life.

Always having that appreciation for cars, Jake’s parents say they have visited every car lot in their area. However, when they landed at Apple Valley Ford Lincoln, one of the salesmen, Matt Luken, took an interest in both showing Jake the lot and introducing him to the rest of the staff. Fast forward to one year after that initial meeting and Jake, now 17, volunteers to keep on eye on the car lot. He checks for locked doors, misplaced mirrors and vehicle positioning.

“They make him feel important,” Jake’s mom said in an interview with local news station KARE . “They make him feel needed, and who doesn’t want that for their son.” It appears that one salesman and then an entire organization saw people who walked onto their lot as more than potential clients. They saw a young man’s desire to be a part of their store and made it happen. The story has produced a lot of favorable buzz on social media. Those comments include numerous individuals who say they are going to go out of their way to buy a car from Apple Valley Ford Lincoln. What lessons can dealers learn from this store? What is happening at your dealership right now to identify opportunities to get involved in your community?